Weigh-in for 4/12/2014

Last weigh-in (3/22/2014) : 142.4 lb

This weigh-in (4/12/2014) : 142.8 lb

Change : 0.4 lb gained
 
Total weight loss since Izzie : 57.6 lb


It's been about three weeks since my last weigh-in and some weeks have been better than others in that time.  We've been to a record five birthday parties in the last eight weeks and another two weekends in there were my kids' birthdays.  It's hard to say no to cake every single week.  I didn't every time, but when you are tempted week after week, you give in.  The kids got sick . . . again, taking me out of the gym for a week, which never helps.  Even though my number seems to be hovering between 142-145lbs, my body fat percentage has decreased from 26.2% to 25.2% so at least some of the weight has become muscle rather than fat and I am happy enough with that.

I plan to do measurements to commemorate my one year gymiversary this weekend and I'm sure there will be changes there as well.  I can tell because the clothes sizes are going down in number.  I wore my size 8 bermudas the other day and they were super comfy and had me thinking I could get into a size 6, but they might be a bit restricting.  I bought a few new dresses for summer in general, a wedding, and my brother's college graduation.  I had been in the department stores and not seen anything I liked, so I looked online and saw one that might be nice, but I debated on which size to buy.  I settled on a size 10 because I really had never worn a dress in a size smaller than that.  A few days later, I saw the same dress in the store, in a size 8 and $20 cheaper.  I tried it on and it was perfect!

It's definitely not my normal style which is something that has a more flowing skirt to hide my hips, but I have been feeling more confident in how I look and decided to try something new.

I was heading out of the changing room when another dress caught my eye.  It was also on sale, but when I looked at the ones in stock, there was a size 6 and a size 10.  I figured the size 10 would be too big since I'd just gotten comfortably into a size 8.  I grabbed the 6 and headed back into the changing room, but not really expecting anything.

This is more my typical style, with a band right under the bust and flowing skirt.  To my complete surprise, the size 6 fit perfectly!  A size 6 has been the magic number in my head since I started losing weight almost eight years ago.  I still can't believe I did it!

There's still plenty of work to be done, in terms of body shape, even if the weight and clothing sizes stay relatively the same.  My goal is to have my ultimate body by the time I turn 30 (which is now 23 months away).  I plan to have another baby in that time, but now see that as an aid rather than an impediment to my weight loss.  I just have to keep working hard and keeping up a positive attitude.  I know now to appreciate what I have now instead of being down on myself for not being better.

Weigh-in for 2/28/2014 ~ Starting a Household Challenge

Last weigh-in (2/1/2014) : 141.0 lb

This weigh-in (2/28/2014) : 144.2 lb

Change : 3.2 lb gained
 

Total weight loss since Izzie : 56.2 lb


It's been a rough month.  Historically, February is a rough month for me and weight loss.  There has only been one of the eight Februarys I've been on Weight Watchers that I've lost instead of gained.  I don't know what it is, maybe that winter starts to get to me at that point, combined with Valentine's Day and the past four years, Brady's birthday.  The only February I lost weight, we were living in South Carolina and it was so warm I was sunbathing daily, so there seems to be a correlation with weather and weight loss (something I've noticed from past patterns as well).  It is harder for me to maintain or lose in February than it over Christmas.  

This February, I had gym access, but of course, Izzie has had a runny nose for three straight weeks and can't go to the day care like that.  That means I only make it on the weekends, so in addition to the eating which hasn't been the greatest, I didn't have the workouts to help battle it and keep it in check a little more than I did.  I tend to get to a point once I'm off track, where I let go and start eating things I normally wouldn't because I know I won't eat them when I get back on track.  That only makes it worse.  We had Brady's party, Valentine's Day, and a trip out of town in the span of two weeks and the eating out got to me as well as the cake.

In terms of upswings, it's not that bad.  4lbs gained in the course of 6 weeks.  I've had upswings that have lasted several months and been as much as 15-20lbs.  I am choosing to kick myself out of it immediately.  Even if I can't go to the gym during the day, I will make myself go when Andy gets home from work.  I have to start tracking religiously again (something I haven't done in months, maybe before Thanksgiving).  This will become very important now that I'm weaning Izzie and will be completely done breastfeeding by the end of March.

Andy and I are both unhappy, so we decided to buckle down together.  Andy is in a wedding in early May, and we leave for our 11 day California vacation in mid-May.  We want to look and feel good when we get there.  We have committed to weekly weigh-ins (going into WW for me every week to keep me honest and on track, rather than once a month).  We have 11 weeks until Cali and have set goals.  Andy wants to lose 20lbs (putting him at 200lbs) and I want to get under 140lbs (4.4lbs away).  We have both laid out rewards for if we reach our goals and I think we'll have to consider a punishment if we don't so we have even more incentive.  Wish us luck!

Weigh-in for 2/1/2014

Last weigh-in (1/18/2014) : 140.2 lb

This weigh-in (2/1/2014) : 141.0 lb

Change : 0.8 lb gained

Total weight loss since Izzie : 59.4 lb


We've certainly had a lot going on in the last two weeks, including being stuck inside again for extreme temps.  That certainly makes it hard for me to avoid eating all day long.  I don't have junk food in my house, but even eating too much healthy food isn't good for you.  All in all, 0.8 lbs in two weeks isn't so bad.  I've maintained my workout schedule and as long as the inches come off or continue to maintain, the number on the scale isn't going to bother me fluxuating a few pounds here and there.

Weigh-in for 11/16/2013

Last weigh-in (11/2/2013) : 144.4 lb

This weigh-in (11/16/2013) : 144.8 lb

Change : 0.4 lb gained

Total weight loss since Izzie : 55.6 lbs


Well, I'm certainly human and the last two weeks I've kinda enjoyed myself eating wise.  I've not had a full week in the gym either week, but went which is the important part.  There was Halloween candy in the house and while I was good leading up to Halloween, you can only walk by it so many times without having some.  We had a trip home and there was lots of eating out.  I usually make good choices at restaurants, but not so much these times.  All I can do is shrug it off and work hard this week so I can have some loss before Thanksgiving week when I know I'll be enjoying some good food.

Back from Hiatus

Well, it's been a long time since I've written a post here.  Almost exactly nine months to be exact.  The reason it's been so long is that I found out about a week after we returned from Germany that we were expecting our second child.  I was a little bummed that I was starting out that pregnancy a whole five pounds heavier than where I had started with Brady.  I was determined not to gain as much as I had with him (52lbs) so that it didn't take as long to take it back off (16 months).

I was 168lbs when I started the pregnancy and my goal was to try and stay under 200lbs, but at the very least gain no more than the upper range of the recommended weight gain, which is 35lbs (which would put me at 203lbs).  I lost my appetite during the first trimester (no nausea or morning sickness), so the weight gain was easy to control at that point.  This is how it broke down by trimester and I'll show the comparison with Brady :

1st trimester    : gained 3.5lbs (Brady was 3.2lb gain)
2nd trimester   : gained 11.75lbs (Brady was 25.2lb gain)
3rd trimester    : gained 17.2lbs (Brady was 23.6lb gain)

Totals :  Brady 52lbs gained
               Izzie B 32.4lbs gained

If you couldn't guess, this time I had a little girl, named Izzie B (her nickname) on March 2.  I was fortunate that she came a week early as that meant I was pregnant for two full weeks less than I was with Brady who came a week late.  In addition to gaining almost exactly 20lbs less than with Brady, my belly was significantly smaller.  She was born only about a half pound less than Brady, weighing in at 7lbs 14oz at birth.  She will be exactly one week old tomorrow.

With Brady, I was down 30lbs in the first three months after he was born, so I am really hoping for similar results.  I am currently breastfeeding more than I was with him, so that means I'm burning more calories.  Although I gained 20lbs less, I ended at 15lbs less than my end weight with Brady due to the 5lb starting difference.  So, I have less to lose to get to pre-pregnancy weight, but I have to lose an additional 20lbs to get where I was before Europe (148.2lbs).  So in a way, it evens out to the same.

I want to set a few goals for myself right out of the gate to get my mind in a weight loss place again.  Since I expect to lost 30lbs by 3 months (June 2), I want to be at Brady's pre-pregnancy weight of 163lbs (35lbs down) by our beach vacation on July 20 (4.5 months).  I have a ticker at the top of the page to show my progress and I have it currently set to be at pre-pregnancy weight by the beach, but will adjust when (not if, but when) I get below pre-pregnancy weight before then.

My big goal (and I am hesitant to set it because if you set a goal that isn't attainable and you don't reach it, you get discouraged) is to be back at my lowest by this Christmas, which will be almost 10 months postpartum.  That would mean 52lbs in 10 months instead of 16 months last time.  I would have to average about 5lbs per month.

With all that said, it's been six days since Izzie B was born and I've weighed myself twice since then.  At three days postpartum I was at 188.2lbs (down 12.2lbs) and today at six days postpartum, I was at 185.8lbs (down 14.6lbs).  It will of course slow down as the initial weight loss is the baby and other items that come out at delivery.  I'm excited to get back into things and feel the rush of weight loss again!

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

In 20 days we will be on a plane headed back to the States and although I've enjoyed our travels, it won't be one minute too soon.

I haven't been on the scale since early May and at that point I was 166lb.  I haven't dared to step on since, but I know that things are bad since I have about four pairs of pants that actually fit me now.  On our most recent trip, I caught an image of myself in the full-length mirror in the hotel.  I really didn't like what I saw and was forever grateful that our apartment only has mirrors that show us from the shoulders up or I'd feel even worse about myself every day.

I hate feeling uncomfortable every minute of every day and I know that I only have myself to blame.  There are some factors that are beyond my control here (such as the minimum fat content on meat here being 13%), but I'm sure the brunt of the blame falls to me.

As if I didn't feel bad enough about myself, I know that going home, everyone who hasn't seen me since Christmas when I was at my lowest is going to be commenting on how I look now (whether to my face or behind my back).  To top things off, all my "fat" clothes are in a storage unit that I won't have access to until we have a permanent residence, so I'll have to buy new clothes as soon as we get home.  There's nothing I hate more than buying clothes in a bigger size when I know that I have them already.  I'll even have to buy new bathing suits for the beach, since I doubt that I'll be bikini ready only six weeks from our return.

Although it's super convenient when it comes to feeding Brady, I will not miss the easy access to street food.  In the States, you have to consciously make the effort to eat out, whereas here food is everywhere.  I'm hoping that the instant decrease in fat content and carbs in my diet will help give me a jump start when I get back and the number isn't as bad as I think it's going to be when I step on a scale in a meeting during the first week in July.

When we touch down in the States, I'll be starting at square one, but I know from past upswings that I can take the weight off, it's just a matter of hard work and will power.  I can guarantee I'll be in the gym within 24 hours of our return because I just hate the way that I feel.  In the meantime, I'll be rocking out to "Fat Bottomed Girls" (either original of Glee version) and "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson.

6 Year Anniversary!

Six years ago today, I walked through the doors of weight watchers and changed my life forever.  I had just finished my sophomore year of college and was seriously unhappy with how I looked and felt in my clothes (gosh doesn't sound too different from now).  My mom was overweight too, so we went together.  I can still remember how shocked I was to see my starting weight : 197.2lb.  I had only weighed 183 the last time I'd weighed myself only 6 weeks before, so I wasn't expecting a number so close to 200lb.


That first summer, away from college food and classes, helped to spark my weight loss.  My mom and I were so very serious about our new lifestyle and that first summer, that I lost 25.6lb, which was 13% of my starting weight.


There have been a lot of ups and downs since that first day in May 2006.  In that span of six years, I met Andy, graduated college and grad school, got married, had Brady, became a lifetime member, and finally moved to Germany.  We've gone through our fair share of program changes as well.  I've gotten as high as 215lb (the day before Brady was born) and gotten down as low as 148.2lb (right before this last Christmas).  I've had periods of gaining where I've had to take the weight off over again, and other times where I've been stuck in a maintain for six months or more.  Right now, I'm in a difficult position of gaining weight, but I know as soon as I get home and have more control, I'll take it back off again, just like I've always done in the past.  No matter what has happened, up or down, I don't regret walking into that meeting room and changing my life for the better!


Here's how I've weighed-in at the anniversary point each year, since I started.


May 2, 2006 : 197.2 lb
May 2, 2007 : 165.2 lb (down 32lb from previous year)
May 2, 2008 : 172.4 lb (up 7.2lb from previous year)
May 2, 2009 : 164.2 lb (down 8.2lb from previous year)
May 2, 2010 : 187.0 lb (up 22.8lb from previous year)
May 2, 2011 : 168.6lb (down 18.4lb from previous year)
May 2, 2012 : 164.4lb (down 4.2lb from previous year)


Overall, in exactly six years, I've netted a loss of 32.8lb.  Even though I'm in an upswing, I'm nowhere near where I started on day 1 and I'll be happy to never see that starting number ever again!  Thanks weight watchers!

April 2012 Stats

Starting weight : 158.2 lb

Ending weight : 164.4 lb

Change : 6.2 lb gained (average 1.5 lb gained per week)

This time last year : 168.6 lb


It really sucks that I'm almost even with where I was last year.  I really don't want to see my weight this year be higher than it was a year ago.  I hate that a lot of my clothes don't fit and I didn't have the foresight to bring my clothes from last summer, instead of buying new smaller ones.  I've never really seen the numbers go up this fast except that one summer between 8th and 9th grades where I went up 30lb.  I feel helpless and just want to be home so I can turn this around.  I constantly feel uncomfortable and am always thinking about what others must be thinking of me.  I know that these past few months have shown that I'm human.  I know that when I started this blog, I was working really hard and losing almost every week and now I'm gaining beyond control. May is full of so many trips and celebrations, I just hope the numbers don't get too far out of control.  At this point, there's no way I can take off the weight as fast as I've been putting it on.

Weigh-in for 4/27/2012

Last weigh-in (3/31/2011) : 158.2 lb

This weigh-in (4/27/2012) : 164.4 lb

Change : 6.2 lb gained


I am beyond tired of watching these numbers creep up and can't wait to get home so I can take it off.  At this rate, I will easily be 170lb by the time we get home and that's a number I haven't seen in almost exactly a year.  I'm so discouraged that I spent the last year working my butt off (literally) and it's back.  I felt so good about myself and now I feel like a complete slob.  

March 2012 Stats

Starting weight : 154.0 lb

Ending weight : 158.2 lb

Change : 4.2 lb gained (average 0.7 lb gained per week since last weigh-in on 2/18/2012)

This time last year : 172.6 lb


Sure, I'm not happy seeing two months straight where I've gained about 4lb each, but I've finally taken control of my weight gain and made the effort to change.  The past two weeks have been much better and I've made better choices.  Even if I'm unable to lose anymore here, I can feel confident in the knowledge, that when I put my mind to it, I can at least maintain.  If I can get home with this number, I know I can take it off quickly when I get there.  I'll have more food choices and way less stress on myself.  I'll have access to a gym and more help during the day with Brady.  I just have to keep telling myself, that if I can make it through the next 16 weeks, I'll be home and it's so much worse it could be.  Here's to a much better April!

Weigh-in for 3/31/2012 ~ Didn't Make the Cut

Last weigh-in (2/18/2011) : 154.0 lb

This weigh-in (3/31/2012) : 158.2 lb

Change : 4.2 lb gained


Well, this starts the mark of all weigh-ins being "unofficial" until we get back to the States.  I wasn't quite able to bring my weight down low enough to make it to the last meeting of the month. 

Although I would have liked to see a better number, I take comfort that during the past two weeks I have taken myself down almost a pound.  I felt like I was on a runaway train, so putting on the brakes was not only necessary, but vital to my physical health, but my mental health as well.  I have been making better choices both at home and out of the house.  I'm still allowing myself a few small things here and there, but nothing like before when I seemed to have no self control.


I've never experienced a period of gaining quite like this during my time with weight watchers.  Sure, I've put on weight before, but never this fast.  I know there are so many factors I can't control, but I have to try my hardest to focus on those factors that are in my control to help balance things just a little bit.

Scale Shock

Earlier this week I made some resolutions to get myself back on track.  Well of course, there's the initial reaction that you want to get being bad out of your system and that's just as bad.  Our friends had gotten me a Swiss truffle cake for my birthday, so that was eaten during the week.  I went out with friends a few times and ate badly.  I was just at a point where I couldn't help myself.


Yesterday was the first time I was on the scale since before Switzerland, which was only a week and a half before.  Before Switzerland, I was 154.6lb and when I got on the scale yesterday I was 159lb!!!  It was so shocking it took a few minutes to really sink in.  That means that not only have I gained almost 10lb in the two months that we've been here, I've gained 4.4lb in the last week and a half.  I could easily use traveling as an excuse, but that would be a lie because in all the trips we've made in the last year, I've come out with a loss at the end of the week.

I'm even 2lb above my buffer weight for lifetime, so I can't even think of going to a meeting to weigh-in for this month until I've lost that 2lb.  There are only two weekends left in March, so I am on the clock and that's never a good feeling.  It also doesn't help that Andy also got on the scale and hasn't gained a single pound the whole time we've been here.  I just don't understand how that's even possible since he eats a hot lunch at work every day and the Germans eat their "dinner" at our lunchtime.


Being here is hard with the lack of variety and light options, but I'm not making good options outside of the house.  I was at a point where I was always saying, tomorrow I'll start being better.  Then tomorrow would come and I'd be just as bad as the day before.  I can honestly say that although I've had upswings before, I've never put on weight this fast.


I've had several breakdowns over here, wanting to come home, and mainly it's due to weight gain and the never ending stream of temptations that I can't seem to turn down.  I see something good and I get it, no matter if I'm hungry or not.


Even before I started this blog, my weight issues have been a public struggle, so it's hard to separate my weight from my identity anymore.  Growing up, I was under constant scrutiny by my extended family.  Even when I was newly pregnant with Brady and had barely gained 3lb, I found out later that although they didn't know I was pregnant, they were discussing that I'd put on some weight.  I can't even imagine 3lb being that noticeable.  All my friends know I'm on weight watchers and as soon as anyone knows, I'm forever under the microscope.  People watch everything I eat, questioning whether or not I am even allowed to eat certain things.  It's a lot of pressure.  So when I got to 148lb and was starting to feel really great about myself, I was thinking that there was no going back, not only for my self-esteem, but because of what people would think or say about me.


I'm very self-conscious, even when I'm at my lowest weight.  I worry about what people will think about how I look in the clothes that I wear.  I've mentioned before that I'm not the type to dress nicely every day and that means even in jeans because I like to be comfortable.  Last night, I went out with some other mom friends here and because my jeans were tight, I had to wear yoga pants.  I was then thinking what they would think of me.  I didn't bring many nice things here because of the freight weight restriction.  I have a lot of sweats and right now only a few of them fit.  

I am horrified to think that I might have to resort to the few maternity pants I brought with me just in case we decided to try for baby #2.  At this point that's not even something we can discuss because the stress of being here, the new food situation, the time change, and the weight gain combined have completely stopped my cycle.  I've taken several pregnancy tests just in case and they are all negative, so that's not even a possibility.  It's crazy to think that something like a move overseas can affect your body so severely.


I've talked to some of the other ladies here who sympathize with me because they are in the same boat of wanting to lose weight, but it's difficult over here.  One lady walks with her daughter in the stroller every day to get her to sleep and takes the train to different parks in the city so it's not the same scenery all the time.  She has a monthly train pass and initially I thought it would be a wash for me because it would cost the same as if I took the train twice a week, which is what I was currently doing.  The more I thought about it, the better the monthly pass option sounded.  That would mean I wouldn't always need cash on hand if I wanted to get out of the house and I could go out every day if I wanted to and just walk if the weather is nice.  I also intent to get a monthly pass the the zoo in the next few weeks and that will be another great opportunity to get out and walk, and for Brady to enjoy as well.


It's going to take some major changes on my part, both in attitude and actions.  I don't want to come home two weeks before our beach vacation and not be able to wear my bathing suits, which I was started to get really comfortable about wearing at my lowest weight.  I would like to have a second child sometime in the near future and would hate to start at a higher weight than I started with Brady.

Reaching a Breaking Point

We've been in Germany just shy of two months and I've reached a breaking point.  I had a pair of jeans that were my favorite "skinny" jeans.  When I went down below 155lb, they became my "fat" jeans because they were way too big.  This past weekend, I brought them with me, and when I put them on, they were uncomfortably tight.  The only time they've ever felt that way in those jeans was when I was around 165lbs and I know I'm nowhere near there.  That just scared the crap out of me.

I'm still in a point where I'm putting up a fight, but not a very good one, so the weight is still coming on.  I'm not very happy here, so it's easier for me to give in to eating than pick a healthy option, but that has to change.  I don't feel better when I don't fit into my clothes well and I don't have an endless supply of sizes in my closet.


Most people make a New Years resolution, but since my birthday was two days ago, I'm going to make a birthday resolution.  Here's the list of things I'm going to try to do to turn my situation here around:

• Track more consistently
• Eat a maximum of two pastry/bread items a week
• Make healthier choices when I'm away from the house
• Plan to cook more meals instead of filling my freezer with pre-made ones
• Drink more water
• Pick more filling snacks
• Go for a walk with Brady when we have nothing else planned and the weather is nice enough (no rain), instead of staying inside the house
• Try to have a more positive attitude
• Eating only when I'm hungry and not when I'm bored (which is all to often here)
• Stick to the food plan I have for the week
• Ration out the Swiss chocolates we recently acquired so they don't create more of a problem
• Stop thinking about my weight all the time (which is easier said than done)
• Try to manage the pre-dinner slump a lot better instead of eating anything I can find and then not being hungry for dinner and eating it anyway

That probably seems like a long list, but there are so many moving parts in weight loss and weight management.

I haven't been on a scale since before our trip to Switzerland this past weekend and I know I was about a pound up from the last official weekend, and I know it could easily have gotten worse in the last week.  A huge sticking point for people frustrated with small loses in meeting rooms, was that the weight didn't come on overnight, so the weight coming off won't either.  Sometimes I agree with that, but right now I'm having a hard time.  I keep thinking in my head that if I continue gaining at this rate, I'll be up almost 20lb by the time we come home and I just can't deal with that mentally.  I've had periods of weight gain during the course of my journey, but I made more bad choices during those times.  I feel frustrated and helpless with the limited variety and light choices here and sometimes when I feel bad for myself, I just say, "It's not fair."

February 2012 Stats

Starting weight : 150.0 lb

Ending weight : 154.0 lb

Change : 4 lb gained (average 1 lb gained per week)

This time last year : 170.8 lb



I'm not very happy with this month.  I've had a little bit of trouble adjusting to the food situation here in Germany, and I hope I will be able to change things and get back to where I was.  The last time I gained this much in a single month, I was pregnant with Brady, so that number is very hard to see.

Weigh-in for 2/18/2012

Last weigh-in (1/7/2011) : 150.0 lb

This weigh-in (2/18/2012) : 154.0 lb

Change : 4 lb gained




I can honestly say that I'm disgusted with this number.  I can also honestly take responsibility for this number.  I've started to gain some control on the internal factors of living in Germany (ex. what we buy in the stores to prepare at home), but now I need to gain some control over the external factors of being here (ex. foods I consume when out of the house).


At least three times a week, Andy was bringing home a pastry or pretzel home from work for me and I would eat it regardless of whether or not I was hungry.  I've been getting out of the house more in the last two weeks and going to play dates for Brady.  Every time I was offered something to eat or there was a spread at someone's house, I ate.  My "just say no" attitude has been sorely lacking.  Also, I've been eating lunch out and about and the selection is not quite the same over here.  There isn't the option for special requests because most people don't speak English and I don't know the German words for what I want.  Everything is very salty and I can feel the swelling in my ankles, which is very telling.


I was weighing myself at home every week, even though I wasn't making it to an official Weight Watchers, and surprisingly, the first two weeks, I was down from where I left the States.  That means, I've gained this 4lbs (yikes) in the last two weeks.  At home, being out of the house and busy kept me from eating, but here it's the opposite.  If I needed to eat on the run, I would stop at Chick Fil-A or Subway and get something low on points and keep going.  Since they eat their big meal at lunch in Europe, it's difficult to get something small and light.


In addition to the mental toll of seeing such a huge gain, there is a physical toll.  I'm so used to eating healthy that eating meats that are higher in fat and carbs (which I hardly ever eat), makes me feel really gross.  It's not a great feeling, so there's a small motivator to try and change.


This is just a bump in the road.  Weight loss is never easy and I've come up against obstacles before and pushed past them.  I knew coming over here wouldn't be easy and I was right.  I have to reassess the situation and adapt accordingly.  I have to take my body's signals and only eat when I am truly hungry, and not just because there's food in front of me. I have to keep my eye on the prize and remember about all the size 8 summer clothes I bought to bring over here and that I still want to fit in them when the weather gets warm.
 

January 2012 Stats

Starting weight : 148.2 lb

Ending weight : 150.0 lb

Change : 1.8 lb gained (average 0.42 lb gained per week)

This time last year : 173 lb


I can honestly say that I'm pleased with this month's result. I know my goal was to get back to 148.2lb, but having only gained 1.8lb from the holidays is a win, no matter which way you look at it. Now, we move on to next month!

Weigh-in for 1/7/2012

Last weigh-in (12/17/2011) : 148.2 lb

This weigh-in (1/7/2012) : 150.0 lb

Change : 1.8 lb gained


Although I'm not too happy to be at that 150lb mark again, I'm grateful that it's not more of a gain. I had no illusions that I would lose or even maintain, so it's nice to finally have the number so I can work on getting back to where I was a week before Christmas. Next week will be the last weigh-in before Germany!

Cookie Overload

We are finally home after a week and a half away, spending the holidays with family. Even though I'm on weight watchers and this is my fifth holiday season as a member, I still like to enjoy the holiday eating. It comes but once a year and I have the chance to eat things that I rarely get the rest of the year. Since it's a lifestyle, you have to be able to enjoy yourself and not be miserable while everyone else enjoys. That being said, I always regret how much I eat over this short period of time.

I've often mentioned that when I eat things that I know aren't good for me, I immediately picture my body ballooning and expect that my clothes won't fit. Fortunately, I was able to get into some small pants and several size 8 pants, so I know that that mental picture is false, although it doesn't necessarily mean that I didn't gain a little weight.

Cookies are probably my biggest weakness next to peanut butter and this holiday season, we made six different varieties. Having the cookies in the house makes it almost impossible not to eat them. We try to give them away at every turn, but I think I averaged at least four cookies every day since we went home for the holidays. We made a decision that none of them would come back into our house, so at least that's a good thing about being home.

I'm probably going to weigh myself at home tomorrow, before the weigh-in on Saturday so that I know what I have to work with. My last weigh-in was almost three weeks ago and I haven't been the the gym. I'm hoping that the sudden change in diet will at least shock my body enough so the number I see on Saturday isn't too shocking. Last year, over the same three weeks, I bounced up 2.2lb. I'm hoping to keep it under a 2lb gain so that I don't bounce back up into the 150s.

The Holiday Season

Between Halloween and New Years, the average American gains 10lbs. That's a scary thought to most people and the reason why Weight Watchers meeting rooms are packed the week after New Years. There are so many temptations during these two months and it's hard to ignore all of them. Like most people, I will be baking Christmas cookies and traveling home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, because all of our family lives in the same city, that means we have to "double dip" when it comes to these famous eating holidays. We go to two places on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. We also split time staying with each side of the family. Sometimes it easier to stay with them, and other times I wish I still lived there so we could just go home after a long day. Usually, we also spend several days visiting my grandma in NYC between Christmas and New Years and she's an Austrian immigrant, so she knows how to cook and none of it is healthy. I can count on one hand the number of times I've missed going up there during the holidays and this will be one of them, bringing the total to 3 missed visits.

I really hope that I can buckle down during the times we are at home during these two months to try and at least maintain. My first holiday season on weight watchers, I lost 4lb (it shocked even me), the second, I gained 4.6lb, the third, I gained 1lb, the fourth (when I was pregnant), I gained 10lb, and last year, I lost 0.8lb. So when I take the average of all five of those year, I have gained 2lb per year average. If I hadn't been pregnant one of those years, the average might have been lower. Being in the gym any time that we're home is hopefully going to help counteract the amount of eating that will take place in this marathon of events until after New Years.

Weigh-in for 10/29/2011

Last weigh-in (10/19/2011) : 151.6 lb

This weigh-in (10/29/2011) : 152.0 lb

Change : 0.4 lb gained


5 weeks of maintain down, 1 to go! I'm never happy with a gain, but I am grateful that it's less than half a pound. I also take comfort in the fact that the last time I had a gain was 10 weeks ago in mid-August. I was back in the gym this week, so it's a slight shock to my body. Most people would think, "I worked out so I should lose this week," but it doesn't always work that way. Your body is getting muscle and takes about a week to adjust to the change. I also accept that I ate a little more badly at the beginning of the week than I normally do, so I can't blame it all on getting back in the gym. I am excited that so long as I don't gain more than 5lb in the next week, I will become an official lifetime member! Here's to a great week!