Simply Filling!

Saturday started a new adventure for me:  my return to the Simply Filling Technique of Weight Watchers PointsPlus.

I have tried this technique in the past and loved it.  And it worked.  Until I started to change the plan to my liking, then all of my little changes proved to be too much to handle, and I eventually went back to counting PointsPlus for everything.

This time around, I'm going to follow the Simply Filling Technique as written...mostly. 
Like last time though, a big part of me is using this to test the waters for intuitive eating, which is how I will eat forever some day.  For now, however much it pains me to say, I need the structure that a plan offers.
I'm hoping that the SFT will be the solution to my current eating problems. 
What are my current eating problems?
Emotional eating, not cooking at all, not eating enough healthy options, and eating too many convenient foods.
Here's how the SFT works:
Eat foods from the Power Foods List (link probably only works for WW Online members).  I no longer have to count PointsPlus for any foods that are found on that list!  Instead, I am to eat them only when hungry and only until satisfied. 

I still get those 49 weekly PointsPlus, plus and points earned with activity.  Those points will be for any foods not found on the power foods list.

Anyway, my Lose 25 Pounds by Valentines Day challenge is still in full swing!  If you are a WW Online member, or have e-tools, you can join it at any time.  :-)  Two weeks in, I'm down 1.8/25.  For those of you on the challenge ("officially" or not), how are you doing?  A couple of awesome blog readers said that they would join in.  I hope that it is going well for you!  Please keep me updated with your progress.

I'm planning for a Tasty Tuesday post this week, the first from me in a long time.  Also, I may do a week of sharing my journal soon...

An example of a SFT meal: beans and LOTS of veggies!!!

I'm pretty excited about starting the SFT again.  It will be a welcome change for me.

I think that I was quickly becoming one of the "junk food Weight Watchers" that relied heavily on SmartOnes meals, Special K bars, Fiber One brownies, and other things like that.  There is nothing wrong with those foods, but when I looked back on several days in a row and saw that those typse of things made up 90% of my food... well, it's time for a healthy change.

Weight Loss Challenge!

Yes, it's a calendar goal.  And yes, I remember that I said "no more calendar goals".  But... bear with me.  I really think that this will help motivate me to focus on my weight loss journey as a part of my daily life, instead of an afterthought.

The challenge is this: 

Lose 25 Pounds by Valentines Day. 

I officially started this last Saturday (July 28th) with my weigh-in of 185.8.  Between July 28th and February 14th, there are about 30 weeks.  So really, the challenge is "Lose 25 Pounds in 30 Weeks".

But I thought that since there was a holiday right around the end of the 30 weeks, I'd jazz it up a bit.  Valentines Day is not a big deal to me, but now I have a fun date to focus on for the next 25 pounds.

160.8 is the goal for February 14, 2013.

Since I currently am pretty heavy, I don't think that it will be a huge problem to lose a pound or so a week for the next 25 pounds.  Those 5 extra weeks are in there for my birthday, Christmas, and random emotional eating weeks which will probably happen. 

After the next 25 pounds, it will probably slow down a bit, but I think that while I'm still overweight ("normal" for me is 154) I could realistically lose a pound a week as long as I follow Weight Watchers and/or My Fitness Pal.

Anyway...  That's the challenge.  Anyone want to join me?  ;-)  I think that I will add an "official" challenge ticker to the top of this blog, just for fun.

I'm about to share with you a picture of myself in a swimsuit, taken last night.  I will take another one in the same suit on Febrary 14th, 2013.  If I make my goal or not. 

WARNING:  PLUS-SIZE SWIMSUIT PICTURE!!! If curvy, lumpy, bumpy, size 16 women in swimwear offend you, divert your eyes!!! 

Lose 12.6 by Xmas - Week 4 Results!

weight: 158.0

weight lost from preview week: 2.8

total weight loss for challenge: 8.6

measurements

neck- 12

upper arm (widest part)- 12.5

bust (widest part)- 37

bust (below  breasts)- 32.5

waist (smallest part- 30.5

waist (belly button)- 35

hips (widest part)- 44.5

thighs (widest part)- 24

thighs  (halway b/w knee and crothch)- 20

calf (widest part)- 14

inches lost from previous week- 3.5

total inches lost for challenge- 19.25

Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my progress from this challenge!  :-)

Unfortunately, I'm feeling sick, like I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm not going to pushing myself quite so hard this week.  This may end up not being a big losing week for me, but since I lost 2.8 last week, I'm not too worried about it.  I'm going to be gentle with myself while I recover from this cold, which for me may mean less exercise than usual.

I hope that all of your weeks are going well, and I will be trying to do a Tasty Tuesday this week, but I doubt there will be any other posts.  It is looking like it will be another super-busy week for me!



Lose 12.6 by Xmas Challenge- Week 3 Results

Here is the latest update for my "lose 12.6 by Xmas" challenge!  The results were less dramatic this week, but I expected that and I'm happy with how the challenge is going.  As you can see, the second picture is a bit closer up than the first, but I think that you can see a difference in the definition of my waist and hips, which makes me very happy.  :-)

Here are the "official" results for the week:

weight- 160.8 (-1.2)
total weight loss for challenge: 5.8

measurements (+/- from last week)
neck: 12 (+/- 0)
upper arm (widest part): 13 (+/- 0)
bust (widest part): 37 (+/- 0)
bust (below breasts):  32.5 (+/- 0)
waist (smallest part): 31 (+/- )
waist (belly button): 35 (-1)
hips (widest part): 44.5 (-0.5)
thighs (widest part): 24.5 (+/- 0)
thighs (halfway b/w knee and crotch): 20 (+/- 0)
calf (widest part): 14.5 (+/- 0)
inches lost from previous week: 1.5

total inches lost for challenge: 15.75

So in three weeks, I have lost 5.8 pounds and 15.75 inches.  I'd say that those are amazing results!  I'm proud of myself for turning this weight gain around when I did instead of letting it go on even longer.

Coming soon: 
- a cookbook review and a recipe from it!!!  (hint: it's a simple bean recipe)
- Tasty Tuesday!

52 Days Till Summer Challenge!

A couple of days ago, I joined the "52 Days Till Summer Challenge" on Dancing Through Life, which is a great blog that I follow.  If you don't read that blog and you love Weight Watchers blogs, I highly recommend taking a looksie! Ashley is an amazing blogger.  :-)


It's a great blog!

If you click on the link, you can read all about the challenge!  However, for those of you who would rather just read about it right here, I'll copy and paste some of the post, plus give a basic summary for you.

It's just a weight loss/getting healthy challenge to motivate people to JUST DO IT.  Especially people who have either A) fallen off the wagon or B) lost some motivation lately. 

I fall between these categories, because lately I've been a bit off-plan with the Simply Filling Technique (re: I haven't been listening to my hunger signals AT ALL) and I am getting demotivated with how long these last pounds are taking to come off.

Here was the first challenge of the challenge, which was due today:

"To recap this week’s challenge:

1. Develop your list of reasons and commitments. Print it off and put it somewhere where you can see it every day. In your wallet. At your desk. In the space next to your bedroom door. Just post it and read them every day. And start working towards them!

2. Get moving! Give yourself a sticker every day you work out.

3. Sign up! Leave me a comment so I know you’re doing this with me "

I'm excited about this challenge because it came at such a great time for me!  I really needed some extra "oomph" from someone, and Ashley gave it to me.  :-) 

Ashley asked today:

"How was your week? How did you find the challenge? Did you come up with some compelling reasons that truly resonate with you? What are your commitments? How did you begin to work them into your life?"

Here was my response:

My reasons:


1) health! Time to be the healthiest I've ever been; if not now, then when?

2) my goal jeans. Yep, I have a pair of goal jeans, size 10s that I have dreamt of fitting back into since I started this WLJ as a size 20. I'm almost into a 12 now;  I'm making real progress with this one!

3) NYC skinny. This one is definately the most vain goal I have, but I'm planning to be a New Yorker within the next few years, and I want to be one of the skinny and beautiful ones. (size 10 skinny, not size 0 skinny)

These all resonate equally with me, and are at the forefront of my mind every time I make a healthy or less than healthy decision.

Committments:

1) Stick to the Power Foods as much as I can! (I'm on the SFT, so this one is getting easier)

2) Don't eat junk food just because I can. Only eat it if it's what I REALLY WANT

3) Exercise 6 days a week, increase the time now that school's out for the summer




I don't think it's too late to join in on the challenge!  I'll be updating my progress on Fridays, since that's when Ashley is going to be doing the challenge check-ins.  Woo-hoo for my first blog challenge from another blog!!! 

NTFC Update!

The first 3 days of the No Trigger Foods Challenge are over!!! :-)

So far, this challenge has really helped to save me from myself at least twice.

Since starting college, I've found that I have been tempted by emotional/stress overeating, especially in the late evening. My go-to snacks for that were all of my Trigger Foods: chips, "healthy" crackers, "healthy" light bread, and oreos.

Since those are all off-limits for the 21 days of the challenge, I have been doing so much better. Last night, I overate a bit. But here's what my late-night snack/meal consisted of: kidney beans, steamed veggies, 1 tortilla, 5 saltine crackers, 1 tablespoon almond butter.

After tracking all of that into my Sparkpeople tracker, I had actually IMPROVED my nutrition for the day. I had been behind by about 10 grams of protein, and by about 5 grams of fat. I still was in my calorie range and carbohydrate range (the categories that I had surpassed the two previous days). Apparently, if chosen mindfully, my late-night snacking can actually be... HEALTHY??? Wow.

There was a bag of light Ruffles at the house, and a bag of oreos. And believe me, it was only because of the NTFC that I was able to say, "no" to those options, and choose healthier options. And with the saltines and almond butter, I still got my crunch and my sweet. ;-)

Sometimes, this is all mental, isn't it? Really, the NTFC only exists in my head and on this blog. But, if it's enough motivation for me to make healthier snack choices, then I'm happy with it.

:-)

Do you ever trick yourself into making healthier choices? How has it worked for you?

P.S. Sorry about no Tasty Tuesday. I didn't remember to take pictures of anything after breakfast... I'm a terrible Tasty Tuesday blogger. :-( I am going to try to make it up to you with a Tasty Wednesday or Thursday. I'll get back...

I'm going to try to do a Power Foods challenge. I am inspired to do this by Cheryl a.k.a Bitchcakes, from this blog entry. You should check out her blog if you haven't already! Seriously, many of the things that I do and try on this blog are very much inspired and influenced by Cheryl's blog. Thanks, Bitchcakes!

Basically, I will try to stick to the Power Foods list 100%, for at least 3 whole days next week. This will mean that I will be stocking up on Power Foods at the grocery store this week. Here's my list so far:

-brown rice (I plan to make a big pot this weekend and warm up servings for myself after class, or even at lunch!)

-loads of fresh produce, both veggies and fruits

-soy yogurt (just to try it, I need to have something sweet for breakfast besides fruit, and my granola bars are definately not Power Foods)

-oatmeal

-beans

-tofu

-boca burgers (I love that these made the Power Foods list)

If you can think of any must-have Power Foods that I don't have to work hard to make (full time worker, full time student, AAURGH!), please add them to my list! Thanks.

No More Chips Challenge: update

I'm keeping it going. I have gone 3 full weeks without my #1 binge food: chips.

I'm going to try to go three full months, because that's (supposedly) the length of time that it takes to truly break a bad habit for good.

:-) So far, so good.

Should I go back to eating chips?

I have issues with chips.

I've mentioned it... oh, several times on here.

I even started a no-chips-for-three-weeks challenge.

And I've almost done it!!!

In three days I will have gone 21 days without eating chips.

...

I'm nervous about what that means. Do I go back to eating chips? Do I buy a bag to celebrate?

That seems counterproductive.

Maybe I should continue in a chip-free life? At least for awhile?

I don't know.

But I promise that I will figure it out by Saturday's grocery run.

WWYD?

No chips - Day 4

...and going strong! I have to say that it took a lot of willpower to start this challenge right before a weekend.

Usually one of the rewards that I give myself after a great weigh-in is a bag of light lays. I know, food shouldn't be a reward... but, still, that's what I've been doing.

On Saturday, I stepped on the scale and it said "166.4" which is a new low for me. Yay!!! I'm now offially only 11.4 pounds overweight. That's not very overweight at all. :-)

I am not stopping eating chips because they have hurt me on the scale. No, I was definately getting away with my post-weigh-in chips ritual.

I'm stopping eating chips to prove to myself that I don't need them. There are healthier alternatives to potato chips out there, and I'm using this time to get to know those options better.

You know what I was craving this weekend? Honest to Goddess. Salad. SALAD. So I added lettuce and spinach to my grocery list, and made a big ole' salad when I got home. And it was amazing. And I plan to have another one tonight. Want to know my super-secret zero-point salad dressing recipe? Here it is:

Leah's Super Secret Zero-Point Salad Dressing

- 1 part (this can be a teaspoon, tablespoon, or just eyeball it) lemon juice
- 1 part (ditto) balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste

Stir and enjoy.

It's amazing!!! Oh, and if I need another healthy oil, I could easily add a teaspoon of EVOO to that, and it would probably taste pretty good, too.

Okay, that's all for today, my beautiful readers. I hope that you are all having awesome days!

3 Weeks no chips?

I'm going to (once again) start a "no chips" challenge for myself.

I've read several places (no source will be mentioned in this entry, just "several places" will have to do) that it takes three weeks (or 21 days) to make a new habit, but three months to kick a bad habit for good.

So I'm going for the three weeks.

No chips!

I have gotten entirely too addicted to Lays Light original (and sometimes ruffles) potato chips. I have been eating 1 or 2 bags every weekend. Gross.

So I'm not saying that I will NEVER eat these again, but for three weeks, I won't.

Here we go, three weeks NO CHIPS. I can do this. I will do this. And the reason that I can do this is that I'm not giving up potatoes, or crunchy salty snacks. Just potato chips.

Time to make some homemade guacamole and break into the wasa crackers. Yum! Or some air-popped popcorn with EVOO and sea salt. Or just a plain baked potato... The possibilites are endless.

Challenge: Day One

Day One as a Superhero!!!
This is the beginning of my 50% Superhero Challenge! Today will be the first day that I will try to be a Superhero. For those who haven't read "The Kind Diet", when I say "superhero" I'm talking about the ultimate diet plan outlined in TKD, basically macrobiotic veganism.

The differences between the vegan plan and the superhero plan? As far as I can tell, food-wise, there are three:

1. Vegans still eat processed foods, as long as they are vegan. Superheroes don't.
2. Vegans are encouraged to eat a lot of whole grains and vegetables, but superheroes make whole grains and vegetables the center of their diet.
3. Vegans eat as many of any type of vegetable and fruit that they want. Superheroes limit fruit to once a day or so, and avoid all vegetables that are considered "nightshade", such as: peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, and superheroes also try to avoid spinach.

Why would ANYONE want to eat this way? What are the benefits? Can I ever eat potatoes and tomatoes again? Good questions. ;-) I will answer all of these soon, but not today because I'm almost out of time!
Here's today's plan:
breakfast: oatmeal, banana
lunch: steamed greens, miso soup, millet
dinner: brown rice, pinto beans, EVOO, sunflower seeds, sea salt
snack: airpopped popcorn with EVOO and sea salt
exercise: 30 minutes Curves circuit training, 60 minutes Nordic Track skier

50% Superhero Challenge!

I'm big on baby steps. Especially when it comes to changing how I eat. When I decided to cut meat, I was able to do it right away since I had never eaten too much of it anyway. Dairy was another story altogether. Processed foods that contain trace amounts of dairy, eggs, and honey were the most difficult thing to let go of! But I did it, in baby steps.

I did a 50% plan. Every other day, I was vegan. Until one day I was out of dairy, eggs, and processed non-vegan foods. Then I stopped buying them, and was vegan 100%, every day.

Now I want to start cooking more often and become superhero. I want all the good feelings, weight loss, and health that come from eating like a superhero (as outlined in TKD, of course).

So I've made an important decision: I am going to be 100% superhero every other day. So on the road to being superhero, I will be "just" vegan every other day for awhile. Hopefully this will train me how to eat like a superhero with no real pressure. If it's hard, at least I know that I can eat a potato/spinach/soy milk/rice dream the very next day.

I will let you know how it goes!! Today is a vegan day, and here is my plan:

breakfast- banana (small)

snack 1- almonds (about 8 of them)

lunch- Amy's bean and rice burrito, salsa, air-popped popcorn with EVOO

snack 2- raisins

dinner- pita bread, hummus, big salad (spinach, kale, tomatoes, cucumber, onion)

snack 3 (if hungry)- wasa crackers with homemade guacamole (avacado, onion, oregano, garlic, lime juice)

exercise: Curves circuit training (30 minutes), Nordic track skier (60 minutes)