Answer me this…….

Here are a few questions.
1. Why does it take weeks and weeks to loose some weight, and then only take a few days to gain it back?
2. Why does gaining weight cause me to be drown my dissapointment in chocolate rather than get on the treadmill?
3. Does it make me a bad mom if I search through my kid’s Christmas stockings and eat any chocolate I might find?

I weighed in yesterday, and I have gained back all but 3 of the pounds I lost.
I did really well until 2 days before Christmas, then I gave in. I probably shouldn’t have made all those treats for the neighbors, or at least I shouldn’t have sampled everything as I made it.
Two days ago, My hubby called home from work and asked if I would make sure that all the fudge was gone before he got home. I ate it. I thought of it as an act of service.
Yesterday I had a new strategy. I put the big box of chocolates given to us by our neighbor on the kitchen table, and told the kids to get rid of it. They ate it. (O.K. that was probably not the best idea, but I thought that all the calories divided amoung the 4 of them wouldn’t be as bad as me eating all of it) (and for a few fleeting moments, I was considered “cool Mom”) (And they are young, thin and athletic with really high metabolisms) (And I usually make them eat only vegetables…………or at least from now on I will make them eat only vegetables)
I have managed to exercise the last two days. Yesterday I walked on the treadmill, and today I went ice skating with my daughter. If nothing else those things kept me from eating for a few minutes;0)
The kids go back to school next week (after being off for the whole month) and I am hoping that getting back to a normal routine will help me stay focused.
We have a whole month and a half before the next chocolate filled holiday is upon us.
Jill/Jillybeans

A Heavy Load

I am two weeks into the vacation I was afraid would wipe out my progress and it turns out I had good reason to fear. The first week I was walking around Disneyland and ate very little. The second week I have made up for it and more. Tonight for dinner I had Super Nachos from a popular restaurant chain here in the southwest. I am pretty sure one order could be a meal for a family of four. Or at least it could have been, if I hadn’t single handedly devoured it. I have a week and a half left before I have to go home and step on that scale. Maybe it isn’t too late to be good and fix it before I confirm my suspicions. Surely this extra heavy load of fear I am carrying around would make any walk I took more effective.

You might wonder why I am posting this at 2am (Arizona time). Honestly it was this or eat the bag of tortilla chips with jalapeno cheddar dip that is calling my from the pantry. I can hear it. Can’t you hear it?

Baby Step Two

Today I took my second baby step.  I ate a healthier breakfast.  I passed on the sweet roll, the sugar cereal, the chocolate milk (hmm, chocolate milk might still be an option, but maybe writing this will help me pass on it this morning).  All those breakfasts are fast, easy and temporarily satisfying.   But I decided I was worth taking the time for an even more delicious, and more healthy meal.  I took the time to fix it, and enjoy it.  And I feel better.

My girlfriend gave me an Oprah show she taped a couple of weeks ago.  It’s Oprah’s challenge to 1,000,000 viewers to lose weight and become healthier over the next year. I signed up.  I printed off Bob Greene’s contract, but I haven’t signed it yet.  That will be another step. I am carrying it around with me, though, working up the courage to make that commitment. 

I’m trying to figure out why I’m so afraid to have a better life and enjoy it.  Until I figure it out, I will keep taking the eensie-weensie baby steps.

 Thank you everyone for your words of wisdom and your examples.

Okay, so, I completely suck

Posted by Barb:

Other than that, things are just peachy, thanks.

I haven’t posted. I haven’t dieted. I’ve exercised a smidge but only if you compare that to the exercise I was getting BEFORE I joined this blog, which was exactly none, thank you.

I’ve been going back to the podiatrist because I’m still in so much pain from my massive reconstructive foot surgery that I had in March. He’s been doing a series of steroid shots which do seem to be helping. But truthfully? I could have exercised more during this time–I could have done the abs tape and gone to yoga more often. I could have put my bike on the trainer and just pedaled away. I could have been swimming laps–even when I couldn’t push off, I could have used a pullboy and gotten an upper-body work-out.

I didn’t do it.

I didn’t diet either. In the time that I’ve been bitching about how hideous I feel, my friend Kathy has been plugging away at non-glamorous Weight Watchers and has lost 16 pounds!

Me? Not lost one single bit, thanks.

So, I know what to do and honestly, it’s my sole goal for the first quarter of 2008. We’re going to be moving to New York in March and I need some better physical resources than I have. Also, I’d like NOT to look like my husband’s MOTHER. Once upon a time, he used to call me his trophy wife. Now I look more like the trophy… for discus throwing.

Anyway, I’m joining WW and I’m going to keep my food journal and I’m going to start exercising. I will even (oh, help me) give up alcohol for the duration. I am starting tomorrow (well, today. What was Jen’s post about sleep deprivation? Oh yeah, right.) –before New Year’s Eve. Because I am totally sick of looking and feeling like this.

Please send encouragement my way. I’m a little terrified but very resolute.

And, oh yeah, I’m going to post a lot more!

Thanks, Barb

Merry merry merry Christmas!!!

Best wishes to all Fluffy readers!

And remember, even if you overindulge today, tomorrow is a fresh start.

Read this, even if you’re not interested…

From the Washington Post archives, valuable lessons from “The Biggest Loser.”

Are you getting enough sleep?

The Washington Post has an interesting article on the correlation between sleep deprivation and weight gain.

Holiday eating tips. NOT!!

Someone e mailed this to me today. Scary thing is, I used to eat like this.
Hope you get a chuckle out of this.

Eating Tips for the Holidays.

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can and quickly. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an ‘eggnog-aholic’ or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it! Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think.

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin and mincemeat – have a slice of each. Or, if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert — Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Reread tips: Start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO-HOO what a ride !

I ate HOW MUCH?

Last week when I weighed in, I was delighted (and more than a little surprised) to find that since I have been with FTF, I have lost (drumroll please……..) 10 pounds!
I was SO excited!
Then came the weekend.
I suffer from a condition I like to refer to as “unconcious eating” If I am talking to someone, or my mind is occupied with something, I eat without even realizing what I’m doing.
We went out to eat for my BIL’s birthday, and I was chatting away, enjoying the conversation at the table, when I looked down to see that the loaf of bread in front of me was nearly gone. I’m not sure how much of it I really ate, but I think it was most of it.
Today, we invited my cousin and her kids over to make cookies. I didn’t even realize how much cookie dough I was eating until I started getting a little sick to my stomach.
Cookie dough has less calories than baked cookies doesn’t it? Please say yes.
I’m not even going to mention the fudge I made yesterday to give to the neighbors. Let’s just say the neighbors didn’t get all of it.
To make things worse, I’ve only been able to walk on the treadmill once this week.
I weigh in tomorrow, My only hope is that all the walking I have beeen doing while Christmas shopping the last few days will cancel out some of the goodies. I have completely walked every inch of two Wal-marts, two Target’s, Sears, and a Bed Bath and Beyond. That should count for something.
Jill

Soooo….when you join a weight loss blog

The idea would be to loose some weight right?  Well, I have to admit, my heart has just not been in it. I know that I have a huge problem.  I know the right things to do to have the weight come off.  I know all of these things and yet, I haven’t been able to stick to it this time around.   My head has really not been in the game.  I could probably come up with probably 10 different excuses but that would be just what they are….excuses. 

I’m back up a pound from last week.  Down 1 pound only in the last 3 weeks.  At this point, I think I’ll just enjoy the rest of the year and revisit it after the 1st.  I know, it’s lame.  I’m sorry if I let anyone down.  I still appreciate this blog and will stick around and post.  I know that until I am “ready” it’s not going to happen.  I promise, I’ll be back.