Weekly Weigh-in Update: Lost 2 pounds!

32.6 pounds lighter thanks to Weight Watchers!

I was a bit unsure what the scale would tell me this week.  After-all, my granddaughter had just gone home after nine days with me, while her Mom and Dad were on their Alaskan Cruise. Occasionally, I was tempted by foods she was eating and went into my bonus points almost daily.  However, I did stay within my weekly allowances so I was hopeful I hadn't gained.

Imagine my surprise when I stepped on that scale and discovered that I'd lost 2 pounds!

I should have expected it from another perspective, however. Yesterday I pulled out a dusty box of jeans that my oldest daughter had given me after losing weight a while back after her divorce. At the time, I remember looking through her 'too big' jeans, and thinking, "Right...I'll never fit into those jeans!" I couldn't even get them past my thighs!

Recently she asked me if I had tried on her old jeans yet, which I hadn't.  So yesterday I got them out, still doubting they'd fit....but they did!  One by one I held up a pair and thought, no way.....but got them over my thighs, zipped them up and admired how they fit on my slimmer body in the mirror.

A lower number on the scale is very encouraging, but fitting into those jeans did wonders for my resolve! My weight today was only 1/2 pound from goal, but I'm not done.  I lowered it another 5 pounds, and when I hit that number, I will probably lower it again.

I'm so happy! I had decided that this time I would be in no hurry to lose those unhealthy pounds but that once I did, I wanted to KEEP THEM OFF! I hoped that Weight Watchers would be the answer and I'm feeling hopeful it is! I've developed new habits and realize I can now stay in control, even during special situations.

Thank you Weight Watchers!

Weekly Weigh-in Update: Lost a Pound

I'm happy to report that I finally hit a milestone with my weight loss....thirty pounds! I lost 1 pound this past week in spite of another celebration: My granddaughter's High School graduation and the after-party. 

I made meatballs and marinara in the crock pot for meatball subs.  The meatballs were pre-cooked and the marinara was in a jar, so I cheated in cooking effort, but stayed within my daily/weekly allotment...and lost weight!

The sandwich was 12 points, which may not seem low in points, except that it was a very large and satisfying meal! The 4-inch hoagie was 5 pts, and 6 meatballs were 7 pts. I served melon and a salad, plus a Jello Poke Cake (using sugar free Jello) of which a 1/12 serving was 7.5 pts (but I  had a 1/2 piece and sent the leftover cake with my granddaughter). 

All in all, I indulged in the celebration and used 16 of my daily points.My life hasn't stopped because I am a Weight Watcher...it's only gotten better!

Thanks Weight Watchers!

Weekly Weigh-in Update: Minimal Weight Loss but Huge Loss in Inches!

I had a celebratory week last week (two birthdays and a graduation) so was a little worried about my weigh-in this past week, even though I stayed within my weekly bonus allotment. (I only had 18 of my weekly bonus points left on Thursday night and that is the most I've used to date).

So, I was elated when I stepped on the scale Friday morning because I hadn't gained weight, but actually lost 3 ounces! I am thrilled to have found a weight loss program that allows me to participate in the special life events that happen around me.  Sure, 3 ounces isn't anything to write home about, but I maintained my weight loss trend this week, without skipping parties or feeling deprived.

Additionally, I updated my measurements this week and discovered that I've lost a total of 21 inches since I took my measurements January 13th! I've lost 1 1/2 inches around my arms, 2 1/2 around my hips, 3 1/2 around my thighs, 4 inches in the bust-line,  and....big drum roll... 5 1/2 inches around my waist! I was amazed at these results.  Now I know why I'm fitting into clothes I never dreamed I would be able to wear again!

I'm into a new week and moving forward feeling positive that I'll reach my goal which is only 15 pounds away! Thanks Weight Watchers!

Weekly Weigh-in Update: AND Computer is Back!

Well I finally got MY computer back and gave back my loaner from Staples.  Before I got the loaner, I learned a lot about what my iPod can do, but I don't want to have to be without it ever again for a month!

Today I weighed in 2 pounds lower than last, a drop I am very excited about for several reasons.

1. I am now at the weight I reached a while back when I lost weight on Mediweightloss Program.  THIS time, I know I won't slip and gain a bunch of weight back like I did after quitting that program!

2. I am now in the NORMAL range on the height/weight charts (albeit on the high end) and only one point off of being considered in the healthy BMI range.  I still have another twenty pounds to go to be in the "ideal" or "healthy" weight range range, so I'm not stopping!

Thank you Weight Watchers!

Weight Loss Progress

I'm back after being without a computer for over a month! Talk about withdrawal...and right now I'm actually using a loaner.  You don't realize how much you rely on your PC until you don't have it!

This last Friday, which was my weigh in day, I lost another 1/2 pound, and over the past month that adds up to an additional 4.5 pounds for a grand total this year of 27.4 pounds.  This weightloss journey has not been a quick drop, but a steady decline and one I'm sure I can sustain until I reach my ultimate goal.  Originally I set a goal that I blew past and reset a second goal.  I am now 5 pounds from that goal and plan on re-establishing another goal then that is 20 pounds lower.  If I can reach that goal I will be at the weight I was in my thirties!

I've got a computer, my weight is steadily dropping, and I'm fitting into cute clothes.  Life is good! Thank you Weight Watchers!

Weekly Weigh-in Update: Another Pound and a Half Lost!

Forgot to post yesterday, but my scale went down another pound and a half; that's a total of 23.5 pounds lost! I hit the original goal I had set for myself, but I see no reason to stop now, so I lowered my weight goal and plan to stay on this weight loss track.  It's steady and getting me where I want to go without appetite suppressants, crazy gimmicks or fad diets!

My clothes are fitting better, and my attitude is great! Thank you Weight Watchers!

If It's Friday, It's Weigh-in Day!

Weight Watchers friends, I weighed in today another pound lighter than last week. Yay! That makes a total of 22 pounds lost since I began Weight Watchers in early January. 

In the beginning, I wasn't too excited about a one pound loss after a week, but the Weight Watchers Program has taught me that patience is a virtue...and that losing weight steadily teaches me new habits that I will most likely have for life. But most importantly, that steady weight loss adds up to a nice difference over a span of time.

To rethink the value of a pound lost, this is a good article to read:

 Losing Weight One Pound at a Time

 

A Pound of Bacon (Image courtesy of ranierzenz/wikimedia commons)

Have you just started a diet plan? If so, you are probably anxious to rid yourself of those extra pounds and start fitting into the clothes at the back of your closet as soon as possible. Not so fast! Losing weight takes commitment, knowledge and patience. Most importantly, it is best to be realistic about how quickly you can get to your goal weight.

So you just stepped on the scale after a week of dieting and it shows you've only lost one pound. Don't be discouraged! Let's review what it took to get to that scale's needle to move one notch, and why it's not such a bag thing!

1. How many calories equal one pound? One pound of lost body fat requires an intake of 3500 calories less than expended per week or 500 per day. To determine how many calories you would need to cut daily to lose that one pound, use Mayo Clinic's calorie calculator to determine your current daily caloric requirement and subtract 500 calories.

2. How long do you need to exercise to lose one pound? Use the Health Status calculator to determine how many minutes are required of a particular activity to lose one pound. You enter your age and weight and will be given a list of answers to choose from. For instance for a 50 year old, weighing 150 pounds, losing one pound would require 353 minutes of bicycling at 12-14 miles per hour, or 440 minutes on the stair machine, or 1,014 minutes of bowling.

3. What does it cost per week to keep that one pound around your middle? Using Caloriecount.com and Safeway.com's websites as resources, 3,500 calories equals 2.3 pounds of Sirloin Steak at $4.99 per pound ($11.48), or 23.3 ounces of Lay's Potato Chips at 75¢ an ounce ($17.48), 34 twelve ounce cans of Coors Lite at $15.99 for an 18 count case ($30.20), or 219 teaspoons of granulated sugar at .005 cents per teaspoon ($1.10)

Continue reading "Losing Weight One Pound at a Time"

Weekly Weigh in Update: Lost 3.2 pounds!

In spite of my dinner with my granddaughter for her 18th birthday at The Melting Pot, I lost weight this week! In fact it was the largest loss since my first week on Weight Watchers at 3.2 pounds!  I have now reached my 10% goal with a total of 20.4 pounds lost since the first of January.  Goodbye fat me...things are shaping up. :)

Weekly Weigh-in Update: Loss of 1.5 pounds!

Just a quick update.  This last weigh-in I was down another pound and a half, for a total of 17.4 pounds! I had gained a 1/2 pound last week for the very first time during my Weight Watchers journey, so looks like I'm back on track.

The week I gained I had used 20 of my 49 bonus pts...the most I've used to date.  I don't think I can use very many of those weekly bonus points and still lose weight, so I am going to avoid that as much as possible until I reach my goal!

Winning!

Losing Weight Slowly but Surely

Most Weight Watchers understand that the best way to lose weight is on a slow and steady pace, 1-2 pounds a week.  I've finally gotten used to that fact and have totally embraced it!

Here's one of my Yahoo articles that drives this point home, and gives some startling facts about what each milestone of fat lost represents in terms of reduced calories, energy expended and even inanimate objects! :)

Image courtesy of Aspen04/wikimedia commons

Losing Weight One Pound at a Time 
Pub. 7-25-09 Yahoo Voices

Have you just started a diet plan? If so, you are probably anxious to rid yourself of those extra pounds and start fitting into the clothes at the back of your closet as soon as possible. Not so fast! Losing weight takes commitment, knowledge and patience. Most importantly, it is best to be realistic about how quickly you can get to your goal weight.

Losing One Pound of Body Weight
 
So you just stepped on the scale after a week of dieting and it shows you've only lost one pound. Don't be discouraged! Let's review what it took to get to that scale's needle to move one notch, and why it's not such a bag thing!

1. How many calories equal one pound? One pound of lost body fat requires an intake of 3500 calories less than expended per week or 500 per day. To determine how many calories you would need to cut daily to lose that one pound, use Mayo Clinic's calorie calculator to determine your current daily caloric requirement and subtract 500 calories.

2. How long do you need to exercise to lose one pound? Use the Health Status calculator to determine how many minutes are required of a particular activity to lose one pound. You enter your age and weight and will be given a list of answers to choose from. For instance for a 50 year old, weighing 150 pounds, losing one pound would require 353 minutes of bicycling at 12-14 miles per hour, or 440 minutes on the stair machine, or 1,014 minutes of bowling. 

Continue reading "Losing Weight One Pound at a Time"

How Often Should You Weigh Yourself When Dieting?

Image courtesy of Clarita/morguefile.com

I personally LOVE the Weight Watchers once a week weigh-in.  I am planning on adopting this as a lifelong habit! Here's an article I wrote in support of this practice.

How Often Should You Weigh Yourself When Dieting
Article pub. 1-31-12 Suite 101 

Stepping on the scale regularly is a healthy habit for everyone to adopt. But when trying to lose weight, how often should a dieter weigh-in?

Dr. Mike Moreno reports in his book, The 17 Day Diet, “Not too many people like to weigh themselves. Doctors know this. After patients step on the scale, they think it is giving them the weight of a completely different person, like Hulk Hogan.”

Should a Dieter Weigh Daily, Weekly, or What?

Most dieters are impatient to see results and many jump on the scale every day to find out the verdict. Is this wise?

Some weight loss experts feel that weighing daily can have a detrimental effect on motivation if the number on the scale isn’t what a dieter had hoped to see. Additionally, it takes a reduction of 3,500 calories to lose a pound. Due to these two facts, many weight loss plans incorporate a weekly weigh-in. 

There are great digital smart scales available right now. They are set up initially using your physical measurements and can be tied into an app for your phone. The app tracks that your history, which is helpful when you’re on a weight loss journey.  I have the Arboleaf Smart Scale, which is one of many smart scales. It that shows your weight on the scale and records 14 essential body measurements, including weight, BMI, and body fat percentage on the app. It can support multiple users too. 

So, in summary, weigh yourself regularly and track your results in the WW app, but don’t obsess. Think health and don’t have a quick loss, crash diet mentality.