Weigh in Day!

I weighed myself this morning as planned and I was worrying about last Sunday in NYC for nothing! I lost 3 lbs this week! That's 2 good sized weight loss's in a row! I lost 2 1/2 lbs last week! My total weight loss to date is now 34 lbs!

I think all of my exercise is paying off! Of course eating healthier is essential but getting moving is also very beneficial. I feel like I am in better shape. Each week I start to feel like I move easier and don't get winded as quickly. As you can imagine carrying around so much weigh makes it hard to breathe.

This morning I walked to work as I promised myself and usually it takes me about 35 minutes to walk that distance. Plus, I usually move slower in the morning just because I don't have a lot of energy and I am not quite awake yet. But this morning I walked that distance in only 30 minutes. I sometimes am hard on myself because I walk slower than other people. But I have to remember I weigh a whole lot more than they do. I will work up to their speed but it comes with time. As my water aerobics instructor always tells us..."If you can't do something just keep moving, that's all that matters!" Plus, if you think about it...because I weigh more, I am burning more calories with every step I take. Just gotta keep pushing myself!

I like to reward myself when I accomplish something! And of course my favorite thing in the world is food. (That's how I got this way!) So, I plan on eating Chinese take out tonight and then going to a movie with a friend. When I order Chinese takeout, I order from the Diet menu where the entrees are steamed and the sauce is served on the side. My favorite is Chicken with vegetables. I also order brown rice with my meal instead of white or fried rice. Brown rice has more fiber and will fill you up more. Also, soup is a good precursor to the meal because it is lower in points and will help to fill you up a little before you eat the main entree. They give you soo much food when you order, so I first will measure out how much I should eat and put away the leftovers before I even start eating. Portion size and knowing how much you're eating is very important! I don't pour my sauce on the entree I just dip my fork in the sauce with each bite. That way I still get the flavor but without the excess points. Egg rolls are my favorite part of the meal, so I do allow myself to have one (so I don't feel deprived). Egg rolls are high in points because they are fried. I just plan for the points through out the day. It's all about planning! It's too easy to make mistakes or eat too much if you don't plan. Now when I go to the movie later, I will have already eaten (so I won't feel hungry) and will only get something to drink for during the movie. Although, I love popcorn and will sometimes just get a small plain popcorn (no butter)...just enough to get the taste. Just remember to plan for the points! :)

My last day before I weigh in for the week

On Weight Watchers I weigh in once a week. My weigh in date is Friday morning. I follow the program online and use the online tools on Weightwatchers.com. I don't go to meetings...I feel motivated enough by myself. I have a good support system at home that keeps me going. :)

The last day of my diet week went well. I spent my lunch hour today walking. I pushed myself to walk longer today than I have before. I also tried out a new organic locally grown food at dinner. I went to the Regional Market a few weekends ago and bought organically grown pasta. It was Spinach Garlic flavored and soo yummy! I made it with a WW recipe from my WW cookbook. Pan seared Garlic Chicken with broccoli and Spinach Pasta.

Everyday this week went off without a hitch diet wise except for Sunday. Sunday was a bit out of my norm because I traveled to NYC all day and ate out every meal. I made good choices for each meal but because I was eating at a restaurant my food wasn't cooked as healthy as I would have prepared them at home. On WW I get an additional 35 points for days like this. So I used my regular daily points plus my extra points. And started right back on my normal schedule when I got home.

So I weigh in tomorrow and start my week over. I hope Sunday didn't affect my progress too much?! If I only maintain my weight for another week I am okay with that. I will just start my new week and do that by walking to work. Looking forward to the morning!

Why I chose to blog about my weight loss journey...

My name is Martha and I am 30 years old. I have struggled with my weight all of my life. I have tried many different diets and supplements in the past to lose weight, including (but not limited to) Atkins, South beach diet, diet pills to suppress appetite, just eating low fat, etc... The one diet that has really worked well for me is Weight Watchers (WW). I have lost over 75 lbs before while following WW but gained it all back over time.

This picture on the left is a picture of me in February of 2010. I am currently back on the Weight Watchers diet. This time around feels different! I really feel like I am dedicated this time and trying to change some bad habits I have developed and make some new good habits. This time around I have been working on portion sizes and exercising more. I still allow myself some of my favorite foods but in moderation and try to stay fully aware of how much I am eating.

I started WW in March of 2010 and have lost a total of 31 lbs so far. This picture on the right was taken a few days ago on May 31st.

I started trying to lose weight because I was going to be in a wedding and I did not want to be in front of people the size I was. Since then, the wedding has been canceled. I started trying to losing weight because I was embarrassed to stand in front of other people...now, I want to lose weight for myself, because I feel better and healthier already and I want to continue to feel this way. I still have a long way to go but try not to set goals for myself. I take it one week at a time and celebrate my small accomplishments.

I chose to blog about my weight loss journey to share with other overweight people my struggles, challenges, triumphs, and experiences. I hope that what I learn will help others in their own journey's.