Seventy-second Weigh-in

I'm down 1.2 lbs and back to where I was at goal. It's been three weeks since goal and as you can tell I haven't done anything about Maintenance. I'm a little lost, to tell the truth. I've had more than a few bad eating choices. Ah, how I wish the stories about life after goal were not true. It is hard. I still keep scrabbling back on the wagon so that's something at least.

I did receive some encouraging news though that's made me feel better. A couple of my husband's acquaintances through work lost weight using Weight Watchers and have been very successful at keeping it off. Though I know many people over on the WeightWatchers.ca forums have been successful, it still really helps to know someone close at hand who's done it. It's an uplifting thought.

1-point Apple Cobbler

I love the internet. I typed in "applesauce graham crackers cool whip weight watchers" and immediately found a recipe using those ingredients. I'm reprinting it here because it's too good not to share and the website I found it on might disappear.

1-point Apple Cobbler

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 packet Splenda
2 tsp graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp fat-free Cool Whip

In small individual-sized bowl, mix applesauce, cinnamon and Splenda. Microwave on high for 50 seconds. Stir. Sprinkle crumbs over sauce and top with Cool Whip. Serve immediately.

If you use light Cool Whip as I did, unfortunately the points round up. Count it as 1.5 points in that case. Also, if you make your own crumbs, don't make them too fine or they'll fade into the sauce. Lastly, feel free to skip the Splenda. I've made it both ways and I prefer the non-Splenda version.

Warm comfort in a bowl.

Geronimo!

Way back at the beginning of the year, one of my resolutions was to complete an obstacle course in the trees. The weather finally cooperated and I was able to achieve my goal over the weekend.

Before I go too much farther, let's dive back in time. In 2006, I went to the obstacle course park but didn't particpate. The truth was, I had the athletic prowess of a potato. I also didn't want to face the embarrassment of not being able to haul my large bum around in the trees. So all that really remains of that trip is this photo of me at the park, trying to look happy about not participating.



Fast forward two years and 70 lbs later, I came back to the park on Saturday and completed the entire course, all the way up to and including the black level. My body has changed, there's no doubt. But my mind's changed, too. I could've done that course at any weight. I wasn't too heavy; my belief in myself was too light.

At any rate, here are the pics of my adventure. My apologies to dial-up users :)


You want me to go where?



Soon enough, I was swinging through the trees. Literally.



DontlookdowndontlookdownDONTlookdown!



Hey, I can see light through my thighs!



If you look carefully, you can see the white-knuckled holy-crap grip I have on the rope. Swinging logs = not my friend.



Just to give you an idea of how high up I was...



Zip lines are so freaking fun!



Climbing down towards the end.



Finally, me on the same bridge as in 2006. This time, 70 lbs lighter and 100% geekier in a climbing harness.

Review: Quaker Low Fat Honey Bran Muffin Mix

Yearning for some baked goodness, I made a batch of honey bran muffins using Quaker's low fat muffin mix.

The package makes 24 in total. All you need is water, a spoon, and a non-stick muffin pan. Mix the ingredients together and you'll have fresh-baked muffins in under half an hour. One prepared muffin is about the size of a 1/3 cup measure and is 2 points (140 calories, 1.5g fat, 3g fibre).

For a muffin fix, they're pretty tasty. The outside is slightly crisp, the inside moist. They also bake up nice and golden as you can see by the picture. I liked the taste well enough that I'd probably try the other flavours if I see them on sale. Recommended for those who don't have time to bake.

Pampering yourself

The meeting topic today deserved a post of its own. It was about rewards and pampering. In groups, we had to each come up with three things we like to pamper ourselves with. That was a lot of fun. Being good to yourself is so worthwhile and creates lasting rewards. Like the circle I mentioned in my previous post, making yourself feel worthwhile makes you feel like someone who's worth taking care of.

If you don't normally pamper yourself or haven't for awhile, I challenge you this week to do one thing just for you. Tiny Trim is giving you permission. You deserve it and you're worth it.

Stuck for ideas? Here's a few that came out of the meeting and some of my own, too:

• Books: buy a new one or pick up an old favourite, sit in the sun (or shade) and read.
• Get outdoors: go for a walk in a favourite place like the beach, a park, or even the mall.
• Bubble bath: it's cliche but don't under-estimate the power of a long hot sudsy soak. Trashy romance optional.
• Spa: you don't have to go the whole day; even one service is enough to make you feel good.
• Retail therapy: buy a new summer accessory (a beach tote, necklace, sunglasses) or just go window shopping
• Gardening: dig around in a garden store or in your own garden
• Home spa evening: lots of inexpensive pampering can be found at the drugstore. Look for facial masks, cleansers, foot pampering tools (scrubs, brushes, cremes), deep hair conditioners, scented bath salts, hand lotion, nail polish, etc. Buy two or three new products and make an evening of it. Drink Perrier in a wine glass and pretend you're at a posh spa.
• Try a new recipe: I know food isn't supposed to be a reward but sometimes it's fun to get out of the rut and try a new healthy recipe.

Seventy-first Weigh-in

Down .8 lbs this week. And that's partly because I wore capris. Otherwise, I'd be a stay-the-same or a little up this week. Perhaps May is finally catching up with me? I also haven't been exactly saintly since I got to goal. No, I haven't been having all-out eating fests but will admit to two meals that weren't exactly on plan. Even still, two bad meals in the span of three weeks isn't terrible by any stretch.

Part II: What Did Work

Last week I went over things that didn't work for me during my weight loss journey. This week I'm going to talk about what did work. Hang onto your hats and wallets. There'll be a lot of gadgets in this list for sure.

• Walk Away the Pounds: To this day, I still use these exercise videos. The movements are easy and you don't need a lot of room. Nowadays, I add more intensity by flailing a bit harder than usual. My favourites are the Three-workout Deluxe Edition and Walk Slim: Fast Start.
• You On a Diet: Though I never did follow the book's suggested eating plan, the science described really drove home to me the importance of good nutrition and how bad nutrition affects our bodies. The book also really helped me understand why Weight Watchers chose the 8 Healthy Guidelines.
• Following the 8 Healthy Guidelines: I'm not going to claim that I've been a saint and followed them religiously all the time. However, they most certainly helped me eat more wisely and that in turn helped me lose wisely. Sure you can lose weight by keeping to your points allowance while still eating junk. But at what cost? Unhealthy and thin isn't a bargain.
• Paderno non-stick frying pans: I bought two different sizes the week I joined Weight Watchers. They're my most used pans and I've made many a healthy meal in them. The coating hasn't ever flecked off and the heavy bottom means they've never warped. Paderno can be pricey, but I bought mine for a song at Sears.
• Epicurean cutting boards: I also bought an assortment of these the week I joined. I knew I'd need a good cutting surface for all the fruits and veggies I'd be eating. They're not made of wood, but they feel like wood and can go in the dishwasher. Pricey but so worth it. After all the use they've been through, they're still holding up and I'm thinking of picking up more. Check out Epicurean's website for more info.
  
• Taking care of myself: Before I started on Weight Watchers, I dressed dumpy and felt dumpy as a result. So I promised that I'd reward myself with nice clothes and accessories as the weight came off. After I lost the first 10%, I bought new clothes, felt better inside, acted more confident, received more compliments, was inspired to lose more weight, lost more weight, bought more clothes, and so on. I came to call it the Great Circle of AhFeelGooood. Once it gets going, it's hard to stop it.
• Polar F6: If I had to pick "best investment EVAR," this would be it. I still use it every single workout – even in the pool! It's been absolutely vital for converting my calories burned into Activity Points.
• Pedometer: When I was training for the half-marathon, I used it to gauge distance. Nowadays, I wear it to monitor my activity. With this handy chart, I can get a sense of whether I need to be moving more. Fortunately, drinking lots of water translates into more steps because of all the bathroom dashes.
• Forgiving myself: Did you know the first time I tried Weight Watchers, I called it quits after eating a McChicken? Yes, I'd done something so awful and horrible by eating that one sandwich that it was obvious I'd never lose weight. Pfft. That kind of thinking got me nowhere. This time around I gave myself permission to make mistakes, laugh about them even, and move past them.
• Electronic scale: No WWer's kitchen should be without one of these. I have a Salter and I use it pretty much every day. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and makes it convenient, too.
• Extra measuring spoons: Measuring things can be a pain, especially when you've only got one teaspoon and it's always in the dishwasher. I have extra of each type of spoon and boy does it ever make measuring a breeze.
• Exercise: I knew I couldn't eat like a rabbit all the time, so if I wanted to lose weight, I'd have to get active. Without a doubt, exercise has helped me achieve my goals. Not only was I building physical fitness, but mental fitness, too. Every achievement in exercise gave me more confidence. As an added bonus, the muscles I developed are quietly burning away calories even as I sit here and type.
  
• Baby steps: Everything I've achieved has been accomplished with small steps. I was overwhelmed at the beginning, but as soon as I broke it down into manageable goals, it became more doable. It was never a case of "69 lbs at a time." It was five pounds at a time, a 10% goal, completing my first race. Little goals that added up big time.

I could probably think of another dozen items to add to this list so who knows, there might be a part III one of these days!