W2D2

My annoying (as opposed to gentle and melodious) alarm went off at 6:00 this morning. I was attempting to be ambitious and get in both the jog AND an early start. One glance out the window changed that. It was still pitch black outside. I wasn't ready to venture out through an unfamiliar town in the dark.

Conditions were much better 45 minutes later. I put on my "jogging gear" and headed out.

It took approximately half the workout to pass through the entire *downtown*, including The Stoplight. After the middle 2 minute break, I turned around and made it back to the motel shortly after the five minute cool down finished.

No problems with the run... I felt fine but definitely missed having Lucy next to me.

I also note that I've been very good about staying On Points so far. My meals have all been sensible and journaled.

First Mini Goal! 10 lbs down!

This morning the scale edged past my first mini goal. From April 1 to April 30, I've lost 10.2 lbs. WOOHOO!

I also note that I'm now at my 2001 Weight Watchers starting weight. :(

But the good news is that it's going in the right direction.

W2D1

Busy day, I'm beat.

I had intended to do W2D1 on Monday night. It was POURING rain. So I resolved to get up early Tuesday and do it before work. Well, still pouring. Tuesday night was right out because I had to attend a friend's birthday celebration 40 miles away and would then spend the night with my BF. This morning wouldn't work because I had to commute an hour from my BF's place to work....

Anyway, yeah, life was conspiring against me. Boohoo poor me.

I almost gave up on today, but the last minute decided that I would drive home after work, immediately change, and go to the park before running the pets the 35 miles to my parent's house.

It meant that I didn't get home to start packing until 9:30 pm, but I feel like I've kept my fitness committment to myself and have a plan for finishing out the week while I'm on the road. If I can fit in a jogging workout on one of my busiest weeks this month, I can do anything!

The workout? It went fine. I kept reminding myself that it was only six intervals (compared to W1's interminable eight) and only 30 seconds longer. The two minute breaks were just enough time to catch my breath but not so long that the faster pace was a shock. Once again, the 2nd to last interval felt the hardest, but I'm sure that it'll get easier as I repeat it. I'm going to try for W2D2 on Friday morning along the road near my motel (Texas Hill Country).

Eating on the Road - Motorcycle Touring Edition

If staying on program while traveling weren't difficult enough, making good choices while motorcycle touring presents it's own set of challenges.

Away from my normal routine and resources, I have little direct control over what (and often when) I eat, other than attempting to make good choices when I order food. When in remote areas, I'm generally limited to chain fast food restaurants, or local places that are a complete unknown. Also, many rural areas have little understanding of nutrition so designated "healthy plates" are generally mushy vegetable and dry chicken, ordered infrequently and prepared indifferently.


I got on the road really early. My stomach wasn't ready for food, but I didn't know when I'd next find a source of sustenance. During my morning fuel up, I purchased a glazed Krispy Kreme donut and a bottled Starbucks Frappuccino. About an hour later, I pulled over at a vista point up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and had my breakfast. (9 points)

Analyzing the situation, (I wasn't on a diet at the time) I could have made better choices. My breakfast was almost pure sugar and probably didn't keep me going for very long.

Anyway, I've resolved to do better this time. I'll journal my food intake on my Ipaq/E-book reader and try not to go too far over points while forgiving myself if I do end up gaining a little weight. My primary goal for this trip is to maintain the weight loss I've already achieved.

These restaurants are ones that are common to small towns along the interstates. The items listed are things that I'm likely to order and feel satisfied after eating. (and this post is mostly for me to print out and use as a cheat sheet)

Breakfast (4-6 pts):

McDonalds:
Fruit n Yogurt Parfait w/granola (small) - 3 pts
Egg McMuffin - 6.5 pts
Coffee w/ 2 creams and splenda - 1 pt

Denny's:
Oatmeal or Cereal - 2-4 pts
2 slices toast w/ eggbeaters - 4 pts
Coffee w/ 2 creams and sweetener (no refills) - 1 pt

Starbucks:
grande nonfat iced latte - 2 pts
oatmeal w/ fruit topping - 4 pts

Motel Continental Breakfast:
Cereal, Yogurt, Oatmeal
Fruit
Coffee

Lunch (5-9 pts)/Dinner (7-15 pts):

McDonalds:
6pc nuggets w/honey (1) - 7.5pts
Honey mustard grilled chx snack wrap - 6 pts
Premium Grilled chicken sandwich - 8.5 pts
Filet o' Fish - 9.5 pts
small fries - 5.5 pts

Subway:
6" Turkey Sub, wheat bread, no cheese/mayo - 5.5 pts
Baked Lays - 3 pts
Iced tea - 0 pts

Quiznos:
Small Honey Bourbon Chicken Sandwich, wheat bread - 7 pts
Small Tomato Basil soup - 2 pts
Iced tea - 0 pts

Sonic:
Chicken Club Toaster, no bacon - 14 pts
Peach Iced Tea (large) - 1 pt

Pizza Hut:
Personal Pan Pizza with Ham & Pineapple - 12.5 pts
Personal Pan Pizza Veggie Lovers - 12 pts
Personal Pan Pizza Chicken Supreme - 13.5
Iced Tea - 0 pts

Denny's:
Grilled Chicken (4) with green beans and plain baked potato - 8 pts
Grilled Tilapia (10.5) with corn and plain baked potato - 15.5 pts
Grilled Chicken sandwich, no mayo, no fries - 10 pts
Side Salad w FF Ranch or FF Italian, no croutons (+2.5) - 3 pts
Iced Tea - 0 pts

Special Treats (1-5 pts):

McDonalds:
Vanilla Ice Cream Cone - 3.5 pts

Starbucks:
T/G Coffee Light Frappuccino (no whip) - 2/2.5 pts
T/G Caramel Light Frappuccino (no whip) - 2.5/3 pts

Sonic:
Vanilla Cone - 4.5 pts
Jr M&M sundae - 4.5 pts

Wendy's:
Jr Frosty - 3.5 pts

Week 4 Weigh in

I'm down 1.4 lbs this week for a grand total of 8.8 lbs since April 1.

This is within the recommended 1-2 lbs/week. I'd be lying if I said I was completely happy with my weekly progress, but when I look at my overall losses in the first 4 weeks of this lifestyle change, I'm ecstatic.

I'm hopeful that I can lose 1.2 lbs this next week and hit 10 lbs lost. However, I've got a challenge ahead of me. I'll be away from home and my normal routine for 4 days. I will need to stay on top of myself and commit to making good choices at restaurants.

Adventures in Dinner

I've been planning to do a series of posts on my "usual" dinners/lunches/breakfasts. Tonight's dinner has inspired me to start off with the last meal of the day.


Who says dinner has to be boring when you're dieting?

(clockwise - Green Giant steamed carrots + zucchini + green beans in rosemary butter sauce, chicken cordon bleu (Target meat counter, 6 points), and baked sweet potato with ICBINB spray and one wedge of Laughing Cow garlic & herb cheese mashed in. Whole meal counted as 11 points.)

I tend to keep it fairly simple when it's just me. I've been trying to keep the freezer and cabinets stocked so that I can plan my meal from work, taking into account points available and how I feel.

My typical dinner will have three components: a meat, a veggie, and a starch.

Staple Meats:
(toaster-broiled or toaster-baked, seasoned or marinated)
- chicken thigh (boneless, skinless - I prefer dark meat)
- turkey italian sausage
- filet of fish (tilapia, catfish, salmon, tuna, halibut)
- scallops or shrimp

Staple Veggies:
(veggies add bulk to my meals without costing lots of points. When I can have a big pile of veggies with dinner, I tend to feel more satisfied)
- Green Giant has recently come out with these absolutely AWESOME veggie mixes in 7-8oz boxes. One whole box is generally 1-2 points for a huge, filling serving of veggies. They are seasoned with somewhat sophisticated flavors (my favorite is rosemary butter) and (microwave) steam in the bag in less than 5 minutes. I keep a stack of boxes to choose from in the freezer at all times.
- I'm a big fan of steamed veggies. When I want something other than a frozen mix, I have a steamer basket for my pots or when in a hurry, ziploc brand microwave steamer bags.

Staple Starch:
(I can't live without carbs...)
- baked potato
- baked sweet potato
- rice (Minute Rice Ready to Serve cups)
- stuffing (Stovetop Quick Cups)
- pasta (various, 1 cup serving)
- biscuit (individualy frozen dough rounds)

Simplicity is very important to me. I'm a good cook, but I also live alone. Most recipes have too much yield for me and fresh veggies tend to go to my refrigerator drawers to die. At the end of a work day or after a jog, I just want to come home and have a filling dinner in front of me in 20 minutes or less with minimal clean up.

That is not to say that I don't sometimes get more elaborate (especially when you add cooking for my BF to the mix). On days when I can afford the points and have a little more ambition, I take my 3 components and add some kind of sauce or special prep. Among my favorites are Thai red curry, Indian korma, lite alfredo or marinara, mushroom marsala, or teriyaki/general tsao's stir fry.

Incentive clothing

Some people have incentive pants, drastically smaller pants that they buy or retain in hope of eventually fitting. I have an incentive dress.

It's the dress I wore to my senior prom. In high school. It's a size 11/12 and was worn exactly once. The dress has been hanging in my closet for 12 years now and I haven't been able to get it zipped up in all that time.

I would absolutely die to be able to fit into this dress again. I'm really really hoping to be able to wear it to my BF's company Christmas party this December. Hoping hoping hoping.

If I stick to this diet/exercise, it's very possible.

Threads like this one (in which a girl is raving about fitting into size 8 jeans) are so incredibly inspiring.

I currently wear size 14 jeans comfortably. I have several size 12s and, though I can stuff myself into them, the muffin-top is not pretty. In about 6 more pounds, the 12s should make it to daily wear again. But as I know from trying, size 12 jeans do not necessarily mean that the dress fits. I've got to go lower. I don't even remember a time when I fit into anything in the single digits.

It's an awfully pretty dress, a classic black sheath, empire waist, with some tasteful rhinestones and sparkly embroidery at the bodice. God I want to wear it again.