Half Way There

Well it's almost the end of week 6 on WW and I'm feeling pretty good. I have more energy. I'm sleeping better. My clothes fit better too. I want to do more and eat less. I don't crave sweets in the same way anymore. Food is now fuel again. I've lost 7 pounds on WW so far. Before I started WW I'd lost 4 pounds doing my 30 day Bikram challenge during the month of February. Being 11 pounds lighter feels good. Really good.

This is just the beginning of my journey. I committed to 12 weeks on WW but I'm ready for this to be a lifestyle change for good. Not every day is perfect. Some weeks I can get in more exercise than others. I can live with this. Eating more consciously has allowed me to get right back on the program when I slip a little. I am happy with my progress and the steady nature of my weight loss. One pound a week is slow but it begins to add up over time. Do I wish I could wake up tomorrow and be a size 6? No. I want to work for this. I want to struggle and find success in my own way and in my own time. Call me crazy.

The pic above is from a recent trip to Toronto. I had a blast with my family. I'm already more comfortable in my own skin and I think it shows. Here's to the next 6 weeks and beyond!

How much are you really eating?

Something interesting happened last night that I wanted to share with you. On a good day and when I'm ahead of the game I'll plan my food and portions out for the entire day. Yesterday was one of those days. For dinner I prepared salmon. I estimated I was going to eat a 6 oz piece. But it turned out what I thought was 6 oz was actually 3 oz. I have this handy digital kitchen scale ($20 from Target) that showed me how off I was. I was stunned and pleasantly surprised that I had a few points to spare. My guess is that we all sometimes underestimate or overestimate our portion sizes. Being as accurate as possible helps me see how much food I actually need to fuel my body. I love eating enough to keep my engine going. Almost a month into this I've forgotten what feeling 'stuffed' feels like. That is one feeling I can happily live without ;)

Coming Out

I have a sweet tooth too. It's also genetic. My father and I love chocolate. When it comes to chocolate we speak the same language. Recently, I discovered my brother was one of us too. We haven't lived under the same roof in 20 years so this came as news to me. We were at his place after lunch and he casually walked over to the refrigerator and broke off a piece of chocolate and popped it in his mouth. Then I did the same thing. If my father had been there he would have done the same thing too. Don't get me wrong a piece of chocolate every now and then isn't bad. But looking for a little sweet fix after each meal (including breakfast) is a little different and pattern I want to break.

If I'm honest with myself, I've struggled with my weight my whole life. I was 9 years old when I realized for the first time I was 'fat' or not the norm. Someone told me I was 'fat' and not knowing any better I agreed. I've owned that label for one too many years. Joining this group, committing to following the principles of Weight Watchers and making my health a priority is all apart of me going public with this private struggle. I've been on every diet imaginable but never have I gone public for fear of failure. This is my coming out party.

Here is what I hope to gain from this experience: I want to own this struggle and empower myself to do and be better. Staying fat is choice. I want to make smarter and healthier choices everyday. I want to learn new coping skills to deal with life when it gets chaotic and how to feed my hunger and not numb my pain. I'm done celebrating or soothing with food. I want to create and model a healthier relationship with food for my son. He deserves that and so do I.

Above all I want to reach my potential for being my best self. For me it is not a size or weight that will define my success. I am more than a number. What I care about is what I can do with my body physically and how I feel from day to day. Can I run 12 km? Can I bike 25 miles? Can I chase my son around the park for hours on end? Do I feel positively about my body? Do I have enough energy to get through the day? This is how I will choose to measure my success.

Let's do it.

Ice Cream Wars

I have a sweet tooth. It's genetic. I inherited it from my mother. Over the past couple of years, my penchant for sweets (and other culinary delights!) has started to show, so I'm jumping on the diet bandwagon. It always helps to have a group of friends on the journey - to check, nudge and support. This blog has been set up for those of us who are "losing it". We can share tips, hungry tirades, and recipes... Let the ice cream wars begin!