On the slippery slope....

O.K., it's been two-three weeks now of endless FOOD! Everywhere I turn there is food and at present I've lost my resolve. I, along with co-Sunday School teacher Deb, am hosting a brunch for our Sunday School class this morning...where there will be more food, including breakfast casseroles and creamy dips! Guess what? Before I host brunch, I am going to a Weight Watcher's meeting....one part of me says "why bother", but the other part of me says "you've got to start somewhere"....So, stay tuned for more posts in the life of a WWF!

Rethinking Holiday Food....

Yesterday was my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving....probably because I love food. Several years ago when I was 100% Weight Watchers (meaning, I all but made it my god..), I could not enjoy the holidays, it meant everything to accomplish and stay at that "goal weight".....I'm on WW again, but not as diligently and I have only one God and that is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....so that said, I have to look at holidays different now then I did when I would make myself sick on holiday food, and when I would deprive myself of something. Yesterday, I took a break from logging in my food journal and just simply enjoyed my family and food. I put one large spoonful of anything I wanted to try on my plate and I savored it. Today, I am logging in my journal again. I have to look at food different now....it is not something to gorge on or deprive myself of, it is meant to be enjoyed but in moderation. As usual, I am not patting myself on the back...every day is a battle for me...and while eating good comes fairly easy for me (because I love fruits and veggies), exercise doesn't and that is equally important.

NO MORE CAMI CAKES!!!!

As I typed the title to this post, I was reminded of the scene from "Mommie Dearest", where the mother snaps and yells at her daughter, "NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!"....I hope you can tell by the exclamation points that I am yelling this "NO MORE CAMI CAKES!!!"....My oldest child has started a bad habit at our house lately....she recently fell in love with "Cami Cakes"...for those of you that aren't familiar with this delicacy...it a small family owned chain in Tinseltown near her college campus. They make gourmet cupcakes. When she first told me this, I wasn't impressed. After all, a cupcake is a cupcake. She said that one day she was asking one of the older women that worked there just how many calories a cami cake has. The woman stopped, looked at her and chuckled, "Chile...these cami cakes are not made with calories but with a whole lot of love..."...so I would estimate that in the weight watcher world, one of these cami cakes are worth anywhere from 6-12 points which is equal to almost a half days worth of calories. So....every Monday...my dear daughter brings home these gourmet cupcakes....I tasted a bite the first time and thought, "That's not too bad", then the other day, she brought home one called "Elvis". I was in cupcake love! I said all that to say this, "NO MORE CAMI CAKES"!

Tommorow is a brand new day....thank God!

I have felt this week spiraling out of control with my eating as I have went from one doctor's appointment to another, then a wedding early this morning....then to top it off, the Florida/Georgia game was today and Mike and I had our own little party, complete with snacks (plenty of them)....so...tommorow is a brand new day and I am ever thankful that it is...I have not had time to blog over the past couple of weeks and that too is therapeutic in my weight loss endeavor....

Five combined fruits & veggies a day!

I love fruits and veggies, could have been a vegetarian easy (if it weren't for my "meat & potatoes" loving man)....Weight Watcher's advocates getting five combinations of fruits and vegetables in a day. As much as I love them, I seem to struggle to do this. But one thing is clear, if I made it a point to get my fruits and veggies in first before I allowed myself any processed food or snacks, I would be much healthier and would probably see the weight drop quicker. This past Saturday when I attended the local WW meeting, we talked about ways to incorporate fruits & veggies....Here are a few ideas:

1) Top yogurt with sliced fruit of your choice
2) Top cereal with sliced banana
3) Banana and Peanut Butter sandwich
4) celery sticks or carrots dipped in hummus
5) Garden vegetable soup
6) Sliced cucumber on sandwich
7) Add steamed veggies to whatever protein you are having
8) Add a new veggie to your salad (I love artichokes in salad)
9) Add applesauce to plain oatmeal
10) Mix left over veggies in with pasta

"Weekdays with Donna"

Due to my lack of a recent post over the past week, you are probably surmising that I have fell "off the wagon" and am face down in a box of chocolates by now. I have been lazy in the "blogging department" lately but have more energy than ever in other areas that have needed my attention (i.e., house maintenance, organization, cleaning, etc.). My long time friend Donna, read my post prior to this one and called me last week with a proposal. She would be my accountability partner when it comes to exercise. I thought quickly of every possible excuse to get out of this (love Donna, hate exercise)...but she was persistent. So, last Friday, we set out for a walk and walked an hour. This week, we have walked an hour on two seperate days and plan to walk again on Friday. Already, I feel my stamina starting to pick up. An hour goes by really fast when you have great company! So...Donna, if you are reading this, Thank you for inspiring me! I look forward to my "Weekdays with Donna"!

Exercise....Uuuugggghhhhh!

I wish that I loved exercise. In the past when I consciously made it a part of my every day life, there actually was a point (after 2-3 months of consistency) that I did enjoy it....BUT now....Oh how I am struggling, even to do something as simple as walk 3 times a week. I had all intentions of starting back this week. The truth of the matter is that I get bored very easy. My daughter who was recently certified as a personal trainer, volunteered to teach me ZUMBA and work with me on Pilates to "shake things up a bit"....I think I would have literally been "shaking things up" if I did Zumba, as it is a series of dance steps taken from Africa. Anyway, this week....once again...no exercise. I have an overwhelming amount of "things" on my plate. I am writing this post in hopes that someone will hold me accountable when I say that I have all intentions of starting exercise on October 1st! We'll see.....

Staying on track despite all.....

I missed my Saturday "weight in" at Weight Watchers as I went out of town for some much needed R & R with family....I knew that I would not be eating as close to plan but did manage to watch portions and stick to as many vegetables as possible. Sunday was a little "trying" as there was birthday cake and ice cream and I did manage to have a portion of both. I am not going to bother to "toot my own horn" at this point. I know me and I am mainly attempting to just encourage myself and hopefully someone else, but normally when I eat something like cake and ice cream, I throw in towel, declare myself the loser of the battle and go crazy....this time was different. I started back on plan as soon as I got home Sunday night and am still feeling strong. Of course, I can't take credit for any of this, as I give God all the glory for it....I absolutely cannot pull through this in my own strength.

Dessert Coffee

Funny...the post on my other blog is about coffee as well (see www.suecombs.blogspot.com). As you've noticed over the years, coffee has gotten more publicity than ever...it's the latest craze...almost every corner has some kind of coffee shop. I think if most of us are honest, it's not the coffee that we are addicted to but the creamer. The other day I was telling Cece, my nurse manager, about my husband's perfect cup of coffee, half coffee and half vanilla creamer. She laughed and said, "Girl, that's what I call 'dessert coffee". I thought, you know, she's onto something! Most people do not look at serving sizes when they are ingesting food or drink, but Weight Watcher's encourages you to do so. The serving size for this coffee creamer is 1 tablespoon, yet most people have as much as 5-10 tablespoons in a cup of coffee. It all boils down to this, training your mind to think differently and your taste buds to taste differently. As my friend Deb stated recently in her blog, "Eat to live, don't live to eat..". So, next time you are fixing that cup of coffee, pay close attention to the serving size...it will not be as sweet at first, but with time you will get used to the taste. I know for myself, I am so accustomed to kicked up flavor on almost everything, that a piece of fruit or a vegetable often taste bland and pales in comparison.

Today's Weigh In......

O.K., today was the big "weigh in" at Weight Watchers. Anyone that has been a member of Weight Watchers any length of time knows all the tricks you do prior to your weigh (i.e., wearing the same clothes you wore the week before, urinating before weigh in, taking your shoes off, not eating breakfast or not even drinking alot of water before weigh in, not wearing excessive jewelry, etc.)....So, today I weighed in and had lost 1.2 pounds (gone are the days when you could drink diet coke and eat a head of lettuce and lose 5-7 pounds in a week). I was not ecstatic, but was content (thanks to my self pep talk from yesterday). It was a loss after all. I just love our leader and the members in my class, they are so enthusiastic and jovial and keep it lively. At the end of our meeting, we were all sharing food ideas. I could not wait to share my latest food find, powdered peanut butter. To understand what I'm about to say, you must understand how Weight Watcher's works. It works by a point system. 1 point is equal to 30-60 calories depending on the caloric/fat/fiber content combined. A person is allotted a certain number of points daily depending on their age, weight, activity level. My daily point allotment is 23. So today, I boldly raised my hand and exclaimed, "I found a new food that I'm so excited about, it's powdered peanut butter and it is 56 POINTS" for 2 tablespoons. (Keep in mind that I meant to say 56 calories). My WW leader looked at me with what I thought was excitement (but it was really disbelief) and questioned, "56 POINTS?!!!", I was so proud of my find, "Yes", I said "56 points"....everyone of the members were reverberating "56 points?"....it finally sunk it, "NO...Not 56 POINTS....56 calories", I said (realizing my error)....the room shook with laughter and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. One of the members looked and me and laughed, "Bragging about a food that is 56 points in one of these meetings will get you beaten"....Oh, that we can laugh when others laugh at us!

Pep Talk to self.....

Tomorrow is the big "weigh in" at Weight Watchers. To recap, I started trying to eat according to the weight watchers plan one week before I returned to the meetings and then last Saturday made up my mind that I need the accountability found at the meetings. I have talked to myself and God most of today as I went about my day-to-day activities...I have purposed in my heart that regardless of what that scale reads tomorrow, I am going to claim a victory. Any weight loss is a loss, no matter how small. AND...if I am the same weight, well...at least I didn't gain. If I gained, I'll show my WW leader my journal and see if she can decipher the problem....So, as you can see, I've got a plan.
This week went well, I didn't exercise as often as I wanted but my main focus this week was staying true to plan, writing down every bite I took, and drinking my water. I did manage to write down everything I ate, stayed on plan, avoided late night snacking....but none of this was my own doing....I prayed every day for the Lord's help and as usual, He was faithful.

"The Hunger Scale"

If you've ever been to the hospital or the doctor's office with a pain related problem, you are probably familiar with the "pain scale", where the nurse or physician ask you to rate your pain on a scale of "0-10" with "0" being no pain and "10" being the worse pain you could imagine. Well Weight Watchers has implemented a hunger scale. This scale is designed to help you assess your hunger levels. As most of us know, in America we are so accustomed to eating for social reasons that we are not even aware when we are hungry or too full. I am test piloting this scale this week. I am going to think about this scale before I eat and then 30 minutes after I eat. The scale works as follows:

"0" = Very hungry/ravenous
"1" = Hungry
"2" = A bit hungry
"3" = Satisfied/comfortable
"4" = Not at all hungry/full
"5" = Stuffed

Of course you aren't supposed to wait until you are at "0" to eat and you are not supposed to keep eating when you are a "4"....
On a different note, our Weight Watcher leader challenged us this week to take out a placemat and eat at the table regardless of what we are eating. She discussed how we tend to eat slower and less when in a setting designed for eating (unlike being in front of the computer or TV)....

"Preserving Bananas"

Are you tired of your bananas over ripening before you can eat the second or third in the bunch? My daughter recently shared a tip with me that works! Seperate each banana from the bunch. Also to avoid strings from the banana peel, peel the banana from the opposite direction. It works!!!

Great Food Find - Powdered Peanut Butter

I just found the most amazing food...powdered peanut butter. Now, before you say "oooohhhh", let me tell you it is quite tasty, completely natural, and has 75% fewer calories than regular peanut butter. I stumbled upon this find on the Weight Watcher's message board (this portion of the website is free). It is made in Tifton, Georgia at a company called "Bell's Plantation". The product name is "PB2" (for more info, google "PB2"). It is made by pressing the oil out completely, this leaves a powdery substance. Oh, and the website gives you 102 yummy recipes you can make with this. On the downside, it is rather pricey ($4-$5 a jar). As with any first time product use, I've dated the jar and will see how long it will last. If you order it through the company, the shipping is expensive ($9), but you can find this at "Grassroots", a healthfood store located in Five points. Since I have family in Tifton, I also plan to take orders for anyone interested and possibly bring a large quantity back with me in a couple of weeks when I visit. To use: Mix 2 TBS powdered peanut butter with 1 TBS waters...wha laa...instant PB, YUM!

"Return to Weight Watchers"

I was going to try to wing this weight loss effort on my own and fore go the $12 - $13 weekly fee at Weight Watchers. The truth of the matter is, I need the support group atmosphere. I need accountability, the cheerleaders, and the fresh ideas. Not to mention, I wouldn't think twice about dropping $13.00 on fast food or Starbucks in a week. So....I can't begin to tell you how excited I was when I found out that our little town now has two weekly WW meetings, one on Tuesday evenings and one on Saturday mornings. I went to the Saturday meeting today and left completely "pumped up". Not only was our WW leader enthusiastic but she also had a realistic view of the struggles we encounter with losing weight and keeping it off....Oh, and I had lost 5 pounds over the past 6 days. This is typical for most people the first week at WW, but I was still ecstatic!

Recipe Time "Stuffed Peppers"

Hey, check this out....I made this a few weeks ago and it tasted great....don't know Weight Watcher points but they have very healthy ingredients:


"Stuffed Peppers"
(Serves 5)


Ingredients:
5 green bell peppers
2 pounds ground turkey or boca crumbles
1 1/2 cupped chopped onion
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) jar chunky pasta sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (6 oz) package tomato lentil couscous mix (found @ Winn Dixie)
8 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (can use fat free)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Cut pepper in half, place in a 9 x 13 baking dish, and set aside. In a large skillet over med heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, chopped green bell pepper, and garlic. Reduce heat to low, add pasta sauce, and let simmer while preparing the couscous.
3) Prepare couscous according to package directions, but add the remaining onion to water before adding couscous. When couscous is done, combine it with the sauce. Fill bell peppers with the mixture. Top each with shredded cheese.
4) Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown on top.

The Importance of Planning Ahead

Of all the professions, health care, especially in the hospital setting, is not very conducive to healthy eating. In these settings, staff usually works 12 hour shifts and have very little time to sit and actually eat a meal. The doctor's often reward the staff with finger foods and snack items that can be eaten on the run. One doctor is notorious for bringing in Duncan Donuts, another brings in Panera Bagels (my favorite), and yet another orders Pizza routinely. I don't want to appear ungrateful....most of them have wives and understand the motto, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". However, it is almost hypocritical to work in health care and not eat healthy. I thought back to five years ago when I was at my healthiest and asked myself..."what made it work". The biggest solution is planning ahead. This can be an issue if you are pushed for time, but if you keep your pantry and fridge well stocked with healthy items, it only takes about 15 minutes to pack a nutritious meal that can be eaten throughout your day on a 12 hour shift. In addition to a stocked pantry, it is necessary to keep containers that seal food appropriately. I try to pack so that I can eat something every two to three hours. Here is a sample of yesterdays menu:
* Pre-packaged oatmeal - Sturm's organic oatmeal (Walmart)
* Banana
* Salad with 1/2 cup chickpeas, 4 artichokes, 4 oz. sliced chicken & homemade
dressing
* Grapes
* 1/2 cup fat free Stonyfield yogurt
* 1 cup of coffee with a Fiber One Bar
* 1/2 cup tuna salad on two slices of double fiber bread
Now, that is really alot of food when you think about it. I only managed to get 20 oz of water in (something that I need to continue to work on).

Yep, that waist belongs to me....

According to "Nursing for Women's Health" magazine, women who carry excess fat around their waists, even if they were of normal overall weight, are at a greater risk of dying early from cancer or heart disease. The article goes on to say that women with a waist size of more than or equal to 35 inches were twice as likely to die from heart disease as were women with waist size less than 28 inches. O.K., I am not living in fear, but this certainly does motivate me....yep, that's my waist in the picture and in case you can't read the numbers, I'll enlighten you, it's more than 35 inches....

New Beginnings....

My journey begins today (as it seems to every Monday)....but this time I am doing something I have failed to do before...I am taking this issue to the Lord. I can't do it without Him. My goals are simple, most of them are from "Weight Watcher's", which I consider to be the only safe way to lose weight and implement permanent lifestyle changes. My goals for this week are as follows:

(1) Drink 64 oz water daily
(2) Ingest a mixture of 5 fruits/veggies daily
(3) Eat in moderation
(4) Walk at least twice a week
(5) Weight bearing exercises twice a week.

Throughout the week, I welcome any input you can give....cheers, jeers, etc...