Better Late Than Never

Ok, it's Tuesday and I weigh in sometime between Friday and Monday (ok every day, and I pick the weight I like best), but I haven't posted the results. This past week wasn't bad - I fluctuated each day between a few pounds, but I believe I lost about half a pound. So a step in the right direction, but I'm concerned it's not enough.

I'm afraid I'm not going to make my goal. And that's ok - 10+ pounds in less than 4 weeks is a tough goal. Maybe too tough - losing weight quickly is a recipe for gaining it all back, not to mention the other health concerns that go along with it. But I've got my mind in the right place, I'm behaving in a more dedicated-to-the-cause way, and I think both of those are accomplishments. Non-scale victories, if you will.

But stay tuned - we still have one more weigh-in to go before official departure!

Watch out for flying pigs!

I heart my snooze button. Like big puffy heart with lots of glitter and an arrow through it LOVE my snooze button. So I have never had much luck at a.m. exercising. But this morning, I did it. Hell yeah! On Demand Biggest Loser workout followed by some abs of my own doing - about 50 crunches in all, along with some side and front planks. And I feel GREAT! I have more energy today, I feel a sense of accomplishment - I love it!

My next goal: A repeat performance! Ward off some of my traditional Friday cocktails with some pre-work sweat.

Week 2: A Bit Rougher

So in my quest to be below 200 (ugh, still hurts to type that number), this week was a bit of a slip. I don't know if it's because Cousin George was in town (my family's name for Aunt Flo - less obvious, don't you think?), or if I really deserved it, but the scale showed a slight uptick this week - about .5. So not terrible, but now I have that much more to take off to meet my goal. ARGH!!! I can do this, I know I can, but these little defeats make it so difficult!

I'm still struggling with exercise, too. Tell me - if you work full-time and have a family (or just work full-time period), how do you fit it in? Do you wake up extra early? Ask your significant other to watch the kiddo while you squeeze in a DVD? Take advantage of daycare at the gym? Tell me - how do you do it??

Snack Time Product Rave

Before I start, let me say that nobody is paying me to write any product reviews you see here, I'm not getting any free products, nothing like that. (Unless these companies want to send me free stuff, then who am I, the morals police?)

Ok have you tried Kashi Dark Chocolate Coconut snack bars?
Yesterday I had the unbearable urge to eat a whole lot of really bad things. (I also wanted to curl up on my couch under a blanket, but that's a whole other post for a whole other day.) But instead I had one of these and it was the perfect blend of rich dark chocolate and coconut, but it's not a waistline killer. So I felt like I'd been bad when I hadn't. Score!

They're a new product so they might not be in your grocery store, but if they are they're super good for you and taste amazing. Score!

Week 1 down - and down!

Yay! First week working toward my goal was a success - 2.1 pounds down. Whoo hoo! I love watching the scale move in the right direction. A few goods and bads from this week:

The Good:
1. Cooking at home saves money AND calories. We used to be BIG out-to-dinnerers, like 3+ times per week. Last week, with it being the holiday weekend, we had cookouts Saturday and Sunday, so we only went out for dinner on Friday. We saved lots of cash, and I felt much lighter and healthier at the end of the weekend. Go us!

2. Cookouts don' t have to be healthy eating landmines. Choose fruit salad and fresh veggie dishes rather than the potato salad and macaroni salad, which are loaded with mayo. If there's something you know you can't live without - have a bit of it. Don't fill your plate with it, but don't feel deprived just because you're trying to lose weight.

The Bad:
1. I could have possibly lost more if I got my butt in gear and exercised. I am really struggling with my motivation in that area. Hopefully I can get better this week!

So there we go - 2.1 pounds down. On to week 2!

Putting a Stake In the Ground

Wow, long time no post! And I apologize for that. These past few weeks have been a real struggle for me. Every week, I gained, or I didn't exercise AT ALL, or I went 25 over my additional 35 allowed by Weight Watchers (and that's probably an understatement). Essentially, I had nothing positive to write. So I didn't. I gave up and figured that this was the best it would ever get. I have a beautiful son, what more could I ask for? I could be the funny girl/good mom/girl with the pretty face.

But now I'm back. I've decided that I'm going to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about it. I do NOT have to be resigned to not fitting in my size 14s or my size 12s anymore. Just because I had a baby, that does NOT mean that I can't be a hot mom, or a mom who is proud of what she looks like! I can and will make time for me. Being happy with who I am will make me an even better mom!

So here we go - my first step with my new can-do attitude. And I even have a goal:

Before my sister-in-law's wedding at the beach in August, I will be below 200 pounds. If it's 199.9, for this purpose it's fine, because it's below 200. That's basically 10 pounds. (Wow, putting that down in print was rough. But it needed to be done.)

And here we go!

In Pursuit of a Healthy, Beautiful Life

As I sit here and think about what living a healthy life means, I stop and think that it's not just about what you're eating and how much you weigh. Yes, having a goal and working toward it is wonderful. But there's so much to be said for living each day until that point to the fullest.

So as this blog evolves (and takes me with it), I hope to write not only about healthy living, but about enjoying a beautiful life with what God has blessed me with to this date. Is that the energy to exercise? Fantastic, let's talk about it. Do I feel fantastic in the outfit I'm wearing today? Yes, then let's write about it. But remember: Life is BEAUTIFUL.

When it's time to change

I am a creature of habit. Since I was in, oh, second grade, I have a routine. And I stick with it. When I was little, every night at 8 pm was bath time. I didn't care if I was sick as a dog, or if I was in the middle of a marathon game of Don't Spill the Beans, when 8 rolled around you knew where to find me.

At 30, I'm still the same person. So when I started Weight Watchers in 2006, I went on a Monday at 5:30, right after work. And it worked well - I had great success during that first go-round. Now, battling post-baby weight, I've decided to change things up.

If we go out to eat, we typically do it on the weekend. So even if I've done well all along, I often feel like I'm holding on to water weight from the extra sodium that every restaurant that's not my kitchen packs into their portions. Which, while it does reflect my eating habits, might not give me a completely realistic picture of what I lost (or gained) in the previous week. So I 've switched my weigh in to Friday.

So far so good: Down 1.4! This weekend posed some unique challenges, with my niece's bhigh school graduation party and a trip out of town to visit family, so we'll see if I can get it in check between now and next Friday. Wish me luck!

Victory Beyond the Scale

Sometimes I think we place too much emphasis on the scale.

This Saturday I went bridesmaid dress shopping with my oldest sister for her October wedding. We had gone before, and I was in a - gulp! - size 18. (Wow, never thought I'd put that in print.) I went in this time, grabbed the same size, and started trying. And lo and behold, they were falling off of me! Score!!! So I dashed out and started grabbing 16's. I felt SO good. Granted, it's not a size 8, but any loss is a good loss, I say. Now let's see how much we'll need to get this sucker altered before the big day!

I don't have a picture of my dress yet, but I'm wearing David's Bridal separates in chiffon - the long skirt and the draped one-shoulder top. I am obsessed with the Tarzan look this year, so I'm SO excited to wear this.

What a Week!

Whew, what a week it has been! Last week, I lost my job. For the first time in 8 years, I don't have to get up and go to work. Now THAT is a crazy feeling. But I have a lot of mixed emotions right now. On the one hand, it's scary. But on the other, it's liberating. I was very unhappy, and things were taking a toll on me. Now I have a chance to regroup while I'm looking for a new workplace home. What's more, I get to spend the days with my baby boy - I can't ask for better than that! And now I have literally NO excuse not to blog more regularly!

On the upside, I lost 1.8 pounds last week! I have always heard that cortisol, the hormone that your body creates under stress (or something like that - help me out science types!) can cause you to hold on to weight. But I never really believed that stress was keeping me fat. But now that I am significantly less stressed, I see a big loss on the scale, despite consoling myself with my friends Ben and Jerry. It's definitely something to think about...

Still a Resident

...of Frustration City, that is. This week posted a gain of 1.6 pounds. I know my problem: I'm an emotional eater. I have been under a lot of stress lately due to some personal issues, and when I get home at the end of the day, I want comfort food. "Bad day at work, I need McD's Chicken Nuggets." "I'm sad, let's have wine and pasta." "Stressed out, don't feel like cooking - let's go for Mexican!"

No, it won't. I don't need those, I want them. And do I really think I'm going to find solace at the bottom of a basket of chips and queso? Um, negative.

So why do I do it? Why are my emotions inextricably linked with food? Does fun food = feeling better?

Wow, that sounds so Biggest Loser when Jillian helps the people work through their deep-seated issues. Maybe that's it - I need a Jillian Michaels in my life! :-)

Frustration City, Here I Am!

I know I didn't blog last week (don't worry, wrist already slapped), but I lost 1.4 pounds. Yay! Made up some of the ground I lost the week before.

This week - up 1.7. Sonofabitchthissucks!!!!! When I look back on my week, I know I didn't eat as well as I should have. I didn't eat as well as a linebacker should have! And my exercise consisted of carrying the munchkin up the stairs for baths, diaper changes, and bedtime. So did I put forth the effort I should have? Absolutely not.

The hardest thing for me now is recovering from the slip-up and getting back on track. I eat bad one week, and not only do I gain, but I remember just how good that bad-for-you stuff really tastes. So the next week, I start the cycle all over again. This week I started Monday in the hole Points-wise by about 23. So it's up to me - keep going down this path and see more poundage on the scale next Monday, or put a stop to it once and for all now. My hope is to get it together - get some exercise and eat better. Double whammy. Let's see how it goes!

Holy Inspiration, Batman

The Pittsburgh Marathon was today, and it was so motivating. I've never run a race in my life, unless you count the Gino's Intracity Track Meet when I was in 4th grade, but just watching all of those people cross the finish line after accomplishing something so amazing is so inspiring.

I've heard some people say that, with the advent of ultramarathons, that the traditional 26.2 is no longer the accomplishment it used to be. I wholeheartedly disagree. Whether you're finishing at the front of the pack or are the last across the line, you went a distance most of us only do in our cars.

The power of the human body, when you put your mind to it, is astounding. It makes me wonder - could I ever be that strong?

I Thought This Might Happen

Putting off Monday's weigh-in post until Tuesday doesn't really change this week's results: I'm up 1.7 pounds. ARGH! I knew it had been a rough week, but I thought I might gain a little, even break even. No such luck. Almost 2 pounds up. If healthy weight loss = 1-2 pounds a week, I'm already two weeks away from seeing any progress.

The thing I have to focus on now, though, is not letting one gain get me down. Or else I feel bad about myself, and then I eat more, and it's a vicious cycle I can't escape. I need to focus on the positive - I will get healthy, I will look fabulous, and I will beat this.

Rough Week

I thought after Monday, my food week would improve. But I thought wrong. Along with lunch from the cafeteria, lunch at my company often means homework in the evenings and earlier-than-usual starts in the mornings. So, needless to say, my time in the kitchen has been limited, as has my opportunity to exercise. But, to look on the bright side, I made the best possible choices I could, and I'll keep pushing to get better. Tomorrow, Scarlett, is another day!

Weigh-In Day and Food Frustrations

Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day...

Mondays are my weigh-in days. When I first started WW, that was when I weighed in for the week. And because I am SUCH a creature of habit, I have continued to weigh in every Monday. My preferred time is before I eat breakfast but after I dry my hair while I'm still wearing my nightgown.

This morning was good - down 0.8 pounds. Good, not great. I had been very good last week, but the weekend just killed me. That is my hardest time! How do you maintain healthy habits on the weekends?

So Monday. Time to start fresh for the week. Unfortunately, I'm in training at work this week, so I'm at the mercy of others' food choices. Today for lunch I ended up with Arby's. Roast beef with cheddar cheese and half a medium curly fries. UGH! That is NOT how I wanted to start my week. But I will not use this as an excuse to derail my healthy habits for the entire week. One bad day, and I'm movin' on.

Sometimes it just turns out that way...

I Do Run Run

I have never been a runner before. It was always one of those things I wanted to do, I'd start, and then I would stop. More times than I can count, I'd have a bad run and that would be the end of me. Rather than recovering the next time, a little set back would keep me off the pavement.

But now that the weather here is FINALLY starting to get warm (80-degree April in Pittsburgh - love it!), I want to get outside to exercise. Factor that in with the fact that I want to spend time with Nicholas in the evenings after work, and running is the most logical workout. And so, armed with new shoes and a Nike+, I started again, baby and husband in tow.

So far things have been going well. We live in a quiet residential neighborhood, so it's easy to get out and do a quick 2 miles around the neighborhood. We're starting slow - walking some, then running, then back to walking, and so on. I never imagined I would feel a runner's high, but I do. Even after these short runs, I so do. It's awesome!

This morning was a bit tougher. We took a different route, and our first two runs were up hills. I can't lie, they were rough. But with Joe cheering me on, I made it! And I'm going to do it again!

Where I've been, Where I'm going

Back in 2006, I joined Weight Watchers and lost around 30 pounds.

That's me on our honeymoon in Aruba in October, 2007. Pretty foxy huh?

However, not long after that I started gaining the dreaded post-wedding weight. What is it about getting married that makes women think it's ok to eat like our husbands? Add that to starting a new job, and BAM. Those 30 pounds came right back on and brought a couple more of their friends with them.

So after that I would half-ass follow Weight Watchers, but I wasn't being honest with myself. I would claim that I was SO perfect that week, but could just not understand why I gained. Riiiiiight. And that piece of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake I inhaled the night before had only 8 points and counted as a dairy serving.

Then, in April, 2009, I found out that I was pregnant with my son, Nicholas. Score! A baby AND a year off from trying to lose weight! A few weeks before he was born, I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension, a precursor to preeclampsia. Once Nicholas was born, the condition should have rectified itself. However, it didn't. It improved, but didn't go away.

Now, things are different. Now it's not a matter of vanity, it's a matter of life. I WILL get my health in check because I WILL be here to watch my son grow up.

So this is me (with my beautiful family) on Easter.


Twenty-five pounds of the 30 I gained during pregnancy are gone. But as you can see, there's still a lot more to go. And that's why we're here. Keep me honest. Keep me on track. Keep me healthy. And I will try to do the same for you.

All about me

Hi there! My name is Betsy, and this is my healthy living/weight loss/fitness blog. I'm no doctor, not a registered dietician (although if I had to do it all over again, I would have considered going down this path), really not affiliated with the medical profession at all.

However, I am a new mom. My beautiful baby boy Nicholas was born last December. He is an absolute doll and the single greatest thing I ever did.
But with the cute new baby comes the not-so-cute new baby weight. (See picture below, complete with terrified mom-to-be expression.)
Which really brings us to why I'm here. First and foremost, I want to use this blog to hold myself accountable. I used to belong to Weight Watchers, where I weighed in every week. But now that I'm doing it on my own (still following the old WW materials, just not going to meetings every week), I don't have anyone to be accountable to for my success. So now I have you!

Second, I find reading about others' success SO inspiring. So I hope that you find what I have to say informative or inspiring as well. I plan to talk about everything from healthy eating to exercise, everything that I'm doing to lead a more healthy life and be a good example for my son. And I hope that you'll share your thoughts with me as well!

So that's me in a very little nutshell. Here's to a healthy life!!