Most of you know I’m a maintainer and (not to pat myself on the back or anything) I’ve kept the weight off for almost 2 years. In the past 6 months I’ve been giving myself a little more freedom in the diet department, testing my maintenance ability and learning that you can really live, eat and be merry IF you pay attention to your body and make good choices. Losing weight is much different then maintaining a weight loss. I’m sure those who have reached goal feel the same way.
However, last night as I sat with the devil himself, eating for no other reason then to eat. I realized some old habits were creeping back in.
Yesterday evening we went out to eat dinner at a local Japanese steak house. After I was full, I continued to eat. Why? Because it tasted good?
That’s stupid. I already enjoyed the meal, I was satisfied and even though my conscious brain was saying, “ok, you’re full just stop and box it up.” My unconscious brain was saying “yeah, but you don’t want the leftovers at home anyway. You might as well eat it all now so you can start fresh tomorrow.”
Alright, so your unconscious brain doesn’t actually SAY anything but it sure did just keep shoving forkfuls of rice into my accepting mouth.
You get the idea and much like Amanda, I know I can DO THIS. I’ve done it before. I refuse to lose control now. I REFUSE to regain the weight AGAIN!
So I’m taking a step backwards and practicing what I preach. I will benefit from a week or two in what I call “weight loss mode”. This is where I follow Weight Watchers Flex, the plan that taught me so much about how to eat and balance my diet. I’ll be counting points, going to weekly meetings and journaling along the way.
I’ve missed a meeting this week but I’m not letting that stop me start my week. Today is day 1 and I’ll weigh in at a meeting when I can.
Now I could have waited until tomorrow as I’m going out tonight but NO that is ridiculous! Which is better for me? 1 day on plan or 1 more day off, eating just to eat because I’m off? It’s a strange mental game we play with ourselves, and I know I’m not the only one. Tomorrow I would have just said, ohhh ‘eff’ if I’ll start Monday when I get back to work, it’s easier then anyway. That cycle never stops! START NOW!
To help, I hit the grocery store and stocked up for the week. Check out my Fridge!
So follow along with me this week. We can all do it, 1 day at a time, we CAN DO IT!
| Day 1 – Morning Scale Reading: 148 | Target: | 20 |
| Food | Points | Countdown |
|---|---|---|
| Banana and a bite of the toddlers granola bar | 2 | 18 |
| leftover Quinoa with corn and peppers and a couple of bites of cantaloupe | 4 | 14 |
| Sandwich on WW bread with a wedge Laughing Cow Cheese, 2 slices of lean ham, turkey pepperoni, mustard, lettuce and tomato and a side of carrot stick and sweet pickles. | 3 | 11 |
| ww yogurt | 1 | 10 |
| bowl of Maryland Crab Soup, hummus with cucumber,s tomatoes, and about 3 pieces of pita – 1 of the husbands chicken tenders (all estimates from restaurant) | 10 | 0 |
| movie popcorn – no butter | 5 | -5 |
| Water : 1 jug + | 0 | -5 |
| Total | 25 | 5 |
| Daily Activity Log: 45 minute step class (kicked my butt!!) Notes:Overall I’m happy with the day. I made good choices and had fun Weekly Flex left:30 |
||
29 Responses to Weight Loss Week 1 Day 1 – START NOW
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About Roni
Roni started this blog in '05 to journal her weight loss. 70lbs later, she's committed to living a conscious, healthy life and hopes to inspire others along the way. Read more on the about page.
OK, I’m right there with you! I moved in May and have been pigging out ever since. I am now 10 lbs over goal and started counting points again Tuesday. I did great until the pizza and beer Friday night. Sigh, guess I’ve used all flex pts for the weekend.
Woohoo! Straight OP, I’m with you! (And thanks for the comment on my blog. I kind of felt like a celebrity stopped by. :) )
Good for you Roni! You are very inspiring and I am joining this journey with you!
I just did a blog entry this week about the fact that those on maintenance face just as many struggles as those of us who have not reached goal yet. The journey continues long past meeting goal weight. We’re all doing it right along side you this week. I’m weighing in on February 1 and I want that January weight loss to be a good one!
Roni! We’ve ALL BEEN THERE, girl!! You are speaking for all of us! I am to the age where I wanting to give up the fight…but now I want to fight along side you! P.S. Made your Wonton Pizza Bites for lunch today…kids were more than happy to help me eat them!
Good for you, Roni! I’m not at maintenance yet, but I’ve been thinking about it…and how it’s not going to be a whole lot different than what life is like now, while I’m losing. (55.2 down, 37.2 to go). At least I’m still at 23 points…very soon to go down to 22. But I noticed you were only eating 20. I’ll be at 19 by the time I get to my goal. Thank you for all you do for us! I am on WW, but I use your site more than I do the WW site!
Bonnie
I think that maintenance is soooo much harder than actual wt loss mode. I think that I am more consumed with what I put in my mouth now more than ever. I get a little free and then the scale says “whoa girl you can’t be that free.” A lot of my issue is the eat just because thing. When I was in wt loss mode I knew I couldn’t just keep on eating at the restaurant or the scale would not go down like I wanted. Now I think “maybe the scale won’t go up if I finish this just because it tastes good.” I play this game a lot. I have not gained past goal but my cushion has gotten a little smaller. I know what it takes. I have been more aware since Christmas because I know that I was too free during that time. I feel better when I keep accountable to myself. I will say it again. Thanks for your honesty it really helps me know that I am not the only one that struggles maintaining.
Thanks
Rebecca
P.S
I likes your fridge post. I am a compusive fridge organizer. If the rest of the family puts something back where I would not put it I get a little testy.
I completely understand ~ although I’m not maintaining (yet). I’m still on the losing track. However, I gave myself a break over the holidays and told myself I’d maintain and then start over again in January. Yeah. I gained 12 pounds. Maintaining is so hard. I think much harder than the weightloss just because while you’re in the process of losing, you’re focused and driven towards the ultimate goal. Although I’m not doing weight watchers, I’m joining this journey with you as well; I’m just taking a different path :-)
I think we all get a little too comfortable sometimes, great for you for realizing that, and for taking charge on it. We can do it!
I’m with you Roni – maintenance is WAY harder than losing in the first place. I am headed back to a meeting this week myself after too long without one. I will have to get back to basics I think but I know what to do and I CAN do it.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Yay for you! What makes a successful lifetimer is being able to reassess what you need to do before it gets too out of control. I *know* this, just not from experience (yet)!
Habits are hard to break, but once broken they can return so easily!
Roni: You continue to be an inspiration to me, even in your struggles. I’ve ‘maintained’ for about two years but the weight is slowly creeping back. (it kinda jumped back at Christmas!) I’m still below WW goal, but above my personal goal. I’ve been religiously tracking for three weeks now. I think the most beneficial part of acurate tracking is to actually SEE just how much you’ve started to let yourself eat. Those old habits do come back but luckily, the healthy habits that we learned and lived can just as easily return once you bring them back into your daily plan. I’m happy to say that I have seen results on the scale this month. Strange coincidence or results of my efforts? It’s a no brainer. Do it , it works. Roni, you help keep things real for me. When I read your posts I see that I don’t struggle alone. Know that YOU are not alone in this. We’re fighting the same monsters. Yours just happens to live in the freezer, mine comes from the oven!
I’ve been struggling with getting back on track so it is nice to know that you are going into weight loss mode. You are such an inspiration to me and I love following along with you. I worked on my menu for this week and used many of your recipes. I am going to stay on points this week and exercise if it kills me!!
Mel
The timing of this post could not be better for me personally. I was at a birthday party last night and there were munchies all around the house. I realized that for the most part I mindlessly stuffed food in my mouth even though I was not hungry. While I have been on this weight loss journey for three months this is one habit that I am finding hard to conquer. I did the same thing over Christmas and New Years. I feel disgusting afterwards because I am so full. I have figured out that this is something that I am going to have to work on during my journey as well as when I reach goal. We all have our issues as I can see. That helps me to recognize that as of today, I can start fresh too and that I am not alone.
Thanks!
You wrote:
“Losing weight is much different then maintaining a weight loss. I’m sure those who have reached goal feel the same way.”
Not to argue – but I don’t think maintaining is really any different from losing.
And if what I have read around blog land is any indication – the people that get to goal and think “well – all done with that” are the ones where the weight does come a creeping back. . .
I eat – pretty much the same,
I exercise – pretty much the same,
I have to be mindful – pretty much the same.
And whether one is maintainer that holds their weight dead even, or works with a 2, 5, or 10 pound float (so they are perpetually losing the same 2, 5, 10 pounds) – it seems the same to me.
I am at my one year mark.
I might be wrong about this – but aren’t you exercising MORE now than when you were losing?
So if by chance you mean that you don’t have to be as careful about food now – might it be because you are burning more calories and perhaps have better tone now?
I’d be interested in your writing about HOW you think maintaining is different from losing?
Roni,
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU…for posting the link to Amanda’s site! I almost bawled my eyes out when I read her letter to herself. I’ve been having that “bump in the road” syndrome for some time now…always saying I’m going to lose weight, but never doing it…because there is always another excuse not to lose the weight. THanks so much for ‘waking me up’ this morning and helping me kick start my weight loss.
By the way, I LOVE the new site…its fantastic. Its great for recipes and when I’m stuck for meal ideas.!
Cheers!
I joined WW the week before Christmas because I had the same kind of a-ha moment: if I wait until after the holidays, I’ll be even worse. The plan’s not hard to follow. And I lost weight over both Christmas and New Year’s.
You don’t swap activiy points? Sounds like you earned 2 or 3 for your step class!
Good for you! I also have a habit of “starting” later so that I can pig out at for the moment and then I realize that I’m just pushing off starting indefinitely. I’m glad that you caught yourself and decided to nip it in the bud.
Here we go! I started tracking yesterday after week off from surgery. My scale still agrees with me, but the mirror doesn’t. I think I’l have to blog about that one!
Thanks for the comments guys! Your inspiration just inspires me even more!
Vickie – For me (and this is my personal opinion on the topic based on my personality) weight loss is a different mind set. You are working towards something. There is a measurable, attainable goal to reach. I am a very goal orientated person so after a I reached that goal there was almost a let down. Don’t get me wrong I was happy I reached it and I felt great! But part of me was like, ok, now what do I do? It’s not so much the physical differences more the mental that I struggle with.
AND argue away! Please, I mean if you can’t share your opinion then why blog, KWIM? I love haring everyones opinions, that’s how we learn and grow.
McBunni – You know I never did becuase I didn’t work out, but I should start now I think. Thanks for the reminder!
Roni,
I can’t thank you enough for your amazing sight. I don’t know how you manage to do it all. Today is my first day ever with my blog. I have tons to learn and I am so excited about it all.
Again thank you for all you do on here, you have NO idea what a change you have made in my life, all for the better!!!!
Thanks for sharing this. I’m right there with you although I’ve only been maintaining for like 2 months, I think I got comfortable once I hit goal and stopped focusing on the fact that I still want to lose more. Readig this posts really hits home and I’m right there with you!
Thanks again for being such a constant inspiration.
Not argue-ing – explaining.
I don’t think that it IS pure science for everyone trying to lose – there are people that REALLY try and are just stuck at a certain point – hormones, insulin resistance, or whatever – those people are STUCK. These people that have these medical issues – and I really feel for them – especially when they don’t know WHY they can’t lose.
The “science” (I think) only holds true if one has already lost – because they have figured out how to do it for their body.
So, if they figured out the science to lose – they have a scientific shot at maintaining – it is doable (chemically).
I don’t think either one – losing or maintaining is easy. It is such a blessing when it is even possible.
I guess because it isn’t easy (emotionally) for me – that is part of the reason that I don’t see a lot of difference – I struggled all the way down – I still struggle to stay down.
Vickie – I totally know what you mean about those that just seem to not be able to lose. When it’s more then mental problems holding them back. I also feel for them.
Maintenance, for me, is still a different kind of hard then the weight loss it’s self. Only because I don’t have that goal. It’s really one of the reasons I continue to blog. (besides the fact I LOVE meeting so many cool people online!)
Thanks for the great conversation!
Whew! All this time I thought the “devil himself” lived in the Creme Brulee Ben & Jerry’s containers. Now that I know he’s in the Cinnamon Bun containers I feel a sigh of relief.
So, does that mean I can keep eating the Creme Brulee?! Hmm… (just kidding)
Jenn
Jennscookin
Vickie said ” I don’t think maintaining is really any different than losing….” I believe that–based on my personal experience. I’m 42, struggled with gaining and losing since I was a teenager, been an official WW member since 1992, but not always active with it. I’m weighing in monthly these days under goal and am approaching maintenance the same as I have always approached losing–slightly obsessive, goal driven approach–and it’s working for me. I’ve decided that even if it means that I have to write down everything I eat for the rest of my life I will do it if that’s what it takes for me to maintain a healthy weight. So, like you Roni, when I feel those old habits sneaking in, I resolve to keep “the devil” at bay best I can, taking it one day at a time! Reading and commenting on the Weight Watchen blogs has helped me immensely to not feel alone in the struggle–thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and thoughts!
Hi Roni!
Wow thank you so much for linking me in your post. You would not believe how many visitors I have had since you posted this… it is amazing! I remember reading your story a very long time ago and thinking how inspirational you are, you look fabulous now! I never would have dreamed that you would have linked me on your website. How can I ever thank you! :)
Roni- I used the search engine within your site(love it by the way! Has kept me from asking many redundant questions). Was looking for your thoughts on coffee and found this. Again thank you for your honesty both past and present. I was cruising along at a healthy weight loss pace and stumbled over Thanksgiving and fell into mindless eating and haven’t crawled out of it yet. I’m doing a half a**ed job of keeping track of my points but that doesn’t slow down the food shovel! I’m going to take the weekend to plan out the meals and make a weeks worth of lunch soups. Like you said, it starts NOW!