So, this is the first post of what is going to be my visual food journal. I've read recently that people who document their food intake with photos are likely to be that much more conscientious of what they eat. There is one blog I read, Kath Eats Real Food, which is mostly her visual food journal - and so with that combined inspiration I am going to try it too. Maybe I'll inspire someone else as Kath has inspired me! :-)
I've been a member of Weight Watchers off and on since, um - 2004. (eek!) The summer of 2004 - specifically 31 July! - I got down to my lowest adult weight ever! I can't remember now what it was - 155# or 159#, i think? I've been a size 14 most of my life, but around this time I bought a pair of black Editor pants from Express in a SIZE 8!
My goal was 145# and I was so close. I started Student Teaching that Fall while working 30+ hours per week, taking classes and running a household of husband and animals. I let it slip...I ended up quitting the program. Then I rejoined. Then I quit. Then I rejoined. Then I quit. I wasn't taking it seriously enough to make it work: "The Program Works if You Work the Program."
Last fall I hit my heaviest weight EVER - about 200#. *shriek!* I decided that I was sick and tired of not being able to wear my clothes comfortably. I was tired of always trying to strategically hide my "muffin top". I'm tired of looking at old pictures and wondering what has happened to me.
Last October or November, I rejoined Weight Watchers and I vowed to take it seriously; it worked for me when I was serious in 2004 and was determined to make it work again. I did really well at first, then life started to "get in the way" and I began to slip into my old bad habits. Over the last couple of weeks I've been searching my gut to find my motivation to stay serious - and I found it: My Health and Well-Being.
My doctor has never told me to go on a diet, surprisingly. My friends and family are so sweet and tell me that I look fine. When I complain about not having anything to wear (and if you saw my closet, it's not for lack of clothes), DH tells me to "do something about it". Honestly, I was offended by that and I reacted childishly by stubbornly refusing to let him see me "dieting"; I didn't want him to know I agreed with him. Yeah, that didn't work.
When we borrowed Wii Fit from a friend, the Balance Board's (aka Bally) daily neutral quip: "That's Obese" really started to make me think. I used to reason it out that I'm borderline and have a naturally bigger frame - I'm not really obese, just kinda chunky. I hated to admit it, but DH is so right (just don't tell him that!).
Through my meditations over the last few weeks, I've decided that I can't stay in that negative mindset: If I want real results then I have to really want to do something about it. I didn't wake up this morning obese, it took time for me to gain this weight and it will take even more time to lose it. That's where this blog comes in.
What I will be posting to this blog are things I've learned, questions I have, and food I've eaten so that I can keep everything in one place so that I can have one less reason to be unsuccessful. Yes I could write this in a journal, post it on my other blog, use WW eTools exclusively - so, why create a whole new blog for it all? Because I can email pictures of my meals directly to my blog from my phone.
My worst habit is not keeping track of my food intake - and I've been wishing for a way I can track my points digitally on the go. I don't have a fancy smart phone or anything like that, so I had to think a little more low-tech. My recent obsession with Brightkite and Twitter got me thinking that I would be successful with my journaling if I could do it from my phone - I wouldn't be using either BK or Twitter so much if I couldn't do it from my phone!
And let me warn you, I cannot edit photos on my phone, so until I can get to my computer the photos I upload will likely be sideways or otherwise in serious need of editing! :-)
With all that having been said, allow me to post my first photos:
Breakfast during the Weight Watchers meeting:
This is VERY yummy by the way - and for only 2 points, it is totally worth it!This isn't a very filling or good breakfast, by any means, but better than nothing at all.
I came home from running a few errands after the meeing and made some lunch
Roast Beef Sandwich:- 2 slices Orowheat 7-grain bread (2 pts/slice) (I usually buy Earthgrains 7-grain because it's wholegrain, but I was in a hurry at the store and grabbed the wrong one)
- 6 slices (1 serving) of Oscar Mayer Deli Roast Beef (1 point)
- 1 tsp Miracle Whip Light (0 pts) (1 pt/Tbsp)
- 1 tsp prepared horseradish (0 pts)
- 1 oz sharp cheddar cheese (3 pts)
Fruit & Yogurt:
- 1 cup plain non-fat yogurt (2 pts)
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries (0 pts)
- 1 fresh smallish clementine (.5 pts)
- scant sprinkle each of cinnamon and splenda
Lunch = 10.5 points and is quite tasty. :-)
Now, it's dinner time - and we have a 13pt concoction:
Salad:
5 grape tomatoes, halved (0 pt)
1/3 cucumber (0 pt)
2 white mushrooms (0 pt)
1/8 red bell pepper (0 pt)
1 tsp sunflower seeds (.5 pts)
1 serving Ken's Steak House Raspberry Pecan Salad Dressing (0 pt)
tsp olive oil (1 pt)
Entree:
Boca Chik'n Patty (3)
tbsp ketchup (0)
tsp olive oil (1)
1 oz of Cheddar cheese (3) (under patty)
1 serving pretzels (2)
1/8 red bell pepper (0)
the olive oil isn't really my idea - with WW you're supposed to purposely take in 2-3 tsp per day of certain healthy oils. I've always just ignored this - but i suppose that if I'm taking it seriously I'm taking it all seriously. :-/
and I really need to start planning meals and whatnot...i have 2.5 pts remaining for the day, but considering what i've eaten today it doesn't seem like very much for the points. Planning is not one of my strong suits!
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