Continuing to make progress!

It's amazing what sticking to goals regularly can do! (Oh and working out 6 days last week doesn't hurt either!)

I did great on The Hubsters birthday - tracked everything and even though we unexpectedly ended eating out two meals instead of just one, I had done so well with the choices I made at lunch time that I felt I could splurge a little at dinner and I tracked and it was within my points (Of course I used flex points as well..) and I didn't go into the negative. We also made it a very active day by parking the car downtown and walking all over the place (6 miles total for the day!)

Saturday was Sacfit and I went with the Rowdy Reds again (they do 3 running and 1 walking interval) - I really miss running so much. I do appreciate a nice brisk walk, but sometimes, you just need a good therapeutic run to kick some things to the curb! that is just what I needed on Saturday.

I stepped on the scale this morning and I went from 169.1 to 166.9! Down 2.2 pounds for the week and only 2.4 pounds from being able to weigh in within 2 pounds of my goal weight! I'm so close now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

So as the saying goes if it isn't broke don't fix it - so my 3 goals will remain the same.

Workout 4 days this week.
No eating out or splurging unless I have the points available.
100% tracking

I achieved all three last week and actually exceeded my workout goal and did 6 days!

A Sunday Goal update!

So this week went well - I achieved my goals and the scale had me down .9 this week!

Saturday we went to the gym and I worked out on the elliptical. I'm not a fan and in the past I have never made it more than 20 minutes or so. I did 36 minutes and I probably could have done more, but the Hubster was bugging me to quit and the episode of Law and Order I was watching had ended so I stopped there. I figured out my problem on it was I wouldn't relax and I was always too tense. When I loosen up and let my body do what it wants to do then I'm fine!

I'm going to continue with the same goals again this week without adding anything new.

Workout 4 days this week.
No eating out or splurging unless I have the points available.
100% tracking

Again we have a meal out planned (Tomorrow is the Hubsters birthday) and I have already looked at the menu, decided what to eat and it is in my tracker for tomorrow. I will go over points, but since Sunday is the first day of my week I have flex points for it.

The following week will be challenging for me because the Hubster has a business trip which will leave me on my own for dinners. I have already made a trip to Trader Joes and gotten some things for me to eat but those days will be very long and I'm worried about balancing everything myself.

Randomness from my mind today...

So this week was a very good week - I got back on track - I journaled 100% (even the two really bad meals we had in San Francisco to start the week off and the cupcake!), I worked out 4 times this week, I felt in control and in charge, and I was rewarded on the scale - I went from 176.8 to 170.0! I have to put this loss into perspective so I don't expect those same results every week. I went from doing very poorly to doing really awesome pretty much overnight. I worked very hard at all 4 of my workouts and made it through a Zumba class just for something different to shake things up. I made sure not to undereat - which is where I usually get into trouble - I used all of my flex points and almost all of the activity points that I earned this week.

I'm going out to breakfast with my mom on Monday and I have already planned out my meal that I'm having. I'm not having the worst thing on the menu - it is middle of the road and I'm going to use flex points and I feel comfortable doing that because I already have the rest of the week planned out.

I have set 3 goals for the rest of the month.

1 - 100% tracking - the good the bad and the ugly - everything goes into my tracker!
2 - Workout 4 days a week - I would like to do more, but I know that 4 days is fair and anything else is icing on the cupcake!
3 - No eating out or splurging unless I already have the points for it! - This is a big one, too many times I will eat something and end up trying to work harder towards the end of the week to work it off. I need to work it off first - no exceptions!

The hubster and I sat down and planned our meals for the week and I feel confident that this will be another awesome week! With every good decision I make I get that much closer to being back at my goal weight!

I have learned a lot, but still have a ways to go...

Weight Watchers has taught me so much - I always say if my weight loss hadn't taken me 2 1/2 years I would not have learned many of the lessons I needed to keep my weight off. There is one important lesson that I have yet to learn though - eating out.

For many years I didn't allow myself to eat out and when I did it was a special occasion or a treat so I didn't order low point food, I splurged and never really taught myself to eat out and still stay in control. That method is fine when I only ate out occasionally - but lately our family has been eating out more often and that has led me to my current situation. I'm above goal - by a lot.

I need to learn that just because we got out doesn't mean it is a special occasion - sometimes it is by necessity. That means I need to stay on track and not act like it is a special occasion. Just because we are in a restaurant it doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want and it doesn't count. My body knows what I ate and it will act accordingly.

Yes I could go back to not eating out - but will I learn anything by that? Obviously not - I need to make better choices when I eat out, check the menu before I go there - figure out what to order and stick to that choice. If I choose to splurge on something I need to make sure I have the activity or the points in the bank to justify it. Work it off first - then splurge.

So that is my major goal for this month - plan better when it comes to eating out and earn activity first so I can justify my treats. The weight I have gained will come back off if I stick to this plan.

I have to keep my eyes on the most important rule - this is a lifestyle - not a diet - this is for life and I need to start treating it that way.

The most amazing 10K ever!

Sunday was my first 10K! Well yes I do know that I have done all the other mileages (half-marathon and full marathon) first - I guess I'm just an overachiever like that..

I started out the morning not sure what intervals I was going to do - I have done primarily walking for the last couple of seasons with the exception of the CIM relay which I did 3 run 1 walk and it worked out OK - so right before the race I decided that I would do those intervals again.

We had a big group of Sacfitters out there - most of them doing the 5K - but what a great group!
I felt really awesome the whole race and got lots of comments on my running fairy outfit - it is so much fun running all dressed up!

My official time is 1:21:15 - Average pace 13:05!

Sure I came in 33rd out of 37 in my age group - but that is an awesome time for me and I think it maybe my fastest average pace in a race - I will have to check out my past race times and see.

And after the race a group of us stayed to cheer in the last of the runners - there were lots still out doing the half marathon and we had so much fun!

And then there was this...I climbed a rock wall! - would I have done this 100 pounds ago? Heck no! I only went about halfway up - then I remembered I'm afraid of heights - but I did it! The most amazing part? I want to do it again! I'm thinking about going to an indoor place and I won't be as intimidated by the height part and I can practice the whole letting go and leaning back to come down thing...

After the race excitement was all over I met my wonderful hubster and younger son at the mall where they had stopped by the Apple store and bought me a present! They are so awesome!! I got this...I'm such a lucky girl :)

Goals and such for the new year!

First and foremost - I was not able to weigh in in the month of December within my goal weight - I'm currently about 7 pounds above - but I enjoyed the holidays and I'm not looking back - I'm looking forward. I have some goals to meet this month and the first one is to stay on track with my food and tracking so I can weigh in within my goal weight this month.

Secondly there is a cause that is very important to me and I have wanted to do a fundraiser for a couple of years now, but the climb has always been on the same weekend as me doing a full marathon so it wasn't in the cards. This year I have made it my number one priority and I have signed up for the Fight For Air Climb in San Francisco in March. I have a good friend that was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. By the time she was diagnosed it had spread to her brain and she wasn't given much time - she is beating the odds and has survived longer that the doctors have given her. There is also my dad that got his lung cancer diagnosis this year (and I might say he is doing very well with his treatment) and my older son who has lived with asthma almost all his life. These are my heroes - living with a lung disease everyday of their life.

So this is what I'm going to do - I'm going to train to climb 1,197 stairs up the 52 floors of 555 California Street in San Francisco and I'm going to go there in March and race up those stairs! (look at all the tiny buildings at the foot of the tall one!)


What do I need from you? Not much really - I need to fund raise 100 dollars. A drop in the bucket, I'm thinking just a couple of bucks here and there and I will meet my goal in no time at all! Here is the link to my personal page Bre's Page You can donate any amount you choose simply buy going to my page and clicking "Support Sabrina!"

Thanks in advance for the support and encouragement - I'm very much looking forward to doing an event for a cause that means so much to me!

An Intervention....

On Thursday morning December 9th, 2010 after too many weeks of over indulging and giving myself too much freedom I reached a point where I knew I needed an intervention. I weighed in at home 10 pounds over my goal weight. It was a wake up call to get back on track and stop the nonsense.

I sat down at the computer and read this blog post by Prior Fat Girl - Accountability

I knew what I needed to do. I needed an accountability partner, but knowing me as well as I do - I knew I couldn't leave it up to chance - I needed a very specific person who knows what it is like to be at goal and to try and maintain (because this is hard!) - I had just the person in mind..

I sent her this desperate message... -"I'm in desperate need of an accountability partner - someone I can preferably text to since I'm not allowed facebook at work - I would prefer a person who is also maintaining (although as of this morning I'm 10 pounds above goal and that is just not acceptable!) So my first thought was you - would you be willing to accept texts from me good and bad as I battle through the holiday season and try to get this stupid weight back off? I'm so disgusted that I have allowed my self this gain in one short month! And I have done very little exercise wise. - Your mission if you choose to accept it is to text me at xxx-xxx-xxxx and let me know. If you can't do it, no problem and no pressure."

Then I went to work... A couple of hours later my phone buzzed and I saw this text - "Let the texting begin! What is your plan for exercise today?"

I was so happy - but a the same time I was thinking darn - I don't have any plans for exercise...

I had a wonderful on program day and even went out at lunch time and took a walk because I knew she wouldn't accept that I didn't do anything active. She even kept me out of the break room cookies (they make your A** fat... - her words..) which is a major feat!

So I now have a secret weapon in the battle against weight gain and I am going to get back in control!