Cheaters Never Prosper

[jamesq]

I've been putting on weight instead of losing it. At first it was in dribs and drabs. Then I went to Vancouver on vacation and ate like a hog. I knew I had gained a lot, but when I went to the weight-in immediately after returning, I cheated. How do you cheat a weigh in? Wear lighter/less clothing. Go in the morning instead of the evening. Don't eat until after the meeting. Empty your pockets. Lean back on the scale. According to that weigh in I lost 0.2 pounds. I counted myself fortunate and congratulated myself on my cheating. Then came this week, where I didn't cheat. I had gained 3.4 pounds. Fuck.

Cheating at Weight Watchers is like cheating at solitaire - the only one you're hurting is yourself.

So now I've lost a grand total of 60 pounds. Impressive, but a month ago I was at 65, so I've gained 5 pounds in as many weeks. At this rate, I'd be back to my original weight in about a year.

This really pisses me off. Not because I think gaining all that weight back is inevitable (It's simply not an option), but because I've become complacent - I've returned to some of my old eating habits. I've also been acting like I'd already reached my goal, that the last 10 15 pounds was just going to go away by itself. Well it's not, and the only way it is going to go away is if I reapply myself to the goal. I want to accomplish this goal. When I am successful, I will count it as the single greatest accomplishment of my life. Bigger then getting my degree. More important then my house or my job. The only hypothetical greater accomplishment would be marriage and I frankly don't think that's possible if I don't do this first.

So here is my long range goal: stop gaining and lose that last 15 pounds dammit. And here's a short term goal: Get back to 65 pounds off before I go to Vancouver (only three weeks/meeting, so i'd better get cracking) at the end of the month.

No more rich restaurant foods (I'll still go, but I'm getting salads). No more Maple Fudge Walnuts from the farmer's market. No more saying "I don't need to run today, I'll do it tomorrow". No more sweets and deserts. Journalling (writing down my food intake for you non-WW people) is my new religion. It doesn't go in my mouth until I've written it down.

I'm taking a 1/2 cup and 1 cup serving spoon to Quad War so I can engage in some portion control.

Comments

[gifted-spirit.livejournal.com]

Oh man... am I on that wagon with you. Or is it that I have fallen OFF that wagon with you. Not sure on that.

Ya.. it's those 5 pounds. Had lost 58 pounds.... nowww? sighs. 53 to 50 defending on clothing and time of day! ( ya .. know those tricks) And I agree. It's a mental thing. NO. I CAN"T go back to taht weight. not a WON"T ... a Can't!

Almost seems HARDER this time though. Without that quick high you get from the sense of achievement. I feel like now it's just the struggle.

Guess I should give away most of the cookies I made tonight to take to quad hey? Chocolate chip cookies are TRULY NOT my friend. They just pretend to be!

[catalytic.livejournal.com]

So I suppose the next time you offer to make cookies I should exert some of my own self control and say "no"?

... damn, that's going to be difficult.

[gifted-spirit.livejournal.com]

Nope! Ijust have to remember to give them away... Oh wait.. I did! To you! muahahahahah

[catalytic.livejournal.com]

*looks at bag of cookies on his desk*

Damn... so you did.

[ladyerwyn.livejournal.com]

Don't feel bad for slipping. It happens. I have currently lost 31.75 pounds. One week I gained .5 of a pound. Sometimes at family functions I gorge, but I try to save all my allowance points for that and hope I don't go over. I know that sometimes I've gone over. Don't beat yourself up. Just push it behind you, it's over and done with and in the past.

Yesterday I had a lot of things that were not good for me, because it was my birthday and was indulging. I ate way too many fried things at the chinese restraunt and discovered that I didn't care to eat all that anymore. I used to and would feel fine, but yesterday it was too much fried stuff. It's still a learning experience.

As for the workouts, don't skip. Whenever you are to do them however you plan them do them. I told myself that when I started working out at the gym that the only way I would skip is if I got sick or something came up that made it impossible to go and get my workout in. Once I had a could and skipped one day and another time my husbands uncle died and I missed two days for the funeral. That's 3 days in six months of 5 day workouts. In fact I just got back from todays workout and learned I lost 1.25lbs this week. I would still like to lose more per week, but at least it's a loss. Two weeks in a row I lost only .5 of a pound each week. I was kinda sad about that, but any loss is good.

Don't beat yourself up. You know what you are doing and you know where you've been going wrong, so you'll be okay. Just start replanning your meals. I fake stuff all the time. I had taco salad for 7pts yesterday because I use baked chips and soy burger alternative instead of full fat chips and beef. My sister liked it and didn't know until I told her it wasn't real meat. I eat the healthy choice and weight watchers ice cream when I need ice cream. Sugar free pudding, and those new hershey's chocolate sticks. They are 1pt per stick and really take care of that chocolate craving even though they are small.

You know the tricks to fiddling with your diet so you can eat what you want. I have two restraunts that I frequent on a regular basis because I know I can get what I want and it's pretty good for me, even if I eat a lot of it and usually do not have to use allowance points. sometime I save up my allowance points for the end of the week and splurge on real pizza.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't worry about it. You know you and know what you need to do. It happens to everybody and you just start fresh right now. You convinced me to try weight watchers and it's great and it works, but you do have to make consessions and I feel better about it, but it does take time. I think it will take me years to really make a habit out of my new eating habits. I see how hard it is to change those habits. My brain still tells me I need to eat more, when my stomach says it's satisfied.

You're doing great. 60-65 pounds lost is amazing and I can't wait 'til I achieve that for myself, but you just have to take it one day at a time. Don't beat yourself up for 5 pounds. At least you know this and realize it and can get back on track. It's another thing to gain 40-50 and have not realized that you gained a lot of weight, 'cause that happens. One day I woke up and looked at myself in the mirror and realized I was fat. I always had this mental image of myself and it was an image that was a lot thinner than the person staring at me in the mirror. I was so depressed then. I'm not anymore, because I know I'm doing something for myself. Actively working on becomeing a better me.

I'm doing it again. I guess I'm in a rambling mood today. Don't sweat it and get back on track. You're doing a great job and I'm impressed. You should post some before pictures and a now picture. I have the numbers, but I've only seen some now pictures. I could probably do the same, but I still haven't lost much, but I could anyway.

Keep up the good work.

[jamesq]

"Don't beat yourself up... Don't beat yourself up... Don't beat yourself up..."

I'm sensing a message here, but I can't quite make it out.

Don't worry about me, I needed to vent and I've done so. Today I ran for 9K and my roomies made crêpes for breakfast. I worked out the points for them before consuming any. Low fat Cool Whip (only 1 point for 3 tbsp) and strawberries (1-1/2 cup for 1 point) made it surprisingly tasty and filling for the points.