Monthly Archives: December 2009

No WW Meeting

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
2

I missed several WW meetings this month, after only recently switching from FlexPoints to ProPoints - various reasons kept me from going but it was mostly my back; with 3 weeks being at home in Arnhem, I was hardly going to make the trip to Amsterdam.  I considered going in Arnhem but I worry about the scale calibration.  I’d rather just weigh in here at home, or at my regular meeting.

Yesterday I left work at 5.30 like I normally do on Tuesdays and went through a sort of comedy of errors upon reaching the station.  I couldn’t load my public transit card (after one machine broke down on me, mid-transaction, so I had to go to the other machine where there were eleventy-billion people standing in a queue), I couldn’t get money on my regular ATM card so I had to use my credit card (grrrrr), got on the tram and discovered if you pay cash you now pay twice as much as what used to be charged (bloody non-loaded transit card!!!), finally got to my tram stop by my meeting, walked the 5 minutes to get there only to discover… completely dark inside and the doors locked.  I had no idea.

Now, maybe this belongs on my other blog, because what follows is a bit of a rant…  I’m on my phone texting my husband that WW is closed and would be making my way to Central Station to get back home again.  Remember, I live 2 hours away from work, so when I leave work at 5pm I’m only home at 7pm.  Imagine when I go to my WW meeting?  I go in Amsterdam because the meeting in Arnhem starts at 6.30pm.  When I’m not even home until 7, you understand the logistics of this, right?   My meeting usually ends around 7.30 and I usually get a train home at 8pm.  Again, when I leave Amsterdam at 8pm, chances are very likely I’m not home until 10pm.  The ladies at WW are so lovely, they usually let me eat my dinner there (they even have a fully equipped kitchen there – it’s like a neighborhood club), and I do enjoy going and most times get something out of it that sets me up for the next couple of weeks before I go again.  I have an arrangement with my leader – she knows I’m a lifetime member and that I also do WW online AND that I live so far away so it’s totally cool that I go only once a month.

Anyway. Where was I? Oh yeah, the rant…  so my husband says “Well it is holiday time”.  I’m thinking “So???”  I’m not on freaking holiday.  Not EVERYONE is on holiday at the moment.  If fact bajillions of people are still working in this country.  It was the 29th of December.  Not the 25th.  Not the 31st.  The 29th.  Sorry, people, but that’s a regular day to me.  So why don’t I get a little note in the mail?   Look I like my meeting and I’m committed but seriously?  I could have been home a LOT sooner than I was last night.  I had a pretty shitty day and all I wanted was to be at home, yet I had that committment to myself to go to my meeting.  Why do I give my address, phone and email to WW if they can’t even let us know?  Sure, the other members who were there the week before probably knew.  Or geez, maybe not since it was the Tuesday before Christmas.  In either case, I didn’t know because I’ve been at home, barely able to move for 2 of the 4 weeks I haven’t been.  Sheesh.

What holiday period?  Whatever happened to having subs?  I’d have been happy just to weigh-in, since it’s the LAST before the end of the year, and go, instead of schlepping there for nothing.  Really, in other countries do they just SHUT DOWN the WW meetings because of the “holiday period?”  Ugh.

So, yeah. No WW Meeting.  No weigh-in.  Weigh-in on my homescale this morning: 82.2KG.  That’s 1 KG UP since last week.  Which is totally understandable and acceptable after the pre, during and after Christmas eating and drinking.

I shall be hitting the elliptical now.

Why Wait?

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
4

I know this time of year is really hard on a lot of people in their quest to lose weight and get fit.

I know there are tons of temptations and dinners and parties and baked goods. I know there are tons of saboteurs, of food-pushers, enablers, people who help you make your excuses.

There are tons of people out there who are just waiting for the holidays are over to start their weight loss plan. To start exercising. To join the gym.

There are tons of people who don’t want to throw away those gifts of chocolate and pies and leftovers. That would just be so rude!

You do know what the gym is going to look like come January 2nd, right? You do know that your Weight Watchers meeting is going to be overflowing once the dust settles from the holidays, the leftovers are polished off and you have way too many empty bottles of wine and champagne to take back to the recycling bins, right? You know that suddenly you are going to get on your scale, after avoiding it for weeks, thinking it won’t be too bad, but in the back of your mind you know that you are going to be upset, most likely at the result?

How many people around you at work or at school do you think are going to be complaining that their britches are fitting just a wee bit too tight? I bet it’s a lot.

This time of year is hard. Of course. For everyone! Yes, even me. If I were to tell you that I have avoided all temptation and haven’t overdone it just one bit, I’d be a big FAT liar. What I can tell you though is this – I’m not WAITING for anything to be over before I start over again. I am not giving myself license to make it worse than it already has the potential to be. I have made my choices and I’m actually more than fine with those choices. Am I a bit off plan? Yes. I don’t normally drink wine every day or eat chocolate or cheese and I really don’t drink Champagne but maybe three times a year. I have done a bit of all of that in the last week though and that’s ok!

Last year I was in total denial about my weight and my health. No. Scratch that. I was fully aware of my weight and health and completely disgusted with myself yet not doing a damn thing about it. I entered 2009 with the same resolutions I had for the past five years. I was going to lose at least 30 lbs before I got married (HA! like that happened!) so I wouldn’t look like a freaking whale in my photos (I do, in my opinion, but, meh, we are always our own worst critics). I was going to stop making all the excuses and finally do something about it. I was going to stop being so self-loathing and start loving myself.

And as may or may not know, I didn’t do any of that until April, when I found out that my friend died. He was a young, 40-year-old guy who had a history of weight loss and gain. We were gym buddies, diet friends, who happened to eat and drink ourselves silly on many occasions.

I went and got married at a high weight of around 98KG (216 lbs), which, hey was 3 kilos lighter than the year before – what progress! I came back from getting married a kilo heavier (my excuse: we were in the States, eating out at every meal, on vacation…) and went straight back to Weight Watchers. Several people at my favourite weight loss forum kicked me in the ass as well and I haven’t turned back.

That means the guilt is gone too. No more guilt about another glass of wine or a piece of chocolate this time a year. Am I better off than last year? Is my behaviour more controlled than last year? Yes and yes. All of my choices this time of year have been better than last year. All of them. I even went out for a run yesterday, my first since my foot operation and my back issues. For Christmas I got gifts of workout gear and I was thrilled (OK I love the bling earrings my hubs gave me as well)! I can look back and compare this time last year and now and I am 17 Kilos lighter, I haven’t smoked for a year, my self-esteem is going up and I now know it’s OK to not be “perfect” – this whole weight loss and getting fit thing has to fit into LIFE. Life is births, deaths, stress, holidays, sadness and happiness. I don’t have to feel guilty or wait until the holidays are over. I do what I want and balance it out. I’m ahead of the rush to get to the gym on January 2nd and that makes me very happy!

Every time you make a not-so-great-choice you still have the opportunity to turn it right around. Don’t wait!

The Most Delicious Carrot Soup

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
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I’ve finally gone and done it.  One of my most favourite soups that I love to make is a spicy curry carrot soup.  Today though I’ve really hit the mark.  Absofreakinglutely Dee-Lish!!

I’m a kind of a read-the-recipe and then make it how I want to gal.  Usually there is not enough spice or salt or garlic (ooh how I love my garlic!), so I have to change it up a bit.  That’s why, what I’m about to give you, is kind of approxiamate. 

In order of appearance:
1,5 litre of water
2 chicken (or vegetable – I had chicken on hand) stock cubes (my Knorr cubes say 1 per 1/2 litre but I think that’s a bit much and too salty)
1 kilo carrots, peeled and cleaned up, cut into chunks
500 gr courgette, chopped
1 TBSP olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
1+ tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp hot curry or chile powder
1 small (tiny) dried spanish pepper
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground corriander

I boiled the water and added the stock cubes. I added the carrots to the boiling stock, the ginger and then the chile powder, tumeric and corriander.

In a frying pan I ‘soaked’ the chopped up garlic in the olive oil for about 10 minutes, turned on the heat and added the rosemary and dried chile. In the meantime I took the courgette (zucchini), chopped it up and added it to the carrots (after about 10 minutes).

Then I added the garlic, oil, chile and rosemary to the soup and let it simmer another 10 minutes.

After a total of 20 minutes, I turned the soup off and blended it in batches with a staf/handmixer.

I then ate the soup! I totally meant to add fresh corriander at the end, and DID add 50 gr cottage cheese for a bit of protein.

This makes probably 4 – 5 fairly large (300ml or so) bowls of soup. So delicious!

As far as points go, hard to tell really, but I would estimate 2 ProPoints per bowl of soup because of the stock and the oil. That’s nothing and so incredibly healthy! I’m going to plug this one into my WW program to get exact numbers.

I sacraficed myself and had another bowl, just so I can take a photo. This is one step above taking a photograph with the soup smeared all over my face. I’m not marketing my skills here people, just good food!

Ridiculousness and My Biggest Food Mistake this week

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
2

As my mood goes up and down from this whole foot and back fiasco, so does my eating.  It’s crazy and ridiculous and it’s never actually made me feel better. At all.  Obviously I’m not stupid and I know this but my behaviour sends a different message.  I have some negativity going on in my head right now and that needs to stop.  So yesterday, yet again, I started over and logged my points and felt like I did really well.  In fact I DID do really well, nothing wrong with yesterday’s intake at all.  Today the plan was to do the same exact thing.  Eat well. Track my points. Stay within the limit, but I’ve already fouled that one up without even realising…

You see, my biggest food mistake this week, actually something I wanted to try for ages and I thought it looked healthy enough. 

That’s the thing… and that’s where all of us chubbies go wrong… we THINK something looks harmless, healthy, beneficial and it turns out to be 12 points for 30 grams.  12 Points!!!  I am so disappointed and gutted that I’ve eaten this especially on the days I wasn’t tracking.  Not only is it no good for MY particular way of eating/lifestyle, it’s expensive and I’ve now put it in the bin.  What a waste on all sides.  I don’t like throwing food away (I hardboiled 4 eggs yesterday and forgot to put them in the refrigerator overnight so I can chuck those too), because food is not only costly and I am already limited, but I am one of those people who constantly think about how many people I could feed with what I’ve just tossed (don’t get me started on rice – I’ll use it in anything just so I don’t have to throw away the extra that my husband has made).

Did I learn something?  Oh yes… and in fact I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy a WW calculator so I can use it in the supermarket to avoid doing this again.  Stupid Muesli!!

On Saturday I saw 80.8 KG.  Today 81.5.  I am better than this ridiculousness that I have been portraying to, well, only myself, but that’s as much audience as I need.  I am not going to reach my goals feeling sorry for myself and comforting myself with food

just so's you know's

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
2

I said I would get back on track and I did.

2 days @ 29 points

40 minutes walking yesterday earned me 2 points

and I had my fruits and veggies.  it’s not noted but I’ve also had minimum of 1.5 litres of water per day.

Weight Watchers Online

ProPoints™   dagboek
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woensdag, 09 december 2009

Ontbijt
150  g Griekse yoghurt, 0% v.g. 1,5
1  portie(s) Blauwe bessen 0
1  portie(s) Frambozen 0
1  portie(s) Kiwi 0
20  g All-Bran vezelrijk Plus 1,5
Subtotaal 3
Lunch
100  g Pasta (ongevuld), gekookt 3,5
100  g Tonijn uit blik, in eigen nat 2,5
2  portie(s) Tomaat 0
1  portie(s) Rucola 0
7  g Olijfolie 2
1  hoeveelheid (naar smaak) Balsamicoazijn 0
1  portie(s) Calve Extra Light Mayo 1
Subtotaal 9
Diner
1  verzadigende portie(s) Rijst, witte, gekookt 7
1  verzadigende portie(s) Kip, filet 5
4  eetlepel(s) Linzen, gekookt 3
2  koffielepel(s) Olijfolie 2
Subtotaal 17
Tussendoortjes
Geen voedingsmiddelen ingevoerd.  
Subtotaal 0
Verbruikte ProPoints™  waarden 29
Resterende ProPoints™  waarden 0
Activiteiten
40 min Wandelen (3 – 5 km/u) 2
Verdiende Active ProPoints™ 2
Notities
Notities

Weight Watchers Online

ProPoints™   dagboek
Print deze pagina of bewaar hem op je computer.

 

 

 Print

donderdag, 10 december 2009

Ontbijt
150  g Griekse yoghurt, 0% v.g. 1,5
1  portie(s) Blauwe bessen 0
1  portie(s) Frambozen 0
20  g All-Bran vezelrijk Plus 1,5
Subtotaal 3
Lunch
2  koffielepel(s) Olijfolie 2
1  middelgroot/middelgrote Ei 2
3  stuk(s) Eiwit 1
1  portie(s) Spinazie, diepvries 0
1  portie(s) Champignons 0
1  portie(s) Courgette 0
15  g Parmezaan 1,5
Subtotaal 6,5
Diner
150  g Zalm 9
1  koffielepel(s) Olijfolie 1
1  verzadigende portie(s) Rijst, witte, gekookt 7
1  portie(s) Sperziebonen 0
Subtotaal 17
Tussendoortjes
1  portie(s) Milner Gerijpt 2
1/2 koffielepel(s) Pesto 0,5
Subtotaal 2,5
Verbruikte ProPoints™  waarden 29
Resterende ProPoints™  waarden 0
Activiteiten
Geen activiteiten ingevoerd.  
Verdiende Active ProPoints™ 0
Notities

and we're back!

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
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I still don’t feel that great physically but I did exactly what I said I was going to do.  It doesn’t actually take me that long to figure out that being pathetic doesn’t have any added value.

I know I don’t have a whole lot to contribute to the weight loss  blogging world right now, but just know that when I’m really able, I’m going to be in FULL FORCE.  What a change from a year ago when I wouldn’t have even thought about missing good healthy food and working out. 

Yesterday I actually had my running shoes on for the first time since right before my surgery and it was bittersweet.  It felt so good to have them on and yet I knew I had to take it easy and just WALK instead of run.  But walk I did.  I walked for about 40 minutes and did some light stretching for about 5.  It felt very good to be outside in the fresh air.  That’s another change (my husband doesn’t call me vliermuis for nothing).  I so look forward to going out and MOVING hard again!

I never thought I would be in a position where I couldn’t do even the tiniest things physically.  That I wouldn’t be able to pick something up that I dropped or get something from a bottom shelf.  Or, hey, shave my legs!  I can not even bend over enough to shave my freaking legs!  I can tell you, as soon as I’m able, I am never going to take advantage of my physical self again.  I don’t know how I’m going to protect myself from this issue again, but I’m definitely going to look into it.  Tomorrow I go back to the doctor and I’m going to discuss this with her.

I am so ready to get out there again.  Watch this space because when I’m back, I’m going to be kicking ass harder than ever!!

Off the Rails?

Posted on by Pinky @lowfatpie
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More like not even on that train and instead on a boat to the river Denial.

OK. Maybe it’s not that bad. The first week of ProPoints was good and I managed a decent loss of 500gr. I was all ready for December, even made up a new worksheet (I like excel sheets and making graphs and analysing things) and then, I hurt my back. If you haven’t already read this post you could and then you would know why I’m not currently following my WW program at the moment.

It’s not really that I don’t want to… the overwhelming feelings of patheticness think “why bother?”  I have not been mobile enough to really take care of myself in this way.  Well, that’s my excuse anyway.  How hard can it be to eat fruit and measure out my food still.  Apparently Feeling-Sorry-For-Herself-Pinky found it very hard.  It was much easier to eat chocolate.  The chocolate was reachable, the apples are on the bottom shelf.

And still, after several days of this, in fact almost a week, I weighed in this morning on my home scale to 81.7KG.  The Universe has been kind to me but I also see it as a warning.  “Get your shit together or it’s about to go the other direction”

You know, it’s SO FREAKING EASY to give up or slowly go down that slippery slope when things aren’t going the way you want them to be.  I don’t want to be that person.  YES, I am in pain ALL THE TIME right now, but I don’t want to be that person who’s life is ruled by physical challenges.  Loads of people have other challenges and they are not whinging about it or crying on the couch.  That’s why this morning, as soon as I was able to snap out of it, I made the decision:

1) I am going to eat WELL today and track.

2) I am going out for a walk today, no matter what the weather.

My doctor said I can lightly exercise and that’s what I’m going to do.  I may not sit well, but at least I’m going to get out there and do something to relieve the pain.  Even if temporarily.  Maybe it will help.  Maybe, it will actually cause the pain to GO AWAY.