12/30/2019 Monday

Weight: 142.0
Veggies/Fruits: 10
Macronutrients: Cals - 1,315, Carbs - 132, Fats - 45, Protein - 96, Fiber - 30
Water: 3 cups
Sleep: 8.5 hours
Exercise: More housework



Based on the WW SmartPoints Green Plan info available to me right now, which probably will allow me 30 daily points, I've eaten 22 and 27.5 points the last two days. That and eating clean has resulted the kind of weight loss I'm looking for.

What I like about the WW system is the tenet that no foods are off-limits. I hope that by trusting myself to incorporate trigger foods, e.g., breads and sweets, into my daily and weekly diet that I'll be able to better moderate how much of those foods I eat, especially while traveling. Frankly, the avoidance approach I've been using gives those foods more power over me than I can sometimes withstand when they're suddenly available.

This week's going to be busy. Although it's the middle of winter, I'm in spring-cleaning mode. Today carpet cleaners are coming to give an estimate. I've also resolved to hire a house cleaning service once or twice a month to do a serious scrub-down. I want to stop spending my life cleaning house or, when I don't clean house, feeling guilty about it.

I'm wishing that all of you, especially those who are still working, have the kind of week you want and need before you head back to work.

I have always like the structure and control I get from WW. It might seem weird to some that I started this now but feeling in control of at least one aspect of my life is really helpful mentally right now.

It is POURING out! I had flashbacks to my drowned car experience in summer 2017 when I drove to the hospital this morning. I hope there are less puddles when I drive home later.

Speaking of home...Hospice, DH's facility and I have to figure out how he can be managed. He was sent here because of unmanageable agitation and aggression, but he is returning as a fall-ris****il he stops trying to launch (his strength is ebbing with his very small food intake), he may need 1:1 watching to keep him from hurting himself. I am hoping we can figure out a way where at minimum their staff can handle the day and I can work out paid help for about 12 hours overnight. The money drain continues but at least he is calmer. So today will be negotiation and planning and maybe a transfer.

Have a moving Monday!

Liz, good luck with everything this week.

1. Within Range: 10 over
2. General Wellbeing: 7
3. 10,000+ Steps: 4357
4. Fitness: nope
5. Self-Care: switched from WW purple, back to my original blue
6. Fun: nothing noteworthy

I'd have plenty of awesome advice for any of you who were floundering. It's time to channel and respect my own wisdom. I know what to do... I have to JFDI !!!

First, I have switched back to blue from purple WW. Purple is basically what I was doing, as my weight began to climb and I decided to join. I gained two pounds in my two weeks of WW purple. NOT OKAY. The online inventory/survey selected blue to best meet my needs. I ostriched for two weeks before I trusted it. I've gone from 16 points and 300 free foods to 23 points and 200 free foods (removing many triggers).

Next, I have to be more active. I haven't been to the Y in December. I haven't been out walking. I have a family room full of free weights, resistance bands, exercise DVDs, yoga tools, exercise equipment. Haven't touched it once.

My weigh in day is Monday. Every Monday I will post the change from the previous week. Every Sunday, I will look over the calendar in my planner and block out activity time, stick to the plan, and log it. Enough is a freaking nuf !

Diane, awesome advice! And awesome color coding. :)

And thank you for bringing the new WW plans to my attention. I so appreciate it.

Weight: 162.4

I'm interested in how everyone does with different "WW" style of eating. I guess that in and of itself is a win for WW: that they recognize different people have different needs. I think my eating style is closest to Ann's. I'm not sure if it's good, bad, or neither, but it definitely is. I've mentioned before that when I allow myself all foods, it "de-weaponizes" some "bad" foods. Plus, I enjoy eating all the more. Now, I don't know if I could've done this in the past. In fact, at my many attempts at Weigh****chers, I didn't. But to be quite honest, I don't think any diet ever was going to work for me before surgery. I still believe it was my best, maybe my only chance. And sure, it helps me here and now. I don't ever feel as hungry and deprived as I used to. Also I think there's a huge difference in the mentality of having to lose 20lbs. v. 120! When I was MO, I could lose 15 lbs. and still maybe not go down a size! It just felt like a great desert, too big for anything besides surgery. But many others can and have tackled large amounts of weightloss through traditional modified eating and I applaud them. Because I think all roads end up there. There's no way to escape moderated eating if you at least intend to maintain your weightloss.

Because I allow myself all foods, they often go uneaten! I have candy jars perpetually set out, and rarely do they bother me. A lot of times, they have the opposite effect. I lose interest in them because I know I can always have it. Also I've found that, for me, sometimes it's less caloric for me to just go ahead and eat the gosh-darned thing. There are 220 calories in Reese's cups. I cannot tell you how quickly I can consume those calories in avoidance of reeses!!

I'm also feeling in a spring cleaning mode. I'm more excited for the New Year than I think I've ever been. I want to clean and organize, decorate (which first requires undecorating!), travel etc. And we're kicking off the New Year with a cruise.

I've left my kids before but not for very long. I'm definitely a fan of date nights and even vacations but I'm starting to get anxious about leaving them for 9 nights! YIkes. I hope I can make the best of it and not be anxious.

Any cruise-goers here? Seems like Ann has. I've never liked the idea of cruises but I find myself going on one, so I need to make the best of it. Any tips? Specifically, I need not to continue to gain too much weight whilst on the cruise!!

BB said: I've mentioned before that when I allow myself all foods, it "de-weaponizes" some "bad" foods. Plus, I enjoy eating all the more.

BB, that's such an inspirational statement for me. Thank you!

I'm an avid cruiser! However, IMHO there are good cruises and not-so-good cruises. For example, your satisfaction will depend on the itinerary, the ship itself (size, cabins/suites, lounges, entertainment and educational opportunities), the ship's service vibe, food, other passengers, weather, price, and of course your own taste in all these things. The calculus amongst all these and other variables determines whether you'll enjoy it or not. The variations out there are vast.

For those who'd like a mega-look at all the cruising opportunities, check out www.vacationstogo.com. That site has some wonderful filters that help you figure out what's possible and what might suit you best. In fact, you could fall down that rabbit hole and not emerge for days. :)

I really enjoyed my first cruise, but I think Crystal spoiled me for larger cruise liners. I never liked the idea either, but really enjoyed it. Maybe because of the family I was with? You can be as active or as inactive as you want. The Crystal crowd of under 900 was lovely and it felt like the ship was empty, but my cousin just did a cruise with his friend in the Caribbean on a ship with 4000 people and he said it was a grungy crowd that brought their own Big Gulps to breakfast to fill up with soda, then left breakfast with the Big Gulp filled to the top with soft serve ice cream. He spent 11 hours of every day in the spa drinking chamomile tea and eating orange slices to stay away from the hordes. I guess my advice is find where you can relax and spend a lot of time there.

Your cousin's big-ship cruising experience sounds like hell on earth! Yuck!

Does it not?? The horror. It sounded like the Caribbean equivalent of the infamous Ensenada cruises out of Long Beach, CA. People there just to eat and drink and wring every penny out of their fare.