Lunch At My Desk

Forced to have lunch alone at my desk today. Damn cafeteria was serving my favorite...sweet potato fries. I knew if I even smelled them I would succomb.

While this is very hard at times, it is also very empowering. It may sound silly, but I beat the fries today. I should get a certificate or something, but I don't think the wizard has anything in his bag for me.

Sunday Evening Post: Week Three

Sorry to post this late, the holiday weekend was CRAZY!

I managed to get through Thanksgiving without eating myself into oblivion. The Byrd family gathering on Saturday I ate healthy choices, but a larger quantity than I probably should have. That damn Bruschetta was so damn good...I must have had 8-10 of them throughout the day.

So how am I doing? Pretty good.

Current Weight: 212 lbs.

Three more lost. That brings it to a total loss of 18 pounds. Not bad. Can't wait to take my new pics and measurements this coming weekend. I have had a few comments from co-workers that they can tell in my face...we'll see when the pics are posted. I was a little disappointed that none of my extended family members even commented on either the fact that I brought healthy choices to dinner or that I look smaller. I do know though that I am not doing this for them, but for me. I can't rely on outside praise to fuel my continuation. This is for me.

Wish Me Luck Too

My pal Bombadee has asked for luck. She is hosting both sides of the family for a Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. Send her all of your good mo-jo.

I will need luck for another reason. I am about to celebrate (twice) a holiday that seems to be solely based on gluttony. Much preparation has been put into my "dishes to pass". I will be taking: Pumpkin Angel Food Cake (fat free), Fresh Tomato and Squash Tart (only 1g Fat, 56 calories per serving) and Bruschetta (recipe from Duchess Jane).

I may not lose 7 or 8 pounds this week...that's okay. I just don't want to gain.

Wooo-Hooo

This morning I had the first person, who isn't aware of my efforts, tell me I look like I am losing weight.

Today's Motivation: More unsolicited comments noting my smaller size

Sabotage?

Last night my mother stops by. She just went to the grocery and found some "great deals". Mommy Dearest drops off the following items:

• Pumpkin Pie
• Chocolate French Silk Pie
• Light Cool Whip
• German Chocolate Ice Cream, one gallon

I must admit, the pumpkin pie was for Abigail...it's her favorite. Emi doesn't like pumpkin, so the chocolate pie was for her. The ice cream was for Isaac, who has a bad cough and sore throat.

Sunday Evening Post: Week Two

Current weight: 215 lbs.

Eight more pounds lost...fifteen total.

Still can't tell.

Thanks-For-Giving

Today was our annual Thanks-For-Giving dinner at work. It’s your basic turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans and stuffing piled high – gravy slopped over all of it. Then you get a milk, cranberry sauce and pie with whipped topping.

Usually, the cafeteria workers make these plates on an assembly line to get everyone through as quickly as possible. Thankfully, I located a line with no one else in it. I was able to determine what went on my plate.

Surrounded by my coworkers, eating all of the high calorie and fattening items listed above, I enjoyed the following:

• Once slice of turkey
• Green beans
• Dinner roll, no butter
• Skim Milk

When I returned to my desk I pulled out my watermelon and cantaloupe, which I found surprisingly sweet for this time of year.

It would have been admittedly difficult had it not been for the “atta girl” comments my coworkers gave me. To them I say, thanks.

Todays Motivation: knowing I have the ability to say no and feel good about it

Comparison is Not Healthy

Today's Motivation: to weigh less than my six-foot, male co-worker.

Great Grand Babies

Today's motivation: Living long enough to meet my great grand babies. (My pal Bombadee has me missing my Grandma this week)

Vegas...Here I Come

I attended a candle party this weekend with my gal pals where my favorite veggie, Green Bean, asked if Jeff and I plan on going with her and her husband to Vegas in September.

My response; "yes we are going...and...I will be wearing a size 14 dress."

Today's Motivation: Size 14 in Vegas

Sunday Evening Post: Week One

Sorry, this should actually be titled "Monday Morning Post". I was too lazy, and weirdly engrossed by America's Funniest Home Videos, to even turn on my computer last night.

So how did week one go? Success.

Current Weight: 223 lbs.

Seven down, many more to go.

Gotta Love Paint...

What needs to be removed you ask?

Positive Post

I gazed over my posts on this site to date and realized I haven’t bothered to pat myself on the back yet. Have there been challenges, a difficult “no thank you” here and there…yes. It’s important for me to mention there has also been 1.7 mile walks over lunch everyday, 25 minute workouts on my Elliptical, healthy meals and snacks, lots of water. I actually feel like I am eating more often than I normally would have. I have breakfast, am snack, lunch, pm snack and dinner. I’ve been keeping a spreadsheet this week of everything that I consume except water; including calories, fat grams and Weight Watchers points. (I am not a member of WW, but have some books on point values and just wanted to see how that worked for me.) The only negative thing is that I may be taking in too few calories. I’m not sure the rules on that one. I’ll post some the numbers on Sunday.

Basically, I want to announce that I feel good…confident even.

To help off set some the rants and negativity, I am going to start posting something everyday that drives me, encourages my continuation, tells me there are things more important in my life than bagels, banana cream pie and mashed potatoes.

Today’s Motivation: to be able to cross my legs.

I Have Seen the Enemy...

Schweaty Man just called from his car to tell me not to eat breakfast...it's his birthday and he's bringing in bagels, he even bought one of my favorite (see Round One post below). Can I not catch a break? Am I being sabotaged? I tell him I can't have one, I'm on a diet and he states "yes you can, it's my birthday...c'mon".

Should I shout it from the rooftops, tatoo it on my forehead, get t-shirts made, post a sign at my desk stating Please Don't Feed the Fat Girl...

I AM MAKING SMARTER CHOICES!!

Round One

Go ahead, challenge me…I can take it.

First off, I am attending a get together this Saturday night and while I have been assured the menu will consist of healthy items I still have to control my portions...not graze as I often have throughout an entire evening. Also, I cannot consume beer after beer. My normal routine was to load up on food before I would go out, so I could drink throughout the night and avoid falling over in a drunken stupor. You know…give the alcohol something to “soak up”, as if that actually worked (yes, I know I’m stupid). So Saturday night poses two challenges: 1) don’t overeat at a catered event and 2) don’t drink like a sailor and pass out.

This morning I'm sitting at my desk when I see my coworker, The Squirrel, walking in with two large, white bakery boxes. Not only that, but I am known for having a favorite bagel: Bacon, Egg and Cheese. (It is an egg bagel, absolutely covered in melted cheddar cheese and bacon bits. So much cheddar cheese that the center of the bagel holds a reservoir of what has to be 10,000,000 calories.) The Squirrel knows this is my favorite; she thinks she's being nice by getting not one, not two, but six of them. See, I have turned my coworkers into worshipers of this Devil Danish as well. The more gluttonous pagans the better, right?

Dammit! Did temptation have to show its ugly head so early? Could I not get my bearings before I have to make smarter choices? Is it possible to render yourself blind and without the ability to smell for short periods of time?

I did not eat the bagel. I had cantaloupe instead.

Round One: Jennie

My Newly Discovered Acronyms: BMI, BMR & AMR

I had vaguely heard of BMI (Body Mass Index) over the years, but had never really calculated where I fell on the scale. Here it is: my BMI, based on 230 pounds and 5’5” height, is 38. This falls under the category “severe overweight, high risk”. According to this tool, I would need to be at 150 pounds to be at the top of the “normal, very low risk” category. I don’t think I will set my goal quite that large, as it seems unattainable to me right now. My current focus needs to be not having the horribly painful red indents on my waistline when I take off my pants at the end of the day.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and AMR (Active Metabolic Rate) are both new to me. I went to several different websites for these calculations so I could compare and be sure it was somewhat accurate. I found very little discrepancy, so here it is: my BMR based on my age (32), height and weight is 1810 calories per day. This is how many calories my body would naturally burn if I were to lay in bed all day, doing nothing. Figuring my AMR I used the following criteria: 30 minutes Heavy (my Elliptical workout), 30 minutes Moderate and 120 minutes Light (just the daily grind), and finally 870 minutes Very Light (I sit at my job all day and when the daily grind is done, I’m usually sitting to read or watch TV). This allows for 6.5 hours of sleep, my average. These numbers are just guesses of course, but I had to plug in something. Using these numbers, my AMR would be 3700 calories per day.

So losing weight for me, at this point, will be basic math. I need to burn more calories than I consume. My plan is to keep track this week of how many calories I take in daily so I can determine how much I need to increase my activity and/or lower my intake.

And I didn't believe my teachers when they said I would use the math they were teaching me when I grew up.

Floating Away

Nasty side effect from trying to drink plenty of H2O...I've having to piss every half hour.

Sunday Evening Post: Week Zero

So here it is...why I have chosen to begin.

Weight: 230 lbs.
Neck: 16.5"
Arms: 32.5" total
Bust: 46.5"
Waist: 43.5"
Gut: 54"
Thighs: 58" total

The plan is to post pics and measurements once every four weeks, but my acutal weight weekly. Wish me luck.

Jennie's Journey: Introduction

My journey is scheduled to begin on Sunday, November 6, 2005.