Approaching the New Year with a smile

I’ve lost count of the number of days that it has been raining, but I know that I’ve been hanging out at home for what seems like a long time.  On Saturday evening, I made a break for it and celebrated my birthday at John Ash in Santa Rosa with my husband, son and some of our friends.  It was a grand evening despite the lousy weather.

One of the specials of the day was a pink snapper served over a mix of healthy grains and vegetables.  I jumped at that option and was not disappointed.  When the server came up behind me with a plate containing a flaming candle and birthday treat, I was points -ready for whatever she had to offer. 

The plate had crème brulee in a ramekin the size of a silver dollar and a small plain biscotti.  Although impossible to really know how many points were on the plate, I counted it as six, and borrowed only two points from my weekly 49 to add to my daily total.  I left the restaurant without feeling like I overdid any part of the evening with the exception of the fun part.

As I get ready to enter 2011, I have been reflecting upon how much better I feel than I did one short year ago.  And, I look at my husband, proudly, as he has also shed “serious poundage.” Together, we are crossing into the New Year weighing 95 pounds less than we did before we embarked on our weight loss journey.   When we hit the 100- pound mark, I’ll be sure to brag!

Talk to you soon.

Birthday greetings...from me!

So much to catch up on, I don’t know where to begin.  It’s been two weigh-ins since I last wrote and week 64, I lost .4 pounds and week 65, I lost .2 pounds, so the total is 31.8 pounds as I approach my 59^th birthday…tomorrow.

I’m finding the new program more fun than the old one, and I like having free fruit whenever I feel like a snack.  Bravo Weight Watchers for re-thinking and re-creating the program.

Let’s see, what else do I have to report???  Well, I think the most exciting news is that I won a business contest sponsored by British Airways that involved our company’s pet product, supercollar®.  The prize is a trip to New York and London and then from London, I get to pick anywhere in the world I want to visit.  My husband and I picked Abu Dhabi as the place we want to see.

I am already planning my PointsPlus program around Middle Eastern food.  I think the lamb, rice, and yogurt will be an integral part of what goes on with me for the time we will be “in residence.”  I am counting the days until we leave!

Another high point of my last two weeks came yesterday, when my husband and I went to Left Bank in Larkspur for dinner.  We had the pleasure of meeting the daughter of my Weight Watchers buddy, Nora, after enjoying a wonderful meal.  I had salmon, which was served on a plank, over fresh vegetables.  Delicious and points friendly!

As I approach my birthday celebration, I am marching in with 49 points of my weekly allowance ready for use.  I won’t be going wild, but I may have a bite or two of something special.  It’s not about the food, it’s about the family and friends who will be sharing the evening with me. 

Last year at this time, I had lost about 10 pounds and wondered how I would look this year.  Well, let me tell you that almost 32 pounds off looks “MAHVELOUS” by comparison.  The time was going to pass either way, so I’m sure glad I stuck with it and can enjoy a healthier, more comfortable, me.

Talk to you soon.

P.S.  You can catch the national appearance of supercollar® on Tuesday, December 21^st on the CBS Early Show.  It is being featured as a Holiday Pet Pick! 

Reborn in week 63

Tuesday was weigh-in day and the first day of the new program.  It was like joining all over again, even though it was week 63.  I lost .4, so my total is 31.2 pounds at the starting gate, or one-half pound per week since September 22, 2009.

I now have five more points than I had a week ago and 49 weekly points on top of them.  I immediately checked my Weight Watchers Giant Fudge Bars to see how they fared in the new and improved point structure.  Unfortunately for me, they went from one point to three points.  It’s not a big deal, especially with the extra points. 

I am in love with the “pointless” fruit.  I always shared my bananas with my Labrador Retrievers so that I didn’t use the full point value of them in the former program.  I still share, but less goes to the dogs.

Now, it’s time for lunch.  I see a peanut butter, multi-grain English muffin topped with a banana in my future.  Who knows, I might even throw in a Giant Fudge Bar for dessert if I’m in the mood.

Talk to you soon.

Catch up

What’s been going on with me?  I disappeared for a while and need to get you back up-to-date on my comings and goings.

On Tuesday, I sat on a conference call that ran so long that I ended up missing my meeting.  I was dressed, wearing my running shoes, which in my case are used for walking, and watched the clock ticking away.  Needless to say, I was disappointed and don't really know if I gained or lost weight.  I'm going to assume I did neither.

That same evening, I did get some activity points in as my husband and I walked Moscone Center and visited the Car Show.  It is an annual ritual for my husband and one of his friends and I was the “tag along.”  I always forget how big that convention center is and was glad I was still wearing my running/walking shoes.

Yesterday, I made it through Thanksgiving with no issues.  We visited out friends and enjoyed a lovely turkey dinner that involved no cooking on my part and very little clean-up.  It was a day to catch up on stories and to see people that we don’t see very often.  I knew going into it that I would be fine and emerged victorious and with points to spare.

And now, it’s already Friday and I don’t have to worry about what to do with leftovers.  We have none.  So, it’s business as usual in the kitchen, and that makes life just a little easier.

I’m counting down the days until next Tuesday’s meeting.  The new program is so close I can taste it.   I’m expecting great results and looking forward to mastering the new system. 

Until then, it’s tracking as usual…which is on auto-pilot for me.

Talk to you soon.

Pro Points...can't come too soon!

It’s time for the new program…I’m getting antsy to see what it’s all about and more importantly, how it will help me.  I’m up one pound this week, and it feels like I’m stuck in a rut.

I am not whining or getting crazy over this stuff.  I know that going to the meetings, being part of a support group and following the plan is still an enjoyable part of my life.  I just want to get back to the part of dropping pounds.  I know it’s just around the corner and in 14 days, I’ll get the details.

Meanwhile, it was a Costco day for me…lots of fruit and a turkey.  I decided to test drive Thanksgiving this week with a small turkey and will be whipping it up tomorrow evening.  It’s great that the traditional holiday meal is a turkey and not a cake.  It works much better with the point system…both the current one and what I envision the new Pro Points one will look like on November 30^th.  Let’s see if I’m right.

Talk to you soon.

Around the world...while losing weight

I think I’m going to make this blog a combination of losing weight and travel.  It seems like all I do lately is eat in restaurants, because I am on the road.  And, it’s not going to change in the foreseeable future.  I figured out that I’m gone one week each month between now and next April, so I better start planning for it.

I’m home now, however, and I don’t get nervous about holiday eating, even though it’s just around the corner.  None of us got overweight from eating Thanksgiving dinner.  It’s what happens after that dinner that sets the tone for weight gain or loss, and I believe I have conquered the potential problem after over a year in the program.  For me, Thanksgiving is another day of eating on program and rewarding myself by enjoying my family and friends who will share it with me.

I also look forward to learning about the new Weight Watchers program that will unveil itself for me on Tuesday, November 30^th…just two short weeks away.  I like the concepts that I have been reading online and think that “shaking it up” a bit will be a pleasant change.

Now, back to talking about travel.  I visited my sister in Los Angeles for a few days and part of the visit includes visiting restaurants that we like and introducing one new restaurant to the mix.  This time, we tried Mastros, a place in Beverly Hills that is known for its steaks. 

I had the petite filet mignon, which was about four ounces after it was cooked, and sides, for which they are known, of garlic mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese.  Three of us shared each of those sides and most of them went home as leftovers, so it was the equivalent of a spoonful of each for me.

I think that the only part of restaurant dining that bugs me is the amount of salt that is added to the food when it is prepared.  I can control most of what goes on in the grilling and butter department, but the salt just seems to be there.  And, after eating, I generally feel like I have expanded proportionate to the chef’s “heavy” hand.  Don’t get me wrong, it tastes great, and I know it doesn’t add points.  I just don’t like the feeling. And, I definitely try to avoid the restaurants the night before a weigh-in.

So, time to make dinner…at my house.

Talk to you soon.

Rumors from the land of the Royals

There were two of us at Weight Watchers today…I was one of them and our meeting leader, Claudette, was the other one.  I had another appointment that prevented me from attending the actual meeting, but because we can get weighed-in starting at 8 a.m., I was there early.  It was a bit weird to be the only member in the room, but I got the job done.

I lost another .4 pounds.  Now, let’s review the math.  I went away for three weeks on business and vacation and gained 2.6 pounds.  I have been back for two weeks and have lost one pound.  So, it will probably take me about six weeks to get back to where I was before I went away.  I am not fond of that ratio.

I noticed a message on my Weight Watchers e-Tool about something new that is coming soon.  Once I’m teased that way, I have to do a little Google research to see what I can find.  I have found out that a new plan is coming to us on November 29^th and that it was introduced in the United Kingdom this week.

I am looking forward to learning all about it.  The rumor mill is churning, and it seems like fruit will become a no point option.  But, you know rumors…especially the ones coming out of the United Kingdom.  I’ve been waiting for that royal wedding of Prince William and his girlfriend for years.  Rumor has it that it’s coming next year…I’m not holding my breath.

Talk to you soon.

Magical pants

Last evening, my husband and I got to put on our “fancy clothes” and attended the Hospice of Marin Gala.  As I was getting ready, it dawned on me that I hadn’t gotten dressed up since starting Weight Watchers.

I didn’t run out and invest in a new outfit.  I planned to put together something from my existing wardrobe, but didn’t really know what it was going to look like.  Living in Marin and not being part of the social scene, it’s not often that I need to figure out what’s in the “dressy” part of my closet.

About 15 years ago, I bought black “chiffony” evening pants that look like a cross between pants and a skirt.  I pull them out when I need to put together a special look.  I have a laugh every time I wear them because they have elastic in the back and a hook on the side and stretch or shrink to fit my weight.

During my heaviest times, they feel like I am wearing a tourniquet.  Last evening, they almost fell off.  I pulled them up, discreetly, every time I walked a few steps.  Needless to say, I was thrilled.

As I continue my weight loss journey, there are items of clothing that have to be sacrificed along the route.  I think my evening pants will be heading out soon.  I will miss them, so I’ll be on the lookout for a new smaller version.  Any clothing item that lasts over a decade is a hit in my book.

Talk to you soon.

When up is down

It didn’t start out the way I thought it would.  I walked to Weight Watchers for the first time since I sprained my ankle 10 weeks ago and looked forward to seeing a loss on the scale.  If you remember, last week I gained 2.6 pounds after three weeks of travel and restaurant dining.

I got on the scale to be disappointed at a .2-pound gain.  How could that have happened…I walked back to my seat and found myself distracted and thinking about this surprise.  And then it dawned on me that I had forgotten to take off my shoes and my jacket when I got on the scale.  I had been chatting with the woman who weighed me in and totally missed my usual clothing removal exercise.

I got back out of my seat, went back to the scale and did my weigh-in properly.  I lost .6 pounds this week and was back to feeling in control.  All records were corrected, and I left the meeting knowing that I had another two pounds to get rid of to be back to where I was a month ago.

I did walk 3.75 miles today, including a stop off to vote on the way home from my meeting.  I also am pleased to report that I have candy to send to the troops and want to thank my fellow Weight Watchers friends for bringing it to the meeting.

Talk to you soon.

Need more candy...please!

We started Halloween with 70 mini- candy bars, and I figured that I would end it with at least half of them.  Last year, we had about a dozen Trick or Treaters appear at our door.  Boy, was I wrong.  We blew through that candy in about 30 minutes when groups of 10-15 children showed up at once.

It got to the point where I switched to Nature Valley Granola Bars just to finish up with part of a group that was going to get nothing.  I’m sure that the reaction to my healthy Halloween snack was the same as the one I had about 50 years ago when somebody gave me two pennies instead of candy.

Once the end had come, of the candy that is, my husband made our house “go black.”  All lights, both inside and out, were turned off and we sat in silence watching the end of the Giants game.  We cheered quietly.

Tomorrow is Weight Watchers, and I expected to be the lead-off batter with the leftover candy that I will be sending overseas to the troops.  Now, I have no candy, so please collect up all of yours and bring it to the meeting.  I promise to buy some more to add to it, so that the box is chock full of goodies.

Talk to you soon.

Happy Halloween...I'm looking forward to your candy

It’s Halloween, the Niners played the Broncos in London, and, of course, it’s World Series baseball.  What a combination of at home, mostly on my couch events, for one day. I have a bowl of candy ready for the “Trick or Treaters,” but figure they aren’t showing up as long as their parents are watching the Giants and Rangers playing Game 4.

Speaking of the candy…I haven’t touched it except to put it in the bowl.  As a matter of fact, I am looking forward to Tuesday’s Weight Watchers meeting to pick up some more of it.  When confronted with what to do with the leftover Halloween candy that a lot of us will have tomorrow, the temptation for most of us is to eat it. 

Some of my fellow WW members buy the stuff they don’t like to avoid that temptation, and others have family members hide the leftovers so they don’t eat them.  I decided to fix the potential problem for all of us by offering to collect up all the uneaten candy and bring it home after Tuesday’s meeting.

Now don’t think that I’m getting ready to pull a candy scam and eat it.  I volunteered to box it up and send it to the troops.  I have done my research and know how to make it happen, so that’s why I am looking forward to seeing how much I get to send.

I have 70 mini Milky Ways and Snickers, enough for 35 Trick or Treaters.  I hope they all come, but if they don’t, I’ll be sending the leftovers overseas to the guys and gals who deserve it.  If you are in my Tuesday morning meeting, don't forget to help me out!

Talk to you soon.

Bigger is not always better

Who gained 2.6 pounds in week 58 of Weight Watchers…me.  This is the most weight I have gained in the time I have been a member.  Why did this happen?  It’s not like I don’t know.  I have been away for three weeks, part of which was work but most of it was vacation. 

I worked hard at staying on the program, but I knew that it was very difficult to really know how things were prepared in the 50+ restaurant meals that I consumed.  I couldn’t see the butter going into some of the dishes that I ordered, but I was pretty sure it was in there somewhere.

Going back to a meeting today was a very calming experience.  I missed my fellow Weight Watchers, missed the ritual of Tuesday mornings at 9:30 and missed the routine of writing my blog and posting my results.

I’m happy now.  Of course, I’m not thrilled about the weight gain, but it will be gone in two weeks.  That’s going to happen.  I am a creature of habit and now that my old bad habits have been replaced with good Weight Watchers habits, I feel much better.  And, can you imagine what would happen if I tossed in the towel now???  I figure it would take roughly six months to be back to my old weight.  Yuk!

Talk to you soon. 

Home sweet home

It feels like I have been on a desert island for about two weeks.  I haven’t gone this long without writing a post since I embarked on my Weight Watchers journey in September 2009.  But, there is a good reason for it.

I left on a business trip to Chicago on October 6^th and returned home on the 10^th.  The next day, my husband and I left for our vacation in Hawaii.  When we are away and nobody is minding the house, I don’t like to bring attention to the fact that we are away and nobody is minding the house.

And now we are home…back from a wonderfully relaxing time on the Big Island.  The dogs have come home from the “babysitter”, the clothes have been unpacked, washed and put away, the grocery shopping, via Safeway delivery, is over, Costco has been visited, and it seems like my routine is back in full swing.

I have to admit that although I miss the beach, I am glad to get back to the routine.  It’s very easy to see how two weeks away from the control in my kitchen and missing two Weight Watchers meetings can set one up to go down the “dark path.” 

You do your best to control your restaurant choices, hope that the ingredients haven’t been doctored up with secret additives like butter, and guesstimate portion size from experience.  Until I show up on Tuesday and get on the Weight Watchers meeting scale, I am not getting on my scale.  It’s going to take that long to get two weeks worth of salt out of my system.

So folks, I’m back.  I always miss you when I’m gone, and it’s good to be home.

Talk to you soon.

Week 55 report in...read all about it!

Here we go again…it’s Tuesday.  How did that happen so fast?  But, it was a good Tuesday at Weight Watchers, and I lost .8 pounds for a total of 33.4 pounds in 55 weeks.  Moving forward, a little bit each week, is the name of the game.

Tomorrow, I head out to Chicago to work another trade show and spend a few days standing in my booth.  Now that I have the Las Vegas show behind me, I’m ready for the long days, my packed snacks and soaking my sore feet at the end of each day.

The “un-fun” part of this trip is that my husband is staying home.  When we were in Las Vegas, I looked forward to going out to very nice dinners each evening.  When I travel alone, the incentive to go anywhere diminishes with each passing hour, and I usually end up eating in the hotel dining room. 

So, it’s time to pack the suitcases and squeeze a little television into the rest of this evening.  I’ll be sure to report in from “the field” also known as the Chicago Convention Center.

Talk to you soon.

My kitchen...not for resale only

Life is much easier since joining Weight Watchers.  Why, you ask?  It’s easier to have food in the refrigerator for actual meals than it was to sit around most evenings trying to figure out where we were getting take-out, food delivery, or sit-down restaurant food.  And, it’s so much cheaper now.

I never thought I would be the one who would enjoy planning and preparing meals.  It took about 40 years to get here.  I used to be the one that took pride in explaining that my kitchen was part of my house for resale purposes only. 

This evening, my husband called to say he was meeting a buddy after work.  I didn’t have to face the concept of hopping in the car to scavenge around for a table for one.  I went to the kitchen and made myself a delicious dinner that included a pork chop, sweet potato and fresh asparagus.  And when he arrived home, there were leftovers.

One of these days, I’m going to compare expenditures in restaurants for the year preceding Weight Watchers with this year.  I figure I have saved several thousand dollars.  Since I plan to continue this behavior going forward, I look at it as another way to fund my retirement…or our next vacation.

Talk to you soon.

Back where I belong

I returned…to my Weight Watchers meeting yesterday.  Missing two in a row, for the first time in 54 weeks of being a member, was not sitting well with me.  I have to admit that walking back into the meeting room felt really good.

When I joined, I vowed that I would attend the meetings and actually stay for them.  I wasn’t going to get weighed in and leave.  And, I have kept that promise.  Every week that I am in town, I am sitting in the front row actively participating in the group discussion.

I think the combination of missing the familiar faces from Tuesday morning combined with feeling “out of sorts” because I wasn’t where I usually am at 9:30 a.m. made yesterday’s “homecoming” even better.

The scale wasn’t completely friendly.  I gained .2 pounds, but I never really care about that part.  I know I am doing what I set out to do, following the program and tracking my daily intake. 

Next Tuesday, I’ll be back.  The scale might not be friendly, but the people sure are a worth making the trip.

Talk to you soon.

Happy Oktoberfest

Two years ago about this time, my husband, son, sister and I hopped a plane and headed for Oktoberfest in Munich.  We had a fantastic time, and it made us want to go back for more.

This year, more came in the form of Oktoberfest in San Francisco, which we went to last evening on Pier 48.  It wasn’t quite the same as the original version, but fun all the same.

Plenty of good music, lederhosen, dirndls, German beer, sausages, pretzels and Bavarian desserts constituted a simulated Munich experience…except, I wasn’t wearing a dirndl or lederhosen, I don’t drink, and I ate nothing.  The music was the part I liked.

I didn’t care about the food and drink part of it.  I looked back at some pictures of the “real Oktoberfest” and was struck by the difference in my appearance from BWW, before Weight Watchers, and now.  I like the MOWW, member of Weight Watchers, body much better.

The perfect picture will take place next Oktoberfest, when my husband and I plan to go back to Munich, and I will be three months away from my 60 pounds off goal.  I might even invest in a dirndl.

Talk to you soon.

Chin check

I took a nap on the couch the other day and both of my Labrador retrievers were asleep in my lap.  Hard to imagine that 130 pounds of two dogs could fit on there, but they have a routine where one of them climbs on and the other one puts his head on her back.  It’s very cute when I am awake to see it.

That’s the point of this posting.  I wasn’t awake but my husband was, and he took a picture of the three of us.  When I awoke, I got to see the evidence…the dogs were still as cute as ever but I had a bit of an “issue.”

Despite the weight I lost, I was still sporting two chins.  Now, had that picture been taken one year ago, it probably would have been four chins, so I’m grateful.  But, I know that there is still work to be done. 

It’s good to have a visual reminder now and then.  It shows how far I’ve come and that the journey must continue.  I’m in it for the duration…and I will replace that picture when I’m down to one chin.

Talk to you soon.

What's for dinner tomorrow...I know

There was a big meat back-up in my refrigerator today and something had to be done about it.  I’m not sure how it got to be as bad as it did, but I know when it started.  We went to Costco on Sunday and bought organic chicken breasts and organic ground beef.  Organic protein isn’t part of our regular menu, but we wanted to check it out.

And then things happened, the stuff I can't remember, where the days were ticking by and the meat was just sitting there.  Oh, I forgot about the hot dogs that had been in there even longer and were screaming to get out.

The only solution to the dilemma was to cook almost all of the meat. The chicken and the hot dogs went on the grill.  The ground beef came in three separate vacuum- packed packages, and we cooked one of them.  I was amazed to see that the burger trio had an expiration date of October 5, so we will be having the other two packages sometime in the not too distant future.

When all was said and done, we had a good meal and now have enough leftovers for days.  Maybe it’s not so bad to get behind in your grilling because when you finally catch up, you can rest easy knowing that there is no decision making on what’s for dinner.

Talk to you soon.

Next week for sure

I had a plan in place to go to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning.  I missed last week’s meeting while I was in Las Vegas and was looking forward to getting back to my buddies and my meeting leader, Claudette.  The plan derailed, and I didn’t make it.

My husband had a scheduled outpatient procedure that involved anesthesia, and he wasn’t allowed to drive home.  So, I got dressed in my official Weight Watchers weigh-in outfit that I have been wearing faithfully for 53 weeks and headed out at 6:45 a.m. for his appointment. 

He was supposed to be ready to come home by 9, so I figured that I’d be back at our house by 9:30, drop him off, and drive the five minutes back to the meeting.  As 9 a.m. came and went, I started to worry about my husband and why he wasn’t in the car driving north with me.

Finally, at about 9:30, he was ready to roll, and we worked our way home…and arrived in time to plan next week’s meeting attendance.

The good news is that my husband’s anesthesia has worn off, and he’s feeling fine.  After our big day, I feel like I shared some of that knock-out stuff and am ready to call it a night.

Talk to you soon.