Journal entries for the month of July, 1999

July 29, 1999

Hi all! What a busy week I have had (a couple of them really!)  I did have a good week, with a loss.  I did pretty well with keeping in my points range, at the end of the week I had used every single point I had plus 4. (Not perfect, but realistically not to bad either). I also did pretty well with the water, I am not getting as much as I know I should, but I am getting in the Weight watchers recommended amount. In my opinion it isn't nearly enough, but lets not go there!! I think I should be having at least 13 8oz glasses a day (8 plus 1 for each 10 pounds I want to lose.)  So, I need to try a little harder with that.  Also I need to jump start my exercise - get back into a routine of doing more of that than I have been. 

What I wanted to bring up this week is the cost -vs- payoff of weight loss and all the things that it entails.  I found this very helpful when it comes to doing (and not doing) all those things that help me to continue to be successfull on this journey.  Basically, everything has a personal cost, and a payoff. Finding a payoff that is worth the cost is what can help you to be more successful.  Here is an example.

Exercising -
cost - my valuable time, getting all sweaty and out of breath, getting sore muscles.
Payoff - I feel more energetic when I exercise, I lose weight more quickly, I feel generally better.
For me that pay off is worth the cost, and I need to work on reminding myself of that!!

So in the next week or so, think about the costs and payoffs of those things that will help you to be successful, and find payoffs that are worth your cost!

I also want to say thank you to everyone who has sent me wonderful emails.  You all keep me inspired to continue!

Have a good week!  Chel

July 22, 1999

Well, what a week this has been! I lost .75 pounds for a total of 45.5! Aside from that Diet Watch put my web page address out in their weekly bulletin! Since then (thursday ) my site has had over 4200 visitors! (Since I started this page in March I had just under 2000)

So - a quick heartfelt thanks to all those who have visited and to the many who have sent me personal emails. I have tried to answer each one.  Getting your emails both inspires and encourages me - thankyou!

This week I want to leave some tips since so many of you have requested them. First I want to add my little disclaimer - I am not a professional, the below advice is not proven fact, only things I have found to work for me.

1. Become a writing maniac! Most importantly write down every thing that you eat. EVERYTHING - every last bite, lick, nibble!!!!

I also find it helpful to write lists and letters (to myself) Topics including -what I like about myself - how I feel myself - what my goals are and why I am worth attaining them - How I feel about where I am in life... go on, I know that you can think of a few more!!

2.  Make a daily plan every day, make sure that you have a "zone", a minimum amount you must have, and a maximum amount you can have. Plan your day for the minimum, and then you have a little room to fudge.

3. Mark the all the food in your fridge and cupboard with a permanent marker. Mark on it the serving size and how much it is worth (calories, weight watchers points what ever!!!) Then when you are on the quick for a snack, it is all spelled out for you, no time consuming calculating!

4. If there is something that you absolutlely cannot only have a little of, then dont even keep it in the house!

Other wise, if you are craving something, have a little. A reasonable amount - that ought to satisfy the craving - just count it in your daily total! (I have chocolate at least 4-5 times a week, sometimes every day!) If you deny yourself something you crave, over and over, sooner or later you are quite likely to break down and eat WAY more than you would have otherwise. Take this from experience!!!

5. Drink Water, water, and then a little more water. Although it is possible to have too much water, it is difficult to do. If you are drinking so much that you are getting sick, you are probably having too much. You should drink 8 8oz glasses of water each day, plus one 8 ounce glass for each 10 pounds you want to lose.  (In all honesty, I still have a tough time with this - with but I also have a much better loss during the weeks that I have done a great job with my water drinking.)

6. Exersise - oh how we dread it, but truly it doesn't have to be a huge ordeal. 20 minutes a day, really isn't a hughe time investment. You don't have to join a gym, take up jogging, or aerobics. Take a 20 minute walk a day. Or 2 10 minute walks. Or walk brislky around the house during all the commercial breaks of a one hour tv program.  Take the stairs rather than the elevator.  Park at the far end of the parking lot. You can do this!!!

7. Choose a diet plan that is livable for the rest of your life. This is a lifestyle change that you will have to be able to do forever, because if you quit when you have lost your weight, it will come back. I promise!  Find a diet plan that is well rounded, has a good balance of protien, carbohydrates, fruits, veggies, dairy - you know the drill. As you all know, I have chosen the weight watchers 123 program, which I still love!

I hope that there is some useful advice - I saved the one piece that has kept me going for last.

Have a higher power. Mine being Catholic, is God. When I feel like I am struggling I close my eyes and put myself in His presence. I know that this is the road He has put me on. When I feel like I cant make it, I just close my eyes and open my heart. I trust in God, that if this is where I am meant to be, that His will is done.  He has paved this road for me, so I continue to travel it, and of course, thank my paver!

have a great week all - Love Chel

July 15, 1999

I never did check here last week, sorry to any of those who came to see! It was a busy week, and I was feeling sorry for myself because I didn't lose any weight. I should have been happy that I didn't gain weight!

Another week went by, and although it felt to me like I was really struggling, I ended up with a great loss of 3.25 pounds. (In another quarter pound I will be down 45 pounds!) (that feels sooo great!)  I did make a point of drinking lots of water last week, and I think that was a huge help. Although I didn't get any formal exercise, the weather was beautiful, and so I got lots of outside work done, and some of that was pretty strenuous.  The points issue was a bust. I had a couple of days where I went way over, and then spent the next few days catching up and then I would go over again, it was a vicious little circle.

A new week again, and so far so good! I am hoping for a couple more pounds, as I would love to beat my labor day goal of being below 180. That is  7 weeks weeks away. If I were to lose 2 pounds each week between now and then I would be around 175 or so on labor day. I guess I will just keep trying - if I start to push myself too hard, I tend to get off track.

I hope that you all have a great and op week, and I will check in next week - no matter what!

July 1, 1999

Hi to all! Firstly I want to say that my family and I had a truly wonderful vacation - to see some photos of our Trip to Disney World just click it! The pages take about a minute each to load and I do not yet have the "Our New Friends" link up and going.  Truly we had a most fabulous time - and we can't wait until we have the chance to go back again, hopefully in 2 or 3 years!

Also I wanted to mention that I have started a posting board. It has been VERY quiet there, but I would love to see it become a great source of support. Please feel free to visit and leave your favorite recipes etc!  The board is called "What Are Weighting For?" and I will leave a link on the main weight loss page.

Now then! I had my first weigh in for 2 weeks today and I was down 1 and 1/4 pounds! I was pretty excited that I didn't gain. It isn't a huge loss for 2 weeks, but who cares? My main goal was to maintain. 

While in Disney World I found it all but impossible to really stay on program. Yes, I ate much better (well, at least less) than I would have other wise.  I did keep very close track of what I ate for the first 4 out of 6 days that we were there. My average day was about 60 points (choke) !!  Of course we walked like nothing else - and got some swimming in too! 

Once we were home (we arrived at the airport at 11:20 Saturday night and got home at about 1 in the morning) I immeadiately got right on program. (At least the eating part) I really haven't done too much for exercise this last week.  I really want to get in some good walks, the weather here is awful, cloudy and wet and in the 50's - not bad for December!

My mini goal is to be at or below 180 by labor day (actually the nearest weigh day which is 9 weeks from today) I know that I can make it, and although I am not changing the goal, I secretly hope to make it to 175 by that point!  (170 would be soo stellar, but I am not going to push my luck!) 

My goals for this next week? Well, for starters I would like to have lost 2 pounds at next weeks weigh in!  How do I plan on achieving that? Well, I am going to drink all my water everyday. (I was soo good at that when I started this program and have really gotten away from it) Also going to try to get all my fruits and veggies at least 5 of the days this week (probably not a problem, but I haven't really been making a big point of it, I probably get 4 a day) Also I am going to plan out my meals at least one day in advance and am going to try to stay under 27 (my max is 29).  I will also strive to get 20 minutes (at least) of exercise every day, even if it is just doing situps, pushups, leg lifts etc. 

You all have an awesome week!

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