How did I make it until Thursday and not post anything? I guess that isn't too abnormal, but it for some reason feels like a really long time ago that I posted last. Hey y'all!
I've had a pretty good week with some fun mixed in and a little variety to my regular week, which was nice. Especially because it included some wine, beer, a milkshake, and other delicious food. Which brings me to the point that tonight I wanted to write a little bit about something I posted a couple weeks ago, why I am stepping away from the Weight Watchers program, and also write a bit about my current outlook on eating.
For as long as I can remember, I have been in a constant state of wanting to lose weight. Of never feeling like where my weight is, is where it should be. I've written about this before. Then, when I was home for the holidays I found a whole bunch of my old journals and diaries and was shocked at how early I started writing about my eating habits and dislike of my body. And as much as I wish I could throw that whole notion out the window, I don't know if it is possible but I want to try and change my attitude towards food and eating. I do want to transform my body beyond where it is right now. Even though, I am very happy with the progress I have made over the years and understand that I am in a healthy position right now.
The past few months I have started to research different fitness oriented eating programs. What trainers and athletes and people looking to lean and tone themselves eat. I have been extremely successful with Weight Watchers over the years to help me lose over 60 pounds, and relose that weight a few times as well. However, I have been beginning to realize that it was probably going to take something else to get me to where I want to go next.
It was my junior year of high school that I first signed up for Weight Watchers. I have continually gone back to Weight Watchers as my weight loss method of choice for years and years. I always go back because I always know it works. And I'm not always good with change. The thought of leaving Weight Watchers and trying something different - like tracking calories - is like taking my comfort blanket away from me.
However, I have always gotten stuck in a rut with Weight Watchers when I reach a certain point and I stop seeing changes in my body. And I recognize that my body is in a different state than when I first began Weight Watchers. My life is in a different state than when I first began Weight Watchers. I am much smaller than I was when I first signed up. I am much more active than when I first signed up.
The amount that I exercise and the muscle/build of my body is completely different. As are the goals that I have for myself and for where I want to take myself next. Due to that, I think that what I need to do with my diet to get myself to that place needs to be different than what I have been doing. I don't think that processed foods and diet soda and sugar and carbs -- although I can make them Weight Watchers compliant -- is the best for me. I have been feeling for a couple months that I think I need to do something different.
Then, in mid December, Weight Watchers pushed out a new program. A whole entire new program with new rules and new guidelines and new points to learn and memorize. To keep going with Weight Watchers, I would have had to learn a whole new system and since I had already been thinking of trying something new - but was held back by the familiarity of Weight Watchers, I decided to try something new for real.
Change can be hard for me.
But I downloaded the MyFitness Pal app and I have been trying to adjust to tracking calories. I also tried a week of eating as the "Whole30" plan recommends (a Whole7, if you will?) and cut added sugars, grains, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol. That week I ate only foods I cooked and prepared and were "compliant" and although it is not something I ever intended to continue, it helped me to reset my mind to think "real food" rather than processed. And to weigh veggies and protein over carbs and sugars.
I've been trying to keep these philosophies with me, despite the fact that I have incorporated all of those things back into my diet in some sense. But also trying to pay attention to how these foods make me feel.
And the thing I've liked about counting calories is that every day is a new day. With Weight Watchers, you are evaluated week by week. If you screw up a day majorly, your whole week is screwed. Right now I feel like I am going day by day. I still have a lot to learn and I hope that this journey fares me well, but I'm excited about the new mentality.
I love you Oprah, but Weight Watchers and I are going on a break.
I've had a pretty good week with some fun mixed in and a little variety to my regular week, which was nice. Especially because it included some wine, beer, a milkshake, and other delicious food. Which brings me to the point that tonight I wanted to write a little bit about something I posted a couple weeks ago, why I am stepping away from the Weight Watchers program, and also write a bit about my current outlook on eating.
For as long as I can remember, I have been in a constant state of wanting to lose weight. Of never feeling like where my weight is, is where it should be. I've written about this before. Then, when I was home for the holidays I found a whole bunch of my old journals and diaries and was shocked at how early I started writing about my eating habits and dislike of my body. And as much as I wish I could throw that whole notion out the window, I don't know if it is possible but I want to try and change my attitude towards food and eating. I do want to transform my body beyond where it is right now. Even though, I am very happy with the progress I have made over the years and understand that I am in a healthy position right now.
The past few months I have started to research different fitness oriented eating programs. What trainers and athletes and people looking to lean and tone themselves eat. I have been extremely successful with Weight Watchers over the years to help me lose over 60 pounds, and relose that weight a few times as well. However, I have been beginning to realize that it was probably going to take something else to get me to where I want to go next.
It was my junior year of high school that I first signed up for Weight Watchers. I have continually gone back to Weight Watchers as my weight loss method of choice for years and years. I always go back because I always know it works. And I'm not always good with change. The thought of leaving Weight Watchers and trying something different - like tracking calories - is like taking my comfort blanket away from me.
However, I have always gotten stuck in a rut with Weight Watchers when I reach a certain point and I stop seeing changes in my body. And I recognize that my body is in a different state than when I first began Weight Watchers. My life is in a different state than when I first began Weight Watchers. I am much smaller than I was when I first signed up. I am much more active than when I first signed up.
The amount that I exercise and the muscle/build of my body is completely different. As are the goals that I have for myself and for where I want to take myself next. Due to that, I think that what I need to do with my diet to get myself to that place needs to be different than what I have been doing. I don't think that processed foods and diet soda and sugar and carbs -- although I can make them Weight Watchers compliant -- is the best for me. I have been feeling for a couple months that I think I need to do something different.
Then, in mid December, Weight Watchers pushed out a new program. A whole entire new program with new rules and new guidelines and new points to learn and memorize. To keep going with Weight Watchers, I would have had to learn a whole new system and since I had already been thinking of trying something new - but was held back by the familiarity of Weight Watchers, I decided to try something new for real.
Change can be hard for me.
But I downloaded the MyFitness Pal app and I have been trying to adjust to tracking calories. I also tried a week of eating as the "Whole30" plan recommends (a Whole7, if you will?) and cut added sugars, grains, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol. That week I ate only foods I cooked and prepared and were "compliant" and although it is not something I ever intended to continue, it helped me to reset my mind to think "real food" rather than processed. And to weigh veggies and protein over carbs and sugars.
I've been trying to keep these philosophies with me, despite the fact that I have incorporated all of those things back into my diet in some sense. But also trying to pay attention to how these foods make me feel.
And the thing I've liked about counting calories is that every day is a new day. With Weight Watchers, you are evaluated week by week. If you screw up a day majorly, your whole week is screwed. Right now I feel like I am going day by day. I still have a lot to learn and I hope that this journey fares me well, but I'm excited about the new mentality.
I love you Oprah, but Weight Watchers and I are going on a break.
Ok so I'll be interested to hear how you do!!! Using MFP is what ultimately got me to lose my almost 70 (or 90 depending on where we are counting from) pounds. The detailed tracking and being able to look at other people's food diaries is what ultimately checked me. Right now my diet is pretty awful because im struggling with depression pretty badly so I'm not really eating and what I am eating is all carbs. So I'm a horrific example at the moment, but before this (another sad break up, im slowly back-blogging to tell the story) I was going well with balancing veg and protein. I don't believe in eliminating any food completely, balance is necessary for normalcy and to keep things realistic but I tried to be very cognizant of processed foods and reducing the amount of white flour in my life. It helped a lot and I ate better quality food!
ReplyDeleteRuns for cookies also switched to MFP and calorie counting this year and she ended up below goal weight. I'm
All for it. Good luck!