It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me. I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.
Week 5 brought with it the onslaught of PMS, and all the I’m-so-ravenous-I’ve-got-to-eat-it-all-NOW mentality that comes with it. Not to mention the hormonal breakouts near my chin (lovely). Ugh.
Sounds challenging. So, what did the scale show?!
This morning I weighed in at 298.0, which is up 1.6 lbs from last week. Which means I have 17 pounds to go to reach the pre-surgery requirement. I know it’s a gain, and I’m never happy with any sort of movement that’s not in the right direction, but I’m not upset with this number at all. It’s still below 300, it’s mostly water weight, and I know it will all shed off as soon as I get my period.
This week I really fought hard against the snack attack that hits me late in the afternoons. Some days I lost, but some days, like Friday, I won. I was in the middle of a “I’ve got to eat everything NOW” moment, when I just stopped myself from going into the cabinet. I said to myself, “look, yes, you have PMS, but so what? It doesn’t need to get the better of you. Get out of the house and get moving right this minute. No excuses!” And that’s exactly what I did. I threw on my sneakers, strapped on Sofi’s harness and leash, and we headed out the door for a really long walk. When we got back, my mindset had completely shifted, I wasn’t craving anything other than water, and I knew I could hold out for another 45 minutes until I would start dinner. Yesterday, I decided to find a healthier solution to my snacking craving and added two red bell peppers, which I dipped in a couple of tablespoons of Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressing, to my lunch. It was an ideal snack because it offered all the crunch I wanted, and it totally filled me up for the rest of the day.
I’m also proud to say that I got in 5 days of workouts, equaling 295 minutes and 3620 calories burned. This week, I’m shooting for just one rest day, on Friday, when I’m having a much-needed salon appointment (my grey hair is out of control!). Here’s my workout plan:
Sunday: OnDemand Kickboxing + Biggest Loser 30-Day Jumpstart DVD
Monday: elliptical/bike
Tuesday: OnDemand Kickboxing + Biggest Loser 30-Day Jumpstart DVD
Wednesday: aqua aerobics
Thursday: Zumba DVD
Friday: rest day
Saturday: bike ride w/ my sister in Half Moon Bay
I think going to those WLS support groups two weeks in a row was a really good thing for me to do. Even though I saw a slight gain this week, I’m taking it in stride and feeling very confident that this is just one of the ebbs and flows that I’ve come to know about my body. Just like any other support group, the Kaiser WLS groups offer me so much motivation, inspiration, and of course, support. I leave feeling stronger and knowing that I’m not the only one facing certain challenges. I’m definitely going to make it a regular practice. It works out perfectly – the 3rd and 4th Wednesdays of the month can be my rest days where I “workout my head” rather than my body.
Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
Bella on the Beach 
Hey Great JOB, Bella! I’d say Friday is a huge NSV. Way to go! And you are right, it’s just the ebbs and, ahem, flow of how our body retains and releases fluids. I just posted about this on my FB page today.
I used to let little gains get the best of me. I’d go waaaay off track. But last summer I started weighing myself daily and tracking it on MFP. I love the resulting chart – such a great way to begin to recognize my body patterns. One thing I noticed…when I was doing everything right and would have a small 2-3 pound gain, by the next week I would be down by that much. And that was a consistent pattern…so now when I see a small gain like that, I get excited because it means I’m going to be down by at least that much within 5 – 8 days. 🙂
Keep on truckin…
Its a struggle, isn’t it? That said, it’s the journey we’re on. If you ever want to ridwe over in Santa Cruz, give a call out. I love biking on West Cliff or down by Seacliff
I’m so impressed with your workout schedule, it’s like a tidal shift for you. You’re sticking with it, and when you do that and push through with real solid workouts, your results will keep going in the right direction. Just keep going, you’ve got this! Go Bella, go Bella, go Bella!
It has been a huge shift. I’m just not going to give into excuses. The workouts help with stress relief, which is excellent for me. Plus, I love the feeling of accomplishment they bring each & every time I finish a solid workout. I feel like I’ve made a great turning point.
Thanks for your unwavering support & encouragement!
I’d love to try out kickboxing. It totally sounds like fun.
By the way, I’ve nominated you for the blog of the year award 2012 🙂
http://fatcookieblogs.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/blog-of-the-year-award-2012/
Wow, thank you!
Great job getting your workouts in & I hope you’re able to hit all your targets for the upcoming week too. Cravings during PMS are so annoying, but you’re right, you can push through them!