No Pudge Fudge

I have to mention No Pudge Fudge, pretty much my favorite non-fruit dessert. You can make a single brownie in a coffee cup. Three tablespoons of brownie mix. Two tablespoons of nonfat yogurt. One minute in the microwave and you get a hot, delicious brownie. 

I like plain because I add some jam for fruit flavor, but they also have raspberry and mint flavor. 

It saves me on those chocolate days. That is not an exaggeration. It saves my life.

Progress

I'm down again because I've been doing it right.

Went to Trader Joe's last weekend and stocked up. They have these mini thin crackers that taught me why they are called *crack*ers. I can't get enough, especially with their tahini-free hummus that's only 2 PPs per small serving. So I eat more and have a few extra points. Totally worth it.

I also got some cranberry sauce there that I put in some plain yogurt. Only 100 calories per 1/4 cup. If I put a tablespoon in it is only one point per delicious snack. It actually looks like food, too, not just gelatinous ooze the sloops out of the can. Yum.

They also have a European-style yogurt that is wonderful. Two PPs for 3/4 cup. It's runnier like I always enjoy overseas. And cheap. I add my favorite high-fiber TJ cereal and a banana for breakfast. Four PPs. It usually lasts me till lunch.

I left the store with a $27 bill and a ton of food. Healthy food!

Another lesson

Today I helped my boyfriend move to a new apartment. It was all day lifting, climbing stairs, etc. I decided this called for a big meal that I wouldn't normally order.

I got a burger with bacon and onion rings.

And now there is a rock in my stomach and a fire around my heart.

So yeah. I would have been better off saving the points and getting something healthy.

Then again, this reminder of the costs of unhealthy meat bombs is maybe not really so bad...

Curses, fooled again

This morning I decided I was hungry before class started. Since the food cart didn't have much for fruit, I decided on some Raisin Bran Crunch. Bran! It contains bran! Healthy choice, surely.

I later looked up the points, counting on maybe five. Nope. Eight. And I was hungry very shortly thereafter.

Lesson learned. Don't be fooled by the health halo. You think I'd know by now.

It threw off my whole day, eating wise, but because I exercise regularly with Molly and a healthy stir fry dinner, I'm only a smidge over where I should be for the day.

As my former leader Doty said, if you're over the first third or half of the day, just stay on track the rest and you'll be fine. She always knew.

Happy Thinneversary to me

I started WW four years ago, almost exactly. It was right before Halloween, and therefore right before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Madness? Yes. But I still managed to consistently lose weight throughout the entire season. This makes me think of three things:

1. If I could lose weight for the first time in my life under those kind of barriers, what could possibly stop me now--when I know what to do and only have 15 pounds to lose instead of 55? I think back to that person and smile. I was so excited every week to see the first weight loss success of my life. It was the start of many transformations of physical and emotional identity very much for the better.
2. I have been a little hard on myself for gaining some of the weight back. I try to be kind to myself, understanding the obstacles this year has provided, but it's still easy to be frustrated with going off the rails. But the reality is, I'm basically still a healthy weight four years later! What I started four years ago (FOUR YEARS AGO) I have basically maintained. I hit my goal eight months after starting, and I have done amazingly well ever since, apart from this year's blip. That's something to celebrate. 
3. Lastly, this whole anniversary reminds me that even if I slipped, I'm here correcting myself before I go back to where I started. I have the power and control to determine my own success at this. Food doesn't force its way into my mouth. I determine when food goes into my mouth--and which food goes into my mouth.

Sometimes chocolate and cookies go in my mouth. And they always will. :)

Moving Down

I had a great weigh-in today. Better than I had hoped for sure. I have stopped weighing myself at home to avoid falling prey to the number obsession. That makes weekly weigh-in that much more of a surprise--hopefully a happy surprise.

A couple of things that made this week different from being up last week:

1. I tracked all but one day. It really matters--I tried to argue I could just do it in my head, but here I am, back to losing because I stopped tracking.
2. I wasn't an angel ALL week. It's more about just being good MOST of the time. I was pretty far off on Saturday (the non-tracking day), but it was a special day with special meals and social things. I tried to make dinner light and healthy so that lunch and dessert wouldn't be such a huge thing. It worked!
3. For my drive to/from Madison I got sunflower seeds. I get sleepy sometimes when I drive, so having something to snack on and drink is crucial. Sunflower seeds take effort, so I eat fewer of them and they keep me from mindless eating. Plus they are so dang small that I can eat for a long time and not eat a ton of calories. And they are pretty healthy, too, in moderation. 
4. I keep myself stocked up on Boom Chicka Pop light popcorn. Ohhhhhh. So so good. Four PointsPlus for a nice-sized serving. I linked to the lightly sweet kind, but I imagine the straight-up salt kind is good, too. I love this stuff.

So here's hoping for another week of being good, and going down at my next meeting. I still have five points tonight...what will I treat myself to??

Coming Right Back

Yeah....so it's been two years since I posted. I'm 15 pounds heavier, but I'm not blaming myself. I mean. I am. I chose to eat poorly. But it's been a hell of a year. Mom died, my beautiful mom. I took a little too much comfort in wine and junk food. I admit that. I just don't *blame* myself.

But now, I'm just ready to go back. I want these 15 pounds gone. I want to remember the wonderful tastes of healthy food, and to remember that treats are best left--as treats. I want to be the person who started this blog all flush with optimism, confidence, and easy acceptance of my new way of eating and living.

So I'm using this blog to hold myself accountable and to remind myself of the joy I felt two years ago.