Tag: weight loss
10 in 20 – Day 6 – It Works!
My friend and comedian, Ed Crasnick, has a saying, “It works if you work it.” He uses it at the end of his show the Self-Help Comedy Hour. It’s a podcast I’ve been on a few times that deals with mental health. His guests are all comedians and, trust me, we need a lot of help with our mental health. Anyway, Ed signs off that way each show meaning, this Self-Help stuff actually does work if you actually do the work. Today, I’m borrowing it and applying it to me meeting my goals.
This morning I got on the scale and it read 173.0 LBS. That’s down 2.5 lbs from the last time I lost some pounds. It also brings the total up to 5 LBS lost! That’s halfway to the goal in less than a week. I was super stoked.
My brain, however, instantly, said, “Make a bigger goal! 20 in 20!” and I really had to reign myself in. I believe it’s fine to dream big dreams, but keep the goals small. My goal is still 10 by October 21st. If, at some point before that, I loose the 10 I think of a stretch goal. Kind of like Kickstarter, though I guess in this situation it’d be a Stretch Mark Goal? Maybe not.
The numbers on the scale though amped me up. In days past, it would have made me feel like I could go out and splurge on some food today because I’ve been doing so well. Today though, it refocused me. Got me set to work even harder at dropping those pounds.
I will say that if I do drop 10 before I leave for Toronto, I may treat myself to a BBQ dinner on Oct. 20, the night before I leave. I MIGHT. Haven’t decided yet. My reasoning is that I will have been doing good with my weight and I’ll be in Canada for several weeks and will miss my favorite barbecue place. Though they probably have barbecue in Toronto. Is Canada known for their barbecue? Anyway, let’s get to the food!
Subway 6″ Turkey Breast on wheat, Baked Lays Sour Cream & Onion Chips and water – 11 WW Points
I did splurge a little and get Chips during this meal instead of apple slices. They are only 4 points though so they don’t add that much.
2 Bananas – 0 WW Points
Banana as a midday snack while I was at the office editing. Around 430PM or so I was starting to get a little hungry and I had another banana. Was about to eat it but figured I could wait. Dinner will be at 530PM, so I figured I could hold off until then. But then I started thinking, “If you do that, you’ll be HUNGRIER at dinner and may be tempted to eat more.” So I had the banana/ The other banana looked just like that one. Not going to bore you with TWO pictures of bananas.
Boneless skinless chicken breast, 1/2 cup white rice and PLANTAINS – 21 WW points*
The food at Henson tonight was, as expected from a place called Bassa Nova. The point total there is my best guess. I may be a little off because WW Online makes you record the plantains in cups or oz. I did my best figuring and came up with 21 total for the meal. The food was good. I could have eaten MUCH more. To try and prevent myself, I cut my food into REALLY small bites. Yeah, I looked like a doofus, but it worked. I tricked myself into eating less. Though I did have ONE more plantain than you see on my plate there. But I could have eaten 20 more. They are just SO good. So tomorrow I may bounce back up a bit on the scale, but I know it won’t be that much and I know I can get it right back down.
ACTIVITY – Running 30 minutes.
I like where this is headed and I seemed to have shaken those intense food cravings I’ve been having for the past few weeks months years. Really happy.
10 in 20 – Day 5 – Keepin’ on
Welcome to yet another day of this journey.
I did really good food wise today and didn’t feel too hungry or anything after only eating light last night. This morning the scale still read the same 175.5 lbs, but I’m not worried at all. Just remaining focused. Not frustrated at all. These things take time.
I did get really hungry this afternoon. Glad I had the bananas and the apples around in my office. Seeing a tweet from Smoke City Market advertising their prime rib Sundays didn’t help either. But, again, I remained focused on the goal. 10 pounds in 20 days. Or close to it.
Happy I can finally announce the reason I’m doing this. I’m headed off to Toronto, Canada on October 21 to perform in The Jim Henson Company’s Puppet Up! Uncensored. We perform for 2 weeks and I couldn’t be more excited. This is exactly what I need right now in this moment in time and I want to make sure I’m eating right and on the path toward my overall weight goal BEFORE I head off to Canada. Don’t worry, I will have poutine while I’m there. I just won’t have it every day. 🙂 While in Canada I will continue to focus on eating right and will run or use the hotel gym to keep active.
I had known I was going for awhile now but there was the issue of an expired passport and would I get the passport in time in order to go because of the U.S. Government Shutdown. Luckily, the passport offices aren’t closed and I got my passport yesterday, so adventure, ho! Very excited about this trip because I’ll be performing a few different roles than I have before, including a few tricky parts. Amped to be able to work on upping my puppetry game.
Okay, excitement aside, let’s get to today’s food…
Subway 6″ Turkey Breast on wheat, apple slices & water – 8 WW Points.
Getting sick of this one yet? Not me. Good sandwich, fills me up and, yes, when I go into Subway they know exactly what I’m going to order. I like Subway because it’s what worked before and the points are so easy to figure out.
2 Bananas – 0 WW Points
I ate two but it was only after eating the second I realized that I didn’t take a picture of them. So, two. And that’s a banana peel.
Apple slices – 1 WW Point
A little more fruit a little later in the afternoon.
Sharkys 1/2 Steak Power Plate with broccoli & Yams – 11 WW Points
The steak cousin to the chicken power plate I had a few days ago.
Activity – 30 Minute Run
Perfect night for a run. Warm out, clear skies, sliver of a moon. Perfect.
Okay gang, tomorrow’s another day. It’ll be interesting too because I won’t be able to plan one of my meals. Dinner tomorrow night over at The Jim Henson Company when we’re there for rehearsal. Hoping it’s something that’ll be easy to manage. If it includes the plantains that are normally served on rehearsal dinners, I may be in trouble. I will report back tomorrow and let you know!
Night!
10 in 20 – Day 4 – Plans gone wrong.
As I said in my post yesterday, it always starts this way, I drop a few pounds the first few days then nothing. Today was nothing. Still the same weight as yesterday. Totally not discouraged though, that’s how it goes.
I knew going into today it was going to be a little different that the past few. I had a rehearsal with the improv group I’m in, Improvatorium, from 10-1. A kid’s show at Flappers at 4:30 and then I had to high tail it over to Hollywood before 5:45 to run sound for a one woman show. I was going to be eating a little earlier than normal (before my class) so I decided to eat a little but more, choosing a footlong turkey sub at Subway as opposed to the regular 6 inch. The day before I kinda laid out the day in terms of eating which several people say is a good thing when trying to lose weight. Plan out what you’re going to eat as opposed to just going on whims (mmmm…burrito….).
I also like to plan out because if it’s something I really love I can look forward to it and say “No I’m not going to eat that now, I’m having (good food I’m looking forward to) later. So today I planned Subway in the morning early, grab a footlong. Some sort of fruit back at my office after my rehearsal. Then a salad with chicken up at Flappers before the show.
That plan did not workout however. The time between when I got to Flappers and when the show was going to start was too short. So no food. Immediately after I got off stage at Flappers I had to book it to Hollywood to run sound, so my only option was to eat after the show.
By the time I got back to my palce it was 9PM so I was hungry. Was VERY tempted to stop along the way and get something bad. In-N-Out….Panda Express (guilty pleasure). Also thought about getting a Subway sandwich. But, I decided to just get home because I had healthier stuff there and I wanted to go on a run because I hadn’t during the day.
Got home, had a sensible dinner, as you’ll see below, and then went for a great run. It was a well lit path, no worries.
I do feel like I want somewhat of a ‘treat’ tomorrow. Not sure what but something. Pretzel M&Ms are low points, 6 for a bag, so maybe those. We’ll see.
Onto the food!
Footlong Turkey sub on whole wheat, apple slices, bottle of water – 15 WW Points
Didn’t get Chips because I was getting the footlong. Not much else to say. Standard sandwich. Except she put banana peppers on if before I could tell her not too. I don’t mind banana peppers, just not my favorite. Jalepeños though….mmmm.
Pear – 0 WW Points
This pear was so much better than yesterdays. I think they just needed a day to ripen. You know, fruit does that.
Quaker Low Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal (2 Packets) a banana and water. – 6 WW Points
That was my dinner. I could have eaten a ton more but I was focused on my, newer plan, of eating something light and going for a run. It worked and I feel good.
That’ll wrap today up with a bow. Thanks for reading. Goodnight.
10 in 20 – Day 3 – Going good
Welcome to Friday and the start of the weekend, where you will want to eat…EVERYTHING.
Did not wake up with a headache this morning so that is awesome. Felt pretty good. I think I’ve found my balance in eating just the right amount.
Hopped on the scale this morning and…..down another pound and a half! Whoo! That’s 2.5 lbs since the start. This is what happens when I start eating right, I’ll drop a few pounds right at the start then plateau a bit then drop steadily.
I will say Ii’m still getting some major cravings though. I started today with a salad from a place called Chop Stop. I’ll talk about the salad more below, but let me tell you what the Grant of a week ago would have done.
Chop Stop is in a little strip mall type area with some other food places a CVS and a Sprouts Supermarket. For the longest time I’d go get a Chop Stop salad then go to Sprouts and get some bananas to have at my office. On the way through Sprouts one day I notced big barrels of all different types of candy. I love me some covered pretzels. Chocolate, Vanilla, Yogurt, whatever…I like them. I saw the Chocolate Covered pretzels and tabulated up the Weight Watchers points for them. 14 chocolate covered pretzels is 5 points. Since the first day I saw those pretzels I’d buy some bananas, a bottle of water and a HUGE bag of chocolate covered pretzels. Not just 14. 28, 38, more. And then the moment I’d get in the car I’d just start eating and, most times, have it finished by the time I got to my office. A 10 minute drive away. Yeah. Not proud.
So today I went to Chop Stop, then Sprouts to get bananas and I didn’t even walk down the pretzel aisle. I did want to get something besides bananas though. Something different so it would sorta be a treat like pretzels. I decided on a couple pears. 0 WW points and I love me some pears. So I’d call that a win.
After my run I was craving that burrito but I resisted, going for a Subway sandwich instead. I’m on track.
So let’s get to today’s food.
Chop Stop BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad – 12 WW Points*
I love this salad and I love Chop Shop. I go back and forth between this one and their Greek Chop. I’ve been more into the BBQ Chicken one recently though. Big bowl of chopped lettuce, corn, black beans and black olives. The Olives don’t come standard, tortilla strips do, so I swap them out. The * above is the total figured out with the tortilla strips. I think it’s a little less, but I still use the full 12 points in my tracking.
Pear – 0 WW Points
I was so looking forward to this pair and it was just okay. I gotta learn how to pick out a good pear. If only there was some recourse at my fingertips that would have such information….. Kidding. I know I could just look it up on YouTube and have a 11 year boy in Kentucky show me how to do it.
Banana – 0 WW Points
Good old banana. Not much to say except I ate it. And it was better than the pear.
Subway 6″ Turkey on Wheat, Baked Lays Sour Cream & Onion Chips & Bottled Water. WW Points = 11 Points
Same old, same old. But it’s a good one.
Activity – 30 minute run
Took my vitamin this morning, again and I’m feeling good. Liking that things are headed in the right direction. Remember, I’m not looking to lose exactly 10 pounds by October 20th, close is good. Want to loose a little more than 2.5. though so work continues.
Thank you for all the support messages here and on Facebook. I really appreciate it.
Goodnight!