Thanksgiving Recap!

So I didn't have a chance to post yesterday, I was so busy with plans that I didn't get to express my wishes for a happy holiday! I hope that you were able to be around your friends and family and most of all FOOD! LOL.

I've been at my parents all week watching the animals and the house. I feel so out of my element. I think I've really hit a point where my old house isn't MY house anymore. Ben and I have a lovely apartment that is my home, and hopefully at some point in the future, we will own a home of our own.

The reason I've been staying at my parents is that they are in North Carolina visiting my brother and his wife, I miss my family. I think it's great that my parents can go down and see my brother, but I miss them! I miss my brother and sister-in-law as well. Le sigh, eventually my brother and his wife will come back north... just for now, we aren't living as close as we'd like. Isn't it funny, that the more physical distance there is between us, the closer it brings us.

But, my parents are on the way back to NH now, and soon I'll be able to go back to my home :-D I haven't seen my apartment in a week! I can only imagine what it looks like!

I worked Wednesday night, so I got out of work Thanksgiving morning, I got a chance to get cleaned up and off Ben and I were to meet up with his mom. We went out to a restaurant called the Taste of Maine, we met up with some friends of their family. We had a lovely time! I was slightly concerned with the buffet. I didn't want to over eat. On top of that, we hadn't eaten breakfast either.. so I was starving. I am proud to report that I listened to my body and stopped when I was full. Which means, one trip to the buffet.

I was able to get back home and manage a nap before heading back to work Thanksgiving night. Since Kerri and I talked on twitter about not being able to do a Turkey Trot, we decided to do a Virtual Turkey Trot! And I knew I wasn't going to have a lot of time on Thanksgiving so I had to do mine at work Thanksgiving night... I am sure if anyone saw me walking around the apparatus floor, they would have really thought that I was off my rocker. But again, I was proud of myself for challenging myself and achieving it!

Normally, I go Black Friday shopping, but I wasn't going to be able to since I had to work. I still got the paper and checked out the deals. I have to say, aside from TV's and laptops, there really wasn't a lot out there. Now granted, I could use both a new tv and laptop, but I just don't think it's in the plans right now. I still saw a few things that I thought would still be there after the masses. So after I got out of work on Black Friday morning, I went shopping. I was able to find some good deals. I could have bought a lot more, but I tried to keep to my budget, and I did fairly well.

While out and about, I managed to stop in at a Weight Watchers center, they had drop in hours. No meeting, but just weighed in. To my complete surprise I was down .2! I think this is the most excited I've ever been about .2 pounds. I freakin' managed to loose weight after Thanksgiving!

Part of the reason I wanted to weigh in was because I wanted to hold myself accountable, especially over the holidays. Also because I am participating in Mary from Fit this, Girl's Don't Gain, Maintain Holiday Challenge!

I hope all of my lovely readers had a wonderful holiday. I was super happy with how things turned out, despite having to work.

Next up, Christmas! (I work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - day shifts, this time around)

New changes coming to Weight Watchers

So next week, Weight Watchers is changing in the United States (I believe it's already changed in Europe and possibly Canada?) I have to say that I am looking forward to the changes. I've been reading a lot of blogs and even from other people in my meeting that are really apprehensive about changing.

I've been saying to myself, that originally I went to Weight Watchers because I wanted to change how I was living, change what I look like, and to change to how I felt about my life and change my perspective.

I believe that part of that change is also to trust the research and time that Weight Watchers has invested into making their program better.

My leader this week talked about accepting changes, not only those that are within your control but those that are out of your control. Many people in my meeting asked if it was at all possible to stay on the Momentum plan, and the leader said, that no not really. That all the literature and information would be changing (which leads be to believe that the point values will be structured different). She also said that this is the first time in like 12 years that the program has changed this drastically. She's been using the new program for several weeks and it's helped her with her issues she's had maintaining.

I am excited for the changes that are coming out. I think it will shake things up, and hopefully help me to get back on track.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Weekly Status Report

Well, my weight is down from last week, not as much as I had gained originally, but down. The scale is moving in the right direction. I am currently at 300 on the nose. Yeah that's right, last week I went above the 300 mark, not my finest moment. But I am a work in progress. 

Since I can't change the past onto the future, my goals from last week were: 

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
• Track food for 2 days
• Drink at least 48 ounces of water every day 

Well, I got my exercise in! My Gruve was green for 5 days last week. So happy about that! And I got about half of my water in everyday. I only got the full 48 ounces in 3 days last week. 

My big olde fail of the week... tracking. Really, this is the worst part for me, I am so lazy about it. And I know that is why I am not losing weight.

With Toy Bank as my biggest stressor this time of year. My weight watchers goal is to just go to the meetings and be present. Actively listen and participate. I am really looking forward to the changes that Weight Watchers is implementing. I can't wait to see what is coming down the pipelines. I love it when companies re-invest in their product and research to make it better. 

For this week, I am striving for the same goals. Although tracking is horrible for me, I need to make it (me) a priority and help myself. Especially with Thanksgiving this week, I need to be every mindful of my situation, and try to plan ahead as much as I can. 

In other news, tomorrow, I am going on a road trip to pick up my 500 pound baby.... The UVM Morgan colt that I won in a raffle! 

Weekly Weigh In & note to self

So my weigh in this week sucked. I was up. I don't even want to post it here... I just can't I need to revamp my priorities. I've made work number 1 when really it needs to be that I am number 1. I've got to put my health first.

My goals from last week:

• Get my Gruve green 4 days
• Track my food 2 days

Neither of them happened. Again, largely due to the choices I've made by focusing on other things aside from myself. Of note, I was still having trouble with my Gruve, so even though I was working out, it wasn't recording. After reviewing some materials, I decided that I will wear it on my ankle from now on.

Dear Self, 


You've got so many dreams and big ideas for your life. You said you wanted to give it your best. Right now I am calling you out on that... you haven't been giving it your best. You let the excuses get in and beat you down. No more. 


Go big or go home... don't give up this battle, you are SO worth it.


Luv Ya always... I'm kinda stuck with you


- Me


Now with that being said, I am setting the bar high this week:

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
• Track food for 2 days
• Drink at least 48 ounces of water every day 

I've got big end of year goals and I need to remain focus on those goals. 

Randomness

How about a Saturday night random post from yours truly?

• H2B and I have our wedding date! October 9th, 2011 (10/9/11) the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. We have a cake and a venue. So many wedding appointments in the next couple of weeks, menu tasting from the caterer and meeting with a potential photographer. Really the only "service" left to secure is a DJ, and we've got several options out there. 
• On the wedding topic, I feel very blessed to have many friends and family be so helpful in planning and their knowledge and offering of services. 
• I feel very un-motivated about Weight Watchers this week, I think it's in part due to the lack of my meeting. I have been thinking about dropping Weight Watchers and just going it on my own. After this week and how I've been feeling, I don't think that would be a good idea. 
• I won a horse! (I know, random, right?) I've been making arrangements to bring him to his new home. He won't be staying, I just can't justify trying to train a colt when I'm in the midst of wedding planning and well then there is the financial impact, especially since after the wedding we will be house hunting. I've got several horsey contacts and I will find him a great forever home. In the meantime, he will be loved!
• I got to go on another beach ride this past week, what a de-stressor it was for me. I really needed that. I am very fortunate to have that opportunity. 
• I am thinking about finding another 5K to participate in. I think that will help with my motivation factor and get me to re-commit to the C25K program. Problem is, there aren't many 5K's in the dead of Winter here in New Hampshire!
• Toy Bank has officially started! Each year I run a program for children and help them have a Christmas when otherwise, they may have gone without. The magic of Santa and the spirit of the community come together and help many children in the town that I grew up in (and work for.) Last year we did just about 320 children. It's a lot of work for me, but very rewarding. 
• My dad called me today, one of the family pets, a cat named Tawny died today. She was the youngest animal that my parents had. She had been throwing up for the past 2 weeks, last Saturday, my parents took her to the emergency vet, and she was doing well on her medication, but for whatever reason, she died today. :-( 
• I talked to my brother the other day (he lives in NC), he woke me up at 8am, we talked for a good 45 minutes. It was wonderful, I enjoy our talks. I miss him! 
• My Gruve has been acting up. Twice now, it hasn't recorded my activity all day. I've been wearing it on my sock for the past 2 days and it seems to be accurate (that is the suggested placement if you are biking). So I guess from now on I will try that out. 

And that's about it on this Saturday evening. I hope all is well with you folks!

Non weigh in

So due to me being absent minded and my work life (shift work) I forgot to weigh in this week... My usual weigh in day is Tuesday, and on that day, I thought it was Monday and by the end of the day I thought it was Wednesday. Ugh.

Goals for this week:

• Get my Gruve green 4 days
• Track my food for 2 days

Of course, I had gone to the gym, and for whatever reason, my Gruve decided not to register a single calorie. Bummer.