New Day, New Week, New Challenges

So you think because I've reached goal with WW, that I don't have struggles?  Wrong!  This week (month) has definitely been rough for me.  I blame some of it on laziness (not tracking), some of it on focusing my efforts on other things (half-marathon) and getting comfortable with the fact that I had all those activity points.  But half-marathon training IS OVER, I'm no longer earning as many activity points, but I'm still eating as if I am!  AND when I was training for the half-marathon, although I was earning A LOT of activity points, that didn't give me permission to eat WHATEVER I wanted (which I was).  I should have been using those points in a better way, refueling with good choices instead of indulging in whatever I wanted.  LESSON LEARNED, because now that the half-marathon is over, I am left with a trail of bad habits that must be corrected.  And so the corrections have begun.

This past week, I did make better choices, but still didn't get back into the habit of tracking.  Last night I was convinced that I was going to have a HUGE gain on the scale.  I sent a panic message out to my good friend, Kim, who very nicely reminded me that skipping the meeting this morning was only going to hurt me and that going to the meeting is what I needed to give me the motivation  I needed.  SO THANK YOU, KIM!

Scale results?   Well, actually, I didn't gain this week.  I lost a half pound.  Hey, that's okay.  Now it's time to keep the train moving in the right direction.   So what's the first thing I did when I got home from my meeting?  Tracked my points!  Yep, I did.  I made myself brunch, a bagel, egg, cheese, and spinach sandwich and tracked it.

So, on to challenges.   This week, I have a few.  The first is a challenge for today.  Going out to dinner tonight with the whole family to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday.  The restaurant we're going to I have not been to, but have heard from many people that they give you an ENORMOUS amount of food.  How am I going to handle it?  Well, here's the plan.  Thank you, Mr. Internet!  I went on and looked at their menu.  A lot of their dishes seem to have sauces.  Not for me.  So I have chosen what I'm going to have already.  And when I get to the restaurant?  I'm going to tell the waiter/waitress not to even give me a menu.  I don't want it in front of me.  I've already made my choice of what I'm having and I'm going to stick to it.

My second part of the equation is to take some fruit in the car with me.  We're going to a show first, then dinner.  So I'm going to eat a piece of fruit on the way to the show.  I don't want to come out of that show headed to the restaurant with my belly growling.

Okay.  So next challenge is a weekly challenge.  Kim and I have made a pact with each other that we are going to track all week.  Being accountable to somebody else is sometimes a great way to get yourself back on plan.  So I promise, Kim, that no matter what, I will be tracking all week.

Finally, challenge number three.  After reading the blog post this week of David Kirchoff, CEO of Weight Watchers International, I decided to give this a try.  Check it out:  http://manmeetsscale.blogspot.com/

I definitely have an issue with snacking at night, every night, whether I am hungry or not.  For some reason, I feel I NEED to have dessert or a snack every single night.  Even working on sewing/crafts at night doesn't stop me.  I stop what I'm doing at 9:00 at night to fix myself something.  Now, it may be ice cream, light popcorn, or a yogurt cup with some fruit and fat-free cool whip, but it's still eating.   Can I break this habit?  Well, I sure am going to try.

So this week, starting today, nothing to eat after dinner.   No sweets, no popcorn, fat-free ice cream, no yogurt cups....for one week.  I may decide after that week that a few nights a week I CAN HAVE an evening dessert or snack, but I have to prove to myself right now that I DON'T HAVE TO.  One week, I can do that!

So there you have it, three challenges this week.  Too much challenging?  Maybe, but one is a challenge just for today, so it's really just two challenges for the week.   Check in with me during the week and ask how I'm doing....PLEASE!  The more that I'm asked about it, the more I'm likely to stick to it!