We're Off to See the Wizard!

Whew! I lost at weigh-in. Thank goodness. .8 pounds isn't much but I'll take it. I started TTOTM this morning so that might explain the small loss despite my stellar (aren't I humble?) eating and activity this past week. Normally I start having cramps before-hand and that signals me that it's about to start but not this time, just seemed to come out of the blue.

So I was reading over my last few entries and was reminded that I wanted a loss this past week to insure my loss of the prior week stuck. Remember I had a 2.2 pound loss that I felt was sort of a fluke? Anyway, I'd forgotten about that until I read the entry and then felt so excited at my success of keeping those 2.2 pounds off. Yay!

I experienced some ironic insight yesterday. It happened when I was reading some of the comments to Crunching the Numbers, specifically those related to my complaining about other people telling me I didn't need to lose more weight. I realized I used to do that to other people all the time! I can remember one colleague in particular who used to tell me she was having a hard time losing weight (I don't know, I think she wanted to lose 5 or 10 pounds) and I thought she looked great so I was always telling her, "you look great, why do you need to lose weight?" Hmph. Exactly what I was complaining about. And it was because I was doing what Irene noted, seeing her through the lens of my own fitness and weight issues. Well, that realization just put me back in my place. I think I was just hearing those comments over and over and it made me a little irritable. I am now trying anew to see them as the positive feedback that they are. People are trying to tell me that either, a) I look really great, b) If they looked like me they would be happy and not trying to lose weight, or c) God knows but it can't be bad. Any of those are great compliments. On a funny note a very thin colleague asked me to tell her that she isn't "skinny" today. She's been very thin her whole life and has a complex about being called "bony" or "skinny" or any of those things. I guess someone tried to pay her a compliment today and said, "you're so skinny!" and it got the ball rolling. So I obliged and told her she's plenty curvy. But she is skinny. Life is funny.

Would you like to know what I had for dinner last night? Really? Are you sure? Check out my tracking from last night. Do you see all that food? Did I eat all that? Yep. So Miguel came home about 2 hours later with his own fast food. Did I eat one of his french fries? Yep. Did I take a bite of his double whopper with cheese? Yep. Did I take a sip of his soda? You know the answer to that. And that's what I love about Weight Watchers. You can indulge in crap like that and still lose weight. Fortunately I had eaten very light that day so I had a fair amount of daily points left, and I heartily dipped into my Weekly Points Allowance too. A 40.5 Point dinner. Good thing it was the start of the week and I had all my WPAs.

Want some proof that I didn't gain all my weight back overnight after that meal? I don't yet have a picture in my new jeans but this morning Miguel snapped a picture of me in my new white pants. We tried to get Messi to look at the camera but he ignored us. I was "working" from home for a couple hours this morning so that's why I'm on the phone. These are a size 8 too. Aren't they cute? I love white pants on a warm spring day.

I went to the gym today (thank goodness, right?) and proved to myself that my jogging 3.1 miles was not a fluke. I did it again tonight. My heart rate never even got into the 160's, which was cool. I jog at 5mph but I did the last minute at 6mph just for fun (I did that on Wednesday too). I listened to some great music and just generally reveled in my newfound ability. I wore my heart monitor and during cardio I burned 500 calories. Not bad. Followed that up with weight training (upper body) and core work.

So what's on tap for the weekend? Tomorrow afternoon we're going to see the 2008 offering of the mountain play, The Wizard of Oz. I'm really excited. We haven't decided yet if we're going to go for a bike ride in the morning and then drive to the play or if we're going to park in Mill Valley and hike up Mt. Tamalpais (where the Mountain Play is located). I'm leaning toward the latter. I like to mix up the activity and we haven't been on a hike in a while but Miguel is all into cycling now (he went on the 44 mile loop this morning and prepped me for when I'm ready to tackle it [and he fell! I'll post a pic of his clipless pedals induced scrape soon]). Sunday is up in the air, either a swim/cycle brick (heh, fancy tri terminology) or just cycling. Depends. Then to mom's to see my grandparents who are in town for a wedding. My mom's going to die when she sees me in my size 8 pants. She often tells me, "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't say this but I'm so jealous".

I've gotten some really great comments lately and want to reply to a few...

Jesse - Thanks! I loved the point you made about how the lifestyle I want is about more than looking good. That is so true. And it's good to be reminded that that's the reason I want to lose more weight, to feel better and be a better cycler/runner/swimmer/etc, etc. Thanks again :)

Brooke - Hang in there! Those early weeks are killer but if I got through them, and I was so out of shape, you can too! And congrats on the bike :)

Shosh - Never forget what an inspiration you were to me when I started...and still are to me now! You rock sister!

Kristy - Thank you for encouraging me. But thank you more for taking the steps you're taking in your life. You can give me no bigger compliment than to be inspired. I love that quote you sent me. LOVE it. Thanks.

Flo - I think of that post you wrote about believing in yourself all the time. Thank you for all the valuable info and inspiration you share!

Irene - You really opened my eyes. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and share your wisdom. And you could give any high school girl and her body a run for their money I bet!

Matty - What Irene said happened to you exactly. First they give you a hard time and then they're asking you for tips. I really enjoy your tell-it-like-it-is posts. Thanks for big WOO HOO! I know you know how much that stuff means.

Jessica - You will get in size 8's too. I'm so happy you decided to give WW a try. Just keep it at, you won't always follow the program every week but it's sticking with it that makes the difference in the end. But you finished a marathon for crying out loud! You already know a lot about sticking with it. Thanks for the support.

Mich - Thanks for the "congrats!". I checked out Rachel Cosgrove's site, how incredible! I want to be just like her when I grow up :) I'm going to be following her blog.

Until next time peeps. Enjoy the Fin de Semana!