Simply Filling Technique

Things are looking up around here, and hopefully for more than just a couple days.  I got some great feedback and support from my readers - thank you.  It was nice to hear that maybe this up/down insanity is part of having two toddlers in addition to what was already a pretty full life.  But I know I can do some things to make it better.  I've been going to bed by 10pm for several nights in a row, taking my vitamins and thinking positive thoughts.

On Tuesday, when I wrote my last post I was clearly in a negative space.  I was in such a bad mood that I ended up skipping my planned run, which just throws fuel on the fire.  As the evening rolled in I started to think it would be good if I could make up my run on Wednesday morning since my mom was over to stay the night.  But I wasn't sure I'd have enough motivation to get up and do it.  But I decided to be optimistic and laid my running clothes out before I went to bed.

Wednesday morning came and I went back and forth in my head about the run.  Good won and I got up and dressed and hit the road.  And I had a great run.  I wanted to run 5 miles but left the door open for 4 in case I was struggling.  I think my pace was in the 10:30 range, which got me to thinking my goal pace for the 1/2 marathon might be 11:00 minute miles, which would mean a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes.  Anyway, back to the present - I was so happy to have a good 5 mile run and came home feeling ready to turn my frown upside down.  Oh, and I was wheezing after the run so I used the inhaler.

Yesterday, Thursday, I had my follow-up doctor appointment in the morning.  The new plan is to try Zyrtec for a week and see if I get any wheezing.  And use the inhaler whenever I'm wheezing.  She said *not* using it when wheezing can, in the long run, lead to scarring.  Scarring = bad.  And she said using it even daily will not lessen its effectiveness.  I started the Zyrtec.

After work I went to the gym and rode the upright bike for 25 minutes.  And O.M.G. I was sweating like crazy!  I soaked almost my whole shirt, which I never even come close to normally.  I wondered if the Zyrtec could be doing this.  My heart rate was normal and I felt mostly normal except for the streams of sweat dripping from my chin.  After the bike I did back/biceps/core for strength training.  And guess what?  I can do two, TWO pull ups!  We're talking the palms facing in, "neutral" grip, which is quite a bit more manageable than the typical pull up.  But I don't care, I did it...twice!!!!!!  And not using a stitch of momentum, I just grabbed the bars and pulled myself all the way up.  Talk about feeling strong.  I loved it.  I'm going to work my way up to three sets of 8.  Might take me a year, but I know I'll get there eventually.

Today I hopped on the scale with a heart full of hope.  Hope that I will be under 150 pounds.  I didn't really go into my weight last week but it was 150.6.  I very much did NOT like seeing that 5 so I really wanted to be in the 149.9 and under range.  Well, lo and behold, 147 pounds.  What the heck?!  Sometimes I think I've got this whole scale/weight thing figured out and then it does something crazy like this.  I guess some of that weight gain last week was water retention?  Yes, Kristy, I know...duh!

So you KNOW that number put a pep in my step.  I have a strong desire to hold on to that weight for this week. I have a strong desire to get. to. friggin'. goal.  This feels like it's been dragging on for.ever.  Well, it has been 5+ years and I know when I try to rush things, well, it just doesn't go well.  But I do plan to try something new this week.

WW has an option called the Simply Filling Technique.  In summary, they give you a list of "power foods" and you can eat those without tracking them.  For anything that's not a power food you track them.  So instead of getting daily points you just get your weekly "extras".  Since my tracking has been abysmal of late and since I do a pretty good job (most times) of eating healthy meals to satisfaction, I figured it makes sense to try it.  But with my Michelle tweaks of course.  I plan to deem my morning cereal a power food, even though it's not on the list.  I also plan to consider all low fat dairy options to be the same as fat free.  I generally don't overeat those things and I believe the fat is helpful with satiation and vitamin absorption.  I will probably make more of my own rules as time goes on and in general, I think that's a good thing.  Gotta make it work for ME.

I had my first SFT lunch today - grilled tilapia (on the foreman grill), quinoa, broccoli and avocado.  The only thing I had to track was the avocado.  If you are a regular reader of this blog with a good memory you might remember my fight with WW over avocados.  For now I'll count them as an "extra" point but I am reserving the right to deem the a power food and be done with it.  As a wise friend once told me, "It's green for goodness sakes & grows on a tree!"

At the gym today I ran three miles on the treadmill and again, I sweat like crazy.  It must be the Zyrtec.  I'm on a trial of it for a week and then she's having me switch to another allergy med for a week to see which is better.  I hope this sweating thing dies down by week's end because I didn't wheeze today at all, which is good.  After the treadmill I did legs/shoulders/core.  I had a great strength training session!  Yippee, the roller coaster is rolling and I'm enjoying the ride!!

Miguel and I are going out for a date night tonight.  I plan to eat something that once lived in water and some healthy grains.  And probably a salad.  If I see a decent desert, something relatively healthy, I might get that too.  Or I might skip it, don't want to mess with my mojo.

p.s.  At my meeting today I got a star for going over 85 pounds lost. A woman on her third week came up after the meeting and admitted she'd been wondering why I was there, "What's up with the skinny chick, what's she doing here?". She congratulated me on my progress so far and so I showed her my "before" picture, "wow, I never would have guessed."  Maintenance, sister, it's all about maintenance.