I want to be an Asterisk*

I went over yesterday but still felt good to be journaling again. If it weren’t for the alcohol I would have been fine.

Lower-Sugar Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal 2
Turkey on WW Wheat w/Mustard 2
Tomatoes and Lowfat Cottage Cheese 2
8 Bing Cherries 1
Cousin Willie’s Microwave Popcorn 2
Homemade Vegetable Soup 5
2 Highballs w/Diet 4
2 Miller High Life Light 4

Total 22
Goal 20
Points Remaining -2

Water six-eight ounce glasses
Activity 0

This weekend I was down.  My lower back was giving me fits so I was forced to sit around for two or three days, allowing my back to mend.  During that time, I practically ate the house down.  I refuse to let it get to me, however.  Today, I am on plan, shedding the few pounds caused by sitting on my hiney most of the weekend.

This incident also re-affirms my belief that sitting around watching TV does cause an amount of activity boredom.  Because the TV is stationary and you do not have to get up to enjoy it (except for the occational call of nature), I believe your body craves activity and that is where the munching comes into play. 

One lady in particular I know combats this form of eating by knitting while she watches TV.  Although it probably doesn’t burn calories, it prevents her from pigging out in front of Law and Order.

I am not going to post my menu for today until tomorrow and continue posting it for the rest of the week to keep me honest.  That is the beauty of WW!  If you get off plan and gain a few, you have the tools necessary to jump right back on the horse and shed it off.

I was in the checkout isle at Toys ‘R Us last night and saw this box calling to me. I’m always on the look out for a new 100 calorie pack to try.

These were good. I liked the crunchy cereal along with the mini kisses. I didn’t like that it said made with multi-grain cereal but only had less than 1 gram of fiber.

If you are a chocolate fan I would suggest these although one pouch may not be enough.

I just saw this on 31 More Days and thought it was a great Weight Loss blog tool.

http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/ticker_designer.php?type=3

Remember when your Mom used to say “Eat your Veggies!”  I found this great article on Dietary Fiber today and I wanted to share.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033

I developed terrible eating habits as a child (my mother was single and didn’t have a lot of time to cook).  We ate fast food almost every night. I developed bleeding hemorrhoids as a 10 year old due to lack of fiber in my diet. 

Everyone should take a moment and read this informative article.

While trying to eat a little lighter (after all that Ham) I thought a nice big salad sounded good for lunch.  I mosied over to the dressing isle and started looking for something low calorie.  I could believe my eyes when I stumbled on this, Maple Grove Farms of Vermont Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette.  It is only 5 calories for two tablespoos and 0 fat!  Tasty too!

It seems like I have had ham 5 days in a row this week.  And not just any ham, Honey Baked Ham. 

Sunday was my BF’s daughter’s birthday and we decided to get a Ham, along with lots of lovely sides.  I have noticed about a three pound gain but I am pretty convinced it is more water gain because of all the salt.

Yesterday, I used the ham bone to make the best bean soup I have ever made.  Along with the corn bread I would say that I am definately not OP this week (not that I really need to be this week but I don’t want to get out of the habit of counting). 

Does anyone else notice a gain when they eat Ham or something else really salty?

A lot of the side bar stuff I worked on yesterday is gone.  I guess WordPress/WeightWatchen are having a few glitches today.  I guess I will check back later and see if my stuff is back again.

I was reading yet another inspirational story on WW site the other day, then I went to Roni’s site to see what she was up to and saw her “15 years of yo-yo dieting, over!” banner and a question kept rolling around in my head.  Isn’t Weight Watchers truly yo-yo dieting?  Then I read this article titled “Yo-yo dieting may have a bad rap” and I thought that it was time to blog about it.

Now that I am a lifetime member, a true “weight watcher” I constantly watch my weight.  I usually weigh every morning.  I try to make healthy food choices (like they teach us) but if I stay with the low fat, low point food, I continue to lose.  So I balance that by being a “bad girl” and eat normal food several times a week and eat healthy several times a week. 

This week has been harder with several parties and picnics, a food day at work, a birthday party, etc…so my weight is up a couple of pounds.  That means I will kick the WW point counting back in, add a bit of activity for a week and get down to a comfortable weight where I don’t really have to count.  That is kind of what they teach you as being a true “weight watcher”.  Isn’t that in fact “yo-yo” dieting?

I know Roni posted a gain before the “big crash”of 2007 (that is what I call it anyway) and I remember posting about how being a confirmed WW, she has the tools she needs to take it right back off.  Just as I do.  Just as millions of lifetime WW’s do.

Where am I going with this?  Who knows.  Just me trying to make something out of nothing as usual. :)  I do have myself convinced, however, that WW is yo-yo dieting (if you make lifetime, that is).

Why is it so much harder to eat healthy during the summer months?  Ug…with baseball, t-ball and lots of picnic parties to attend, unless I bring my own food, I am doomed!

Tuesday night there was a lovely 4th of July party that BF and I attended together.  We ate before we went but I still couldn’t resist some of the party food.  Saturday, we attended a retirement party complete with Fried Chicken, Fried Turtle (yes, I wrote turtle), Mac & Cheese and Cheese Cake.  Sunday was BF’s daughter’s 6th birthday and I didn’t really worry about the food because I was busy cooking and cleaning for over 40 people.

Funny, I went to breakfast with my Mom last weekend and she said she was taking off WW for the summer.  I kind of shook my head thinking that maybe she was just tired of dieting.  Now I realize that it is just really really hard to eat right in the summer. 

Thoughts?