Weighing myself and holiday weekend options....

Yesterday was my weekly scheduled weigh-in at WeightWatchers and I'm happy to report that I was down another -1.6 lbs. for a grand total weight loss of -28.4 lbs. Things are trending in the right direction. 


However, I know myself and from past experience a small speed bump - such as a holiday weekend fete - can grind to a halt my efforts to eat healthfully. 
Yesterday's meeting suggested two options to choose:

1. Strive to maintain your current weight.
2. Stay on track and continue efforts to lose more.

There are challenges to both, but I'm going to work to continue to lose by committing to the following:

• Running at least four miles every day this weekend (Friday through Monday);
• Overload on grilled vegetables as a first option - this should make me feel fuller, so I'm inclined to eat less of less healthful options;
• Choose only fresh fruit and fruit salads as dessert options - this is the toughest for me, but because I'm writing here I have to follow through.

So that's my plan, hopefully I'll be able to stick to it and there will be less of me to write about next week!


Do you have any similar eating plans or suggestions for this holiday weekend? Are holidays the time you can "legally" cheat?


Read why I'm fighting to lose weight -> click here

WeightWatchers Weigh-in Update...

It's been a while since I've given an update regarding my weight loss efforts - so I'll try to squeeze one in here (I'll just pretend I'm squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans.)

This past Thursday I was able to get to a much needed WeightWatchers' weigh-in, and I am happy to report that I was down -1.8 lbs. for a grand total weight loss to date of -26.8 lbs.

Oddly, whenever anyone finds out that I'm on WeightWatchers they give me the business about being vain or being fixated with my body due to the fact that I'm trying to lose weight.

At which point, I politely educate them about the fact that both my parents (who died before they were 65) were diabetic, hypertensive and genetically predisposed to other circulatory maladies (e.g. hardening of the arteries, high cholesterol, HDL/LDL imbalances...etc.).

The bottom line is that I'm fighting against killer genetics and I need all the help I can get.

I choose WeightWatchers to ensure I have balanced and healthy LIVING habits the rest of my life, not just healthy eating habits. Additionally, I want to pass those habits along to my two preteen daughters. That's why I'm doing WW.

Hopefully my schedule will allow me to make it to weigh-in this coming week and there will be less of me to write about next week.

Yet Another Reason I Hate Funerals….

Nondescript Casket

My immediate family spent the majority of last week at my in-laws home in New York because my wife’s grandmother passed away.

While I think it’s extremely important to celebrate the memory of the deceased; support and sympathize with the survivors and offer a degree of closure for the living via the various death-induced services and rituals – I hate funerals.

As a former news reporter, I had to attend dozens as an uninvited gawker amidst grieving strangers and then trying to speak with someone on camera – yuck. Within my own family, the funerals for all my grandparents and both my parents further soured an already distasteful experience – double yuck.

However, the latest funeral affront I experienced last week was the seemingly unending cavalcade of culinary creations that crammed every inch of table and counter space at the in-laws single-story rambler.

As an aside, death is a natural part of our existence but I’m convinced that the ritualistic events around death make most people uncomfortable. They frequently don’t know the unspoken etiquette to engage grievers – it’s not something you can practice for in advance or take an online class titled “Funeral 101: communication tips.”

Patience is Still a Virtue – Even in an Age of Instant Gratification

Patience Personified
First Lady Martha Washington

Went to weigh-in today as part of my weekly WeightWatcher ritual and held steady with a big ole’ zero pounds lost or gained.

While one week of weight neutrality does not a plateau make – it offers an opportunity to talk about patience. It took time for me to gain my weight in the first place and it’ll take time to lose it.

The same concept applies to all of us who seek to pursue other worthwhile endeavors whether it’s growing a customer base, completing a college degree, reducing debt, getting a certain type of license or building a relationship.  As unfashionable as it sounds, those efforts require patience.

The trusted saying “Patience is a Virtue” seems outmoded and outdated to our current expectations, which have been sharpened by immediate downloads, microwave meals, a 24/7 news cycle, on-demand media, frenetic flash animation and any other example of instant satisfaction you can imagine.

When we don’t get something we want now, we tend to get ticked off.

I'm a Creature of Habit....

This is a busy time of year at my fulltime job, I work at a biotech company that produces medicines for a few different types of infectious diseases.  The respective seasons for those respiratory conditions are winding down. However, the ramp-up and planning for vaccinations that begin this fall are already underway.

The resulting work-related meetings have occupied my lunch hours for the past few weeks – and that’s my feeble excuse as to why I’ve not been able to attend the two most recent WeightWatcher weigh-ins.

Usually, I go to the WW meetings during lunch on Wednesdays but me schedule is so tight that if something is added on my plate then something else has to fall off. Such was the case with the weigh-ins.  Again, I’m a creature of habit - are you???

"As My Waist Turns" - the Dramatic Saga Continues...

Let's face it, we all have drama in our lives. Mostly such drama is driven by our personal unmet expectations.

Today was my weekly WeightWatchers weigh-in, and to be honest - I was completely prepared for a large dose of drama in the form of a weight gain because my activity was down from the week and my eating was up. 

So I was shockingly surprised to see that I was actually down -2.2 lbs. for the week, for a total loss to date of -28.6 lbs.  

Granted, it's not as dramatic as Luke and Laura getting married, but today's loss had a whiff of drama for me. [NOTE: Yes, I am a guy who just tossed out an obscure General Hospital reference from the 1980's - see photo insert. But I digress...]

The only thing I can figure about this surprisingly dramatic weight drop, is likening it to the requisite 7-day delay that occurs with a third-party check deposit into your bank account. The bank needs the extra time to ensure that the check is not "hot" and that it truly conveys the promised funds. 

[NOTE: As a complete non sequitur, the only thing I can think of that drives more drama than a bounced check was perhaps when we found out that Rodger Thorpe from the Guiding Light was NOT actually dead - that was a shocking revelation! But I digress....] 

This Week's Weigh-in...

If you read this blog with any degree of regularity you know that I go to WeightWatchers weigh-in every Wednesday during my lunch hour.

At weigh-in today I was down -1.2 lbs for a loss of -12.6 lbs, since I re-started the program on 12/29/10 which averages out to -2.5 lbs per week since then.

If I lose six more pounds, I'll be equal to the weight I was before I threw myself off the WeightWatchers wagon last November for the holidays and subsequently gained +18 lbs in two months time.

That's my short-term goal, but I also have a long-term goal of never allowing myself to get so out-of-control again. I know it sounds AA-esque but I'm truly taking it "One day at a time."

Hopefully there will be less of me to write about next week!

Weekly Weigh-In Download…

Within the past 48 hours, the greater DC area (which is where my family and I live) was slammed with all the weather buzz words “Cyclo-Genesis,” “Cloud Condensation Nuclei” and “Thunder Snow” as well as their actual meteorological manifestations – bottom line, Mother Nature dumped 8”-10’’ of snow  on us within a 7-hour period on Wednesday 1/26. 

That was the same day I went to weigh-in at WeightWatchers, but coping with the resultant weather postponed that intended blog post until today.

On Wednesday, I logged a loss of -1.8 lbs. for a total of -11.3 lbs since I rejoined WeightWatchers on 12/29/10.

While I’m happy with that result, it seems kind of silly talking about something so inconsequential since more than 150K people in the mid-Atlantic region are still without power due to downed electrical lines from the storm and several people have died from exposure.

Our neighborhood did not lose heat or electricity, but many of the surrounding areas were not so lucky and they have a long way to go before they're back to normal.  Recovering from such adversity takes time and persistence - which is similar to any type of self-improvement program or worthwhile project, including weight loss. So we'll keep moving forward.

That’ll do it for this week.  As always I hope there’s less of me to write about next week – two hours of shoveling heavy, wet snow yesterday should help in that respect (ouch)!

Bad News and Good News....

I went to my weekly Weightwatchers weigh-in meeting today.

The bad news was that I was up +5 lbs., now I'm not freaking out too much because I've been sick for the past 7-10 days; I missed last week's weigh-in; I haven't run or worked out at all and I've been drinking H20 like a fish to stay hydrated - so I feel about as bloated as a puffer fish.

Still that's not an excuse, but I knew that I risked days like this when I started this public weight loss regimen, which with today's gain is still -25.0 lbs. since I started on April 7th of this year.

Now here's the good news, I am totally stoked by this story that I read in this past weekend's edition of Parade magazine about the incredible weight loss of actor Drew Carey [see photo insert]. I've always been a fan of his and this incredibly inspirational story has further confirmed that.

The guy has lost -77 lbs. since November 2009. He's now tipping the scales at a lean 185 lbs. with a starting weight of 262 lbs. - all at the age of 52 years old. Slowing metabolism be damned!

Drew Carey is more than 10 years my senior and weighed 40 lbs. more than I did when I started. Through his example, I'm re-inspired to renew my efforts.

As always, I hope there is less of me to write about next week. Thanks DC!!

Defining Victory: What Does Success Look Like?

For an Olympian in training success might be making the U.S. team; or setting a world record; a personal best; finishing the race as one of the top-five athletes or winning a bronze, silver or gold medal.

Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones

Additionally, a lawyer might view success differently for his/her various clients. For one client shorter jail time might be a success; while being released on bond or a complete acquittal might be a victory for others.

This rambling preamble is how I'm rationalizing a -0.6 lbs. loss this week at my WeightWatchers weigh-in. Thus far I've dropped -29.8 lbs. since I started his program back on April 7th, 2010.

Even though it's been more than a month since I've lost more than a pound, I still veiw this week's loss as a victory. During the past week I ran 35 miles over six days and ate very healthfully - so that's the main reason why I viewed this weak weigh-in as a win.

I will continue to forge ahead until my body and metabolism catch up with me. Once again, I'm optimistic that there will be less of me to write about next week.

The Lastest WeightWatcher Chronicle

Every Wednesday means weigh-in for me at WeightWatchers, and while I logged a +/- 0 lbs. last week, I'm happy to share that at today's weigh-in I was down -1.0 lb. for the week, which means I've lose -29.2 lbs. since I started this program back on April 7th, 2010.

At today's meeting we learned about the new "Lose For Good" campaign. Basically for every pound that WeightWatchers' members lose between now and October 23rd, the organization will donate a dollar to fight hunger in this country.

Honestly, I'm a sucker for that kind of philanthropic effort and it was just was I needed to recharge my efforts.

My goal for the duration of this LFG campaign, which runs for the next seven weeks, will be to lose at least 1.5 lbs. each week. Right now, that type of goal seems crazy since I've been hovering with no sigificant loss over the past four weeks. Regardless, I'm setting my mind to it - fully expecting my body to follow.

Once again, I'm optimistic that there will be less of me to write about next week.

Failure or Feedback??? I Choose Feedback....

During lunch I went to my weekly weigh-in at the friendly neighborhood WeightWatchers' meeting. I was up +1.0 lb. for the week, which equates to -28.2 lbs. since I began this journey back on April 7th, 2010.

To be honest, I'm not bummed about the bump up because I didn't exercise or run at all over the past seven days, and I didn't journal my food intake over the weekend when we travelled to visit friends out of state.

While the increase wasn't exactly what I wanted - it's exactly what was expected. It's the outcome I earned and that I'm responsible for. To me, that's feedback rather than failure. The issue is not that I had a sub-par week in the past, the issue is what did I learn and what will I do going forward to change the trajectory of my choices.

Holding Steady at WeightWatchers

Last week I dropped -2.4 lbs. bringing my total weight loss since April 7th of this year to -29.2 lbs. At today's WeightWatchers weigh-in, I logged a big ole goose egg of -0.0 lbs.

By now I'm used to this repeating process of losing one week and plateauing the next, but I was really hoping to break through the 30.0 lb barrier today simply from a psychological perspective.

For me, the mental part of weight loss seems to be much tougher than the physical aspect - maybe that's where the idea of a "fat head" came from [see photo insert]. I wonder if that's true for anyone else? I find that there has to be a conscious choice on my part to want to make the right decisions on a consistent basis regarding the food I eat and the corresponding level of activity.

However, I’m finding that observation goes far beyond food.

It's hard to ignore the parallel that the weight loss process has with life in general. The idea of “mindful eating” is not that far of a stretch from “mindful living” and striving to make the best life decisions possible on a regular basis. The learning continues and so will my progress.

By the way, for those who read last week’s WW post – Leslie was at today’s meeting and was down a pound. Now that’s a bounce-back inspiration!

That’ll do it for now. As always, I hope that there’s less of me to write about next week!

A WeightWatchers Meeting I'll Never Forget....

Our last day of family vacation found me at WeightWatchers weigh-in, and I'm happy to report that today I was down -2.4 lbs. for a total weight loss since April 7th of -29.0 lbs.

But this post is about something completely unexpected that happened to another WW member today during the meeting that always follows our weigh-in.

Nothing New - Only Neutral on the WW Front

Went to WeighWatchers weigh-in during lunch today and logged a nonloss of -0 lbs., which is

which is the second start week in a row I've maintained the status quo.

All total, I'm down -28 lbs. since starting the program back on Wednesday April 7, 2010. I'm not thrilled with today's result, but it's better than gaining.

Hopefully, there will be less of me to write about next week - thanks for sticking with me on this journey!

Held Steady This Week

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Went to WeighWatchers weigh-in during lunch today and logged a nonloss of -0 lbs., which is not unusual (or so the WW leader told me) after a big drop the week prior.

Major Milestone Achieved (Finally)

During lunch I went to my weekly WeightWatcher weigh-in today. As background, for the past few weeks I had plateaued with very little loss on the scale, but I did notice that I lost another inch around my waist since last measurement - so I was cautiously optimistic about today's result.

I'm pleased to report that I was down -4.0 lbs this week. So far I've lost 28.0 lbs since my first weigh-in back on April 7th, 2010.

For the record, here's the week-by-week break down of my adventures in WeightWatching thus far:

Butte, Mesa or Plateau - I think I'm there...but WW has Solutions

At today's WeightWatcher weigh-in, I was down six ounces which was exactly what I gained last week. Weird. This marks the third week out of the past four where my weight has remained within a tight variance range of less than a pound.

That's great for a maintenance program, but I'm still trying to drop another 24 pounds.

Here's the week-by-week break down of my adventures in WeightWatching:

It was bound to happen sometime.....

At today's WeightWatcher weigh-in, I was up six ounces (or up nearly half-a-pound, but six ounces sounds like less) over last week.

Bummer.

But, there's nothing I can do about the past - I have to keep moving forward forgetting what lies behind (without forgetting the extra ounces actually ON my behind).

Here's the week-by-week break down of my adventures in WeightWatching:

Back on Track With WeightWatchers and Why I'm Doing It.....

After last week's "zero" pounds result at WeightWatchers weigh-in, I was a little apprehensive.

I wasn't sure what this week's result would be, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was down -1.4 lbs today for a total loss of -24.2 lbs. since my initial joining back on April 7th. 

Here's my progression, followed by my reason for doing the program at all.