Monday, September 30, 2013

weight loss tips (from an expierenced loser)

haha i just thought that was funny to call myself a loser.

Tips for weight loss from Jaime Breeze (anyone else watch a show called auction hunters? they have a guest named jamie breeze-he is an expert on all things british, when i first heard his name i was like WAIT that R moved from Jaimerbees.  my last name is not breeze (or even close to that).  but its fun to have a different name for a minute (and not be an outlaw).
so i wrote some of these on another site that is not open to the public, so ill edit these to be a little more nice and friendly.

these tips work for me. 

1) measure everything- i go through probably a new kitchen scale every 2 years.  i have lots of measuring cups, but i prefer to weigh things.  the newer kitchen scale i got, i dont like.  (the button to toggle between oz/g is under the tray and hard to push without messing up your weights). 
2) always calculate your items BEFORE you eat them.  or else you are like me and crying because you could have had an small caramel sundae from DQ for 8 points (instead of whatever it was-it always comes down to that DQ sundae for me).
3) IF you are doing Weight watchers, eat all of your points.  yes when you first start out you are like OH i can live off of 31 points per day, but over time you lose them (and your hunger returns).  i started with 31 points, now im at 29 points per day.  i also got an activelink and i enjoy using it.  between weeklies/activity and dailies i eat around 36-38 points per day.  (if anyone wants to see what i eat let me know ill type it out for a day or two)
4) setbacks happen, move on. get over it. no one is perfect.
5) stick with it.  yes i have had a week where i gained 3 lbs (for some unknown reason) and ive had weeks where i lost nothing (same for unknown reason) if weight loss was easy everyone would be thin.  look around you.  (trust the process).
6) no double counting. as in i am not going to log my food into myfitnesspal AND weight watchers online.  not happening.  If im following the program correctly im eating enough. 
7) join a dietbet.  OMG losing money is not something that i want to do.  so im rocking this dietbet action. :)
same thing with actually joining the real WW online site, i dont want to spend money and not get my monies worth.
8) no extreme dieting, i didnt have this blog back in the day, when i was low carbing (between the curves diet and south beach) i was extremely tired all of the time (going to bed at 8pm) and i forgot everything two seconds after it was told to me (oh and the most TMI part i got my period and it would not go away and yes back then i was on birth control-i dont like month long periods).
9) track non scale victories.  yes some weeks suck in the weight loss department but you know what, being told by your doc that your numbers are great and to keep it up is a good incentive (it proves that im doing my body a favor) 
im sure there are more. 
by the way i should be hitting my 10% loss (from june's first weigh in)  187.74 is my official 10% loss.  although i need to admit i dont feel any different than i did at 208.6 lb.  im wearing size 10 jeans (down from size 12 that were a bit too tight).  my shirts are fitting better and i believe (crossing my fingers) that my boobs have shrunk (they never did in the past and i am not a happy camper with giant boobs). 

Friday, September 27, 2013

Weight watchers weigh in #16 and endocrinologist appointment (NSV)

last week: 189.0
this week: 188.2
loss -0.8 lb

i have hit 20 lbs loss since i restarted weight watchers in june (188.6 was my 20 lbs loss) which means that my 10% is right around the corner (187.7).  I probably would have made it but i have a nasty cold going on.  im actually surprised i didnt show a gain, i havent been working out (it is hard to just breathe right now) but I have been watching what i eat. 

before i post fun graphs let me tell you about my endo's appointment.  it was on tuesday.  my fasting glucose level was 99, which is on the top number of the acceptable range.  she did tell me to not take the metformin anymore.  that she thinks if i keep losing weight that it will go down even more.  she saw a 16 lb loss from the last time i was there (may 31).  and she was super proud of me and wants me to keep it up.  we did talk about goal weight for a second, she is a doc who isnt concerned with the actual scale number but more of the other numbers.  the lab forgot to run my lipids panel, so no cholesterol levels to report, those have always been slightly high (like 250's range) but the good one is usually really good.  the reason i see her is my thyroid issues, i have hashimotos disease (it is genetic, if you are of russian decent you more than likely have it, especially if you are female, my dad's mom was right off the boat-i never met her therefore i dont call her grandma, she died when my dad was 16).  my levels are great and to continue taking the medicine as i have been.  She wants me to continue with WW (she did say whatever plan i want to follow) and see her in December.  my mini goal is to be in the 180's on the scale (so means i need to be about 2-3 lbs lighter than i am now) and my plan A goal is to be below 180 (as in the 170's).  but sometimes i think if i push myself too hard i fail. my next appointment is dec 30. 

so i guess i failed the last week of my activelink challenge.  oh well. sometimes life happens.  ive been sleeping a lot lately and trying to get over this cold.  my endo also called me in (sent in? its all computerized now) a script for a Z pak, which ive been taking.  at least the horrible sore throat i had is gone.  now im just congested.  but overall i feel better.  not 100% but better.  i just need fluid to drain out of my head. 

here are the sweet graphs for you guys (or actually for me for when i look back and go wow i really did it)

you can see the lack of working out this week.  i totally flatline. 
as for my points use
29 points per day, plus all activity points and all weeklies eaten
Friday: 58
Saturday: 41
Sunday: 31
Monday: 30
Tuesday: 31
Wednesday: 32
Thursday: 33
total 255 average 36.4 per day

anyway send extra healing energies my way.  i just hope my body lets go of this head fluid (in my ears and nose) and that i return to normal.  Once i can breathe again I will be back at the gym, im thinking tomorrow maybe? or sunday at the latest.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

weight watchers weigh in #15

last week: 190.2
this week: 189.0
loss -1.2 lb


and my points break down per day, i get 29 points per day, i eat all weeklies and all activity points
Friday: 63
Saturday: 38
Sunday: 34
Monday: 32
Tuesday: 33
Wednesday: 29*
Thursday: 30
total 259/average of 37 per day.
*for some reason when i was going back through wednesday said i ate 28 points per day, im pretty sure i ate 29, so i dont know what happened there.  i fixed it but it was after i got my reports emailed to me.
i am not sure what a visualization trial is or why its written all over my charts.  but whatever.  i do like my chart for my points per day, there is always a giant spike (which is friday of each week). 
overall im happy with my progress.  this past week was a bit tougher when it comes to hunger issues.  i think part of that is that im feeling just about 100% better from my migraine and another part is hormones, i think they eat the food before it gets to my belly. 
so i have a weigh out for a dietbet and a weigh in for a dietbet the same day.  i might stagger the weigh in until after i eat a cheat meal.  we will see. 
also the beta dietbet im in, i have to submit a weigh in by wednesday every week, lately ive just been doing it at night, meanwhile i normally weigh in in the AM.  i am actually under my first month goal (first month ends oct 3) so im not worried about it.  the only reason i do that in the afternoon is that im really not a morning person, as in i barely wake up with enough time to get ready and put together my food for the day before i head to work (not being a morning person is a REAL thing). 
so anyway, a few non scale victories for this week.  one involves wearing size 10 jeans out in public.  the other involves blood test for my quarterly endo's appointment.  my fasting glucose level was 99, it was 104 last time (not a huge difference but 99 is the top end of the "in range" number) i was hoping to report a drop in my cholesterol but it looks like they forgot to add that test on (its on my paperwork, since my doc prints you up a summary).   the lady who drew my blood (she rocks at it, you barely feel it) was too busy being like "girl, you look great for 33" so i asked her how old i looked and she said no more than 21.  LOL.  so i guess we were chatting it up and she wasnt paying attention.  she did ask me a few questions about hot tubs (i work for a pool building company so it makes sense). the lady was 55 and looked more like 40. so we have the same condition.  i told her that i dont smoke, i dont drink and i dont hang out in the sun.  :)  that is the secret to keeping young looking.
now im supposed to take medicine to help control my blood sugar, but it causes me extreme butt issues (i refer to it as the oh gads). like ill be fine then the next moment ill be running to the bathroom.  maybe that is why they call that the runs?    anyway i dont like that random feeling.  so i dont take the meds (plus i was only trying them to help me get pregnant, which at this point in time i think is a lost cause-ive only been trying since 2009).  IF i get pregnant, which my focus has shifted off of that for now (still not preventing) and i need the meds ill take it.  but im not hurting anyone but myself not taking the meds (plus it is for people who have much higher blood sugars than i do). 

Saturday, September 14, 2013

catch up, WW #13 and #14

i havent been feeling very bloggy lately.  BUT i realize i should probably just keep up with this, since well, one day i might want to be like OMG i lost 40 lbs on WW, how did i do that? 

two weeks ago: 191.0
last week and this week: 190.2 lb
loss: 0.8 lb


so there are my reports.  im really happy with my activelink progress.  oh and the reason for the left over 1 point for last week was because i didnt know i had it.  ARGH.  i dont really understand how every day except thursday my points dont come over until the next day,  but on thursday they are thrown in there like oh yeah you got these. 
so yeah there is my active link info. looks like im almost done my first challenge. 
last week i had a migraine for two days. so i wasnt really feeling it, but i hit my goal every day (slow walking on walk it out). 
here are my break downs for the weeks

Two weeks ago:
29 points per day, plus all weeklies and all activity points
Friday: 57
Saturday: 42
Sunday: 35
Monday: 33
Tuesday: 29
Wednesday: 31
Thursday: 32
total 248
Average per day 35.43
loss of 0.8

This past week:
29 points per day, plus all weeklies and all activity points
Friday:56
Saturday: 40
Sunday: 32
Monday: 33
Tuesday: 33
Wedneday: 34
Thursday: 33
total 261
Average per day 37.29
maintained

so im thinking the reason why i maintained is that i was feeling like crap and taking advil like it was going out of style.  i honestly am happy maintaining since i felt so bad for a few days.  i didnt take any advil yesterday and so far none today and my head feels mostly fine.

so i wanted to jot some ideas down for later use.
Couch to 5k (ive tried this before and was a huge failure, im not even 100% sure that i want to be a runner), if i end up doing that couch to 5k in the spring id like to do a 5K per weekend (either charity or for fun). 
hire a personal trainer, someone to help me tone up (the right way)
continue on weight watchers
cut out soda (diet and regular), this one will be horrible. i love my soda but i know its not good for me

so jillian michaels is hosting a dietbet in less than 2 weeks.  http://www.dietbetter.com/games/23663 that is the link to it, the buy in is $30.  it might be a good way to start a dietbet.  they have been making changes on dietbet, they charge 20% of the pot.  they used to charge a bit less and charge each person 4.95.  but they got rid of that 4.95 fee. 
im currently in the beta dietbet 10 (10% in 6 months) it was a steep buy in price, that one is $25 per month and if you pay up front you get 1 month free (and i love a deal) plus you had to buy weigh in tokens, the weigh in tokens are for drawings, they gave away a fitbit flex (i think that is what it was called) this first weigh in week, i did not win that.  i had some credits from other dietbet winnings so i use those and paid 88 out of pocket.  that game ends march 2.  if i hit my goal i will weigh 175.9 lbs.  nuts.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

job offer

remember that *thing* i would talk about that is stressing me out and i couldnt talk about it on a public forum?  yeah it was a job interview, actually it was 2 phone interviews and two in person interviews.  i applied to work as a payroll tax specialist (funny side note here: we had a payroll company come in to try to get our company to sign up and i actually said "im not payroll specialist" this was a day after the offer came through).  i applied for a full time position.  i said OK to working 7:30 til 4:30 and then OT when needed (quarter endings and end of the year filings).  the only reason i even looked for another job is my lack of benefits at my current job.
so the phone call comes through on Tuesday morning, it is the hiring bossman.  they want me.  but they dont have space and someone else already got the job i applied for.  would i be willing to work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 until 9:30pm to get my foot in the door.
not.what.i.asked.for.
oh and the quote of how much they make yearly is off by like .82 an hour in their favor (guess what? i went to college and know how to do math).  oh and since im part time no benefits.
i need to tell them before the end of the working day friday.  i tried to call twice today and it just rings and rings and rings.
oh they dont know how long id be part time for, that they promise to move me to full time.  yeah dude, ive worked for big companies before, promises mean nothing there.  at least in my current position i could go to the owner and be like YOU SAID !!!.
i did ask the hiring bossman if he would be ok with me not taking the position and then just keeping my name on a list and when jobs come up to give me a call.  he said that was alright.  so that is what im going to do.
i barely have energy for one job, let alone too (i told him i was concerned that im going to be jeopardizing job 1 for job 2).
so today i mentioned it to current bossman. (which is why im able to write about it). i did learn he is happy with me. but we got interrupted by other bossman (also known as his brother).
i was going to ask for a kickback.  or a plan on how to get more money. he did tell me that i could work more hours if i wanted to.  which he has told me before.
bossman is supposed to be back shortly. then i will try to talk to him about me wanting to purchase my own benefits (i just want to put some money into my IRA account-which apparently when i was laid off at my last job i rolled my 401k into an IRA).
the money offer is about 4 bucks less an hour than I currently make.  my money situation isnt horrible, but its not what i made at my job in 2009.  im still 7 bucks shy of that amount.  and i had full benefits.
im not sure purchasing Short term disability insurance is really worth it.  i remember my friend did that when her and her husband were trying for a baby (and she had one) but the amount she got back was less than she contributed to the fund, after the fact she was like "i could have just put the money in an account myself" so yeah.
weigh in day tomorrow, as for this morning i was the same as i was last week on weigh in day. so lets hope that me making this decision unstresses my body out and it lets go of some weight.
by the way i got my 2nd weight loss compliment yesterday. i went and got my hair cut and colored and my friend who does it was like whoa, where did this go (as she points to my belly area).  LOL.  i really only see her to get my hair cut (i tried to get that friendship to work, but she is a crazy workout nut that spends her extra time biking, running or swimming). i  did get to hear her awesome ironman experience (she did it in july).