Thank You, Awesome Annie

I've written about joining Weight Watchers last fall several times, but generally I don't post about it. Quite unexpectedly I've really enjoyed attending meetings. I liked the people I met, got a lot out of our discussions and was greatly encouraged by Annie, our Wednesday morning Weight Watcher leader. Annie is on hiatus for the summer starting this week and today was our last meeting for awhile with her.

This is the my favorite picture from today's meeting. I think Annie looks great, but generally Annie is smiling, with a big gorgeous smile.  

I tried several meetings before I landed at Wednesday mornings. I initially thought I wanted to attend a meeting with mostly retired people, but I soon realized I liked a "mix" at the meetings and this energetic young woman was a great leader, thoughtful, funny and supportive.

What I like best about my hour at Weight Watchers is that it is totally a no-judgment and no-competition zone. I can't remember anyone being critical of another member and we cheer on every success and console at every disappointment. It's one of the best environments I know and the support and good ideas have helped me lose twenty plus pounds in the last eight months.

It's not the amount I had hoped to lose and it's going a little slower than I like, but I'm healthier and feeling better than I thought I could be. I've stopped worrying about how long it will take me to get to my goal weight and realize another two, three or six months doesn't matter. The thing that matters is continuing on the journey to health.

I have a "goal" number in mind, but I'm still up in the air about it. I know it's not going to be my high school weight, as attractive as it seems. But I don't have a seventeen year old metabolism anymore and it would be torturous to try and maintain that number. My goal is to be healthy and to have everything in my closet fit. The latter would be a complete novelty and fabulous.

I would be remiss to not thank the awesome Annie for all of her support. Annie says we do the work and we deserve all the cheering, but I know that a great coach has a lot to do with victory. Annie, you've been a fabulous coach and I can't wait to welcome you back for the next season. Wishing you a great summer!

It's taking me a few days to get back to my routines after my New England weekend. But I was back to the gym, back to Weight Watchers and to grocery shopping and emails and a library visit is planned for Friday. None of it is exotic, but I enjoy my regular life along Broadway very much, too.

As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a happy summer day!

Goal #1...(Physically) Less of Me to Love

When I wrote about my perfect word for 2015 last week, "Climb" I wrote that I had four goals for the year, as well, and that I would be sharing them during January. We're now solidly into January and after jury duty I have returned to the pursuit of these dreams. I've done some work on all four, but have really put a focus on two this last week. I'm going to write about the first of these dreams/goals today, losing weight.

  Temptation around every corner -- cake, pie and more cake at a local diner.

 

I am the veteran of hundreds of diets. I've never counted, but it's been an endless parade. Weight watchers, low carb, low fat, paleo and the B6 Cider Lecithin diet of 1975 are just a few. Some worked better than others, but emotional eating always got the best of me. My trip to Savannah this October nudged something inside of me. I was travelling with friends I had met in a Weight Watchers chat group a dozen years ago. Of the five of us, three had come close to their Weight Watcher goals, one in the last year. We did less snacking on this trip, even though we were in one of the great food cities of America and we did a lot of walking. I was amazed and thrilled to find that I hadn't gained an ounce while I was in Savannah. It was just the impetus I needed to go back to Weight Watchers. The day after my return to New York I was a returning member. 

 

I made a commitment that I wouldn't miss a meeting and I wouldn't give up quickly, and I've stuck to it. I tried several different meetings and found one that I really enjoy on Wednesday mornings. I track my food, plan my meals and treats and read labels carefully. I quickly realized during jury duty that eating lunch out every day, especially with the alluring restaurants of Chinatown a block away, would be the undoing of my efforts. I began to bring my lunch and my treat was coffee or a diet soda. This is the first time I can remember that I did not gain three/four/five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years and look at my closet with complete despair in January. I am down one size and my next aim is another size. I'm not thinking about how many pounds I'd like to lose, but focusing on the good changes I'm making. The thing that most surprises me is I don't feel deprived and sad about what I'm giving up, but so pleased with what I'm getting, a trimmer and healthier me. 

I didn't write about Weight Watchers or even mention it to many friends because I was concerned I wouldn't stick with it. But I happily have and getting trimmer is a major goal for 2015. It's not a new year's resolution, but an ongoing effort to get healthier. My only new year's resolution is however about food. I'm giving up kale for 2015. I've tried and tried to like it and I'm done with kale. I'm eating healthy, but I'm giving up all efforts to force myself to eat kale.

Yes, it's really cold in New York, but I got myself dressed in many layers for a walk this afternoon. I keep remembering that I grew up in New England and in 1958 I would have been walking to school and back twice a day in weather just like this. That may be the equivalent of all the stories of olden times and walking five miles to school in a blizzard, and so be it. I am a fan of getting out for "fresh air" and it actually felt good. 

As always, thanks so much for visiting. Take care keep cozy!
 

The Road to Hell is Paved with Bags of Mini Candy Bars...

...Not Literally, of course. 

I stopped at the grocery tonight to pick up a few things for the week. I was hungry and feeling a lot less than my most perky Buttercup self, which is the worst time to grocery shop. I've been eating so healthily since my return from BlogHer and I've made every effort to stick to a list when I grocery shop, which saves both money and calories. My list did include a single sized serving of one of my favorite flavors of ice cream, mint chocolate chip. 

Alas, no cups of mint chocolate chip, and I was able to walk away from the other alluring treats. But as I rounded the aisle I just about walked into the very early Halloween candy display. I love candy, and it doesn't have to be anything fancy. I am content with a Hershey bar or a KitKat. The mini-bars are the most treacherous for me. They are small and look so innocent, but the first one is just a tease and before I know it I've had three or four, and there is a pile of little candy wrappers all around. It took every ounce of determination to wheel my cart past this tower of temptation. But I am pleased to say I wheeled right to the fruit section and placed a container of watermelon in my cart.  

This was my first victory over candy for the 2014 Halloween season. I know it's going to be a tough fight, but mini-candy bars, you're not going to beat Buttercup this year. You've had your seasons, but this one belongs to me.  

As always, thanks for stopping by. So enjoy my visitors and wish you all a wonderful Wednesday. 

One Day to V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N...

I'll be here in just about 36 hours, but who's counting?

I can barely wait! I came back from lunch today and thought it was Wednesday and started pushing the buttons on the phone madly to dial into a conference call...24 hours early. I've started to get organized, including having my passport ready for our trip to Canada.

Thanks all, for your terrific support for my healthy eating. This is about the time I start to get frustrated that my progress isn't going faster and just go off to eat anything I want, generally with lots of sugar and salt. Today's "vices" included spinach, carrots, banana and grapes and no diet soda. No matter what the scale says tomorrow, I know I ate well today.



I'm going to get the new chip for my camera tomorrow and promise lots of wonderful pictures when I get back from the North Country.

Weekend Update

No, this isn't Saturday Night Live, which does a "Weekend Update" each week. But I'm thinking that Monday is a good day to update on my on-going projects.

Counting Calories...I'm down another half a pound. I'm pleased. This is a number I haven't seen in a little over a year and I still feel motivated. I'm eating more fruit and veggies and less processed foods, including diet soda and drinking more water.

The Television Project...Still no word from either Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray. Don't they like me? I'm starting to take this personally. I know I would be an enthusiastic guest.

There seems to be a problem with my photo chip and I can't download pictures. One of my errands before going on vacation is to buy a new chip. I can't go away without being able to take and share pictures!

Not to rush the seasons...I try not to do that (except for spring!), but as I turned an aisle at the Dollar Store there was lots of red and green, in place of the summer decorations. I still am dreaming one last summer dream and then I will begin to think of pumpkins and red and gold leaves and all the joys of the autumn. Wishing you a great week, dear and gentle readers.

Hurry, Autumn...

...it is so hot here!

I shouldn't really be complaining, but it is hot. Not quite sidewalk melting hot or thunderstorm at four in the afternoon hot like Nashville, but it is still hot. It is too hot to stand in an unairconditioned subway car as I did this morning. The heat should let up in a few days and the apartment feels great, but at least a few times today I started to think about apples and sweaters and the coming of the beautiful autumn.

Updates! I have lost half a pound. Not monumental, but the scale is going in the correct direction.

I have emailed for tickets to Saturday Night Live, Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray and no word, though I got a very nice form response from Martha Stewart. Don't Martha and Rachel like me? I know I would be a good guest. Will keep you posted.

Thank you all for your nice comments about the Boston trip. I don't think I am especially brave, but I feel quite comfortable in most places for a few days by myself. After that I get lonely and desperately start to wish for friends to eat dinner with and chat about the sights.

Wishes to all for a sweet and healthy week, and of course prayers for Amy!

Buttercup Counts her Calories or Goodbye 30

I've been thinking about this post for a few weeks and in an effort for accountability I am posting about an issue that is mighty in my life, weight! I'm not sure there's been a time in my life when I haven't been thinking about my weight. Not always doing anything constructive about it, but it looms in my thoughts. I have probably been on every diet imaginable -- Dr. Atkins, South Beach, Cider Vinegar and countless visits to Weight Watchers. But for the last few years especially, nothing has stuck and I am carrying around at least 30 more pounds than I would like, or is healthy.

I turn 60 next summer and a gift I would like to give myself is to be 30 pounds thinner. Right now I am thinking about posting once a week on my progress to my goal. Would anyone like to join me? If not in a weekly post, I appreciate encouragement or even, as Penniwig might say, a good flailing when needed.

Buttercup will now be counting blessings and calories!