Crystal's weigh in 3/24/11

This post is a little late, but better late than never.  So, I weighed in last Thursday.  I knew it wasn't going to be good since I had basically taken most of the week off.  I was pleasantly surprise when I had only gained 0.8 lbs.  I know a gain isn't good, but I feel like this was a controlled gain considering the way my week went.  I did however lose 1 3/4" more this week so that to me makes up for the 0.8 lb gain.  I'm not happy with the gain, but it could have been a whole lot worse.  Here's the breakdown of measurements:

Chest 42.5" stayed the same

Hips 51.5" lost 1"

Waist 42.5" gained 1/2"

Arms 15.5" stayed the same

Thighs 25 3/4" lost 0.8"

Calves 17" lost 1/2"

Lost a total of 1 3/4" for a total of 22 1/4" lost

 Down 5.6 lbs total for 5 weeks.  I'm not happy about this number, but I'm more happy with the inches.  Starting to notice changes in the pictures.  I'm happy with that too!  Here's to a better week!

~Crystal

Hope's Weigh In ~ March 26, 2011

I apologize for not posting pictures the last couple of weeks, but I have been super busy and just haven't had the time.  I think I might just take measurements and post pictures once a month.  I will continue to post my weight on Saturdays. (That's quick and easy!)

I lost 2.8 pounds this week and have lost a total of 13.2.  Getting back on track this week has paid off.  I am running jogging at least 2 miles a day in preparation for the 5K in May.  So far, I have lost a total of 1.5" in my waist, 2" in my hips, 1" in my bust, 0.5" in my arms, 1.5" in my thighs, and 2 dress sizes.  It's only been a little over a month and I feel so much healthier already.  I can't wait to see my results in another month or so.

A much needed break

I hate to say this, but I'm kind of glad I got sick.  It must have been my body telling me to take a break.  I've been going full throttle on Weight Watchers and have been doing so good.  I just needed a break.  So, I may be weak for taking a break, but I needed it.  I don't know what it was, I just needed a few days off from exercising, from eating 100% right and from tracking.  But after weighing in I do regret taking the break.  I'm not going to beat myself up for taking the break, I'm just going to get back in the saddle and jump back in with both feet and buckle down and get back to exercising and tracking all the good food I need to be eating.  Don't judge me for my moment of weakness!
~Crystal

A talk with the doc

Last week when I was sick I had made an appointment to see my family doctor.  Little did I know I would be diagnosed with pleurisy, bronchitis and a touch of pneumonia!  Well, while I was there I showed him my before picture and then my pictures from that week and I also (like a nerd) showed him my Excel spreadsheet of my measurements from the beginning until that date.  He was impressed with my progress.  I asked him about losing all the inches and not losing up until that week when I lost 5.8 lbs.  He said, just like everyone else has said, that inches are better than pound because you are toning the muscle and shrinking the fat.  He leaned back against the cabinet and held out both of his hands.  He said to imagine the same weight of muscle in one hand and fat in the other.  He asked which one looked bigger the muscle or the fat, well obviously the fat looks bigger.  He said that because the fat has more volume it looks bigger, but weighs the same as muscle.  So, I've lost all these inches, but I've shrank the fat and gained more muscle tone.  He also said that the first month I won't notice much difference in the scale, but more in inches and clothing fitting differently.  Then he said the second month is when the body is getting used to all the changes and you'll start to notice more on the scale.  Then he said by the third month I should really start to see some changes and others will notice the changes too.  You have to know my relationship with my doctor, I tell him like it is and he does the same.  There's no uncomfortable feelings when I go to see him.  I've discussed this issue of weight before with him and I asked him what was different this time.  He said that my heart is what is different.  I've started this blog with Hope and it's out there for the whole world to see.  He also said that I've come to him before for a quick fix or a pill to help with the weight loss and that isn't what I need.  He said you need to do it for you and he was very happy with the progress that I am making.  I felt better about only having lost the 5.8 lbs after talking with him and was even more happy with losing the 20 1/2 inches!  Thanks Doc!
~Crystal

Let me redeem myself...

After taking the weekend off, I decided to try to run on the treadmill tonight.  Instead of running at 6.3 mph, like I had been doing, I slowed it down to 4.3 mph.  To my surprise, I was able to run 1.5 miles without stopping!  I walked an eighth of a mile and ran some more.  I ran 3 miles in 43:30, only walking a total of a quarter mile of it. (I walked twice for an eighth of a mile.)  I will definitely be able to run the 5K without stopping in May.  I am so excited, and am starting to enjoy running, which I never thought possible.
~Hope

Hope's Weigh In ~ March 19, 2011

Sorry for getting this post out late, but I have been super busy lately.  I also don't have my pictures, but hope to have them tomorrow.  I had been doing very well with with my eating and exercising on the treadmill, that is, until I got shin splints.  I have not been on the treadmill since Wednesday, and I did not stick to my points the last three days.  I figured that after a month of hitting it hard, I would take a little break, and then back to the grind on Monday.  That being said, here is the damage:

Weight:  191 lbs.  (+1.6 from last week)
I lost a half an inch each in my thighs, arms, and hips, but I gained a half an inch in my waist. 

I'm not too worried about it since I ate three pieces of pepperoni pizza Friday night and ate a cupcake on Saturday.  That, along with the lack of exercise, made a difference.  I am not puzzled or shocked.  After a much needed break from being so serious, I will be back at it tomorrow.
~Hope

Crystal's Weigh In 3/17/11

Well, today was my weigh in day.  I've been doing this for over a month now and I was expecting to see some movement on the scale.  Not that I haven't been happy with the inches lost, but I was wanting to see that stupid number go down on the scale.  When Margo weighed me in at WW she said do you want your star now or in the meeting.  I thought, star for what?  She handed me a 5lb star!!  Then she said you're going to be pleasantly surprise when you look at your book.  I WAS!!!  Down 5.8lbs!!!!  Thank God!!  I was starting to get worried something was wrong with me.  I had also measured myself before I went to WW and I was down another 6" for the week...that brings me to 20 1/2" for the last 4 weeks!!  That is so wonderful to me!! 

Here's my measurements

Chest 2/17/11 ~ 49"

Chest 3/17/11 ~ 42.5" (down 6.5")

Hips 2/17/11 ~ 56"

Hips 2/17/11 ~ 52.5 (down 3.5")

Waist 2/17/11 ~ 48"

Waist 2/17/11 ~ 42" (down 6")

Arms 2/17/11 ~ 17"

Arms 3/17/11 ~ 15.5" (down 1.5")

Thighs 2/17/11 ~ 29"

Thighs 3/17/11 ~ 26.5 (down 2.5")

Calves 2/17/11 ~ 18"

Calves 3/17/11 ~ 17.5 (down 1/2")

So glad I've been tracking these measurements all along!!!  I'm continuing on to the next month of this journey!

~Crystal

OUCH!

I finally ran a half mile without stopping tonight!  I was stuck on a quarter of a mile for over a week.  The bad news is, now I feel as though someone literally tried to hack my legs off with an ax, midway down my shins.  They hurt so badly!!  I was so determined to increase my running distance, that now I think I will have to take a couple days off to try to recoup.  I need to remember that slow and steady wins the race.  If I try to do more than my body is ready for, I am actually doing more harm than good.  Bummer!
~Hope

Crystal's Weigh in and Measurements 3/10/11

I have been putting off this post for a couple of days now.  I had a very bad week last week with the food and with the exercise.  I still tracked my food, but just made some bad food choices.  I've reigned it back in this week and am trying to stay more on top of the food and exercise, but I realized I'm pushing myself too hard with the exercise.  I've been trying to do the C25K program, but after every run I'm so winded and can't catch my breath.  My husband says you have to walk before you can run so that's what I'm focusing on right now.  I'm going to try to get my walking in and try to walk faster and faster until I work up to a running pace.  It doesn't help that last night I developed an awful cough and am wondering if exercise will make it worse.  I'm going to try it today and see if it helps or makes it worse. 

So, here are the results of my last week weigh in.  I had a gain!  I gained 0.8 lb!  I was so frustrated with this!  I am so thankful I've been taking my measurements though because if I hadn't then I would have really been frustrated with the whole situation.  I did manage to lose another 3" which brings me to a total of 14.5", but I was looking for a loss on the scale.  Several people have told me that the # on the scale doesn't matter...that the amount of inches make a difference...how you feel in your clothes matters...muscle weighs more than fat...blah, blah, blah.  I wanted to see that stupid # on the scale go down!!  On top of all that, trying to run and it's just not working for me, now I have to go back to walking.  I feel like I've taken 2 giant steps backwards.  I can finally tell a difference in the pictures and that should matter to me, but somehow I'm stuck in that mindset of wanting to see that # on the scale go down. 

THE SCALE IS MY NEMESIS!!  I am getting up right now and taking the scale to the garage and taking out the battery and when my husband gets home I'm asking him to hide the scale from me.  I know I've said that before, but I'm doing it right now.  Here I go!!  Be right back!!

That feels so liberating!  I have been addicted to the scale the last 3 weeks and I'm not going to let it dictate how I feel about the day by getting on it every morning!

Here's hoping that this week gets better!

~Crystal

Grape dessert

I LOVE grape salad, but the kind I like I'm sure isn't very point+ friendly.  When I found this recipe for Creamy Grape Dessert on Skinny Taste's website I was so happy.  It is 4 points+ for 1/8th of the dessert.

The only thing I was leery of was the greek yogurt.  I HATE, I mean HATE yogurt.  There's something about the way it tastes like soured milk that I just can't bring myself to eat it.  I thought the sugar would cancel out the sourness in the yogurt, but I was still able to taste it a little bit.  It wasn't too bad though and I'll just have to adjust my taste buds to it.

~Crystal

Spinach Stuffed Shells

Here's another recipe I found and tried from Skinny Taste's website.  I decided to try the spinach stuffed shells with meat sauce.  They were time consuming to make, but well worth it.  Three shells with a little bit of sauce is 8 points+.  I didn't have enough filling to fill all the shells so I was able to have 4 shells for what I figured on the Points+ calculator for 10 points.  You should check Gina's website to for the exact points values and measurements.

This wasn't something that my kids liked, but I did tell them they had to eat one to try it.  They did and decided it wasn't their favorite.  Craig liked it and I had enough left over to make 3 helpings and I put them in the freezer for a quick lunch or dinner for later.  This was a keeper in my book, but for Craig and I only.

~Crystal

Turkey Cutlets

I wanted to find some recipes that my whole family would enjoy.  I looked on Skinny Taste and My Kitchen Adventures websites and found several that I wanted to try.  The first one I decided to try was turkey cutlets with Parmesan crust from Skinny Taste's website.  They were so good and the kids loved them, which to me is so important they like the things that I need to be eating.  My goal is to not have to cook 3 different meals for everyone i.e. something for me, something for my kids and something for my husband.  My daughter thought it tasted like country fried steak...I think I'll let her keep thinking that! ;-) 

5 points+ for a 4 oz cutlet

Very delicious and I felt like I was indulging in something.

~Crystal

Hope's Weigh In ~ March 12, 2011

Happy weigh in day!!  I don't have pictures to post yet, but I will try to get that done this afternoon after my husband gets home from work.  I do, however, want to share my weigh in results with you.

My stats for the week of March 12:

Weight:   189.4 (-4 lbs, -12 lbs total)

Arms:      14 in. (-0.5 in., -0.5 in. total)

Hips:       44.5 in.(-1.5 in., -1.5 in. total)

Bust:       41in. (-1 in., -2 in. total)

Waist:     39.5 in. (-1 in., -1.5 in. total)

Thighs:    24.5 in. (-0.5 in., -1 in. total)

Dress/Pant Size:  16 (-2 total)

Total inches lost:  8.5 in.

I am so happy to finally see the inches coming off as well as the pounds.  I talked to my mom yesterday, and she told me that she and my dad could tell a difference in my weight when they saw me on Thursday.  It was so nice to hear.  I still have a long way to go, but I do feel that weighing 150 by my birthday on July 4th is  an attainable goal.  I have increased my running time on the treadmill and can almost run 1/2 mile without stopping now.  Training to run the 5K has really helped to shed the pounds.  Last week, I logged 30 activity points, which is more than 1 day's worth of food.  It feels good to be taking charge of my life again, and feeling that if I want to do something, I will just do it.  I am actually looking forward to this summer and all of the outdoor activities with the kids.

Remember how I bought jeans last weekend in a smaller size?  They are already too loose!  I have to wear a belt to keep them up.  When I logged my numbers into the Weight Watchers Weight Tracker this morning, a window popped up to congratulate me on losing 5% of my starting weight, but then also said that I was losing weight faster than recommended, and that I could consult a doctor for suggestions on slowing down my weight loss.  I don't think that I will be doing that!  I am not doing anything unhealthy.  I am following the Weight Watchers points guidelines and training for a 5K, so I will just leave it at that, and celebrate the lost inches and pounds. 

Well, there you have my weigh in results, and I will try to post pictures later today, possibly tonight.

~Hope

A big thank you!!

I just have to say a big thank you to everyone that is reading this blog and is commenting on what we have to say.  I have to admit that when we started this blog I didn't think we would inspire or encourage any but ourselves.  After reading the comments that have been nothing but supportive, I can say I was wrong.  People are reading our blog and are saying the nicest of things.  We are getting support from so many different people and places.  All the comments are so helpful on those days when you're just not feeling good about your eating or exercise for the day.  It also helps when you see people that read the blog and they say such supportive things.  I got so many nice words today at my morning Weight Watcher meeting.  I have to say thank you to Stacy, Peggy and my leader Elizabeth for all the nice words that you say and all the encouragement that you all have given me.  Thank you to all of our followers, even if you're following anonymously.
~Crystal

Hope~ Downsizing!

As of this morning, I only had two pairs of jeans.  I know that it sounds ridiculous, but when you have four kids, and you're overweight, buying new clothes for yourself is not a priority.  This afternoon, I took my son Carter shopping for some jeans, because the way he rough houses all the time, most of his have holes in the knees.  Since we were already shopping, I decided to try on some jeans.  I didn't have high expectations because for the past couple of years here is how my clothes shopping has gone:

1. Find lots of items that I like and take them to the dressing room.
2. Glance in the mirror and think that I always look fatter in the store mirrors than I do at home.
3. Try on each item only to find that it doesn't fit the way that it should, or that I can't even get it on at all.
4. Leave the dressing room feeling discouraged and disgusted, and wondering if it's possible to win the lottery to be able to afford liposuction.

So, as I walked into the dressing room with my three pairs of jeans, I was thinking, Why are you doing this to yourself?  Then, I noticed that I had grabbed a size smaller than I normally wear.  Great!  But, instead of going back out and getting my size, I tried on the first pair, and.....THEY FIT!!  I couldn't believe it.  I thought that maybe they were mistagged, so I tried on the next pair.  They fit too!  The third pair fit too!  The amazing thing was that they all fit AND they actually looked good on.  I can't tell you how happy I am to have had a positive shopping experience.  I ended up only purchasing one pair of jeans for myself, because I have high hopes of needing a smaller size next month.
~Hope

Crystal's end of Week 2 pictures

Here are my obligatory end of week 2 pictures.  Still not seeing much in the way of shrinkage in the photos, but I'm happy with what's happened so far.  I must be doing something right because people are noticing.  I thought I'd have to lose a lot more before they notice.  They are either being nice or they genuinely think I've shrank.

 There you have it.  My end of week 2 photos. 

~Crystal

Hope's Weigh In

I had to change my weigh in day from Thursday to Saturday.  I am just way too busy on Thursdays to get it done. 

So, here are my stats:

Weight ~ 193.4 lbs (-5.4 lbs since last week, -8 lbs total)
arms~ 14.5 in (same)
waist~ 40.5 in (-0.5 in)
bust~ 42 in (-1 in)
hips~ 46 in (same)
thighs~ 25 in (-0.5 in)

I still can't really tell a difference in the pictures, but I can tell in my clothes.  I will keep watching what I eat and exercising.  I am happy with the 8 lb. total weight loss, and look forward to seeing what next week holds.

~Hope

Crystal's weigh in day

Well, today was the 2nd weigh in day for me..the end of week 2 weigh in.  Before I went to WW today I measured myself. 

Here's the breakdown of my measurements:

• -1/2" in my chest
• -1/2" in my hips
• -1/2" in my waist
• -1/2" in my arms
• -1 1/2" in my thighs
• -1/4" in my calves
• Total 3 3/4"!!!
• Total for the 2 weeks 11 3/4"

Now on to my weight...I have to say I was a little disappointed...I know I shouldn't be because a loss is a loss, but I just thought I'd see a bigger number this week.  I lost 1.4 lbs...so now I'm down to 244.8 lbs.  I'm not letting this slow me down or stop me.  I'm going to keep on keeping on and hope to see the number go down little by little each week.  On to week 3!! 

P.S. I think I need a pat on the back...I am 18 days Diet Coke sober!!  I have also exercised every day but 2 out of the last 2 weeks.  Making lifestyle changes!!

My Kitchen Adventures

I stumbled upon another fantastic site that offers a variety of recipes with the Weight Watchers point values already calculated.  It is My Kitchen Adventures.  I cannot wait to try some of the dishes, especially when I saw fudge on the list! 
~Hope

Gina's Skinny Recipes

I have been really worried about cooking dinners that my family will enjoy without killing my Weight Watchers points. I had come to grips with the fact that I was going to have to make a dinner for myself (probably chicken), and then prepare an entirely separate dish for the rest of the family.  Well, Crystal came to the rescue when she shared a site that she had discovered.  It's called Gina's Skinny Recipes, and it has been a life saver!  Gina provides a plethora of recipes including everything from appetizers, to main courses, to desserts!  The best part is that she has already calculated the Weight Watcher's points for you.  All you have to do is follow the recipe, eat the serving size, and then log in your points.  How simple is that?!  I absolutely LOVE it! 

On Sunday, I made the Petite Turkey Meatloaves.  I followed Gina's recipe, but when it came time to divide the mixture into four mini loaves, I divided it into five patties instead.  The meatloaves were 5 points apiece, so I calculated that the patties were only 4 points each.  Everyone in the family enjoyed their meal, and I was happy that we were all eating the same thing.  I think Gina's site will help me avoid burnout by providing me with delicious, healthy alternatives to just plain chicken.

Here is what I ate for dinner:

Meal Breakdown:

1 Turkey Burger ~ 4 pts

1 Healthy Life Whole Grain Sandwich Bun ~ 3 pts

8 Kroger Sweet Potato Crinkle Cut Fries ~ 2 pts

Total Points ~ 9

It was a pretty filling meal.  For Gina's Petite Turkey Meatloaves recipe, click here. 

You won't be disappointed!

~Hope