#133 6 week check-in

Tonight was my sixth week of Weight Watcher weigh-ins. This week I only lost .8 of a pound. Though it did not meet my goal of 2 pounds, it was still a loss and I'm OK with it. The nice lady at the scale told me that I was doing a great job to be down 15 pounds in 6 weeks, so that made me feel good.

I was pretty sure that I'd lose around a pound this week. I've been thinking about what was different this week from previous weeks, not to make excuses, but to learn. The first thing that comes to mind is that this is the first week I've felt hungry during the day. There have been a few days this week when I haven't used all my points. One of the first things that I learned in the classes was that I must use all my target points each day. I know now that when I don't, I get hungry and it doesn't do me any good to be hungry. Starving myself is not the way to lose weight.

One of the reasons I've been hungry during the day is that I've been really busy and a little stressed at work and although I bring healthy snacks, like an apple, for instance, I haven't taken a little minute to go get it. That's pretty easy to fix, and I'll do that.

Another thing that was different this week is that I haven't been getting enough sleep. On my best weight loss weeks, I go to bed by 10:00 and have lights out by 10:30. I usually wake up between 5:00 and 5:30, and I've got to have at least seven hours of sleep.

So three things to work on next week: get to bed on time; snack during the day; use all my points every day.

Even though I didn't lose as much weight as I wanted, there were some good things that happened this week:

• I mowed the entire front lawn for the first time ever (at this house).
• I've done a good job getting my body in motion and doing at least some exercise almost every day.
• I carried a load of laundry up two full flights of stairs without feeling winded.
• I noticed that when I look down on my own face, I don't see my cheeks. (Does that make sense?)
• My clothes are noticeably looser, and not just to me. Several people have commented on it.
• With the exception of last Friday, I've still been making good food choices. (Friday I was in Pocatello and I enjoyed the 4th of July bbq!)
• I don't feel deprived. I feel like I can choose what I want, and I try to make good choices.
• I'm still really focused on achieving my goal. I can see it, just a few weeks away, and it is going to feel amazing to reach that first goal of 25 pounds. It blows me away to think about it and I WANT IT!

The topic at the WW meeting tonight was about doing the work it takes to remove the weight. The leader says that dieting is not about perfection, it is about perseverance. This is a long-term commitment; it took awhile to put the weight on and it will take awhile to get rid of it. I've just got to stay the course and work it.

So that's my update for the week. Tomorrow T and I are going to California to visit my parents. On Sunday we'll take the train to San Diego to visit my sister and her sweetheart and see the Padres/Braves baseball game. Is there anything better than Sunday afternoon at the ballpark? I'm really looking forward to it. I don't think I was able to catch a Padres game last year. I really love MLB. Neither the Pads nor the Braves are very good this year, but someone will win and I'll enjoy being there.

One more note on the weight loss thing regarding this weekend: I'm going to have at least one In and Out Burger. I'm going to have nachos and a beer at the ball game, and I'm not going to feel bad about it at all. I've got my extra points that WW allows each week, and if I use them all this weekend, that's OK. I will take care of myself, and I won't deprive myself of these treats. Like I said, I'm making a lifestyle change here, and I won't lose all the weight in a few months. It will take time and I need to be able to splurge a little here and there to make it worthwhile.

So there.

Have a great weekend!