Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

I forgot to add this picture last week. My mom graciously brought me a Shorty's chopped salad and soup. I LOVE this salad! It was a good way to end the week.

It was really cold last week. Thankfully, the temps have started to rise a bit. It isn't a good sign when 20 degrees feels warm.

I am proud Ohio State Buckeyes fan! This was a fun little treat to have during the game. True confession - I couldn't stay awake to see the whole thing.

Yes, that is an entire stick of butter on my pot roast. You must try this Mississippi Pot Roast! It is so yummy and super easy!

I went to the gym 3 times this week - twice bright and early in the morning. It has been good to start getting active!

Slow and Steady

Have you made a resolution to be healthy? I make that resolution almost every year, and nothing ever happens. I always have good intentions, but intentions don't help me lose weight.

I am taking a different approach to being healthy this year. I am focusing on small areas that will (hopefully) lead to bigger changes. This week, I am focusing on sleep and water.

I like to go to bed early and I can usually get right out of bed and start moving. But the last few months, I have been going to bed later, which means that I am more tired when I wake up, but I still stay up late and then i am more tired the next day. It was a vicious cycle. So this week to help balance my sleep out, I have been trying to have lights out at 10. It hasn't worked out this way every night, but I am making an effort. I have also stopped using my iPad at 9, which I think helps wind me down after the day. I have been waking up more refreshed, so this is definitely a habit I want to keep working at.

I like water. I can drink it just as it is without any issue. I have not been drinking enough of it. Instead of buying individual water bottles, I bought gallon jugs. Then I can fill up my own glass or water bottle. I have noticed that I am drinking a lot more water, which is better for my health all around. Yesterday, I started adding a few drops of lemon essential oil into my water. It is a nice little addition!

Next week, I want to start going to the gym. I have been paying for a membership for almost a year. I think it is time to start using it. :)

Have you made any health resolutions?

The Soon-To-Be Skinny Life

I am going to admit it...I am chubby. I haven't always been this way, but I am definitely living that life now. I love food! But it finally came to a point where I needed to do something.

I joined Weight Watchers at the end of July and am happy to say that I have lost almost 12 pounds so far. I am pretty proud of myself! It feels like a big accomplishment that I am worked for a little bit at a time. I like see a double digit total weight loss. But I still have a long way to go before I can concentrate on maintaining my weight.

I have done Weight Watchers in the past and never lost a significant amount of weight. My head is in it this time so I have a plan in place and am being good about my food decisions. I have not splurged one time since starting. However, this weekend may be the first. (I will explain in an upcoming post.)

It isn't fun controlling portion sizes and monitoring everything that goes in my mouth. But it is what I have to do right now so I can be healthy. That is really the ultimate goal and being a smaller person is a fringe benefit.

Besides posting this on my blog, my mom is the only other person that knows I am doing this. I want to surprise my brother when I see him at the end of September so he can be proud of me. He is healthy. He runs half marathons and eats right, but he also knows that it is okay to splurge once in a while. I was on the path that was more about splurging every time I ate.

My clothes are starting to feel a little more loose. While no one has commented that it looks like I am loosing weight, I can see a difference. I am not doing this to please other people. This was my choice and I am doing it for me.

The next phase to ramp up my weight loss has be exercise. I am not looking forward to that. I am going to start with walking. Since my family will be celebrating Thanksgiving at my place this year, I am going to see if my brother will do the Pittsburgh Turkey Trot with me. That will give me a little motivation to get my tail in motion.

But until I embark on the exercise phase, I am going to continue to track what I eat so I can continue to make this time successful!