Posts Tagged Journaling
A Challenging Weekend
Today’s a confessional post. No, it’s not about midnight eating — I’ve been in the clear for a while.
I am struggling with my journaling on Sparkpeople. Not the act of journaling — I’m a pro at that. But rather about a pickle I’ve gotten myself into. See, my caloric range is 1270-1570. Not terrible, provided I stick to it; it’s a perfectly acceptable range and most days, totally do-able.
I’ve discovered on WW I was eating too much to lose. I lose when I’m in the 1400-1500 range with my usual exercise (which would be basically WW target points plus a couple Flex) but the past two weeks, after a kick-ass first week back on Sparkpeople, I’ve simply not been able to get it together.
What I mean is, I had one high day two weeks ago, and I’ve been “buying calories” for the next day ever since … Technically this isn’t cheating, as I am not going above my limit for the week, but it’s cheating because I am not in my range that one day.
And I gained last week — the same 1.4 I’d lost the previous week. Sure, it could have been a fluke (I hadn’t weighed in all week and didn’t this weekend, either) but I am sure eating at the high end of my range isn’t helping me any. (more…)
20 comments February 2, 2009
… And a Bit of Rejuvenation
They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
The only time I’ve seen results in terms of weight loss was last winter/spring when I was journaling on Sparkpeople, when I was doing something “different”. Still journaling, just paying attention in a different way.
And so I see a couple reasons already why journaling on Sparkpeople, instead of Weight Watchers, is going to benefit me. (more…)
13 comments January 15, 2009
Making Lemonade Out of Lemons
So it’s no secret that I’ve gained some weight this fall/winter; I’m about 5 from where I was last summer and about 10 from my comfortable weight.
I can see it in pictures, in the mirror … it’s there, and there’s no denying it.
So before 10 becomes 15, I would like to capitalize on my hardwiring as an anxious person and use that anxiousness to make lemonade out of lemons.
I’m still a loyal online WW member and have been since 2004 … which is even more perplexing as to how I’ve gained without going over my Points — the only culprit I can think of is the wrong choices within my points, since I am still working out the same and not even eating those APs I earn.
But I digress.
I’m not here to ressurect the past, only to look ahead to what can be done going forward. Last winter/spring, I lost about 7 lbs. by continuing on WW and also journaling on Sparkpeople.com, a free weight-loss jounaling site that actually shows you the nutritional breakdown of your foods in terms of calories, fat, fiber, carbs, etc.
Now, this summer I quit Sparkpeople cold turkey because I was journaling there, plus counting Points, plus keeping a spreadsheet that would make even an accountant cringe, it was that nitty-gritty.
It was obsessive to the extremes, and it just made me more fixated on food. (more…)
9 comments January 14, 2009
Weights & Measures
Yesterday Lee over at For the Love of Peanut Butter (one of my favorite blogs about one woman’s amazing recovery from her ED) raised some really insightful and thought-provoking points about the dilemmas surrounding weighing and measuring food.
She notes that, as a former restricter, once she was out of her treatment, she initially weighed and measured meticulously, wanting to be sure she wasn’t going over what was recommended by her meal plans. Naturally, there was still that fear of eating too much.
Then, as time went on, she has gotten to a happier, calmer, more comfortable place where she feels she can eyeball some foods and simply doesn’t want to/need to rely on the tools anymore.
She doesn’t want to be tied to measuring cups and spoons and food scales, and she wants to trust her body — not rely on a measuring spoon to say, “too much PB today”!
I admire her a ton for her honesty and her insight, and say “Way to go!” for her determination to find freedom through leaving her utensils in their respective drawers.
Yet as a devoted Weight Watcher (who has admittedly never dealt with true restriction — Weight Watchers has minimums and I have never came close to those Points values), I’m mixed on how I feel about this approach for me. (more…)
26 comments January 13, 2009
Upcoming: Weight Watchers Unveiling New Program Sunday
From what I’m hearing through the grapevine (as I’m an online-only member) on December 7, Weight Watchers will unveil its (much-hyped but unknown-as-of-now) new program.
Each December, the company tweaks its current programs, and then every two years or so, the brains behind the program come up with an entirely new plan, often disbanding an existing plan in favor of a new one.
Some people stick to what they love and have had success with; others embrace the new plan with gusto.
Let’s be honest … after Thanksgiving and before Christmas/New Year’s, many people are desperate to try anything.
In no way do I know what this new plan will be. But I have to admit, I’m excited to see what it has to offer. I like to see how the program has evolved since I began WW in 2004. (more…)
4 comments December 2, 2008
Study Cites Journaling Key to Losing Weight
According to a brand-spanking new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, keeping a food journal is a “powerful tool in helping people lose weight.”
Really?! You’re kidding! Um, does this strike anyone else as a Big Fat “Duh”?
Of course if you’re journaling every BLT (bite/lick/taste), you will be more successful at losing weight! The evidence is right there. It’s plain as day:
-That sample pita with hummus spread at Whole Foods you tested (and bought!).
-The bite of leftover mac-n-cheese off your kid’s plate.
-The swipe of peanut butter left on the knife after making a sandwich.
-The pack of sugar-free gum you (ok, I!) chewed through yesterday.
It all counts; it all has calories. And even if you’re not counting calories (because I’m not counting calories right now–remember, I quit journaling on Sparkpeople!) writing a detailed food log of what — and how much — you eat speaks volumes. (more…)
Add comment July 8, 2008
