Results of Week 1...

7 lbs loss for week one (1) :)

Goals for Week #2:  More water.... sticking to all dairy, veg, protein, and fat requirements.




Goals

Take a Step ... Walk a Mile

Well, I did it (& made it) through day one (1)!  As well as the rest of the week!  My intention was to blog at least every other day, but the week was INSANE!!!  I cannot believe how exhausted I was - probably the excitement of starting NS, the work week itself and attempting to fit in working out - which I managed three (3) ties this week!  Needless to say, I have more or less, through trial and error, managed to get through six (6) days... and tomorrow is my weigh in day!! :)

Day one (1) was an interesting food adventure.  I suppose since I didn't have any expectations, okay that is a lie, I had expectations... I expected the NS food to be gross and that I would have to force myself... but, I was deliciously surprised!  So I think rating my food on a scale from one (1) to five (5).

So I started my day with a NS Blueberry muffin and I was required to add a protein, so I had a hard boiled egg, along with my AM coffee.  The blueberry muffin is your standard make at home, buy from the grocery store, Weight Watchers type muffin.  This could be good or bad depending on how you look at it, but overall, it is a delicious muffin (5).

For lunch, I decided to be safe just in case... I mean, first of all, it was Monday and second of all, how can you go wrong with pasta and beef concoction? The container was a standard Chef Boyardee can (the smaller ones with the plastic lid for microwaving), it was quick to heat up and I put it on a plate to ensure a better taste (4.5).  In my experience, with canned foods, do not eat them out of the container, putting it on a plate makes them taste more pleasant... it could all be psychological but visually appealing food makes it more desirable... especially for a fatty!  I had salad as my veggie. 

In between my meals, I actually managed to remember to have my snacks (fruits and cheese lol)  I went home to have something that is comfort to me, chicken and dumplings (5).  As a kid, this was my fave meal.  I added carrots and mushrooms.  It was delicious!!!!  For dessert, I had a peanut butter cookie (5) - who is gonna not love a cookie?? :D  My biggest challenge was meeting all my food requirements, i.e. I forgot the "fat" portion in my lunch serving.

The rest of the week was decent... I had breakfast items such as the apple scone (4); Cranberry/Orange pastry (3:  only because the cranberries are too big and overtake the orange flavour since the pastry is a smaller size)and granola cereal, where I mixed in with yogurt... and then this morning, I had the Instant Apple/Cinnamon Oatmeal (5 - but you have to follow the instructions precisely).  I think that is all the breakfasts I ordered.  YOu are to have either a diary or protein serving with your NS meal, so most mornings I was having a hard boiled egg, a yogurt, or some scrambled egg beaters.

NS lunches have been pretty good, like I mentioned I had the pasta with beef (4.5) on day one, followed by Fettucini Alfredo (4), I had it with broccoli :)  Wednesday was the Cheesy Mashed Potatoes day - they were instant potatoes but OMG, I was soooooo surprised they were delish, but you do not want to have them get cold, cuz then, it is just cold mush.  My error of the day was that I forgot a protein serving.  Thursday was an off NS day b/c I had an off-site mtg I had to go to, but I did fairly well, I stayed away from the dessert and carbs, and had a piece of chicken about 5 oz, some salmon (2 oz) and salad.  I had chicken and pasta cacciatore (sp?) on Friday, but it wasn't that great, very watery and had it with cabbage and cauliflower... but this dish gets a 3.5 only because it has some chicken in it.  Saturday's lunch was a bit off, I had a chocolate peanut butter meal replacement bar b/c I slept until about 3pm and then we were off to get groceries and such, so we ended up at Wendy's - where I did well, I had the mandarin chicken salad, along with the bar.  The bar was much more pleasant than the average diet bar, it didn't have that chalky taste/feel.

My biggest fear is that I will get bored with the food, so I am trying to be creative.  I decided to have the beef and potatoes wedges for dinner, it is about a 3.5, and really only because there was so much sauce/gravy, but I suppose if you mix in a lot of veggies, it is better because then you have them to absorb it and they taste better!  Hmm, what else, oh yes, I had the thick crust cheese pizza...sort of like a pillsbury type pizza, I would say a four (4).  On Thursday, I decided to try this NS burger that every one on forums and reviews were bitchin' about - yeah it was great... I mean a solid 4.5, I added some worcestershire sauce in the heating process and it really added to the overall patty.  I ended the week with Stroganoff sauce w/noodles and veggies... and my own additional veggies - again, too much sauce but a solid three (3).  Saturday, there will be no dinner, as it is just too late due to my sleeping day.

All in all my week was successful, I have added a multi-vit at night - oh yeah, and there are desserts on NS... didn't you know?  Some are better than others, I am a big cookie fan :)  The Nacho crisps not so much, but the hubby like them... last night... the fudge brownie hit the spot... and I am glad to read I can have cool whip :)  So I am going to pick some up... additional dessert worth the mentioning:  nutrichocolates :)

Stay tuned for a weigh in.... goal for next week:  drink more H2O.  Pictures to take and implement in blog shortly...

M

At A Crossroads ...

Have you, like I, been through so many diets that with the money spent, and the pounds lost and gained, you could by now have probably a) bought a new body and b) have made two or three replicas of yourself?  That is... with every diet that you did, and re-gained the weight, was it enough weight to make a whole new you? ... Yeah, me too.

Here I am, jumping back on the weight loss wagon.  I am hoping this is the last time I am jumping on, and making a serious lifestyle change.  I don't want to dwell too much on the past, but after many years of being too thin, and struggling with eating disorder after eating disorder, I now suffer with the problem of being obese.  I never though that word would even describe me, but it doesn't and I feel sick to my stomach each time.  It started with my obsession with weight in my late teens where I decided to do the Dr. Bernstein diet - that was a huge mistake.  I was about 140 lbs at the time and wanted to go down to 120 lbs.  For my 5'3.5" height, and petite frame, 120 lbs seemed reasonable since I was no longer into the hardcore sports of dancing, skating and cheerleading as I left my high school days behind me.  Somewhere along the way, the nazi's (aka the Dr. B nurses) forced me to a mere 98 lbs.  Shocking really...

From this point on, my weight problems became an actual problem versus the aesthetic need to be skinny.  I went from 98 lbs, to 130 lbs, to 160 lbs virtually within a few months, by end of 2007, I was hitting 170 lbs.  Oh don't get me wrong, I tried more diets in between, WW, JC, nutritionists, PTs, meal replacements, but no avail.  My good friend and I decided to do something about our weight together.  We joined SS - SS was good, and I was successful... and within 5 months, I was 5 lbs away from my goal weight at the time of 135 lbs.  What happened?  A condition that I didn't know was plaguing me, depression, anxiety and diabetes.  So here I am in 2010, not only hitting 200 lbs but actually 205 lbs.  After being diagnosed with PCOS, working through the depression/anxiety, and taking the steps to make my life happy - I am now reaching fork in the road, and have opted to take the path to finding myself under these layers and layers of blubber.

My first problem is that I do not know how to properly balance my carbs, fats, veggies/fruits, dairy and proteins... in fact, what I do know, is that I am a junk food, carb whore.  The junk food part has somewhat subsidized b/c I have gotten to the point that even eating away my feelings does not help.  So, I decided to go for it and sign up for Nutrisystem.  I ordered it last week, and within a few days it arrived!  I have read through all the material, unpacked the food, did the grocery shopping additions and tomorrow, is day 1!  EEK!  I figured, based on my busy life, commuting and lack of planning, NS was the best way to start.  I don't want to eat pre-packaged food all my life, but this is certainly better than what I am eating now.

Included in this will be exercising once again.  *Groan* how many of us like doing that when we are overweight?  I am going to start off slow, with simple walking on the treadmill even.  But I also have a person trainer which I utilized for two (2) months and then stopped.  Now that I have moved cities, I will need to find a new PT that I can work with and click with!

Wish me luck!

My plan for this blog, is to keep up to date about the struggles and triumphs of real dieting... with a loss of 70 lbs and a diet that will be reviewed, I would like to give ppl the low down, real facts, and reviews on NS and the weight loss experience, because sometimes, that is hard to find - and alas, perhaps that will keep me honest and true to myself.  Occasionally, you may see other things reviewed or blogged.... sometimes I have verbal diarrhea ;)  I have enclosed some pix of the start of NS!

M