Weight Watchers SmartPoints 2016 | Beyond the Scale

After many attempts this summer to lose weight on my own, I decided to join Weight Watchers for the third time in my life. The first time I joined, I was a meeting member and was successful in losing 77 lbs. The second time I joined I was an online member only and I totally failed. With no accountability, no meeting to attend, I did not follow the plan very well or take it seriously. This third time around, I am a meeting member again and I feel that the meetings will truly be the key to my success. I joined and had my first weigh- in on 7/18/2016. My starting weight was 232.8 lbs. What made me finally decide to join? Well, aside from being totally overweight and uncomfortable in my skin, I remembered how when I first joined Weight Watchers the first time, ages ago, I really felt like I had a total support system. A support system that would be there for me during the good and the bad. Weight Watchers gave me total support. Today as I am writing this entry, I am so grateful that I was able to join and work on becoming a healthier and happier me. I like how Weight Watchers has changed their program, and I love the new smartpoints way of eating! I am approaching my Week#4 weigh-in at the end of this week, and I am glad that I am sticking with the program. There is no turning back for this gal!!!!!!

Week 2 Food and Exercise Logs (3/16/16-3/22/16)

WEDNESDAY, 3/16/16

2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese - 1 cup

smoked pork neck bones - 2 cups

korean noodle cup - 2 cups

polska kielbasa - 1 cup

orange slices - 1 cup

EXERCISE                                                                                                                                                     

10075 steps (achieved via indoor fitness walking)

THURSDAY, 3/17/16

popcorn x2 - 2 cups

white rice - 1 cup

green pepper steak + rice - 1 cup

captain crunch - 1/2 cup

wawa meatballs - 1 and 1/2 cup

spicy tomato and corn soup - 1 cup

EXERCISE

12505 steps (via indoor fitness walking)

FRIDAY, 3/18/16

2 baked chicken thighs - 2 cups

captain crunch - 1/2 cup

white rice - 1 cup

spicy tomato and corn soup - 1/2 cup

tofu miso egg drop soup - 1 cup

popcorn - 1 cup

EXERCISE

10309 steps (via fitness walking)

SATURDAY, 3/19/16

2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese - 1 cup

japanese udon noodles - 2 cups

baked chicken thigh - 1 cup

honey bun - 1 cup

kfc macaroni and cheese - 1 cup

kfc green beans - 1 cup

kfc original recipe chicken thigh - 1 cup

EXERCISE

15604 steps (via fitness walking)

SUNDAY, 3/20/16

chicken noodle soup - 2 cups

2 KFC chocolate chip cookies - 1 cup

brussels sprouts - 1 cup

captain crunch - 1/2 cup

KFC original recipe chicken thigh - 1 cup

blueberry yogurt - 1/2 cup

2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese - 1 cup

EXERCISE

10406 steps (via fitness walking)

MONDAY, 3/21/16

vegetable beef soup - 2 cups

captain crunch - 1 cup

lime and black pepper rice cakes - 1 cup

chicken fried rice - 1 cup

chicken tomato corn and seaweed soup - 1 cup

EXERCISE

4519 steps (via fitness walking)

TUESDAY, 3/22/16

baked pork chop - 1 cup

lime and black pepper rice crackers - 1 cup

pasta salad - 2 cups

white rice with seaweed paper - 1 cup

tofu miso egg drop soup - 1 cup

EXERCISE

8015 steps (via fitness walking)

STEPS WEEKLY TOTAL - 71,433 steps

Tracking Exercise With a Fitness Tracker

Fitness trackers are a very popular fitness accessory in society right now. I love my knock-off Fitbit that I purchased at the beginning of this year, and use it everyday. But should you wear your fitness tracker all day? Even during times of sitting or just walking around the house? It is a tough question to answer. At least for me it challenged me to think about it a little. I think it all depends on how inactive you really are. Lately I have not been active outside the times that I exercise via fitness walking. The normal activities I do during the day do not involve much walking. So, I have decided to challenge myself to move more outside of fitness walking, but I am not going to wear my fitness tracking device while doing so. I really want to achieve my 10000 steps per day by way of heart pumping exercise. I don't want to achieve a bulk of those by way of just milling around the house.By all means, there is nothing wrong with gaining steps by just walking around doing your daily activities ( moving is moving and all moving is good!). I would just prefer to challenge myself to gain those steps during fitness walking so that I can increase my endurance.So, I will only wear my fitness tracking device during fitness walking, and try my best to reach 10000 steps per day. Wish me luck!

Too cheap to buy a Fitbit?

I am on a strict budget, don't have a stash of extra cash hidden in a closet, so......Heck YES!!!!!!! I am totally too cheap to buy a Fitbit! Even if I had the extra cash right now, I would have to fight long and hard to buy a Fitbit at full price. So what is a girl to do? Well, I got my butt on eBay and searched to see what kind of Fitbit knockoff thing-a-ma-jigg I could purchase. I have been doing a bunch of indoor walking these days, and I wanted to keep track of my steps. You know,....so that I can have step goals to work towards. My search was a very short one. I came across the perfect Fitbit knockoff and immediately purchased it. Ok," so what made it so perfect?" you may be asking.Well, it was dirt cheap, so that means it is perfect!!! Lol! I'm kind of half joking here a bit. It was dirt cheap, but it had many features that I was interested in. It may not have all the features of a Fitbit, and it does act mostly as a glorified pedometer, but for the price, I find it to be a gem of a find.

Name : TW64 Smart Bracelet

- counts steps

- keeps track of distance

- shows calories burned

- displays date and time

- sleep monitor function

- call and alarm features

- selfie function capabilities

- has bracelet specific app in google play and the apple store

*purchased on eBay from a seller in China

How Many Pounds Per Week?

If there were a magical chant that I could recite,...turn around counter clockwise,...... hop over two sticks placed parallel on the ground, ......snap my fingers three times....., and instantly wake up at my ultimate goal weight--I can not say that I would not recite that chant. There is no chant, and unfortunately and fortunately people trying to lose weight can not exceed a certain amount loss in certain time frames. Even people lost on an island without food will not turn into dust overnight. So, while on my weight loss journey, I can not expect the weight to drop off my body like the meat cooked in a crock pot falls off the bone....mmmmm....meat [insert saliva here].I am unsure of the results on the scale my new way of eating is going to yield, but I shall still set some goals to work toward. Then I can tweak my food or fitness according to my satisfaction. Starting out, I am going to set a goal of minus 2 pounds per week. I don't want to lose weight too quickly (although that has never been one of my problems....lol) and I don't want to move at the pace of an ice glacier melting. If I happen to have a week where the scale gives me a higher loss, then by all means I will rejoice. I believe in the tortoise and the hare and the age old saying " slow and steady wins the race." Slow and steady weight loss sounds more appealing and doable to me. New habits to help me lose weight will be formed and those habits will help me stay on track to reach my weight loss goal. Slow for weight loss is so much more frustrating than the instant gratification of a crash diet, but "slow" is so much better than "no", or no weight loss at all!

Food and Exercise Logs

Since this is the last day of week 1 and my weigh in day will officially be on Wednesdays, I will start making my food and exercise logs more of a collective type log. Instead of showing my food and exercise daily, I will just show the entire week in one post on weigh in day. The first collective log will be posted on Wednesday, 3/23/16 (week 2 weigh in day). I feel that my blog will be less cluttered this way and it will be easier to view my eating and workout efforts all at once each week.

Tuesday, 3/15/16

beef tenderloin steak 5oz (cooked in oven)

packaged deli meat turkey 2oz

2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese

Italian pasta salad x2 (1 cup servings eaten at different times during the day)

white rice (1 cup)

tofu miso egg drop soup (1 cup)

EXERCISE

10204 steps (achieved via fitness walking)

Counting Cups to Lose Weight

* Note: I am just a consumer that purchased a book with my own money, read it, and thought it was awesome enough to share an opinion about it and follow the advice it gave. I am in no way affiliated with the makers of this book :).

Those of you that follow this blog or my YouTube channel know that I am on this big weight loss journey, and it is just getting started again (does it ever really end??!!). I have stated that I was feeling like a slave to the calorie count, and wanted to try portion control as a method of weight loss. So, for the past week (week 1) I have been cutting my portions down to smaller amounts than I have usually eaten in the past. I was using measuring cups as a means to help me whittle down my portions.I was eating whatever type food I wanted. I was using mostly the 1/2 cup and 1 cup to measure out my food. If I was eating a small item like a mini pack of roasted seaweed or a few pieces of candy, I would not measure it at all. I was eating these small amounts due to various articles and info online that I read about. My week 1 went well, but I still felt that I needed some kind of guideline to tell me when enough food was enough food. Also I still felt a bit lost because I was unsure if my methods were actually going to result in weight loss each week. I was researching online to find ways to help a person that was trying to lose weight and wanted to implement portion control instead of calorie counting. Google can be such a vast mountain of info that leads you through loops and twists until you find some info that you feel pertains to you..lol.I felt like I was searching forever. I felt like I hit the jackpot when I came across a book called The ProportionFit Diet by Nicholas J. Meyer, MD. I read a few reviews, visited the book's website, and was so curious to know more about what information this book had to offer, that I decided that it was totally worth my money to buy it. I could not find it in a bookstore near me, so I just decided to purchase my copy from the Google Play store. I read the entire book today (literally right before I published this post) and I am hooked! I am amazed, and am eager to give this weight loss method a try. I love all that the book has to say. I totally believe that this is not just a fad diet, and is something that is doable for me. Something long lasting. So, starting tomorrow (3/16/16) I will be keeping my portions small by counting cups of food I eat and following the guidelines the book has set. I am also going to still be working towards the fitness goal I already had set (10,000 steps per day via fitness walking). I am excited to continue on this journey and eager to challenge myself more! Visit the ProportionFit website and see if this is a lifestyle that may suit you also!

Link to the ProportionFit Diet website :  www.proportionfit.com

Food and Exercise Logs

Monday, 3/14/16

strawberry yogurt - 4oz

korean spicy noodle cup  - 16oz cooked

mini pack of seasoned croutons - .25oz

cottage cheese -  4oz

soft peppermint candy - 3 pieces

wakame seaweed miso egg drop soup - 1 cup

italian pasta salad - x2 cups (each cup eaten at different times of the day)

scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese - 1 cup cooked

EXERCISE

10363 steps (achieved via fitness walking)

Walking Indoors for Weight Loss

It is morning. You had a good nights sleep and you totally feel refreshed.You decide to make yourself a nice cup of green tea to give you a morning boost. The tea is gone, you feel energized, so you decide that you will go for a walk outside. Nowhere fancy, just around the neighborhood. You put on your walking gear and are super pumped to get out there and tear some sidewalk up. You go and raise the window blinds,peer out, and you suddenly have the urge to throw a tantrum like a little child. You totally neglected to check the weather, and all you see now is a bunch of rain falling down. Nothing severe, but there is no way you feel like sloshing around the wet neighborhood. Well, this one example of a situation when indoor fitness walking can be your alternative choice. I personally choose indoor walking as my first choice instead of an alternative, because it is so much more practical for me. I don't have to even put on decent clothes to start getting my fitness fix. I can walk in the comfort of my home with nothing on but my skivvies and athletic shoes...lol. I have been really trying to take a walk at least 5 to 6 times per week. I love it so much. Indoor fitness walking is the perfect workout for me to get energy and not kill myself during the workout. Often, non-indoor fitness walkers can not understand why us indoor fitness walkers don't just go outside and walk.Well, sometimes weather,time,and location do not permit it. Also, many people think that you are simply standing in one place while walking indoors, and it is boring and "too easy". The previous statements are far from the truth! Most indoor fitness walking programs are more that just walking. Some incorporate cool music, jogging, and aerobic type moves that you would be less likely to do if you were walking outside. I like to fitness walk using Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home DVDs, and music player. I like her walks because there are various moves you do throughout the walk that work out your entire body (legs,arms,stomach,etc.). I also love how fun and encouraging Leslie is in her DVDs. I purchased most of my DVDs from WalMart, but you can buy them at many retailers.There is also a Walk at home YouTube channel with some walks available to view. If you have any interest in indoor walking, you can give a walk a try and see how it makes you feel.Visit the Walk at Home website at www.walkathome.com .

Food and Exercise Logs

Sunday, 3/13/16

mini pack of seasoned croutons

baked chicken 8oz

5 hot buffalo wings from Pizza Hut

Italian pasta salad made with Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

eaten 2 times throughout day

8oz each time

EXERCISE

4809 steps (achieved via fitness walking)

Food and Exercise Logs

Saturday, 3/12/2016

boiled chicken wing and egg noodles (about 1 cup)

captain crunch cereal without milk 8oz

Wawa hot food mac & cheese (small)

Wawa hot food meatballs (5 meatballs)

roasted seaweed laver (1 pack)

green onion miso egg drop soup 8oz

beef smoked sausage 8oz

EXERCISE

OFF DAY (No Fitness Walking)

Food and Exercise Logs

Friday, 3/11/16

pasta noodles
8oz cooked

ground beef with green peppers and onions
8oz cooked

beef smoked sausage

boiled

8oz cooked and sliced

roasted seaweed laver

1 package














EXERCISE

11846 steps

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY

Today was ok. I kind of felt bored with food and my lack of creativity with coming up with meals. I need to go grocery shopping and pick more green and fressh items to eat throughout the day (veggies,fruits,etc.).

Food and Exercise Logs

Thursday, 3/10/2016

white rice
8oz cooked

ground beef with onions
8oz

small plum

x2 throughout the day

roasted seaweed laver

.17oz

soft peppermint candy

x2

* this is by far the most delicious brand of soft peppermint candies that my mouth has tasted

plain potato chips

8oz

water added packaged deli ham

8oz

sour cream & onion potato chips

8oz












EXERCISE

OFF DAY (No Fitness Walking)


THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY

Today was one of those days where I just felt like snacking (hence the two servings of potato chips). It is cool though, because I kept my portions small. Portion control is the name of my new eating lifestyle game, so nothing is off limits.

Food and Exercise Logs

Wednesday, 3/9/2016

korean noodle ramen cup 

about 16 oz

water added packaged deli ham

8 oz

- later ~Seaweed laver  .17oz

EXERCISE

10575 steps

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY

I was super busy today, and did not eat until after 3pm. I know..I know.....many would say that I am in error because I should have eaten a few meals by then.Well, I was busy.......I was not hungry. Why eat if I am not hungry. I would not be this overweight if I were in danger of under eating. I will embrace the fact that I have a lack of hunger. I did eat a few small portions today (they were considered non healthy foods), so I am in no danger of not getting enough food in.

Food and Exercise Logs

Tuesday, 3/8/2016

meal #1

2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese 8oz

roasted seaweed laver .17oz

meal #2

tofu miso egg drop soup

8oz

meal #3

lightly fried pork chop ( sliced)

8oz

meal #4

fried chicken thigh (from Popeye's restaurant)

1 piece

snack

roasted seaweed laver .17oz

snack

cabernet savignon 8oz













EXERCISE

13037 steps (achieved during fitness walking)


THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY

Today was a bit of a not too interested in food day. I just did not feel too hungry for anything.Family and I were hanging out again, two nights in a row, so there was definitely some cooking going on. Pork chops last night and pork chops again tonight! I like pork chops, but I don't ever fry them if I am cooking them myself. My mom fried them, and I ate them. I felt no guilt because I kept my portion small. I like feeling free to eat what I want in small portions. Of course I know that I can not benefit from fried foods and junk everyday, but it is nice to not feel as though they are ultimately banned.

Food and Exercise Logs

Monday, 3/7/2016

snack #1

roasted seaweed laver

.17oz (x3 packs spread throughout the day)

meal #1

white rice 8oz cooked

spicy curry sauce 8oz

meal #2

pork chop (lightly fried) 16 oz cooked/sliced/and put into measuring cup

snack #2

korean tteokbokki snack 8oz

EXERCISE

8047 steps (achieved via fitness walking)


THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY

Today I woke up super early (like 5:30 am) and went to the International Market with my mom. We went to a few other stores and then stopped by the library to return items and pick up a few more. I did not get home until after 12 noon, and did not eat until almost 1 pm (I completed an unintentional intermittent fast). I am surprised that I did not have the desire to eat one of my limbs by that time, but my hunger stayed at bay. TOM finally showed up today. TOM has been visiting me late for the past few months.What a rude dude he is...lol. I think my weight gain has something to due with his bad timing. I did fitness walking today, but could not carry myself that last little stretch to reach the 10,000 steps per day that I like to reach. I was super tired and in a bit of pain (thanks TOM!). I am counting today as another day where my portions were kept minimal, and I only ate when hungry.Yay me!

Weight Loss Game Plan

War,travel,sports competitions,and first dates. These are all activities in which it is highly beneficial to have a "game plan". Well, going on a weight loss journey is no different. You totally need to have a game plan to guide you through the many obstacles you are going to face. For so long, my game plan was always the same whenever I would try to lose weight. I would always go to the old and faithful calorie count plan. I would gear up in my "battle gear" and set out to the weight loss war...lol. The calorie count game plan has done wonders for me in the past, but it has also done a bit of harm at the same time.Sure, I saw results, but I always felt like a slave to numbers.Counting calories made me way too obsessive about storing and calculating all the numbers involved.When I stopped counting calories, my weight kept creeping up and without the old mighty calorie count, I always felt lost. Now that I am starting a new weight loss journey, I have decided to use a new game plan. This time around I simply refuse to count calories! Wait a minute! Did I say that I am not going to count calories while trying to lose weight? Yes, that is correct. Then what am I going to do? I have been researching and thinking back to the times in my life where I was at a healthy weight, and the habits I had. Two things that kept sticking in my mind were portion control and hunger. At times in my life when I was my thinnest and in mental bliss about my eating habits, I only ate when I was hungry and I ate smaller meals. It sounds simple enough, but for so many years I have strayed away from those two simple habits. The whole calorie count slave life made me feel like I had to eat those calories whether I was hungry or not, and that one little slip up, and I was bound to be a failure. I can no longer live like this, and refuse to count another calorie. So for me, portion control and exercise are going to be key. I have portion distortion at the moment,lol, so I will be using measuring cups until I feel comfortable confident enough to know when "small is small". I would prefer putting things in measuring cups over counting calories again any day. Note: I am not against anyone that counts calories, because I know it works, and for some it is their saving grace, but as for me, I have to switch up my game plan to one that I feel I can live with. At this point in my life and at the beginning of a new start, I feel this will make me see food in a new light.

Food and Exercise Logs

My food and exercise logs are simply for me to keep track of what I'm eating and how much I'm moving. You will see some healthy choices on some days, and some not so healthy choices on others. I don't want to give up foods I love, only to have the urge to binge on them later. I am a firm believer in the whole no food is off limits concept--everything in moderation. I am in no way saying that this is what everyone else should be eating, nor am I asking advice on the health of my meals. I just think it is important to keep track of what is going in my body, so that I can see how it impacts weight and mood. ^^


Sunday, 3/6/2016

2 scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese

8oz cooked

baked tilapia

8oz cooked

sinful vice...lol

1 tall can

16oz

tofu miso egg drop soup with 1 egg  8oz

white rice  8oz

brussels sprouts

8oz

EXERCISE

10671 steps (achieved via fitness walking)

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY

I am waiting for TOM to visit me ( he should be here any day now), so I felt a bit sick after I did my fitness walking. My appetite has been kind of suppressed today. I'm not sure if it was because I ate breakfast kind of late, or if I have been distracted.All in all, I feel as if today was a success. Not because of the food choices I made, but because I was able to keep my portions small.

Where have I Been?

3/6/2016

So today on this date…...I am at a very high weight……..a big whopping undesirable 228! That’s just simply freaking great! lol….I thought I would share the dreadful news in a poetic type of way (that is just the nerd in me).So,.....yeah…...you are probably wondering, “are you kidding me?!!!!”, and the answer to that question is no. A big NO! I once was fat, and then I was not, and now I have looped back to fat again! How do I feel about that? I feel sick of being fat again! That is how I feel. How did I go from 228 to a steady 150 to 228 again? Well, life happened! I traveled to Korea and gained some poundage while I was there, came back to America to then struggle with wanting to eat all the delicious American food that I had been missing. I stopped counting calories and got a night job that made me a night person that liked to sleep all day before work and eat and drink booze after work. My weight kept creeping up and I totally knew it but would try to “diet” and then say forget it. I even rejoined Weight Watchers and gave it a go. This time around, I did not have enough motivation for the plan. I then suffered from a back injury due to type of work I was doing and how my body was not used to the stress (not to mention the extra pounds). So at this point in time, I am still under 200 pounds. Well, the back injury put me out of work ( my work was a physical job, so if you can’t be physical, then you can’t work...simple...lol), and that is when I became less active and depressed about being unemployed, and I packed on the last 28 pounds. All of this happened in about a 2 year time frame, give or take a few months. This leaves me at today. 228….228….228…….I keep typing that number so that I will let it sink in that this is totally not where I want to be. I never thought I would be here again but I am. So I have 2 choices here: I can stay depressed about it, be ashamed crawl in a hole, and continue to self medicate my mental pain with more food, or I can suck it up and accept the challenge that my life has become. You know what??? I’m going to take that second option and tell this weight to get the hell off me...lol! I am starting this weight loss journey all over again (the journey never ended or never ends anyway), and I am going to kick and beat the crap out of fat and leave it on life support to rot and wish it would just die!!!!! lol...enough violence from me. This time around, I’m doing things a bit different. I refuse to be a slave to the calorie count lifestyle, and so I am going to instead work on food choices and portion control more. I have found that I am a person that has severe portion distortion, and always have. I want to change that. I also want to walk more.I have so many goals and things I want to work on. I know that I am going to experience judgement and dislike from some people that followed me on my journey before (some may be disappointed that I am fat again), but you know what??? It is not about anyone else…...this is about me! I am here to share with those people that want to share this journey with me and hopefully we can all motivate and help each other with our weight loss goals ^^. Stay tuned for my “game plan” for this journey to fit.