App Find and Weight Watchers Update

Last night was my weekly weigh-in and the scale and I are still speaking; I am down .2. Now I know some people think oh that's it, but when you are someone who has struggled so much with weight loss you see down .2 as a successful week. To me any week the scale doesn't go up is a successful week! Also, add in that I haven't been sleeping thanks to stress, allergies and sinus issues and add in not working out because I was afraid of my balance and the .2 loss means even more. Yay me!

A small loss is better than a small gain
I will take .2

Now more fun finds...

As an executive assistant/office manager I don't have a very active work life, meaning most of the time I'm behind my desk. I was watching my FitBit numbers one day and thought wow that's all I do in a day..I could do better. I realized once I get involved in my work I lose all track of time, so I found an app for my phone that actually reminds me to get up and move! It's free and called "Stand Up".

This is what the app looks like on an Iphone

You can program it to which days you want reminders and the length of time between reminders. I started with just weekdays, but then last week when I was lazy I turned it on to get me moving a little. I have it set to go off every 35 minutes. You can customize the reminder message that pops up, mine says "Get Moving!!!!!".

My settings
Very easy to set up!

This is what the message looks like
when it pops up on my lock screen

I have seen my FitBit numbers increase so much. I've also noticed I'm more productive at work from taking those quick breaks and moving my body. 

If you are like me and struggle to get your steps in I highly recommend checking out this app. Also, if you don't already have a FitBit or some form of tracker I recommend one of those too. Want to know more about FitBit, check out my previous post "Keep Moving The FitBit Way" It has made me so much more aware of my activity or lack of during the day. 

Catch Up and Next Week

Sunday night. The moment you realize the weekend is officially over and a new week starts. I spent most of the weekend relaxing and doing nothing. I didn't sleep that great last week so it was nice to just do a quick cleaning, some errands, and then sit down, watch tv, and take naps.

Abby was very happy about the relaxing and taking naps portion of the weekend
I love snuggling with her

I did go to my friends' house Saturday night for dinner and a movie. It's so nice having friends who respect my lifestyle choices and have even started their own health journey!! Although we all had a good laugh when I busted out my food scale. What not everyone travels with their food scale?? Ha. I love my friends who get me! They made chicken breast, veggies, and salad.  I did also bring my own dressing for the salad.They have both recently started following a low carb diet lifestyle. I am so proud of them and the healthy changes they are learning to incorporate into their daily lives.Jerry, was told he was pre-diabetic a couple of months ago and decided then it was time to change. We talked about different meals and things he could do and now his wife is also following the plan. It's really fun watching them do it as a couple and they are both losing weight and feeling healthier and better about themselves!!

Scale and dressing packed and ready to go.
Good thing my parents got me a beautiful big bag for my birthday.

Last week at my Weight Watchers meeting I was so excited because I lost the .8 I gained the week before and I took off an additional 1.2lbs! Woohoo! Although I admit at one point I went, ugh so much more to go and can I do it. Well yes I can I reminded myself! I'm following weight watchers, I am working out, and the support I have received from my friends makes me feel like the impossible can be accomplished. This time I am losing the weight the healthy way. I am making peace with eating and food choices. It may take longer to lose it but at least I know this time it will stay lost!!

Feeling good.
Beachbody workout at 5 am is how I start my day.

So as the weekend comes to an end I sit here and think what can I improve or do better next week...

Set the goals, write them down, and achieve them!

1) less nighttime snacking. Even though I may have points I believe nighttime snacking isn't great for my body's digestion

2) try and add in 1 or 2 days extra of cardio. Hoping the weather improves so I can get out walking again. I'm even hoping my dad will teach me how to bike ride! 

3) drink more water! 

4) speak kindly to myself and know that on days when maybe getting dressed because nothing fits right is a challenge I remind myself I am on the right path and to stay strong! Soon those clothes will fit better than ever. 

What are your healthy, either mentally or physically, for the upcoming week? 

Non Scale Victories

Sorry for the delayed update, but I got some major downtime last week and took it! When I could sit on the couch and do nothing I did just that, and enjoyed every second of it. Now that I'm done being lazy it's time for an update.

At my Weight Watchers weigh-in last week the scale went up .8. Now, I must say it was expected. The biggest reason being it was the time of the month most women's scales go up. Nothing I can do about that but go with it. I will admit that even though I was expecting the numbers to be up it was still disappointing to see. I was bummed. Went into an old way of thinking that I call panic mode. Should I change up, should I stop eating carbs, did I go off my paleo-type eating, should I not eat my weeklies, maybe Weight Watchers doesn't work....

Slow and steady wins the race. Weight Watchers is teaching me how to eat for life for success. 

Meeting time..and I'm so happy I stayed. I listened to the many victories of the week, instead of feeling bad because I didn't have a scale victory it was a reminder to me to trust the program. Stick with it. No need for panic mode. All these people telling their victory of the week stories, soon I will be one of them. Plus when I shared how bummed I felt, I received so much support and some new ideas from the group. One person suggested keeping nail polish by my couch in case I get the night time munchies. If my nails are wet, I can't eat. As the meeting went on my leader started talking about non-scale victories and it really got me thinking of my own personal victories of the week not related to the scale, but still victories. 

The scale can only tell you numbers

The biggest for me being for the first time in months and months I didn't binge, not even one night. I've said it before and admit it fully, I am an emotional eater. Last week I didn't eat my emotions. If I was going through something I wrote about it in my journal, went to bed when I was tired, calmed myself down with walking around my condo, admitted to how I was feeling and was honest with myself. Once I realized that success I cheered myself on repeating to myself I didn't binge!! Huge success in my book and just because the scale didn't show me numbers I wanted to see I still consider my last week a huge success and I'm so proud of myself! 

Saw this on huffingtonpost.com and it's the truth. I will stick with the original problem and deal with it!

Never forget your non scale victories!!!  I'm definitely hoping for some scale victories soon, but for now I will take my non scale victories and be happy with them. Please feel free to share your stories with me. I've recently started a Facebook page called Healthy Living with Cindy. Come join me and let's support each other. 

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Absolutely wonderful! Fabulous! Best decision ever! What am I talking about you ask?? The Weight Watchers meeting I attended Wednesday night. I loved it from the second I walked into the room. Everyone made me feel very welcomed and excited to be there. The leader, Val, met with the newbies before the meeting to go over the plan and tell us about herself. She lost 135 lbs with Weight Watchers. Very inspiring. When I told Val that I had tried Weight Watchers in the past, but gave up, she smiled and looked at me and said "welcome home". That is exactly how I felt.

Lots of fun new information provided at the meeting!

Just in case I had any doubt, that nights meeting was based on emotional eating! Yup I was definitely in the right place. I felt so comfortable with Val and the entire group that I spoke up and shared my most recent battles with emotional eating and jars of peanut butter. Not one person in that room looked at me like I was crazy or weak. They laughed with me as I rehashed my looking at the bottom of many empty jars stories, and went on to share their stories as well.

From the WeightWatchers.com website
After one meeting I can confirm all of this!

I'm so glad I decided to switch my membership to attend meetings. I can't wait to conquer the weekend of eating and go back next Wednesday night to see Val and all my new friends.

 I purchased these from the meeting. They collapse so small I keep them in my purse
Now I am always prepared!