Good News & Bad News

Good news: I think my kids are mostly healthy again. Whew.

Bad news: I have gained weight every week since starting Body for Life (except the very first week). And it's not like it's "muscle weight" or anything because the inches aren't going down or anything.

So, I'm considering stopping BFL. Don't call me a quitter. OK, call me a quitter, but I'll just stick out my tongue and go pbbbbbt! Then I'll hold up my palm and say "Talk to the hand" or make some other similar juvenile response. I still like the idea of the BFL plan. I just think I need to first just focus on losing some more weight. I may go back to good old Weight Watchers, since it has certainly worked for me before--at least when I followed it properly.

Tomorrow I hope to post a couple new rotations. I've been playing around with some fat loss rotation ideas. I've mostly finished those. I may also post a Jari Love-focused rotation to go along with the Jari weight worksheets I still haven't put together. I'm such a procrastinator....

Good News & Bad News

Good news: I think my kids are mostly healthy again. Whew.

Bad news: I have gained weight every week since starting Body for Life (except the very first week). And it's not like it's "muscle weight" or anything because the inches aren't going down or anything.

So, I'm considering stopping BFL. Don't call me a quitter. OK, call me a quitter, but I'll just stick out my tongue and go pbbbbbt! Then I'll hold up my palm and say "Talk to the hand" or make some other similar juvenile response. I still like the idea of the BFL plan. I just think I need to first just focus on losing some more weight. I may go back to good old Weight Watchers, since it has certainly worked for me before--at least when I followed it properly.

Tomorrow I hope to post a couple new rotations. I've been playing around with some fat loss rotation ideas. I've mostly finished those. I may also post a Jari Love-focused rotation to go along with the Jari weight worksheets I still haven't put together. I'm such a procrastinator....

Good News & Bad News

Good news: I think my kids are mostly healthy again. Whew.

Bad news: I have gained weight every week since starting Body for Life (except the very first week). And it's not like it's "muscle weight" or anything because the inches aren't going down or anything.

So, I'm considering stopping BFL. Don't call me a quitter. OK, call me a quitter, but I'll just stick out my tongue and go pbbbbbt! Then I'll hold up my palm and say "Talk to the hand" or make some other similar juvenile response. I still like the idea of the BFL plan. I just think I need to first just focus on losing some more weight. I may go back to good old Weight Watchers, since it has certainly worked for me before--at least when I followed it properly.

Tomorrow I hope to post a couple new rotations. I've been playing around with some fat loss rotation ideas. I've mostly finished those. I may also post a Jari Love-focused rotation to go along with the Jari weight worksheets I still haven't put together. I'm such a procrastinator....

Hi, my name is Lainie and I'm a Carbaholic

Hey, does anyone know a good diet that is high carb instead of low carb? I just gave up on the South Beach Diet. Seriously, I currently have 15 different types of cereal in my pantry (and they're all different--it's more like 20 boxes but that's with repeats). That's just the cold cereal. I have 5 or 6 types of hot cereal in there, too. I also have several kinds of bread, at least 6 kinds of pasta, and 3 kinds of bagels (but the bagels are for my husband). So why should I be surprised that I hated trying to go no carb (which is the first couple weeks of the SBD)? I couldn't even make it more than 2 days, much less 2 weeks. I'm totally weak. It's also really bad timing because my mom is visiting and keeps wanting to take us out to eat. I should also mention I couldn't have any fruit. I like veggies o.k. and I eat them but I love fruit. Argh.

I think I'm going back to good old Weight Watchers. I lost 25 lbs with WW last year so I should trust it and do it again.

Hi, my name is Lainie and I'm a Carbaholic

Hey, does anyone know a good diet that is high carb instead of low carb? I just gave up on the South Beach Diet. Seriously, I currently have 15 different types of cereal in my pantry (and they're all different--it's more like 20 boxes but that's with repeats). That's just the cold cereal. I have 5 or 6 types of hot cereal in there, too. I also have several kinds of bread, at least 6 kinds of pasta, and 3 kinds of bagels (but the bagels are for my husband). So why should I be surprised that I hated trying to go no carb (which is the first couple weeks of the SBD)? I couldn't even make it more than 2 days, much less 2 weeks. I'm totally weak. It's also really bad timing because my mom is visiting and keeps wanting to take us out to eat. I should also mention I couldn't have any fruit. I like veggies o.k. and I eat them but I love fruit. Argh.

I think I'm going back to good old Weight Watchers. I lost 25 lbs with WW last year so I should trust it and do it again.

Hi, my name is Lainie and I'm a Carbaholic

Hey, does anyone know a good diet that is high carb instead of low carb? I just gave up on the South Beach Diet. Seriously, I currently have 15 different types of cereal in my pantry (and they're all different--it's more like 20 boxes but that's with repeats). That's just the cold cereal. I have 5 or 6 types of hot cereal in there, too. I also have several kinds of bread, at least 6 kinds of pasta, and 3 kinds of bagels (but the bagels are for my husband). So why should I be surprised that I hated trying to go no carb (which is the first couple weeks of the SBD)? I couldn't even make it more than 2 days, much less 2 weeks. I'm totally weak. It's also really bad timing because my mom is visiting and keeps wanting to take us out to eat. I should also mention I couldn't have any fruit. I like veggies o.k. and I eat them but I love fruit. Argh.

I think I'm going back to good old Weight Watchers. I lost 25 lbs with WW last year so I should trust it and do it again.

Man, I Stink at Losing Weight Lately

OK, the problem with that title is that I went to weigh in at Weight Watchers today and I actually did lose a pound. Of course, it had been at least 3 weeks since I’d weighed in.... Probably my sporadic meeting attendance is not helping weight loss, since those meetings really do seem helpful for keeping me interested in my weight loss program. Now that the kids are getting settled to school, I should be able to start going to meetings regularly and even staying for the whole meeting. Theoretically. I’m going to make the effort. The plan is to go on Mondays or Wednesdays while Ewan is in nursery school. I won’t be able to do that next week, however, since I’ll be in New York City Monday through Wednesday (woohoo!).

Another plan is to switch back to the Weight Watchers Flex plan. I like Core, but looking back at the last three months and my pitiful weight loss (seriously, I’ve lost like 3 pounds) I’m obviously not doing it very well. So I’ll go back to counting points and be strict with myself. I’m thinking I’ll still try to stick to a lot of Core foods but count the points. Hopefully I’ll be able to re-start cardio soon as my ankle heals. I can’t believe I’ve just kind of whistled my way through the last three months with so little weight loss, though like I mentioned in a previous post, I have gone down in clothing size, so it’s not all bad. Still, I think I can crank this up a bit and lose some actual weight before Halloween--so I can wear a smokin’ hot costume, of course. OK, maybe not smokin’ hot but at least not a chubby pumpkin costume.

Anyone else out there who wakes up and says, “Hey, what have I been doing all summer? How do I lose this weight?”

Note: Yes, the picture at the top is me just before my wedding in May 1999. Don’t ask about the hair--had a misunderstanding with the hairdresser--since when does “soft curls” translate to “tight ringlets”? Plus I never wear my bangs that way. I should really try to get over it, I know. Gorgeous flowers, though. I include it because I sure wish I could still fit in that dress!

Man, I Stink at Losing Weight Lately

OK, the problem with that title is that I went to weigh in at Weight Watchers today and I actually did lose a pound. Of course, it had been at least 3 weeks since I’d weighed in.... Probably my sporadic meeting attendance is not helping weight loss, since those meetings really do seem helpful for keeping me interested in my weight loss program. Now that the kids are getting settled to school, I should be able to start going to meetings regularly and even staying for the whole meeting. Theoretically. I’m going to make the effort. The plan is to go on Mondays or Wednesdays while Ewan is in nursery school. I won’t be able to do that next week, however, since I’ll be in New York City Monday through Wednesday (woohoo!).

Another plan is to switch back to the Weight Watchers Flex plan. I like Core, but looking back at the last three months and my pitiful weight loss (seriously, I’ve lost like 3 pounds) I’m obviously not doing it very well. So I’ll go back to counting points and be strict with myself. I’m thinking I’ll still try to stick to a lot of Core foods but count the points. Hopefully I’ll be able to re-start cardio soon as my ankle heals. I can’t believe I’ve just kind of whistled my way through the last three months with so little weight loss, though like I mentioned in a previous post, I have gone down in clothing size, so it’s not all bad. Still, I think I can crank this up a bit and lose some actual weight before Halloween--so I can wear a smokin’ hot costume, of course. OK, maybe not smokin’ hot but at least not a chubby pumpkin costume.

Anyone else out there who wakes up and says, “Hey, what have I been doing all summer? How do I lose this weight?”

Note: Yes, the picture at the top is me just before my wedding in May 1999. Don’t ask about the hair--had a misunderstanding with the hairdresser--since when does “soft curls” translate to “tight ringlets”? Plus I never wear my bangs that way. I should really try to get over it, I know. Gorgeous flowers, though. I include it because I sure wish I could still fit in that dress!

Man, I Stink at Losing Weight Lately

OK, the problem with that title is that I went to weigh in at Weight Watchers today and I actually did lose a pound. Of course, it had been at least 3 weeks since I’d weighed in.... Probably my sporadic meeting attendance is not helping weight loss, since those meetings really do seem helpful for keeping me interested in my weight loss program. Now that the kids are getting settled to school, I should be able to start going to meetings regularly and even staying for the whole meeting. Theoretically. I’m going to make the effort. The plan is to go on Mondays or Wednesdays while Ewan is in nursery school. I won’t be able to do that next week, however, since I’ll be in New York City Monday through Wednesday (woohoo!).

Another plan is to switch back to the Weight Watchers Flex plan. I like Core, but looking back at the last three months and my pitiful weight loss (seriously, I’ve lost like 3 pounds) I’m obviously not doing it very well. So I’ll go back to counting points and be strict with myself. I’m thinking I’ll still try to stick to a lot of Core foods but count the points. Hopefully I’ll be able to re-start cardio soon as my ankle heals. I can’t believe I’ve just kind of whistled my way through the last three months with so little weight loss, though like I mentioned in a previous post, I have gone down in clothing size, so it’s not all bad. Still, I think I can crank this up a bit and lose some actual weight before Halloween--so I can wear a smokin’ hot costume, of course. OK, maybe not smokin’ hot but at least not a chubby pumpkin costume.

Anyone else out there who wakes up and says, “Hey, what have I been doing all summer? How do I lose this weight?”

Note: Yes, the picture at the top is me just before my wedding in May 1999. Don’t ask about the hair--had a misunderstanding with the hairdresser--since when does “soft curls” translate to “tight ringlets”? Plus I never wear my bangs that way. I should really try to get over it, I know. Gorgeous flowers, though. I include it because I sure wish I could still fit in that dress!

Weight Watchers--The Saga Continues

Yesterday I wrote a bit about my experiences with the Weight Watchers program. I think it’s a really great weight loss program (though of course not the only good program available) because it’s so sensible and (I think) sustainable. It’s not a fly-by-night fad diet and it’s not based on some weird way of denying your body--other than denying your body extreme levels of consumption. It’s about eating healthier food and smaller portions, and exercising. Duh. That’s how people lose weight. I know it works for me when I really work it, though naturally there are occasionally plateaus (admittedly I am on one now--though I think I’m finally descending again).

Weight Watchers has two plans, Flex and Core. I won’t go into too many details, because you can find those at their meetings or their website. Flex is all about counting “Points” which are calculated with calories, fat, and fiber. It’s pretty easy to determine Point value if you know those numbers (which are available on food labels). Plus you can check the website or little Weight Watchers booklets to find Points values. You are given a certain number of points dependent on various factors (age, weight, etc.). The Core Plan is both more and less restrictive. It’s more restrictive in that you have a limited list of healthy and more natural foods you can eat, but less restrictive because you aren’t worrying about counting Points (though you are allowed a certain number of Points to spend on “non-Core” foods). The idea is with Core you should be listening to your body and not just going nuts with eating even if you don’t count points. There’s a bit of a learning curve with that (especially for chubby people who have trouble with portion control). I’ve enjoyed trying Core because I get tired of the fussiness of counting Points and usually felt hungry on Flex. Core foods are generally foods that have a lot of bang for the buck--meaning they are foods that are more filling without being high in calories. For example, grapes are Core, but raisins are not. Those watery grapes fill you up better with fewer calories.

Another element of Weight Watchers is they encourage members to get more exercise. So many people who join are getting so little exercise at first. I myself was doing videos like the old Buns of Steel series. I’d stocked up on the whole series and was alternating through them (the ones I did were from the Platinum Series--with 30 minutes of floor aerobics followed by 15-20 minutes of toning with light weights). I thought I was doing a great job with these and getting a good workout. Then not long after we moved back to the States I started trying different instructors. I went through a lot of videos that I either got rid of immediately or enjoyed for a while before outgrowing them. Finally I started getting into the more advanced stuff. By April of this year I had my first Cathe video and my first Amy Bento video. I think I got my first Kimberly Spreen kickboxing video around then, too. Once I found these instructors (and a few others--my latest discovery is Tracey Staehle) I dumped all the old beginner videos and DVDs and stocked up on the more advanced stuff. I’m not advanced myself yet (I’d consider myself intermediate level) but I do enjoy the challenge of getting to advanced. One day for old times’ sake I did the Hips & Thighs of Steel workout. After my step aerobics, kickboxing, and weightlifting of recent months it was ridiculously easy. I only burned 150 calories in the whole workout. I’d burn that much walking around my house in the same amount of time. So I went ahead and sold that one (who needs nostalgia?) and went back to the tough stuff. Now if only I can get that ankle to heal so I can get back to some real work! Then those pounds would start coming off faster.

Weight Watchers--The Saga Continues

Yesterday I wrote a bit about my experiences with the Weight Watchers program. I think it’s a really great weight loss program (though of course not the only good program available) because it’s so sensible and (I think) sustainable. It’s not a fly-by-night fad diet and it’s not based on some weird way of denying your body--other than denying your body extreme levels of consumption. It’s about eating healthier food and smaller portions, and exercising. Duh. That’s how people lose weight. I know it works for me when I really work it, though naturally there are occasionally plateaus (admittedly I am on one now--though I think I’m finally descending again).

Weight Watchers has two plans, Flex and Core. I won’t go into too many details, because you can find those at their meetings or their website. Flex is all about counting “Points” which are calculated with calories, fat, and fiber. It’s pretty easy to determine Point value if you know those numbers (which are available on food labels). Plus you can check the website or little Weight Watchers booklets to find Points values. You are given a certain number of points dependent on various factors (age, weight, etc.). The Core Plan is both more and less restrictive. It’s more restrictive in that you have a limited list of healthy and more natural foods you can eat, but less restrictive because you aren’t worrying about counting Points (though you are allowed a certain number of Points to spend on “non-Core” foods). The idea is with Core you should be listening to your body and not just going nuts with eating even if you don’t count points. There’s a bit of a learning curve with that (especially for chubby people who have trouble with portion control). I’ve enjoyed trying Core because I get tired of the fussiness of counting Points and usually felt hungry on Flex. Core foods are generally foods that have a lot of bang for the buck--meaning they are foods that are more filling without being high in calories. For example, grapes are Core, but raisins are not. Those watery grapes fill you up better with fewer calories.

Another element of Weight Watchers is they encourage members to get more exercise. So many people who join are getting so little exercise at first. I myself was doing videos like the old Buns of Steel series. I’d stocked up on the whole series and was alternating through them (the ones I did were from the Platinum Series--with 30 minutes of floor aerobics followed by 15-20 minutes of toning with light weights). I thought I was doing a great job with these and getting a good workout. Then not long after we moved back to the States I started trying different instructors. I went through a lot of videos that I either got rid of immediately or enjoyed for a while before outgrowing them. Finally I started getting into the more advanced stuff. By April of this year I had my first Cathe video and my first Amy Bento video. I think I got my first Kimberly Spreen kickboxing video around then, too. Once I found these instructors (and a few others--my latest discovery is Tracey Staehle) I dumped all the old beginner videos and DVDs and stocked up on the more advanced stuff. I’m not advanced myself yet (I’d consider myself intermediate level) but I do enjoy the challenge of getting to advanced. One day for old times’ sake I did the Hips & Thighs of Steel workout. After my step aerobics, kickboxing, and weightlifting of recent months it was ridiculously easy. I only burned 150 calories in the whole workout. I’d burn that much walking around my house in the same amount of time. So I went ahead and sold that one (who needs nostalgia?) and went back to the tough stuff. Now if only I can get that ankle to heal so I can get back to some real work! Then those pounds would start coming off faster.

Weight Watchers--The Saga Continues

Yesterday I wrote a bit about my experiences with the Weight Watchers program. I think it’s a really great weight loss program (though of course not the only good program available) because it’s so sensible and (I think) sustainable. It’s not a fly-by-night fad diet and it’s not based on some weird way of denying your body--other than denying your body extreme levels of consumption. It’s about eating healthier food and smaller portions, and exercising. Duh. That’s how people lose weight. I know it works for me when I really work it, though naturally there are occasionally plateaus (admittedly I am on one now--though I think I’m finally descending again).

Weight Watchers has two plans, Flex and Core. I won’t go into too many details, because you can find those at their meetings or their website. Flex is all about counting “Points” which are calculated with calories, fat, and fiber. It’s pretty easy to determine Point value if you know those numbers (which are available on food labels). Plus you can check the website or little Weight Watchers booklets to find Points values. You are given a certain number of points dependent on various factors (age, weight, etc.). The Core Plan is both more and less restrictive. It’s more restrictive in that you have a limited list of healthy and more natural foods you can eat, but less restrictive because you aren’t worrying about counting Points (though you are allowed a certain number of Points to spend on “non-Core” foods). The idea is with Core you should be listening to your body and not just going nuts with eating even if you don’t count points. There’s a bit of a learning curve with that (especially for chubby people who have trouble with portion control). I’ve enjoyed trying Core because I get tired of the fussiness of counting Points and usually felt hungry on Flex. Core foods are generally foods that have a lot of bang for the buck--meaning they are foods that are more filling without being high in calories. For example, grapes are Core, but raisins are not. Those watery grapes fill you up better with fewer calories.

Another element of Weight Watchers is they encourage members to get more exercise. So many people who join are getting so little exercise at first. I myself was doing videos like the old Buns of Steel series. I’d stocked up on the whole series and was alternating through them (the ones I did were from the Platinum Series--with 30 minutes of floor aerobics followed by 15-20 minutes of toning with light weights). I thought I was doing a great job with these and getting a good workout. Then not long after we moved back to the States I started trying different instructors. I went through a lot of videos that I either got rid of immediately or enjoyed for a while before outgrowing them. Finally I started getting into the more advanced stuff. By April of this year I had my first Cathe video and my first Amy Bento video. I think I got my first Kimberly Spreen kickboxing video around then, too. Once I found these instructors (and a few others--my latest discovery is Tracey Staehle) I dumped all the old beginner videos and DVDs and stocked up on the more advanced stuff. I’m not advanced myself yet (I’d consider myself intermediate level) but I do enjoy the challenge of getting to advanced. One day for old times’ sake I did the Hips & Thighs of Steel workout. After my step aerobics, kickboxing, and weightlifting of recent months it was ridiculously easy. I only burned 150 calories in the whole workout. I’d burn that much walking around my house in the same amount of time. So I went ahead and sold that one (who needs nostalgia?) and went back to the tough stuff. Now if only I can get that ankle to heal so I can get back to some real work! Then those pounds would start coming off faster.

Weight Watchers

I thought today I would write a little about my experience with Weight Watchers, since it ties in closely to my fitness goals.

A little history first: I was struggling with my weight even before I had babies (though the pregnancies definitely did a number on this Mommy’s body). In 2001 I was trying to conceive but also decided I needed to lose a little weight before I got pregnant. So I signed up for Weight Watchers. I found a meeting I could go to near my office. I think I’d lost about 10 lbs before I got pregnant and was surprised to learn that they wouldn’t let me come to meetings anymore. I don’t know why i was surprised, but I was. I knew I couldn’t lose any more weight, but I would have liked some help in eating healthy while pregnant. I know today if I got pregnant again, I could keep up online with the WW boards, but I don’t know if they had the boards then. So thus ended my first time on WW.

Fast forward a few years to 2006. I now had two kids and a post-baby body. Eek! After both births I lost the first 30 lbs or so pretty easily, especially considering they were both fairly big babies (8lb 14oz and 9lb 11oz--oh yeah, had that one by NATURAL birth--you know I’m tough). Anyway, after that initial 30 lb loss, I still needed to lose 20 lbs to get to pre-baby weight. At the time I was living in London, where they also have Weight Watchers, so I looked into joining again. I realized it would be tough with my two little boys, so I went to join online. I ended up having to actually join the American website, because I was using a credit card with our American mailing address which didn’t work on the UK site. I was losing slowly but surely until we moved back to the U.S. last September.

The mess of moving and the re-introduction to my favorite American foods was a bit of a setback for my weight loss, but I was still registered with WW online so I kept going. I ended up losing 25 lbs online, so I joined meetings hoping to make my goal soon and work on getting lifetime membership. However, I joined the meetings a couple months ago and haven’t lost much since, so I seem to be at another plateau. However, I am not discouraged because at least I’m not gaining and I know I can lose eventually. Also, my clothes size and my measurements have gone down in those couple months in spite of the lack of weight loss, so something’s working--I think it’s my workouts that are helping.

OK, I’ve already written a lot, but I want to get more specific about my eating plan (WW Core Plan) so I will post again on this tomorrow, as time allows).

Weight Watchers

I thought today I would write a little about my experience with Weight Watchers, since it ties in closely to my fitness goals.

A little history first: I was struggling with my weight even before I had babies (though the pregnancies definitely did a number on this Mommy’s body). In 2001 I was trying to conceive but also decided I needed to lose a little weight before I got pregnant. So I signed up for Weight Watchers. I found a meeting I could go to near my office. I think I’d lost about 10 lbs before I got pregnant and was surprised to learn that they wouldn’t let me come to meetings anymore. I don’t know why i was surprised, but I was. I knew I couldn’t lose any more weight, but I would have liked some help in eating healthy while pregnant. I know today if I got pregnant again, I could keep up online with the WW boards, but I don’t know if they had the boards then. So thus ended my first time on WW.

Fast forward a few years to 2006. I now had two kids and a post-baby body. Eek! After both births I lost the first 30 lbs or so pretty easily, especially considering they were both fairly big babies (8lb 14oz and 9lb 11oz--oh yeah, had that one by NATURAL birth--you know I’m tough). Anyway, after that initial 30 lb loss, I still needed to lose 20 lbs to get to pre-baby weight. At the time I was living in London, where they also have Weight Watchers, so I looked into joining again. I realized it would be tough with my two little boys, so I went to join online. I ended up having to actually join the American website, because I was using a credit card with our American mailing address which didn’t work on the UK site. I was losing slowly but surely until we moved back to the U.S. last September.

The mess of moving and the re-introduction to my favorite American foods was a bit of a setback for my weight loss, but I was still registered with WW online so I kept going. I ended up losing 25 lbs online, so I joined meetings hoping to make my goal soon and work on getting lifetime membership. However, I joined the meetings a couple months ago and haven’t lost much since, so I seem to be at another plateau. However, I am not discouraged because at least I’m not gaining and I know I can lose eventually. Also, my clothes size and my measurements have gone down in those couple months in spite of the lack of weight loss, so something’s working--I think it’s my workouts that are helping.

OK, I’ve already written a lot, but I want to get more specific about my eating plan (WW Core Plan) so I will post again on this tomorrow, as time allows).

Weight Watchers

I thought today I would write a little about my experience with Weight Watchers, since it ties in closely to my fitness goals.

A little history first: I was struggling with my weight even before I had babies (though the pregnancies definitely did a number on this Mommy’s body). In 2001 I was trying to conceive but also decided I needed to lose a little weight before I got pregnant. So I signed up for Weight Watchers. I found a meeting I could go to near my office. I think I’d lost about 10 lbs before I got pregnant and was surprised to learn that they wouldn’t let me come to meetings anymore. I don’t know why i was surprised, but I was. I knew I couldn’t lose any more weight, but I would have liked some help in eating healthy while pregnant. I know today if I got pregnant again, I could keep up online with the WW boards, but I don’t know if they had the boards then. So thus ended my first time on WW.

Fast forward a few years to 2006. I now had two kids and a post-baby body. Eek! After both births I lost the first 30 lbs or so pretty easily, especially considering they were both fairly big babies (8lb 14oz and 9lb 11oz--oh yeah, had that one by NATURAL birth--you know I’m tough). Anyway, after that initial 30 lb loss, I still needed to lose 20 lbs to get to pre-baby weight. At the time I was living in London, where they also have Weight Watchers, so I looked into joining again. I realized it would be tough with my two little boys, so I went to join online. I ended up having to actually join the American website, because I was using a credit card with our American mailing address which didn’t work on the UK site. I was losing slowly but surely until we moved back to the U.S. last September.

The mess of moving and the re-introduction to my favorite American foods was a bit of a setback for my weight loss, but I was still registered with WW online so I kept going. I ended up losing 25 lbs online, so I joined meetings hoping to make my goal soon and work on getting lifetime membership. However, I joined the meetings a couple months ago and haven’t lost much since, so I seem to be at another plateau. However, I am not discouraged because at least I’m not gaining and I know I can lose eventually. Also, my clothes size and my measurements have gone down in those couple months in spite of the lack of weight loss, so something’s working--I think it’s my workouts that are helping.

OK, I’ve already written a lot, but I want to get more specific about my eating plan (WW Core Plan) so I will post again on this tomorrow, as time allows).