So...this week starts the holiday season around here. From the way I've been eating, you'd think that it started about 3 weeks ago.
I've been giving my plan some thought, trying to decide if I want to lose in the next 4-5 weeks, or just to hold steady. In past years, I've sort of taken a vacation from weight loss for the last month of the year, and gained anywhere from 5 to 8 lbs. I thought about continuing with this plan for another year, and then ran into the problem: At my current weight, I've only lost 5 lbs. this year. If I gain over 5 lbs, I'll have a negative loss stat for 2005. Not acceptable.
So, I've decided to try to lose. I'm not going to be ridiculous and say that I want to lose 10 lbs by the end of the year or anything, because we're ending the year with a 10-day vacation and I'm not stupid. However, I am setting a loss goal--I want to end 2005 with a bigger loss than I had in 2004. This means that from right this minute, I would need to lose over 1 lb through the holiday season.
I think I can do that, recent weeks' experience aside. If I'm honest with myself, I haven't really been trying lately. WW Flex is not working for me. Actually, I shouldn't say that...it would work if I followed it. I guess a better way to put it is that it doesn't suit me. Core is a challenge, but it's better suited to my lifestyle and activity level. I need to get back to concentrating on what I'm eating and paying attention to what my body needs v. what sounds good right this minute and whether it will take me over points. Because honestly? I don't give a shit if I go over points right now, and I think that's the biggest problem between me and Flex. If there's no rule saying I shouldn't eat the cookie, I'm going to eat the damned cookie, and then I'm going to eat another one, and the fact that these things have got a little number attached to them really doesn't enter into the decision. It's only afterward that I add it up and think "damn...maybe having 3 cookies was unwise."
So, Core. I could go with non-WW plans also, of course, but I'd likely end up with a low-GI carb, whole food type thing anyway, and Core is close enough to that. May as well stick with the WW, since I'm prepaid for 5-6 more meetings anyway.
I'd also like to get back to riding my bike 3-5 times/week, rather than the 1-2 I'm doing now. Walking and/or running would be a good thing also. The time I felt and looked best this year was when I was doing the century training and walking 3 times/week. I wasn't losing much weight, but I felt better and looked better than I do now. It's time to get back to that.
At least 1 more pound gone by the end of this year. That is my holiday goal.
Posted by Joy at November 22, 2005 09:51 AMFlex never worked for me -- even with eating my activity points I never felt satisfied when i was running 30-35 miles a week. What works best for me is cutting out the sugar and sweets, but that pretty much sucks the lifeblood out of me, so I hold steady at 20+ my ideal.
Posted by: Skatemom on November 23, 2005 07:37 AM
You can do it! We're rooting for you. And, congratulations on getting up the courage to go on a club ride. I'm glad you had a good time. Keep it up!
Posted by: Frazier on November 23, 2005 09:13 AM