Dieting & Budgeting

There are lots of gimmick diets out there. Quit eating this and start eating that. Abstain for this, eat so much of that. They are not a lifestyle that you can maintain. While visiting Idaho I was having a conversation about diets and had to defend weight watchers though. I don't think it is a gimmick and this is why.

Do you balance your check book? Do you check your accounts regularly? Do you think that this is a gimmick to maintain a lifestyle of fiscal responsibility? Do you have a budget or plan for big expenses? Most people do. So what is my point?

Well, weight watchers is a lot like budgeting. It allows you to eat anything you want but to keep in check. It encourages you to write down what you eat just like most keep track of what they spend. It gives you a budget of what to eat allowing you to eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables more regularly while it discourages your from eating foods full of sugar and fats. It lets you budget more foods if they have more fiber because fiber is kind of like a coupon. It encourages you to create this way of eating as a lifestyle and it can be a lifestyle.

Nothing on weight watchers is extreme and it has been proven year after year that out of all the weight loss programs it is most effective in the long term. I agree that it has to be a lifestyle change but most of us can not make huge changes in our life with out a guide. Putting your money in envelopes for different items is kind of like putting your weight watcher points in check. The flex points and activity points are also like financial budgeting. The flex points allows you to spend food more for the special occasion. It is the rainy day fund so that you are prepared. Activity points are like a savings account. It is a way for you to make points and save them for later.

I agree that a lifestyle change is essential but just like having a plan or a budget to live with in your means I think that weight watchers is the best plan out there to help you budget your foods and teach you to live with in your food needs.

A great trip

We had a really great trip to Idaho. We celebrated my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary, we got family pictures taken, floated the dry bed, explored grand teton national park, went swimming/watersliding at the Jackson Hole Rec Center, Hiked in Yellowstone, etc...

I did do some exercise. Here is the real exercise that I did..and it's not much.
1) 3 mile bike ride
2) 1 hour zumba
3) Short strenous hike (328 stairs)
4) Swam 150 meters fast

Other than that it was just lots of walking, bowling, party set-up and daily activities. I had planned to do more but the time just got away from us.

I definitely did not drink enough water on this trip. Mostly because I love ice cold water and I had no access to ice for 90% of trip. We ate out a few too many times. Rigby, Idaho is famous for a little pizza pocket called the "Bambino", needless to say we had them a couple times. There were lots of yummy baked goods too.

I SCREWED UP! I didn't mean to but I have came home heavy. Back on the bandwagon I must go! I saw this picture and it made me gag. My cousin in law recently blogged about a new term "Bleg". It is when you but runs into your leg and has no definition. Think cankle but for your butt/thigh area. I have some serious bleg going on! Must get control.

1 step forward, 2 steps back

Sadly I am here to report that I have gained a lot of weight! This evening I weighed 175. I feel like this entire year has been me taking one step forward and two steps back. Why can't I seem to keep going forward. The food portion of this is killing me. I love yummy food and I am totally addicted to carbs. I just can't seem to kick it. I think I have lost my way though. I have not been telling myself that "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels".

I did some self awareness during our trip and what I have discovered is that I have a lot of stress about my self worth, value and....I am not sure why. I think it is in my subconscious but it is there. I spend a lot of time focusing on how I look and how I look makes me feel a certain way. I am trying to take some steps to help correct this behavior.

One thing I am doing is similar to self hypnosis. I know it sounds crazy but really what it is...is stating your goals and stating how you feel and how you want to feel and listening to it every day. People that write their goals, say their goals, etc..meet their goals. I am going to try and rally Travis too. I need his help and support.

On Vacation

Didn't want you all to think I have forgotten about you. We are on vacation to Idaho till Sept 11th. It was my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary and we have enjoyed getting to spend time with family and celebrate. We are headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and to Yellowstone National Park for the weekend.

I have been trying to do some exercise everyday but there is lots of tempting foods to eat. I have been drinking green smoothies for breakfast. I'll be sure to have a post all about them soon.

NASCAR

I had lost another pound last week and finally saw 167. Sadly, I don't think I am there any longer. Saturday we were wined and dined by Fed Ex at the Bristol Nascar Race. I swear all they did was feed us. While I didn't eat all of this stuff, this is what they had for us.

1PM Chicken Tenders, Fruit & Chips

3PM Hotdogs, Chicken Wings

6PM Ribs, Beef tips, scalloped potatoes, macaroni salad, rolls

7PM Apple carmel cheese cake

9PM Nachos, little wieners, and pretzels

All day: M&Ms, Peanuts, Open alcohol bar and unlimited soda/water

Um..that sums that up. I literally felt sick from eating when we left. Other than the day being a total diet sabotage; it was an amazing day and experience. Let me start this by saying that I am not a NASCAR fan, I have never watched a race on TV and have really had no interest in attending a race. Yet, Travis had gotten these tickets from Fed Ex and I knew that it would be a once in a life time experience and I am ALL ABOUT THOSE!

We arrived at Fed Ex at 12:30 and got on a coach bus which had a police escort to the race track. It was great. We went through all the traffic, every red light, and arrived in style. As soon as we got there we were greeted by golf carts that picked us up and took us up to the suite. When we arrived at the suite we were given a gift bag. It was filled with a large fed ex replica car and a small hot wheels style Bristol race track car. It also had a fed ex hat and drawstring backpack.

We had some lunch and then we were greeted by Cory. Cory was our personal escort. Only 6 of us there had VIP hot passes and he was our guide for the day. We got back on our golf cart and went down to the track. There we met the crew, saw the race car up close, walked the track and got an insiders view of the hauler. The hauler is not a typical semi. It has a small kitchen, a living room and tons of parts, pieces and technology. That is the one thing that I found so interesting. When you think of NASCAR the first thought is a bunch of rednecks but what I found is that the Fed Ex team has a team of engineers, scientists and business men to create what happens on race night.

Cory, our escort was in charge of marketing and had an MBA from Vanderbilt. One of the things he does is place the sponsor stickers on the car. I guess there is a big strategy to it. :)

After our tour we went back up to the suite where we met the driver, Denny Hamlin, and he talked to us about racing and his day. Inside the car it can get anywhere from 140-200 degrees. He autographed our cars and we got professional pics taken with him. About an hour later we met Coach Gibbs the owner of the racing team. He is a retired NFL coach and has won 3 superbowls and had the ring to prove it. He also talked about racing and did autographs and professional pics.

From there we took our private golf cart back to the track. We watched all the driver's introductions and then joined our driver at his car for the National Anthem. We were lined up by the driver and watched the fireworks and jets fly by. Then we were off to the pits. There we were given a set of earplugs and a large set of ear muff headphones. These headphones had several different channels where you could listen to the drivers talking to their teams and then we had a small handheld TV where you could watch the camera's that are inside the cars.

We watched the first 125 laps from the pits. I was sitting right next to the crew chief. Inside the pits was intense! Watching the race that close and seeing the pit stops really was incredible. It took them about 15 seconds to round the track and about 15 seconds to change 4 tires and fill the car up with gas. When the tires come off they are almost 200 degrees. We finished the race in the suite and enjoyed watching the close finish.

It was an amazing experience and a fun day. It also was one of the first times that me and Travis had that much time together. We left at 9am and actually didn't get home till about 2:30am. A big thanks to our two babysitters that made this all happen. We go on date nights but never have we had more than 12 hours of just the two of us. This was bitter sweet. While we totally enjoyed our selves and had a great time...I could only think the entire day about how much my little boy would have loved it. He is obsessed with cars and this would have been his dream day. Maybe when he gets a little older we will have to take him!

Down a Solid 2

Yay! All my hard work this week paid off. I weigh exactly 168.0. I'll take it! Hoping to be at 164 by the time we go to Idaho. 2 weeks exactly until we leave! Then the goal is to be 155 in time for Brooke's wedding (the exact amount that I weighed when I got married). I'll have 4 weeks to lose 9 pounds. It will be a challenge but I am pretty motivated. Hopefully I'll be able to try on my wedding dress and it will fit :)

The last couple weeks I had fluctuated between 170-173 so I am very happy with this number.

I have already called several family members in Idaho and planned for my success. My in-laws have a trail on their property and I have asked my mother-in-law to walk with me in the mornings. I had my niece look for a zumba class that all of us girls can go to once. I wanna do a hike while we are in Yellowstone and go on a couple bike rides. I am going to enjoy the flat, wide open spaces while we are there.

I am just praying for good weather. Summer came very late to Idaho this year so I hope that means that it will stick around for a while. It would be so nice to enjoy the outdoors and have great weather. I am hoping that it is even warm enough to get in some tubes and float the dry bed by my in-laws house. My goal for the trip is to STAY THE SAME! I don't expect to lose weight while on vacation but it would be great NOT to gain any either.

Tomorrow Tammye has planned a Weekend Warrior so it is a great way to start off the week!

Just another day

Today we are doing chores. Yesterday I did laundry and changed all our beds, today I need to vacuum and just pick up. We have been doing lots of home improvement projects and painting. We are getting our fence professionally sprayed but in order to save money we are pressure washing it ourselves. The other day Travis helped my grandpa install his new computer and in return my grandpa offered to come over with some hoses and his pressure washer and help Travis knock it out. It is a big fence and has to be washed inside and out. I will just watch the kids and make dinner for the guys. Tomorrow we are going to Splash Country as a reward.

I love Splash Country. It is so fun to watch your kids love something! Hudson loves playing in the wave pool, floating the lazy river and going on every slide that his height will allow. He is so brave and will go on just about anything. He has so much fun. It is only open until Labor Day so we are making good use of our pass going this week and next. I am going to pack a cooler filled with healthy snacks so that I can stay on track and save a nickel. It is a pretty good workout too. Almost all of the slides move strictly due to gravity which means that you have to climb stairs or a hill to get to the beginning.

My plan is to go workout tonight. I love Wednesday night workouts. It is the advanced group and while I wouldn't necessarily consider me advanced, I can hang and it is so motivating to be working with such a strong group of ladies. It is a 75-90 minute workout with weights and cardio. The men are starting to pressure wash until 2:30 though and workout is at 5:30; I know that they won't be done....maybe my neighbor can come watch the kids for a bit. Tomorrow night I have a CPR class. Life happens.

Yesterday I was at Walmart and I saw these really cute white pants for only $5. I love white pants and all of mine are WAY too big now. I went over to look for a size 12 and all they had were 8,10, 14, & 16. I tried on the 10s just too see how far I had. I pulled them on but boy were they tight. If I bent over, I'd probably rip them out. Guess what though?? I bought them anyway. In hopes that they will fit like a glove when I come to Boise. Give me a little extra motivation.

Goal for today....drink lots of water! I was good yesterday but didn't drink enough water.