Love/Hate Relationship

I made mention the other day that I had lost 10% of my body weight and then lost 15 lbs. on Weight Watchers (I'm really proud of this, no doubt)... However, I am definitely developing a Love/Hate relationship with this whole Points System (for those who don't know, you're allotted so many points per day based upon your height, weight, activity level, etc). This will demonstrate:

HATE list:

• Each time you go down to the next 10-lb. category, you lose a point. For example, when I went from 130 lbs. into the 120's, I lost a point.... So, you're all "YAY! I'm in the 120's!! Oh SNAP, I only get 17 points!" It's really a bittersweet feeling....
• Chicken McNuggets don't fit well in the equation unless it's the 4-pack, which really is just enough to make you mad.
• It's really cut into my whole comfort-food habit (which, yeah, I know, that's the whole point.... But I REALLY love food, for real.) Now when I look at a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings with a nice warm slice of cornbread and huge glass of sweet tea, instead of getting that warm, fuzzy feeling that I loved so much, I immediately start trying to figure out how much butter and fat went into the whole thing.

LOVE list:

• I've lost over 15 lbs! yeah, that's pretty much it...

I mean it's really not THAT bad... I get to eat normal food for the most part (just in a lot smaller portions than previously). Here's an example of a typical day for me:

BREAKFAST

These are THE BEST!! And because of all the fiber, they do a great job of helping me to feel fuller longer. However, though I've had no adverse reactions, through research with friends, I've found that those who react typically to fiber may need to eat these in the privacy of their own home. (Consider yourself warned).

LUNCH

These are really yummy, and I love that I can eat 4 for only 5 points! It kinda makes me feel like I'm being a pig without all the guilt. Plus, it's only 1:45 in the microwave... How easy! (and cheap, too)

OR

McDonald's Chicken Caesar Salad! It is really good, especially for a fast food salad (even though Ronnie swears that there are Oak leaves in it). It's only 4 points without dressing... or you can add Newman's Own Low-fat Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (yummmmm) for only one more point. Again, a lot of fiber... so you feel full for a while!






SUPPER




Chicken sauteed with summer squash and/or zucchini put into some marinara and then poured over some whole wheat thin spaghetti... Even the boys like it! It usually even leaves me with enough points to eat either a crescent roll or some garlic bread, which makes me SOO happy!





SNACKS (of course!)

These are the 100 calorie version of Girl Scouts' Thin Mints. I LOVE them! The only complaint I have heard from people is that they want to eat about 3 packs instead of just one.. But, of course, if you think about the last time you ate some thin mints, you ate the whole roll, didn't you? (Don't lie... I know better).

Ok... so, yeah, maybe I do sort of have a girl scout theme going on, but I love the shortbread cookies, too.. It seems like there are more cookies in these packs. So, they help out a little more when I'm having a craving...

So, that's my typical day on WW.... And I'm sure there are people out there yelling at me right now about a couple of things I haven't mentioned:

• You get 35 "weekly points", I call them screw up points. The reasoning behind them is so that you have a little more flexibility with either indulging a little bit each day (going just a few points over your allotment) or indulging big one day (you know, birthday/wedding cakes, etc.). However, I see them fitting in on those days when I know I've screwed up the whole diet thing and I usually quit on other diets... The fact that I'm allowed to mess up keeps me going... I usually end up saving them for Sundays when my in-laws cook a huge great lunch after church. Honestly, though, I try not to  use many at all... I still feel like it's cheating
• You get points for activity! YAY! - Except I'm lazy and don't exercise regularly at all... So, really, this doesn't help... However, I did get 3 points for shopping all day once :)

Anyway, so, that was a pointless post, but it helped me get through this horrible craving I'm having right now for something terrible for me... THANKS! :)