What Comes After The Climb: Thoughts On Maintaining Above Goal

I’ve been thinking a lot about weight loss and maintenance since last week.  Right now my mental state sways between hooray you maintained for a year and eventually the weight will come off with time.

What I have learned most over this last year is that while I maintained my 25 pound loss for the last year, it didn’t happen magically. 

 

It happened by staying focused and working on weight loss.  It meant having to take off extra weight that settled back on instead of allowing a continuous upward trend like I did from 2013-2016.  And while I had hoped to maintain once I got back under 200 pounds, maintaining around 225 pounds for the last year still feeling pretty darn good.

I still have more I want to lose.  I still want to see the scale below 200 pounds.  I still really want to re-claim my 100 pounds lost.  And I know that even if it slowly, I will get there.  I just have to keep myself from those sabotaging thoughts of “have this yummy treat…the weight will come off eventually.”  I must put in the hard work and I must stay the course so I can reach those goals I so badly want to.

Looking back at my weight record since reaching my 175 pound doctor’s goal shows how I was maintaining for a while, made an uphill climb, dropped down some in elevation, and am walking on level ground again. 

 

I am excited to see what another year will bring.

Revamping The Overnight Oats

I haven’t eaten Overnight Oats in a while partly due to not really liking the taste of raw oats and the other part due to it being a large amount of points by the time you add all the ingredients in.

If you aren’t familiar with Overnight Oats and how to make them:

• Raw oats/oatmeal (any variety or kind)
• Milk (any milk of your choice)
• Yogurt (any yogurt of your choice)

Mix together and let it set overnight. 

Typically the recipe is equal parts oat, milk, and yogurt.  But I like mine a certain consistency so I don’t always put in equal parts.  I started eating them again because Kenyon left me an empty peanut butter jar.  You know those bits leftover in the jar that you just can’t really get out?  That is the best time to have Overnight Oats by making them inside the leftover peanut butter jar.  Seriously, this is the best ever because you can scrape the sides with your spoon as you eat it.

I have renewed my love of Overnight Oats since making them with some instant oatmeal I buy at Winco.  (The name has changed to Better Oats).

I used to add cinnamon to my Overnight Oats but now, this packet of oatmeal flavors it so well I don’t need any extra, but I still add two packets of Stevia.  I have also been using Fat Free Greek Yogurt, which is 0 SPV, and a little bit of unsweetened almond milk, which is 1 SPV for 8 ounces.  The Oat Fit brand is 3 SPV for one packet of oats.  I have the Apple Cinnamon variety of the Better Than Oats and they are 3 SPV. 

I like my overnight oats with cut up strawberries, a little bit of honey, and some extra peanut butter.  If you haven’t tried them yet, consider doing so with some really flavorful oats.  I think that is the key.

Socializing Saturday

We had beautiful weather yesterday for our outdoor activities and we were also lucky enough to score seats in the shade.  I met Danielle, Phoenix, her two kids, and her sister at Boise Brewing in Boise for their 4^th Annual Celebration Block Party.  The party drew in a good sized crowed and despite no plans to eat, the hot dogs smelled really good.  They only had one beer on special for $2.50 and it was too hoppy for me so I stuck to a cream ale and my favorite BB beer, Snow Border Porter.

 

From there we ventured to Meriwether Cider and Barbarian Brewery, which are both in the same stretch mall.  The event was to help raise money the Boise Fire Fighters Burn Out Fund, which assists victims of house/apartment/building fires.

 

They were selling adult sno-cones that were flavored with special Meriwether Ciders.  Phoenix tried the Mango Habanero and I tried the Smoked Cinnamon.  Both were really good.  We had to wait a bit until the sno-cone machine was up and running so we shared a flight of ciders.  They were good, but not as tasty at the ones I tried with Dawny in Spokane.

 

Since I had reached my quota of alcohol for the day, I stuck to two 4 ounce tasters at Barbarian Brewery. 

 

Phoenix and I promised the kids we would take them to ice cream if they were on their best behavior both Friday at the Meridian Dairy Days parade and on Saturday.  We went to McDonalds and Taco Bell.  I didn’t feel so good the remainder of the evening.  I had too many splurges and not enough water.  I’m feeling like I’m ready to take a break from alcohol social situations.  I’ll see what transpires once I switch days off at work but really, my liver could use a break.

Double Meeting Saturday

I attended my first WW meeting in 5 weeks and had so much fun, I attended another.  

I’d connected online with Morgan, who is the receptionist on Saturday mornings. The substitute leader was Kari, whom I also enjoy. So, after attending the 8am meeting, i sat in my car and ate my overnight oats and the grabbed some caffeine free Coke Zero at Albertsons before attending the 9:30 meeting. It was a great way to start the day with a double-dose of WW.

I swing by the Farmer’s Market where I purchased some jalapeño wine lemonade to take with me next weekend to Silver City for the 4th of July festivities. Then met Kenyon for lunch before coming back downtown.

Later today I am meeting Phoenix, her kiddos, and Danielle for Boise Brewing’s 4th Anniversary Block Party. They are supported to have kids games and food trucks so we hope to have fun. There is also a party going on at the cider house that benefits the Boise Fire Fighters Burn Out Fund. They are selling adult snow cones. Mmmmmmm....

I’m killing a little time at Flying M before all the fun begins.

Oh, my WI was great! I had hoped to not gain more than 5 pounds and my gain was exactly 5 pounds. I am really enjoying the mental high of maintaining my 25 pound loss over the last year and feel re-focused for the week ahead.

I’ll recap the fun later.

TGIFF

Thank Goodness It’s Finally Friday

I am really excited for the weekend, although it is sure to zoom on by like most weekends.  Despite wanting to relax this weekend I have scheduled some plans.  But, I’m also hoping to have some downtime since I start back at work again on Monday.

I’ve been trying to shift my afternoon iced coffee to the morning hours just in case this might have been what was interrupting my sleep lately.  I don’t really feel like I’m not sleeping well but I am just feeling so exhausted that I’m not sure what is going on.  Getting to bed at a decent time can be hard with the late sun set and so much light at 8pm.  But, we can also pull the blinds and make our room darker so I might need to try that.

Now, just because I am hoping to sleep better doesn’t mean I missed out on my Starbucks Happy Hour 2 for 1 Frappuccino deal.  I’ve been wanting to try the new Ultimate Caramel Frappe and was not disappointed.  The cold brew infused whip cream was the best part.  It was a bit too sweet and I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to drink it all…but…it was tasty.  Since it was also National Selfie Day, I took a photo.

 

Now, I’m still wanting to know if half the price also means half the calories/points?  No??  Oh darn.

Happy Friday.

Items That Make Traveling Easier

I’ve traveled quite a bit over the last year and each time I travel it gives me an opportunity to perfect my packing before our Europe trip.

 

Here are some things that make my travel much easier:

TSA Pre-Check – After my recent trip to Spokane and seeing the long lines at TSA at both the Boise and Spokane airports, I was really glad I had my pre-check status.  Kenyon is the one that learned about TSA Pre-Check a few years ago and the cost has paid for itself many time over.  If you are a frequent flyer, you should apply.  We had to pay $85, get finger printed, and have a background check run.  But, it was totally worth it.  You can learn more about TSA Pre-Check and how it can benefit you by visiting their website.

Packing Carry-On Only – Kenyon and I started practicing our carry-on only packing skills in preparation for our New York City/New England Cruise trip last September.  We knew we wanted to pack carry-on only for Europe and wanted to practice during a longer trip that included both land, sea, and car travel.  The best part about carry-on only is that you don’t have to mess with waiting at baggage claim or worrying about lost luggage.  One other plus is that you aren’t juggling large sized bags.  Just make sure you don’t overstuff your carry-on size.  When you travel you only need the basics.  I was an over-packer for years!  Making sure the items in your carry-on are low in weight is also key.  You don’t want to throw out your back lugging around a carry-on suitcase that is busting at the seams.  I practice each time I travel and I am always updating my packing list for Europe so I can perfect that before we leave.

The Right Kind Of Luggage – If you are going to pack carry-on only, you need to have the right size/shape bag.  When I first started practicing with my Eagle Creek Load Warrior bag, it was discouraging.  It is so hard to learn how to pack small and what packing tools will help ease that frustration.  I was thankful to the ladies at Shapiro, our local travel store in the mall, as well as the numerous packing videos we watched and the Rick Steve’s tips.  Kenyon suggested we order the Rick Steve’s Rolling Backpack, which would allow us to have both the backpack straps and the wheels.  This has turned out to be a great bag not only for the combo ability but also the shape of the bag.  My load warrior didn’t open all the way and I didn’t get the full use out of the bag.  The rolling backpack opens up square and I can access the entire suitcase.  One downside is that I feel like I can stuff the rolling backpack more than I could the load warrior so I’ll need to make sure I keep the weight of my bag down for Europe.  International travel requirements are much stricter than domestic travel.

Using Eagle Creek Packing Folders – I’ve been using packing folders for a few years now and highly recommend it for carry-on only travel. Your clothes fold up small and stay compact the entire trip.  It also makes your suitcase easy to organize if you have different colored folders and/or different sizes.  There is also packing cubes that work well too. 


Rick Steve’s Veloce Guide Bag – This bag has been perfect for traveling with my iPad.  I have an iPad Pro 9 inch with Apple Keyboard.  I like having my iPad while I travel for watching movies and also for reading books.  I will sometimes blog on the go and the full sized keyboard is very handy.  Plus, the keyboard uses the power off the iPad and doesn’t need a separate cord for charging.  I have found that many shoulder bags make my bag feel heavy and pretty soon, my shoulder starts to ache.  After watching a Rick Steve’s travel show where Sarah demonstrated the items she uses, it seemed worth the price.  We also had a 20% off sale discount.  I have been very happy with this bag.  It fits my iPad perfectly in the padded pocket and isn’t heavy like my other travel bags.  I have not yet used the second zip feature with gives you a little more room in the bag.  This bag is tiny in width but it keeps me from putting in all the items that did weight in down.  I like the sunglass holder and the zip pockets, which keep my passport, wallet, and cellphone secure.  It is comfortable to wear in the front where I can keep an eye on it or in the back when I am in a less crowded area.  This will be my go-to travel bag until it falls apart on me and I can’t order another one.

Having A Water Bottle – We were stuck on the tarmac in Phoenix several years ago for quite a while and I was so thirsty.  The flight attendants finally gave us some water but they ran out before they got to my row.  That sure felt like being in a desert and seeing the mirage of the water ahead of you.  When we landed in New Mexico and I was telling my Aunt Barb about our experience, she said she never goes anywhere without her Contigo insulated water bottle.  I like the Contigo Fit because I don’t want to mess with cleaning a straw.  I even left mine on the plane once and thankfully, it was at the Boise Airport so I could re-claim it. 

Packing A Projection Clock – Until I met Kenyon, I didn’t know projection clocks existed.  Since then, we are hooked.  There is nothing better than waking up, glancing at the ceiling or wall, and seeing the time vs. searching the room for a tiny clock.  When we travel, especially on cruise ships, there are usually no clocks in your state room.  So, we started traveling with a projection clock and eventually Kenyon found one that is the perfect travel size and uses a USB cord instead of batteries.

Duluth Trading Company’s Armachillo Shirts – My most recent find, and a favorite after my Spokane trip, is a particular shirt from Duluth Trading Company.  These Armachillo cooling long sleeved and short sleeved shirts feel so comfy and soft.  The long sleeved shirt was perfect for mid-70s temps and is what I plan to take to Europe.  I also got three short sleeved ones, which I wore to Silverwood Theme Park.  They keep you cool so when temps are cool, they don’t keep you really warm.  But, what I love about the long sleeved shirt is that I can just push the sleeves up my arms if I am feeling warm.  That way I don’t have to pack around a separate jacket if it is suddenly overcast.  They wash easily and dry quickly.  And the best part is they are very light and pack down really small, which is perfect for carry-on only travel.  It is hard not to busy several more so I have a variety because they are a bit expensive.  And, the plan for carry-on only packing is that you have to wear your clothes more than once and sink wash if needed.  These shirts should be perfect for that.

A Nite Lite For The Bathroom – Kenyon recently suggested carrying a nite lite with us when we travel since some hotel bathrooms can be really dark if you have to tinkle in the middle of the night.  He found these awesome small/flat lights that sick out from the wall in hopes of being more noticeable when you are packing up to go home and won’t leave it behind.  We have used them on two trips now and they are a great little light.  I carry it in my toiletry bag and I plug it in/take it out each day so I don’t risk forgetting it. 

These are just a few items that make traveling easier for me.

25 Pounds Lost - One Years Later

This morning I had a nice surprise in my Facebook “on this day” section (I really like looking back on fun memories).  It told me that a year ago I had earned a 25 pound charm which my leader gave me for losing some re-gain weight.  I love charms so I was super stoked to be given another 25 pound charm.  I wrote a blog post titled Weekly WI: 25 Pounds Of Re-Gain Is Gone

 

Of course, I had hoped that I would have continued to lose over this last year and I’d be closer to my goal weight.  But, you know what they say about wishing in one hand….

When I set a goal at the start of the year to lose 5 pound per month and keep it off, the keep it off part is the most important.  I may not have lost much more, but I have kept off the 25 pounds for a full year.  Considering my track records for continuous gains, this is awesome.  Of course, I do have to check in with the scale on Saturday at my WW meeting.

I’m back to tracking this week.  It feels challenging and I don’t care for it after having a few weeks off.  But, it does keep me accountable.  I went to the pizza place to make a salad bar on Tuesday at work and passed by the breadsticks since I’d have to track it.  Tracking seems to just work for me so it is important.  I’ve been feeling a bit bloated from the increase in fruit and veggies since I got home.

 

I’m looking forward to my upcoming meeting and getting re-centered with my program and my goals.  It really does feel like crunch time with Europe less than two months away.  I’ll blog more on that tomorrow.

 

 

Return From Spokane

Good Morning!  I am back from my Girls Weekend in Spokane, WA visiting Dawny.  I know I had a lot of fun because I am still exhausted. We logged a lot of steps over the weekend and since Dawny is an early riser, we were up when with sunrise each day.

 

I booked the Hotel RL (a Red Lion affiliate hotel) in the downtown/River Park area, which was a great location.  We really enjoyed the hotel and especially their coffee.  Each room gets a commentary 8 oz espresso per person each day.  That was a nice perk.  There was a Women’s Nazarene conference going on at the hotel so we met some really great people and were even invited to attend their functions a couple of time.

 

Despite living in Spokane for most of her life, Dawny hasn’t experience everything so this trip was all about new experiences for both of us.  We picked restaurants we had not been to and I enjoyed my first time at a fancy movie theater with seats that reclined.  It was just way too much fun.

Friday morning, my plane landed in Spokane at 6:45 am. 

 

We went to breakfast at Frank’s Diner, which is a restaurant in an old train car.  It is very small but really cute and the service was fantastic. 

 

Afterwards, we had time to kill so we scouted out a few places we wanted to check out over the weekend and was able to check into our hotel early.  We visited Dawny’s new cute house she recently bought and then I got to meet her Mom.  Lunch was at Northern Quest Casino where we also did a little gambling but sadly, didn’t come away winning our millions.  Maybe next time.

 

After resting for a bit at the hotel, we went to The Melting Pot for happy hour fondue.  Dawny had not been yet and the happy hour prices make cheese and chocolate fondue a great price.  We were so stuffed when we left and enjoyed every bite.  Fondue is fun!

 

We had tickets to the Spokane Indian baseball game and the opposing team just happened to be the Boise Hawks.  It was also opening night and the evening was to end with fireworks.  The weather turned a bit cold and the game drug on way too long so we only made it to the top of the 4^th inning before calling it quits and having Mongolian for dinner.  We later found out the fireworks didn’t even start until after 10:30pm and since my day started at 4am, I knew I wasn’t staying up that late.  We enjoyed the few hours we spent at the game and made friends with those in the seats around us.

 

 

Saturday started early so we could get to Cottage Café and beat the morning rush.  I wish I had gotten a photo of this cute restaurant, which is very tiny.  There was several cars in the parking lot with us and a line even before they opened the doors.  By 7:10 am, there was a waiting list so we were really glad we woke up early.   They have a signature coffee made with brown sugar and cinnamon that sounded really great so we tried one.  It was super sweet and very yummy.  The homemade strawberry jam is the best.

We were again left with time to kill so we ran a couple of errands before a 9:50 am showing of Book Club.  OMG this movie is wonderful and we laughed so much.  I also got to enjoy my first time at a theater with reclining seats.  They are building one in Caldwell so I’ll have to make sure to check it out once it opens.

Dawny isn’t much of an alcohol drinker so it was the perfect opportunity to corrupt her by introducing her to cider.  We had the best tasting flight at One Tree Cider House and even took some to go.  This cider is so delicious that I wish it was closer.

 

We secured a parking spot downtown and had lunch at Rocky Rococo’s before a double feature movie this time seeing Life Of The Party.  We almost missed the movie thinking it was later but we were right on time.  We had some good laughs but I preferred Book Club more.  Since we were already downtown, we continued on foot to Black Label Brewing.  I had wanted to try several of the local breweries but we just didn’t have enough time.  Black Label had many delicious dark beers and I enjoyed my flight.

 

Our hotel was having an outdoor concert so an appearance was mandatory.  The band was called Spare Parts and they were really good.  As soon as the fast music started, I got up to dance and was able to get others to join me.  There was also a group that was doing the Electric Slide line dine that I joined in on.  The music ended at 9pm and the party pretty much died down so we took an Uber to the local piano bar called The Ridler.  We made all sorts of new friends and continued the dancing party until we took Uber back to the hotel and passed out (it was only 11pm…ha!)

 

Dawny’s wake-up call came like clockwork and we were up and at ‘em again early (5:00 am!!!) for our big day at Silverwood ThemePark.  Despite living in Idaho all my life, I’ve been to many theme parks except Silverwood so I was super stoked.  Plus, we woke up to another beautiful day of sunshine.  We had breakfast at Molly’s Family Restaurant and then headed towards Athol, Idaho.

 

I rode this ride called Spincycle which takes you upside down and even kept us suspended for a few moments.  It was the neatest experience and the craziest one all wrapped up into one.  And, I had to really trust in my harness to keep me safe.  I also rode Aftershock, a really intense roller coaster.  It turns out that Dawny doesn’t like extreme rides but I was able to get her on the Corkscrew roller coaster and Tilt-a-Whirl.  Sadly, that was all Dawny could handle as she didn’t feel well after (sorry Dawny).

 

 

 

That was the end of our trip as Dawny went home to rest/re-coop and start to feel better.  I stayed in my room for the evening and ordered in pizza as I had another early flight to catch home to Boise.  It is always so much fun to go but also nice to be home.  And, I miss Kenyon when I travel without him.  I’m still feeling exhausted and now I’m back to work.  I’m going to take it easy this week and get to bed early.

Thanks Dawny for spending the weekend with me.

On My Way To Spokane, WA

I’m off to Spokane, Washington to visit Dawny. 

For those that are new to the blog, I “met” Dawny several years ago through an online Weight Watcher community website.  We connected with several other members from around the USA that have all lost over 100+ pounds.  Dawny actually lost 200+ pounds because she is a Rock Star!  I met her IRL (In Real Life) in 2014 when I traveled to Spokane to walk the Bloomsday 12K with her and her family/friends.

I decided to push my planned May trip to June so we could go to Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho and so I could avoid having to walk 12K at this year’s Bloomsday.  Hahahahaha…but I’m actually serious.  It is now time for my trip and I am super duper excited.  WhoooHoooo.

I may be absent from the blog for a few days, or I may pop in with a ton of photos, one never knows.  In the meantime, here are some blog posts of my previous trips to visit Dawny.

All Day Travel

Downtown Spokane

Two State Saturday

Bloomsday 2014

Surprise! I’m In Spokane

Spokane Day One: Kenyon Is A Tourist

Spokane Day Two: Dawny Completes Her Second Half Marathon

Reading Old Blog Posts To Gain New Perspective

As I was combing through some old blog posts, I found one titled, When The WW Center Is Next To The Liquor Store, that caused me to pause and re-read it.  I remember going into the liquor store that evening and I remember feeling like a huge failure for being so far over my goal.

The blogpost is dated September 22, 2015.  I went back and looked at my weight loss record to see what I was weighing around that time.  It is no surprise that I didn’t actually log any weight for several months since I was avoiding the scale.

The previous weight I have logged is from August 24, 2015 and is 209.4. 

 

You know that saying, “I wish I was as thin as I was when I thought I was fat.”  Yeah, I’d kill to be 209 again.

The next weight I have logged is from December 10, 2015 and is 220.6. 

 

I had been teetering on the cusp of 220s for a few months now, which makes me really happy since I had gotten back up to 253 as logged on June 27, 2016. 

 

Since I life so much of my life in the day-to-day tracking and the week-to-week scale numbers, it is exhausting and feels like so much work.  It can also be really discouraging to feel as if you are moving at the speed of a turtle.

 

Slow losing is still losing.  And as the days dwindle towards the end of my mental break, I find myself getting more excited to attend my next WW meeting and even more excited to stay the course.

An On-Track Day (Minus The Actual Tracking Part)

Here is my new Jamberry manicure called Carnival.  If my nails were just a smidge longer the pink would show better.  It sure is a fun wrap.

 

I had a great day yesterday as far as food and activity was concerned.  It feel really good at the end of the evening to go to bed knowing you were on track and making good decisions.  My meals weren’t exciting but they were at least healthy!

Breakfast: potatoes cooked in olive oil, two eggs, and left over Canadian bacon from our breakfast at Original Pancake House.  I had coffee and watermelon on the side.

Lunch: Chicken breast cooked in olive oil, salad, and light Italian dressing.  I had a little watermelon for dessert.

Dinner: Pork roast, corn on the cob, green beans, and watermelon.

Snack: Greek yogurt, strawberries, iced coffee with chocolate Muscle Milk and coconut creamer and grapes on my drive home from the gym.

Kelsey and I tried a new-to-us class at the gym called Looped In which involved using a looped stretchy band contraption around your thighs and then later around your ankles to increase the resistance.  It was a really good workout and I was worried I’d be super sore today.  Thankfully, I can still walk!  I am working a 12-hour shift today and then we are planning to meet at the gym for the Pound class tonight.

Grapes were $0.98 per pound at Albertson’s and the sale ended yesterday.  My Mom told me about it so I popped in real quick on my way home from the gym.  I bought almost five pounds of a combo of green and red grapes and they are both delicious.  I’m headed out of town early Friday morning so I’ve got lots of grapes to eat in the new couple of days.  Don’t worry, I’m up for the challenge!  The watermelon got finished up last night and I’ve still got a few strawberries too.  I love fresh fruit.  The watermelon I had this week was really tasty.

My meals today aren’t really exciting but again, they are on track.

Breakfast: Overnight oats made with Greek yogurt, almond milk, cinnamon and apple Better Than Oats, and steel cut oats.  I topped it with strawberries, peanut butter, and honey.  (The instant oatmeal packs I found, used to be called Oat Fit but now is Better Than Oats, at Winco have turned into some really delicious overnight oats.  I love that they have great flavor and not much sugar.  Win-Win.)

Lunch: Chicken breast cooked in olive oil, salad, and light Italian dressing.

Dinner: I’ll make a Boca burger after the gym and some cut potato fries in the air fryer.

Snack: String cheese, grapes, Greek yogurt, strawberries, and iced coffee with chocolate Muscle Milk and coconut creamer at work.  I’ve packed extra food today due to my 12-hour shift and my gym meet-up right afterwards.

It is my Double Star day at Starbucks and I’ve been needing to stock up on more coffee pods.  I love when I can do that and earn double the reward stars.

How Is The Mental Break Going? Eh...Pretty Good

I’m still feeling a bit tired from the weekend coupled with not getting to bed at a decent hour so far this week.  I find I’m highly unmotivated!

 

I have not logged a weigh-in since May 14^th and I’ve not logged anything in my tracker since May 23^rd.  I know I am not crazy off-track but I do think I have gained some weight.  My plan is to pop into a WW meeting and get on the scale next Saturday.  I’ll deal with the “damage” then but in the meantime, I am hoping I have balanced out my food/splurges at least a little bit. 

The mental break has been good.  I do still think to myself, “I need to track that” and then I remember I’m taking a break.  Of course I can still track even if I am on a mental break.  I have not been highly motivated to return to the gym this week but my schedule does allow evening classes.  I schedule a class this evening, tomorrow, and Thursday with Kelsey at the various gym locations.  I’m also trying out a new class.  It is nice to have extra accountability (because I already texted her to cancel and she has her bag packed and is planning to go).

 

As far as food goes, I find that I am on track early in the day and it dwindles as the day progresses.  I’m saying no to sugar again and that makes me feel tons better.  Some days I feel really good and others I feel like I’ve gained a million pounds.  Isn’t the body so interesting?