Weekly WI: WTF?

Happy Wednesday.  So far (fingers crossed) I’m on a three-day stretch off work.  My Aunt Barb arrives from New Mexico and I am looking forward to visiting with her the next couple of days.  Then, back to the grind!

My Weekly WI was not as I had expected.  I expected a gain but not over three pounds!  Grrrrrr….

I’ve had a day to sit with my feelings and I’m going to roll all my disappointment into the week ahead.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were high-point non-tracked days but it didn’t feel like that should have impacted the scale that much.  I am hopeful some is temporary and I’ll see a good portion come off this week.  I have a couple high point days this week so I’ll continue my commitment to honest 100% tracking.  That worked well for me and showed success a few weeks ago.

My week was a lot of fun.  I took Friday and Saturday off and enjoyed social, alcohol, and food!  On Thanksgiving, I made a turkey veggie tray.

On Friday, I subbed at a morning WW Workshop and then picked up Kenyon for the Black Friday gift card promo deal at Meltz and then Payette Brewery for the dark beer event.  As always…both were delicious!

We ended Friday at the Elks where Wanda and Gary went through orientation before initiation last night.  We have two new Elk members!

Saturday, we met up with Phoenix and Stacey for some winery visits.  We started at Williamsons for their barrel tasting, then to Famici, a newer winery, for a fight and some snacks we brought along with us.  

On our way to a soft opening from a really new brewery, the GPS took us on a detour blocked by sheep.  That was an experience.  I won’t name the winery because we didn’t like it.  

We ended at Koenig Distillery where Stacey and I signed up to share a whiskey membership.  They now have cocktail flights for $10 and I bought a bottle of pear brandy to bring home.  Stacey bought the 2023 whiskey membership bottles and we had a mini tasting at home.

Three out of four are amazing so I guess that makes it worth the elevated price for bottles.  We will give the membership a go and see how we feel as it moves along.  For $109 a quarter, you get two bottles of the same speciality whiskey.  This is why we decided to share a membership.  Neither of us need eight bottles of whiskey a year!

It is no surprise the scale is up…I just had no idea I’d see a huge swing.  I am working on getting my mind in check and looking at the bigger picture.  I am down for the month although still a lot of work to go!

Weekly WI: A Tiny Pause - A Maintain

Good Morning!  Happy Tuesday.

I just barely squeezed out of some overtime coverage at work on top of my part-time WW gig today.  Oh boy, welcome to the holidays eh?  I’ve got a packed social schedule today and that didn’t include working with the motoring public today.  I have an overtime shift tomorrow and then took off Friday and Saturday so I could have a long weekend with The Hubs.  I also have some social meet-ups later this week.

Last week was 100% on track and after saving all my weekly points for a BSU tailgate party the Elks, last minute work coverage and a 2:45 a.m. wake up call created a change of plans.  Our consolation prize was going out to dinner at Dos Caminos for delicious Mexican food and spending my points on a 24 oz beer.

The new progress report continues to amaze me.  What I have determined is unless you are in the negative with your weekly points, you earn the “blue dot” and it is considered “in budget.”  I am used to earning a blue dot if you are within a range of eating eight points below or 10 points above.  I like this push to eat all your points as you are still “in budget” when you do.  It is a very healthy concept.

After eating in budget all week, I had a maintain.  I didn’t want to see a maintain a on the scale but I am relieved to protect my progress from the last two weeks.  I am still in the 200s so I have continued work to accomplish.  I have have more social calendar events ahead of me.  I feel like the new progress tab is encouraging me to use all my points and perhaps spread them out more than saving them for one big day.  Also, 100% tracking is key.  That is the plan this week although it will be harder to track and a lot more points!

We are taking about a great technique this week as we explore when we can’t do it all, how to make the few things we can do, truly doable.  It is a good technique.  When in doubt, I found some great advise online.

Weekly WI: The Downhill Climb Continues Another Week

If I thought November would be less busy than October, I am sadly mistaken.  Since joining the Elks Lodge, I am on the move!  But I am having a lot of fun and meeting a lot of great people.

Consistency with tracking and planning ahead contributed to another great Weekly WI.  I am down 5.2 pounds over the last two weeks.

I think at this point the “temporary spike” in my large weight gain for the month of October has most likely dropped off.  Now the real work begins.  The next hurdle will be harder to tackle as this fat is a bit more deeply rooted.  I have been dipping in/out of the 200s on a continual basis since May.  My weight at the end of January 2023 was 194.8 (first weigh-in was 197).  While I am not sure what the end of 2023 will bring, I am focused on getting back to Onederland with a continued focus to stay there in 2024.  I have to be more aware of the smaller gains and take action ASAP.  I also have to be more aware of the summer climb, which appears to be a habit.  I really do not enjoy spending half the year bringing the scale back down.  How about we just don’t send it back up? Mmmm-kay!

Here is my progress summary for last week.

This week and next week are…busy.  OMG I have so much going on.  With some pre-planning, meal preparation, and balance, I know I can knock it out of the park.  I also know I need to manage my expectations that I will not continue to have such large weight loss each week.  Boy is it nice though!  My honest tracking has been paying off and that will be my focus again this week.

My WW Manager, Gina, was in town for a meet-and-greet along with coaching evaluations.  If all managers were as complimentary as Gina we would all live be living our BEST life.  She is absolute sunshine.  My evaluation went well and I am right on target for my coaching.  I know I am making good connections as my members share that feedback with me.  The people pleaser in me also enjoyed hearing it from Gina.  My love language is not Words of Affirmation but getting feedback is important.  I am glad I on the right track is always helpful as I move forward as an employee and a WW Coach.

Weekly WI: The Downhill Climb

I’ve crested the hill and have started the downhill climb.  I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m working on it!

 

I had a very successful week where I refocused, followed through with a commitment to tracking, moved my body more, and balanced where necessary.  This week also had some social and a little sprinkle of eating out mixed in.  I am very happy with my loss as I was very strategic in how my week ended.

 

The goal this week is much of the same.  I have a little social and am working on building a meal plan that will set me up for success and provide some balance.  I dipped into the negative balance on my weeklies and this week may be more of the same.  The new progress tracker is where you will find your blue dots as it no longer colors it daily as it once did.

 

I like that it has blue for when you are in budget, grey when not, and no color on the day you didn’t track.  That is a helpful visual for the days that I skip tracking.  I am surprised that I didn’t count me as “in budget” on Sunday and Monday as those days last week I did not go more than 10 points over my daily budget.  Perhaps because I was in the negative for my weekly points?  I am not sure but I will keep an eye on the new addition of the progress tab.

 

I am working a 5-hour overtime shift than planning to meet Phoenix for a walk on her lunch break.  I am going to stick to my commitment with moving my body regularly.  I also have some meal planning and grocery shopping to do as well as baking a crust less pumpkin pie.  The recipe popped up on the WW app and I want to give it a go.

 

Cheers to another successful week where I give it my all!

Cruising Ireland: NCL Star

You can read about our Pre & Post-Cruise here ß

The atrium on the NCL Star is the highlight of this ship.  It is beautiful.

 

The Highs:

There is something nice about smaller cruise ships.  I enjoy how easy it is to get to all amenities by taking the stairs.  It takes only one time taking the stairs from deck 7 to deck 14 on a big ship, to appreciate smaller ships. 

 

We were able to collect on our platinum benefit of a behind the scenes tour (no photos).  This tour did not include the bridge, which would have been awesome to see.  We started at the theater where we learned about how and where they source their main production shows and their rotating entertainment acts, how the contracts work, and what life on cruise ship is like these staff members.  The production supervisor took us down the employee stairwell to the dressing room so we could see all the costumes.  It was a very time room for so much production crew.  Our next stop, accessing the stairs and I95, the main corridor that employees use, we walked through the kitchen galley and then saw the laundry.  After we spotted them making a delicious looking sandwich, we headed to the buffet for lunch which made it extra special.

 

After seeing behind the scenes, it once again brings home the point of how hard employees in the cruise industry work to ensure vacationers are happy, well fed, thoroughly intoxicated, and have clean linens and towels.  What a massive machine floating on the water.  This is a fantastic perk that we look forward to redeeming on future cruise ships.

We did just fine in an inside room.  We have not sailed an inside room since our first cruise on NCL Pearl to Alaska.  This was our test to see if we could start cruising at a lower cost and I think we passed the test.  The only thing I missed was not being able to see the water and/or pop out and be on the balcony anytime.  We kept the bow camera on when in the room and apart from being unable to get to outside decks (more on that below), I was still able to wonder and not feel stuck in the room.  I think I also slept better too!

 

We always love our Cagney’s dinner and this cruise we tried Le Bistro and La Cucina.  We won’t be back to Le Bistro as this type of fine dining doesn’t appeal to us, but we enjoyed La Cucina and we will dine there again.

 

I loved my morning baristas at the Atrium Starbucks.  They were a highlight of this trip along with a few of the service staff.  We had met a waiter named Fabian who stood out to me.  I spotted him again in the buffet and he let us know which restaurant he would be later that night so we could request to sit in his section.  There was some confusion on making this happen but we it was nice to see his smiling face throughout the remainder of the cruise.  I also enjoyed the friendly bar staff.

 

The Lows:

A smaller ship meant less seating in the public areas and with the weather that impacted our route, the ship felt overcrowded.  The outside decks were closed a good majority of the time and the inside areas packed.  It was hard to find a place to sit at breakfast and lunch and with so little indoor space, we felt the impact of the closures.  It also meant we were not able to see the Northern Lights (weather dependent) because you could not get out to any outer deck away from light.  This is the one time having a balcony would have benefited us. 

 

NCL really dropped the ball this vacation when it came to managing the tender ports.  Our one tender port stop had long delays to exit the ship and a long wait time to get back on.  Also, the meeting point for excursions was unorganized.  Sometimes this happens on vacation, and you must make the best of it.  I tell ya, when waiting in line to board the tender for 1 hour and 20 minutes, I sure wished I’d bought that bottle of Irish whiskey at the port. 

 

Entertainment and things to do on small ships is always lacking.  We didn’t take in many shows and there were not comedians on this sailing.  Having such a fun group of friends make it just fine skipping the entertainment and we really loved the band, Exell.  They were great and most nights we listened to them sing. 

 

Some High & Some Low:

The bars on this ship were just so-so.  Sugarcane Mojito Bar was a small section inside a specialty dining area, so the best seating was at 5pm where I was first in line so I could grab a spot.

 

I enjoyed the selection of beer on this cruise which I am no sure if it was our sailing in Europe or I just didn’t know where to find it.  NCL is not typically known for their beer selection so I’m eager to see what our next cruise holds.  We stopped into the Proof Whiskey Bar often and I enjoyed many sidecar drinks in the Bliss Lounge by evening.  I mean, I can usually find a drink when alcohol is involved!

 

I would sail NCL Star again and am looking forward to getting on a bigger ship again in the future. 

Weekly WI: It's Not Pretty But Stepping On The Scale Is Necessary

Hello November!

 

I love October.  It is my very favorite month.  This month I had so much fun that I had a substantial gain for the last two weeks and I am up 9.8 pounds for the month.  Oof!

 

That one hurts.  I dressed up as Flo from Progressive for my Tuesday AM WW Workshop.  Coach Flo in the house!

 

It was fun and I let my Monday PM WW members pick which costume to wear.  I was debating between Flo, which I wore last year but it would be with a different group this year, or my favorite Oktoberfest get up.  My WW members really liked Flo.  I could feel every bit of my almost 10 pounds gained in October and my white jeans were tight.  I was so uncomfortable and could not wait to get home and change.  This is why being aware of the climb back up the scale is so important.

 

Naturally, I am disappointed in myself for the poor choices I’ve made in the last two weeks.  I have been so far off track I am not sure I can even see the track.  It has been rough.  The positive is this time I am aware.  I know what it feels like to re-gain 80 pounds and I have no desire to go there again.  Being aware helps as I plan to get back on track ASAP!  It will not be easy but little by little I will start to feel better and that will increase my motivation to continue.  I want to bring the scale back down and I need to re-focus. 

 

I indulged in some Halloween candy, which I consider my last hurrah as I must detox now.  I have a lot more social events on the calendar than originally through as I get more involved with the Elks.  I will use the tools in my tool kit to help me navigate it all.  I spent yesterday planning and cooking some healthy meals to ensure I am armed with stuff to reach for.  I have also planned out some meals in preparation for getting back on track and staying there.  I love a fresh new shiny month and I intend to make November a productive one.

 

Oh, our Halloween candy along with the bowl was taken off our porch last night.  We have lived in our house for seven years and never had an issue.  I knew prior to going to bed at 9pm that we may have lost our candy as several neighbors posted on a neighborhood social media account that their candy bowls were emptied in the matter of moments.  Well, we too experienced that but what irks me is it wasn’t a kid!  I am including photos as I feel like porch pirates need to be exposed.  I won’t be leaving candy out in the future.

 

Thank you, Porch Pirate, for saving me from eating left over Halloween candy.  That is about all I can thank her for.