Out with the Old, In with the New (2010 Resolutions)

I still get emails from my old WW meetings leader, even though I'm a lapsed member and haven't attended in quite awhile. I always love her emails and have used today's as a framework for.... 2010 Resolutions!

Out With The Old, In With The New!

It’s a brand new year; a chance to start 2010 as you mean to go on. Ditching old habits which are unhelpful to your goals and replacing them with new ways, will hold you in good stead on your weight loss journey.

In With...

1. A positive attitude. Think of 3 positive affirmations about your weight loss. [...] Everyday write a positive message to yourself with your affirmations. [...] Whatever way you choose to do it, you’ll discover that a positive attitude can have a powerful effect on your success and help boost your confidence.

1. I am losing weight and gaining confidence.
2. I love to fuel my body with the healthiest food so it runs its best.
3. I am a healthy, capable, fit person.


2. Healthy habits. Ditch the old, negative ways and liven up your life with new lifestyle habits. Healthy eating, moving more, and managing your thoughts, feelings and environment will all help you lose weight. [...]

3. Making the most of mistakes. [...] believe in yourself and your ability to get back on track. This will help you re-focus [...]

4. Rewarding your achievements along the way. On your weight loss journey, depending on how many pounds you need to lose, it may take you some time to achieve your Goal Weight. To stay motivated, it’s vital to set smaller weight loss goals along the way [...] Non-scale goals, like dropping a clothes size or decreasing belt notches, also help. Think about how you will reward yourself when you get to each goal you set.

Short-term Goal :: -10 lbs :: pedicure
NSV :: collar bones, skinny jeans, dress
Long-term Goal :: -30 lbs (by June 1st) :: Steve owes me dinner (if I win)


5. Trying something different. Being adventurous and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can be a boost to your confidence. [...] Whatever you choose to do in 2010, banish self doubt, visualize yourself at Goal and remember – the old you is so last year!

Small :: Learning yoga/pilates.
Small :: Cooking with spices/produce out of my comfort zone (Adventures in Cooking).
Big :: Hiking Bald Peak & Kinsman in the Spring.

Mangeons Comme Les Francais

10 Diet Lessons From the French

1. Petite isn't just a dress size. One of the reasons France has an 11 percent obesity rate (as compared to America's 33 percent) is portion control. "A croissant in Paris is one ounce, while in Pittsburgh it's two," notes Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition at Georgia State University. Buy one and share it with your beau.
2. Never say diet. The French don't get involved in the carbs versus protein debate, nor do they label food groups like dairy or beef "bad." "There's an emphasis on eating a wide variety of foods—fruits, vegetables, beef, poultry, fish, bread and cheese— without overdoing any one thing," explains Susan Herrmann Loomis, a cooking teacher in Louviers, France, and author of the cooking memoir On Rue Tatin (Broadway Books, 2001).
3. There's no French equivalent of Butter Buds. Most French regard processed foods with the utter disdain they usually reserve for instant coffee. In other words, they'd rather have a small piece of "real" chocolate than a big slab of some low-fat chocolate dessert. The fact is, the sugar calories in low-fat sweets probably negate any fat grams saved— which won't get you any closer to fitting into those YSL jeans.
4. Snacking is a faux pas. They rarely snack, and they eat meals only while sitting at a table. Americans, on the other hand, eat everywhere-in our cars, at our desks, in the checkout line at the grocery store. In fact, the average calorie consumption in the United States is 3,642 a day, versus 3,551 in France— a small difference that can add up to a five-pound weight gain in six months. Quelle horreur!
5. Soak up the color. French women fill up on bright-colored vegetables, whether they're in zucchini soup or a beet, lettuce and cabbage salad before their entrée. Good thing, too, since the antioxidants in these foods help stave off the free radicals produced by cigarette smoke.
6. Make the most of meals. The French space out their courses and eat them at a leisurely pace— generally with friends and family, reports Loomis. In addition to cutting down on indigestion, this practice makes them less likely to overindulge, because the sensation of fullness has time to develop.
7. Wine and dine. Bordeaux and Beaujolais are staples, but French women usually drink them with their meal— no guzzling one or two glasses at the bar before dinner. Plus, glasses in France are only partially filled-the better to taste the wine and cut down on calories.
8. C'est cheese. They love cheese, but treat it as if it were a delicacy— eating it only after meals and stopping after just a slice or two, says Loomis. And although French cheeses seem rich, many (like Brie and chèvre) are actually lower in calories than American favorites.
9. Park your car. Thirty-five percent of the time, the French get where they're going by walking or biking. Americans don't leave home without their cars a whopping 84 percent of the time.
10. Boycott the buffet. In France, you won't find many all-you-can-eat fests, such as brunch buffets, tailgate parties and unlimited pasta and dessert bars, where it's easy for the calories to add up quickly. The French realize that they will get to eat again in a few hours.

(Courtesy of my lovely WW leader, Arlene.)

Weight Watchers - Again! (For the Last Time!)

Last Monday I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting in about 7 years. In 2007 I had success with WW Online, but recently it just hadn't helped me be accountable to myself. The logical choice was to join again right before the official Beginning of Summer Weekend - you know BBQ, beer and fried seafood season.

I won't have my first weigh-in until Monday, but I'm hoping it will go well. The reason I've always picked Monday as my weigh-in day is because it really helps remind me not to go overboard on the weekends. (Update: I was down only -1.6 lbs, which was good but not stellar. Working on hitting 5% by Family Picture Day on June 29th.)

I'm also working on building my running endurance. My goal is to make it all the way around the lake (3 miles) without walking by the end of the summer. So far I can make it about 1 mile, and then alternate running and walking the last 2 miles.

So here's to joining again, hopefully for the last time. WHEN I reach my goal weight I will become a Lifetime Member. Here I go again... wish me luck!