I'm such a looser!

Another 1.8lbs!!
What's weird is that 10 weeks ago, I was really hopeful about loosing 5lb and thought 10lb would be awesome. 15lb was a pipe dream and if I got there I'd be ecstatic, a total hottie!! Thing is, I'm only 1.2lb away and I don't feel any different. I mean, the scale is not as scary but I still see all my flaws when I look in the mirror. Are we ever really satisfied? Is this what they call "dysmorphia"?
Luckily, I watch "what not to wear" almost as much as I browse the IKEA cataloge so I can fake looking good, but I still rely on people to give a look when I get a little out of hand in the clothes.

Like when my Mum told me I looked weird with blond hair :)
She was right!!!

I'm officially a HO!!

I have always been able to loose weight when focused and strict and working out like a maniac but as you can imagine, that level of discipline is not always maintained. After the goals are met or an obstacle gets in my way, like for instance, I'm hungry, that pie looks good, it's too cold to get naked and work out....you can add your own excuse here, the weight tends to creep back up.
So I have been sick of late, haven't worked out or eaten great for a few weeks and the real downfall is how much I enjoy my extra activity points, however I have continued to count and stuck to my original allowance and low and behold I reached my next 2 goals. That's 10lbs off ( 12lbs actually) and lifetime membership, yeah no more $$$. So I'm officially a HO. What do you mean I already was? So now the hard part. 3lbs to Hotness but maintain maintain maintain.
Can I get a HaaaY....HooooO!!!!

My name is Natalie and I'm a foodaholic....

Hello Natalie.
Well it seems the very reason I joined weight watchers has hit me today like a bag of very well flavored potato chips along with a bag (or 2) of chocolate buttons.
Of course I wanted to loose a few pounds but really I wanted a lifestyle change of healthy habits i could sustain while not feeling guilty for the odd treat.
As long as the rule "you bite it, you write it" stuck firm.
Truth is since my trip I haven't been writing, counting or eating right.
The good news is, I'm still at my goal while having this wake up call so I don't plan on taking that trip up again. The meeting leader gave us a paper to fill out from the ww tools for living to empower us, so I'm filling it out.
It states:
1, that my goals ARE worth the effort
2,I AM capable of achieving them
3,I deserve and am worthy to achieve them.

so lets re-group, set some real goals and continue to HOT status :)

Random picture of my gorgeous Mum cos I was told you had to have pics :0

My week in England.

As per my last entry, I knew my week in England would be challenging, after all I am surrounding by things that I might be able to resist if they were available but since most of them are not, I had to have!!! So I decided I would eat whatever I felt like and try to keep track of points to see just how many I could consume but most meals I took a round 30 and quit counting by noon :)
It was a very eventful week filled with family and a funeral but I'll leave those reports for my family blog.
So now for pics.

First and most importantly, I found out I could get to "in n out" burger between flights by taking a carpark bus :) what an adventure. Those are the best fries ever!!
68 degrees, cool breeze and a cheese burger, animal style, man I feel the need to repent:)

This was my air meal, I wonder how anyone traveling can keep track of points, I mean I had no idea, what was in any of these little packages but I figure, having to sit in the same tiny seat for 12 hours straight is probably motivation enough to not overeat and need to count.

This is sugar heaven or what the devils house might look like. Each jar is filled with about 10lb of one candy. you buy it by the 1/4lb usually and the shop keeper pours the sweets into a little paper bag. I of course went in American style and got a whole jar of one of my faves (for my whole family)this may have been the reason my bag was overweight but I was happy to pay.

Finally my favorite meal from a store cafe. It may not look tempting to most but to a Brit it is the symbol of all things English. Proper sausages, chips, cauliflower (cos we believe in eating veg) all in a Yorkshire pudding drenched in gravy....

did I mention the amazing chocolate, bags of crisps, chinese food, kebabs...
now to weigh in :-(

How do I do England on a weight watcher budget?

When people ask me if I miss England, I usually say, I miss my family and the food.
I love there bread, chips, chocolate, fish and chips, kebabs, even Mcdonalds is different, imagine a mcflurry made with cadbury's mini eggs and you have my idea of heaven. So that's my dilemma.
Since the exchange rate for money is $1.47 I figured I could use an exchange on my ww points :) 22 would be 33! Oh wait it goes the other way. Any suggestions?

YES! you can.

This phrase is repeated many times by my over excited trainer Kaycee at Lifetime fitness.


I love this girl!! She is always happy and positive and has wise words to share that seem to touch me.
She talks of us being in a safe place there, filling and covering ourselves with positive energy. She loves to dance and cracks me up cos she can't help shaking it when a hot tune comes on (even if we're in the middle of a really tough set). Her smile is infectious and I always feel better when I'm done. Now don't get me wrong, she's no push over, pansy trainer! I have the butt pain to prove it :)
But I just wanted to say thanks to her and all the other people out there who work so hard to make others feel good about themselves. Officer Jenn (would happily kick your a.. at a moments notice) Andrea cute hair(ran into in costco once and recommended the vitamix, most used gadget in my kitchen, sorry about the shoulder)Hiedi energizer bunny (I want some of what she's having :) Seriously, my day is better because of this place.

Start strong Mondays.

For the last....I don't know how long, I've been getting an email titled Start strong Mondays, from Shawn Phillips (brother of very successful Bill Phillips, founder of EAS and the Body for Life challenge, yes I did do it and it works if you can live on protein powder and chicken breast)anywhooo, I of course click "delete" as I do with the all the other adverts and tempting sales notices and it got me thinking........Impressive I know.
Well I freakin' HATE Mondays!! Garfield and I are soul mates for this fact alone.

I wondered why. It's a new beginning, the start of a routine, I should be able to set goals and actually make it through at least one day, but nay, I don't want to get up, don't want to work out I have somewhat of a food hangover from my Sunday of eating junk, sitting around, no exercise and not enough water etc etc. The last thing I want is to go to the gym at my usual class time since the choices are Total conditioning (translate to:are you ready to throw up in the push up position and then drop your face in it 20 more times?) or FIT (translate to: do lunges and squats on this bosu ball for the next hour whilst pushing dumbbells and bars at all angles)If you think they sound easy you obviously haven't been!!!
So....today whilst brushing 6 inches of snow off my car (in snow boots)I decided I'd at least throw my trainers in the car in case I got the urge to work out.
I dropped off kids and went tanning, cos let's face it, even fat looks better tan then decided to hit the 10am Spin.
Yeah, I know, I'm a rock star!!! I worked hard and it felt so good. I admit my Sunday takes it's toll but I made a good choice and I am happy.
So thanks Shawn for the encouragement and to quote Bill "If you show up to the gym and do a half a.. workout, it's better than not showing up at all."
Sometimes you just gotta show up :)
Have a great Monday.