Sarah is expecting?

OK, I don't know if I can bring myself to actually post pictures of it in my own blog...but somewhere, someone is looking at picture of me and must think I am pregnant!! So I know half of the time, it can be the clothes I'm wearing, but let's be honest, I have a major food baby and it needs to go bye-bye!
I have been slacking in Weight Watchers.  I have apparently decided I think I can get by without actually tracking the food I eat.  What was I thinking? I've gained like two pounds back in two weeks.  I feel like I'm back at square one today.  And though I am a little (or a lot) disheartened by this, I am convinced to look at it as a fresh start, ready to kick some major WW butt this week!
I have been working out a lot more this week, but I've been overcompensating for "points earned." However, I have enjoyed my early morning walks a couple times this week and should make that a habit.  I have also gone for walk/jogs after work a couple times and I just love being outside, so I just need to keep it going.
But back to this nasty "baby" bump! I think I am in need of some truly amazing core work-outs that you can feel in your abs.  Anyone have any good suggestions?  I would prefer something relatively short in time, something I could get up a do for twenty-minutes in the morning.  Something that has a bit of a routine, but also makes me WANT to do it.  Am I asking for an ideal workout here?! Have any of you had any success with workouts lately? Fill me in!!

Weight-Loss Struggles

I think the hardest thing about trying to lose weight, and I think some of you will agree, is having a week when you don't actually lose any weight.  Or worse yet, a week when you gain weight.  It's weird because people who are "maintaining" their weight probably jump around within a 5-10 pound range depending on the time of year, how much water they drank, what their salt intake was, what time of day they work out.  But oddly, even though my overall weight is down, I am losing (slowly!), I panic when I gain a pound back, like I have accomplished nothing thus far. 

It's hard on me, because I have grown to have a sort of love/hate relationship with food.  I eat it to make me happy, and then I hate how it makes me feel.  And unfortunately, when I gain at my WW meeting, I have a strange urge to give up rather than try harder.  And a pound or even half of a pound makes me feel like I've failed.  Even if I did make smarter choices, and work out more, suddenly that number on the scale kills a good week.


Well, I think that's been the biggest struggle, but also the biggest lesson so far with my Weight Watchers journey.  I am learning to be determined to keep pushing through, to celebrate the little goals I reach and remember it's not just about losing weight, it's about being healthy all around.  Whether you're doing Weight Watchers or not, when you are trying to lose weight, or tone up, or eat organically, the best thing you can do is forgive yourself when you "cheat," "mess up," "get off track," or whatever other negative term we've decide to give to our indulgences, and just keep striving for your goal.  In the long run, gaining one or two pounds one week does not make you a failure, it makes you human.  If I have learned anything from my last seven weeks with Weight Watchers, its that there are so many other HUMANS struggling with the same things I have been.  I have learned to laugh off a "bad" week and get right on with my life, because I'm not going to enjoy much if I'm always feeling guilty about my choices, the number on the scale, or the day I watched TV instead of rode my bike.  My "struggles" are feeling less like tall hurdles I have to jump over and more like little hills I have to climb.  I can slowly work towards getting over the hill without falling flat on my face.


I am still always open to any advice or recipes or tips and of course, always willing to share any advice, recipes or tips of my own...just let me know! :)  Happy Tuesday!

The Week of Lasts

This is and important, personal post and is the prequel to next week's "Week of Firsts" (I hope!).  You know you can enjoy something more and accept never having it again if you know it's going to be your last!  So I decided a week ago to thoroughly enjoy some "lasts" in my routine before I kick my butt into gear! **Disclaimer: When I say "last time," let's be realistic and know that does not mean never, because that's setting the bar too high.  But it does mean I'm going to focus on breaking those habits.


This week is the last time I grabbed fast food on my lunch break, I can pack a lunch!
This week is the last time I had Chinese on a regular basis.
This week is the last time I had a bigger lunch than I really need.
This week is the last time I had a drink after work "just because," I do not need to drink on the week nights.
This week is the last time I allow myself to make excuses for not working out, who said I can't do crunches, weights, and Wii Fit in the comfort of my own home?
And tonight will be the last night I allow myself to get drunk for awhile, it's unnecessary calories and I have fun with my friends with or without alcohol.


Now it's off to my first Weight Watchers meeting to kick-off my week of firsts!