dieting on the road (m)

It was the Eastern Sectional Championships this week and I had to follow my Weight Watchers diet from Room 305 in an Embassy Suites Hotel. 

There is an apartment complex in Cambridge, Massachusetts along Storrow Drive near Mass. General Hospital right in the heart of a heavily congested traffic intersection.  There's a famous sign there that says:  "If you lived here....you'd be home now".  

I decided this week that if I lived in an Embassy Suites Hotel, I'd be thin now.

Why?  Three reasons:

1. Personal Chef.  Every day I had the chef make me a veggie egg white omelet.  I also had a piece of fruit and a cup of tea.  I would not cook like this for myself every morning.  Plus the omelet filled me up through dinner time.  The chef and I became friends.  He greeted me daily with "veggie egg white, no fat, no tomatoes, no cheese, right?" Now I know how Oprah lost all that weight.  Staff.
2. No food in the room.  No snacking temptations.  I had a couple of those Weight Watchers candy bars with me, but they are so cloyingly sweet that one per day is more than enough.  It was like being at fat kids' camp.
3. Open floor plan.  Picture a large square with the courtyard in the middle of the ground floor and all the rooms around the square so that you can see every room.  Straight across from our room was the coach's room.  I had parents on either side of my room.  In other words, there is no privacy.  One night, I made light popcorn in the microwave.  Don't you think one of the mothers smelled it and knocked on my door and said "Can you have that on your diet? I'm just trying to help".  AAAAGGH.

The final ingredient for the week has nothing to do with the hotel per se, but was a big component to this week's weight loss: stress.  Watching your kid compete in this very solitary sport is extremely stressful.  One father turned to me and said "I'd rather testify before Congress" (he should know...he did testify before Congress on live television).  I felt my stomach churn like never before.

The good news is that I get to do this all over again in mid-January at Nationals.  That should be good for a 3-pound weight loss during that week of competition.

shopping spree (lyn)

It’s a beautiful Saturday and I decide to go shopping.  Sometimes I run from store to store and find nothing.  But today I am lucky.  I find the perfect items, and despite the sizes being all over the place, everything fits perfectly. 

I can now add to my wardrobe:

•      A Theory white blouse, size M

•      An Agnona white blouse, size 44

•      A Haat long black skirt, size 2 (as in sizes 1,2,3,4 not 2, 4, 6, 8,10,12)

•      A Ballantyne plum V-neck cashmere sweater, size 40

•      A Chanel black-brown-white tweed skirt, size 40

I find everything I want in a closet I rarely open.  It truly is a beautiful Saturday.

mistaken identity (lyn)

I decide to have keys made today.  I don’t really need another set, but I do need an excuse to use my new copper key ring prize from Weight Watchers.   The locksmith tells me I’m sexy.  I think he’s kidding but I take the compliment just the same.  I go to the library to pick up a book, and then stroll over to Agata’s to buy lean turkey to make into burgers for dinner tonight.  On a high from the locksmith, I hear a voice behind me say, “You are so cute.”  And I’m not even wearing makeup.  I am feeling so good.  I smile and turn around to thank the voice and see a woman, scrunched down and talking to a little white dog, hitched to a pole.   I feel foolish, although she doesn’t know my mistake.  But it’s still a good day.  The pants I put on this morning to wear don’t fit anymore, and I bought them just a year ago.  And Alexander comments that I look good (“skinny on the top and normal on the bottom”).  Another 15 pounds and I should be skinny all over.

on the road again...and again (m)

Headed to New York for Sam's hockey game.  Just weighed in: down 2 more pounds.  Total to date: 28.4 lbs.  Feel lighter.

on the road again (m)

Another month, another skating competition with Harrison.  This one was to take the top four skaters from each of the three regions on the East Coast (Maine to Florida) and select the top four skaters to move on to Nationals.

We left Monday evening and flew down to Baltimore.  I ate a typical breakfast (one light, multi-grain Thomas' English muffin with I Can't Believe it's yada yada spray and one dropped egg with Pam--3 points).  Lunch was a turkey sandwich on Pepperidge Farm multi grain sandwhich bread (100 calories) plus lettuce and mustard (3 points).  I packed a few diet bars and was armed to the teeth.

H's coach came down with us.  Picture a thin, younger, better-looking Brad Pitt.  He's a Swede and fastidiously healthy.  We boarded Jet Blue and I got a water for a snack and plugged in the headphones and turned on Seinfeld and laughed all the way to Baltimore.  Dinner was a Chobani yogurt.

We rented a car at Avis and that transaction turned out to be the long pole in the tent, logistically.  The car wasn't ready and they tried to convince me to take a Grand Marquis.  I asked them if they thought I looked like an 80 year old white male.  I had reserved a Jeep SUV.  They had none.  "How about a Saturn SUV?", they asked. I turned to the coach and asked if that was a lesbian brand car.  He said yes.  We agreed to take the car only because it was late, but I put on lipstick just to be on the safe side.

Got to the hotel very late (11 p.m.).  I was so relieved that the long day from hell was over and I even reflected upon how good things were to that point:

-seatbelt was loose on the plane
-ate fewer points than my allowance
-smooth flight, on time arrival
-easy conversation with the coach...no awkward moments.
-convinced myself I looked a notch thinner

Just when I thought this would go down as a day in the "Good" column, we pull up in front of the hotel, take the luggage out of the car and I hear peals of laughter.

Apparently, Harrison unzipped my suitcase to get his iPod out and forgot to zip it back up.  When he pulled the suitcase out of the car, my clothes fell out....underwear first.  I felt like Bridget Jones when Hugh Grant's character discovers she wears those "mama bloomers".

And, just like that, my nice day came to an abrupt end.

foods I eat and foods I avoid (lyn)

This is my first diet.  Ever.  And I am so glad that this is the diet I chose.


It is not gimmicky. 

It teaches and rewards healthy eating.

It is easily sustainable.

it is inclusive: no specific food is off limits.

It works.

I’m rarely hungry.  I don’t find it that difficult, and I love the results.  Follow the rules.  Track your food.  Use a food scale.  Stay within your points.  And you will loose weight.  It is actually very simple. 

So, for those interested in the dieting part, here are the kinds of foods I now eat and some I avoid. (CAUTION:  For those reading this blog who don’t care about the dieting elements per se, skip this posting, otherwise you’ll be excruciatingly bored!).

Breakfasts

•      Cup of blueberries (1 point) or strawberries (.5 points)

•      VitaMuffin-the chocolate is amazing (I didn’t like the blueberry); put it in the  microwave for about 35 seconds and it tastes like a brownie, with gooey chocolate bursting from it; hard to believe it’s healthy (1 point)

Lunches

•      Toasted Arnold’s sandwich thins (100% whole wheat) with whipped cream cheese and 1 oz. of lox (3 pts.)

•      3oz. of Fage Total 0% Greek yogurt (1.5 points) with cut up strawberries or blueberries

•      Shrimp cocktail

•      Toasted Arnolds sandwich thins with 2 slices of turkey, lettuce, tomato and Dijon mustard (3 points)

•      Toasted Arnold’s sandwich thins with 2 slices of WW cheese and tomato (3 points)

•      Salad:  lettuce, tomato and cucumber with balsamic vinegar dressing (only the dressing adds points)

Snacks

•      Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop (94% fat-free butter), (5 cups for 1 point)

•      Pringles, light fat-free, 15 chips (1 point)

•      WW mini bars: chocolate caramel, very good as is, or keep in the freezer-they take longer to eat this way (1 point)

•      WW mini-bars: dark chocolate raspberry, so good even my son loves them (1 point)

•      A cut up apple (buy an Oxo apple corer and divider; I really think it makes every apple taste better) (1 point)

Dinners

•      Sushi or sashimi (I have this about once a week)

•      Steak with vegetables (I eat prime strip, trim the fat, and allow for about 10 ounces); I only treat myself once a week or less

•      Pork loin (marinated in honey and Dijon mustard) with vegetables

•      Smart Ones Ravioli Florentine-my favorite of the frozen meals (5 points);  I usually eat with a salad and/or vegetable and not more than one per week 

•      One slice of medium pizza; have only had 2 slices in 9 weeks (6 points)

•      Steamed vegetables

•      Roasted vegetables (a teaspoon of olive oil, kosher salt, and roast at 350 for a half hour or so)

•      Grilled shrimp with vegetables

Desserts

•      Angel food cake (I buy two slices, with frosting, at a local bakery and cut off most, but not all, of the frosting….I count each piece as 5 points, and eat throughout the week)

•      WW English Toffee Crunch ice cream (my favorite of the ice creams), 2 points and satisfying enough

Foods I haven’t eaten since September 16, and miss

•      Ice cream cone at local ice cream store

•      Burgers

•      French Fries

•      Tuna sandwich

•      7-layer cake from Zabars

•      pies of any kind

•      Caesar salad

•      Pasta (other than WW)

•      Mozzarella

•      Muffins, donuts, Danish, etc.

•      Nuts

Foods I rarely eat

•      Starches with dinner (used to have potatoes or rice with most dinners; now I’d rather just have vegetables)

•      Avocado (used to be included in every salad and on every sandwich)

•      Lots of olive oil and butter (in cooking); I try to use as little olive oil as possible and never use butter

16.8 pounds in two months (lyn)

AT 6:45 am Karen and I leave for our 3.6-mile walk.  Today actually feels like fall.  43 degrees, but nice.  As we are walking around the reservoir, Karen asks, “So whatever happened with your cable?  I haven’t gotten around to reading your blog in a few days.”  I’m touched that a friend of mine is keeping current with my life through this blog.  It reminds me of another friend who was recently dating a guy who is a published author.  He was the chief investigator in a famous criminal case and had written a book about it.  He also included some personal information about himself in the book.  One night my friend asked him what his plans were for Thanksgiving.  (Apparently he does the same thing every year).  Rather than give her an answer, he responded with:  “It’s in the book.”  They have since stopped dating.

I get to my Weight Watchers meeting, as I usually do, about a half hour early.  One of the women in the group looks at me and says, “Wow, You look great.  I can really see it now.  You are definitely slimming down.”  I feel like I’ve just been crowned Model of the Year.

I weigh in and I get a big smile from Robin,  “1.4 pounds.  You are down 16.8 pounds since starting.  That’s fantastic.”  It’s so good in fact, that Steve, our ferociously entertaining leader, gives me a prize.  A copper key ring.   I am very proud. 

At today’s meeting we do a little exercise.  We put stickers (representing the different foods we expect to eat for Thanksgiving) on a paper plate.  I feel like I’m back in second grade doing an art project.  Each food has a point value.  In the end, my paper plate totals 32 points.  Since I get an extra 35 points a week, I am thinking that this is not horrible, though it is 14 points higher than my daily point allowance.

We go around the room and people shout out their points and explain their eating strategies for Thanksgiving.

The only man in the group says he has 0 points on his plate because “our family doesn’t celebrate this holiday.”  He appears to be American.  And since Thanksgiving is a non-religious holiday, I can’t imagine why he and his family skip this, my favorite holiday.  Steve doesn’t ask and he doesn’t offer.  I get stuck on wondering why.  Maybe he has a close relationship with some Indians?

Another person says she doesn’t need a strategy for not overeating since she is going to her sister-in-law's house, and her sister-in-law is a miserable cook.  In fact, she says, “It’s difficult to eat anything she prepares.”

One woman asks for strategies for refusing food that she expects will be pushed on her, as in, “You must try this.  It took me 18 hours to prepare it, and I’d feel awful if you didn’t take any.”  One suggestion was to simply lie and say I’ll try some later, and if asked, say it was delicious.  This strategy was offered by one of my favorite people at the group, who also happens to be the daughter of a rabbi.

I’m thinking of packing my paper plate with all the little stickers over it to help me stay on track.  But I’ll have to weigh the benefit of doing this against the ridicule I’d get if anyone finds this plate in my suitcase.