WW Update

If anyone is actually reading this blog, you've probably noticed that I haven't really posted much about weight watchers lately.  Why, you ask? Mostly because nothing is really happening with it.  I'm uber frustrated with my lack of progress and blogging about it just makes it worse.  Let me explain the situation.

As most of you know, I've done Weight Watchers before with tremendous success, losing an average of 1 to 2 pounds per week.  Last fall, Weight Watchers changed their program.  It's still a points program, but now the points are calculated differently.  They used to be based on calories, fat, and fiber.  Now they are calculated using fat, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates.  Fresh fruit is 0 points and so are most vegetables.   For some reason, my body doesn't seem to be responding to this new plan.  I sort of yo-yo back and forth between losing and gaining, even when I'm tracking everything and staying within my limits and getting in my exercise.  I've now been doing the plan for 4 months and have lost a whopping total of 4 pounds!  Not exactly great results. 

So, I've decided to terminate my membership, mostly because I can't justify paying $40/month for something that's not working for me.  I'm trying to round up all the old points lists and tools so that I can follow the old plan on my own.  I'm hoping that combining the old points system with my current workouts will give me some better results. 

I'll keep doing my favorite Denise Austin DVD (which I've totally slacked on lately, but I did do it tonight) and I've been dabbling in running lately.  Yes, you read that right.  Any of you who've known me a long time will know that I don't run.  I've never really enjoyed it.  But I was doing a lot of walking and I'd find myself feeling the urge to run.  It was like my body was telling me to just let it go, so I did.  I started with short intervals of running and walking and last Friday I actually ran 2 miles with no walking involved whatsoever.  I know 2 miles really isn't much for a seasoned runner, but for me it's monumental!  I've never in my whole life run that far.  It felt pretty good.  So I figure I'll run 3 to 4 times per week and do my DVD at least 3 times per week and hopefully that combined with the old eating plan will kick things into gear.  

P.S. If anyone has good suggestions for running music, I'd love to hear them!  Right now I mostly use the Pandora radio on my phone, which sometimes is great and sometimes I'm skipping songs left and right.  I want to get an i-pod or something to download some music on specifically for my running workouts. 

Lilly Turned 5!

Last Wednesday was Lilly's 5th birthday. We celebrated that night by going out bowling as a family.  It was fun to watch the kids rolling the ball down the lane and see their excitement when the pins fell.  We all had a great time! 
Then on Saturday we had the extended family over for a pizza party as per Lilly's request. 

Lilly in her Happy Birthday crown that she got from her preschool class.

Lilly got a mermaid Barbie.  Her hair changes color and her fins transform into a hoodie for when she's a human.  She also came with a sparkly pink dolphin. 

Can you tell that my girl loves chocolate?  She could not believe the size of this bag of m&m's that she got. 

Lilly couldn't wait to wear this new summer outfit. 

Lilly picked out a Tangled cake. 

She was so eager to blow out her candles that we weren't even close to finished singing 'Happy Birthday' when she took a big breath and blew them all out.  I think she was worried about Jonah blowing them out.  He was inching closer and closer as the song went on.  

 

 

So Happy Birthday Lilly!  We're so lucky to have you as part of our family!

Easter Fun!

Yes, I'm well aware that it's been almost 2 weeks since Easter.  Better late than never, right?  We had a wonderful Easter full of coloring eggs, yummy food and an Easter egg hunt at Grandma Laurie's house, and of course, Easter baskets that the Bunny left at our house. 
We also enjoyed a visit with Nate's parents and sisters the weekend before Easter.  The kids loved playing with the girls and Grandma even prepared a little Easter hunt for the kids with fun goodies to find.

The kids colored Easter eggs and even did some with glitter.

Jayne with some of her Easter goodies that the Bunny left her.

Aunt Rachel showed Jayne how much fun it is to eat olives off your fingers.

Jonah examining some of the loot he found at Grandma's house.

The kids love their pinwheels.  They like to run around the backyard with them and make them spin as fast as they can.

Jayne found so many eggs that she needed both her aunts and two buckets to hold them all!

More pinwheel action.

Lilly's Kindergarten Checkup

On Tuesday, Lilly went to the doctor for her kindergarten checkup complete with eye exam, hearing exam, and four lovely immunizations.  Lilly doesn't turn 5 for another month, but I didn't want her birthday associated with pain, so we did the checkup a month early.  
I was planning on being the clever mother and sparing Lilly any anxiety by simply not telling her that the appointment was coming up.  That plan failed miserably.  
 About a week ago, Lilly noticed her name on the calendar next to the words Dr. Sandvig.  She put two and two together and all I heard since that fateful day was "I am NOT going to the doctor's office!  I hate needle shots!"  Yeah, I guess next time I want to keep something from my kids, I shouldn't write it on the calendar that hangs in the kitchen for all to see.  Lesson learned. 
Nate was working during her appointment and I really didn't want to be wrangling all three kids if I didn't absolutely have to.  I'm not sure if all kids do this or if mine are just extra empathetic, but whenever one of my children is crying or fussing about something, the other two quickly join in for no observable reason other than to show some solidarity as siblings and fry mom's sanity.  I think they secretly get together and laugh about it later.  
So I arranged to have Jonah and Jayne play at a friend's house while I took Lilly to her ill fated doom.  When we arrived at the friend's house, Jonah changed his mind.  He insisted on coming to the appointment with us.  He said he wanted to help Lilly be brave and he'd even worn his knight armor for the occasion.  So, we dropped off Jayne, who had somehow convinced herself that we were going to the dentist and wanted absolutely no part of it, and the three of us headed over to the doctor's office.  
I really like our doctor's office.  We've never had a long wait time, and the staff is always very patient with my kids.  Lilly was fairly cooperative for most of the appointment.  She informed the nurse that she was being silly when asked to cover one eye and tell her what shapes she saw on the chart.  She had a hard time sitting still for the blood pressure arm cuff.  She was giggling too much.  Yes, everything went extremely well.  That is, until the very end of the appointment when the doctor leaves the room and says "the nurse will be right in to do the immunizations."  You can't trick Lilly with big words.  She knows that immunizations mean shots which means needles which means pain which means she is not going to cooperate.  I can't say that I blame her.  I have vivid memories of kicking a nurse in the gut while being held by my mom for an injection when I was a kid.  Those nurses should really get hazard pay when they give kids immunizations.  

Lilly needed 4 shots.  So we laid her on the table and I held her arms and tried to keep her calm (yeah, that wasn't happening)while the nurse pinned down her legs and gave her the injections.  My sweet Lilly was screaming from start to finish.  She just kept yelling "No needle shots!" over and over.  Then the nurse said, "just one more" and Lilly screamed out with such a defiant air a single word....."NEVER!!!"   

She calmed down fairly quickly but was sure to inform the nurse that she was not getting any more "needle shots" ever again.  
Her legs were a bit sore yesterday, but now she's right back to her old self.  I'm just glad it's over.  Taking my kids to the doctor is on my list of my least favorite things, right up there with root canals and outhouses.  

Hello Sun. Feel free to stay a while.

We have had a lot of dreary weather here in northern Utah lately.  Winter has just been wanting to hang on as long as possible.  It was so nice to have the sun come out this morning!  I went on a walk/jog in the fresh air and it felt oh so good.  The kids played outside for most of the afternoon.  I opened all our windows and just let the spring air flow through the house.  It's been lovely!  
For any of you wondering about my weigh in this week, I skipped it.  Well, sort of.  I didn't go to WW on Saturday morning because I had the very rare opportunity to sleep in with my husband.  The kids were sleeping over at Grandma Laurie's house.  So we stayed up nice and late on Friday night watching movies and then I slept in and missed my meeting.  I did weigh myself and was at the same weight as last week. 
Anyway, just wanted to say how wonderful this spring day has been.  Hopefully many more are on their way!

The Words of the Prophet

This weekend has been General Conference.  Somehow, my schedule was free enough that I got to listen to all four sessions.  
Lately I've been in need of a spiritual renewal.  I've felt tired and down and just frustrated with life in general.  It's amazing how the speakers are inspired to deliver messages that we all need, but that can seem so personal and specific.  

This Conference, nearly every talk felt directed toward me. As I'm sure it did for so many others. I strongly felt the Lord telling me that He is aware of me and my needs and that He believes in me and is there to comfort and uplift and guide me.  
These are a few of the highlights for me and what I got from a few of the talks.

"Enormous blessings come on the heels of great trials." ~ Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy


Elder David A. Bednar's talk on revelation helped me realize that I don't need to know everything right now.  I just need to take one step at a time with faith in the path that the Lord has for me.  


President Thomas S. Monson, our wonderful prophet, spoke about the importance of temples.  I was touched at the sacrifices that some latter day saints have to make in order to attend the temple.  And I was ashamed that I live so close to several temples and don't attend nearly as often as I should.  President Monson remarked that sacrifice is always associated with temple building and temple attendance.  For me, the sacrifice is making the time and getting the babysitter so that we can attend the temple regularly. 
I was reminded of something my in-laws recently told me.  They said that couples should "make going to the temple together a weekly habit, not a weak habit."  


Elder Richard G. Scott's talk was so very touching.  I could feel the love he has for his wife and his reverence for the institution of marriage.  He said that "Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage."  I loved hearing about the creative ways that he and his wife would show their love for each other.  


Elder D. Todd Christofferson helped me learn that the Lord knows what He wants me to be and He knows what I need to get there.  I'm inspired to be more humble and accepting of divine chastening.  


Lately, I've struggled a bit with tithing.  We've always paid it, but my attitude about it has not been the best.  I often find myself thinking of other things that money could have been used for.  Carl B. Pratt of the Quorum of the Seventy must have read my mind and heart.  He taught that tithing is not to be paid from abundance or leftovers.  It should always come first.  Tithing is not a financial principle.  It is a principle of faith.  I need to have faith that the Lord will fulfill His promises that He has made to those who pay their tithing. 


I truly felt the Spirit throughout conference, even when my kids were being less than reverent or climbing all over me.  I'm so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for all that I have been blessed with.  I'm grateful for our living prophet and apostles and for the spirit of revelation that is so alive and well today. 

Thank You Denise Austin!

I lost 2.4 lbs. this week. Hooray!  
So, remember how I told you that I was bringing out my secret weapon Denise Austin workout?  Well, I did.....and it shows.  I was so frustrated with last week's weigh in that I didn't track a darn thing this week.  I had an " I just don't care"  attitude, which led to some fabulous eating choices such as.....

• Making a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip brownies and eating 2/3 of the batch myself within 24 hours of making them. 
• Cafe Rio--which isn't bad in and of itself, it's just that I ate the entire salad.  We're talking, beans, rice, cheese,guacamole, tortilla, chicken, sour cream, and all. That's like an entire day's worth of points!
• A chicken salad sandwich, waffle fries, and a peppermint shake at Chick-fil-A (although I did only eat half my sandwich and saved the rest for lunch the next day)
• Four pieces of pizza for dinner one night
• Ice cream from Coldstone Creamery
• Two more pieces of pizza for lunch the next day
• A hot fudge sundae
• And lots and lots of snacking

I'm telling you, this weight loss journey is turning out to be a bit confusing and not like any I've had before.  I did balance out my wonderful eating habits with workouts.  I did the magical DVD 3 times and did 2 half hour cardio workouts at the gym.  
Even though I lost weight without tracking last week, I'm going to work on tracking better this week.  
If you're wondering about this DVD, it's Denise Austin's Shrink Your Female Fat Zones and I LOVE IT!!!  Yeah, she's a bit on the cheesy side sometimes with what she says and the way they all smile while they do the workout makes it look deceptively easy, but I love it all the same.  She does sculpting and toning using hand weights and an exercise ball.

  I bought it after Jonah was born and it helped me lose the baby weight after him and after Lilly.  I haven't done it in a while because the kids would always climb on me and interrupt me and I was just finding it frustrating to try to work out at home.  But now Jayne likes to watch it with me and even try some exercises.  
I have tried a LOT of workout videos.  I've done everything from old-school Buns of Steel and Tae-Bo to Jillian Micheals and Bob Harper to other Denise Austin DVD's, The Firm, and more.  But this one is the one I always come back to because it gives me the results that I want.  
When my mom and I were doing WW after Lilly was born, I remember telling her that it seemed like no matter what kind of week I had with my eating, as long as I did the Denise Austin DVD at least 3 times, I'd lose weight.  So, we're going to try that formula again.  
My goals for this week are....

• Track, track, track!  
• Don't be too hard on myself.  When I'm too strict with myself or beat myself up about eating that pizza or that third brownie, I do worse.  I know those things are okay, as long as I track and work them into my plan.
• 3 Denise Austin workouts and 2 cardio workouts
• Recognize and celebrate my NSV's, which are non-scale victories, like when I only ate half my sandwich or when I chose an apple over ice cream one night for a snack.  The behaviors are what will make me successful in the long run.