sheri carlstrom...slices of an ordinary life

Am I Smarter than the Ice-Cream that I Ate Last Year?

Things I have said over the past several months as I get on the scale:

Oh my gosh!    For the love!    What the heck!

Will I ever lose these last 20 lbs?! Over the last twelve years I have lost 50 lbs and maintained that weight loss. Truthfully, I've lost more than that, I've referred to that weight as stupid weight. Weight I gain, lose, gain again, lose again and gain again and lose. I am particularily fond of the 7-10 lb range. Those are especially stupid pounds, I have lost them so many times that seriously, it actually is stupid.

What's left is the smart weight. This is weight that has seen me through 3 pregnancies, a husband who traveled much in our early days, and a few moves. This weight has seen the other weight get lost and so it's hanging on for dear life. Trust me, it seems to be saying, I'm not going anywhere! All 20 of us are here for you! Great. Thanks for that.

Weight Watchers has been a great friend. The Y has been a super partner. Carla, my trainer at the Y is amazing. But none of that seems to be a match for these 20 lbs; this is dedicated weight.

It feels silly that the challenge before me is to be smarter than 20 lbs - but alas that is the challenge before me on this ordinary day.

I've been writing other places ~ Mother of the What?!   &   40DaysofWonder.com
5 New Parenting Responses 
Hanging On So I Can Let Go
Being Brave Enough to Fear Not
A Sober Topic Revisited
7 Life Lessons from a Duck

Losing with a Friend

I am a friend of Weight Watchers. I partnered with them in January of 2009, lost 25 pounds and have been  able to maintain that weight loss...more or less. I gain 3 or 4 (sometimes 5 or 7) and then I lose it again. (I call those stupid pounds...having to lose those pounds more than twice is just...well...stupid) But I am also a friend of stupid, so I say hello and good-bye to those pounds as often as  needed to really cut the cord. (I still have some weight to lose to hit my target weight, so I'm what you call a success story in progress.)

After a summer of ice-cream runs, excellent grilling and many restaurant outings, I logged back into my on-line Weight Watchers account. I decided it was time to officially log in the stupid weight so I could be accountable to lose it again. When I registered my weight, a box popped up and said it was going to re-calculate my daily point allowance. I was so excited, clearly my friend could see I was unable to stay within my point allowance, so I was going to be granted a few more daily points...

Imagine my incredible dismay (anger) when I was actually given less daily points! Ummmm...could you not see I could not stay within what I already had? What makes you think I can hit that mark?

But I try. I log my daily points and go to the Y so I can have more points (exercise = activity points, which are added to my weekly points, which  = dessert). I don't often hit the lower mark, but I'm closer than I thought I could be. Hmmmm....maybe my friend knew something I did not.

Today I weighed myself to obtain the weekly number my friend requests. Imagine my  incredible happiness when I was congratulated on a 4.4 lb weight loss! Then I was told I could "Click Here" to re-calculate my points. Yeah, right. I clicked the "Close" button instead and enjoyed a Skinny Cow.

Love ya Weight Watchers, but I'm keeping my points for now.