Up, Down, Up, Down

Be sure and read parts 1 and 2 on the previous posts...

The past 4 years have been following pretty much the same pattern...

- I have a summer weight, which is maintained easily because of the extra activity...I want to eat healthier foods...my veg garden is producing in abundance...I'm weighing regularly...I'm not keeping a food log because I don't need to...I'm maintaining my weight with little effort

- I start ramping up the miles in the fall to prepare for the Houston Marathon in January...this kicks up my metabolism and I start feeling hungry all the time and I'm actually running less because I have to take rest days in between the longer runs...and important to note, I stop weighing myself regularly because I don't like the number climbing on the scale but I feel like there's nothing I can do about it = (

- as the days grow colder, the skies grow grayer, the sun shines less, my weight creeps ever higher = ( But I am cautious to try to "diet" because I know I need my energy to get ready to run 26.2 miles all at once...I figure the long runs will at least keep me close to maintaining a weight

- the marathon is done! now the pounds start to climb in earnest as I recover from the race and try my hardest not to eat every single edible thing in sight...my hunger is easily described as RAVENOUS...but my running and walking miles are at their lowest as my body recovers

- ah...Spring! the days grow warmer, the skies grow bluer, the sun shines more! I put a pair of shorts on from last summer...uh, I TRY to put a pair of shorts on...and realize, "ugh...I've gained too much weight...gotta get back on it" By "it" I mean the program...Weight Watchers...tracking calories, keeping a food log, weighing myself regularly, feeding my belly hunger instead of my head hunger that I told you about yesterday

- so March through May is spent closely tracking my weight, keeping a food log, adding in extra activity, making healthy choices...basically going back to eating the Weight Watchers Way (I love alliteration!)...and feeling better and better as the days go by and the pounds come off

- until I reach my summer weight and the cycle is complete!

There's been one distinct difference in each cycle...my weight has climbed 5 pounds higher than the previous year's cycle.

So the first year I was at 120 when I hit the "get back on track!!" moment. I went down to 108 and maintained that through the summer.

The next year, I hit 125 before I had the "lose it!" moment. And then I got down to 112 and decided to maintain that.

Last year I hit 130 and decided 115 was a good maintaining weight. In reality I know that 108 is truly the best weight for my body and frame but I'm scared that that weight will be too hard to maintain long-term (i.e. for the rest of my life) so I give myself some leeway. I also know that maintaining at that weight will not allow me as many "treats" as I want to have and I don't want to deny myself = (

This past winter I told myself, "you can have an acceptable summer weight, winter weight and holiday weight" and that felt good as I was eating cookie after cookie at Christmas! Never thinking "you're gonna have to work pretty hard take all this extra weight off come springtime!".

An aside: as I've been typing this story out I've come to realize that I have some kind of disconnect between what I think about my weight and body and what is reality. I seem to think "don't worry, you can eat this extra food and cut back a little tomorrow and everything will be ok". Even when my clothes are getting tighter, my mind tells itself some kind of lame excuse which it then believes! But in telling them to you, I've realized just how lame they are and how ignorant I am to believe them!

And now we're up to date...this year continued the cycle...with the extra 5 pounds also = (

I weighed 2 weeks ago...135 pounds...this has GOT to stop! Here are some random thoughts and bits of information...

- another running friend did a blog on how running makes her fat...for the same reasons I've experienced. Running boosts your metabolism, a good thing. Your boosted metabolism sends hunger signals to your brain and belly, still a good thing. UNLESS you then feed that hunger with calorie-dense junk which only makes you hungrier because your body is really wanting you to feed the real hunger with real food! The junk feels satisfying as you're eating it but it's only setting you up for the fall...

- I had my metabolism tested by Catherine Kruppa...an amazing RD we have living here locally...it's slightly above average, so I know that's in order

- I have my Tanita Body Analyzer scale which tells me weight, body fat, hydration percentage, muscle mass, visceral fat level, bone density, calories needed to maintain that weight, and physique level...I'm weighing myself every night before bed since this lets me know if I'm well-hydrated

- my brother and coach (same guy) told me last fall that he felt I would do better running and racing the shorter distances...play to my strengths. And about the same time I realized that I didn't really LIKE training for and running a marathon...my heart's desire is to run and walk twice a day, 6 days a week and you can't do that when you're training for a marathon. But that would fit perfectly with 5k's and 10k's = ) And that is also the most beneficial way for me to maintain a certain weight! AND I don't dread the treadmill if I know I only have to do 20 minutes or so...so no excuse when the weather's nasty during the winter months...I can still train consistently!

- I'm a true believer in the Weight Watchers program. I know it works, I know it works for me. I like the program, I like how I feel, I like how it encourages me to and rewards me for making healthy choices rather than forcing me or punishing me.

- My deep desire is to MAINTAIN a healthy weight. I'm not sure what that number is. I need it to be a weight that's do-able but also a weight that I am healthy at. And I don't know if that number should change as I get older or it's ok to stay the same...might need to ask someone smarter than me about that.

- I desperately want to STOP the summer, winter, holiday weight gain-loss cycle!!! And I feel like I have all the tools I need to do this. Now is the time, today is the day.

Since I did Weight Watchers before (followed the program, no other involvement), technology has advanced...I now have a cell phone that is my mobile internet and has way cool beans apps. I also have my tablet which is an in-between computer. I kept hearing about WW's eTools and wanted to have access to them. But you have to be a member...

So last Monday I walked into the Weight Watchers store to try and buy the new updated points books and "do the program" like I did before...but you have to be a member to buy the supplies.

I wasn't planning on joining. I wasn't planning on going to meetings. Now I'm doing both!

Their "best deal" includes free registration, access to all the eTools, unlimited meetings, and some other stuff I can't remember. After talking with the lady I decided that what I'd REALLY like to do is become a lifetime member and reap all the benefits that come with that.

I went to my first meeting last Thursday. It was WAY more interesting and helpful than I'd ever imagined! I'm a really good self-starter. I don't like to be bothered too much by the "higher-ups". Give me my job to do and then leave me to do it. I'll come to you with any questions or problems...don't micro-manage me or I'm outta here!

So now I'm full of motivation and great ideas and I can't wait for the next meeting tomorrow!

The most exciting thing to report to you is that with just one week...ONE WEEK...of eating the way I should, my energy level has sky-rocketed!! I was stuck in the slump of "low energy - don't feel like doing anything but sit and watch tv - eating sub-par/questionable nutrition - ugh".

Now I don't have the desire to sit and watch show after show because I actually have the energy to do the work I'm supposed to do plus extra besides! It's amazing.

And I'm thanking God for the blessing of how He created our bodies to renew themselves...our cells are constantly dying and being replaced by new ones. The cells that I fed with junk are dying off and being replaced by cells that have been fed full-on nutrition and I'm reaping the benefits of wonderful well-being and way cool beans ENERGY!

So here's my plan for blogging...I'd like to share with you the things I learn or discover each day and the successes and failures I have along the way....thanks for reading!