W-Day #26

Almost, almost, almost there... so close in fact I can FEEL it! I am excited to post that I am down another 1 lb which means I am only .6 away from the big 3-0 lbs of total weight loss. This week was extremely challenging thanks to Holiday parties, and most of all those overflowing baskets of goodies every where I turn in the office. A bunch of our clients send HUGE baskets of chocolates, cookies, cheeses, crackers, etc. and when the "norm" is to sit there and pick on this stuff all day it's easy to forget about WW. Apparently not being normal paid off this week. Lets just hope I can continue to be ab-normal!

*** total weight loss to date 29.4 lbs ***

W-Day #25

I went to weigh yesterday and all I can say is... I'll take it! I am down .4 lbs and I know it seems like nothing unless you're on the WW plan. Getting on that scale week after week makes you realize a loss is a loss and even those weeks they are tiny will add up to something big in the end! I have learned to be patient with my weight loss and it's motivated me to keep going and to not give up like I have done in the past. I am also at a weight that I have not seen in a long, long time and it's proof those "tiny weeks" have gotten me there!

*** total weight loss to date 28.4 lbs ***

Let's all give THANKS

I hope all of you had a fabulous Thanksgiving! Christo and I enjoyed a relaxing day of delicious food, good wine and hanging out with my parents, cousins, aunts and uncles. I went into this Holiday with a completely different mindset than I have had in the past. In the past no matter my hunger level I would dig in on Thanksgiving Day like it was literally the last supper. This year I celebrated WW style; I started the day with a walk/run at the river with Christo, ate a small breakfast and didn't "pick" prior to actually sitting down to eat dinner! At the end of the day I felt satisfied and extremely pleased about how I handled this Thanksgiving. It also didn't hurt to get some compliments about how great I looked from family I haven't seen in a while. Overall a successful, rewarding, WW approved Thanksgiving. Now it's time to prepare for Christmas... ahhh!

W-Day #24

I am hesitate to post the good news considering it's Thanksgiving week and the woohoo it's a "Holiday" attitude could tip the scales in the wrong direction next weigh in... BUT this year Thanksgiving is going to be a different kind of day for me. Yes, I'm going to enjoy myself but my goal is to indulge in the things I don't get "regularly" and at the end of the night feel satisfied yet pleased with myself. I am VERY excited to report W-Day results this week because I am at a number I have not yet gotten to on my journey of weight-loss. I have lost another .8 lbs and the best part of it all is I am now down a total of 28 lbs! I've been stuck in the 26/27 lbs for a bit and I feel accomplished to finally be over that hump!

*** total weight loss to date 28 lbs ***

HAPPY TURKEY DAY TO ALL!

table top, frog, neutral... I think I LOVE you

I have started to take Pilates and although I'm scared to admit this, I really enjoy it! I have learned so much about my body and what it is capable to do it truly amazes me. If I had an unlimited bank account I would definitely try to go more than the 2 times a week I've been going but every little bit counts, just like on weeks I find myself down a few tenths of a pound! I'm still at the "beginner" stage but I'm starting to feel more comfortable on the reformer (machine with straps that is used in Pilates so your resistance comes from your own body weight). I've also mastered some of the terms now so when my trainer, Chrissy, says, "okay, now get in frog," I know exactly what she's talking about! It is very similar to yoga but it is way more concentrated on building strength through your "core" and I love the whole concept. I encourage any of you to give it a try. If I don't think of every excuse in the book not to go then it MUST be good!

W-Day #23

I am down another .8 lbs. I know to someone not on WW it probably sounds miserable... work so hard for a mere .8 but honestly I know losing weight the way I'm doing it will almost guarantee I keep it off! I have started to realize what I want out of all of this and it's to be healthier not to wear a certain size or weigh a certain weight. Continuing to think of this as a life style change not just a weight change has really kept me motivated lately. At the same time it has made me relax about the time it's taking me to get to goal. As Joyce always says, "slow and steady wins the race." I know I'll win in the end but for now I'm going to focus on LOSING day by day!

*** total weight loss to date 27.2 lbs ***

where there's a will there's a way

I had to blog about this because even as I write this post I'm having a hard time believing it's true. I can honestly... and I mean HONESTLY say that this Halloween came and went without one single fun sized, king sized, any sized CANDY coming my way!! Last week at work was difficult, there was literally bowls of Halloween candy everywhere. I told myself it wasn't worth it and to think about how good I would feel if I stuck to plan. I didn't let Halloween get the best of me this year and it feels even better than I thought!

Happy November!

W-Day #22

Do you ever feel like you're in a rut?!?! Well, I do... I went to weigh this weekend and although I can post a loss, I cannot say I was overjoyed when I saw the results. I lost .2 lbs... yes, it is better than gaining but it made me realize it's time to make small changes in order to see a big change overall. I have been extremely slack when it comes to measuring. When following the WW plan portion control is a super important component for weight loss. Since you are not technically giving up any foods you have to be sensitive to the amount of food. I am going to focus on measuring out my portions better. The more familiar I get with portion size will benefit me in the long run. Even the tiniest amount over when guesstimating weight could cause you to go over your daily points a little each day, which equals a lot week after week. Fingers crossed this is just what the doctor ordered to cure my rut!!

*** total weight loss to date 26.4 lbs ***

muffins are the ENEMY...

So I've been feeling pretty good, trying hard to get back into the WW groove and excited that I have a decent amount of time before Christmas to make some good progress to get to my final goal (which is yet TBD but I have an idea). In my meetings we always talk about how important it is to look up the point value of a food BEFORE you actually put it in your mouth. For the most part I abide by that rule but this morning was a little different. I went to grab breakfast like any other day but today I happened to glance over at the forbidden pastry bar. I noticed a gooey, warm, chocolate chip muffin and without even thinking twice I grabbed it, came back to my desk and dug in. Well, shame on me because I just entered in my 12 POINT MUFFIN... which is MORE than half my day! I guess I've learned my lesson... It will be a long, long time before I "indulge" in another muffin!

bread + wine + pastries = PORTUGAL

A week ago today Christo and I were flying back from our vacation to Lisbon and Madeira, Portugal! Considering the amount of bread, wine, and pastries I consumed while there it's not ultra shocking I'm up on the scale.

The Portuguese definitely LOVE their sweets. There is literally a pasteleria on EVERY corner. When walking by it's so hard to think pastry or WW, pastry or WW... I guess my choice was pretty clear.

A typical breakfast is coffee, bread and cheese, or pastry of some sort. It is unheard of to not have beer or wine with lunch. One day I just ordered water and the waiter looked at me like I was a complete weirdo, he actually said, "water only madam, no beer?" Thankfully dinners weren't a problem. We ate fish almost every night. We went to several restaurants where you pick your fish, they throw it on a wood fire and serve you the whole fish (yea, head included) with some veggies on the side. Yummy, healthy, and soooo delish!

Overall, we had a wonderful vacation and even if I didn't follow my WW plan 100% I was aware and being aware is half the battle! To see all of the pictures from our trip and the beauty of Portugal click HERE!

W-Day #21

In the game of life there are ups and downs. When I first started this blog I titled it what goes up must go down because somehow during my "game" my weight managed to go UP and now was the time to get it DOWN. Well, this weekend when I weighed I experienced an UP and clearly that is NOT the direction I'm trying to go here. It's been a while since I last weighed so maybe, just maybe I can make myself feel better by saying, "hey, it could have been worse" but either way you look at it I was up 1.2 lbs. I'm back on track now (like for real, no birthday's, no surgeries, no vacations) and the next w-day results better go DOWN!

*** total weight loss to date 26.2 lbs ***

One bite, two bites, three bites, MORE...

I have learned a lot of things while on WW and one of them is The Three Bite Rule. Unfortunate for me that rule went in one ear and out the other for the whole duration of my birthday weekend! I guess WW or no WW on MY birthday, rules need not apply!


To see all the pics from my birthday weekend - click here!

2.6 lbs shy of goal, turning 30 and bye bye gall-bladder

Wow! Time to play a little catch up from my last post.

Okay... so my 30th birthday came and went (special thanks to my parents and Nic and Will for making the trip up to help me celebrate the BIG 3-0)... you may be asking, well, did you EVER meet your goal of 30 for 30?!?! Unfortunately for me a hectic week at work, Mom, Dad, Nic and Will in town and a surgery happened... and although it may just be an excuse because I was nervous to find out the truth- I never went to weigh! I guess you can technically say, no, I did not lose 30 for 30 but I did accomplish to lose 27.4 lbs, look and feel healthier, and drop a couple of sizes! Overall, I am VERY happy with my current results and I'm not stopping until I reach my final goal, which is yet TBD!

Christo and I head to Portugal on Friday (9-17) for 10 days so I will post birthday pics and Portugal pics once we're back!!

W-Day #20

Yikes... it's officially less than one week until the BIG 3-0! I felt like it was a good week, I felt like I stuck to my points, I felt like I was going to see a decent number on the scale... and then... reality struck... down .6 lbs. Hmm, wait, is that right? Is the scale working? Did Joyce mean 1.6? I guess in the game of losing weight some weeks are just unexplainable. I know what I need to do this week so we'll see how it plays out BUT what I also know is I feel good, I've retired a ton of clothes from the closet, and I'm ready to continue on this journey until I do make my GOAL!

*** total weight loss to date 27.4 lbs ***

W-Day #18 & #19

Okay, so this is a first. I'm combining 2 weeks of weighing in because quite frankly I've been a little "messy" with following a weigh in routine lately. We all know when I first joined WW I set my initial goal to lose 30 lbs prior to my 30th birthday. I am right on target but the fact that I have less than 2 weeks left is a bit nerve racking. Fingers crossed I can make my goal but as I have said before, "I'm going for healthy" and day by day that's what I'm achieving! Since my last W-Day post I am down 3.4 lbs and I can't help but to SMILE while I type!

*** total weight loss to date 26.8 lbs ***

what happens in VEGAS stays in VEGAS

So the big surprise for Christo's 30th birthday was a VEGAS getaway! He had never been there and was so excited when I finally divulged our destination while heading to the airport. It was nice to take a break from normal life and just relax. It was also so so nice to spend time with one of my best friends, Ragan, who joined us for one night with her boyfriend, Mark. We had an absolute blast and the Bellagio could not have treated us any better if they tried! With that said, it's unfortunate for me that I have not quite mastered staying on plan when out of my comfort zone. I honestly tried to make "healthy" choices... however, when there is a bowl of truffles, a box of chocolates, and a tray of strawberries with caramel, white chocolate and dark chocolate to dip them in (thanks Bellagio) I tend to revert back to old habits. I may not have stayed completely on plan while away but I have mastered knowing it's okay to celebrate if in the end you get back on track. I think that's yet another reason I love WW, it allows you to have such flexibility and realize this is a life change not just a weight change!


Happy Birthday to Christo!

To see all our pics click here (Vegas 2010 album)

Birthdays are for DESSERT... even if it's not your own birthday!

Recently Christo and I have a new love for oysters. My parents were in town the week of his birthday so we all went to Lure, an amazing oyster bar in Soho, to celebrate. I have been trying, trying, trying to stay on plan considering my own birthday is right around the corner (ahhh) but for some reason to me a "birthday" dinner MUST end with DESSERT! We had a delicious dinner and I swear I didn't even want dessert but it's like I was on auto-pilot. I just blurted out my order and before I knew it there was a warm, gooey chocolate molten cake in front of me... within minutes it was gone! I've learned on WW we can't always have our cake and eat it too, literally, I will not get to goal by eating cake... but we can all celebrate special occasions and know tomorrow the party's over!

W-Day #17

It's nice when a good week pays off and that's exactly how I felt on Saturday morning when Joyce said, "you're down 1.4 lbs." I knew last week was a decent week but until I actually see the numbers on the scale I am half the believer, the scale confirms what I was thinking and it makes me 100% a believer in the WW program. Although I cannot pat myself on the back for NOT stepping foot in the gym last week (ugh, why, why can't I just go) I will have to admit that grocery shopping, planning ahead, and packing lunch has been a positive change! Christo's 30th birthday is on FRIDAY so lets hope I can stay on track in ____ this upcoming weekend. I'm surprising him on a 4 day getaway and he actually thinks he can get it out of me now... he'll know where we're going soon enough!

*** total weight loss to date 23.4 lbs ***

Bye Bye World Cup and Bye Bye BEER

The World Cup equaled a month of BEER, emotion, BEER, excitement, BEER, Christo shouting at the TV, BEER, highs and lows... then yesterday... the biggest low... Holland lost to Spain in the final game of the World Cup 1-0. Christo has followed the Dutch team since before he could eat solids and boy has this been one crazy month! I hate how this World Cup had to end but I've had a blast and I'm ready for Brazil in 4 years! I've also decided this is a good time for me to "cleanse" and break up with BEER, well... until I'm 30!

*obviously this pic was taken BEFORE the game

W-Day #16

Okay, so this weekend I saw a loss but I felt a bit robbed. I am down .8 lbs... I was hoping for a little more. Last week was one of those weeks that I felt like I was on plan, not that I slack off on a regular basis but I just felt really in ww mode and to walk away with a .8 bummed me out! I have about 6 weeks to my inital goal of 30 for 30, 30 lbs of weight loss for my 30th birthday on Aug. 27th. I know I need to step up the working out so that's my goal for the next 6 weeks!

*** total weight loss to date 22 lbs ***

W-Day #15

Well... it's been a long time a comin' BUT I'm so thrilled to be writing this post! I finally got over the 20 lb mark! I feel like I have spent the month of June going from 19.2 to 19.6 to 19.8... UGH! I got the good news on Saturday morning before heading to the Beer Garden in Astoria to watch soccer and consume pint after pint of "leaded" Czech beer... yikes. I am down 1.4 lbs and it started out the Holiday weekend with a BANG! Happy 4th!

*** total weight loss to date 21.2 lbs ***

Family, Friends and CAKE...

Christo and I were in NC for a fun weekend full of family, friends and CAKE! I continuously say I love WW because you can live a "normal" life, you don't have to use words such as diet, avoid, and off limits. Although, I'll also be the first to admit sometimes I take that concept a little too far. My friends and I hosted a baby shower for our friend Megan and we ordered one amazing CAKE! Even before we got to NC I was thinking about this cake (sad but true) and I knew not having a piece was simply not an option! At my meeting prior to heading out of town we discussed how to handle yourself in difficult situations, this to me was one of those difficult situations and I'm not so sure I passed. Before actually being in the moment it was so easy to say I'll just pick on veggies during the shower so I can enjoy a sliver of cake at the end. Well, easier said than done... I picked on EVERYTHING and topped it off with a massive "sliver." I guess as I get closer to my goal I'm learning, yes, you can live a normal life but if something seems too easy than your probably not giving it your all!

W-Day #14

Wow, sorry for neglecting the blog the past couple of weeks. Moving was killer... not that we thought combining two apartments into one was going to be an easy task BUT I'm not so sure we were prepared for such hard work! The good news is we're ALL moved in, yay! Now my daily walks to work are around 25 mins instead of 10 mins. Lets hope that makes the numbers on the scale continue to go DOWN! Last weekend Christo and I went to NC (pics to come) so I went to weigh in on Friday before heading to the airport. I was really looking for 1.4 because that would have gotten me to a total of 20 lbs lost but I'm happy to post I was down another 1 lb!

*** total weight loss to date 19.6 lbs ***

W-Day #13

According to Joyce slow and steady wins the race. As I stepped on the scale Saturday morning that's what I heard prior to, "Another good week Erika, you're down 1 lb!" Was I expecting a little more this week? Was I hoping for more? Did I want more? Maybe, Yes, I guess... I'm in a rhythm which definitely feels good and I know I'm not stopping until I reach my goal. I guess I just have to remember what Joyce said and keep pushing through these 1 lb weeks because after all 1 lb here and 1 lb there and soon they'll add up to GOAL!

*** total weight loss to date 18.6 lbs ***

W-Day #12

I was a little nervous to step on the scale Saturday morning. Working until 10:00 pm unfortunately meant eating dinner at my desk in a non-WW safe zone nightly. I guess those salads I ordered (while others munched on waffle fries and burgers) paid off. I'm down 1 1b! These W-Day postings are starting to feel pretty darn good... I know I need to keep up the good work so the numbers on the scale continue to go DOWN!

*** total weight loss to date 17.6 lbs ***

W-Day #11

I know all of you have been anxiously awaiting my weigh day results but for the past week this thing called WORK has taken over. Besides getting in the way of me blogging, yes, most of this is done at work (yikes) my social life has suffered including missing my WW meeting last night! With that said I'm nervous just thinking about weighing in on Saturday. Somehow eating every meal at my desk makes me forget I'm even on this plan but we'll cross that path when we get there. For now lets celebrate the good news of my last weigh in; I'm down 1.2 lbs!!

*** total weight loss to date 16.6 lbs ***

Case of the bathing suit blues?

It's inevitable... in a few more weeks it will be time to get back in those dreaded bathing suits! I have heard from gals of all sizes that it's never easy to get back in bathing suits but come on people it's DEFINITELY HARDER if you're carrying some extra lbs. Today I read an article on WW.com giving some quick tips that may actually make this summer in our bathing suits not so bad and cure a case of the bathing suit blues!

Here are a few tips from the article that quite frankly I never thought about until now!

Extreme eating: Make a conscious effort to eat very cold snacks, like a popsicle, or very hot ones, like a cup of hot consommé. The extreme temperatures will make you eat slower, which gives your body time to signal your brain once you've had enough to eat.

Spice it up: Carry a bottle of red pepper flakes in your work bag or keep a jar of hot chili peppers in the refrigerator at work. There's evidence that adding them to your lunches may help boost your metabolism.

Eliminate one fat: Each day, make one non-fat substitution. Swap out half and half with fat-free creamer in your coffee, for example. You can save hundreds of fat calories each day that would otherwise go straight to your hips and thighs.

*above information from www.weightwatchers.com article by Mike Bruno

W-Day #10

Although I feel like I'm all over the place with weighing in I have to pat myself on the back for at least going every week whatever day I may actually get there. Saturday morning I went to weigh and I was thrilled to hear Joyce say, "well you're doing something right, you're down 1 lb!" The past 3 weeks have been pretty consistent for me and I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. It was a great way to start the weekend and the good news actually gave me some added motivation to workout both days this weekend... the beautiful weather didn't hurt either!

*** total weight loss to date 15.4 lbs ***

Environmental Challenges 101

I went to NC last weekend for Emerson and Sydney's birthdays. As hard as I tried to stick to my plan it was a bit challenging for me because I let my mind wonder to "vacation" mode. I know it was not technically a vacation but simply a weekend away but it was harder than I thought to track my points and stay consistent while there. At my WW meeting this week it was kind of fitting because the topic was "environment" and setting it up for success. It made a lot of sense to me after being out of my own "environment" last weekend. I noticed I was faced with challenges I don't have to necessarily deal with while in my own home. For example, here I know better than to have a box of cupcakes sitting around the house but after Emerson's birthday party we had about 2 dozen leftover cupcakes come home with us. Did I eat one? Of course... and I managed to have two before the weekend was over! I guess I learned it's important to have a WW environment around me while on plan so I don't set myself up for failure. Lets be real, will I NEVER have another cupcake, heck no but hopefully the next time I'm faced with an environmental challenge I'll stop at one!

W-Day #9

I weighed this morning on my walk to work and I'm very pleased to post that I'm down another 2.2 lbs! It feels good to have 2 decent weeks and it definitely motivates me to lose more, more, more and ultimately get to my goal weight!

*** total weight loss to date 14.4 lbs ***

Our new pad

As many of you know, Christo and I found an amazing apartment! I am so excited to move in and finally have that West Village address I so long have desired. The apartment literally has just about everything we had on our "want" list... natural light, outdoor space, renovated kitchen/bath BUT besides all of those great features it has a little extra incentive for my BUTT! YES, our new apartment is a 3rd floor walk up so even though we are dreading to see our mover's bill I'm looking forward to having no choice but to take the stairs from now on. Do I think it's going to do wonders to my w-day numbers? Not necessarily but a little extra push for the tush can't hurt!

pasta, pasta, pasta... oh how I wanted you!

My friend Kristen was in town from St. Louis this weekend and last night I met her, her sister and one of her sister's friends for dinner. Reservations were made at one of my favorite restaurants on my block, Tarallucci e Vino. I was so excited to see Kristen and catch up over good vino and a yummy meal but I was a little freaked out about what I was going to order. So I stuck to my WW plan and checked out the menu before I headed out to meet them. In the comfort of my own apartment and without tempting smells and others plates surrounding me I decided I was going to skip on the pasta dishes and order seafood. As hard as it was when we were ordering to chose seafood over pasta at one of the best Italian restaurants I did it! I wanted pasta so badly but I knew it would be best to save my points for more wine and go with the fish. Overall it was a wonderful night and the world didn't end because I didn't have PASTA at an Italian place!

W-Day #8

Hiatus who? Hiatus what? As I write this post I cannot help but smiling a bit because I'm down 2.4 lbs and feeling pretty good about it! I know it's not ideal that I steered off course for almost a MONTH but I must admit when I got on the scale yesterday and was told, "You're down 2.4, good job," I felt a little bit of relief and a small sense of accomplishment. It just proved to me that even though I was not sticking to the plan everyday I have learned what to eat, what not to eat, and how much of something to eat. I have a way to go until my goal weight but I have a feeling this was the boost I needed and I'm ready for a fresh start!

*** total weight loss to date 12.2 lbs ***

Hiatus ENDS tomorrow

As many of you know I let "life" get in the way of sticking to WW the past month or so. I didn't go nuts, well, I guess I'll let the number on the scale determine that but I have NOT been following my plan as I should. I honestly have no excuses and I know I only have myself to blame for the lack of staying focused but it is what it is and this hiatus is now coming to an end! Stayed tuned for the true results of just how "nutty" I went when I post W-Day results tomorrow...

Is Easter really Easter without chocolate eggs?

One thing I love about Easter are the yummy chocolate eggs that call out to you in the Walgreens checkout line... buy me, buy me! Well this year it was a WW Easter and I don't know if it was the beautiful weather, the joyous church service or simply spending the day with Mom, Dad and Christo but Easter could not have been better even if I had bought those chocolate eggs!


Mom and Dad before church


Mom and I heading into church


Christo and I at Primehouse for Easter brunch

I heart NYC

My parents were in town for Easter and they were nice enough to help Christo and I finish some last minute things at his apartment on Saturday. YES, it's official we are now living in "our" 400 square foot studio (ahhh) until June! After Mom and Dad helped us out we had a late lunch in Astoria at one of our favorite Bosnian restaurants. We had such a feast at lunch when it came time to think about dinner we both just looked at one another in disgust. I'm trying to get back on track with my WW plan so I knew my officer (Christo) would look at me like I had 2 heads if I suggested what I was really wanting which was ice cream so that's when I came up with Pinkberry. It is healthy and filling once you load on the fresh fruit toppings AND the best part is you gain that I'm eating ice cream feeling minus the calories! I was checking out the nutrition information on their website when I stumbled upon the fact that they DELIVER... I knew I loved NYC but getting our frozen yogurt delivered on Saturday night may have just confirmed it!

when it rains it POURS

Where did the month of March go?!? I cannot believe April 1st is in a few days.

Exactly one week after getting back from Aruba my grandmother passed away. It is never easy to lose anyone especially someone as special to me as my grandma but I am comforted by the fact that she was "ready." A couple of days before her passing she expressed that she was tired and ready to go see Grandpa (he passed away in 2005). After 84 years of an amazing life Grandma felt complete and she passed away in peace with family all around her. We have to celebrate her life and try to remember she's in a BETTER place. I was honored to speak on behalf of my family at her funeral and will never forget it!

Christo is moving into my apartment this week and is unfortunately home right now with strep throat. My parents will be up for Easter this weekend so fingers crossed he's recovered and I'm not victim to this awful illness because quite frankly I just don't have time to be sick right now!

Not only am I trying to get back acquainted with the fact that I do have a job and I do have to work for a living even though I have worked one full week this whole month. I'm also trying to get back into the WW groove and I must admit... I'm STRUGGLING! I was in Florida last week and surrounded by delicious food and WW was the last thing on my mind, ahhh. I'm going to give it all I've got and report back after my next weigh in... whenever that will be... thank you ALL for your thoughts and support during this crazy, crazy month of MARCH!

Grandma will be missed by ALL her girls including Sydney (unfortunately not pictured)

W-Day #7

I went to weigh in this morning on my walk to work because I'm going out tonight to celebrate St. Patty's Day. Lets just say considering I was in Aruba for a week and not technically following the WW program I am okay with what happened on the scale. I'm up .4 lbs, not really the direction I would like to report on any normal week but for this week I'll take it. It's time now to focus and buckle down because before I know it there will be no more hiding under that Winter coat! Today is a gorgeous day in NYC and it makes me thrilled that Spring is right around the corner but at the same time nervous and eager to get closer to my goal weight. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all and NO I will not be consuming Guinness this evening but I will be "sipping" something chilled!

*** total weight loss to date 9.8 lbs ***

Back to life, back to reality (a little shout out to En Vogue)

Christo and I are back to the "real world" and I have been trying to find the answer to the question that continues to hurt my brain... How can time fly by so fast when you're on vacation but not when you're at work?!? Oh well on a lighter note, ARUBA is PARADISE. We had a fabulous week and although I did not count my WW points the whole time (yikes) I did try to make healthy selections while at restaurants and bars. I guess we'll know just how "healthy" my choices were tomorrow when I get back on that scale. For now I'll just pretend I'm laying on my lounge chair glowing in the Aruba sun!

*** to see all of our pics click here ***

W-Day #6

I'm happy to report I'm back on track, the numbers on the scale went the right direction last night-DOWN! After my little set back last week I lost 1.2 lbs this week and it definitely feels good. Tomorrow Christo and I are off to Aruba (woo hooo) for a whole week of sun, sand, and surf! I must admit I'm a little nervous about my first official vacation since starting WW so last night in my meeting I got some tips and advice from other members about vacation do's and don'ts. Now I'm armed and ready to tackle my vacation and I can't wait to report back after Aruba!

*** total weight loss to date 10.2 lbs ***

6 hours 2 beers... really!?!

Yesterday we met our friends Dave and Jill at Brother Jimmy's (the ACC bar here in the City) to watch Maryland take on V Tech. The game was scheduled to start at 4 and we were going to grab dinner after. I've said it before and I'll say it again I chose WW because you don't necessarily have to give up anything (example: beer) but you do start to make wiser choices to stay within your daily points. I told myself before heading to the bar I could have 2 beers and save my remaining points for dinner. Little did I know there was going to be a water main break at Virginia Tech that would postpone the game until 7! Then to top things off the game went into double overtime until MD finally pulled away to get the W. Needless to say I stuck with my original plan and had 2 beers over 6 hours then enjoyed an amazing dinner at one of our favorite Turkish restaurants, Limon. BRAVO to ME and YAY TERPS!

W-Day #5

Yikes... let me preface this posting by saying I've come up with two "decent" excuses to explain why I'm UP .4 lbs because there's no way (yea right) I could possibly be the reason! First excuse, I weighed on a different scale today. Second excuse, this week I have "female" obligations I deal with each month that are simply out of my control. Okay, okay, excuses or not I must admit I wasn't pleased when I got on the scale but I have heard from other members it's inevitable, it's going to happen, not every week is going to be a loss and now I've experienced first hand what they've told me. Just like any journey there will be ups and downs (hopefully in this case more downs) but today is the first day of another week and I'm going full force before heading to Aruba a week from Friday!!

*** total weight loss to date 9.0 lbs ***

Tea-HOT Coffee-NOT

Remember those Cosmo What's Hot and What's Not lists well I wouldn't be surprised to see this on the next list (if they even do them anymore) Tea- HOT Coffee- NOT. Let me introduce all of you to my new favorite place, Argo Tea. After our stadium tour on Saturday Dad and I stopped in this new "Starbucks" for Tea lovers. Since starting WW my afternoon "treat" is a cup of tea. I know that doesn't sound exciting but for 0 pts I make it something to look forward to when co-workers hit up the vending machine around 3:30. Who would have thought you can do so much with TEA!?! We had some samples of their signature drinks and they were amazing. Here's a pic of me enjoying my Oolong Formosa loose tea which they custom fresh brew when you order. Coffee is so last decade!

Take me out to the ballgame...

Dad was in town on Saturday so I knew I had to come up with a plan that didn't involve shopping (very different than when mom's here). It was too nice of a day to sit in a movie so after some thought I arranged for us to take a tour of the new Yankee Stadium! He was thrilled and very excited about our day. The tour was super cool and a great way to check out the stadium without the crowds on an actual game day. I came across an article on WW.com and thought it was a perfect fit for this posting. Check out these yummy "game day" snacks that we all enjoy, well, probably until now!

A hot dog has 629 calories.
An order of nachos has 1,390 calories.
A gourmet pretzel has 480 calories.
A personal pizza has 740 – 780 calories.
An order of chicken tenders has 530 calories.
A small popcorn has 434 calories, a medium has 664 calories, and a large has 832 calories.

Step away from the Fettucine Alfredo

The other night at my meeting this girl said she lives by this quote. I LOVED it so much I just had to share!

"WOULD YOU RATHER EAT ITALIAN OR WEAR ITALIAN?"

When you think about it it's so true, it really makes you think... what DO you want more?!?

One fish, Two fish

After my great weigh in on Saturday morning I knew I had to wake up and face Valentine's Day the next day. I was a bit nervous considering most of the time we relate V-Day with chocolates, desserts, etc. (well at least I do) but Christo has been nothing but supportive throughout this whole process so I knew I was in good hands when he was preparing a surprise dinner. Occasionally we talk about WW and what points are in what and knowing seafood is a protein with lesser point values we've been eating it more lately. With that said, Christo chose seafood for the main course of our AMAZING V-Day dinner. He definitely out did himself this year and I was completely impressed with his "work" that I had to take a pic!

W-Day #4

This feels kind of strange to be posting weigh in results on a Saturday but this week was all whack because of the "Blizzard of 2010." You think the local news could come up with a better title than that considering we barely got a foot of snow. Anyway the real reason of this post... I am thrilled to announce I am down 2.8 lbs! I thought I heard Joyce wrong so she repeated it and I literally did a little woo hooo much louder than planned considering others glanced over to see what the excitement was all about. Needless to say, it was a great way to start the weekend!

*** total weight loss to date 9.4 lbs ***

Snow Day = No W-Day

I know all of you are sitting by your computer anxiously awaiting the results of W-Day #4 but unfortunately NYC was hit with a foot of snow and my WW meeting was a no go! Check back over the weekend for the results. I'm planning on attending the Saturday morning meeting and weighing in then. Guess no beers for me on Friday night... argh!

Yo Yo No No

I read this article this morning and thought I would share. I can definitely consider myself stuck in a "weight cycle" and it's simply just time to STOP! I feel this article proves to me even more why I will have success with WW and I'm so happy I made the decision to start this journey once and for all.

Stuck in the weight cycle? Click here.

bye bye late night food

Last night I surprised Christo with tickets to the off Broadway show Avenue Q. It was basically Sesame Street for adults that hit on topics such as racism, homosexuality, religion and sex in the most non-politically correct way possible... so yes, of course we LOVED it! The show was at 8:00 and we got out around 10:30. We had not had dinner beforehand so we were both kind of hungry and decided to stop for a small bite before heading home. Well that's what we thought, however, little did we know that even though this is NYC it seemed the only food options we could come up with were way out of my daily point range. A tad annoyed that this wasn't pre-WW and we could stop anywhere and eat whatever our little hearts desired we decided to call it a night and head home hungry. On our way home I felt bad because of me on WW now we can't do the things we used to but once home I felt a sense of accomplishment knowing I have made progress. It's the things I used to do that got me to this point and I signed up for this program to make life changes. Last night was just one step in the right direction and that feels anything but BAD!

A,B,C it's easy as 1, 2, 3 (or not)

I think we have all heard it time and time again... eat whole wheat, choose whole grains, basically cut out the "white" starches from our diets but for some reason it's easier said than done! For something I know I definitely feel like I forget to put it to good use. This week I'm going carb conscious... no, no, don't freak, I'm not going crazy and hopping on the Atkins bandwagon but I'm making a goal and sticking to it! My "mini" goal for the week is simple, WHEAT over WHITE.

"Between knowing and doing there is a great gap. Those who are willing to cross the gap find their greatness."

W-Day #3

I know it's only 12:15 but I already have the W-Day results and I'm happy to report that I'm down another 1.8 lbs! I have noticed the past couple of weeks that waiting ALL day to get on that scale was driving me nuts. Lets just say Wednesdays have been less than productive days for me since starting this program (sorry co-workers). I am going to continue to attend the meetings on Wednesday nights but I'm switching up the weigh in's. From now on I'm going to weigh on my walk to work Wednesday or Thursday mornings. Today is the beginning of my 4th week on WW and I can honestly say I don't feel like I'm on a "diet," that's a dang good feeling!

Fun fact:
In addition to a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, frequent weighing appears to be an integral part of successful weight loss. Monitoring weight on a regular basis is a form of accountability and self-monitoring, and consistent self-monitoring is associated with improved weight loss.

*** total weight loss to date 6.6 lbs ***

Mi Amore + Savore = One Amazing Evening

Twice a year (Summer and Winter) top rated NYC Restaurants participate in Restaurant Week. All restaurants involved offer a pre-fixe menu, for $35 you get a 3 course meal, app, entree, and dessert. It's honestly a great way to try new places and/or go somewhere that normally exceeds your budget! With that said Christo and I planned a "date" night for Friday. After looking through the lengthy list of restaurants I picked Savore, a romantic, authentic Italian spot in Soho. I know what you're thinking... and the answer is no, no I didn't forget I was on WW and no, I wasn't going to go "off" of it just because it's Restaurant Week! I just knew I had to plan ahead and be extra smart on Friday, so I ate a lighter breakfast and lunch. When it came time for our 8:30 reservation I had already checked out the menu and knew exactly what I was ordering, btw I have rarely done this in the past and it really helps, not only do you not have to deal with the menu once there but you don't make poor decisions based off of what others are eating around you, etc. We had a delicious dinner, a nice bottle of wine and most of all I stayed within my daily points! Even though I was very pleased with my meal and fully satisfied I did realize it's not what you're eating that makes the night it's who you're with! Thanks Christo for one amazing evening!

It's time to get MOVING

It's time to set another weekly "mini" goal. Last night in the meeting we talked about daily activity and how it's important to get MOVING to get the weight off. So with that being said this week I am setting my "mini" goal to take the stairs whenever possible. I know this sounds kind of ridiculous but seriously living in NYC it's amazing how often you find yourself in an elevator. Even to get inside your own "home" you take an elevator! Lucky for me I live on the 3rd floor (sweet) so this should be an easy week to succeed at yet another "mini" goal!


"A thousand mile journey begins with one step. Start today."

W-Day #2

Today was weigh day and I must admit I caught myself looking at the clock way more often than usual. Finally 6:30 arrived and it was time to head to my meeting and face the scale for the 2nd week since starting WW. I knew this was going to be a tough week because last week was a pretty big number (3.8) but I felt confident in myself knowing that I did stick to the program and met my "mini" goal of drinking 2 liters of water a day! So now the time had arrived, off came my coat, off came my shoes, off came my sweater and here it was the moment I had been waiting for all day... down 1 lb. Hmm, at first I didn't know whether to be happy or annoyed, a pound, just 1 pound but you know what, a pound is a pound and a loss is a loss and I can't wait to do it all again next week!

*** total weight loss to date 4.8 lbs ***

COMFORT food vs COMFORT in my clothes

This past weekend was my 2nd official WW weekend, there were some ups and downs but overall it went fairly smooth. Saturday night Christo and I met our friends Christo (yes, there is another Christo Christoff in NYC and he happens to be a very close friend of my Christo) and his wife, Velina, for dinner. We met at Bar 89 a chic Soho spot known for their "comfort" food (ahh, found that one out once we got there) but don't be alarmed because like a good WW member I researched the menu prior to heading out and made my decision to order the Greek Salad no ifs, ands, or buts! While sitting there picking at my decent, yet nothing to call home about salad, I glanced around the restaurant. I was definitely the only person eating a salad but it was at that moment that I felt proud of myself. It wasn't easy but now I know I can do this. The next time I'm presented with the decision of comfort food or knowing my gray pants that are so not comfortable currently will one day be COMFORTABLE I'll stick it out and savor that dang salad!

Revision of an old snack

One of my most favorite snacks is hummus and Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips. I chose WW because you don't necessarily have to give up anything but knowing all foods have a point value you do start to think twice before eating something. Don't get me wrong here hummus and pita chips is definitely not an "unhealthy" snack in any way but 10 chips and 1/4 a cup of hummus is 5 points. Hmm, now I have a question to ask myself, do I want to have 5 points or can I find a way to enjoy a similar snack using less of my daily points!?! After some thought I came up with this figure friendly, satisfying 2 point snack.

Cucumber "Chips" and Hummus

Clean and peel a cucumber. Slice up cucumber into the size of poker chips. Mix cucumber chips in a bowl with some sea salt. Scoop out 1/4 cup of hummus into another bowl. Dip your cucumber chips into your hummus while pretending you are still having pita chips and watching Jersey Shore, hah:)

Enjoy!

Weekly Goals

I'm trying to set "mini" goals each week to help keep myself motivated throughout this process. Last week I focused on changing over from coffee w/ milk which equals points to drinking black coffee which is ZERO points. I'm happy to report that it was a success! I walked right past those milk pitchers in the caf at work each morning while repeating to myself, don't you DARE waste points on milk of ALL things, and it worked! Honestly I have not missed it and have been enjoying my zero point black coffee daily.

This week my focus is getting all of my daily water in. WW recommends that you drink 6 glasses (48 oz) of water per day but I have aimed a bit higher. I have set this weeks "mini" goal to drink 2 liters (67.6 oz) of water per day! So far so good except for the looks I'm getting from my co-workers when I leave my desk 8 times a day but they'll have to get over it!

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

W-Day #1

So yesterday was W-DAY! Last night after work I anxiously walked to my WW meeting to conquer my first weigh in. As I stepped on the scale my heart was pounding but then a very pleasant smile came over Joyce's (the weigh in lady) face so I knew I must have made some progress. I am down 3.8 lbs woo hoo! I was thrilled and must admit I'm actually kind of excited to start another week on WW!

Pat me on the back... I survived my FIRST WEEKEND

Not only was it my first weekend on WW but it was a 3 day weekend because of the Martin Luther King Holiday! There were definitely moments of "struggle" but with my WW Coach or should I say Police Officer (Christo) right there by my side those moments came and went! One thing I have to constantly remind myself is that this program WILL WORK but it's going to take WILL POWER on my end! Mind over Matter Erika, that's my mantra!

FYI tomorrow is W-DAY (weigh day)... so stay tuned!

Points = Calories

Let me take a minute to briefly explain the WW plan. WW is based on a daily "points" system so according to your current weight, height, age, activity level, etc. you find out the total points you can have in a day. Points is basically counting calories with a twist. Saturday I was browsing around the WW website and found an article on foods that fill you up yet have a very low point value. It was at that moment that I decided I wanted to incorporate one of those foods into our dinner. After searching and searching through the food list which was quite extensive I might add I chose Brussel Sprouts. I really do love them and not once have made them so tonight was going to be the night! Christo came up with a simple recipe so I thought I would share.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts -
Yummy, filling and HEALTHY

Things you need-
Brussel Sprouts (cleaned up and ready to pop in your mouth)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic (1 large clove)
Mixing bowl
Baking sheet

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic in a mixing bowl. Stir until sprouts are fully coated. Pour out onto baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes (first 20 mins cover loosely with foil, uncover for remaining 20 mins)

ENJOY!

to drink or not to drink that was the question

Last night after work I met Christo and our friend Dave for drinks, yes, I just said drinks, hmm, how is this going to work now that I'm on this WW (Weight Watchers) journey?!? Well that is one reason I chose WW because you can definitely continue to live a normal life it's just that you have to revise some old habits! One thing I was not willing to give up was enjoying the metropolis of micro breweries NYC has to offer, in particularly last night our choice was Amity Hall. It's a great spot in the Village that we stumbled upon one Sunday evening and we're so glad we did! I limited myself to two beers (both Belgian, both delish) and still managed to have an enjoyable Friday night sticking to my plan. It was a good feeling and a great "revised" way to start the weekend!

A new day has...come

Hello Internet, Hello All... lets begin with the words from Celine Dion herself, (yes I am a loser and yes I actually do like her music) she writes, A new day has...come, so here it is, a new year, a new me, a new blog! I may not be on Facebook and I may have just recently joined the era of technology by getting a computer at home and a legit Internet connection (the neighbor I used to steal from moved out, dang) BUT I am starting this blog to monitor my progress and hopefully success on WEIGHT WATCHERS! Yup, I said it... I am officially on Weight Watchers and 100% ready and committed to deal with the dreaded issue of weight. As I approach turning 30 (ahhh) I have realized that I have just about everything I want (for now) and the one battle that stays in the back of my mind is carrying these extra lbs! So grab a cold one, prop up those feet and follow me on this journey of what goes up must come down!