35 by 35! #4

Hello, friends!  How's the whole getting lean in Summer '13 going for you all?  I hit a few bumps in the road, but overall did see some progress. I'm thankful to be learning from my mistakes, using them as opportunities to better understand what works and doesn't work well for me! 

Time to share a recap of week #3 of the challenge, a Summer food find, and tip of the week!

Progress:
Thursday morning weigh in results:  I'm down 1 pound from last week!  Although this isn't much progress, I'm honestly thankful that I didn't gain anything!  I really felt like I blew it multiple times.  Remember the once a week "cheat meal" I was going to allow myself?  Well, I think I about tripled that allowance this past week! It was quite a celebratory time between a family birthday party, a date night, and a fun girls' craft day.  While, I didn't go too overboard, I definitely exceeded my WW points/calorie & fat intake several days in a row. 

Rather than beating myself up over the mistakes I made last week, I'm going to take these lessons learned and apply them to help me move forward in a smarter way!  I've noticed that the weekends have been such a struggle for me.  Yes, most "special events" are happening during those days, but I also find that I simply get more relaxed and careless (with food) during weekends in general.  To remedy this problem I've decided to not allow my "cheats" to be on the weekends anymore.  It's MUCH easier for me to contain the overindulgence to a single meal if it's during the week.  On the weekends it's far too easy for me to feel more lax about it, which is always followed by regret and undoing my progress. 

 I have a fresh new start going into week #4 and will hopefully have a really great progress report to share next week after taking a better look at my struggles and strategizing a bit to avoid any more pitfalls! 

At 50 calories (just 1 old Weight Watchers point!) you don't have to blow your day to enjoy a sizzling Summer cookout!



Tip of the Week:
Keep a food journal!  I've done this in the past when working towards shedding unwanted weight.  I've neglected to do so this time around ...until today!  I'm really glad to be starting this as it's been extremely helpful for me in the past.  I think it'll have a huge impact on my efforts!  

Writing down what you're eating not only helps you to keep track and resist "going over", it also serves as a record that you can look back on.  Learning a little more about your habits and needs can make a big difference in the choices you make.  After a week of journaling, you may see that there's a certain time of day you're really in need of a snack.  Knowing this will enable you to make certain that you have a light, satisfying nibble handy during that time.  Also, you may notice that some days seemed especially easy for you.  What made them different?  Taking a closer look at what you're doing, learning from struggles, and recognizing what works well for you, can positively impact your efforts!

Personally, I'm much less likely to overindulge if I have to see every bit (or bite) of what I'm eating written down on paper!  I've found this to be a helpful tool in the past.  You may too! ;)


Until next Thursday, remember . . .

REMINDER: My comments section is officially a CHEERING SECTION on Thursdays!  Let's cheer each other on, friends!  I'd love to hear how you're doing too!  Struggles, triumphs, things you've found helpful...feel free to share! A BIG THANKS to each of you who have left encouraging comments, or have joined in on this challenge yourself!  The interactions I've had with each of you have served as an incredible inspiration and encouragement! Bring on week 4!

Need some new light and delicious recipes?  

Check out my Pinboard:  Delicious Ways to Shrink.  

You may also be interested in previous posts from this blog series:

35 by 35!: Introduction to Challenge + Light Recipe!

35 by 35! #2

35 by 35! #3

Don't miss a bit of the Summer Fun at 

Chatting Over Chocolate!:

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