Week 7 Results and Lessons Learned...

Down 2.4 lbs (19.4 lbs total)

Well, if last week shocked me, this week got me worried. I used 37 of my weekly 35 slush points (yes, you did read that right) and barely moved off the couch and I still lost weight. What worries me is the "I can eat anything and still lose" refrain. In fact, it was already playing faintly in the background this week when I over-indulged at the Lucky Martini Book-Club's first post-summer event. The martinis were Blonde and the pizza was Black and White and it was all so delicious I had 3 martinis and 3 slices. And sundry bits of cheese and salami. Oh, and warm artichoke dip. I did track it all the next morning as faithfully as I could (hence the 37 weekly points used) but that didn't stop me going out to the new French Bistro Bon Rouge and having another Martini and terrine and baguette and lemon tart...

You see the problem. I will have to apply all of my will to turning off the seductive voice saying let's go back to the bistro or, better yet, order in a pizza...

Well I'm back to Dunsmuir Lodge tomorrow for two days of school, fabulous scenery and those buffets. Lots of salad, water, fresh fruit and dinner with Debbie. I'll let you know how it went.

Week 6 results and lessons learned...

Down 3.2lbs (17.2lbs total)

This was a week of eating out. I had dinner at Stage on Thursday after last week's weigh-in, then dinner at the Beagle on Friday. Saturday saw me eating lunch at the Cactus Club, followed by a movie with popcorn and dinner at the Tapas Bar. On Sunday I packed and left for two days at Dunsmuir Lodge with buffets for breakfast and lunch as well as dinner in the lounge bar. On Tuesday I took Bernard for dinner at Temple for his birthday. On Wednesday I had eye surgery and didn't feel like eating much.

I fully expected to gain weight, hoped I'd maintain, and secretly wished for a pound loss. I was flabbergasted at the 3.2.

I knew I had approached every meal with points in mind and I had loaded up on vegetables wherever possible, but still, you can't control the amount of fat people use to cook and it is hard to guess-timate grams or cups.

I was extremely proud of myself, and you know what pride goeth before...

Week 5 results and lessons learned...

Down 3.2lbs (14lbs Total)

Those endless diet books, and shows and articles in magazines, that told you that moderation not denial was the key to success used to piss me off. How, I would say to myself, could one be moderate around those trigger foods that were always waiting in the wings like the boyfriend who always thought you'd come back to him? Pizza is not satisfying in one slice increments - you must eat the first slice smoking hot, and then eat all the others before the cheese sets. Everyone knows this.

However, I did manage to eat Thanksgiving dinner this weekend at Debbie's mum's house (thanks Audrey!) and have a glass of wine, turkey with gravy, stuffing, mashed potato, cranberry sauce, sweet potato, carrots, peas, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and a slice of Ashley's chocolate birthday cake (Happy 21st!). It was delicious and it only added up to 20 points. How you ask? Moderation of course (you saw that coming).

My pie was about 1/3 the regular size, the cake slice was 3/4 inch wide. My dinner plate had one half devoted to peas, carrots and sweet potato, with another quarter containing the stuffing, mashed potato and cranberry. The last quarter held the turkey with about 2Tbsp of gravy over it. I had seconds of the peas and carrots.

And the scales prove it.

Do you take your supplements?

Did you see the Oprah episode where Dr. Oz showed a mound of fat, about 6 pounds, and said this is what you would lose in a year just by taking a minimum of 1000mg of Calcium with 600mg of Magnesium in a day? I did, and ran right out and bought a big bottle. Then it got complicated.

Dr. Roizen, in another show, said you had to take half in the morning and half in the evening because our bodies could only use about 600mg at a time. Now I have to remember to take pills twice a day, 7 days a week. This is hard.

I've tried the visual cues - bottles in front of the coffee machine, on my keyboard, etc. But I have an amazing ability to not see what doesn't interest me. I've left notes on my bathroom mirror - I look right through them.

So, any tips on how to get me to take my fat-busting calcium? I'm all ears.

Week 4 results and lessons learned...

Down 1.2lbs (10.8lbs total)

This week had a food and wine event smack in the middle of it. The Cowichan Valley Wine Festival had events going all weekend to celebrate the wineries (and Cidery) located around Mill Bay and Duncan. Some of us from work went up for a day of shuttle-busing and tasting and I knew that it would be a challenge. However, I didn't deny myself - I had a fabulous tasting lunch at the Cherry Point Bistro (thanks Rob), sipped all the wines (no spitting), and even dipped some fruit in a molten fountain of dark Belgian chocolate.

So, I learned that I can enjoy food and wine and still have weekly points left over (12), drop the aimed-for 1 to 2 pounds and get my gold star (finally).

I won't deny the feeling of failure at only losing 1.2 pounds but I'm working on that; I'm working at celebrating the healthy choices and the sense of accomplishing that elusive goal of moderation.