Back in the day wednesday: Taco Bell

Photo Credit: mikebaird, on Flickr

This is the next installment in my new series "Back in the Day Wednesday" where I tell what I used to eat, in Weight Watcher points and what I eat now. My favorite Fast Food would have to be Taco Bell.

Back in the Day:

Nachos Supreme
Cheesy Potato Burrito

Total: 26

Now:

2 Chicken Supreme Gorditas

Total: 14

Note: If I get the Chalupas it's 18 points.

Once again, it can vary depending on what points I have and what I'm in the mood for, but for the most part that is what I eat.

As always, thank you for reading.

I'm lucky killing people is illegal

Picture credit: Kmohman on Flickr

I love Boston! I went there the first time when I was a teenager. I was still in "regular sizes" at the time. I was walking through Boston Common with my Mother and I saw a woman walking a dog, She was a larger woman, average height, probably about a 26/28, maybe bigger. I turned to my Mother and said "If I ever get that fat please shoot me".

It's been a long time since I said that and my memory is a bit faded, but I'm pretty sure I was bigger than that lady before I started to lose weight and if she was a 26/28. I just barely left that size behind Christmas of last year.

'Nuff said.


As always. Thanks for reading.

Don't you hate it when you get stuff on your shirt?

With the advances of laundry technology, you can't really ruin clothing any more with food stains, but you can still look like a slob walking around with a big spot on your shirt after you eat a meal out somewhere. I haven't done that in a long time.

I used to get a lot of food on my shirt when I was really heavy. It got the point that my stepson would marvel in the fact I didn't get anything on my shirt when we were out eating. After I had my moment of reckoning with my weight I noticed how, as I started to take control of my eating, slowing down and eating less, the spots on my shirts stopped appearing.

Now, I am able to lean over my plate. Yes, I could not lean over my plate when I was really heavy. I'm also eating slower and taking smaller bites on my utensil. I also find that I'm eating lower fat foods so I'm not necessarily eating greasy food made with butter or cream, so that really helps.

I still get food on my shirt, but it's not as bad as when I was really heavy. Just another little thing that I love about losing the 127 pounds I have lost so far!

As always, thanks for reading.


Note: I read this post to Hubby before I posted it and he said "Yeah. You used to have stains on stains!"

Back in the day Wednesday: Chinese Buffet

(NOTE: When I first posted this the points total was off for the "Now" by three, that has been corrected.)

Photo Credit: stevendepolo on Flickr

This is the next installment in "Back in the day Wednesday". Sorry for the lateness.

Hubby and I are big on Asian food. After sushi, I'd have to say Chinese food in general is probably number two for us. There's a buffet which we kinda consider "our place" not too far from our house. When I started WW I decided to make some substitutions, because I'm more about quantity than quality in some cases. I'm not terribly fussy so that really works for me. What I eat at a Chinese buffet really changed.

Back in the day:

Lots of fried rice 
Lots of sesame chicken 
Lots of peanut chicken 
I love dumplings 
(note: I do not know the points for peanut chicken. Just know that one tablespoon of peanut butter is 3 points)

If I only had one serving of each of those (cup of fried rice, cup of sesame chicken, a 3oz serving of peanut chicken (just counting the 3 points for the tablespoon of peanut butter) and four dumplings) it would be 28 points and I'd get about three plates.

To top it off I almost always had 16 pts worth of ice cream and maybe a cookie or some chocolate syrup

Point grand total: 44



Now:

One cup of chicken and broccoli
1/2 cup of white rice
Four dumplings
One ounce of chicken teriyaki.

Points total: 14

This is just an example of what I can eat at a buffet. It all depends on how many points I have. 

One tip for eating at a buffet is to get small portions of everything and then sit down with your tracker and track what you have so far and then when you're done eating figure out what you have points left over for and how hungry you still are.

Another tip for eating at a Chinese buffet. Don't hesitate to dig through the serving dish to find a small portion of something like Chicken Teriyaki. I've been able to find one to three ounce servings at multiple locations at multiple times.

As always thank you for reading.

The food didn't taste as good.

So I've been really out of control and last night I had a big blow out and I vowed to start again today. So far, so good, but that's not the point. Last night when I was doing the big blow out at one of our favorite pubs in downtown Albany  I noticed something. The food didn't taste as good.

I usually get this burger with cheddar sauce. I get the sauce on the side and I spread it very sparingly on the bread. Well, I got probably three times that on the burger. I also got mayonnaise dipping sauce for the fries. I usually forgo the dipping sauce. I started to eat the burger, and it was the worst burger I ever had there. I usually eat the entire burger and it's a great burger. I am not a big red meat person so for me saying it's a good burger is saying something! Keep in mind this was probably my fifth time having that burger there. I disliked the burger so much I only ate half of it. I ate all of the fries. which are arguably the best in Albany, if not Capital Region. I never give up fries there.

When I was done I was so full. I had a little trouble falling asleep because my stomach was so full. I haven't been that full in a long time and it didn't feel very good at all. It reminded me of my old days when I would eat and eat and eat. I don't know how I did it. As it is my stomach has gotten bigger over the weekend and my 18/20 shirt doesn't cover as well as it should.

I'm not happy that my eating habits have gone crazy, but I am happy that I was reminded of my bad habits and how horrible life was back in the old days. I think I learned a lesson last night. Let's hope it will stay with me.

As always, thank you for reading.

Something amazing happened to me today!

Today, for the first time ever, I sat on the floor and played with my Granddaughter. May sound simple enough to you, but it's an amazing thing for me. A year ago this coming Christmas Eve was the first time I sat on the floor comfortably, and got up unassisted in a very long time. You can read about what it was like to sit on the ground or floor at my highest weight at Life at 385: Sitting.

I've been having a really hard time for the last month and a half and if I hadn't come as far as I have I wouldn't have had that experience today and it was amazing! There is no way I would have had that experience when I was 385.

I've definitely come a long way.

Thank you for reading.

Drinking water for people who don't like to drink water.

I've never been a big water person. I never was a big soda drinker either. However, since I started to lose weight, I have been drinking nothing but water. When you do Weight Watchers you have to drink at least 64 ounces of fluids a day. Some people drink as much as 100 ounces of water a day, even more. I can't do that. Besides, I don't want to suffer from water intoxication, it can kill you.

 I don't really like to use points for drinks. I do occasionaly splurge for a drink at a restaurat, but otherwise, I drink almost exclusively water.

I have another condition for drinks. I don't drink caffeine. A Doctor told me years ago due to two medical problems I have, I should not have caffeine. I've been caffeine free. as far as drinks, since 1993. Keep in mind that I still allow myself chocolate, which has caffeine, and in small amounts I'm ok.

I drink/have drunk the following flavored waters that are zero points per serving

• Vitamin Water XXX Zero
• SoBe Zero Calorie Life water
• Crystal Light
• Plain water with Mio
• Aquafina flavor splash
• Sparkling Ice
• Dasani Flavored water
• Decaffeinated Hot tea
• and just good old fashioned water with lemon.

I'm sure there are plenty of other alternatives out there, but those are how I drink my water. I hope this helps you get your water. However, beware, some of these options can add up to points if you drink enough. For example, if you were to drink a 16oz bottle of XXX Zero Water, it would be one point.

Do you have any "zero point" water suggestions? Please leave them in the comments!

As always, thanks for reading.

Just checking in

Just wanted to drop in and say hi. It's been a tough summer. Between being busy with all kinds of stuff, dealing with my major health problem acting up and continuously falling off the wagon, I haven't felt worthy of posting to this blog. I'm pretty ashamed of myself.

I've been to four WW meetings this summer, if you're lucky and I haven't weighed in since the beginning of August. I'm hoping that things are finally turning around. Until then, thanks for reading.

Back in the day Wednesday: McDonald's

This is the second installment in my new weekly series showing what I used to eat (in Weight Watchers Points) vs, what I eat now (in Weight Watcher Points). Today's restaurant is McDonald's.

Know that I eat at McDonald's ten times a year if you're lucky. I've never been a big McDonald's fan. However, also know that I once worked within a very short walk of a McDonald's, sometimes I'd drive  because walking was so difficult at my highest weight, and I'd eat it about once a week for lunch, sometimes more.

Back in the day:

Angus deluxe
Large fry
Fruit and yogurt parfait

Point Plus Total : 35

Note: This does not include the medium lemonade, which I would sometimes refill. I would also sometimes  get a shake, a small is 12 points. I rarely got a small. I also would sometimes get three chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are 4 points each.

Now:

Angus Deluxe Snack Wrap
Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

Points total: 15

Note: I now get a Vitamin Water XXX Zero to drink, which is of course zero points.

Back in the day Wednesday: Buca

I am doing a series of posts every Wednesday telling what I used to eat in regards to restaurants in points and what I now eat in points. Yes, you can eat anything you want on WW, but I have made certain changes.

Today's restaurant is Buca:

Then:

1/2 of a small Fettuccine Alfredo
Lots of Bread
Three cannolis
Two lemonades

Points: 84
Now:

Salmon
Meatball
Four pieces of bread

Points: 19

Note: what I ordered/order varies. However, these are standard for the most part. Also, this does not include the oil for the bread.