Thursday, August 27, 2009

Thank you, interwebs!

Thank god for the internet. First of all, all of my best friends live there. But even better, I found the semi-complicated formula for figuring out how many points I get on WW...thereby saving myself $40.

According to this site, I get 30 points (yes, I'm fat. I know this. Hence the WW.). I also still get my 35 "extra" a week, plus any APs I earn.

Now to find that tracking spreadsheet I had been sent forever ago...or just make my own.

Oh...and Day 1 of Operation Office into Gym was a success. I do need to remember to bring in some facial cleanser wipes for when I'm done, though.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Minimizing me.

It's the reverse of Supersize Me. I've been shrinking things in my life lately.

First, I went from a regular laptop to a 9 inch netbook. I adore it. It fits in my purse, boots up fast (something my laptop never did for some reason), and is just downright cute. I have a few typing issues, but I'm the typo queen to start with, so that's nothing new, really. I highly recommend one.

Then...and somewhat less impressive, but I like it...I shrunk my Starbucks card. No, not the balance (well, that, too) but the card itself. They have what are called mini-Starbucks cards, and they fit on your keychain, and are just a little bigger than most store loyalty cards (Kroger, CVS, Publix, etc). Again...I love. Oh, and you get "drink customization" free with a card, so I get a 30 cent discount when I use it for my syrup. BONUS.

So, as I sat in Starbucks, with my latte (have no fear--my caffeine intake has NOT been minimized), mini netbook, and my keys with my mini card, I realized I've been minimizing a lot of things in my life lately, but not the one I want to most: my self. And I think I should do something about that. Soon. Like, really, ASAP, but then I'm setting myself up for failure yet again, because Disney is in 9 days, 7 hours, 9 minutes and someodd seconds. And for me to stay OP in Disney just won't happen. I know this. Well, it might...if I were well into it, and it was second nature, etc. But in 9 days, I don't think I can pull it off.

But what I CAN do is start preparing and getting into other habits. I started class last week. I'm just taking 1 this semester: College Algebra. Not at all exciting, and I think I'm going to be pulling my hair out by the end of it because I'm only in class 1 hour a week, and then 3 hours in a computer lab where I teach myself. Yeah. So, most of this will be on my lunch break. I still plan to eat...please, don't think the fat girl won't be eating. The schedule I would like to work out is:

11:45-heat lunch, inhale while finishing up whatever I'm working on
12:00-head to math lab for homework (it's almost right across the street, walking doesn't count)
12:45-back to office and pop in a 10 minute exercise DVD. Close door, do exercise.
1:00-Open door, back to work

There are a few problems...like my homework may run over from time to time, in which case, I'll have to do something else. And I've actually never WATCHED the DVDs I was looking at bringing...might need to do that to make sure I can do it here.

I figure if I can at least work that in, it's a start.

For my finale, I'm going to steal from my good friend Alyssa. Her thought was that she can't control the outcome, but she can control her behavior, so for every 15 days she stays OP, she gets a reward. Doesn't matter if she loses or not...it's the behavior being rewarded, not the loss. This really made sense to me, since I tend to gain about 6 pounds for TOM (he's such a bastard), which always frustrates me...and then I binge, and then blow it, and don't get back. But, if I look at it as sticking with it gets me something shiny (ok, really, I'm about to think of rewards in a minute...that's where this train is going...but I haven't, and it likely won't be shiny, but you know what I mean), I'm more likely to stay with it.

So...bringing the train back into the station, and without further ado...

What I want (all are consecutive...if I fall on day 29, I start over):

For 15 days OP, I get $5 added to my Starbucks card.
For 30 Days OP, I get to decide on something for $10 (I've been thinking for 2 days and can't think of anything!).
For 45 days OP, I get $15 added to my Starbucks card (gotta support my habit somehow!)
For 60 days OP, I get a pedicure (~$20).
For 75 days OP, I get $25 added to my Starbucks card.
For 90 days OP, I get an Organizer bag from Thirty-One (~$40)

I also think I might do at least 1 month of paying for WW, since it's been so long. Hard to reward yourself for being OP when you have no set definition of OP.

Ok. It's in writing. Kickbox Bootcamp starts tomorrow (class on Wednesday's, so no extra time during my lunch).

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Portion sizes

Allow me to rant for a moment about a combination of things: vending machines, portion sizes, and "single serving" packages that are not.

Just now, I wanted breakfast. Unfortunately, the cafeteria stops serving at 10. It's 10:07, and by the time I walk there, it'd be 10:15. They really aren't forgiving. So I figured I'd check the vending machine for something instead. We usually have Poptarts in there, and sometimes other stuff. Today, the poptarts were blueberry (ew), but there were some Knotts Berry Farm Strawberry Shortbread cookies. YUM. So I swipe my card (love working at a college just for that...use the credit card to add money to my account, then swipe my ID at the vending machine...and we get a discount for that!) and get said cookies. The package isn't very big...and was only .80, which is the same as a candy bar. I think it's a single serving. I pull it out...nope. It's THREE servings. 12 cookies that are each about an inch in diameter. Really? Now, I know portion sizes have gotten out of control, but I'll be the first to say that 4 one inch cookies is just not enough. Especially as a breakfast substitute. 120 calories, 5 grams of fat and no fiber in each serving. 360, 15 and still none for the package. Ok...actually, that's not bad for a meal. But who in their right mind would eat 1/3 of a package you buy at a vending machine? And why can't you see this BEFORE you buy a package?

I wonder if the truth in labeling laws (or whatever they are called) cover vending machines? Because I should not have to buy the item to look at the nutritional information. And not have any recourse if I should change my mind after seeing it. Granted, there are a few things I know aren't too horribly bad...pretzels are fat free (no idea how many servings these are, though), gummy bears are fat free (but those are also in a 3 serving bag), and when I'm in desperate need of chocolate, a 3 Musketeers is the best option. But the fact that I can't pick them up and compare...or even see the info inside the machine...just isn't fair.

And they wonder why we are all fat. Fast Food places have to have their little pamphlets out. Why shouldn't vending machines?