I Don't Completely Suck...Yet.

So, even though I've let my blog go to seed and have totally neglected my readers with nary a word as to why, I haven't completely sucked in the weight loss world.

I just have to take a moment to bask in the fact that I used the word, "nary."  Fun words like that make me feel all tingly.  It's an English major thing.  I completely admit how incredibly nerdy I sound right now.  Get over it.  You're just jealous.  Or covetous.  Oh yes, I own a thesaurus, baby, and I know how to use it.


Wow, it's like I have a blogger version of ADHD or something.

So, back to my real reason for the post.  I just wanted to brag quite boisterously humbly announce that I have had some success in the past few months.  I'm still not down to where I was in my weight before the summer began, but I haven't had a gain for about 6 weeks now.

AAAAAAAND....

wait for it!!!!!!!!

And I even LOST WEIGHT over Thanksgiving, Christmas AND New Year's.  That's some sort of record, I'm sure.  So, hence the reason that I don't completely suck.  I'm doing a few things right.

And I do mean A FEW.

I'm trying to do better, I really am, but I'm still struggling to faithfully write down and track everything that I eat.  It basically comes down to this:  I'm lazy and I just don't wanna!  I realize though, that in order to be successful, I'm going to have to get over my whiny-ass self.  I know it's coming, I'm just putting it off for as long as I can.

What I am doing right is trying to follow the new Weight Watchers Points Plus plan.  If you haven't heard already about the new plan, let me give you three words:
FAN-FREAKING-TABULOUS!!!

I love, love, LOVE the new plan, and if you know what's good for you, you will too!
Here's the skinny peeps!!

Okay, so WW still uses a points-based system, but instead of using calories/fat/fiber to calculate the points value of a food, WW now uses fat/fiber/carbs/protein to calculate the Points+ value of foods.  I really like this because it finally registers that not all calories are created equal.  100 calories of apple is NOT the same as a 100 calorie Oreo snack pack.  They don't fill you up the same, they don't burn off the same, they're just different.  Does this make sense to you, because it really, really registers with me.  Plus, it means that you're essentially *rewarded* with extra points by making healthier choices.

Let's go back to the apple vs. Oreo example.  On the old plan, the apple might have been 1 point, while the Oreo snack pack was only 2.  So, what would any fat girl choose?  The Oreo, of course!  But now that more nutritional information is being used to define the Points+ value of a food, on the new plan the apple is 0 Points+, and the Oreo might be 4 Points+.  So, not only do I get to eat the apple for 0 Points+, but I get to save the points that I would have used on the old plan to eat the apple, to eat something else.  I know I've lost a few of you by now.  I can see that glazed over, deer in the headlights look.  I think it was the moment that I mentioned Oreos.

For the rest of you that are still paying attention, there is one more SUPER AWESOME part of Points Plus program:  ALL fruit is now worth 0 points if it is fresh, frozen, or packaged in fruit juice and drained.  So all those bananas that used to be worth 2-3 points (usually 3 for me, because I like my bananas big....hmmmm....I feel a little naughty now) they are all now ZERO POINTS!!!  Would you like an orange?  A mango?  Some papaya?  Pineapple?  Kiwi?  Kumquat?  Starfruit?  Persimmon?  All thrown together in a fruit salad?  Why go ahead because they are ZERO POINTS my friends!!!

This has truly REVOLUTIONIZED the way that I eat.
Especially at a buffet.

You know I like the buffet.  All fat people do.  You can test this out for yourself, of course.  Do a little street survey.  Stop random obese people on the street and ask them their opinion on buffets.  100% will give them the thumbs up.  That's because we fat people, we likes to eat!!

Again with the blogger ADHD!  Where's the blogspot form of Ritalin when you need it??


So now at the awesome sushi/Chinese/Mongolian buffet place that we drive 40 minutes to get to every few weeks, I have a ROCK AWESOME plan for staying in control and so far it has worked like a charm!!  Before I eat one bite of anything with rice, dumplings, or moo goo whatever, I have to eat a plate full of fruit.  It's not like I have to twist my arm to eat fruit, though, cause I love it.  And I know that not all the fruit that is available is in fruit juice.  I can spot heavy syrup pretty easily...it's so glossy and pretty...so I can stay away from that.  I just pile up the good stuff on my plate and chow down on fruit before I allow myself anything else.

By the time I'm done with the fruit, I'm not usually all that hungry anymore.  So, I get a bowl of soup, and a plate of my absolute favorite foods that I really want to eat, and after a trip to the dessert bar to get some coffee-flavored gelatin cake (you know the humongous sheet cake thing, cut into one inch by one inch squares? I love that cake!), I'm good and done.  And the best part is that I only have to count the Points+ from the food I ate after the fruit, which is not usually all that bad.

So, my review of the plan so far is to give it two thumbs way up!  If you were thinking of giving WW a try, this is the best plan I've seen yet, and by far the most livable, so get your booty on down to sign up while there's still free registration y'all!

This is not a paid endorsement of Weight Watchers or the Points Plus program.  If, however, Weight Watchers would like to pay me for endorsing them, I would only be too happy to take their money.