Healthy Mondays

So I think Mondays are going to be my healthy-goals-check-in-days.  My last stint with Weight Watchers always saw me weighing in on Mondays so it feels logical to me.  I did so very well shedding weight this past spring with Weight Watchers.  And my running goals have all been met and exceeded over the past year.  BUT.  Then my crazy, crazy summer happened.  I had one day off in the month of July - and each of those days either included 3 catered meals or meant that I was travelling = eating out/eating fast food.  So I fell off the diet wagon.  But I was still running fairly consistently (even while travelling, yeah me!) so i didn't actually gain more than a few pounds until right around Thanksgiving this year.  That is when the wheels fell off.  I ran the Turkey Day 5k and suddenly had no more runs on the calendar.  So why run, right?  Hmmm.  Apparently...running is what was keeping me svelte!  (HA!)  So I have gained a monumental amount of weight in the last 6 weeks.  It truly can't be healthy.  So here are, concisely, my healthy body goals as of right now:

• Jump back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon to return to my goal weight of 130.
• Return to exercising at least 3 times per week. 
• Water.  Water.  Water. 
• Diet Coke = Bad

To expound a bit ('cause lord knows, I AM verbose as a rule)...

• I love Weight Watchers.  Well, I hate Weight Watchers, of course.  It isn't "right" to LOVE Weight Watchers.  But I do love it.  sorta.  I believe that it is the best "diet" on the market right now.  It doesn't contain any supplements or crazy powders or anything.  It doesn't tell you that you can't eat this or that.  I can't imagine sticking to a gluten-free diet or anything like that.  It lets me eat whatever I want but holds me accountable for what I eat.  It teaches me to place a very real value on eating the "right" foods - ie. vegetables and proteins over carbs and cakes.  It doesn't cost a small fortune.  It doesn't necessitate that I continue to buy 'their food' until the end of days to keep the weight off.  It seems like the healthiest option by far. AND - BONUS - I know it works for me.  I am a Lifetime member, after all!  (yes - you are reading the sin of pride in that statement).  I reached and maintained my 130 pound goal weight for 6+ weeks back before the girls were born.  Can't wait to get there again!  And - I was almost there this past spring when everything went horribly wrong.  So - as of today - I'm BACK WW! 
• I love races.  I hate the expense of races.  But I love races.  I love the comradery of it.  Love the excitement of it.  Love the challenge of it.  Love the fact that it forces me to keep running on a regular basis.  So - much as we probably can't afford it, I'm going to go back to signing up for some races.  The first one will likely be the Valentine's Day 5k if I can convince SOMEONE (see that, sic?) to run it with me again this year - I totally embarassed myself "running" it last year - this year will be better!  So - back to running the track at the ymca.  Though I'm considering trying some swimming once a week or so to change things up because that track gets mighty dull after the 30th lap or so. Chris bought me a waterproof case and headset for my ipod so I'll give it a shot.  Plus - BONUS - swimming IS a full-body workout, after all. 

• I don't like water.  What's to like?  It is SO boring.  I only can tolerate it if I've been running (then it's delicious!) or if it's ICE cold!  So this is going to be a tough one for me.  I'm dedicating my BIG BLUE pitcher to my water drinking goals.  I'll fill it with filtered water every morning and empty it by bedtime.  I WILL!
• Diet Coke is delicious.  I am also addicted.  Full-on addicted.  Until I have my daily dose, my body feels sluggish, achy...downright hungover.  Mere moments after that first sip, I'm clearer, physically feel better, significantly less cranky...and it frightens me.  It is 100% ridiculous that the way that I feel and the way that I react to my children is so dependent on a cup of stuff that is bad for me to begin with.  So - at least for now - I'm giving it up cold turkey.  I gave it up while I was pregnant, I can do it again.  I'll just suffer for a bit, I'm sure...and so will the girls unfortunately.  But - it'll be better!  I swear! 

So that's in for now.  In a nutshell. 

And my check-in for today - 147.6 pounds per my home scale.  And this is what I look like right now.  This is an honest photo.  I did not suck anything in...didn't push anything out.  This is just me.  It ain't pretty but it's true and it will get better quickly.