Making progress

Despite the holiday, I have still lost weight!
Last week, I was off to a good start with 2.4 pounds shed. This week, even after the gluttony of Thanksgiving, I am down 1.2 lbs.
It might seem slow, but I am still proud. I feel much better than I did when I started, and I know I did not put on this weight in a week, so it won't peel off of me that quickly, either.
Today I went to a meeting that discussed how to survive the upcoming holiday parties. I didn't even think about the impending doom a simple get-together could cause, but most appetizers can be packed full of hidden calories.
Some tips I found helpful were:
1) Fill up on the veggies that are offered first and go back for desserts (when you will eat just a sample),
2) Drink plenty of water before the party to fill up,
3) Eat a low point-value meal beforehand so you're not starving, and lastly,
4) Stand across the room from the food table, so you're not subconsciously popping potato chips in your mouth.
Hope these tips help you, too! I will keep plugging away, and write more soon.

My first week of Weight Watchers is complete and I feel good about my progress. Switching my meals to healthier options has not been as hard as I anticipated; there’s some really delicious Lean Cuisines out there. I love their new Panini sandwiches, especially the Chicken Ranch. They also have personal pizzas that are surprisingly big and are only 7 points. I usually pair either the sandwich or the pizza with a salad and a diet soda. If I put Italian dressing on the salad, it makes a delicious nine point meal.
I’ve also discovered that many grocery stores pre-marinade grilled chicken for you, which is great for my busy lifestyle. I can have a piece of lemon pepper chicken, a salad with ranch dressing and a baked potato with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter for 10 points. If you switch the dressing, it’s even less points.
For breakfast, Kashi cereal with strawberries is great. A cup of that with a cup of 2% milk is 5 points. I never used to eat breakfast, but since I’ve started, I find that I am less hungry throughout the day. I’m sure this is not a revelation for some of you, but I thought that by cutting out a meal, I would lose the weight faster. It actually just made me pig out for the other 2 meals because I was starving.
I’m starting off slow, so I will start incorporating exercise this week. I dusted off my poor Denise Austin Pilates tape that I bought the last time I had a vague notion of losing weight. Let me tell you, I felt the burn. I worked muscles I didn’t even know I had yesterday. There are two different versions of the work-out, and I am using the easy version this week. I was about to die halfway through, so I don’t think I can upgrade just yet.
I will go to my weekly meeting and get weighed on Wednesday this week, because I was out of town for my mother’s birthday during my regular one. I’ll post how many pounds I’ve lost tomorrow.

The first meeting

Hello, everyone. My name is Megan Sprague and I am a writer for the Lake Norman Navigator.

I've never been one of those Hollywood stick figures, but lately I have been feeling unhealthy and out of shape. I decided, after months of feeling chubby and panting up the stairs to my third-floor apartment, that I would pick my bum up off the couch and do something about it.

I am now a proud member of Weight Watchers. My first meeting was Monday night, and it was inspiring. I was worried about starting right before the dreaded holiday season, but learning the rules and portions helped a lot. I can still eat everything I want, but just in smaller sizes, and I'm cool with that. If eating less and counting points allows me to fit into my favorite jeans again, I'm in.

This will be a big change for me ... I've never owned a scale and my version of exercise is getting up to change the TV channel manually. I'm hoping to lose 30 pounds in my journey and I am eager to start Pilates, which seems a little less threatening than going to the gym and staring blankly at weight machines that I have no idea how to use.

Added to this new way of life is a brainchild of my editor. A fellow employee, Jess, is doing a weight-loss boot camp and now we are pitted head-to-head (or stomach-to-stomach, if you prefer) to see who loses the most weight. I am a ridiculous cut-throat competitor that often makes children cry at board games, so I fully intend to kick butt and drop some pounds.

I can't believe I'm about to post this, but my starting weight is 177 pounds. I am allotted 26 points a day, with 35 weekly points for splurges (so I really can have my cake and eat it, too!)
In Weight Watchers' infinite wisdom, they also give you several helpful guides for eating out (which is good for a busy reporter!) and tasty-looking recipes (so your significant other isn't tortured as you shed a few pounds).

Well, really, that's about it! I hope you continue to read about my journey into the wonderful world of dieting and lend a sympathetic ear when I want that Double-Doozie and walk away with a Diet Coke.

*Editor's note* The author does not really make children cry at board games. Sometimes their eyes well up, but she quickly hand them a tissue and pretends to let them win.*