My New Approach

So, I did Simply Filling for a while, and I really liked it.  I lost some weight.  It wasn't too hard, but it wasn't super easy either.

But now, it's time for me to move on.  I'll still use the crockpot recipes I've found by creating this site, but I'm no longer going to be exclusively eating on the Simply Filling plan.

As I find new Simply Filling resources and recipes, I'll post them here.  I plan to focus more on walking in the months to come, so I'll be creating a new blog for that.

Thank you!

Chugging Along

I have nine points left, and it's only Thursday.  And, I'm pretty sure I haven't tracked everything I should have.  I like that I can eat a lot of things on this plan, but it's really important to plan ahead.  Especially for snacks.  Especially for snacks.

Tonight I was planning on going crazy and eating something delightful, but now it looks as if that might be a bad idea.  Delightful usually doesn't cost one a mere nine points.

However, I have been doing a lot of walking, thanks to the nice weather.  That will buy me some more points too.

Sigh.

Image from yourinnerskinny.ca.

Day 1 on Weight Watchers

Yesterday I officially signed up for Weight Watchers online.  I still have a lot to learn about using the site, and I think that tracking all of my foods is going to be a big pain.  I went into the site and changed my plan to "Simply Filling."

I tracked my meals from yesterday, and saw that some of the things that I thought were Power Foods really weren't.  Oops!  I guess it's good to track.  I just really don't want to.  I like the idea of having a list of foods that I can eat from, and sticking to that.  But, there's always a little something that you want to add to the Power Foods meals, and those little somethings can add up.

Yesterday I did a long walk with the boys (only tolerated because we went to the library!).  Today it's looking rainy, so I might have to improvise with an indoors workout.

Truly, yesterday was tough.  I felt hungry, and I wasn't eating enough.  I went to Target to buy milk, and I almost broke down and bought peppery cheese.  But, I didn't.  I ate a banana in the car on the way home instead.  Small victories!

Seriously, though.  I'm pining for cheese and chips.

Three Ways to Fit in a Walk When It Seems Impossible

If you have young children, or if you live in a climate that doesn't allow for walking outdoors everyday, figuring out a way to get in a daily walk can be tough.  Here are some ideas for getting in a daily walk:

1. Walk at the mall.  You'll be surprised at how many other people do this too.
2. Walk with the Wii Fit.  If you have a Wii, or any other type of video game that has a running or walking game, this is a great solution.  My toddlers love doing "Mommy's Running," and I'm able to get in a good walk.  To track this on GymPact, you can select the "Workout Anywhere" option to get credit for the activity.
3. Walk in place in front of the TV.  Yes, this gets old really fast, but if you're desperate, it works.  I even dragged out my old step aerobics step and walked on it while I watched some of my favorite reality shows.  That made the time go by faster, made the workout more intense, and helped keep me from getting too sore.

Image from diehardgamefan.com.

Starting to Walk...Seriously

Okay, so I'm feeling a little embarrassed about how tough walking has been for me this week.  I used to run marathons, and now I'm sore from walking.

Guess what, if you don't run for eight years, you lose your fitness!

So, I'm certainly back to square one as far as building fitness goes.  As with the Simply Filling eating plan, this has been a trial week for me with walking as well.  Really, I thought this was going to be a walk in the park, and I've been hit with a huge reality check about how unfit I have become.

With two little ones, walking can be a challenge.  They are just at the age where they won't tolerate the stroller for too long, so I'm going to have to be creative about getting in time to walk.

My goal this week was to walk for thirty minutes, three times this week.  Truly, I thought this was a wimpy goal.  It was not.  Also, I learned that I need to wear good shoes for walking.  Toms won't cut it.

To motivate myself, I signed up for GymPact.  It's a pretty cool app that you can get for free.  The whole idea behind it is that people would rather work out than lose money.   This definitely applies to me...my pen name is saverchic.  So, I signed up and made a pact that I would do three "workouts" in one week.  Since my workout of choice is walking, I also downloaded the RunKeeper app to help track my walks.

For every walk I miss, GymPact will deduct $5 from my PayPal account (!).  If you reach your goal, you'll get a small payout with the proceeds of the money that those who didn't work out paid into the system.  I completed my three workouts, but my first week isn't technically over yet because I got a late start.  So, I'll let you know how much the payout is later on.

Simply Filling and Walking

Welcome to the new Simply Filling and Walking blog!  I'm creating this blog because I'm going to lose weight by walking for exercise and by eating according to the Simply Filling Weight Watchers plan.  I'm hoping to find others that are doing the same so we can all cheer each other on.

I decided to take this approach to weight loss because I really want to get healthier and be better to myself.  As a mom, I no longer have the time (or the desire!) to spend long hours training for marathons.  I've had a few injuries and surgeries in the past few years, and I want to make sure I'm getting exercise, but not doing anything to harm my body.  I'm looking to gradually grow stronger, and eat in a more healthy way.

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you'll come back again soon!