Wedding Blog
Ever since Mr. Dragon and I began planning our wedding, I have been using our wedding as an excuse, er, kick-in-the-pants to lose weight and get in shape. I have been doing this the healthy way, using Weight Watchers and exercising about four times a week. Generally, this method has been working pretty well for me. I like Weight Watchers because it is simple, easy to follow, and it’s not a diet (even though the name might lead you to think otherwise!). When I follow Weight Watchers, I get all of my daily recommended servings of dairy, fruits, veggies, and water. I also lose weight - bonus!! Today, I looked at my Weight Watchers progress chart, and I have lost thirteen pounds since August. That might not seem like a lot… but I am proud of myself!
My goal is to lose ten more pounds by my first dress fitting, but my weight loss has stalled out - it’s The Dreaded Plateau, friends! Dun, dun, dun.
I AM thirty, so I knew losing weight at all was going to be tougher than if I were younger, but…. I just know I can get it off. I am not the fastest runner among my friends, so I know I can do better in that department. I still make a number of poor food choices, so I know I can do better there, too. I have about eleven weeks until my first fitting, so that weight needs to start droppin’!
So far, these are the things that have helped me the most in my weight loss:
I’m in my second week of training for a local 8k, and I’ve started running faster with the incline turned up, so I am hoping that will help me banish my weight loss plateau. Clearly, it’s time to kick things up a notch! I am also starting with a personal trainer in a couple weeks, so he/she might teach me to work out in a more effective way.
For those of you on your own weight loss journeys, how will you break through to the finish line?
|
Share this post: Those Pesky Final Ten
You’re going to be great! Keep working hard 
I just started my first week of WW so I’m so glad to hear it’s working for other brides
You’re post is very inspiring. I also just started doing weight watchers yesterday. I lost the Freshman 25 on WW a long time ago.
How many points do you eat per day? The idea of 18 points a day scares me…I know it is possible but…I’m scared….
Those are some great tips! Good luck, and keep us posted!
I’m considering buying a cheap-o elliptical machine. In the evenings (and hey, I know myself, so I feel confident in this), I could just hop on and cardio away a bit while watching tv…a great way to supplement my (already pretty frequent!) gym-going!
@MelTracy: I am at 20 points, but I think I am about to get dropped down to 19. Um yeah, the points shifts take some getting used to!
have you heard of fitday.com ? You can track your caloric intake/usage really easily there!
Another Weight Watchers fan here. It worked for me a few years ago, and now I’m back on plan. The thing to remember with WW is that it’s not a diet - it’s a lefestyle change. If you don’t stick with the program (ro close to it) the weight will come back (and bring friends!) LOL
lifestyle change
Those are some great tips. I put a food journal app on my iphone that counts calories. It helps keep me accountable if nothing else.
Girl, 13 lbs is something to be proud of! You’re doing great! Thanks for the tips, I’m totally with you on the fiber tip. Those shiritake noodles I’ve mentioned in my posts are a fiber-rich godsend!
It really is a lifestyle change and I feel better when I’m sticking to it. When I think of things in terms of points I ask myself is that cookie really worth only a salad for dinner? The recipes also rock. My FI even thinks in terms of points now. For the fiber intake, I’d highly recommend The Thomas’ English Muffin Light Multi-Grain. It has 8 grams of fiber and 100 calories. I think it says on the package it is 1/3 of your daily fiber. Can’t beat that. I find increasing the water intake can help get over a plateau and switching up the exercise routine. You’re doing great and it sounds like you are on the right track!
Miss Snappy, do you incorporate any interval training in your workouts? A little bit of interval work has a bigger bang for the time invested (as compared to running at a steady pace) and will TOTALLY speed up your running. Coolrunning.com and runnersworld.com both have great tips about interval training (sometimes called fartleks).
I’ve also started making some meals ahead of time and freezing, but I’m running out of ideas for good freezable foods. I’m up to my eyeballs in chili and soup! I’d love to hear what type of meals you’ve been successful in freezing.
I told myself my diet starts after valentines day… only a few days left… I really need to stop procrastinating but I love my junk food…=/
13 pounds IS a big deal. Go get 13 pounds of Crisco and tell me that’s not a lot of weight!
Any tips for lunch ideas? I tend to end up w/ a bunch of little items — orange slices, string cheese, granola bar — but I’d love to actually take a meal that I’d made ahead of time.
@Houligan: I do. Previously I had run longer intervals (3 min walk, 7 min jog, 2 min sprint,) but now I am doing intervals where I am jog/sprinting, with the incline going up and down every single minute. IT IS KICKING MY BUTT! I’ve been doing the 1 minute intervals for two weeks now, so I am hoping that will bust my plateau.
@Amanda: Yes, I am way overdue on a Freezable Foods post. I promise to write one ASAP!
Congrats on the 13 pounds. Good luck on the remaining 10! I’m also on a diet…I’ve been eating whatever I want (that will change closer to the date) but I don’t eat a thing after 6. Do prenatal vitamins really make your hair grow?
I used weight watchers last year and lost about 18, but then I plateaued myself.
I just can’t seem to get back in the swing of things. I’ve basically stayed with the working out part, but I can’t seem to force myself to eat right. I’m in the dreaded shame cycle right now where I eat crap, then feel bad, so I eat more crap.
I’m in Chicago, too, so I’m hoping I’ll snap out of it by springtime!
Yay for 13lbs!!! Slow consistent weight loss never fails to stick!!
I would shorten your workouts and increase your intensity to get over your plateau! Also, you should designate one day a week to eat more than you normally do. Eating more calories on that one day will kick-start your metabolism, and help you through your plateau. Good luck!!!
It is a downer but cutting alcohol out really helped me. Not that I drank a ton but drinks pack a lot of calories.
Water water water! Buy a one liter reusable water and see how many you can drink a day. It totally helps! And don’t let the plateau word get to you, I was on one for AGES after losing 100 pounds. Sometimes you just have to spice it up! Way to go!
I totally do the same thing you listed in #1. I tell myself a I deserve a _____. Dunkin Donuts is almost always on the list, as are lattes and anything sweet.
I LOVE WW!
As far as fiber goes (and satisfying the sweet tooth) I adore Fiber one bars. They have 8 or 9g of fiber and only 140 or so calories. They make a great snack and I always feel like I’ve just had a candy bar.
For breaking the plateau - I either have a splurge day (where I give my body foods that are higher in points than I normally would eat) which kicks my body back into gear or I incorporate weight training. Working a few 15-20 minute sessions in during the week usually helps me get back to losing and it also helps me shed inches which is a nice boost even if the scale isn’t moving.
Good luck! 13lbs is amazing!
I’m all over #2 and Benefiber is my friend! Shhhhhh. I love that you mentioned that!
Mr. PN lost nearly 100 pounds in the last year and one way he got through his first major plateau was by drinking water. Lots of water! I think he drinks like 12 cups a day. It also makes your skin softer too!
I’m nowhere near that point, but I just wanted to say congrats on 13 lbs lost!!
Way to go Miss Snapdragon! I have been going to the gym and doing the elliptical for over a year now but since I started doing personal training 6 weeks ago, I am actually now losing weight.
And some tips I picked up along the way:
The more muscle you add (and you don’t have to “bulk up”), the more calories you burn…even just sitting.
Drinking more, more and more water helps
Chewing gum when I want a sweet little snack and then having a bowl of broth (I know, it sounds silly, but it’s takes a little time and actually is only about 30 calories!) when I want a salty one.
Can’t wait for your homemade frozen meal post!! & I secretly hope you have a veggie one (or two!), if you’re sharing recipes, that is! Thanks Snaps!
This posting is so serendipitous - I was sitting down to look at the Weight Watchers website and saw this! I don’t really need to lose a ton of weight - maybe 5 lbs. - but I find it impossible to eat healthily. I love carbs and sweets, and I can’t manage to fit in enough fruits and vegetables. So I’m going to sign up for Weight Watchers right now. I am worth it!
13 pounds is AMAZING. Especially for females AND you did it RIGHT. Congrats!! I second the weighttraining idea…the more muscle you have, the more your body is able to burn. But if you don’t want to bulk up, don’t use heavy weights, just really light ones and do them in quick reps until you feel the burn. good luck on the last 10! You can totally do it!
I love Weight Watchers. I was able to lose 20 pounds before my wedding and it has continued to change my life and my relationship with food.
I had a plateau, but honestly I can’t remember what I did to get over it. Eventually I just started going down again. It may have been that summer rolled around. You can always look forward to that!
Glad to hear 1 minute intervals are working for ya–that’s what I was going to suggest! I also do “side-shuffle” intervals where I lower the speed and get low. Alternating that with a jog pace is great for outer thighs, hips and butt, as well as the sides of your calfs. Near the end of my treadmill time, I also alternate a low lunge walk with a jog on one minute internals. Anytime you combine a strength move with cardio you’re going to melt fat and boost muscle tone at the same time, and THAT is the plateau’s worst nightmare!
Good for you!!!! 13 pounds is great. If only I could do so well…and my wedding is 8 weeks, I’m this close to giving up.
For those of you looking for freezable foods, etc., I highly recommend looking into “Bento Box Lunches” - specifically http://www.justbento.com - she’s even doing an eating healthy/weight loss challenge right now and posts a number of really good healthy recipes all the time.
Personally, I am down 16 pounds and have 8-12 more to go. (I have a 5 pound range I want to be in rather than a single number.)
Fiber One bars are delicious, PP!
I try to drink loads of water. I can’t mix fiber stuff into it, though, b/c I just CANNOT mix it well enough that I can’t feel the texture. I tried taking the pills, too, but I can barely take meds I have to without getting sick. Anyway, Fiber One bars helped with that too, but Benefiber already works for you.
Yes, I would recommend weights or some other exercise you rarely do to encourage those other muscles. Muscle gain will suck all your calories directly there and your plateau should give. Cardio is the best for you and the best for overall weight loss, but your body gets used to a routine.
I was eating a cupcake when I scrolled to this post lol… I have been doing pretty well with my fitness goals, but still have a bit to go. Congrats on your accomplishments!
Thanks for this post- I too am one of those WW fans that’s starting back after the Valentine’s weekend! I’ve had great success with WW- but definitely interested in any tips you have. I end up eating a lot of processed foods just due to the ease of them (gotta love the 100 calorie packs)- so any suggestions you have for “real food” WW meals/snacks are greatly appreciated!!
WW Rocks, I joined in September with my eye on a lofty goal… lots to lose by dress fitting time… January wedding planning.
WATER WATER WATER is a big help, I’ve been a loser every week but one, you can do it! Congratulations on the first 13… Woo-Hoo
@sunflwra I know! I feel like when I am on WW I swap “real food” for chemicals, like cooking spray for olive oil. Can that be good for me?
i’d love to know what freezer foods you make! ALso- totally recommend fiber one cereal..1/2 cup has 57% of your daily fiber!
Love Fiber One bars, we get a huge box at Costco!
What also works for me, is eating instant oatmeal on most weekday mornings. Just a tiny bit of honey on plain oatmeal.
Baby Belles or lowfat cheese with water crackers are great too.
Watch out for prenatal vitamins! They may make your hair and nails grow, but they also are majorly constipating! They are full of so much iron, that a non-pregnant body cannot process. Therefore, they can sometimes do more harm than good! Good luck, sounds like you are doing great!
| Visit our sister sites | Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Fertile Thoughts Infertility Support |
Miss Snapdragon, Chicago
Age and Occupation: 30, Production Assistant for a Media Firm
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Education Administrator
Wedding Date: June, 2009
Blogging Since: November 14, 2008
Venue: The Hyatt Lodge
About Me: Vintage and crafting obsessed. Voracious reader of short stories, Russian literature, National Geographic and Cosmo. I am a GENIUS at spicing up Weight Watchers recipes and a pathological cheater at board games. A Texan transplanted to the snowy Midwest, I can't wait to marry my one and only. Is it June yet? ... What about now?
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |
Latest Gallery Pics