Cookie Baking Progress
How many of the 69 cookies in the Gourmet Cookie Book have I made so far? My very smart readers will notice that the "count" is included in the titles of each post. My last post was on cookie number 24. That makes 35% of the 69 cookies in the book. (I work with statistics in my real job--can't resist them here.)
My excruciatingly smart readers will notice that we are halfway through the year, yet I am only a third of the way through the book. Behind my goal. Time to get cracking.
Of course there is some lag between making and writing about each cookie. I have made 28 cookies to date. Would anyone be surprised to learn that more time goes into the writing than the baking? I sometimes have several blog posts in the works at once, and add ideas about several cookies as I play with part of the dough one day and part of it the next, or test whether some cookies really taste better the second day, as the book sometimes says. Still, it's catch-up time.
Weight Loss Progress
With all that cookie baking to write about, it is easy to "forget" to write about the weight loss goal. But I haven't forgotten the goal itself. By last April, I was reliably weighing in at 148 pounds (on the doctor's scale, so it's accurate). That's 8 pounds below the 156 pounds I toted when I began.
My very kind readers will notice that is 80% of my weight loss goal to drop 10 pounds. I feel thinner, my clothes fit better, and some clothes I've had to put in the donate pile--they are now too big!
When I tell people I have lost weight during the year, they often ask, "You're losing weight eating cookies?"
I have to correct them, "I'm losing weight making cookies. I give most of them away, and I only eat enough to write about them."
Now I have reached a plateau--in both weight loss and motivation. I hang in a sort of limbo between the zeal with which I began this project and the laurels upon which I am tempted to rest. After all, I made some progress. Isn't that enough? Can't I take the summer off? Thing is, I believe maintaining a healthy weight is a lifestyle choice. Just writing about my laissez faire attitude refocuses me on my goal.
I do find it helpful to take stock, and examine what is working, and what is not. During my most successful weight loss period I was busiest with work. When I was busy, I didn't notice I was hungry. The lesson? I'm keeping busy.
My most successful strategy has been to avoid nighttime snacks, dessert and grazing. That is, nothing except water after 8 p.m. When I have relaxed this rule, the weight fluctuated and I had to add an extra aerobics class to work it off. What lesson do I take from this? I'll renew my motivation to stick to a rule that works for me.
My biggest downfall? Wine with dinner, and not because I eat more under the influence. I have to remember that wine adds 100 or more calories to the meal. My solution is to put less on my plate to compensate.
Don't even consider suggesting that I cut out the wine. I have my limits.
How many of the 69 cookies in the Gourmet Cookie Book have I made so far? My very smart readers will notice that the "count" is included in the titles of each post. My last post was on cookie number 24. That makes 35% of the 69 cookies in the book. (I work with statistics in my real job--can't resist them here.)
My excruciatingly smart readers will notice that we are halfway through the year, yet I am only a third of the way through the book. Behind my goal. Time to get cracking.
Of course there is some lag between making and writing about each cookie. I have made 28 cookies to date. Would anyone be surprised to learn that more time goes into the writing than the baking? I sometimes have several blog posts in the works at once, and add ideas about several cookies as I play with part of the dough one day and part of it the next, or test whether some cookies really taste better the second day, as the book sometimes says. Still, it's catch-up time.
Weight Loss Progress
With all that cookie baking to write about, it is easy to "forget" to write about the weight loss goal. But I haven't forgotten the goal itself. By last April, I was reliably weighing in at 148 pounds (on the doctor's scale, so it's accurate). That's 8 pounds below the 156 pounds I toted when I began.
My very kind readers will notice that is 80% of my weight loss goal to drop 10 pounds. I feel thinner, my clothes fit better, and some clothes I've had to put in the donate pile--they are now too big!
When I tell people I have lost weight during the year, they often ask, "You're losing weight eating cookies?"
I have to correct them, "I'm losing weight making cookies. I give most of them away, and I only eat enough to write about them."
Now I have reached a plateau--in both weight loss and motivation. I hang in a sort of limbo between the zeal with which I began this project and the laurels upon which I am tempted to rest. After all, I made some progress. Isn't that enough? Can't I take the summer off? Thing is, I believe maintaining a healthy weight is a lifestyle choice. Just writing about my laissez faire attitude refocuses me on my goal.
I do find it helpful to take stock, and examine what is working, and what is not. During my most successful weight loss period I was busiest with work. When I was busy, I didn't notice I was hungry. The lesson? I'm keeping busy.
My most successful strategy has been to avoid nighttime snacks, dessert and grazing. That is, nothing except water after 8 p.m. When I have relaxed this rule, the weight fluctuated and I had to add an extra aerobics class to work it off. What lesson do I take from this? I'll renew my motivation to stick to a rule that works for me.
My biggest downfall? Wine with dinner, and not because I eat more under the influence. I have to remember that wine adds 100 or more calories to the meal. My solution is to put less on my plate to compensate.
Don't even consider suggesting that I cut out the wine. I have my limits.
Karen - Been busy this summer and finally catching from where I last left you - April in Italy. You looked great at basket day, and now I know why. Way to go! I appreciate your hints and will try to incorporate them as I still haven't lost my "winter weight" from last winter. I've got to get cracking as I fear winter will again be here way before I'm ready for it. - Claudia
ReplyDelete