Use it up

The last two days have been filled with a wide-range of thoughts and feelings.  I’ve felt encouraged, overwhelmed, optimistic and hungry.  The first three are definitely acceptable feelings but the hunger is not. One of the key things about following Weight Watchers is that you shouldn’t be hungry. 

Using the new Points Plus® program, I am allotted 31 daily points and 49 weekly bonus points. I can earn additional points by exercising.  Yesterday I only used 24 points and until about an hour ago, I had only used 11 of my points.  Given that I had had two meals I should have been closer to using one-half to two-thirds of my points (15 – 20) by dinner time.  Instead, I had only used one-third and was really hungry.  One of the goals for this week will be to USE MY POINTS!! Or I should say, EAT my points. 

Those that know me really well know that it’s very difficult for me to spend any money on myself.  Now, if someone I love needs/wants something, I have NO problem paying the check.  But for myself, I struggle tremendously when making any significant purchases and I’m not talking a trip to Target for paper towels and pet food. It isn’t about NOT having the money to cover the cost because I do. It just all comes back to denying myself almost too much.  I’ve lived in my house for nearly 6 years and still don’t have window treatments on every window yet (and I don’t live in a mansion)… just the thought of spending money for something solely for me it difficult. 

And as I think about my struggles over the last two days, I realize that I am not using all of my points due to some of these same reasons.  And if I don’t change that, I am going to sabotage myself.  This is the thing I’m going to work on this week!!!

So anyway, back to using my points… I looked up the points value for the dinner options I have here at the house and decided on making a little pasta and veggies.  I’m proud to say that I actually measured out the proper servings of pasta, sauce and veggies and enjoyed an 8 point dinner.  I did learn that although a serving of pasta sauce is only ½ cup, I need to cook more than ½ otherwise; I won’t have enough for a ½ serving after cooking. 

I would also like to start getting some activity into my day – I’ve felt absolutely terrible the last two days which I think is my December cold resurfacing.  The fact that most movement results in coughing/sneezing/runny nose combo has meant that I’ve been a little quieter than I would like to be.  I’m hoping that a good night’s sleep will do the trick.  Thankfully, I have tomorrow off as well so I have one more day to get this all under control before heading out into the world.

So it’s a start – it’s going on 8:00 and I still have 12 points yet to eat… I have a least one, maybe two servings of the veggies remaining and each serving is 1 point – that will definitely be a good snack as I enjoy my Sunday night shows.