Counting Calories and Counting Blessings

Highs and lows. I have had plenty of both during my weight and health battles, and I find that I need to remember one while dealing with the other.

The lows:

Before

• Standing in front of Lane Bryant, knowing it was decision time. Walk in and commit to a plus-size lifestyle. Walk away and admit that it’s time to ask for help. I walked away and drove straight to Weight Watchers.
• Seeing pictures of myself overweight and unhappy, but with a big smile on my face. I was happy — just not happy to be in a picture.
• Putting on a pair of my husband’s shorts and realizing that they were too tight.

The highs:

• Committing to the Weight Watchers program and after just one week, seeing a major loss on the scale.
• Reaching milestones — 10 pounds gone. 20 pounds. 30 pounds. And finally, 40 pounds.
• The first time I pulled on a size 4 pair of jeans and they fit perfectly.
• Completing my first triathlon. Completing my second triathlon. Completing my third triathlon.
• Seeing pictures of myself and thinking, “Wow!”
• Being told by others that I’m an inspiration.
• Finally feeling in control of what goes into my body.

So what’s in between the high and the low? The middle, which is where I find myself now. Not nearly as big as I was, but not at goal, either. I’m okay — I’m running 8 miles at a time, able to do pull-ups, proud of what I do and do not eat and drink, and overall, both healthy and happy.

But to try and get back to my “happy” weight, I’m counting calories again. Some people hate it. I love it. It’s tedious and time-consuming, and sometimes takes the fun out of eating. And when I’m at my happy weight, I relax a little. Counting just helps me get back to goal.

I’ve tried lots of programs: FitDay, WeightWatchers.com, TheDailyPlate and SparkPeople. I also have several apps on my iPhone that help me keep track on the go. I prefer SparkPeople to all the rest, mostly because of its massive database. If a food isn’t listed, you can actually search member-entered foods, so it’s very user-friendly. And, since I’m a WW grad, I often calculate the Weight Watchers points, too, just to compare.

Do you count calories? Or do you have another way to regulate your weight? I’d love to get some feedback!

So, as you know, I’m heading to Boston to see my mom and to hang out with fellow food and fitness bloggers at the Healthy Living Summit. I’m flying out tomorrow morning (first class!) and can’t wait. It will be a whirlwind weekend, but I’ll be tweeting the whole time.

So follow me: http://twitter.com/kwidrick and be sure to check out the #HLS hashtag that’s set up for the summit.