Mad Men’s Betty Draper has been going to Weight Watchers circa 1969 and it’s been fun to watch the show and see her WW meetings!  They would actually weight you and then announce to everyone how much you gained or lost!  Can you imagine?  The last scene is her sitting at Thanksgiving dinner with one Brussel sprout on her plate and a tiny sliver or turkey.  It makes you realize how far WW has come in its belief in our relationship with food.  The points system is great in that you get to eat whatever you want … you just gotta track it!  You just gotta give yourself structure!

It looks like Carnie Wilson is having (another) weight loss surgery.  After she lost a lot of weight, she then had transfer addiction and became an alcoholic…so I guess she’s kicked that habit and is back at trying to get her weight under control.  This is proof that having weight loss surgery isn’t a permanent solution.  Those who struggle with weight…will probably always struggle with weight…the immediate results after having weight loss surgery are awesome!  But then 2-3-4 years out of surgery, you’re like, “Oh wait, I have to keep eating low carbs and working out, don’t I?”  I have mixed feelings about Carnie Wilson having weight loss surgery…again.  Most people don’t have that kind of money to undergo weight loss surgery more than once, and again, weight loss surgery isn’t a one trick pony.  On the other hand, she’s brave to admit that she still has struggles with her weight challenges, and of course, I am happy she is opting to get the Lap Band this time around!

Here’s the article on CNN.

I can’t really bring sandwiches for lunch because bread is too bulky for my lap band, so I will have a hard time planning ahead with my busy schedule.  Right now, I am setting goal to bring my lunch 3 days-a-week and leave the other 2 for spontaneous lunch dates with colleagues and friends.

Last night my friend Erika came over for dinner and I made enchiladas, which is what I am having as leftovers today for lunch!  The best kind of enchiladas to make is with Velveeta cheese.  That plastic-y, modified, block of cheese is so disgusting, EXCEPT when you make it for enchiladas!  I don’t know what the hell it is about Velveeta and enchiladas…I think the way it melts is perfect.  On the other hand, (I have only made enchiladas with Velveeta twice), with every bite I take, I feel my heart clogging.  So, I decided last night to make my famous enchiladas with low fat shredded store bought cheese from Trader Joe’s.  I was worried the cheese would cook and become too firm (I like it cheesy!) but to my excitement, the enchiladas came out really well!  I don’t measure (my excuse is that I am creative) but this is how I cooked my enchiladas:

1.  Simmer low fat beef (I have substituted ground turkey) in pan with pinch of sea salt, EVOO, lots of pepper, splash of red wine, dash of cinnamon, lots of garlic, nice sprinkle of red pepper flakes, taco seasoning (optional)

2.  Heat up corn tortillas (healthier than flour) so they get bendable.  The challenge with corn tortillas is they are very dry can can easily fall apart, so I have found it’s important to toss them in the microwave for 1 minute just to heat them up.

3.  Open up can of Trader Joe’s cuban style black beans.  Drain out liquid stuff

4.  Take 2 corn tortillas per each enchilada (the tortillas are small and having two of them helps keep it all together) and place 1 to 1/2 spoon fulls of beef in each one.  Roll up and place in non stick pan.

5.  After the enchiladas are laid out, pour black beans over enchiladas, Trader Joe’s peach salsa (my fave!!), and about 1/2 bag of low fat shredded cheddar cheese.

6.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.

We had the most beautiful blue skies after a night of storms.  Definitely a symbol that some of the most beautiful weather is born out of some of the darkest.

I also shared a cinnamon roll with Alfredo yesterday @ Radial Cafe.  I just had to admit to that.  It was worth the calories.  A homemade cinnamon roll.  Mmmmmmmm.   Now back to a low carb work week!

I went on a weekend meditation retreat in New York City where I got to meditate with Thich Nhat Hanh!  Of course, I was with hundreds of other people, but just to be in the same SPACE as TNH was probably as awesome as it must have been to meet Buddha or Jesus.  His energy is other-worldly.  I bought a Zen calligraphy print he made that says “Peace Is Every Step” that now hangs on my kitchen wall.  Every morning, I am reminded that I am just where I am supposed to be.  Peace really is every. single. step.  Ambitious by nature, these two experiences this year have been a call to non-action.  Or at least, realizing what to take action on and what to take non-action on.

I have been working out with my trainer Paul 2 days a week!  I am definitely losing inches and getting leaner and stronger, but I haven’t lost a tremendous amount of weight.  So this causes frustration for me.  But instead of giving up, I think about the 65 pounds I HAVE lost and tell myself to take action-non-action.  Take action with working out and eating right, but take non-action as far as letting my body lose the weight in its own time.  Having lost so much weight so quickly, my brain wants IMMEDIATE results.  But I have to remind myself that “Peace Is Every Step” – and every workout is leading me through the journey and toward the destination.

This has been a whirlwind of a year – between remaining ambitious in my career, working out with Paul, being a good friend, traveling across the world and meditating with an icon, if peace really is every step, I am enjoying putting each foot in front of the other.

I have started fitness bootcamp and this is a brand new endeavor that I never-in-a-million-years thought I would take on.  When I look back on my life, I dreaded any type of physical activity that involved me being around other people.  I loved playing basketball – but I was always the slowest person on the team.  Those damn suicide drills literally felt like emotional & physical suicide.  I despised P.E. class.  I cringed at the fitness competition my elementary school had to do each year.  Recently, my best friend and I visited our Elementary school and I laughed at how I would cheat on the number of straws I had to represent how many laps I took around the field.  What a nightmare!  I didn’t as much mind the gym – everyone kind of keeps to themselves.  But to workout with people was a total non-desire.  It always made me so anxious that other people would see what poor shape I was in!

I turned a corner 2 weeks ago when a friend of mine convinced me to join Fit Wit.  She told me how nice everyone was – said there are some people who are super hardcore fit – and others who are average – and some that are beginners – but that everyone is very supportive.  I really hated the idea of doing something that put me in a situation where I had to exercise with other people in a confined space – do drills and stuff.  Well, long story short I decided to do Fit With b/c I was awarded 1 free session (6-weeks) b/c I wrote a blog entry for a competition they were having on why I deserved a free session.

Today was the first day of my 3rd week doing bootcamp … and I can’t believe these words are about to come out of my mouth … but I LOVE IT!  Everybody is so nice and supportive!  The trainers definitely push you, but they aren’t like those psycho trainers you see on TV (I am thinking of the Military sergeant in the movie Full Metal Jacket).  And on top of this, I am really enjoying all the different activities we do each night.  It spices it up.  I am not dreading saying to myself, “Ugh, I have to go to the gym and get on the treadmill for 30 minutes).  Instead, there are little activities you do in short but difficult increments of time.  Everything is thought out for me too, so I just have to literally show up and do it!  I am still learning how to do the correct form for some of the stuff – like squats.  And I get a full 1-hour workout 4 days a week.  I haven’t lost any weight yet, I think my body is like, “Whoa!  What the hell are you doing?”  But I am staying confident that I am building muscle and the weight will come off.  I don’t think I have ever pushed myself this hard before in such a short amount of time too.  If I can do it, I know you could, too.

Last Friday was my 2-year Lap “Bandiversary” and I was awarded, serendipitously, camper of the week!  I won 20-free dance classes!  There are so many moments during the camp when I think to myself, “I f***ing can’t believe I am actually doing this!”  I picture how scared I was 2 years ago going into the hospital and now knowing what kind of person I would become when I walked out of there.  It’s fun to push myself.  Even though I have lost 90 lbs, I want to push my body and mind even further.  I want to be in tip top shape.  I want to keep changing over time into being a better, healthier “me.”  It takes time, and I know I am not perfect, and don’t always eat perfectly or have the perfect thoughts or attitude or energy – but at least I am making baby steps!