Apple Picking

Things are happening very quickly here, guys. We’re closing on the house this Friday, I have mid-term essays to grade and conferences to hold for my class, and it’s the new fiscal year at work, so things are super duper busy.

Plus, I decided to sign up for WW meetings again. I gained a bit last week, leaving me in the same five-pound range that I’ve been in since January 2011. I’m hoping meetings will help my mojo kick in again.

This past week I managed to work out five times despite my busy schedule. One of those times was a hot yoga class on Saturday morning. It felt nice to start the day with some sweating and stretching. My shoulder stands are getting pretty fantastic.

Sunday, Clay and I went apple picking with my parents and niece. It was a good time, and we got a ton of apples that we can use to bake all sorts of stuff in our new house. Can you say double oven???

Here’s Clay and Hannah. They make a pretty great team. Of course, what's a picture without getting my thumb involved?

Fall Events and Weigh-in

Next Sunday, Clay and I are going apple picking. If you’ll recall, I went apple picking last year with Clay, and we had a fantastic time. We made pies and tarts and, well, I think that’s all we made. This year, we’re taking my parents and my six-year-old niece.

I love the fall. Adore it. It feels like having a new crush. Every year, I get butterflies in my stomach at the thought of its arrival. I love the crisp air, the bright sun, the haunting shade of twilight, the need for scarves and sweaters and jackets. I’m sure the latter could be rooted in my weight, this attraction to the articles of clothing that cover and drape my body. But even with my weight loss, I find comfort in these clothes. I’m so much more comfortable in my own skin (probably the root of my plateau!), but I still love the warmth and coziness that a thick scarf provides.

This weekend, Hannah, her mother, and I are taking a drive through the Laurel Highlands. We’re heading toward Bedford to do some wine tasting and antiquing. It’s peak foliage season around here, so it will be pretty scenic.

In weight news, I’m up one pound this week (last week I maintained, which is pretty good considering I never stayed at my lowest weight for two weeks in a row!). I’m actually thankful it’s just a pound. I didn’t track all weekend. I wasn’t out of control, but I certainly wasn’t IN control. Limbo. The grey area. Purgatory. Maintenance. Only I’m not on maintenance yet, because I’m not at goal weight. Sigh.

Well, another weekend is coming up, so I get to strive again to be on-point, or at least not go into the red on my WW tracker.

Listen. This week I made this recipe. Stephanie made it last fall, and I fell in love with it and had to make it for myself this year. She suggested some edits to the recipe (add another jar of green chile, cook on the stove, more spices), and it turned out amazing. I’ve eaten my weight in it already.

Weight loss this week: +1 pound

Total weight loss: 43.6 pounds