What about Birthdays?

Special occasions are part of our lives.  Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, and other social gatherings can often throw a wrench in your weight loss efforts.  Special desserts and special food always tempt me to overeat.  I especially love cake, and it's really hard for me to pass it up.  I have gotten to the point where I will only eat something if it looks really good, and is "worth the points".  If your 80 year old grandmother bakes you a cake, a slice is definitely worth the points.  If it's another store bought cake from the grocery store, I'll pass.

If I know that there is an event coming up, I will work out more, and try to eat less in the days before the event.  That is what I did this week.  Yesterday I made a pound cake from scratch, using a Paula Deen recipe.  It was for my husband's birthday.  He wanted a pound cake like his grandmother used to make.  We baked it last night, and had it for breakfast this morning.  It was delicious and I enjoyed every bite.  Last night after I put it in the oven, I went out for a 2 mile walk.  When I got home I figured out the Weight Watchers points per slice using their online recipe builder.  I figured 16 points per slice, based on 12 slices.

My cake baking

After breakfast this morning, I walked the girls to school (2 miles), then went to work out at 9Round, then went to my Weight Watchers meeting.  I lost 1.2 pounds this week, for a total of 19.4! So close to 20 pounds, which is my first big weight loss goal.  I'll get there next week, as long as I don't overdo it when we go out to dinner tonight! And I might also have to hide the leftover cake from myself!