Just Plain Simple diet

Starting day 1 of week 2 and I'm down a pound! I had hoped for at least 2, but minus anything is a plus! (Can you tell I like oxymorons?) I thought it only fair to post a more recent "before" picture. This is from last Wednesday:

Yep, that's a good 'ol muffin top

The pooch is a little concealed thanks to the shorts but I wasn't about to pull my shorts down and fully expose the pooch! They also conceal my thighs a little but I think you can see the massive stump connected to the chicken leg via knee...I gotta lose weight before those knees give!

I figured I would go into a little more detail about my "Just Plain Simple" diet plan:

1. Calories - I cut my calories last week to 1100-1300. (This week I'm going for 1000-1200 to see if that doesn't boost that loss number). I did not/will not limit myself on the types of foods I eat. As a matter of fact, I ate "out", whether fast food or sit-down restaurant, 4 times last week. I also had cake and ice cream for my soon-to-be step-daughter's 10th birthday. The key is moderation - Mama Laughlin explains this better on her blog. I think that's why Weight Watchers worked for me before. You aren't limited on what you can eat. You can eat ANYTHING as long as it fits within your "points" balance for the day/week. So why am I not doing WW again? Because I don't want to count points! Isn't counting calories the same thing? Nope! With WW you have to use a food's protein, carb, fat and fiber content to figure out its points value and you need a points calculator handy -a time consuming extra step that would just plain take the "simple" out of my plan.
2. Running - As for exercise, I've taken up running. I found this great android app - Ease into 5k - that helps you start off right and helps build you up to full-out running. It's working great for me. And now I feel better about wearing Nike running shorts (like the ones in the picture). I have several pair and felt like a fraud wearing running shorts when I did absolutely no running. I run in my neighborhood and don't feel self-conscious about it, surprisingly. For those who may be staring out their window and pointing as I jiggle by, I say, "at least I have my jiggly ass off the couch!"
3. Water, water, water - I used to have no trouble drinking 8 glasses a day. But as with most of my dieting sprees, I just stopped doing it one day. Now I'm back at it, for a week straight now. What works for me is to have a water bottle that can hold all 64 oz for the day. I know this is counter-productive to weight loss, but I really don't want to be up and down from my desk 8 times a day to refill a water bottle. Whatever is easiest, works best for me! I also add lemon "powder" (I can't remember exactly what it's called. I use the Walmart version of Crystal Light) to help with the taste.

So that's it for me - calories, running, water! And like with my calories for this week, I'll adjust as needed. I guess I need to include a disclaimer that I am not a nutritionist, physician or diet expert -just tellin' you what works for me.

I'll move on from dieting in my next post...hmmm, what should be the topic -motherhood, ex-wifehood, being a "girlfriend" again in my early 30's (does calling yourself a girlfriend sound as silly to you as it does to me?), my stepmom-to-be-ness? I'll probably decide as I'm running today - that seems to be the best time to brainstorm. Of course, I come up with all kinds of things to say then have forgotten them when it comes time to post. Otherwise, I know I would have had a lot more snappier things to say in this one. I have to write it down if I want to remember it 2 minutes later, but not easy to do when running. Anyone else belong to the "kingdom of post-its" where I am the Queen?!