The Pie of the Shepherd

I dread going home some weekends. I know we eat out a lot. I know my desire to not stay on plan will be heavy. I know that I like to eat and my whole family agrees that it's a pretty good thing to do with your time. Yet, when I came home this weekend, I called my dad in advance and asked if I could try a recipe I'd found. He said sure.

So, this afternoon, I immediately set to work.

I made a recipe I found on the Weight Watchers website for Shepherd's Pie. It used zucchini & squash, ground turkey, tomatoes, red potatoes, and fat free mozzerella cheese. The best part would be that one serving is only 4 points. I was nervous. My mom isn't a big veggie eater, and I'm not either. But, on occasion, it hits the spot. I also made a few green beans to go with it. Just as a filler. 30 Minutes of baking, and it turned out perfect.

The best part? My mom liked it, the leftovers are in the freezer so I can take them to school for dinner and lunch the next day or two...and Dad did the dishes!

Commitment with a capital C!

I'm sure all of you can relate to the fact that college is supposed to be the best time of your life. Hanging out with friends, going to parties, staying up late for long study sessions, finding that special sweetheart. It's just a mix of experiences that you don't find anywhere else. No where else do you get to live with 45 other people your age on one floor, share the same 6 showers and bathroom stalls, eat the same nasty cafeteria food (which, here at Wayne State is often referred to as gag food...), or experience your roommate having phone sex when you're less than 7 feet away. That, my friends, is a story for a different time, though.

Still, in college, we all face tough decisions. Like last night: Do I risk going over on my points to go hang out with friends? See, I've not developed that sense of self control where I can go to out and not eat/drink whatever is put in front of me. I've only been doing this for a week and a half, and there is stress with the of end of the semester, the fact that I have a lot of friends who, plain and simple, like to eat.

So I worked out extra yesterday. Just so I could have fun. I didn't budget enough points anyway. And you know what, I thought, "Wildcat Kate, you went over hard core. How will you ever get back on track?" And this morning, after playing raquetball with roomie and grabbing a healthy breakfast, I realized that it's not that hard.

Because I'm committed to a new, healthier lifestyle, and one night with a few extra points won't kill that.

I Am Committed to a Better, Healthier, Happier Me!

The Reason of Y.

"What are you doing?!?!"
"Drinking..."
"Drinking what?"
"An oreo & ice cream smoothie."
"..."
"I know. It ruined our diet..."
"No it didn't."

The above conversation, between myself and my roommate, took place yesterday in my professor's office. Dr. Dave, the Director of Bands at WSC is a mentor as well as friend, to some degree. My roommate and I have found ourselves chilling in his office several times. Or venting. Or asking for help on homework. Or throwing spiders in desks. Whatever the situation, he's always around.

It just so happened that yesterday Dr. Dave was helping me with my theory homework and Roomie knocked on the door and came in. She had a smoothie. We had a playful banter because we love each other and push each other to do the best we can on WW.

And Dave's response, "Diet?"

That's when roomie chimed in. "Our room is 8 pounds lighter this week!"

Dave nodded, he thought it was cool. And then he asked why we were dieting. I don't know if I even had an answer to his question. I want to be healthier. I want to be happy with how I look, because I think I associate happiness with appearances to some degree. I want control of my life, and food is something that I am in charge of. I want people to tell me I look cute when I walk on stage for recitals. I want a boy to look at me twice, maybe even a third time.

So that's why I'm here...what about all of you?

Chomp. Smack. Chew. Bubble!

I've never been a big fan of chewing gum. Like, if someone had it in high school and was willing to give up a piece, I'd definitely take it. And my Grandma on my mom's side is like a gum-aholic, if there is such a thing. She always has gum on her and never hesitates to offer it to anyone in arms reach. I never said no thank you, because that just wasn't polite. Perhaps that's where my dear mother gest it from, though, her obsession comes in phases.

Yet, now that I'm trying WW, I've found that chewing gum gives me something to be entertained with during class or at night while doing my homework. It makes me think twice about munching when I'm not as hungry. I never thought sugarfree gum would become such a good treat for me, but I love popping in a piece right before classes start.

I always have some in my backpack now.

Plus, it's cheap and easy for a college student to obtain. (Yes, that is what she said!)

The Story of Weigh In Day #1

In the wee hours of the morning (approximately 6:45am), a young girl by the name of Wildcat Kate awoke. She stumbled out of her loft and turned off her alarm clock, yelling some slightly obscene words at her roommate, urging her to arise. The sun was just starting to rise. She meandered across her cold prison cell dorm room and stopped at the scale. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach as she stepped on, waiting to look down for a few moments.

Gaining courage, Wildcat Kate glanced down at the scale and let out a small squeal.

"What. The. Fudge?!" The roommate asked as she got out of her loft, changing into workout clothes.

"I lost 5 pounds!" Wildcat Kate told her roomie, jumping up and down as she finished getting ready for the day.

Together, the roommates frolicked out of their dorm room and made their way to the rec center for an intense workout and healthy breakfast before their day. All in all, week one on Weight Watchers is deemed successful. Week two, here I come!

These Boots Were Made For...Running?

I have a great workout plan with my roommate. We go to the gym pretty much every morning to lift weights and do a bit of cardio. Yet, after talking to my big sister, and checking out the WW Message Boards, I became curious in trying the Couch to 5k Training Plan. Thus, I woke up around 9am this morning, downloaded the app that is designed to get you through the program for my iPod Touch and, by 9:30, had set out on my way. I should say, before leaving, I talked to my older sister. Our conversation went something like this:

Big Sister: You're going to want to die. Just don't give up.

WildcatKate: Okay. I won't. Promise.

Big Sister: Just keep going. Go slow.

WildcatKate: I will.

Big Sister: Let me know how it goes.

Wildcat Kate: I will. Honest.

I thought she was giving me crap. That I could totally handle it. Let's just say I got ten or fifteen minutes in and gave up, saying screw it. I'd gone to the beautiful Wayne America fitness trail, and, though bummed that I couldn't handle the training plan, decided to finish my workout with a walk back to the rec center on campus, where the trail ends, and walked across campus to my dorm. It resulted in about 40 minutes of cardio activity. 

So instead of being bummed about unseccessful attempts, I'm choosing to look at the small successes. I woke up early on a Sunday morning instead of sleeping in, getting in exercise that I otherwise would have simply skipped (and earning 4 APs out of the deal!). I got 7 loads of laundry done with roomie - combining our clothes, obviously. And I ate a healthy lunch of a turkey & cheese sandwich on wheat and pineapple. Overall, I'd say it was a successful day.

As for C25k... there's always tomorrow!

Who Is This...This Person?

Hey! My name is Wildcat Kate. I'm a sophomore music education major at Wayne State College in little Wayne, America. It's a bustling metropolis of about 5500 people and just a grand ol' place to have a college experience. Yet, truth be told, my college experience isn't quite what I've wanted it to be.

Sure, I've got an amazing roommate, fantastic friends, wonderful faculty, and am pretty successful, but I haven't found that side of myself that I absolutely love yet.

And I can tell you why.

I have always been a larger person. A little heavy. Pleasantly plump, some would say. But I know the truth. I'm a fat kid who loves to eat her pizza and ice cream during those late night study sessions in the dorm. Now, I can't ever remember a time when I was skinny. Perhaps it's part of my genetic make up, perhaps it's just that my parents never really kept me from eating twinkies and candy. I may never know. But now, it's time to take control of my life.

I have decided, with the help of my amazing roomie, to start Weight Watchers. I know it will be a struggle - living in a dorm, eating gag...I mean, cafeteria food, not going to the meetings, simply particpating online. I weight just over 260 pounds. I'm 19 years old. This isn't right. These are supposed to be the best years of my life, and, quite simply, they aren't.

I vow to get healthy.
I vow to eat right.
I vow to learn to love myself.
I vow to share my journey with you. The ups & downs. The good & bad. The beautiful & the ugly.

These are the Life & Times of Wildcat Kate, and I am looking forward to getting to know you all on this journey. I hope my experience motivates, teaches, and entertains you.