SITTING IN SACRAMENTO: END OF WEEK ONE

Rain, rain, rain.  We have seen SO MUCH rain!  As I write this, the local weather report on the radio is talking about flood advisories for the the Sacramento valley and foothills, and a winter storm warning for the Tahoe area in the Sierra.  Folsom Dam on the American River and Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River are both releasing greater volumes of water to make room for the expected runoff.   The ten day forecast features more of the same. 

One of the reasons we choose to stay at Cal Expo RV Park (click here to read our review) while in Sacramento is the proximity to the 30+ mile bike trail that runs along the American River.  During breaks (or should I say, “during THE break”) in the rain, we’ve enjoyed forays up onto the levee.  Trees are in bloom all along the river and, with the water so high (spreading into places it does not normally go), there is a lot to see on our walks.

Thanks to Weight Watchers, I have been busy while we are stuck inside.  NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, goes into my stomach without being measured (“points” values calculated) and recorded (“tracked”) in my “Ultimate Three Month Tracker”.  Very time-consuming, and it certainly cuts down on impulse snacking!  

To increase the volume of food I get to eat as a Weight Watcher, new recipes (low fat, high fiber) are in order.  No problem - even though we have a small kitchen, I have a large collection of cookbooks.  I enjoy them the way many people enjoy travel guides – a source of pleasure and inspiration that can be enjoyed from the comfort of my lounge chair. 

So, as the rain fell last week, I pulled out a stack of those cookbooks most likely to have weight-loss-friendly recipes, and was thus reminded of one of my pet peeves when it comes to cookbooks: WHERE IS THE NUTRITION INFORMATION??  There oughta’ be a law: no recipes without nutritional information! 

Yesterday was the day of reckoning, one week since I started the program.  The result?  0.4 pounds lighter.  No, that is not FOUR pounds lighter, it is ZERO POINT FOUR.  Naturally, I wanted something more like TWO pounds (or five)!   Four-tenths of a pound.  Humph!   I know, I know, it’s better than nothing – or gaining!   And Odel?  He is smart enough to keep any weight loss to himself, but I have noticed his jeans drooping.

Thanks to all of you who left comments last week about your experiences with WW, about your favorite substitutes for full-fat mayo, and with suggestions of recipe sites on the internet.  So far, my favorite has been one suggested by my friend Glenda: Gina’s Skinny Recipes at www.skinnytaste.com.  This is not an official Weight Watchers site, but includes both old Point values and Points Plus values (if you are on WW, you don’t need this translated) on scores of mouthwatering recipes.

Thanks, too, for your well-wishes and encouragement for Odel’s knee surgery.  He has been busy scheduling all the tests that are required pre-surgery: blood work, x-rays, EEG.  We’re registered for the pre-knee-surgery class, and he has a list of medical equipment to track down – including my favorite, a reacher-grabber so he can reach more things without getting up.  We’ll enjoy that for a long time to come.  :)  If all goes as planned, surgery will be 4/4, and he may be able to get by with a partial replacement, rather than a full. 

Onward!