Eating Update: How do you measure a pound?

So, I wanted to post today not having to do with running but more writing about my current diet and weight loss. I have been tracking my Weight Watchers points for about a month now and although there is nothing miraculous to be able to report – my “goal pants” are still a goal, I feel like I am doing well.  My clothes are starting to look a little bit better on me, I am happier with how pictures come out, and I find myself checking myself out a little bit more in the mirror (I'm not the only one that does this when they are feeling good, right??)

However, I had a little bit of anxiety last night after eating an entire pint of Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream ice cream (gluten free!) For those of you who aren't familiar with this product... it is only 150 calories for the whole pint and 4 Weight Watchers points.

I felt SO guilty eating an entire pint – even though I tracked it, I just somehow felt like I was doing something wrong. And, I’m having a little bit of a hard time trying to figure out “for real” whether or not I am doing this right and losing weight. Weighing myself was always my gut check. If the number was not what I wanted it to be, I would reevaluate what I had tracked for the past week. Were there portion sizes I wasn’t being honest with? Did I sneak bites here and there that I forgot to track? Was my glass of wine REALLY just 5 ounces (or more like 8? or 10? or 25...)

Stepping AWAY from the scale, not ON it, as I try to lose weight, is a new sensation for me and honestly, for the most part, I really like it. It's a bit liberating and a bit exciting.  But I am worried that maybe I am going to subconsciously sabotage myself and mentally tell myself I am "doing well" when in fact I am not.

I am also eating a lot more than I did when I did Weight Watchers in the past because of all the running and activity points I am earning on the plan.  Now, I KNOW that in a day that I run 15 miles I need to eat more than a day where I did not run 15 miles. I know that mentally and I know that because my body tells me. I just am trying to be careful not to go overboard, which is a common mistake runners and exercisers in general can make.  "Oh, I ran today?  Bring on the pizza and ice cream and beer and nachos all day long!"

So, is Arctic Freeze ice cream considered a “right thing?” No, probably not. It’s probably packed with so much artificial stuff that does absolutely nothing for your body. But it definitely tasted delicious and according to Weight Watchers at 4 points it is definitely not a “bad” thing.

Maybe my guilt over eating it has to do with A) the fact that sitting and eating a full pint of something feels so wrong and B) I know that it was not providing me with any sort of nutrient for my body?

But, I mean, the hard ciders I drank yesterday while I watched the Syracuse game also did nothing for my body. And the random mints, pieces of chocolate, Gobstoppers, and Chewy Sprees I consumed last week did nothing for my body either.  And they were all a lot more points than the ice cream!

Yet, I didn't feel the same guilt I felt last night though.  The random candy and mints are bites and easier to ignore (ignore mentally… not in terms of tracking… I’ve been really trying to track EVERYTHING.)  I actually did look through the amount of points I was "wasting" on that stuff and am trying to do a better job of avoiding it this week and spending my points on food that matters.

Sunday food prep of "food that matters"

Since I am putting in effort to track, I want results. Without the scale, I'm struggling with a little bit with ways to monitor myself and make sure I am not fooling myself with what I'm doing here.

So I am looking for other ways to learn how to track daily or weekly results without the scale.  These are some of the measures I am trying to use:

- Daily energy level
- How my clothing fits
- Regular check-ins with my “goal pants”
- Take my measurements (I want to do this!)
- Visual appearance
- Self-confidence

How do you guys track your non-scale victories or defeats?