Weigh in Day

Today is weigh in day. Last week I was standing still fighting off the PMS from the netherworld. Now I am on the other side of it and the weight is dropping again. I was 175 most of last week, except for some days when water gain sent my weight up to 180. I never worry about that anymore because I have my measurements as my litmus test for what I am really carrying in terms of fat.

So today I am 172. That is one hundred pounds less than I weighed at my heaviest, 272. Today is the day. Halloween and I am down 100 lbs with 22 yet to go. I can see the finish line now.

My Jiggle is Still Jigglin'

I really haven't lost any weight in a very long time. There, I admitted it. Months ago Jennifer and I sent each other food and exercise diaries and I lost about eight pounds. Now whatever I do it doesn't seem to be enough to move those scale numbers. At least I'm not gaining, but...

I'd really love to shop in the regular clothes sizes again. I'd love my weight to start with a *1* instead of a *2*. I'd love to be able to have my stomach go IN when I suck it in, instead of still pooching out. I'd love to have more energy and be more fit.

My main problems are inconsistency and just plain eating too much. I'm not consistent about exercising and drinking LOTS of water. I get discouraged and quit. I'm a pretty good cook and even if I stay away from junk food, my portions are too big. Yesterday I made a chicken curry dish with green peppers, pineapple, oranges, and brown rice on the side, and green salad. I ate two big helpings. Should I start cooking bland food or burning dinner to save my waistline? Ha.

Oh yeah, I also live in a house full of skinny people. Sometimes they bake brownies or buy big bags of chips. Sigh.

Okay, enough whining. For the holiday challenge, I will walk at least five times a week, focus on drinking LOTS of water, and cut down on my portion size...no seconds, and no big *firsts* either. LOL Drinking water before meals and using a smaller plate should help.

I'm not promising to lose a certain number of pounds by Jan. 1st, but I hope I will be at least a little smaller then than I am now.

Something sooooo cool!

Tonight, while I was in the kitchen, my husband came up behind me and I caught our reflections in the window. He was standing directly behind me, and I saw our silhoettes so cleary... and he was quite a bit larger than I. : ) Now, he's only about an inch taller than me, and probably only outweighs me by about 20-25 pounds. BUT, I used to weigh quite a bit more than him, and my shoulders used to be at least as large as his, with all of the extra padding that I had. It was a wonderful/beautiful/put-a-smile-on-my-face kind of moment. No woman wants to be larger than her man. I just felt so completely feminine. : )

Beyond the Drama: Checking In

Okay, so as it happens I never got around to buying the running shoes on Friday. Because things got worse. I carelessly did something totally out of line, causing trouble for people I care about. Then I got a phone call from my best friend in the world telling me that his wife packed their son and the dog and went 200 miles away in the middle of the night to stay with her sister. And that she's not sure she wants to come back (or why she left). Oh, and the sister of another good friend called me Sunday night to ask if I think her sister needs to be checked into rehab. This was after getting almost no sleep all weekend. And between causing trouble (which I feel very ashamed about - I hate feeling like this and wish I could make it go away but I can't) and dealing with everyone else's problems, I am totally spent. If any of you would like to send any prayers in the way of any of these people that I've mentioned, please feel free. I think the Heavenly Father's intervention would make things a lot better for everyone and goodness knows everyone needs as much guidance as they can get.

So anyway, in keeping with the title of the post, I'm moving beyond the drama. To that end, I got the Nike+ipod sensor that I was asking about a week ago and I truly love it. It's super accurate, it keeps really good track of my workouts, and it provides motivation during both walks and runs. I maybe kind of have a crush on it.

I've also been losing weight. It's nice to see this running paying off, but I've lost 6 pounds since I started running awhile back. Of course, I gained a couple when I started too so that offsets a little (although I'm convinced it was muscle) but it's nice to see progress. I officially earned a massage this morning by making it down to the next 5 pound interval.

In the last couple of weeks, I've noticed how much my eating patterns have changed. I'm eating a lot more "wholesome" foods - nearly nothing processed, balanced meals, and regular meals - and it's making me feel pretty good. And it's not really that hard since I've been finding meals I like and making everything from scratch. I have a recipe for a great (but pretty easy) soup that I'll post soon for those who are feeling adventurous.

I'm off to run tonight and hopefully work off some of this stress. And maybe get around to buying new shoes. (We'll see).

I hope everyone has a great week, and don't forget the Jingle Jiggle Challenge starts Thursday! It's time to start getting excited!

Do you miss things?

I was working today, taking pictures in some of the shops in our town's downtown area for a "holiday gift guide" I'm working on. (It's connected with the holiday open house, which is in two weeks! Earlier every year, you know. But I digress.)

I went into one (very upscale) dress shop, and the owner stopped me. She's one of the ladies from my Weight Watchers group, and she was telling her employee (we were the only three in the shop) all about my weight loss.

I was in there for about half an hour, talking to them about making better food choices. Giving them examples of how to eat healthy when you're faced with challenges, like taking a 6-year-old to McDonald's. (And also making sure to eat enough, beacause this shop owner is only eating about half the food she needs to each day! She is, of course, not losing well, probably because her body thinks it's starving.)

The employee said, "I guess after two years of doing this, all that other food doesn't even bother you anymore. I bet you don't even want it."

I told her that yes, it does bother me, and I do want it, but that I've learned to indulge occasionally - that's the key word - and then move on with my life.

We wouldn't be human if we didn't crave at least some of those things that brought us pleasure at least some of the time. But if we're going to be healthy, we have to learn that we can't continue to eat that way every day (like I did before.)

I was reminded of this conversation just now, as I was watching a commercial for Burger King and their Whoppers. And I remembered how much I loved those giant burgers.

And then I remembered how their low price (99 cents at the time) and easy accessability contributed to my 30 lb. weight gain during my freshman year of college.

So, do I miss Whoppers? Of course! But now, if I crave that flame-broiled taste once in a while, I get a Whopper Junior. It sounds so "old fashioned," but moderation and portion control can go a long way towards a healthier lifestyle!

What, if anything do you miss? And what concessions have you made to satisfy those cravings? Because, seriously, I can't say I'm never going to eat a Burger King hamburger again. But I can make the choice to 1. do it only occassionally, and 2. find a way to get that taste in a more reasonable portion.

I went to Value Village to find a costume...and I found a prom dress!

Feeling beautiful and sexy and oh-my-gosh-I-could-have-never-gotten-away-with this-dress-70 lbs.-ago!!

I finally did it!

I finally passed the 80 pound mark!

I lost 1.5 pounds this week, taking me down to 156.5 and 80.5 pounds lost. Perhaps more importantly, I haven't had a gain in about a month. Maybe my plateau is over!

And I continue to be amazed at how different my life is now. It's the little things that I enjoy doing more - like the two hours I spent yesterday at my daughter's school, volunteering at the fall festival. I'm so sore today, but I know I wouldn't have had the energy to keep up with those kids before I lost the weight!

A Testament to the Lifestyle

It has been one of those days. Work isn't the problem (for once), but my personal life has been doing a pretty good job of imploding this afternoon leaving me not only disappointed, hurt and wanting to cry, but stuck at work where venting any of this is out of the question. It's one of those days where you wish you were anywhere other than where you actually are - it doesn't matter where - and that feeling at the pit of your stomach feels like you could fall into it an go all the way to China. I hate feeling this small and sad.

So anyway, I have spent the last few hours feeling pretty wretched and thinking of how I could make myself feel better. Diamonds are too expensive. I couldn't think of any comfort movies that would work (and not drag me down further). There was less expensive jewelry that might have worked, but I would have to order it an I need at least some element of instant gratification today. I simply cannot buy any more linens (my general comfort purchase). The make-me-feel-better item that I finally settled on is new running shoes that I will go out and purchase after work with this month's mad money. Expensive, custom-fit, me-specific running shoes to replace my rapidly wearing ones.

What a difference a year makes. This time last year, I would have probably turned to chocolate or some other comfort food and it would have been the first thing that crossed my mind. Truth be told, chocolate indulgence didn't occur to me this time until after I settled on shoes, and even now it doesn't sound very good to me. Now my choice* is something that is generally better in line with a healthy lifestyle, and that makes me a little happier too. And actually pretty proud of everything I've learned and committed to through this blog. I'm groping for silver linings wherever I can find them today.

* Correction: my second choice is something in line with a healthy lifestyle. My first choice is something that goes sparkle, but we can't have everything.

So I hope everyone has a good, drama-free weekend. I'm going to take this weekend to throw myself a pity party and run until I feel better - or at least until I'm bored with my problems - and I will see y'all Monday.

Love,

Lisa

I had a BAAAAAAAAAD dream last night!

You guys know that I lift weights usually five days a week. Some days more than others. And I know that I'm getting more tone. NOT buff, but tone. But for some reason last night I dreampt that I looked very similar to this woman here in the photo! In my dream, I was wearing a bathing suit, and looking in the mirror. I flexxed my muscles, and in horror, saw the reflection of this tan, blonde, mass of nothing but muscles, and it freaked me out!!! I kept shaking my arms out like, if I was relaxed, and wasn't flexxing, that I wouldn't look so bad. But nothing worked, I was still HUGE, even bigger than this woman, and I HAD NO BOOBS! I have to laugh out loud now that I'm thinking back on my dream. But in the midst of it, it wasn't funny. I so love being feminine.

Learn from Me

Learn from me,
Those who are weak and hungry
For I have gorged and
I pay the debt of the greedy.

Learn from me
Those who didn't have two slices of pumpkin pie
For I have indeed - and added whipped cream,
I pay the debt of the piggy.

Learn from me
Those who are on the edge
For I have fallen off and
I feel pretty yucky now :-=)


(Do you see a pattern of being unable to finish?) LOL -

I just had two pieces of pumpkin pie. It wasn't even good, but it was good enough for me to feel like I was doing decadent. I think I felt I deserved it somehow, but now I realize that maybe stuffing myself is punishing myself rather than treating.

Hope you drink water instead of falling into the pit that is my error.....the one that lies heavy in the bottom of my stomach.

The Jingle Jiggle Challenge Part II: The Holidays Strike Back!

Okay, Ladies, it is getting to be that time of year again...where tricks, treats, and temptations of all sorts lie in wait to make us indulge over the holidays, Halloween through Christmas. Having succumbed last year (and still having a little of that weight left), I am strategizing now to figure out what I will do to counteract the tasty temptations that await. After all, I know that I am a weak woman, and that resolving to keeping my mitts entirely off all of those empty calories is simply not practical. Collateral action must be taken to keep everything in check!

So I am hereby reinstating the Jingle Jiggle Challenge - where everyone chooses their own goal for over the holidays - and expanding it to include Thanksgiving as well. For everyone who wasn't a part of it last year, the Challenge is based on the idea that when you write down your commitments it makes it easier to keep them through the holidays, and by making it through our challenges we could avoid gaining any weight. We would check in usually about once a week with an update on how we were meeting the challenge we set for ourselves. I'm trying to think up some fun recognition for people who meet their challenge.

I'm going to arbitrarily rule that the challenge will begin this year on Nov. 1st, also known as dia de los muertos, the day after Halloween, or next Thursday depending on how you want to look at it. The challenge will run for 2 months, until January 1st, and hopefully keep us fit and on track through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays (and all the pre-feast snacking, parties, and goody baskets that come along with them). Provided it's okay with our webmistress, Jules, once the challenge gets underway I'll add a chart at the bottom of the page where we can have everyone's goal listed can chart our success towards the goal by week if we choose to do so. Stick with the challenge, and you'll have a gold star on the chart that week, plus bragging rights on your level of discipline!

Now for the key part: the challenge doesn't have to be something tough. If your goal is to actually lose weight over the holidays, that's great and your challenge can reflect that. However, the idea with the challenge is just to prevent backsliding so don't feel pressured to pick a challenge that is going to overwhelm you during the holidays. (Last year, I think someone's goal was to make sure they kept working out three times a week over the holidays. Not earthshattering, but a good solid goal nonetheless.) Whatever you choose doesn't have to be a huge change from what you're doing now, but it just needs to be something you want to make sure you do to keep fit during the season of sartorial excess.

All who want to play are welcome, and in fact are encouraged to do so and welcomed with open arms.

So, what will your challenge be?

Checking in

I really, really have to apologize for my absence in posting.

I've been reading the other posts, though, and y'all are doing terrific!

I, on the other hand, have been struggling a bit this summer. It's been like a rollercoaster, except I don't have the assurance that the ride will end eventually!

I've been losing and gaining the same couple of pounds all summer. I could attribute it to a lot of factors, but I'm trying everything I know to combat it - mostly weight training, because I know that's the key to getting my metabolism up and running.

Oh, and drinking green tea.

So, congratulations to all you girls who continue to find success - and to those, like me, who have basically been maintaining all summer!

And let me recount a little story that happened to me today.

After having lost nearly 80 pounds, I still sometimes struggle with the "fat girl" mentality. I know I don't see myself the way others see me, and that's something I'm working on. It's nice to know that I'm typing this while wearing size 10 pants, but somehow my brain doesn't always catch up with my body.

(And for the record, I now weigh 158 pounds, a loss of 79 total since August 2005.)

Anyway, I work in a newspaper office, and we are having a county-wide election in a couple of weeks. One of the candidates came in to put in an ad today, and I attempted to make small talk about how cold the weather had gotten. I noticed he was in short sleeves, when it's raining and about 50 degrees outside.

"It's a bit chilly today, isn't it?" I said.

"Not for fat people," he replied.

It should be noted that this man is not huge. He's an ex-highway patrolman, and he's what I'd call stocky and muscular. The comment took me a bit aback, until I realized that he didn't see me as a "fat person!" This was the first time I'd met him, and he didn't know me 80 pounds ago!

It was just enough to keep me going, for one more day at least!

This is Momma-Liscious!

Journalling equals a guaranteed weight loss for me!

I promised my weight loss girls that I would journal this week and turn it in to them. I realized, the next morning, as I cringed at the prospect, that doing that small task would automatically guarantee me a weight loss for the week. Wow, what a concept...you mean if I stick to the plan I will actually lose weight??? How could I misplace such a simple truth?

Well, I am down 3.4 lbs. for the week. YIPPEE! I can't wait to see my girls tonight and show off my journal.

Jules

Has Anyone Tried This?

Have any of you out there used the Nike+iPod sensors? For those who don't know, it's a sensor that goes on your shoe that communicates with an iPod nano to give you data on your run like time, mileage, and - of particular interest to me - pace/speed and both display it and give you audible feedback if you choose. Plus it will have Lance Armstrong congratulate you for breaking your records or reaching new goals during your run. It looks pretty neat.

A fancy running computer will do the same things that the sensor says it will for about $200 (minus Lance) but I don't need a lot of the bells and whistles that would come with that. The Nike sensor is about $30, and I ordered a new 2nd-generation iPod nano on sale (since the 3rd gen came out last month) fairly cheaply (I needed one anyway though since my other ipod is a little too big to be good if I'm running anywhere other than a treadmill). I would like to not have to buy the running computer - and thus save my hard-earned pennies - but before I buy the sensor, if any of you have used one before I would like to know what you thought about it. I've read so many conflicting reviews that it would be nice to talk with someone who can actually answer questions.

I am not going to obsess

People say that tracking every bite that passes my lips is obsessive. Ok, let's look at some other scenarios:

No obsession about driving:

No one is going to tell me how to drive. I will drive when and where I want. I will go as fast or as slow as I want. I am not going to be looking in my mirrors or constantly checking my gauges. That's for people who are afraid of the road.

If someone gets in my way, they had better get out of it, because I am not stopping unless I feel like it. Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! Where's my beer?

Resolution: Intervention by authorities, loss of license, jail time.

No obsession about money:

I will not count my money, I will not track how I spend it. I will enjoy my money freely and use it for my own pleasure. The hell with spending responsibly and paying bills. I am going to just forget about it and let things go their own natural course.

Resolution: Bankruptcy and possible homelessness.


No obsession about cleanliness:

I am so tired of reports about germs and disease! I simply don't have time to spend washing my hands after using the rest room. For that matter, wiping my butt is a waste of time and paper. I refuse to spend my limited hours showering and cleaning my house. If someone loves me, they will love me without all this cleaning and scrubbing. After all, everyone has to eat a peck of dirt in their lifetime, right?

Resolution: Illness, death, condemned house, standoffish of others on public transportation, possible mental health commitment.

No obsession about child welfare:

My kids are wonderful, but all of this attention to them gets a little old. They'll find something to eat in the house if they are hungry and for goodness sake, they can figure out how to work the porcelain throne if their diapers get full enough. I refuse to spend my time and resources caring for others. If I had to watch them 24/7, there would not be enough time in the day for anything else! As for school, who needs it?

Resolution: Intervention by school and child welfare authorities.

In the final analysis, my OCD record keeping regarding my food journaling doesn't sound that bad, now does it?

A Crabby Interlude

For you other Fitlinxx users out there, have you noticed how awhile back the Fitlinxx website changed so that it no longer tells you how many calories you've worked off in gummy bears (and there you go, I've just confused the heck out of everyone who doesn't use Fitlinxx) but now it tells you how much you've burned in apples? For the record, I think it was much more satisfying to have burned off 954 gummy bears rather than 52 apples. Or maybe my attitude is just lousy at the moment. I'm retaining water, I (lightly) sprained my ankle on last night's run, and all I want is a nap. And maybe some gummy bears. But I'll probably settle for an apple. Sigh.
(End of whining.)

Hope each of you are having a much better day. Tell me, though, if you were going to measure your sweat in something other than sticks of butter - or apples - what would you choose? What would motivate you to get your tush in gear? For myself, I am proud to report that so far this month I have burned 17 slices of chocolate cake.

Checking In

So I guess it's been a few weeks since I checked in. Well, I finished up my running class, summer ended here in Texas, and - in a fit of endorphin-induced mania - I signed up for the next set of classes to prepare me to run the YMCA Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. In Dallas, the Trot is a big deal - nearly 30,000 people come out to run either the 3 mile or the 8 mile course and have been doing so for 40 years now. My family is coming up to have Thanksgiving here so that I can run the race that morning, so I'm pretty excited about the idea of getting to eat my turkey and buttermilk pie that afternoon essentially guilt-free.

So anyway. I signed up for the 3 mile prep class - which is about the level that my last round of classes started at - but the class people had other ideas. Long story short, I'm now training for the 8 mile race, which leads into the marathon relays, and it is kicking my butt. But I'm sticking with it.

I never thought I'd be able to say this 2 months ago when all this started, but I feel a little at loose ends on days that I don't run. While my training schedule has optional rest days built into it, I find myself sneaking in "quick, short runs" of about 3 miles in the evenings. 6 weeks ago I would have been totally spent after 3 miles, and now that's a short run. I'm pretty pleased.

I'm also a little scared about stepping on the scales. I've been running lots, lifting weights when I can talk myself into it (and have time to go to the Y), but all of this has made me very hungry over the past few weeks. I'm mostly doing what I can to eat properly, but between having to eat out all last week in connection with work and one spectacular lapse in restraint having to do with Indian Corn cupcakes, I want to wait 'till I work it off before I hop back on the scales.

In short, still stuck on my plateau. But running to see if I can get off it.

Love you guys,
Lisa

Good Habits I have learned

I am starting anew today with reviving some of my Good Habits I have learned.

Habit #1 Measure out what I intend to eat, so I know exactly what is going into my body. No guesswork.

Habit #2 Write down what I eat.

Habit #3 Drink a 16 oz. glass of water after each trip to the potty.

Habit #4 Write down what I drink.

Habit #5 Exercise.

Habit #6 Write down what I accomplished during exercise.

Habit #7 Look forward to sharing my journal with my accountability group. (blog, PRISM group)

My shots from the Frolic!

Jennifer's birthday balloons, letting go of the past.........

"Does our combo butt look big in these pants???"

Back To Normal!!!

Almost. I have been having a hard time lately dealing with my emotions. I started group therapy and it is really helping. So I am starting to feel like me again. Here is my 4 month pictures.
I am down 81 pounds and about 4 sizes.

before ------------------------------------------------ 4 Months

Here is my new hair cut too!!

Wearing my new blouse to church!

I can't believe that I even made it to church the next day, I was WHOOPED by the time I got home Saturday night!
Jules is the only one that saw me try on this particular blouse, so I thought I'd go ahead and post a photo of me in it. PLUS, I quickly made a necklace to go with it with one of the gorgeous beads that Jennifer gave to me. : ) Thank you Jen, I'll show you what else I make with the remainders. This particular necklace was about a five minute operation, the other ones I'll put more time into. : )

Jennifer, it was your day to shine! We love you

Striking our usual pose at good 'ole Red Robin

Round two! Hitting our second restaurant for dinner and a couple of drinks

"Honey... do these pants make my butt look big?"

Yes, we did. We did. Julie and I together got on my old 22 wides! It was hilareous. After dinner, Julie and I went over to Elicia's for a couple of hours and let the party continue. We had some good laughs. : )

What a Great Day!

I had a fabulous time at the Fall Frolic! Thank you so much for taking time to make it a happy birthday celebration for me as well. That was really special, and I LOVE that plaque. My family loved it too. Sueanne, thanks for driving me home since I was plastered! Ha! (Just kidding, y'all.)

(It's already hanging on my wall! )

I'm seriously going to start saving money for Hawaii in five years. Elicia, you should present that idea to the group. It would be great to meet those of you I haven't yet.

I have been reading blogs and it seems like something is going around. People are losing it when it comes to their determination to lose weight. I think that part of it is the build-up to Halloween, the biggest junk food holiday that there is, even worse than Easter. At least on the other eating holidays, once you get past the dinner and the leftovers, you are done. But with Halloween the idea is candy, hoarding and binging. Easter's bad too, but Halloween is worse because we adults are encouraged to participate on a world-wide level because this is not a religious holiday and offering treats does not offend other religions. It's perfectly acceptable, even encouraged to participate even at work.

For those of you who are in the same boat as I am, here are my strategies.

1. No buying candy for giving away until just prior to Halloween, I don't care if all that's left are ex-lax candies.

2. Do not -- I repeat -- DO NOT buy candy that you like. If you hate those peanut butter taffy things in the paper wrapper, that's what you want to get. Or if you hate mint, you get the idea. Buy what you hate. There will be leftovers. You don't want to have any qualms about ditching the excess. But don't buy it early! A lot of times we eat crap we don't even like just because it's in the house. Give it to a neighbor if you need to and then take it back just prior to the night.

3. You are not responsible for feeding the neighborhood. Buy a reasonable amount and if you run out, you run out. Forget it and move on.


4. Put the bowl on the ground and let the kids reach into it themselves. You do not have to hand it to them. Putting your hand in that bowl is just a heartbeat away from putting it in your mouth. Can someone else give out the candy?



5. Parties. If you go to a Halloween Party, stick something you can be sure of being able to safely eat in your purse or in your costume pocket. Who cares if you look different not eating the crap that they serve? You are getting healthy. Eat like a thin person. Think of your own collar bones first and how you love being able to feel your body without a big old padding of fat.

6. Do not skip meals. Skipping meals or not planning for being out when a meal is coming is temptation that you do not need. Bring something along or plan to have your regular meal before you head out.

So, that's my plan. I reject the idea that I will gain five pounds over this holiday. I will not. I will lose another on or two pounds each week up to Halloween and after. Count on it.

The day after tomorrow ladies!!!

I can't wait to see everyone! Remember, we're celebrating Jennifer's birthday too. It's a biggie. The big 4-0. So please bring something along to bless Jennifer. Whether it be a gift, a card, a silly poem... Anything, let's just be a blessing to our sister. : )
Sueanne! I was so happy to see that you ARE coming after all. I would have contacted you myself, if I had any of your personal information. Let's make sure and do a swap on Saturday, okay? And honey, don't worry so much about the gain, we've ALL been there. We'd just like to see you.
And Lisa, you've still got time to get a plane ticket, right? We'd all love to meet you.
See you all in a couple of days!

My fastest mile yet baby!

I still haven't broken the eight minute mile mark, but I AM getting closer. I ran an 8:18 mile this morning. I felt like I was cruising. Now, that may not sound like very fast, but for my not quite 5'6" body, it was. I normally run for distance, anywhere from 3 to 6 miles... occasionally 7 or 8. But I don't normally run for speed, so it was kinda tough. I am going to get it down to eight minutes, I AM. It's just not going to be today. : )For those of you who are familiar with the treadmill, I started off at 6.7 MPH, and every minute or two, I would increase the speed. My last minute I was up to 8 MPH. Perhaps next week I'll break it. No running tomorrow, I'll be saving my energy for my kick boxing class. : )

My shoes are laced up,
And my mind is made up.
I am going to run.

Nothing will stop me,
No one will hold me back.
I will not listen to the voices that say;
"That is too hard". Or, "That is too far".
I am going to run until I can go no further.

I am determined, I am capable, I am strong.

I don't push the limits, I break them!
I am free from my obesity,
And I am free from my shame.

I am determined, I am capable, and I am strong.

I am a runner.

Oh swinging scale
I know you well
You left and right my efforts

Oh swinging scale
You know me well
You measure and count my intake

Oh swinging scale
I have to tell
Your secrets to my friends

Oh swinging scale
Please go to hell-o?
What is this? Scale o-mine?

The pounds are lower?
The number is fine!
Oh scale! Blessed Scale!
I love you so much!
Yay!


(ok, didn't know how to end it - but you get the idea)

The woman who lifted nearly 80,000 pounds in one work out!

79,325 pounds to be exact. : ) The days that I don't do any cardio, I try to lift more weights. And yesterday I did just that. I beat my former highest amount of 71,000 pounds. And all of my working out is paying off. Even though my weight hasn't gone down much lately, I do feel like I'm getting smaller. I must be, because yesterday I wore one of my stretchy size 8 pair of jeans, which are pretty form fitting through my hips and thighs, and three women at church said I looked like I had lost some more weight. : ) You gotta love that!

New Website

Now that I'm done training for the 3-Day, and I'm no longer depressed, it's time to throw myself back into another passion of mine. I'm going to start making glass beads again. I have a bit of work to do before I'm ready to do that, but for now I'm getting a website up. Go check it out!

Beadguiling Designs

Making beads makes me very happy. Being happy makes losing weight easier. See the connection. ;-)

Autumn Walk

Doesn't she look happy?

I asked myself how I could get a walk in if it was rainy. I tried to ask how it would even help but my intellectual honesty got in the way of that thought.

SO! I took the baby to Snoqualmie Falls Park, which has a few paths covered by lush, green overhang. We walked around, up and down and sideways. There were a lot of stairs for me to walk up and down w/ her on my shoulders.

Its good to get out and enjoy the fresh air, isn't it ladies?

Rough Reentry - A Little Rant

Does anyone else have a hard time getting back into their groove after a vacation? Beside the fact that it was really nice going out to eat for every meal and having whatever titillated my little taste buds, and beside the fact that I returned to a house full of junk food because the first thing grandma did for the kiddies when Mike and I left was take them to the store to pick out whatever food they wanted, and beside the fact that I returned to a Northwest Fall in full swing complete with torrential downpour, I've caught a cold from my houseful of sickies.

Being sick is a major eating trigger for me. When I'm sick I feel that I deserve to eat whatever comfort food my brain can conjure. I can't blame the newest influx of junk food on my mom because last night when I went to the grocery store, both sick and hungry, you should have seen what I loaded into my cart. It was shameful, really: wasabi almonds, garlic and herb cheese with crackers, a bottle of wine, pizza rolls (for the kids, of course. Yeah, right.), frozen chimichangas (for the chiiiildren), and two cartons of ice cream (buy one get one free, what can ya do?)

Also, the antihistamines I'm taking have put me in a chemically induced state of depression. I'm behaving and feeling exactly how I felt at my most depressed, minus the crying jags and fits of rage. I'm staying in bed till nearly noon because I'm so tired and I can't figure out what to do with myself, and when I get up I stay in my pajamas all day and sit in front of the computer. The good news is that the six pounds I gained on vacation are gone. The bad news is that I suspect that is due to dehydration.

So, what do you all do to get back on track when either illness or vacation, or in my case, both, throws you off?

I Was Yearning for Peanut M & M's

I could almost taste their peanutty goodness...cruncy salty nuts surrounded by sweet melty chocolate and that cruncy candy shell. Mmmmmm...doesn't it make your mouth water? There's a whole unopened bag in my house. :::sigh::::

Then I thought of you ladies. I came here and saw your weight tickers, goals met, successes shared, your lovely pictures...and I thought of how I would feel if I ate an enormous pile of those peanut M & M's. Because I can't eat just one...or just ten. Sure, I'd feel good for a while, but then that "icky" feeling would set in...the physical feeling I'm well acquainted with after a big junk food binge...and that why-did-I-do-this-again smack-my-forehead huge disappointing emotional crash that mirrors the crash in blood sugar.

And I did NOT eat them. I didn't even open the bag...I didn't even go look at it and salivate. I'm going for my walk now. I'll have a big glass of water afterward, and maybe, a few apple slices.

Thanks ladies!!!

Fall Frolic Event... Ten days and counting!

Okay ladies, we've got ten more days before the Fall Frolic. Now remember, we're meeting 11:30ish at the South Center mall Red Robin. This Red Robin is actually not connected to the mall, but is slightly around the corner from it. AND, we will be celebrating Jennifer's 40th birthday then as well. ( Her Birthday is actually on Sunday).
Soooooo..... who's gonna be there?! Whether you've lost, gained, or stayed the same, I really encourage you to come. We always have a blast.

Scale Convention

At the scale manufacturers' convention, people often wanted to weigh themselves on different scales to see if they agreed. However, some visitors abstained, not wishing to advertise their weight. A smooth-talking representative coaxed a woman onto his scale by promising her that he would not look and that she could even cover the digital display so only she could see her weight.

She finally stood on the scale, whereupon a loud, mechanical voice from within the machine announced: "One hundred and sixty-three.

New Goal Met

Today I am at my mini-goal of 180. It has taken me a month to lose ten pounds. My next one is 170. I never set a time limit, I just keep track of when each one passes. So, onward to the next one. It will come when it comes, but I never, ever thought I would be in the 170's again.

My Fitlinxx stats for September

Last month at the Y my numbers were such:

I earned 18,760 fit points. Placing me 1st for my age group, 1st for all women, and 5th for the whole Y.

I lifted 1,013,125 pounds. Placing me 1st for my age group, 1st for all women, and 3rd for the whole Y. (This moring when I go, I'll break the 7,000,000 pound mark for the year!) : )

I burned 15,471 calories. Placing me 1st in my age group, 5th for all women, and 10 for the entire Y.

I know that these numbers are probably kinda boring to some of you, but let me tell you, they really motivate me.

The Oregon Coast is Fattening!

We're back from our trip to the Oregon Coast where we celebrated our 20th anniversary. We had a wonderful time with lots of rich food and tasty local wines. All that showed up on the scale to the tune of six pounds upon returning home! We did A LOT of walking, but not enough to counteract the food and drink I guess. Back to the old routine tomorrow!