S.O.S. …. I’m OOS!!

Where I work OOS stands for Out of Service and while I’m not exactly Out of Service, I am definitely Out of Shape!

I truly started this journey more to be at a healthy weight and to set a healthier example for my children than to be “hot”. I was tired of being winded from something as simple as climbing one set of stairs. Today I was reminded that, while I am 30lbs lighter than when I started this journey I am not necessarily in any better cardio health. I mean, I don’t workout with any regularity and it shows. You see, I decided to go for a bike ride with my son and intended to be out for an hour. Ok perhaps, just perhaps, if the chains had allowed me to adjust them as they were intended I might have stayed out longer but the truth of it is my legs were burning within the first few minutes and I returned to the house short of breath and heart racing after just 25min.

Deep down yes, I’d love to be a hot mama but more importantly I’d like to be able to ride with my child until he is ready to return home and not when his mother is in need of a rest. I’d love to look good naked but truth be told I’d be happy to be at a normal BMI and not have a closet full of clothes with only a few that “fit right now”.

I must get back into the habit of moving and doing so with regularity. I may just have to go against my nature and make a plan. Map out my workouts and stick to them until they become second nature as they were for a brief period earlier in the year. I have got to turn this around and get to my healthy goal. I think that for this challenge, the GAG one, I would like to make it to Onederland...I haven't wanted to say that out loud because that was the same goal I'd had for end of Summer...and that failed in big bold neon fashion. This time I will do it. I will start the new year in Onederland and make a solemn vow to myself and all of Blogland that I will NEVER allow myself into the 200s again!!

I think I may have just answered my own distress signal...

GAG Wk1 Gameplan and Recipe

I intended to log on this morning and share an NSV from my very first (ok, more like one hundredth 1st day) back on plan and then saw Shielas challenge and decided to combine my NSV with the challenge requirements.

What is my Non Scale Victory you ask? Well, after lunch yesterday I got a call that we were to go to Olive Garden for dinner to meet my brother in law. He was in town from out of state and would only be here a couple of days before returning hm and soon being deployed overseas. Typically this would have been a Woo Hoo Breadsticks moment - not this time. I immediately wished I could get out of dinner and have my already planned teriakyi pork chops, baked potato and green beans. What to do? You are faced with a challenge - a special event - what do you do? I used the tools sitting right of me and went to the website and sought out nutrional information (NI). I checked which entree would be my best option and even had an alternate incase they didnt have my first choice. I did the homework on what a breadstick would "put me back" and went into the meal with a plan! *gasp* Me? A Plan!? Who woulda ever thought it.

I ate minestrone while others ate the salad which deceptively has very high calorie/fat dressing and indulged in a single breadstick before my herb-grilled salmon arrived. Ahhh. The satisfaction of not allowing myself to derail was wonderful.

Now this isn't always the way we can make a plan...I mean, is there a NI website available for your close friends BBQ spread? NO..so what can you do to be better prepared to stay on your plan? Here are a few ideas: 1) eat before you go (I was going to say this before I read Lucrecia's blog I swear) if you are already full or close to full before you go you are less likely to over indulge. 2) know your weakness and bring a healthy alternative - if you love dips/appetizers bring a healthier version of a favorite and stick to it, if you are a dessert person bring something sweet that you know exactly what went into it so that you aren't guessing at what you are consuming. 3) Keep water in hand or gum in mouth. Sometimes the simpliest of things can keep us from mindless eating. I have successfully thwarted overdoing it at a party myself by keeping a fresh piece of gum in my mouth all night.

As for a healthy alternative recipe. Here is one I got from a fellow online Weight Watcher that I've seen since with various names as well as several recipe variations but every single time I've made it I've gotten rave reviews and it has dissappeared so here goes:

*forgive this, I now can't find a recipe w/ the ingredients I use and since I first made it I just throw it together to taste - no recipe
Texas Caviar

2 can black beans, 15oz size, drained
1 can kernel corn, also 15oz, drained
3-4 green onions/scallions, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4c chopped cilantro
zest & juice from one lime
1/2 - 1c italian dressing (I use Kraft Free Zesty Italian)

Now, I also actually use frozen corn, since I dont buy can corn, and just fill the empty black bean can to almost full and rinse it in cold water to "knock the frost off it" :)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy. I typically make this the night before or morning of a get together to let it sit in the fridge and give the flavors time to combine. I also serve it with baked scoops and have been known to use it at room temperature atop a grilled chicken breast.

I can't wait to see others recipes.

GAG Day 1 Body Shots

Ok, so I decided to use my workout pants and a snug T-shirt because I saw such great differences when I did this at the beginning of the year yet, to me, I look just as big now as I did 30lbs ago! Ugh. I know its different clothes and to go back to snug fitting makes a difference but its frustrating none the less.

Brush it off...I will look just as different in these same clothes in 16wks from now as I did from Jan 1st compared to 16wks into the year.

Here they are:

There is always Tomorrow....

Wow, has it really been almost an entire months since I last blogged? I kept meaning to do it....tomorrow. Why do we seem to put off everything, to justify our "cheats" by saying we can always start again tomorrow? I know that I am guilty of this. Heck, all of my diet days would be perfect diets days if only they stopped just after breakfast!

I really started thinking about this when I saw a recent episode of LA Ink (yes, the show about tattoos) I don't normally watch the show but found myself stopped on it when an overweight female comedian asked the star of the show to design a tatoo for her that was an oldtime pocketwatch set to 13 o'clock. It was her explanation of the meaning of this tatoo that struck me. She stated that so many times in her life she thought, "Oh, I'll do that when..." or "Someday/one day I will.." but those some days and one days never came. Kinda like 13 o'clock . . . it was the time that would never come. She felt it was time for her to start living her life, doing the things she has always wanted to do and stop waiting for 13 o'clock.

Maybe you had to see the episode to truly get it like I did ...but maybe not. Why do we wait for tomorrow to start stuff? To do things? I mean isn't there a country song that says "If tomorrow never comes?" Not only will we never lose the weight we will miss out on so many other things.

One flip side to my tomorrows is that today is always my LAST day of eating poorly so I seem to be in a perpetual binge of things I won't be able to have again for a long time when I start . . . you guessed it, Tomorrow!

Well, today is my tomorrow to find the strength and determination to get out of neutral and start driving (haha- that pun was not intentional) ... start driving that number on the scale down again.

Over the Summer I saw 212.6 on that all too truthful scale and sadly, today just 7 short weeks later, this is what I looked down at:

*feel free to tilt your head to the left to view my weight as I have tried a dozen times to get the picture to load correctly and it just won't . . . no, my pic isnt saved with this orientation. It views correctly on my drive and turning it then loading it only had it load w/ my turn...very bizzare.

I had truly hoped to be nearing ONEderland by the end of the Summer and instead I'm going to have to re-lose 13lbs before I start seeing new low numbers on that darned scale. But that's ok, because I have maintained a 30lbs loss. I have stopped putting off until tomorrow and I'm back on track! (I will post profile pics when I get home and take them in my workout clothes . . . sans the oversized shirt they typically hide under)

Thank you Shiela for starting the Give yourself A Gift challenge. I look forward to making new friendships and seeing just how hefty a gift we each can give ourselves in the next 16wks!

What have you been putting off until tomorrow that you will do today!?

Week 31 ~ Weigh In

This morning the number on the scale shocked me back into submission...err, I mean reality. :)

I have wasted the last 3 wks going UP the scale instead of down. I am up 8lbs and am actually a little heavier than I was at the end of May which means I have basically wasted the Summer as far as weight loss progress goes. It is not as if I am surprised by the gain. I know exactly what I have been doing that caused it. I have been starting most every day with a new resolve and doing really well the majority of every day until I get home and am sitting alone in the dark watching TV late in the evening. It is then that my mind wanders .... into the pantry and wonders "What can I eat?". Unfortunately my mind is quite creative in the snack making category because its not like I stock chips or ice cream etc but I have still found things to gorge on and tonight is the first night I have bothered to resist. Honestly, tonight I have not even been tempted. I wish it hadn't taken a complete Summer backslide to get me back on track but I believe from here on it will be easier. I have new resolve and despite the fact that my problem staying on track has nothing to do with at work tempations I now have two more people in my office who are watching what they eat. My assistant recently started on WW and a co-worker is in Phase 1 of South Beach. I think the additional surrounding support will be helpful.

I will have to weigh in early next week as I am going to take my kids to visit my grandparents out of state. For anyone who's followed my blog for any length of time this means temptations like the homemade bread turned French Toast. Yum!

How many times will I have to struggle before I get to goal and can begin the struggle of maintenance?

Self-Sabotage
Self-Indulgent
Self-Pity...NO

Gluttonous & Guilty

One Month = 6lb lost
One Week = 6lbs gained

Why?
What does it matter...

Make a Plan
Take Action
Get Moving
Get back to Losing
Put it behind me

Week 30 may as well be Week 1

I'm still here
I haven't given up
I am strong

Self-Reliant
Self-Sufficient

I will persevere!

Week 29 Weigh In ~ Going the wrong way

UGH! 3lb gain this week. I did really well during the known challenges, birthday celebrations etc. Unscheduled night shift and then, probably in the wake of being tired and aggrevated on Monday I started down the slippery slope of bad choices. I ate too much or just plain "bad" things and sadly have not yet broken hold of this compulsion to eat and eat and eat.

It does seem a cycle with me every so many months to have a set back yet other than realizing I'm in one I have yet to figure out how to break free from it - or better yet, avoid it all together.

I guess I have many months and pounds to figure this out so that maybe, just maybe, when I get to maintenance I might not have to struggle to STOP overeating but be able to stop it before it begins.

I'm back to 40lbs lost and I am still proud of myself. I need to get my latest update pictures taken and posted. Definitely will be in a different shirt because I lost the one I had been using on a tube shut when floating a local river yesterday. Yes, I sat in a tube and floated a river for 4-5hrs yesterday and THAT wouldn't have happened 40lbs ago!

Anyone out there have any suggestions on how to stop a binge either before it starts or while in the throws of it?

Week 28 Weigh In

Short post, having friends over for dinner and doubt I'll get on the computer at all tonight so before I leave work I thought I'd let the blog world know, because I know you are anxious to know, that this week I lost another 1.6lbs this week!! Yea. I've been really, really good with food and had one good long walk.

That brings me to a total of 43lbs gone....forever this time!

Now I'm off to slice red potatoes and grill a bunch of chicken. I even made a WW dip and bought one bag of baked scoops. The guys will eat the regular chips as they drink beer. I will enjoy in much moderation as I have been saving up for a splurge this coming Friday. Girlfriends + birthday = time to let loose - - at least a little! :)

Where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going

I was recently trying to better organize my closet and drawers etc when I came across a couple of dresses that inspired this post.

The first dress is one that I bought for my brothers wedding in October of last year. I wore this same dress for our company Christmas party in December and distinctly recall feeling HUGE that night and hating the picture that was taken of all of the people from my department. I wondered what I weighed then and how different the dress would look now that I've lost weight. Well, rather than try to describe for you the difference let's take a look at photographic evidence shall we?

This is the picture taken at our Company Christmas party. I went back and looked at my weight tracker on WW and I weighed around 5lbs less when this was taken than I did at the beginning of the year when I started this particular journey and blog.

This is where I've been:

The next picture was taken today, 27 1/2 weeks into my weightloss journey and around 37lbs less than in the previous picture.

This is where I am:

(I realize the original picture isn't the best but I think you really can see the difference in size of my booty!)

I also saw a dress hanging there, so lonely in my closet, that I wore when we went on a cruise with a large group of friends back in 2006. At that time I was 20lbs from where I think I would be happy as a goal weight. Silly, silly girl. Why did you let yourself get so big again? So I thought that it might be just as worthwhile to see where I am currently in that same dress vs. where I hope to one day be. (again)

This is where I am: (apologies for the girls being so prominently displayed but, well, the dress covered more when there was less to cover! :)

This is where I want to be: (relatively anyway)

*at the time of posting I was unable to find the full length pic of me in this dress. I guess it was taken by someone else. I will have to find it and scan it later today.

Pictures really do say a lot don't they? I am due to take another update picture this week as well and I'm thinking it's time for me to find a new outfit that will continue to show the progress I make from here forward. The current shirt is so large now it just isn't a good choice anymore.

I am hoping these pictures will remind me of where I've been (and never want to go back), of where I am (and have worked hard to get here...again) and of where I'm going...only this time I'm setting up permant residence in Maintenanceville!!

Week 27 ~ Successful Switch

I was very nervous about the shock my body might experience making the switch from low carb back to Weight Watchers. I do know it had an effect on the scale and, well, I guess that's more what I was nervous about. I started back on WW immediately after WI last Wed morning and tried to not just go carb crazy. I have been concentrating on eating more healthfully and trying not just to get in my "healthy 8" but also make certain things even more healthy. I've taken some tips from various bloggers and have added fresh spinach to a few of my smoothies this week. You really can't taste it and it gives you an extra boost of vitamins etc - first thing in the morning that must be a good thing right?


Today I did my first smoothie with kefir rather than yogurt and even opted to try light vanilla soymilk in place of my 1% milk. I may have, for today, done too many changes at once. I didn't care as much for my smoothie this morning as any other but I'm willing to keep trying.


I only walked the two times at the inviation of my friend but ....

....mid post I had an employee call in sick for work and so I had to drop everything and go in and cover. Now, about 12hrs later, I don't know where I was going with that. I do intend to get to working out again I just haven't applied myself to making it happen rather than just think about making it happen.

This week I actually did register a loss despite the shock and am happy to say I'm down another 0.2lbs! I'm glad the switch back to WW was successful.

This next week will be dedicated to getting back into the routine of exercising and trying a few new recipes or changes.

Ch..Ch...Ch...Changes

I switched back to following Weight Watchers first thing Wednesday morning after doing low carb for three weeks.

I have been journaling all of my food and haven't gone over my points. If anything I've had a low point day but it wasn't intentional. I've also struggled with the points juggling on the days I work overnight and end up being up for 24hrs or so.

The best part of my week thus far is that thanks to a good friend I've finally started moving again! I've joined her for nice long walks twice in the last three days. Luckily for me she has a cool iphone with an app for telling us just how far we've walked, how long it took us, average MPH etc. :) After not doing anything for almost a month I've walked almost 9miles in the past few days. My calves are sore and surprisingly my back is tight. Maybe its the inclines? I've kinda missed the soreness of repairing muscles. Is this what was meant by hurts so good? :0)

The scale is up 1 1/2lbs from Wednesdays weigh in and I'm trying hard to convince myself that it is but a temporary thing that what the scale says matters less than the fact that I'm eating right and exercising.

My biggest concern of late is that as I've said, I'm feeling thinner and better and typically when this starts happening is when I allow myself to slide so I'm making a concentrated effort to stay on track.

Week 26 Weigh In

I just can't believe that half the year is gone! Where ever did it go? I am proud to say that I have spent the past 6months losing weight rather than gaining or even maintaining. I have exercised more than I typically would have despite the fact that it is less than I could have or should have. That would be the thing I will work on the most over the last half of the year. Dedicate myself to eating healthier and moving more. I would LOVE to lose as much the second half of the year as I did Jan - Jun!

Speaking of weight loss...I managed to make both of the challenges I have been a part of. Ang at Get fit After 40 challenged us to lose a healthy 5lb/mo over the Summer and Jack Sh*T did his first ever challenge for those who may lose a little more slowly, Lord knows I've had my low loss, no loss weeks. Despite gaining 5lbs over the first part of June (vacation) I was able to get rid of that wt and an additional 5.4lbs this month! This week the scale was down 2.8lbs. Wow. That is truly wonderful.

I also am back on Weight Watchers as of this morning. I really missed certain carbs and just don't think I could have continued on that for much longer. It may be a good switch once in a great while to get the scale moving again. I have always said you need to mix it up and keep your body guessing! ;)

I also will be slowly introducing the carbs back into my diet as opposed to going full stop today. You see, I normally have oatmeal or cereal for breakfast and snacks such as 100cal popcorn, Fiber One bar etc. The lunches and dinners were not really that diffferent. Lean protein and veggies (I'll just stick to the lower carb veggies for awhile) and the low fat/fat free versions of things like cheese and sourcream.

I'm afraid that switching back to WW and re-introducing myself to My Fitness Coach will put enough of a shock on my system that I probably won't see much/if any loss this week. Remind me of that when I'm bummed next Wed ok?

I appreciate all of your kind words on my last post. I still am not sure where I will go with that. Isn't the first step recognizing/admitting you have a problem?

I am still here. I am feeling thinner, feeling better and hope to start feeling stronger. I find motivation in many places these days: in the way I feel, that I am not alone in this journey, that I am setting an example for my kids and that I am making the kind of changes that will benefit me healthwise and my family for many many years to come.

Of course, its easier to be motivated when the scale is moving down like you want so where do you find motivation both in success' and more importantly when you are not seeing the scale move as you would like?

I am an Addict

I recently watched an episode of Saving Grace in which the main character, Det. Grace Hanadarko, goes undercover in Alcoholics Annonymous meetings in order to solve a possible homicide. During the show the signs of being an Alcoholic are discussed and although drinking alone and eating alone may both be signs of different addictions what struck a chord with me were the words of one of the Alcoholics as she describes to Grace how she has managed to stay sober for as long as she had. (if I recall correctly it was 6mo & some days) The way she said she mananged to do it was to simply fight the urge: minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, etc. It was a constant struggle.

The next day I found myself talking myself out of a binge. It was a constant flow of no, you don't really want it. No, you really shouldn't do it....eat it. You will undo all that you've worked so hard to accomplish. A couple of hours past and still the random thought of, "I could have...." or "I could make..." and those words of an addict from the show came to mind and I realized.. I am addicted to food!! I had to make a conscious effort not to allow myself to give in to what my mind told me I wanted. I wasn't hungry. I most certainly didn't need any of what I was craving. It was mental.

I'm not sure yet exactly what to make of this realization. I knew I could get out of control, I knew I was capable of binging and definitely knew I was a secret eater but to truly put it in the perspective of being addicted. I will need time to wrap my head around it. The only thing I know for sure is this is why this has always been, and always will be, a struggle for me. I have heard it said that addicts do better when they choose different friends, different environments. Ones that reduce the risk of them having a setback but how do you not be at risk for eating!? I must learn to control myself around food - that part truly isn't the hard part. The hard part for me will be controlling myself when no one is around. No eyes watching to judge what I'm consuming. No one to answer to by myself.

Hmmmm. Just something to ponder for now I guess.

Week 25 Weigh In

Wow, a whole week at home went by and I never made it back to post. I really have not even made it to read many other blogs. Things are crazy at work right now, have had three people resign in last month and fortunately we have three new people in various stages of training but we already were short so we're still treading water. I am working weekend nights which is vastly different than my normal M-F gig and I've tried hard not to let it effect my diet.

I've stuck to low carb induction despite the baby showere with WONDERFUL cake, cookies etc. Father's Day and my daughters bday. On her birthday she wanted to go to the movies - mmmm movie theater popcorn with lots of what they call "buter" and jalepenos. Let's just say I was VERY tempted to eat it with them and only allowed myself a single handful! After the movie she chose to invite grandparents and Aunt & Uncle over for a brownie sundae bar. Now THAT was tempting. Brownies with little peanut butter cups, various ice cream flavors, chocolate & caramel sauces, whipped cream and sprinkles. I did have some whip cream, but that's it! I guess my resolve has stood firm mainly because I know its the only thing I'm doing. I have not been able to get back on track with exercise and so any slip could be a fatal tumble.

This past weekend I also went back to look at figure out how I've done for the Fitago challenge and was a little upset that from the time I entered the challenge in mid April to last weeks WI I'd only lost 4.8lbs! This didn't stay with me long as I shortly there after entered my recent WI into my weightwatchers.com profile and it showed me that for the 24wks I've been on program I'd lost an average of 1.4lbs/wk WOW! Really? Even with a month off (combined business trips and vacation) with the vacation gain etc? Now how can someone be upset with an average like that?! I mean, if I maintained an average loss like that I just might be 38lbs lighter by New Years! :)

I think I'm going to continue low carb, just not as drastic as low as induction for a few more days and perhaps a week. I still had some low carb items that would be WW no-nos in my fridge and pantry that I just can't let go to waste and think I can stick it out a bit longer without my oatmeal, cereal or fresh fruit til then.

This week was a good one. The scale was down another 2.8lbs, 2.2lbs of which is NEW Loss! That means I've lost a total of 38.4lbs thus far and am really, really hoping to make the 40lb mark next week.

I intend to start moving - but don't we all know about good intensions. :) I'm afraid the My Fitness Coach will ask me who I am when I start her up again. lol

Overall I'm feeling thinner. I'm pleasantly surprised when things slip on without effort or I'm just not disgusted with what is facing me in the mirror. Its that inner self that for me right now is happy. She hasn't registered a "fat day" in awhile and that is good. I think it is this feeling that has been my biggest motivator in recent weeks.

What keeps you motivated?

*this post will be edited this evening to include most recent scale pic - forgot the camera on the bathroom counter after taking the pic this morning.

Week 24 Weigh In

If I was being truly honest I would say that I was a bit bummed when I got on the scale this morning. Not because I didn't lose but because after a full week on low carb induction I had "only" lost 4.4lbs. Now, before you take offense to me saying only to such a great number, I was bummed because I weigh almost daily on had lost 4.4 as of Saturday....so that means from Sat to Wed no more loss! :( I am happy with 4.4 that means I have gotten rid of almost all the vacation gain I just don't know what has caused the stall. Perhaps my body is in rebellion for not being given oatmeal, cereal, fresh fruit or fiber ones bars it has become so accustom to. Perhaps the lack of fiber is catching up with me. (sorry if TMI) Either way I will stick out one more week doing low carb induction before going back to my Weight Watchers plan.

I think the next couple weeks may prove challenging as I am going to have to work mostly weekend nights for a bit. Pretty drastic change from my normal 9-5 Mon-Fri but with the kids out for summer it means more time with them and maybe, just maybe, more chance for moving. Walking, swimming etc.

I am looking forward to the change. It may finally afford me the chance to get caught up on all the blog reading I missed while on vacation too.

Here's to kicking butt - or rather, getting RID of butt the rest of June. I have 5.6lbs to lose to meet my June goal and I don't intend to fail.

This WW Journey has been temporarily interrupted

No, I have not stopped trying to lose nor have I strayed from my weightloss journey. Please, let me explain. I am a Weight Watcher. I really like the program because it allows me to eat whatever I want so long as I account for it and for those really "bad" things I find it a fun challenge to find a way to make them healthier & better for me. (lower points)

That said, after recent, absolutely incredible fabulous and awesome two full week family vacation that miraculously resulted in "only" a 5lb weight gain I realized that even if I lost the full 5lbs my first week back I would have "wasted" three weeks maintaining! Now I'm not knocking maintenance. It has always elluded me or I wouldnt be here. I've been losts thinner in years past. The hardest part has always been keeping it off. I'm not sure what caused me to make this decision but during the day on Wednesday I started thinking about low carb and how quickly the weight can come off while doing it. (You see, I first learned about low carb many years ago from a Dr and may have turned on a couple of my friends to it) I made the decision to do the low carb induction for two weeks. I really really wanted to get the vacation gain off as quickly as possible and start moving the scale a bit more quickly than it did for the 8wks I was doing the Sizzlin Hot for Summer Challenge.

I know that this change will only be temporary because for me low carb doesn't work long term. I don't have any problems with others for whom it works but for me it simply causes me to carb crave and I tend to be more likely to carb binge. Doing low carb for me does not take away my cravings like it does for my friend Lucrecia. I end up just wanting what I "can't" have while with Weight Watchers I can have whatever I want so long as I account for it. I do eat whole wheats instead of white pastas and breads and overall I just find it easier to teach my children how to eat healthy if I am leading by example rather than having a different meal than they are.

This is my choice, my journey.

That said, the scale has already begun to move swiftly. I don't know how long it will continue to move as swiftly as the first few days but I also am not certain I can continue low carb for more than a couple weeks. Especially because I am doing the much lower carb induction phase. Tomorrow will truly be a test. My mother and I are hosting the post baby shower for my sister in law and spent the majority of the day making chicken salads, pasta salad, cutting up fruit etc. I know I can have one of the chicken salads but the true hurdle will be the cake and cookies my mom ordered from a local bakery. You see, these particular iced sugar cookies are ones that in the past I have gone out of my way to buy and eat in the car so no one would know. I even used to buy the bags of broken pieces they would sell and eat the whole thing myself. They are so good. I will be strong. I am worth it and, well, to take a line from WW "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." - its just been so long since I was thin I think cheesecake tastes pretty darn close! lol

Wk 23 Weigh In ~ Facing the scale after Vacation

My entire family and I had an absolutely incredible two week vacation!! I was a little nervous about getting on the scale this morning but knew it was the first step to getting back on track to losing the remainder of the weight I feel I need to lose. As I stepped on the scale this is what I saw:

I must say, I expected it to be more. Overall a 5lb gain is not very much for two weeks of vacation. I have gained that easily over any given weekend and actually joke about that all the time. Some people go nuts over a 5lb gain and I have always said I could do that in a weekend. I only hope that I can get rid of it as easily.

I am not quite done with all the laundry that follows such a long vacation and the kids are saying they are hungry - darn it no more sending them to the "Towncenter" with a Disney key/pass and letting them pick up their own dinner. I'm guessing I'm going to have to cook! *gasp* So for now only the weigh in update.

Oh, ooooK. I can't resist a couple pics. I got to meet "Kitty!" (I just love the movie Monsters Inc) and the second picture is of my family on the beach in St. Augustine just after my niece's wedding ceremony.

Vacation Update

I'm not sure how well a post from my blackberry will work but we have been just too busy having a FANTASTIC time to be online. My family & I left hm 12days ago and have been non-stop since. A weekend in St Augustine, FL for niece's wedding then 7days at a Disney resort. All four Disney parks as well as Universal Studios & Universal Islands of Adventure. The saving grace to having gotten the "quick service meal plan" at the resort would be all the walking we did at every park. It probably averaged about 20,000 steps a day. One was 24k & one was "only" 14k. I honestly have NO IDEA what the scale will show when I return hm & don't care. I have had a BLAST and will get right back on track when I get home.

I must say that I am SOOOO glad I lost what I did before the trip. I can not imagine my hips fitting in some of the seats for the extreme roller coasters if they were any larger than they are now and I can't imagine having missed those! I also saw a big bonus in most of my capris being so loose or comfortable rather than tight.

We are only just driving hm and won't be back until probably tomorrowq night so my "normal" Wednesday WI will take place on Thursday this week.

Hope you all have been doing well on your journeys. Can't wait to get back to it!

Week 21 Weigh In ~ Final WI SH4SC

Excuse me....((clears throat))

EXCUSE ME!!??

Please clear a path and make room for my HaPpY dAnCe!!!! ( (dances and spins around the room like a complete idiot) ) Here is what the scale showed me this morning....a new decade!



Ok, so overall the past couple months haven't proven to be very significant in the way of pounds lost in comparison with the previous months but this morning not only did I see that the weight I had gained was gone but I managed to lose an additional 2.8lbs!! Can I get a Wooo Hooo!!?? This loss brings me to a grand total of 36.2lbs gone. Not to shabby for just 21wks. If I continued to average that 1.7lbs/wk I'd be to my goal by the end of the year or at least within my goal range. You see, I'm not entirely sure that I want to weigh something specific so much as I know how I want to feel and in recent years I've been 40lbs lighter than I am now felt like I still had some work to do which is how I set my current goal.

Anyhow enough of that! Today was my final weigh in before I leave on vacation for two weeks. That's right, TWO WEEKS!! Family wedding in Florida followed by 7days on a Walt Disney resort visiting the various parks. I can't wait! Today is also the final weigh in for the Sizzling Hot for Summer Challenge and I managed to lose 8lbs during the course of the 8wk challenge. I'd hoped for more like 18 but I'll take the 8!

I did take some comparision pictures for the challenge but don't see a significant change. Will get those posted later. I really should get back to work. :)

May each of you reading this have a great next couple of weeks. I think that I just might pack my scale when I pack tonight. It sure kept me on track when I took it with me out of town a few weeks ago compared to the trip I didn't pack it.

Week 20 ~ Weigh In

I started out this journey feeling like I needed as much accountability as possible. The more avenues of accountability I had the more likely I would be to see this through to the end and not give up or or be able to quit.

This blog was one of those means of accountability despite the fact that I only ever specifically shared it with a couple of friends. Another was that I asked a male co-worker if he would mind me reporting to him every Wednesday. He didn't have to do anything other than receive my weekly updates. This particular man is fit, athletic and blessed with a high metabolism. I felt that perhaps simply the thought of having to report a "bad" week to him just might help to keep me on track. Why do I mention this now? I mention it because for nineteen weeks he has never asked me for my weekly update. I've always given it to him whether that be early, just after weighing, mid morning when I finally get to post and/or check other blogs and on occasion it has waited until sometime in the evening. He graciously comments, congratulates or encourages (have had a couple small gains) but this morning before I had even weighed....feeling a little lazy and knowing I was going to show a gain...I get a text that says, "How many?" He was initiating the update!! Ugh!! I took it as a sign. I'd asked him to take my updates as a means to keep me accountable and now, in the throws of my inability to get back on track he was doing just that - keeping me accountable. When I stepped on the scale a short time later it was no surprise that I was maintaining my little more than 3lb gain. The good news is that I'm back on track. That was just push that I needed to stop my over indulgence. I have spent one whole day back on track, eating right, no excessive or fatty/sugary snacking and plenty of water.

Yea for back on track and most of all YEAAAAA for vacation in only one week!

Week 20 also meant another set of progress pictures. I think I'm at the point where I need to get a smaller shirt for the progress photos. The shirt has gotten so large that it won't continue to show progress very well. The jeans will continue to fit for awhile. Gotta love the stretch they put in jeans these days. For the before pics it took quite a bit of squirming and tugging to get those jeans on and buttoned and now every week I have to wash and dry them (girls you know about driers and jeans).

As the first portion of my journey - Trek to Vacation - comes to a close I feel like its time to set some more goals. At this point there's only one that comes to mind:

Goal for End of Summer: ONEderland!!

I must fight to stay in the game, I must fight to get to the goal, and most importantly I must fight to change my ways and no longer allow myself to get derailed when I start feeling good about myself or start getting comments/compliments on my weightloss thus far. I dont know why I tend to drail at the first sign of success but I will strive to change that bad habit just as I must change how I eat and how much I move.

I'm still in this...who is with me?

Week 19 Weigh In ~ A Little Late

So much to report on in the last week. Let me start with, I am done with business trips for quite awhile and now have only 10days until I leave for a much anticipated two week vacation!

This past trip to Denver was only suppose to be 5days and I had made arrangements to fly up early on Monday so that a friend and I could hike a local State Park. We got a 5mile hick in that was absolutely gorgeous. I love the beauty of the mountains. We then spent the next evening watching the season finale of Biggest Loser together (we had watched the entire season "together" despite the vast miles between us and time zone difference, texting each other through every episode - watching it together in person while drinking 1pt margaritas was much more fun!)

I didnt pack my scale this trip and perhaps I should have considering the derailing I experienced that began on the Wed of Wk 18 weigh in. I had somehow come up with this analogy because falling off the wagon just didn't seem to do it justice. I think what I did was climb up the ladder of the high dive and go head first into the deep end of self indulgence. It was not pretty, it was physically painful at times, and was incredibly tasty at other times. I returned from my trip and was determined to own up to my destructive behavior to be completely and absolutely floored to see that 10days after my last trip to the scale, and many, many poor decisions, I was only about 3lbs up - considering all that I had ingested, TOM, and the elevation change during my trip (which causes water retention/dehydration) I was delighted. Not delighted enough to put myself completely back on track but I'm also not still treading water in the deep end. I think I might be at the stairs and climbing out of the pool....I hope to be out of the water when I wake in the morning and right back on the wagon. So officially, I have nothing to report for WI that was due Wed May 13th....I don't know what I weighed.

The absolute best part of my crazy week since my last post was that on Wed of this week I found out that my sister-in-law was going to be induced on Friday morning so I canceled my last night in the hotel in Denver and changed my flight to be back home on Thursday night so we could be at the hospital with her on Friday morning. My nephew was born at 209pm on Friday. Of course he is adorable and we are blessed that he is absolutely healthy.

I will have to spend some time of the next couple of evenings catching up with everyone from the SH4SC...I just haven't had/made the time to be online lately. Here's to two more great weigh ins until this challenge is over and I'm off and on vacation! :)

Wk 18 Weigh In – SHFSC Wk 5

Allow me to concentrate on NSVs for this week – what does that tell you about how I’m feeling scale wise? :)

All in all I am proud to say that over the last two weeks, of which I was gone from home for 10days, I was able to lose 1.2lbs. That’s a victory in and of itself despite the fact that I had hoped desperately to be able to hit the 35lbs lost mark. Alas, I gained 0.2lbs from last Wednesday and will leave again on Monday to go to Denver for the week. The conference I attended wasn’t the culprit of the gain since I was working out more than ever and managed to eek out a loss that first Wednesday but instead it was my grandmothers homemade bread I am certain. I had toast every day and one day indulged in two pieces of that wonderful bread made into French toast! YUM!! Might I add, totally worth it!! My exercise from the conference came to grinding halt the morning I left and instead I did something else more than I have in a long time – I went to church! Now mind you I had planned on going to church on Sunday morning but didn’t realize their church would be in the midst of what I refer to as a rival when I arrived and so not only did I go on Sunday morning but on Friday and Saturday nights as well. It was good to get to hear my cousin sing her solo piece with the choir and be singled out as the 10th visitor from a different state during their week long “camp meeting” by the preacher (who also happens to be a cousin).

This morning, when the scale didn’t miraculously show a loss I decided it was time to go shopping in my closet and I was very happy to find two pairs of jeans that I was able to get into for the first time in quite awhile! Sadly, the pair that fit better have a hole beginning to form in the hind end so I won't be able to wear them but I think they would have looked pretty darn good. (the other pair won’t be seeing the outside of my house for a few more pounds). If it wasn’t getting so dang hot around here I’d probably go buy another pair just like these:

*pls excuse the dirty mirror & slightly blurry pic - have you ever tried to take a pic of your own tushy? :) oh, and see the snag/hole?...darn it.

Lastly, I had recently ordered a couple of new work shirts in size Large instead of XLs and when I opened the box yesterday was disheartened to see a shirt that I figured was also several wks (months) out from being able to be worn. Surprise, surprise, I tried it on and it fit – no stretching required (you ladies know what I’m talking about). What do you think? I'm pretty psyched.

So, no loss showing on the scale this week, thankfully not a large gain either but a couple of NSVs and a positive outlook on the current week!

Oh, and here’s a pic of the French toast…. Just because it really was yummy! (pay no attention to the pork fat that found its way to the plate)

I believe, its all about choices

This is something I’ve been contemplating writing about for a few months now. My dear friend Lucrecia stirred my thoughts on this in a post she wrote about use of the word diet. Now that I’m away from home with a little more time to write I’ve been trying to work this out in my head. Ironically, this week, Shiela posted a very interesting link to a series on youtube called Skinny Kids. This was just the push I needed to finally put pen to paper ~ you know what I mean.

I have written posts already about my struggle with food and how it started for me at a very early age. I also have seen that I seem to have passed this genetic aptitude for all things wonderful to my daughter. My beautiful, kind, sweet, and loving daughter, she can no more resist a Reese’s peanut butter cup than deny her body oxygen …and that she got that from her momma!!

I cannot help what she sees, hears and experiences in the outside world but I can effect what she hears, sees and is offered to eat at home. Isn’t that where it all starts and matters? At home?! I prefer not to use the word diet but I am not a fanatic about it. I prefer to teach my children that it is not about denying ourselves but about healthy choices. I hope that the choices they make will not be made solely for the purpose of losing weight, to “get skinny” and that they are not temporary. The choices we make must be made for the purpose of getting or being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I want to teach them, by example, that if the majority of the choices we make both in what we eat and how we act (move/exercise) are good wholesome and healthy choices that this will affect our overall well being and allow us to live healthier more fulfilling lives that are not restricted by the things we are not able to do because we are overweight or not fit enough to do.

My daughter is 11 and I’m not sure why I was surprised that even several years ago in Elementary school the girls were already picking on each other and some girls were on diets! Some felt it was acceptable for them to pass judgment on whether or not another’s clothes were cool or not. Those judgments have only escalated with age. The “cool” kids now pass judgment on who is or is not acceptable to be in their rankings, they give their opinions on others clothing and, well, of course on others weight.

Every parent wants to protect their children. Protect them from physical harm of course, but also from emotional pains. I hurt for my daughter when she tells me of the things others say. I know that I cannot protect her 24hrs a day but I can try to instill things in her that just might help her to make better choices, I can encourage her to be more active by allowing her to be active with me. I can promote physical activity over things that allow us to sit on our bums. (Except for blogging of course) :)

All in all I know the dictionary definition of the word diet but today’s culture has attached such negative connotations to it that I prefer not to use it. I hate that what someone weighs is such a big part of the media. Magazine covers that so boldly display non flattering pictures of celebrities and pass judgment on who is and is not the ideal physique. Who are “they” to decide?! I want my children to judge people for who they are on the inside not simply for how they look on the outside. I want them to love themselves like I have not always loved myself. I know that I cannot keep the outside world’s images and influences from my children but I can show them how they should act, and live. Teach them of God’s love and nurture their hearts so that maybe, just maybe, the outside world will not have the grip on them that it has on others. I want to teach my children how to make good choices.

Week 17 Weigh In ~ SH4SC Wk 4

Woo Hoo! I am so happy that I made the commitment before this trip to make the best of it. Had I not planned (I'm not a planner) to ensure I could make this a successful week I am certain I would have made much different choices along the way while convincing myself that I was "doing ok" and then probably been shocked to see a gain come Wk 5 WI...

Well, I'm happy to say that my 2/day workouts and very conscientious decisions of just what I allowed myself to eat paid off!! I didn't gain on this trip, I didn't even maintain, which would have been a victory in and of itself. This week, and thus far on my trip, I have lost 1.4lbs! For that, I am ecstatic!!

This brings me to a total of 33.4lbs lost tso far this year and 5.2lbs this month in the Sizzling Hot for Summer Challenge.

I wanna thank Shiela for challenging us to our Last Chance workouts. I have enjoyed the programmability of the stair stepper and treadmills in the gym here where I am staying and yesterday really stepped it up to meet the challenge and got myself up to 4.5mph on the "fast" intervals. This is big people! At that speed I can't just power walk I actually have to start the trot and that isn't a pretty sight so this is big! Especially for someone who detests running. So much so that I have been quoted as saying, "I will run...when I'm being chased...and my life depends on it!" (of course 33lbs ago, heck, even now that might not get me very far before I'm captured! ;)

I hope the rest of you are having a wonderful week as well.

Let's really make this next week count my Sizzlin' Sistas!! My goal is to lose enough to change my "I lost 30" to an "I lost 35lbs" banner. What are your goals for this next week?

Facing my challenge head on

My last post was about the trip I am currently on and how fearful I was that it would not just keep me from continuing to lose but quite possibly completely derail all of the hard work I had completed thus far. I didn't count points and resist (some) temptations to lose 32lbs only to have a business trip set me back so I took steps to ensure I would have tools available to me to make the trip less scary.

Thus far, I've been pleasantly surprised to find that not only have I made time for exercise, five workouts so far in 2 1/2 days, but the food provided by the conference has had some good choices available! Granted I'd already stocked the fridge I had put in my room with yogurt, cottage cheese, 1% milk, etc and I also have with me some fiber one bars, granola, bananas, apples and strawberry yogurt cheerios but even those readily available healthy things could be undone by a breakfast buffet bar and who knows what at lunch - both meals which are already provided to me in my conference fees. I'm delighted to say that the breakfast buffet includes an omlette station that has egg whites! After my 24min heck of a stairstepper workout this morning, I was rewarded with an eggwhite, spinach, mushroom, & tomato omlette, wheat toast, fresh pineapple and blackberries. Lunch had choices like baked salmon, peas & other grilled vegetables. Knowing that I was eating healthy made it easier to skip the dessert table. (I may just have to take a picture of the dessert table so you all know just how much of a victory passing up that table is!)

Dinners are on our own but we also found an very interesting restaurant just up the interstate. Not only does it have healthy choices available but the menu provides more nutritional information than I have ever seen at any restaurant. I had the saladbar and two filets of the Scrod Floridian. I was stuffed and was again able to pass up the desserts! You should check out their websites menu info: Eat-N-Park

Now, unfortunately I'm not certain that all of this hard work will be "rewarded" with a big loss this week because the scale was actually up today from the previous day and I think that has to do with the incredible shock my muscles must be in from the sudden spike in increased exercise. I can honestly say that despite drinking LOTS of water the past couple days I still feel as if I haven't had enough for my healing muscles and I am distinctly aware of many muscles in my legs that otherwise don't make their presence known with every step.

I am honestly curious how difficult it might be to get out of bed in the morning after (gasp) a full 8hrs of sleep! So long as I am able to make it out of bed and get dressed of my own power I will be in the gym when it opens at zero-six-thirty. I may have to workout at lunch tomorrow too because we've got it on very good authority that the restaurant in the local casino has the best prime rib anywhere and has it on special only from 4-5p daily. Tomorrow is the only day we will be able to make it there that early. I may have a last chance meal rather than last chance workout!

*update: I was actually able to get out of bed this morning but moved so slowly to the gym that I had time for just an 18min stair stepper workout. My glutes are on FIRE today! I think this means its working . . . at least that's what I tell myself as I get up out of chairs and try to begin walking. :)

33 days . . .

That’s all the time I have left to shed more pounds and/or get more fit before I head to Florida for a family wedding and vacation. The trip started out so far in the distance that I’d actually made the lofty goal to lose 55lbs between the beginning of this year and departure for my trip. Now it is obvious to me that I will not reach my original goal of 55lbs but I am not the least bit upset because: 1 – I knew that to maintain an average weight loss of 2.6lbs a week, every week, for 21 weeks was lofty but was set intentionally to make myself aim high. 2 – I actually have maintained, thus far, an average of 2lbs/wk for 16wks now and that ain’t shabby!

Now comes the fear. It’s not that I feel as if I can’t continue to try for the next 5wks, I mean, I’ve been at this for over three times as many weeks already but the fact that I have had only minor challenges to overcome during this journey thus far. I had my birthday, Valentine’s day, my hubby’s birthday, Easter etc. but out of the remaining 33days I will be gone, out of town, out of control (for the most part) of what I will be served to eat, for 15 of those days! I don’t want to settle for simply maintaining my current loss – although that in and of itself would be a victory. No, I want to continue to move the scale down and so I knew I had to have a plan!

I will spare you the entire thing and for now concentrate on the trip that begins tomorrow morning. I leave for 10days most of which most will be spent at a gorgeous golf/education resort in West Virginia. I have been there before but still did some homework and checked out the resorts website. While some rooms have refrigerators, none have microwaves. They have a very small gym and lots and lots of gorgeous areas to walk. I called ahead and found out that the area I will be staying in is not apt to have a refrigerator in my room but they will put one in my room if it is requested! Yea!! So, as soon as I arrive I will request one and make a trip to the local grocery store to stock up on healthy snacks, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk & probably some cereal. This puts the food situation a little more in my control. I’ll be packing my exercise clothes and walking shoes for good cardio walking the grounds (or on the treadmill in the event of inclement weather) and have finally broken open a couple of DVDs I bought back In January. I will be able to do the Hip Hop Party and Biggest Loser Bootcamp in the privacy of my own room. Lastly, and this may seem the most odd, I’m packing my scale and taking it with me! You see, this particular trip will conclude with 3days spent at my grandparent’s house. Oh, I can already taste the homemade bread, toast w/ apple butter and other such wonderful things. I must keep my indulgences in moderation and for me weighing daily keeps me in check so being able to weigh while away will keep me from simply thinking I’m doing well and possibly being shocked by the scale when I return home.

*big sigh* I think that, in preparation, I’ve done all that I can do to ensure this trip is not a stumble on my weight loss journey but instead allows for continued successful weight loss weeks. I’ve been so afraid of what effects this (and the next) trip will have on me but the more I think about it, I realize this may in fact be a more successful than normal week for me exercise wise in that I have no children to get ready for school, to pick up from school, to cook and clean for, take to practice etc. Outside of the actual classes I will be attending ALL of the other time will be MY time. What a concept!?

This may actually mean I have more time to post as well. We shall see. Wish me luck, say a prayer etc. I hope to prove that I’ve been nervous for nothing…..

Week 16 Weigh In ~ SH4SC Wk 3

Chalk this week up to a success! I worked out (once) and kept an eye on my food despite basically being up for 36hrs in a row from Fri a.m. til Sat night - thank you night shift. I was really afraid I had slipped up pretty bad over that time period but when I went back and logged everyting and hadn't actually been "bad". Guess the lack of sleep had me dizzy.

Oh, and since the one time I did workout was on Tuesday I'm counting that as my lastchance workout that Shiela challenged us to - cuz, well, it was more intense than any other workouts that week! :)

I know, I know, I gotta get back in gear.

I lost 1.2lbs this week which for me makes a total of 32lbs even in 16weeks. Ok, so that makes for easy math right? Anyone else become a math genius when it comes to weight loss calculations? I find myself constantly figuring out my average weekly loss, if I loss "x" amount every wk from now til ___ I will be to goal by ____. I'm not normally an obsessive person but I am an impatient one. The most impressive calculation I have this week is that as of today I've lost 1/3 of the weight that I want to lose! That seems impressive...until I realize that means I have 2/3 of the way yet to go....

Ahh, who ever said losing weight was easy? Gaining..now that's easy . . . but not something I wanna allow myself to do anymore.

Oh, and I've finally gotten back to smoothies! I loved these last year. This morning I had one made with frozen peaches, banana (that I froze), orange juice, & fat free vanilla yogurt. It was delicious!! (oh yea, had to add 1/4c 1%milk to thin it some)

I work(out) best under Pressure

I think I have finally figured out the key to my getting my workouts in. It makes no sense to me but I do believe it's true. I get them done when I'm most pressed for time. Kinda like I love a challenge. (who woulda guessed! :)

I do prefer to get them in first thing in the morning and even that is somewhat of a race. I always get up at 6am and if I'm going to get a 45min workout in then I get up brush my teeth, empty the bladder & get dressed. I wake up my son, and wake up my son, and wake up my son...when he's finally awake ~ about 6:15 I can begin my workout. By the time I've started my cooldown he's kissing me goodbye to catch his bus. When I'm done I jump in the shower and after I wake my daughter (about 715am). She leaves at 745 and I typically follow her out the door. Its kinda like a challenge/race to get it in and simply starting the day with a workout starts my day better. I feel better, I eat better etc.

If I don't get it done in the morning I have been known to leave work just early enough to get home and get food in the oven, dinner started etc so I can get my workout in while dinner cooks. I can be done in time to eat and let my kids change to get to the practice of the day. Why does this work for me as opposed to having oh say, all day open, lik eon the weekend, and not getting my workout in as soon as I get up adn while all the others are sleeping or in the afternoon while laundry is washing/drying or in the evening instead of holidng the couch down and surfing the internet or watching shows on my DVR?! I don't know why this is but after the past few weeks and truly opening my eyes to when I workout versus when I put it off I have come to realize I get it done when it seems like a challenge to get it in and done.

I don't know why I would want to add stress to my life or want to feel the tick of the clock but it is what it is. Now how can this realization help me? I guess I can schedule my workouts just like I do all the rest of my life. Meetings, husbands shifts, kids practices and games etc. Maybe that is what I need to challenge myself to do. Schedule this time for myself and get it done!

Anyone else have a similar struggle with workouts?

I also think I have a somewhat skewed opinion of when I've eaten off plan versus when I truly have gone overboard....but we'll save that for another time.

Wk 15 - SHFSC Wk 2 WI - TAKE 2

Ok, I doubt I could re-create my original post exactly but I did try to include all the elements - here is my 2nd attempt:

This week, I sucked. I had a 2 week plan and did well with it the first week. This week, not so much. I didn’t track, I didn’t post other than my WI last week, I even had a hard time supporting my fellow bloggers. I am reading, I promise, I’m trying to keep up but with some of you posting everyday I have a hard time. My apologies. The worst of it is that I did not exercise. Did you hear that? I did not exercise…at all! I intended to post about how I think I finally figured out just why it is I don’t always get my workouts in but I will save that for later in the week.

Now, just because there are so many things I didn’t do lose weight was not one of the didn’t dos. Yesterday I hit an annual low. I got lower on the scale than I had managed to get to last year before I allowed it to creep back up. I was so excited yet scared that today somehow I would have a gain and not be able to do the "official" happy dance. As a side note, who would have guessed that Lucrecia and I would both hit annual lows on the very same day?! It’s almost scary how in synch we have been lately and so long as we’re in synch with weight loss I’m more than fine with that!

So, I am officially down 2.2lbs this week which puts me at a total loss of 30.8lbs so far! Last year I only got to 29.2lbs lost so my main focus for the next couple weeks will be to keep the numbers getting smaller.

Look, I have a new badge on the right of my blog thanks to Fitago – I’ve lost 30lbs!!
As for Shiela’s challenge for this week, I don’t really track measurements when modifying recipes but I will tell you that one of my favorites so far this year has been my version of a Turkey Meatloaf. I have substituted turkey for the ground beef in a lot of things this year but when it comes to meatloaf I just can’t bring myself to do solely turkey so the one I loved the most went something like this: 1 pkg Jennie-O extra lean turkey, ¾ lb extra lean ground beef (I used a 96/4), egg whites in stead of whole eggs, Panko bread crumbs rather than traditional, various seasonings and a bit of ketchup. I shaped it in a loaf and topped it with a little more ketchup. About an hour later I had one of the tastiests meatloafs I’ve had in a very long time. My daughter and mother even commented on how good it was. Maybe I should have tracked the specifics so that I could recreate it. Hmmm

I had challenged myself to try at least one new recipe each month this year and so since I failed at giving a specific recipe this time I will share with you all now what I plan on trying next: Slow Cooker Lasagna. I will try to give a review when I finally get it made.

Here’s to a great week for all of my Sizzling Sistas!

Wk 15 Weigh In ~ SHFSC Wk 2

I'm mad.

I had started a post earlier today, painstakingly added my links, sat here in the Drs office finishing it when I went to highlight the entire post to change my font (you know, one of those incredibly important things...)

MY ENTIRE POST DISAPPEARED!!! What did I do!? Before I could exit out so it wouldnt auto save...guess what?! It auto saved!!! GONE!

I'm too mad at this point to start all over.

I lost 2.2lbs this week. That brings me to an annual low...lower than I got to last year. I was happy about that but now I'm just annoyed.

Wk 14 Weigh In ~ Sizzle Challenge Wk1

Wow, looky there, I couldn't seem to find the strength to post my number before last Wednesday and now despite the fact that I showed only a 0.4lb loss this week I am posting my number. It's still more scary than liberating but it's there. I must admit I hope that the fact that I had a business dinner that caused me to eat much later than usually and only moderately more heavy than normally is what caused only a slight loss to show up this morning. (I had a fabulous ribeye dinner - a salad w/ minimal dressing, asparagus hold the lemon butter sauce and one half of a FANTASTIC yeast roll)

Now for accountability for how I held to my two week plan this first week:

Food:
1. Track every bite I eat - good or bad. - DID IT! :)

2. Limit the high point or "bad" days to one per week. - I did have two high point days but also oddly had two days where I didn't meet my full points. Once by 7 - very strange. I am normally very good about hitting my daily points and despite the two "over" days I stayed well within my weekly points.

3. Try a new recipe within the next 2 weeks. - guess I'm gonna have to do that this next week.


Activity:
1. Get a minimum of 45min of exercise 4-5 days each week. - DID IT! Did 4 days of 45min on My Fitness Coach as well as a re-evaluation (which is a workout of its own) that proved I am making progress!

2. Get a pedometer so I can gauge my day to day activity level and ultimately join a distance challenge. - I have been told one was ordered for me I just haven't seen the friend who has it. Hoping to have a pedometer come Saturday when we have our girls get together.

Blog:
1. Take the time to read blogs of other challenge participants and lift them up both in success and struggles. - I feel like I've done a pretty good job. I hope others agree.

2. Find/make the time to blog at least once a week outside of the weekly weigh in. - does my two week plan count? :) I had intended on posting something else but honestly I can't even remember the subject I had had in mind at this moment.

NSVs for the week - I was able to wear two "new" pairs of pants this week. One is the the smaller of the two that showed they were the same size from awhile back. The other I had purchased in late January along with another identical style but they were two sizes different. I wore the smaller ones just yesterday - maybe they had something to do with my willpower at dinner.

Overall stats:

This week: Lost 0.4lbs

14 wk total: 28.6lbs or 11.2%

Wk 1 Sizzle: 0.4lbs or 0.18%

Sizzlin' Sistas here is to a great Week 2!

I spent the day (over 12hrs) at our company's 18th Annual Golf tournament and so I am so incredibly tired. I will catch up on everyone else's progress tomorrow.