NSV! Where did my clothes go?

I cleaned out my closet today and I realized I don't have much to wear. Its both exciting and sad - exciting to know that I am getting smaller, but sad because I need new clothes! My husband said that once the taxes are done, I can buy a few new things with the tax return money we think we may get, but he needs new tires on his car and we have stuff we want to do around the house, so I don't know if that is going to be feasible?

I have 5 slacks that I can wear to work and 3 jeans. I have 4 work out pants left. One I pulled out of a pile of clothes a friend gave me last year after she started losing weight after she had weight loss surgery. I pulled them out and thought they wouldn't fit my butt just yet, but I tried them on and they fit and I have room! They are XL size Adidas workout pants and they look and feel great. I wore them to the gym today and loved knowing that I was wearing smaller pants. ;-)

So, I went to the gym early this morning around 8 a.m., which is early for me on a Sunday. It wasn't crowded and I was able to do an hour of cardio (40 minutes elliptical and 20 minutes stationary bike). I feel good, but I feel a bit tired now. It could be the jazz my husband is playing right now...very smooth and soothing...yeah, I may need a nap.

Awards and Such

Thanks Rockin' Robin for the blog award. I got it a couple of weeks ago and posted seven things about myself, but I wanted to thank Robin for the award! I love blog love! :-)

Weigh in: 1/30/2010

I cannot believe that it is the end of January.  Time is flying on by!   Today, I really need to clean my house.  After my work out this morning, I ran some errands getting some cleaning supplies.  My mom is coming to town, but more on that in a bit.

So, my leader looks like she is ready to go to the hospital and have her baby, but today she told me she thinks that she will probably make it to her due date.   She said that she is feeling pretty good, so maybe I can meet my goal??  This week….drum roll please….I lost 3.2lbs!  I was shocked.  I thought probably 1.5 or 2 lbs, so  3 is awesome.  So, now I’m 229.2 at Weight Watchers, but 227.8 at home. 

This week, my mom is visiting me.  We pick her up on Wednesday night and she is staying for the week.  I haven’t mentioned it because there is a lot of mixed emotions for me.  I love my mom.  I love spending time with her and I want her to spend time with my daughter.  However, because of her feelings about my weight in the past, our relationship isn’t as close as it could be.  I don’t talk to her about my weight or weight loss.  I didn’t even mention it to her that I lost weight until about 6 months ago.

Now that I’m older, I know that she wanted me to be healthy, but her way of encouraging me gave me an unhealthy view of my body and food.  I wanted to do anything to be the thin daughter she wanted; however, I succeeded in losing weight in an unhealthy manner, but gained it all back.  I continued to yo-yo and balloon my way into adulthood. 

I don’t want my daughter ever experience what I did. I try my best to teach her that food is nourishment and that it is important to eat to live, not live to eat.  She likes to try new foods and eats her veggies.  She is also seeing me be more active, which encourages her to want to try new things.  I want to be a good, healthy mom and a great example for my little girl.   

Brain Drain

It has been a very draining week. I'm tired and my brain hurts from all the information overload I've been getting. I love my job and I'm loving the work I do. I hope that it will eventually turn into something more permanent, but for now I'm going to see where it goes. I got my fingers crossed.

My throat is starting to feel scratchy. My husband has this sinus thing going on and I've been praying that I don't get it, washing my hands, and taking vitamins. Please! I don't want it!!

I have weigh in tomorrow. According to my scale at home, I've lost a couple of pounds. We shall see what the official weigh in says.

Tj's Test Kitchen Giveaway

Tj's Test Kitchen: Tj's Giveaway!

The awesome TJ is giving away a great gift of goods for packing your lunch! I love packing my lunch for work and it has helped me in my weight loss. Go check it out!

Who would have thought?

I love the way my body feels. My collar bones are more pronounced and I'm seeing definition in my arms. I feel dang good. I wish I would have got my ass in gear years ago to get fit and healthy, instead of letting my body go to hell, but that is a discussion for a different post.

My husband wanted to take a picture of me today after my run/jog. I went out and did the 3rd week of the C25K podcast I found online. It's kind of old, but seems pretty good. I don't want to call it a run, because I know my speed is slow (I would say about 5 mph), but I'm doing it and that's all that matters to me right now. It was freezing outside, but I warmed up pretty quickly.

Running/jogging/walking is something that I can do, no matter where I am. I don't have to drive somewhere, I can just run out my front door. I do need new shoes though, which is another thing added to my list of needs or wants.

Up, down, up, down

This is what the scale showed me this week:

Sunday 1/17/10	229
Monday 1/18/10	230.6
Tuesday 1/19/10	230.4
Wednesday 1/20/10	230.6
Thursday 1/21/10	232
Friday 1/22/10	231.8
Saturday 1/23/10	230.8
Sunday 1/24/10	229.2

 

My weight is totally inconsistent.  I see that I bounce all over the place during the week.  When I see that I’m really up one day, I know that the next day I will probably be down. 

By keeping track of my weight everyday these past couple of weeks, it shows me that I shouldn’t freak out when I see an increase on the scale.   I know that eventually I will see a downward trend, although I will continue to bounce around, probably until I reach goal.

Weigh in - 1/23/2010

Well, I'm down .2lbs. I swear I thought I would gain because of TOM, but I actually lost. I hope that after all the hormonal stuff and the water retention, that I will at least see a good drop next week.

My leader looks about ready to pop! Her belly has dropped and she said that she is ready to have the baby, but has 3 weeks to go - maybe. I have been trying to lose those 8 lbs to get to 100lbs lost at Weight Watchers. I don't think I'm going to make it before she has the baby. I'm really disappointed and being hard on myself about it! I know it isn't the end of the world, but it sucks.

Soup time!

As you all have probably seen throughout the blogsphere, Progresso has sent soup to quite a few bloggers. I received my box of soup (15 cans) and have been sampling them with the family.

Last night we tried the Reduced Sodium Chicken Noodle, French Onion, and Light Chicken and Herb Dumpling. I was already a fan of the Traditional Chicken Noodle. The Chicken and Dumpling was good, but the French Onion was kind of disappointing for me. However, the husband liked the French Onion, so that was all his. The kid and I stuck with both the Chicken Noodle and the Chicken and Dumpling. She loved both.

Although the Low Sodium Chicken Noodle was lower in sodium than the other soups, canned soup always has a lot of sodium. I love eating canned soup because it is quick and easy and the family likes it; however, the sodium content is always a downer for me.

Overall the family gives two thumbs up!

Caloric Sweet Spot

This week has been so blah for me. I'm trying to get into that work-life-balance, but it is hard. I'm tired and although I went to the gym twice this week, worked out at home twice, I feel like I should have done more. I know tomorrow is TOM (its like clockwork for me) and my weigh in is going to suck. I feel stuck in a rut! I think part of it is starting the new job. Although I am liking my job, it is hard just getting used to a new way of doing and thinking about things. So, it is weighing (no pun intended) down on me. I want to do a good job and succeed. I'm just really hard on myself.

Calorie wise, I came in every day between 1700-1800 calories, which was always over my daily WW Points of 29. However, I still have 10 Flex Points left and 22 APs. I need to find that caloric sweet spot, you know the one where the body says "Cool, we ain't starving. There's no famine, so lets drop some weight." I know, wishful thinking, but I hope to find it soon.

Amazing Grass!

I received so me great product samples* in the mail from Amazing Grass.  I had the Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein bar in the car today on the way home from work.  I usually try and have a snack around 3 PM, but I didn’t get the chance today and I was starving by 5.  It was really, really good and quite filling.

My husband had tried the Green Energy Bar – Berry on Saturday (no picture) and I took a bite, but I didn’t like it.  He loved it.  He ate the other one the next day. 

The little one had this in her milk:

She said it was “Mmmmmm, good!”  That’s awesome! Any way to get some good, healthy stuff into a picky 4-year-old, is okay with me. :-)

I have yet to try the Amazing Grass Super Food sample or add in the other powders in my smoothies or beverages yet. I don’t drink juice, so I don’t know how it would be mixed in just water?  I will have to give that a try and let you all know how it tastes.

If you get the opportunity, go check out there website and the amazing products they have :-), which are a great way to incorporate more nutrition in your diet, especially when you are eating in a deficit to lose weight.

*Disclaimer:  I received these products from Amazing Grass to try.  They did not request or pay me to blog about their product.

Catching My Breath

Went to the gym tonight and got in 40 minutes cardio and 30-40 minutes of weights and some resistance training (squats, burpees, crunches, and squirms).

I'm very busy with work, trying to learn the new system. I woke up this morning feeling like crap, crap, crap!! However, I made sure to drink lots of water. The gym made me feel so much better.

I'm liking my job and my boss is really great. She has an open door policy and seeks to have input from everyone that works under her. I'm hoping that things continue to be a good situation. Don't want to jinx it! LOL!

Right now, I'm watching The Biggest Loser and trying to catch up on some blog reading. I'm trying to multitask. My head is all over the place tonight. I'm still logging WW Points and calories in SparkPeople. The scale still goes up and down. We shall see what it says on Saturday.

Where did Saturday Go?

The day goes by so fast! I never feel like I get much done. I did go to the gym today, as I made today one of my lifting days. I love the way I feel after working out! I feel energized, but now it is starting to wane. Oh well.

I think my job is going to be good. Everyone is really nice and the work is interesting and different from what I've done in the past. We all went out to lunch on Friday. They were using me as an excuse to eat out. I don't mind. LOL! I usually don't eat out, so it was a treat.

I also wanted to let you know about a really great giveaway going on. I've always wanted a Vita-Mix, but it is out of my budget right now to purchase one. However, Chocolate-Covered Katie is giving one away. Go check it out for your chance to win.

Weigh in 1/16/2010

I’m down this week, –1.2lbs, so I lost the 1.2lbs from last week, back to 232.6.  So, I’m back to where I was two weeks ago.  So really, no progress. 

This week, I weighed myself everyday at home and here is what I got:

Saturday 1/9/10	231.2
Sunday 1/10/10	230.2
Monday 1/11/10	231.8
Tuesday 1/12/10	231
Wednesday 1/13/10	230.4
Thursday 1/14/10	231.2
Friday 1/15/10	230.8
Saturday 1/16/10	230.4

So the scale was all over and the jumps to 231.8 and 231.2 where the morning after lifting weights at the gym.  I know that I will have those spikes, because the muscles need the water to recoup.  Eventually, my body will hate the 230’s and drop down to the 220’s, 210’s, 200’s, etc.  It’s just going to take time.

I will continue to do this for a few weeks, to see how things continue to fluctuate.  I’m putting in the effort, hopefully it will be nice to see some downward progress.

As for my meeting, Weight Watchers was good, even though we had a sub-leader.  Today, we had Sarah and she was really good.  I liked her and I hope that she comes back when my leader is on maternity leave. 

I saw some old/new faces in my meeting today too.  I have been going to my WW meeting for a year and half  and today a couple of members who were there when I first started, but had stopped coming several months ago.  One woman was back and said “You’re still here?”  I said, “Yes, yes I am.”  She said that she had gained back 40lbs of the 75lbs she had lost, during the 10 months she was away.  Her advice to me - “Keep going to meetings.”

And the winner is…

 

Barbara! She won the Progresso Soup Giveaway!

Whoo! Hoo! 

Barbara, please send your address to weightoflife@gmail.com and I will make sure Progresso gets it to you.

You can still enter The Progresso Souper You contest. Please go on over to Progresso and enter to win that trip to NYC.

Body Experiment

I've been weighing in every day this week to get a sense of how my weight fluctuates. OMG! Let me tell you, I am not one of those people who constantly stays the same weight or who goes down everyday. I will update on Saturday, after my "official" weigh-in, but it is ridiculous. I have a bigger jump the next morning after lifting weights at the gym, which I know is water weight, but dang!

It's like my own body experiment. With the counting calories, the scale, the weights, the cardio, and the Points tracking, I'll get it figured out eventually.

Beautiful Blogger

I love Blog Awards. It is wonderful to know people are reading my blog and enjoying what I'm saying. ;-) I received this award from Beckie at Confessions of a "Pleasingly Plump" Single Mommie. Thank you so much for the award Beckie!

Because I have received this wonderful award, I am now passing it on to seven other Beautiful Bloggers and I'm listing seven facts about myself that you don't already know or maybe you do, but I'm listing them anyway ;-). The seven bloggers then have to repeat the cycle with their own lists, nominations, etc. So, the nominations are:

TJ's Test Kitchen

Eye of the 'Drea

The Tippy Toe Diet

Hollie's Weight Loss Blog

Fabulous @ 50

Operation Size 8

*FITCETRA*

The seven facts about me:

• I broke my arm playing Wonder Woman when I was 5-years-old. Still, to this day, she is my hero!
• I was a vegetarian in college and graduate school, but then I met my husband and have been a carnivore since. I still flirt with vegetarianism, but haven't decided to recommit.
• I love, love to read. I read lots of stuff, but mostly "Chick Lit," romance (yes, I admit it), paranormal/sci-fi, and diet/health books. I love weight-loss success books. Their journeys may not be similar to mine, but I still find them inspirational.
• I used to hate to cook. I mean, I loathed it with a passion. Now, it is growing on me and I find that I love it and have purchased a lot of cookbooks over the past 2 years (this also relates to the above).
• I took years and years of French in high school and college. It was a waste, because I can't speak, read or write it. Pitiful!
• I cannot sing, at all. I sing in the shower, but everyone should be thankful that is the only place I sing.
• I love coffee. Since I live in the "Land of Starbucks," we have coffee shops all over. I love smaller coffee houses because they seem to serve better coffee than the huge chains. I used to love to go to coffee shops to drink good coffee and read. I really don't have time for that anymore, but I sometimes wish I did.

A Soupy Give Away

Do you love soup? I know I do. Well, you have a chance to win some. I recently was contacted by Progresso about the Progresso Souper You contest they have going on where you can win a trip to NYC! I love NYC!! It is an exciting opportunity, but of course with any contest, there are things you have to do. To enter, you’ll need to do the following:

• Go to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to learn more and enter the contest.
• Submit your essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love Progresso Light or 100 Calorie Soups and why you would like a makeover.
• In addition, please submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay.

Once you enter, you'll have the chance for your photo and/or an excerpt from your essary to appear on the Progresso Souper You site. Once the 10 finalist are announced, you can visit the site from March 29th through April 12th to vote for your favorite.

The contest goes from January 4th through March 15th. Three grand prize winner will be awarded:

• Two-round trip airfare tickets to NYC
• Two-night stay in a NYC hotel
• A full makeover
• $1000 wardrobe shopping spree
• A personal consultation at a NYC department store

I'm going over to enter right now. I sure can use a makeover, especially when my pants are bagging and I'm looking kind of frumpy. ;-)

Okay, to the giveaway part. If you would like to win the items pictured above, which includes soup (gotta love it), the mug and jump rope, please leave me a comment about your favorite soup. I will randomly pick a name Friday evening.

**********

DISCLOSURE: Progresso contacted me and asked if I’d be willing to spread the message about the contest. They sent me some soup samples, a Progresso soup bowl, and jump rope. The giveaway is also provided by Progresso.

Whip It

I felt whipped, but I went to the gym anyway. I feel better and I hope to at least get a good nights sleep. My last day at my old job is tomorrow and I start my new on on Friday. I'm excited about it, but wish I had a day to decompress. However, I'm grateful for work right now so I'm not going to complain.

I'm keeping track of both my WW Points and calories. SparkPeople is helpful, as most of the foods are either in the system or I can just input the nutritional value. It is time consuming doing both, but it is informative and I'm learning more about how many calories I'm consuming, but also how much sodium, fat, and carbs I'm eating in a day.

Today, I ate 1810 calories, which came out to 34 Weight Watchers points (5 over my daily of 29). My caloric intake was less than my BMR 1828 (thanks Cammy for giving me the links), which I've read several places isn't good. After doing the calculations from the links Cammy provided here and here, I should total 2058 - 2125 per day in calories depending on activity (i.e. having more if I'm more active) and this includes a 500 calorie deficit. It is crazy to think how many calories I had to be consuming to put on 200 lbs of excess weight. It's mind boggling, but sad. It was like all I did was eat. I was definitely living to eat.

I'm going to keep tracking both Points and calories for the next few weeks and see what happens on the scale. Cammy suggested upping my calories 100 to 200 calories a day. I think eating less and less helped me at the beginning of my weight loss journey, but now my body is paying me back.

Also, I'm reading - slowly because I'm having trouble finding time - The New Rules of Lifting For Women. I got it as a Christmas gift, because I mentioned to my family my interest in adding weights in my activity. I will do a book review once I'm done. I hope soon, because I think it may have some good tips.

Points vs. Calories

I decided this week that I would count calories using SparkPeople, as well as log everything into my Weight Watchers online tracker.  Its double the effort, but I’m curious as to how it all adds up – points vs. calories.

I listen to the podcast Fat2Fit Radio and on the website, there is this really nifty BMR calculator.  Russ & Jeff, the two guys who host the podcast, believe that you should eat “like the thin, healthy person that you want to become.”  So, I put in my information (age, weight, height) and goal weight of 170lbs.   To become that 170lb person, I should eat like that 170lb person.  So here it is

Activity Level	Daily Calories
Sedentary (little to no exercise, desk job)	1865
Lightly Active  (1-3 days per week)	2137
Moderately Active (3-5 days per week)	2409
Very Active (hard exercise/6-7 days per week)	2681
Extremely Active (hard exercise/physical job)	2953

 

Although I do have a desk job (sedentary), I work out 3-5 days a week or sometimes more (between active and moderately active, I guess).  I think that 2000 calories a day would work for me, but I’m not sure.  I want to make sure I eat enough, but not too much…that brings me to my WW points.

 

I get 29 WW points per day.  Although, I get 35 Flex Points per week, I noticed that if I’m not active during the week, I don’t like to use them. 

 

According to SparkPeople, I’ve had 1,503 calories today.  However, according to Weight Watchers, I’m at 30 Points.  So, could it be that I’m not eating enough? Could this be the reason for my slow progress??  I still have problems trying to wrap my head around it.  How can I not be eating enough to lose weight?  Isn’t the point to eat less? 

 

Eat less = weight loss, although I’ve read and have been told that I have to eat to lose weight.  Its my issue and I’m trying to deal with it.  The fat girl in my head is having issues.

 

Off to get my water in….

Things So Far

• Put away the rest of the Christmas decoration. I know, I know it is January 9th and it should be in storage in our garage, but I've been dragging my feet on it. I have to do it tomorrow because it is starting to bug me.
• Go to the gym.
• Make sure I have everything for lunches this week.
• Make a grocery list.
• Make a new work out playlist.

I went to the gym today and did 40 minutes on the elliptical and 40 minute of weights (combo of machines and free weights).    I was going to wear some work out pants I had bought back in September, but realized they wouldn’t stay up.  I could just imagine losing my pants on the elliptical, so I put them in the bag to donate. I then came home and made a yummy chicken sandwich with some leftover beer can chicken. 

I took some steak out this morning for dinner and roasted some chickpeas for snacking at work this week.  It’s been pretty productive, but I still need to put away the Christmas stuff, but realized I need to get a couple of plastic totes for storage. Target has a sale, so I will drop by there tomorrow or Tuesday.

I have four more days at my current job.  They want me to put in a extra hour each day, which is fine.  I don’t mind a little extra cash.  I start my new position on Friday!  Yeah!!  I’m so looking forward to it. 

I went to Teavana a few weeks ago and bought some loose tea. My favorite is Earl Grey, but I love the MateVana Herbal Tea.  I do like my tea and I’m trying to learn to love it unsweetened, so no honey, agave or Splenda.  Its slowly growing on me.

Productivity

Progress today:

• Washed my car! It was so dang dirty someone wrote "Wash me" on it. Yeah, not cute.
• Raked leaves and cleaned out some dead plants from my pots out in front of my house and in the planter beds.
• I did a 45 minute walk/jog on the treadmill. I burn the same amount of calories, in about the same amount of time as I do on the elliptical. Interesting.
• Dinner was the yummy Beer Can Chicken that I got from Roni's site. So dang good! Along, with broccoli and brown rice. Wasn't too hungry, because I had 100 calorie popcorn between lunch and dinner. Took my hubby's last bottle beer, bur he'll survive. I poured it from the bottle into a soda can. It works great.
• Did a nice swiss ball stretch I found on Eye of the 'Drea.

Tomorrow's Agenda:

• Put away the rest of the Christmas decoration. I know, I know it is January 9th and it should be in storage in our garage, but I've been dragging my feet on it. I have to do it tomorrow because it is starting to bug me.
• Go to the gym.
• Make sure I have everything for lunches this week.
• Make a grocery list.
• Make a new work out playlist.

I feel I had a pretty productive day and hopefully tomorrow too!

I know you all are probably getting tired of hearing about my non-progress in my weight loss, but its real. Some people have no problem losing weight and they continue to drop the pounds consistently until they reach goal. They never experience a plateau or see a gain on the scale. Others, like me, struggle. I've been in "weight loss mode" for almost two-years. April 1st is the two year anniversary of my weight loss journey. If it takes me another two years or more to reach my goal of 170lbs, so be it. This is life. I don't have a timeline.

Weigh in - 1/9/2010

Up 1.2lbs! So frustrating, but it makes me even more determined. I'm pissed and determined, two deadly combinations. Fat, you better watch out because I'm coming for you!!

Interesting Gym Moment

I went to the gym today. Its a chain gym and I have had my membership since 2001, as a gift from my then boyfriend - now hubby, although I never went consistently until now. I've always avoid the weight room, but recently said screw it, I'm going in there and have been "pumping iron" ever since. ;-)

Anyway, this older gentlemen is always there on Fridays working out. Today, he decided to make a comment, as I was curling 25lb weights. He said, "You shouldn't lift so heavy. You are going to get big arms." I was shocked at first, because usually when I'm in there, the guys look but don't say anything to me. I responded, "Thanks for the advice, but I'll take my chances." He shrugged his shoulders and walked away and I continued with my set.

So, twenty-five freaking pounds is going to turn me into Arnold?? Really?? I lift my kid and she is 45 lbs!!! WTH?? It reminds me of that Oprah show last year when Tracy Anderson was on and she said that women shouldn't lift more than 3lbs. I cracked up at that, because I thought she was joking, but realized she was being serious. I lift my kid, groceries, my fat cat, and my purse sometimes weighs more than 3lbs!

The women and lifting myths continue to get perpetuated in our society. I read about them, but never had first hand experience until today. And to the old guy at the gym, please keep your advice to yourself.

80-10-10

This is my last Friday at home, so I better make the most of it. I am dressed and ready for the gym, just need to sync my IPod. I got my bag, towel and magazine together. I'm ready to sweat!

I saw all the comments from my last post that I'm not the only one who has issues with the scale. LOL!! I had taken a break from the scale a few months ago, but last month I started weighing myself at home again every-other-day. I felt it was a check and balance, but really it doesn't define who I am or the progress I've made in my weight loss.

As I've read and heard, weight loss is 80/10/10 - 80% nutrition, 10% exercise, and 10% genetics. The 10% genetics part is something that I cannot do anything about, but the other 90% I can. I exercise and try and eat healthy balanced meals. I feel like sh*t when I eat like sh*t. I feel like sh*t when I don't get any regular exercise. I feel lethargic and exhausted if I go a couple of days with no activity. I hate feeling that way and try to avoid it by any means necessary.

So, my goal is to keep exercising and eating healthy because it makes me feel good. Okay, off I go! I'll check in later.

Come on Body!

Come on body! Get with the freaking program! I feed you good, healthy food. I work you out. We started weight and resistance training and I thought you were coming around. All I ask is for a little movement on the scale. It isn't too much to ask.

Squat Love

I didn't work out yesterday after work. I woke up with a headache and I still have it a little bit, but I took some medicine so I hope it helps.

The agency that I'm working my current position with got a bit upset with me for wanting to leave, no matter that the contract is "at-will" and who wouldn't want to make more money and get more hours, especially during these hard times? I asked her that, and she didn't have a retort...so, I'll be happy to go. I like my assignment, but they are getting great skills at hardly any money and it is fine and dandy for them, but sucks for me.

So, after work yesterday I had to go fill out a stack of paper work with my new agency. I have the option of getting benefits, which I don't have now. After that, I just came home and crashed, but I did watch The Biggest Loser. I can't help myself! I think that it may be an interesting season.

Today after work, I have to go take a drug test for my new job. Gotta love peeing in a cup! LOL! Afterwards, I plan to get to the gym, at least to get in some cardio and squats. I love squats!! They are one of my favorite exercises. Along, with walking lunges. LOL! I wouldn't have ever said that 100+ lbs ago!

Okay, I have to get to work! Bye for now!

PB2 is Dang Good!!!

I finally bought PB2 today! I love, love me some peanut butter (all nut butters actually). I found a place in Seattle that sold it and decided to give it a try. I think I'm going to have to order a case! LOL!!! I noticed on the Bell Plantation web site they are out of the chocolate flavor (I also love, love me some chocolate). Well, I can wait until they have some available....I hope this jar last!! ;-)

New Look!

I decided to change my blog template today. Since it is a new year, might as well start my blog off "new". I had the old template for over a year, so I wanted a change.

Slowly But Surely

I lost .8 lbs today. Hey, I'll take it. I was down a bit more the beginning of the week, but the alcohol from New Year's Eve did that in, but its okay. I know that I will reach my goal, eventually.

I told my leader today that I wanted to get to my 100 lbs lost at WW's before she has her baby February 20th! So, she asked me how things were going and if there was anything that she could do, advice, etc? I've been doing good actually. I've been exercising, eating pretty healthy about 90% of the time. My treats are low calorie and I stopped drinking Diet Coke (or diet soda of any kind) about a month ago. I'm still weight training and working my tail off (literally) in the gym. I average about 25 APs per week, so I'm doing good in the exercise department.

The thing that I'm finding hard dealing with is finding the balance between my exercise and my food intake. WW's focus really isn't on activity, although they do encourage it. The question that I'm trying to figure out is if I'm eating too much or not enough for my activity? If I was calorie counting, I think that it would be easier to tell? I'm not sure though. I've done my BMR calculation and it kind of works it self out to be the same as WW's points. So, I'm in a battle with my body, but every little ounce lost is a victory!

Okay - to the gym!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve. I over indulged a bit last night (too much champagne and wine), but today I'm back on track. Sometimes it is good to let loose a bit, but not get crazy!! I haven't had a cheat day in awhile, so it was nice to have something I don't normally have. However, I didn't drink enough water yesterday and woke up this morning feeling bloated with a headache! Ugh! Alcohol will do that to you.

I dragged my tired and dehydrated behind out of bed this morning and went to the gym. Lets just say it was busier than normal. I have a feeling that for the next month or so it will be, especially in the evening after work. I don't make resolutions anymore, especially when it comes to losing weight. I just do it! I was just so tired of being overweight and out of shape, so I got it in my head that I wasn't going to live that way anymore, and no I didn't start on January 1st.

January 1st isn't a magical date to start losing weight or living a healthier life. You can start any day of the year. So go out there and live it up!