Happy Hour & Other Musings...

I have worked out three times this week and here is some evidence of two of those days:

Monday night, I did 30 minutes of good cardio with a 20 minute walk afterwards.

 Above and below is the calorie count from my cardio session.

Boy, was I sweaty!

These next photos are from Wednesday night.  Another sweat, but not as intense as Monday.

It felt good working out and I really miss the intensity.  I totally needed to do it!  However, I feel that all my hard work this week with my eating and exercising was destroyed tonight at happy hour with co-workers. Who can pass up happy hour at Ruth Chris Steak House??   I had two Lemon Drop Martinis which were so, so dang good!  I think I will pay for it on the scale Saturday!  I feel it in my ankles right now...Oy!  Their "Prime Menu" is so cheap and good.  Now, I am really mellow and need to go to bed. ;0)

Weekends & Not Enough Time

I have such grand plans for the weekends on Monday.  Although, when Saturday hits, sometimes they don't happen.  I worked out at the gym, so right now that's all that matters to me!

My Sunday: I went to the gym today, shopped at Trader Joe's (I just woofed down the container of Egg White Salad Ranchero Style for 2.5 points w/ Guiltless Gourmet Tortillas), and now I am working on dinner for the family.  It's "Indian night", with curried chicken with vegetables and quinoa.

Again, on the weight-loss front..No weight lost this week...Just maintenance...Again. So, yeah I'm kind of sick of not seeing the scale move.  Since I started tracking my weight everyday a few months ago, I see the fluctuations, and although I'm losing, its not significant.  At least, I don't feel it and I'm not seeing it.  I really need to change my actions, just kick my ass into gear.

Although I continue to eat healthy, my exercise has taken a nose dive.  I'm changing that this week.  If I don't do anything else, I will work out.  I want to get to the gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Tuesday and Thursday will be either a walk outside or on my treadmill. The only way to get the scale to move again is to exercise, and continue to eat healthy, drink water and track.  I feel that putting my goals out there gives me incentive to actually do them.

I also have a book I got through Barnes & Noble for sweet price.  Its Jackie Warner's book "This Is Why You're Fat."  I loved Workout when it was on Bravo and I started watching Thintervention.  Jackie is pretty cool and I really think she cares about her clients.  I wanted to read the book, but was hesitant in buying another diet book.  However, I had heard great reviews and since I had a coupon for 40% off at Barnes & Noble, I ordered online and got free member shipping. Awesome!  I haven't read it yet, but look out for a review in the future. ;-)

Slow & Steady Wins

I have to remind myself that my weight loss journey is not a race. These changes that I’m making are for the rest of my life. Food and I have a love hate relationship, and this weight loss journey is therapy. I have been attending Weight Watchers meetings for 2 years and since then I’ve watched people come and go, then come back again. For me, I know I’ll need support. Either it is Weight Watchers meeting, group/on-on-one therapy, OA meetings, or something, but I’ll need support from outside myself. Blogging has also been a great way of getting support, but I still will want that face-to-face interaction with people who know and understand. I need the accountability.

I can only go so far on the wonderful comments I get from people, but I have my “eyes on the prize” which is reaching my goal weight. However, once there, what will I do to keep myself there and continue the healthy lifestyle? A lot of my goals are activity related (i.e. half marathon, marathon, etc.), but other things have come out of this (smaller clothing size, health improvements, not breaking lawn chairs…there is an embarrassing story there).

This week, again was maintaining. I’m ok with that actually. My leader actually asked me how I felt about it and I said I was actually fine. It has been over a month since I’ve had a big loss. I’m not gaining, I’m eating healthy, but I know I have to get back in the weight loss mode. My exercise has totally gone down hill lately. I got busy with work, as well as the hubby and I’ve lost my spunk. Even the thought of gym-eye-candy hasn’t motivated me to go. I miss the sweat and I know the lack of exercise has increased the stress I’m feeling. That needs to change. I just got to move my ass.

So, today I went out and bought some work out pants at Old Navy. I have a NSV...I took a XXL and XL size of yoga pants (there is a buy-one-get-one sale going on now) into the changing room. Both were too big. I was like what?? Then I got a size L and they fit. Whoa! I was excited. I got 4 pants for the price of 2 and in a size L! Wow!!

So, slow it is. It may not be too steady, but it’s going.

Playing Catch Up

I cannot believe that I didn't blog this weekend.  It is basically the only time I really have to sit down and put it all down.  Weight = Same.   Nothing new with that.  I'm good at maintenance, now I just need to start losing again. This is a weight loss blog after all.  ;-)

Work is busy.  I moved offices, closer to home so I don't have to travel into Seattle everyday.  It's a sweet commute, but I'm still really busy.  I had to move myself on Monday, packed up my desk and went to the new office, set up and I've been playing catch up all week.

As for the exercise front of things, I need it, but I haven't been to the gym since Sunday or done any kind of exercise.  Tonight is treadmill night because the hubby is working late.  I need to walk/run because it will really help with the stress.  It always does. I really need to get the work out gloves too.  My hands really took the brunt of the weights I lifted this weekend.  I think I'll do that now.

This week is draining and I think that it has something to do with the real downer on the weather front.  Also, with other issues (i.e. hormones), I'm ravenous!  It's crazy.  I'm trying to keep it in check because it happens every time, every month, like clockwork.

Work has been stressful and it keeps coming. I'm exhausted.  I need a vacay!  An exciting thing this week is I got to have lunch with some ex-coworkers...now good friends.  I miss them bunches and they all said that I looked so skinny.  ;-)  I really miss them and they want me to come back and work at the company.  They are keeping me in the loop for any job prospects.  I really hope something happens, either where I am or my previous company.

Also, some good news about my current job is that I get to work at an office closer to my house.  It cuts my commute down a lot (from 1 hour to 15 minutes) and the gas savings will be so great.

I need to get some weight lifting gloves.  The bars are killing my hands.  I'm thinking about these:

They look really cool and I like the pink ribbon.  Does anyone have these? 

Cool Foundation Matrix -- Sharing!

I came across this Foundation Matrix at Temptalia.  Now that my family and I are on a tight budget (as well as many people out there), I cannot buy the M.A.C cosmetics, I've come to love, as often as needed. The big problem for me is foundation. It is so hard to find a shade of foundation in a drugstore that will work for my skin complexion (either its too light and ashy, or too dark and cakey).

The foundation matrix helps to take the guess work out of picking out foundation colors.  Also, it has been recommended for us darker toned ladies, to pick out a couple close shades and blend them together.  In that case, I go for those buy one, get one or buy one get on 1/2 off sales.  Blending my own has worked and still cost less than a bottle of M.A.C foundation.

The more weight I've lost, the more I want to look and feel good.  Even on a budget, I buy items on clearance or look for sales.  I have a "new body" and a "new face" and  I want to dress them up when I can.  Now, I have to get brave try some fake lashes I see on Pixiwoo. I haven't gotten up the nerve, but I will. ;-)

Happy Labor Day!

I have had an exciting morning.  I couldn't find my cell phone this morning and went out on an adventure retracing my steps from yesterday.  I looked high and low, went to the grocery store, the Starbucks where I got my husband his mocha, before heading home.  I suspended the service on my phone.  I started freaking out, thinking about how purchasing new cell phone was not in our budget.

Well, I found it on my desk, underneath a blanket my husband put there last night.  I don't remember putting it on my desk.  I remember putting it in my purse yesterday.  I swear we have gremlins in our house.  Keys, socks, dustpans are all MIA.  I think the gremlins enjoy watching us run around, trying to find things they have hidden or misplaced.  It's probably just my "momma brain" that has me putting items in places I cannot remember.  It sucks.

So, today is gray and cloudy her in the PNW.  I am trying to get the family out to take a walk or something adventurous.  I will go to the gym too, later. I have the day off, so I want to make the best of it.

Don't Should All Over Yourself

That was the topic of our Weight Watchers meeting.  We always talk about how we "should do this" or we "should do that" but never, ever do it.  I used to, before losing the weight, I "should eat better" or I "should exercise," but never got my ass into gear.  "Should" never motivated me.  "Should" gave me a way out.  It effected my brain, I think giving me wiggle room to not do whatever I "should" be doing.

Today, it is all about "needing" and "wanting".  My husband stated today that he said I now focus more on me, my wants and needs, more than I ever had before.  I think it is a good thing too.  I used to be so selfless, putting the needs of my family (i.e being a mom) before me.  It was not a good situation for me or my family.  After giving birth a little over 5-years ago, I packed on 70 lbs (I was already over 300 lbs at the time), because I was struggling.  It  was great having the little peanut in the world, after 9-months of incubation, but afterwords it felt like my life was up in the air...blended with postpartum depression, food was my drug of choice.  It was not pretty.  However, I can sit and say the things that I "should have" done or what I "should do now," let me tell you that s&%t doesn't work.  I have to be a doer, a wanter and a needer for me.

So, this week, I lost what I gained last week, a 4lb loss total (2lbs net).  I'll take it.  Gosh, my weight loss is so freaking slow.  My leader and I had a talk before the meeting.  She knows that I have been hovering, not really losing, but not gaining either which is a plus.  I still have my mojo.  I'm still doing my thing. I need to continue going to meetings, tracking and exercising.  Not only for the benefit of weight loss, but all those things make me feel better physically and mentally.  I saw another woman today at WW who used to go to meetings and stopped several months ago.  She gained while away and said that she was happy to see I've stuck with it.  I am happy too.