Off the Wagon.....but just for the Holiday's

so....after my last post, I happened to run into M (the new possible, now probably, partner). I asked him what he had been saying to my Dad, and he happily told me that he needed to conspire with my Dad to get me to be his partner. I asked if he was mental, because he was the one that came in 2nd last time, and I had come in 22nd, and I should be the one working to get him as a partner, not the other way around. So basically it was settled that we would team up. So I happily told him that I had been doing pretty good and had worked out every morning for the past couple weeks. And he told me to, and I quote, "Cut it out!" See heading into the competition we don't want to loose all the weight ahead of time, because that's weight that won't count when the contest starts. And I agree with him, and I'm all about any excuse, but I also still need to fit into my new suit pants!!

I enjoyed myself for Christmas. Made cookies for all my family and friends. Made a huge dinner for my hubby's family on Christmas eve. (And I mean HUGE!!!! For Appetizers: A shrimp ring, Chili Cheese Dip w/tortilla chips, Cheese, sausage & Crackers, Veggies & Ranch, Deviled Eggs, Relish tray, and Spinach & Artichoke dip w/ mini pitas. Then for Dinner: Honey Baked Ham, Turkey, Mashed potatoes & Gravy, Stuffing, Cauliflower w/Cheese, Cheesy potato casserole, Candied Yams, Maple Glazed Carrots, and rolls. then for Dessert: Pumpkin Roll, a few kinds of cookies, candy, and my sister-in-laws brought 3 different kinds of pies. And I also made Punch) And since there were 7 people there, there were tons of leftovers!!! And we had a big dinner the next day at my mom's house. And the next day I was sick of home cooked food so we went out for Pizza.

I only worked out yesterday with my trainer, and I'm not working out anymore this week. I'm eating a salad, with leftover turkey, for lunch today. And I'm making a pretty healthy dinner tonight, Chicken, rice, & green beans. But I have been munching on leftover desserts every night before bed. Tonight will be the last of the pumpkin roll...yum! And we are going to my sister's house tomorrow for New Years Eve and there will be a ton of food!

But after that I am totally back on the wagon. Not so much as a New Year's Resolution, more because I need to fit into my pants in less than 3 weeks!

Doing Good, Feeling Good!

So, I worked out again this morning, so I am happily back into my 'cardio every morning' routine. I'm not as tired as I was a few weeks ago either. Saturday I went to my company Christmas party, they rented out the Detroit Institute of Arts, very snazzy!! Then Yesterday I went to the casino with my mom in the morning, did some shopping on the way home, then baked all afternoon and into the evening. Yes, I licked some spoons, and sampled some wares, but not too much. I made a little roast and some mashed potatoes for dinner, and I weighed in this morning.....232!! So still slowly going down, even after a day of baking!!

I have more baking to do tonight, and then I need to box up the goodies to hand out for Christmas! I love to bake, and this is the best time to get it all out of my system, then hand out all the hard work so I'm not tempted to eat it!

Quickly, back to the Christmas party. I sat at a table with my hubby (of course :) ), my parents (my dad works with me, remember), my sister and her boyfriend (who works there too, bf not sister), and another guy random guy from work that ended up at our table. So the other guy was asking how I had done in the weight loss competition, and I said not so hot, because I had gotten sick and fell off the wagon, yada yada. And he asked if I was going to do the next one, and I said I was thinking about it. And my Dad chimed in, "Yeah, you are going to be partners with M, right?" and I was shocked, like "How do you know that!!" and dad just said he 'knows things.' So...obviously....M must have told him. Because I didn't say a work to anyone...except here...but no one reads this.....except that I did send a link to my trainer.....whatever....most likely M told my dad. So that is good news, because that means he was serious about what he said, and that gets me kinda excited about this whole thing!

Also, I had to buy a suit for a business trip coming up in a few weeks, I have to go to Vagas for a week. So I bought all new clothes before I started here, a year and a half ago. And my pants were size 20. And I was so sad at the time that I had allowed myself to balloon up not just to double digit sizes, but then to sizes that started with a '2'!!! So...I know my old work pants are really loose now, but I haven't bought anything new. So I was trying on suits, and I fit easily into the 18....and the one that I really liked and wanted, they only had the pants in a 16. So I thought, why not, and I tried them on....and they fit!! Not great, they are definitely tight in the leg and making a muffin top, but I got them up an buttoned without a struggle, so that was good enough for me. (I got the jacket in an 18, just because it was more comfortable.) So I'm going to try to drop at least 10 pounds before my trip, then my suit should be really perfect!

That's the goal 10 pounds before Jan 18th! Starting weight, 232! Count down starts .....Now!

Another Challenge....A New Partner??

First off, I weighed in before my workout yesterday, 234...down one pound from the day before, Great start to my new (again) dedication. Then yesterday was our department Christmas pot luck, so I ate a ton for lunch, including appetizers, 2 plates of food, and dessert....and then snacked on some leftovers in the afternoon. So I weighed in this morning before my workout, pretty much expecting to have gained, and I was just a shade under the 234 from yesterday, lets call it 233 & 3/4....what a great surprise.

So, at the end of the last weight loss challenge, when I had given up and was blaming everything on my thyroid and sickness, B told me that they are already starting to plan the next challenge. This time they want to do partners, to which I told him, "No way! I'm not going to drag a partner down with me."

Fast forward to today. I had to go to production to talk to a few workers about processes. One of the workers happened to be M, who came in in 2nd place in the last challenge. He lost something amazing like 82 pounds. He started out around the hubby's size and just worked really hard. I saw him in the gym a few times, especially when I was doing the lunch time workouts and occasionally after work too. He was always in a good mood and motivational. So today we discussed the work related issues, and I congratulated him on his 2nd place win. He noted how I had been so strong in the beginning and then he didn't see me in the gym anymore. Apparently he had asked B about me and was told I was sick. So I told him the rest of the story, that I was sick, and my whole family was sick, and I got run down, in part because of my thyroid, and I was giving in to the pizza and Chinese, and then got discouraged. He told me how his wife was super supportive and he couldn't have done it without her, and how he understands how people like us, "big people", have food issues and it is so easy to go back down the 'bad food choice' road. He also has a family with small kids (I'm not sure how many or ages) and that it is hard to go workout and eat right and be with your family.

I told him about my new theory, where the less I worked out the worse my energy level was, and how I'm working out everyday again, and even though it has only been 3 days I'm already feeling better. He totally agreed and gave me some other energy tips. Ever hear of Royal Jelly??

Then he brought up the impending competition. I told him the same thing about not wanting to drag a partner down. And he said, we dont know how people will be pared up yet, but if we get to pick partners, then he wants to be my partner. Even though he watched me crash and burn last time, how I kinda gave up at the end, he wants to help me. He said he could "see how bad I want it." And how hard I tried, and that if I started to get discouraged a little he would kick me back into it. And I think he would. And I think I could trust him to not have any ulterior motives, he just made a big change in his life and wants to help me do the same thing.

So...I was reading Glamour Magazine....

I have brought in articles from Glamour magazine to my trainer before. He just laughs them off. and I should know better than to take the advice from a magazine over my licenced/ professional trainer (did I ever tell you that his son is a professional body builder??? The man knows what he is talking about).

So lately I haven't been feeling good. So I have been working out less. and I have been exhausted when I get home from work, and don't feel like cooking, so I give in to pizza and take out and whatever!

And then I put weight back on. So I feel discouraged, "I'm never going to lose weight, any I lose I'll just put back on!" Si I give in to all my cravings, cookies, pizza rolls, TACO BELL!!!!

And I feel even worse. So I started blaming it on my medication. Maybe I need a higher dose, yeah, that's why I'm tired and want snacks!

Then I was reading, and I remember reading this many times before, but diet and exercise have a big impact on your mood and energy level! So I started thinking....Sure, I was sick and run-down.....but then I didn't 'jump back onto the horse'! I kinda strolled along the coral fence and peeked over.....So today I'm going for a ride! I came in and worked out....325 calories, not a ton, but way more than I've done in the past month or so, and I'm having good'ole salad w/tuna for lunch....have some yogurt for this afternoon and a dinner thawing in the fridge for tonight.

I'll see how long I can keep this up again, but....if my theory is right....for every day I exercise and eat better, I should get more energy!

(And as far as weight, I weighed myself this morning, 235, almost what I started the weight loss challenge at, but I'm not going to be discouraged by it, it's just a number, and by the end of this week, that number should be just a little bit smaller!)

Sickness strikes again!

Not me this time, luckily.....but my poor little son. He's only two, so he can't say "My tummy doesn't feel so well, I think I'm going to be sick"...and then run for the toilet, like I would. Instead it's more like a little whinny "Ohh oh, ohh no!" and then projectile vomit, all over me. twice. at 2:00am. needless to say that none of my family got sleep that night. And I was tired the next morning and skipped my workout, actually didn't go to work at all in an effort to keep any and all germs in my house. and then I was late to my workout today, still tired. So no warm-up cardio. And then he had us to leg presses, and I broke two toes! I just assume they are broken, then swelled some, and hurt like hell, and they won't bend. So I was on the leg press machine, and I was curling my foot up so as to not put pressure on the toes. The trainer always say for these excersises to push through your heel. So you are not really supposed to put pressure on your toes anyway. I do, I know I do, I try not to, but I do. So maybe breaking some toes will help me do better leg presses! but I can't let the trainer know, he might want to break toes on my other foot too!!!
I know I need to come in and do cardio tomorrow, but I'll tell you right now it is not going to happen. I need rest. I really do. I have been going to bed early, and I still can't get up in the morning. The hubby is getting super annoyed with my snooze button. I can't wait till I go to the endocrinologist in a few weeks!

The competition is over!

Yep! all done, the weigh in was today. I didn't even know when the weigh in (or weigh out as I've heard others call it) was supposed to be. Then I met the hubby at the Chinese buffet for lunch yesterday, and when I got back to my office, I had an e-mail that the numbers were due before noon today! Of course!
So I weighed in..... 231.5, so that is down a grand total of 6 pounds, 2.5%. Better than nothing, way better than gaining, but I know that i was down 15 pounds a couple weeks ago, then all the sickness, and tiredness, and Thanksgiving! And I totally admit that I was eating badly. If I had been doing my minimum workouts, but eating better I think I would have done so so much better.
I'm going to the doctor on Monday, the Gyn, and I'm going to ask about getting off the BC pills, I think I'm going to try an IUD instead. So maybe that will help, they usually say that BC pills make you hold onto some weight. Also, I go to the endocrinologist in another month, and I'm hoping she ups the dose of my thyroid meds. I think that will help with my energy and my coldness, it will all depend on my blood work.

I don't know what is wrong with me!

I feel like crap! Not sick....no runny nose or sore throat or any of that....just tired, and achy. I didn't want to get up yesterday, but I didn't know why. I had went to the Red Wings game the night before, but we were up 4 to 1 in the 3rd period, so we left early, avoided the traffic, and I was dropping my friend off a little after 10pm. So I wasn't out too late? But it was a Tuesday, and since I didn't have a good excuse to tell my trainer, I sucked it up and went. Straight off he knew something wasn't right, he told me good job showing up, but to take it easy, stop if I felt bad, you know the drill. I was able to keep up with D and K for most of the workout, but I wasn't too much fun, no joking or singing along with the radio, or dancing in between reps, my normal nuttyness, I just didn't feel like it.

I met the hubby at subway for lunch, I just wanted to get out of my office. Made it through the rest of the day and went home. I ate the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner and was in bed around 9:30. I didn't even go out and kiss the hubby goodnight, which is highly abnormal for me. I didn't even realize it until he came in and asked why I was falling asleep already! I was watching TV, then I was suddenly really cold, so I got under the covers and just started to nod out. (That's another thing, I have been cold alot again. I was doing so much better on my medicine, so I am chalking the coldness up to the fact that it is December, but my medicine might have something to do with it???)

I could NOT get up this morning. I woke up a few times in the night and couldn't get comfortable. My hip usually has pain in it, I think it is arthritis, and it has hurt for years. It's been better the last year or so since I've been loosing weight, but not 100%. Now for the last month my left ankle has had a similar pain. I started to feel it the night of my Dad's 60th party, and thought it was from the boots I wore, but it hasn't gone away. Sometimes it's worse than others. But now the last two nights I have been sore all over. My Back, my shoulders, my arms & legs. So I hit the snooze this morning until there was noway I could make a workout, then I reset it for 7, and when it started to go off again I couldn't get up. I know the hubby hates when I hit the snooze alot, but I couldn't help it.

I noticed the last couple days too that my face is breaking out a little bit. So maybe I'm PMS'y. But I have never been PMS'y like this. Usually bitchy and tired and zitty. Never depressed and exhausted and achy and zitty???

I go to my OB/Gyn on Monday for the yearly tune-up. So i will tell her. She is a good doctor and the one that originally sent me to the endocrinologist last year and found out about my thyroid issues.

When will this contest be over already?!?

So Thanksgiving has come and gone, I've been snacking on leftovers for days. Today is the last day of November, so I guess that means the contest is over. I kinda don't care. I was in the lead, or a close second for awhile, then I got sick, then I got discouraged, then I didn't even care. I did workout this morning, just 20 min on the elliptical, but it's better than nothing. Hard boiled egg for breakfast, turkey w/mustard and a tangerine for lunch, maybe a yogurt for a snack this afternoon. I have no idea what will be for dinner, I'm going to a Red Wings game with a friend tonight. So it's some kind of stadium food.....i would look forward to it as a reward if I had been eating great lately. But I know i have been pretty much been eating whatever I want, and the stadium food is so expensive. Maybe we will just get something before we go.

I guess the final weigh in will be tomorrow? I don't even know, no one has said anything about it! This whole contest totally sucked. We should have had weekly weigh ins or something. Then when I was doing good I would have had some positive feedback that would have kept me positive. And small negative feedback would have motivated me to stick to it. But I got nothing either way. The first month we all talked about it "Hey, how are you doing in the contest!" There was friendly competition. But it kept getting stretched out, and I totally lost interest.

I weighed myself this morning....233. That would only be 4 pounds lost in the last 3 months. I guess I should be happy about any weight loss, but I know i was down 15 pounds in the 1st month and then it has been creeping back on. I haven't weighed myself in a long time, so maybe some of it is water weight from eating crap all weekend, but that will just be a pound or two. I'll just try to get through the rest of the holidays without putting anything more back on, maybe peel a few more off. I really don't care right now.

Living on comfort food.

It's November, quickly headed for December, and here is Michigan, that means it's getting cold. It's that time of year when I am once again allowed to use my oven. (I am completely banned from using the oven in the summer, the hubby says it heats up the house too much. So in the past I would cook on the stove-top, or eat cold stuff like sandwiches, or get take-out! This last summer I learned to love the Grill!!!!)
So....last night for dinner I made a chicken pot pie. The night before I made enchiladas. Thanksgiving is in a few days, and I'm planning the foods I need to take to my mom's; candied yams, and cauliflower w/cheese......all things baked in the oven!
And while I am basking in the glow of warm-i-ness and yummy smells.....I realized that I am still supposed to be on a diet!!! The contest is still on!!!! It's over next week, and I was doing soo soo good for soo soo long...then I got sick, then my whole family got sick, (I just went to the pharmacy last night and dropped $72 on 5 prescriptions!!! BC for me, that's a standard, cough syrup for my daughter because her allergies are killing her poor little throat, and 2 different ear drops and an antibiotic for my son because his teething had given him a bad ear infection!) a few pounds came back on, I started working on getting them back off, then I...well....I kinda gave up! There I said it, the lure of taco bell and comfort food overcame any will power I was trying to have!

Just need to work on the diet!

So, I am just doing my normal workout plan again. No lunch workouts, and when B came over today to show me his new hear-rate sensor watch, I told him no more Monday night workout either. I feel good about this decision, I just need to do my moral cardio MWF and lifting on TTh. I think that is plenty of exercise, especially if you add in playing with the kids, and taking care of house, running errands, etc. (The trainer does NOT consider that stuff as work, but I figure if I'm moving around, not sitting on the couch, I'm counting it as work!) I even but a music channel on the TV last night and was busting a move while doing the dishes!!

So...the diet! I have been doing the protein shake after my morning workouts. I still have stuff leftover from the one time I did a fruit flush, it's supposed to be 3 scoops per 12oz of water, but that is 270 calories. So I decided that I don't need that much, and I have been having 2 scoops, so that would be 180 calories. I'm back to eating salads for lunch, and I'm going to throw a sandwich in maybe once a week so I don't get too sick of the salads. I've been doing really good with my meal-prep dinners! tonight we are having baked talapia!

I was over-exercising, and wearing myself out and making myself sick! and then I wasn't eating the best because I was rationalizing that "it was OK to eat a cheeseburger because I had worked out 10 times this week". When I think I will do better overall to exercise a moderate amount and concentrate on eating really good at work all week, pretty good at dinner each night, and having 1 cheat meal on the weekend.....obviously next weekends cheat will be Thanksgiving!

I think it's my thyroid

So I'm over the big sickness that took down my whole family for a few weeks, we are all over that now. But I just can not get my energy back. I hit the snooze like 100 times and I have not been able to make any lunch time workouts.

D wasn't here to workout this morning, I guess she is sick and off for a few days. So it was just me and the trainer. We had a really good workout, he put on those big padded gloves, and I did front snap kicks into them, really gets your heart rate up! I also did some curls and presses. But mostly we talked about my thyroid medication. I told him since she moved my dose down to 88 I have had a lot less energy and have plateaued on the weight loss. He said that he was proud of me that I wasn't getting discouraged and that i was still working out every day, even though I wasn't getting much results. I told him that I was getting results with the 2-a-day workouts, but then I wanted to take a nap on my desk by 3 in the afternoon. so he told me to stop trying to do lunch workouts, not that I have been doing them much the past few weeks, but now i guess they are 'officially' done.

I know I haven't been eating the best lately either. but yesterday I had a lean frozen meal, and today I'm eating salad with tuna. I have started to have a protein shake after my morning workouts instead of my normal egg or yogurt. I don't know if that will help with anything, but it's a nice change-up....and it's chocolate!!!

Trudging along

Well I had a good workout this morning, but am skipping a lunch workout today, in the on going effort to get better. I think I am definitely much better, but not 100%. Hubby is slowly getting better too.

I figured that there are about 9 weeks left in this year. And If I can steadily lose about 3 pounds a week (a fairly healthy rate) then I will be under 200 by new years. So If you break that down further, that's about 1/2 a pounds a day. I was 226 yesterday, and 225.25 today. So that is 3/4 of a pound and above the average that I need to stay on pace.

I know this is supposed to go on over Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I'm not going to freak out when I don't reach my goal. I have not reached most of the goals I have set so far...the weight I am now (in November) is more than I had planned to be in June!!! But...I have lost over 30 pounds total, in a little over a year, so it's a slower pace than I would like, but at least I'm going in the right direction.....AND!!! I didn't even tell you this!!!!

We do Health Hammer at work. Which is a guy that comes in with a bunch of equipment, and does a bunch of quick tests on you, blood pressure, weight, blood, stuff like that....and my cholesterol dropped over 30 points from last year!!! My blood pressure and weight and BMI, and fat percentage were all improved too. So I'm not only loosing weight, but I'm getting alot healthier too.

Starting to get better

Man! I wasn't kidding when I said I was sick. When was the last time I posted? Like 2 weeks ago???? My whole family was sick, me, both kids, and worst of all the hubby. Early last week the hubby was diagnosed with pneumonia! He is just now getting better, but not out of the woods yet. They say his immune system is really down, and if he got the flu or anything right now it would be bad news!

So I have been trying to take care of him and the kids, I work, then soon as I get home he goes to bed and I get the kids dinner and take care of them until bedtime. It wouldn't be bad, except that I'm sick too (We went to the doctor, it's just allergy problems that me and the kids have, but I'm sure that's how the hubby's started too, it just ran into his lungs and took him down for the count) so I haven't been able to get the rest I need, so what should have been sickness for a week or less, has now stretched on for 3 weeks!!!

I'm not even going to say I have been eating well, because I haven't been. And I skipped most of my workouts last week. I did cardio Monday, morning, lunch and plyo after work with B. Then did my morning workout Tuesday, and then threw in the towel.

The last few days the hubby has been feeling alittle better, so I have been able to get some rest. (I was up most of the night for about 3 nights in a row just listening to him breathe, I was so scared he wasn't going to be ok) So this morning I did 430 calories on the elliptical, but I'm not doing a lunch workout, or after work. I think I will just do mornings all this week and see how I feel.

I weighed in this morning, 226. Not too bad considering I have been munching Halloween candy and leftover cheesecake the last few days. My Dad is turning 60 this weekend, and we are having a big party with all our family and friends, over 100 people. So I would like to look nice for the people I haven't seen in a long time. But i also don't want to over do it and end up like a pile of poo again.

I'm Sick!

I may have over done it....but for whatever reason....I'm sick! Standard cold I think, scratchy throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, tired.....ya know....miserable! So I worked out this morning, didn't push too hard on cardio, but did all my lifting fine, even a couple more reps in each set.....then as the morning wore on I felt worse and worse....and now it's lunch, and I'm full on sick.

So I skipped my lunch workout, and I'm totally planning to sleep in tomorrow and not work out at all. Just rest a few days. But I'm not going to use this as an excuse to eat horrible..... Talk to ya next week.

On my way

So I did an extra work out last night, 3rd one of the day. Me and B met with the trainer for some plyometrics.....which is basically getting your heart rate up. We first took turns jumping rope, B is not that good of a rope jumper, he kept tripping or getting the rope caught on his feet, or hitting himself in the head (I don't even know how you do that!)...I, on the other hand, am an awesome rope jumper, one thing that being a girl has helped me succeed in! Then we did this thing where you bend down, jump out to a pike, jump back in, then stand up and jump ...all while holding a weighted ball.....we had to do sets of 10, B would be done with his set while I was at about 7 or 8, and those last 2 or 3 would be going very slowly because I was whipped by that point. Then we stood on a BOSU and balanced while hitting a punching bag fast and hard!

That was a great workout.....then I weighed myself this morning.....223.5!!! almost back to where I was. And I lifted with D this morning, and I did cardio at lunch! I am splurging for dinner tonight. I have been craving so many things that I know I shouldn't have....Taco Bell has a new black taco that I keep hearing ads for....they have a 2 for $20 deal at Chili's and it all looks good....but I'm not caving to any of that......nope! Subway had a buffalo chicken sub....so I'm going to have that tonight. I figure I'll load it up with fresh veggies and it will be pretty healthy, and I will feel satisfied that I'm eating something I drool over on TV!

I need to just stay away from commercials and it will help me stay away from bad food!

That time of the month

So B e-mailed me today and asked what me weight was for this weeks post....I told him that I'm not saying since it's that time of the month! Which is true....but when I weighed myself this morning I was 227, which probably has a lot more to do with the lasagna and garlic bread I ate for dinner last night.....and the Del Taco midnight snack on Saturday.....then any period bloating. But I bought me some time....I really need to crack down these next couple weeks. I need to be at least the 222.5 that I reported two weeks ago at weigh in in two weeks!!!

Taking it to the EXTREME

So today was our monthly employee lunch. It was the standard stuff. I would have loved to have eaten a cheeseburger and some cookies and washed it down with a pop. But instead I had a salad and a chicken breast and some veggies, I also had 3 small ribs and a few bites of mashed potatoes. I am stuffed and do not at all miss the stuff I didn't eat.

I was sitting and eating with 3 girl friends, and then B came and sat at our table. On his plate was 1 chicken breast and some pickle slices. That's it! Everyone commented on how little he was eating! He said that from the things he knows about the contest, he is not going to win, he will at best come in 3rd (which will push me out to 4th and out of any prize money!) but he at least wants to beat me! Then as we were all talking he commented on how tired he was and then later about how he was still hungry. No Poo!!! Your body needs fuel! I might have eaten a crap ton more than him, but I am satisfied. I ate much healthier than what I used to eat. And I know that I filled my body with good nutrition. Lots of good vitamins in my salad and veggies, not so much in the pickles!

So I'm pretty sure if what B knows is accurate, and I have no reason to doubt it, then I am out of the running for the contest. And if he keeps up his 800 calorie a day intake he will definitely beat me. But I don't care. I'm doing this for me. I'm not going to give up, I'm just going to continue to do my best. I lost 15 pounds so far, give or take a little, and I'm moving in the right direction without being miserable. And that's something I can keep up once the contest is over.

It was water!!

So I finished out yesterday with another round of cardio...1120 calories burned in all!!! (Even though B stood me up, but it was for a good reason, he asked if he should try to win something for his wife in a silent action, and I said go for it, so he left early to put in a bid....btw, he got it!!) But we set up a standing date for Monday's after work, at least until the end of the contest.

So I weighed in this morning, and 4 of the 5 pounds I put on over the weekend are gone. So I'm at 223.5, which is -5.9%......B's last posted list had me at 6.1%, so I am almost back there.

I did cardio and weights this morning, just finished up another 1/2 hour of cardio. and am enjoying a salad and chicken breast.

I have tomorrow off to go to the doctor, so I'll see ya on Thursday!

Well that didn't work so well...

So at the end of the last post I said I planned to weigh in Today at 220 or below! Yeah Right! What dream land was I in when I wrote that! Instead of loosing a couple pounds, or even staying the same which would have been totally acceptable, I gained 5 pounds back!!! I'm so mad at myself!

But I knew it would happen. I ate anything I wanted all through my Birthday, and My son's birthday, and his party! And My mom got me a cheesecake as my birthday cake, and I shared it, but I took the rest home and had a total of about 3 slices. Plus the brownies that I made last week, plus a couple pieces of my son's birthday cake.

But I have been doing super good for the last month, and this was a little slip up, over 5 days, but now I am back on track. And there were high points, like the food I ordered for the adults at my son's party, wrap sandwiches, veggie tray and fruit tray! Then I took the leftover veggies home and made stew! And I went to my Women on Target event, which is notorious for having bad food, so I took a salad and strawberries with me. And they had better food this time, you could order a burger or chicken sandwich with fries, but I didn't...I just ate my salad.

So I'm right back at it. burned over 750 calories on cardio so far today, morning and lunch time workouts. And B invited me to work out after work too. So I'm hoping these 5 pounds are just water, and I can loose it plus more this week! And I'm not just hoping, I'm working at it!

I got stood up on my Birthday!

It's my Birthday today. I had planned to meet the Hubby at Subway for lunch. But he texted me this morning that he is sick and stayed home from work. So no lunch time date for me :( (he better get me a good gift to make up for it :) )

I did my workout this morning, started on the elliptical like usual, burned 150 calories, then the trainer had me go to the treadmill and run at a 5.0 speed on a 15 incline (the highest it goes) I was huffing an puffing, and then went back to the elliptical to finish out a total of 425 calories burned!! Then I went and did some weights (to make up for not being here tomorrow) I powered through the first set of dumbbell curls with 15 pounds, so the trainer had me switch them of for 20 pounds and did 2 more sets (I'm really proud of myself for how strong I am getting) Then I went to do tricep pushdowns with one of the guys, R. He was doing 90 pounds, so I did 3 with the 90 as a joke, but was surprised that I could actually push that weight. So I went to 60 pounds (my normal) and finished a set of 20. Then for the next set the trainer was right next to me and made me do 25. Then R switched it out to a higher weight for his set and when it was my turn again he put it to 70...and I did a set at 70! Super Girl!!!!

Now for the bad part.....I made brownies last night. My daughter helped, and they turned out really well. I made M&M, pecan Carmel, & peanut butter chip!!! And I had 1 pecan Carmel and 1 peanut butter chip to try them out. Then I brought them all to work, and had 1 M&M. But I didn't eat anything else this morning, and it is my Birthday, so I'm not going to beat myself up. Since I didn't get to go to lunch with the hubby, and I hadn't brought a lunch, I had to run out to get something. I thought of going to Taco Bell....but I'm still 5 pounds away from the goal I set to allow one meal at Taco Bell, and I didn't want to cheat that, So I got a salad a Quizno's instead!

I'm off work the rest of this week, so no official workouts. But I plan to walk my daughter to school, and play with my son, and get some shopping done, so it won't all be spent on my butt!

I'll weigh in Monday and the goal is to be 220 or below....birthday weekend, 4 days away from the gym, and loose 2.5 pounds!!! It's something to strive for!!!

Checked the list

So I checked the list this morning, B has my total percent lost as 4.48, or something like that!! I just saw him in the gym (2-a-day again) and asked him if that was the real numbers, he said yes. Well with the 4.whatever I am in 2nd place behind him with the 7.1%, of course not counting any people that haven't reported their loss so far. that is extra good because, he didn't take into account that last week I e-mailed him that my loss was up to -5.89%....and I just weighed myself after my workout....222.5, which is -15 pounds, which is -6.31%!!!!!

Tomorrow is my birthday, so tonight I am baking brownies with my daughter. I will lick the beater, I will taste the frosting, I will eat a warm fresh baked brownie (only to test doneness of course:) ).....and I will not feel guilty for it!!!

Big weekend wasn't a big bust....too much :)

First off....we had to go do some tests for work on Friday, we were going to grab lunch on the way, and the other 2 guys I was going with suggested Taco Bell!!! (Ohh how it taunts me!) So I texted my trainer and asked if I could maybe get 2 chicken soft tacos with just lettuce and tomato....he said no. So I made a wrap with a flaw seed wrapper, lettuce, tuna, and some honey mustard spray....it wasn't horrible, but the tacos smelled soo soo much better. (And I did have the restraint to not climb through the drive thru window)

I mainly kept it together for lunch because I knew I was going to kill it at dinner!! We went out for my baby sis's 21st b-day. We all met at Buffalo Wild Wings, I had a burger and 6 wings, and 2 Wild Punch drinks. Then we went to a couple different bars (no drinking and driving, we had a limo) and I wasn't worried about all the calories I was drinking up, because I was dancing it off just as fast!

Then Saturday my mom had offered to keep the kids overnight so me and the hubby could spend some time together. It's my birthday this Wednesday, so we took the opportunity with no tag-a-longs to have a nice dinner. He suggested a sushi place!! (I love that he is learning to eat new things) So we both had a very tasty and fairly healthy meal.....followed by tempura fried ice cream!!!! IT was soo good, and had whipped cream and chocolate sauce....but we ordered one and shared it.

So I was running late this morning and only got in 20 min of cardio. I would have like to go back at lunch, but I had to call in the confirmation for my son's birthday party this weekend and make an appointment for the kids photos. So i guess I'll make it up tomorrow.

On cloud 9

I didn't tell you this yesterday, but while I was sweating away on the elliptical (I really should change the name of the blog to "Tales from the Elliptical".....A (who I don't think I've mentioned much, he is a regular in the gym, works out with my same trainer and originally, before I started, had lost over 100 pounds, he is very inspirational, and a nice daddy of twin little girls) anyway....A came up to me and said that he had really noticed lately that my face (and me motioned around the gowl and neck/chin area) was looking alot thinner. Just a quick little comment, but it kept me happy all day!

I was sad alot yesterday, everything is falling apart with a night out I was planning for my little sis this Friday, and I came to the realization that a weekend getaway for my and my son's birthday that I was wirlwind planning would not work out. And I had dropped the ball on getting my daughter's yearly check-up and my hubby had to make the appointment....just alot of poo. So everytime I was getting down, I thought about A's little comment, and it made it better, maybe just a little, but every little bit helps.

And then last night when we were on our way home from my daughter's school open house, the hubby mentioned Taco Bell....and I want it so so so badly, but I told myself I can have Taco Bell when I hit the 20 pounds lost mark (I'm at 14!!!!) so I said I could take them, but I wouldn't get anything myself...(Go Will Power!!!) but the hubby quickly took it make and said he didn't want to temp me (thank you...I might have been able to say I wouldn't get anything...but If I pulled up to the drive thru window, and smelled those glorious smells, I might have climbed threw the window and just started eating right out of the stations where they make the food....who needs burritos wrapped in paper when you can just put a scoop of meat in your mouth and take shots from the sour cream caulk gun they have!!!)

So anyway.....2-a-day again today....over 600 calories total burned.....down 14 pounds total which brings the percentage to......-%5.89!!!! And...I talked to B quickly, he is somewhere around 5.7? I think? So for the first time ever I'm doing better than him!!!! Go me!!!! Now I just need to keep up this momentum!

Making up for lasagna

I just finished up my second workout for today. I only got 5 min of cardio in this morning before a pretty good weight workout (Bis, tris, bench presses, rows, and squat presses) so I went back and did 30 more min of cardio at lunch. Now I'm chowing my salad with salmon and some baby tomatoes home grown by D, thank you my work mommy :)

I absolutely needed to get some good work in today.....we had lasagna for dinner last night. And not even good lasagna that was homemade and I knew everything that was in it...no bad frozen lasagna from costco! It tasted ok, but I didn't even look at the ingredient list, it was probably chock full of preservatives and other things I can't pronounce! But I did pay attention to the calories, I ate approx 600 calories worth. But I feel like I made up for it.

Fell off the wagon a bit...

I was so proud of myself about being down 5% that I went a little nuts. Friday we went to a vendor of ours for a bbq lunch. I ate way too much. A big piece of salmon on a burger bun, a slice of prime rib with mushrooms and horseradish, salad, pasta salad, and 3 cookies. I could have done worse, but I could have done much better too! I was tired all afternoon from cookie crash! Then Saturday I went to a dinner party and have 2 slices of cheese bread and a plate of pasta. But I ate well yesterday, and I'm eating salad for lunch right now.

I had to go to a different company this morning to check on some samples, so I didn't get to workout, but I brought my clothes to change into and am going to do cardio after work tonight.

This checking on test samples may cramp my style for the next week or more, but I will try to get in workouts regularly.

Minus 5%

Yep...that's right ....-5%!!!!!
I did a 2 a day again....mostly because I was late this morning and didn't get any cardio before my weight workout. but i did 30 min on the elliptical, burned 380 calories, and weighed myself.....225.5 which is down a total of 12 pounds....which is -5.05% !!!!! woo hoo!!

Sand bagging!

A couple days ago I noticed that B had posted a list of all the contestants...no names, just numbers, and everyone knows what their number is....I'm number 2. And some of them, just 3 or 4 had their percent lost so far....B (who is number 1, who wouldn't put them self no 1) is down like 5.6%...then the others that were posted were down like 1.5% or so. He didn't have a percent by me yet.

So yesterday he e-mailed and asked my percent...still 4.8% (period...and pizza...i expect it to jump next week) Then he preceded to tell me that he had been talking with our trainer, and the trainer basically told him to lie. For a good reason, but lie none the same. The trainer said the B's high percentage would discourage the other contestants...so B is going to "gain" a little weight this weekend and post a slightly lower percent next week...he said he is going to post me lower too. Then in a few weeks when other people start to lose more weight, then he will start to raise his and my percentages to their actual values. I don't think it's a very good idea, I think if people see us at high loses already it may discourage them, or it may cause them to step up their game and then everyone will do better. But I told him it is his deal, he set it all up, so I will go with whatever he decides.

No 2 a day today. Just 253 calories on the elliptical this morning , and salad for lunch...check ya tomorrow!

2 a days!

I did a '2 a day' again....worked out this morning, lifted weights, and then went back and did cardio at lunch. So now I am scarfing down my grilled chicken, grilled squash, grilled mushrooms in a tomato and pepper sauce.....with a little pasta :)

Down, but not Out!

Wow I haven't posted for awhile!

I didn't get a chance to post last Thursday because it was our monthly employee appreciation lunch. Normally that would mean that I was in the lunch room gabbing with friends and devouring platefuls of food and cookies! But this time I did so good! In the morning when I left my workout the trainer said "See you at lunch right!" And I was like "Huh!!??!!" But I did it, I got a plate full of salad, veggies, and a grilled chicken breast, then covered it with tin foil and went to the gym for 30 min of cardio before I ate.

Then Friday everything went to hell in a hand basket! I started my period. I don't know about you, but I am horrible....I had been weighing myself daily at home, and the last few days a couple pounds had piled on, even though I was doing so good with diet & exercise. So I was happy to see it was that time of the month (I can't track it on a calender because it is super irregular), and that was the reason a few pounds had added on. And because was craving carbs so badly, I had a bagel and cream cheese for Friday break time. I had a lunch scheduled with the girls, and they all got pizza and pasta, but I got a salad with grilled chicken, so I was proud of myself there. And then I got home and my daughter was across the street and the neighbors were having pizza, and she asked if we could have pizza....and I gave in. It sounded so good, so I got 1 medium pizza and some chicken, and we all 4 shared it...so it wasn't pizza overload.

Then Saturday I had a mom2mom sale.....I took my daughter with me to help. We got McDonald's for breakfast on the way....hash brown and Hi-C for her....fruit & yogurt parfait and water for me. Then a little way into the sale she saw a couple people with muffins (the sale had a little refreshment area selling foods...so I went and got her a muffing and a juice box... she ate about 1/2 the muffin...I ate about 1/4 and threw the last 1/4 away. And a few hours later when people were eating lunch I went and got some for us....hot dog and juice box for her.....turkey & swiss wrap for me (still drinking my water) So not too bad. And then when it was time to load up, that was a workout...I packed all the boxes, then carried each out to my truck and ran back up the stairs to get the next. My heart was pounding + I was sweating = workout!

Then yesterday.....Kashi for breakfast......Then we were at my church's little festival for lunch time. All they had to eat was hot dogs, chips, pop, Popsicles, and bake sale goodies. So that is what I ate. I planned that we were going out to dinner, so I thought I would get a salad.

That didn't happen! We had to go to a funeral down river (about 40 minutes away), my hubby's grand mother had passed away. We were going to go out to dinner with some other families, but once the service was over, the kids were tired and cranky and we just wanted to get them home and out of dress clothes. There was a pizza place in that area that my hubby always talks about, so....since we were in the area....we got a pizza and took it home. And it was as good as the hubby always says....I had 3 pieces, and then a bit later I had 1 more piece.

I worked out this morning, 453 calories in 35 min!! Then I weighed myself....226! same as last week. So I didn't loose, but I didn't gain. I will weigh myself again Friday and see if some of it was water from all the dough (bagel & pizza Friday/ hot dog, bun, & lots of pizza Sunday). I gave in to my cravings, but I need to get back on the wagon and keep heading towards my goal!

I did so so good over vacation!

Did you ever have a deep fried Twinkie??? It's super good, they take a Twinkie, dip it in funnel cake batter, deep fry until golden, then put it on a plate and sprinkle on powered sugar. I never saw them until we started taking the kids to the festivals up-north. At that point I would have 2 or 3 every summer. I think of it as American as Apple Pie, and look forward to it as a high point to the otherwise ...lets call them quaint....little festivals. But I didn't have one this holiday. We went to the festival, I saw the stand, we even had to walk past it a few times. But I never stopped.

I helped my mom cook breakfast. I made the pancakes and hashbrowns while she made bacon and sausage and fried eggs.....then I sat down and just ate a grapefruit and a hard boiled egg.

I made the kids cheese quesidillas for lunch and everyone else had beef burritios and nachos. I had just some plain chicken breast and lettuce in my tortilla.

When they all roasted marshmallos at night, I had a 60 calorie no sugar pudding cup.

I came in yesterday, on my day off, and did a full workout with the trainer. I weighed myself....but the scale hadn't moved much from where it was Friday, maybe down a 1/4 pound. The trainer said that me & B need to quit weighing ourselves so much, he limited us down to monday mornings only....but I still plan to weigh myself at home, i'll just cut down to what he asked at the scale in the gym. I need to keep track that everything continues to go in the right direction.

I'm angry when I'm hungry!

There is no excuse for this, but because I always rationalize everything and wiggle my way to My Truth (the hubby say's i should have been a lawyer because I can argue anything to get my way....or at least try)......Last night I had alot to do...we are leaving for up north tomorrow morning, so tonight we need to pack and I need to go grocery shopping (healthy food for me for the weekend, and sushi for dinner tonight, brown rice if they have it). So last night the laundry needed to get done, kids baths, dishes, more laundry, i needed to wash my hair, make dinner, pack my gym bag (that's every night now again) and lastly....laundry!

So I got the kids dinner while I threw in the first load....where was the hubby? He should be home by now....he was working late (can't fault him for making money) then started picking up the house, cleaned up from the kids dinners (hubby got home) ran bath and threw in the baby. Got him ready for bed and layed him down. Then I jumped in the shower, as I was getting done and toweling off, I heard voices! Hubby had said that my brother-in-law was coming by to pick up a welder to borrow (I didn't even know we owned a welder!) but I didn't know my sister was coming with him. So instead of a 10 min stop in, this was now a full blown visit, and I had things to get done...lots to get done...not to mention I was wearing a night gown with a towel on my head.

So I come out of the bathroom to a ruckus in my daughter's room. Apparently auntie wanted to take to tortoise out to play with, and it pooped on the rug, and my daughter stepped in it, and somehow...her red fruit punch got spilt all over the cream rug! So I'm on the floor sopping up punch and poo...while auntie is washing the rest of the poo off my daughter's foot!

So once that was taken care of...I heard that my son was awake again.....of course with people over and noise all going on right outside his door....so I put him back to bed. By now I am starving!!! I had a salad for lunch, but missed my snack because I was busy at work....came home and made the kids dinner and did eat about 4 baby carrots and a bite of peach....but that wasn't much. I didn't want to be rude, but I didn't know when they were leaving and it was already after 8:00...so I started dinner....from the meal prep again....and it looked so good when I was making it, I had been dreaming about eating it. So it was artichoke stuffed chicken breasts, sauteed veggies (broccoli, red peppers, string beans, and yellow carrots, so pretty) and Parmesan risotto with peas!......Every was in the pans simmering away...I still didn't want to be rude, but I had so much to do...(And I stated this to them a couple times hoping---praying---that they would get the hint....So I started to fold the laundry that was in the dryer and put the clothes from the washer into the dryer. I checked on dinner....it was done, but they were still there....so I turned the pans down....Then the son got up again....I wished they would get the hint...I was busy!...we needed to eat!.....they kept waking the baby up!!! (note: he does wake up a couple times on a usual basis....but this was the 4th or 5th time....and I know it was because he thought there was a party going on and he wasn't invited) So when I came back from his room....my sister took a lid off the chicken and said "Uhh...i think your dinner is burning!"

$H!T!!!!!

I was soooo hungry...and all the broth had cooked off and was blackening in the pan! and the veggies and risotto were all dried out!.....So I got mad!! I started complaining...angerly... that if they would just leave! I'm not sure exactly what I said...but I remember that it wasn't nice, and I was on the verge of tears....I tried to apologize and they were like "I think we should go" ....if only they had decided that an hour ago!

We tried to eat dinner....it wasn't really burnt.....but everything was so dry. I was so looking forward to it, and it was so dry I was actually choking on the chicken (it's an issue that comes up from my thyroid thing)....The hubby covered his with ketchup, and offered it to me saying something about lubrication. But I told him I'm serious about this diet, so no ketchup for me. I ended up eating the artichokes out of the chicken, and some risotto and tossing out everything else! The hubby helped finish folding the 1st load of laundry, the 2nd is still in the dryer...and I have a couple loads that need to get done tonight.

I called and apologized to my sister today. I told her that I was mad at them, but it didn't give me an excuse to act that way towards them.

But I had a good workout this morning...410 calories of cardio. At Friday morning bagel time I just had fruit...and 1 donut hole. I figured I deserved it, I'm down 11 pounds (4.6%) this week! Salmon and lettuce wrap for lunch...with a peach on the side. Plan on getting sushi for dinner...and then up-north for the weekend! I don't know when my next post will be...probably not until Wednesday, I'm off work Tuesday but I still plan to come in for my morning workout!

Needed Accountability.

Creamy Dreamy Shrimp Scampi over linguine....that was the dinner from the meal prep last night. I wanted to make some garlic cheese bread with it, but I'm still trying really hard at the re-invigorated diet. So instead....I made green beans. It was a 2 serving size dinner....but I stretched the linguine (which was whole wheat to start with) out over all 4 of us. The hubby got a full portion, and then I shared mine with both kids (my son doesn't eat much, but my daughter kept wanting more, as she calls then, nu-nu's. And I filled the bare spot on my plate with more green beans. An egg after workout this morning( tell you more about that in a sec, which ties in the title) a multi grain light english muffin with natural PB for a snack...and a salad with tuna and avocado for lunch.

So I weighed in this morning, down about another pound.....-9.5 pounds so far (-4%) and it's still just the first week! I know I have to be careful this weekend, I'll be up north with the family, and my mom doesn't even try to cook healthy....I'm already planning to take most of my own food so the weekend doesn't undo the work I have done.

D wasn't here this morning, she is already on va-ca. So it was just me and the trainer. I tried to tell him how good I have been doing, but I think he doesn't believe me. And why should he? At the beginning of all this I was gun-ho! And I got great results. And I think he was happy. And then the results slowed down, then I put a few pounds back on...up, down, inching, inching, lots of plateaus, which discouraged me, then this whole thyroid issue...and I thought the medicine would be like a magic pill....and it wasn't (they are still adjusting my dose every time I go in)...and that discouraged me more....I stopped doing my extra cardio MWF...I would just trickle in here and there...I was doing my T Th workouts, but not all gun-ho like before...there was alot of complaining, and joking with D...not alot of actual sweat and not any progress. So I can see where the trainer would get discouraged with me, I was discouraged with myself.

But! I have changed my attitude. This little competition gave me a kick, and woke me up....I have had talks with the hubby, and my mom, and I am serious. So I will just keep pushing like I have been all week....and the week after that...and the week after that....I'm not going to set a ### goal...I'll just keep going....there will be plateaus (I'm sure the weight I lost this week is mostly water, and this rapid loss will stop very soon) but I'm not going to get discouraged...so he will come around......and also....I sent him a link to this blog. So he may be reading this right now. Hi!! See you in the morning, and I am ready to work.

Easy....so far.

Well everything went as planned last night.....Subway for supper. I did get the 12"....but I ripped off alot of the bread, and I got chicken breast, no cheese, spinach, tomato, cucumber, green pepper, mild peppers, a little black olives, and vinegar. Not oil and vinegar.....just plain old vinegar. Did you ever try it? you should. My sis, who works at Subway, turned me onto it. No calories, no fat, no sodium....just lots of flavor. So I ate my sub...and then instead of just vegging out in front of the TV....I DVR'd the shows I wanted to watch....and once they started I went and started to clean out a closet....then I carried out all the stuff and loaded it in my truck (I'm doing a mom2mom sale next weekend).....then I started my shows and just fast forwarded through commercials.....and I did a little bit of crunches and marching in place while I was watching....not much....but better than none. And just before bed I had my sugar free pudding cup and some milk.

I weighed in this morning, and I'm done a little more from yesterday!! So I was 229.5, thats down 8 pounds total so far (-3.36%) in just a couple days!!! And B has been recruiting like a mad man!! And the trainers have started recruiting too, we are going to let people join in all this week....so its like 30 people so far. That's a pot of $750.....can you believe it??? That's a house payment!! Or a small weekend vacation!! But everyone that says they are in might drop out....B is going to collect all the money next week....so then we will see what it actually is....and I'm not going to advertise how well i am doing so far, I don't want to scare other people off....I'll just tell my family, and B, and the trainer, and post it here...even though I'm the only one that reads it here, but it is a great log for me. So....salmon wrap for lunch again today.....shrimp for dinner tonight. I'll try to do some exercise tonight, even if it is just matching while watching TV.

I did cardio this morning....burned 410 calories on the elliptical. I know tomorrows workout will be killer, D won't be here, she is on vacation. And I wont be here next Tuesday, I have the day off for my daughters first day of school. So I know he will be hard on me tomorrow, and I know there will be pep talks about how I can take it all....and I actually think I can.

Off to a great start!

I ate well all day yesterday, mowed the lawn for an added bit of exercise and enjoys a little dessert too (a sugar free pudding cup! Satisfies the chocolate craving with no guilt!)

I weighed in this morning, and I'm already down 6.5 pounds!!! (2.7%)
I'm sure most of it was just the junk I ate all weekend flushing out of my system, but it is a great motivating boost right off the start!

I had a great workout. The trainer found out about the competition. Apparently B had been drumming up participants all day and kept weighing them in, so the trainer figured it out. There is about 15 participants now, so that brings the prize pot up to a whooping $375!!! That's a big motivator too.

But the trainer kept telling me this morning "You got this in the bag" "Its yours to win" Stuff like that. And he might be telling everyone else the same thing, but I'm going to really try to win this.

Ohh the only bad thing is that they all decided to stretch it out for another month, so no it goes through the end of October. Just that much longer i have to control the will power.

I had a Lara bar before workout this morning.
A fat free yogurt after.
An egg at 10
I'm eating a salmon and lettuce wrap with a side of pineapples for lunch
I'll eat a healthy snack this afternoon (probably fruit or a granola bar)
Then we are getting Subway for dinner....I think I'll just get a 6" Chick breast with all the veggies!

See ya tomorrow

The competition begins!!

First off...I haven't posted for over a month. I just read my last post to see where i left off...it was on a high note, that lasted about a second, then it was all just the same old thing. Sad but true!

So.....Friday.....B, remember B, the friend - nemesis - friend? Anyway B says we need to have a competition. We will put money on the line, weigh in Biggest Loser Style, and track % weight lost, and at the end of the month, winner takes all.

I thought this was a great idea because I have no motivation on my own. In a couple days it is the 1 year anniversary of when I started officially working out. And for the last month I keep saying I was going to buckle down to have something to show on that anniversary. But it never happened, I never buckled down, I never got motivated, I never lost anymore weight. And I have been slacking on workouts too....I show up on Tues & Thurs when I work with the trainer, but M-W-F, when I am supposed to do cardio, I have mostly been sleeping in. Soo....at the end of this month is my birthday, no big deal. But it is also my baby sister's birthday, and we are planning a big bar night, and then the following week is my son's birthday, so we will have a party with alot of family and friends. So I would like to look better for those events. I want people to say "Wow, you lost some weight!" So...I'm totally in for B's competition.

So...we decided the competition thing of Friday....so I was preparing all weekend. Some may call it cheating, but I know B was doing the same thing. I ate this weekend like it was going out of style. I watched a movie with my daughter on Friday night, Milk Duds and popcorn galour!! Then Saturday we got Chinese for dinner. Then yesterday.....I had cereal for breakfast....McDonald's on the way home from church....a huge plate of Mexican leftovers for a late lunch (covered with cheese and all scooped up with nacho chips)....then we ordered pizza and pasta for dinner....I even drank pop with dinner....then topped it all off with 3 snack cakes and milk!!! Dang! And I was supposed to cut the grass this weekend, but I didn't want to waste the exercise, so I didn't do it. I also stopped on my way to work this morning and got McDonald's! Double Dang!!

We weighed in this morning. B was 230 on the money. I was 237.5, I'm not too sure who else is going to get in on the competition. B is in charge of that.

I went shopping this weekend and got all the stuff I'm supposed to eat, all the food from the healthy eating plan the trainer had given me a year ago. So i had a plum this morning after the weigh in for a snack. I'm eating a whole grain wrap filled with lettuce, tomatoes, and tuna and a peach on the side for lunch. I have lots of healthy snack options for the afternoon (yogurt/ whole grain English muffins with natural peanut butter/ granola bars/ peaches/ plums/ raspberries) Then tonight I'm going to mow the lawn while I'm grilling some salmon that will be served with pineapple salsa and rice.

So hopefully I can keep this up for a month.....then I will win at least $50 (depending on who else joins in) and feel pretty good about myself.

Go, Hubby, Go!!!!

I'm silently cheering for my hubby today...silently because he doesn't know I am chering for him. By now you should all know that I try really hard at working out. But I always fall short when it comes to the diet part of diet and exercise. I have lost around 30 pounds in the last 10 months or so of trying, but most of that was in the first few months and i've been on a huge plataue ever since. I know it's because I don't eat well....and I try.....but I always fall back into the same patterens. My trainer doesn't really even talk to me much about nutrition anymore because I think he thinks it is falling on deaf ears, or ears that don't want to listen....or ears that hear every word, have every good intention, but just dont follow through! Yeah, that's it!

So anyway, I try to blame my poor eating on my hubby and kids. But I buy all the grocrieries, I do the cooking...it's the times i'm busy or tired, or whateever that the little voices (not ones in my head, ones from my family) say "Let's just get pizza, or Chinese", or whatever thing that I should not eat, but it sounds so good, and I have no will power to say no.

So last night the kids were in bed, finially, and the hubby and I were watching TV. We were watching a show called something like "650 pound virgin"...it was about a guy that was 650 pounds, then lost a ton of weight, just with diet and exercise, no surgery (except to remove skin). And now he is looking for love. It was a good show. So the hubby get's up during a commercial and goes to the kitchen. I know there is ice cream, and leftover birthday cake (it was just my daughters 5th b-day) so I am steling myself to say no when he asks if I want some too, and I give myself the ok to have one bite of his...and while all this is going on in my head...he comes back to the living room with a bowl of grapes and pineapple chunks!!!!! I was so proud of him!! And I shared a few of his grapes....but I didn't say anything....I didn't make a big deal......But I am proud!! Now I don't know what he is eating today at work (probably nothing, he usually skips breakfast and lunch...bad bad bad!) but maybe this is a new healthy trend he is going to try to stick with! And I will support him 100% because all I have been hoping for is support from him. So now maybe, finally, we can do this together!

I have decided that personal trainers are just motivational speakers that know how to exercise!!

How was that one for a long title??
So, I haven't posted in about 3 weeks...and I logged on and read my last post and just want to punch myself. (Actually I would never punch myself because I'm not really into pain!) but you get what I'm saying. My last post, 3 weeks ago, was all about how I was going to really step it up on the diet part of this whole diet and exercise thing. Well....it hasn't happened. (Who saw that shocker coming?!?) I have still been working out on my normal schedule, but I have been eating like total poo!!! We went away 2 weekends ago to a fancy vacation at a lodge that happens to have an executive chef on site, mmmmmmm, I did alot of walking, but there was no burning off the calories I was consuming.....you should have seen the desserts! And this last weekend was 4th of July, which I spent up north with my family, I've told you before how my mom cooks right? 'nuff said! But I did hold back some, like I didn't have any smores or hot dogs by the fire. And Sunday night when I took my little daughter to the fireworks, I didn't have any of the food at the fair, even though it all smelled de-lish, I just have an Aquafina Flavor water!! Plus I had to piggy-back my daughter for the 5 block walk back because her little feet hurt.

Back to the point....So it was me and the trainer one on one this morning, I'm not sure what happened to D the work-out buddy, must be still on va-ca. But whenever we are alone I get "The Talk"! Sometimes I cry. I didn't today. But he was saying how he saw that drive and determination in me at the beginning, when I lost that first 10 pounds so quickly....and he was asking what he could do to get that drive back. Any way he could help? Anything he could do? And I said I would let him know.....he acknowledged my 'hormone issue', as he refers to it, and he understands that we need to get that in check.

So I thought....and I think I came up with something. I think I need short terms goals...like when I know that he is going to weigh me in a week, I crack down and make my goal. But then any other time I just think, ohhh pizza for dinner wont hurt. So I'm going to discuss this with him on Thursday, and I'll let you know!

Back at it.

So I got home from my work trip a couple days ago, and I've been doing pretty good. On the trip I wasn't so good, we went out to all our meals and I had whatever I wanted off the menus....Veggie Lasagna with Chicken for dinner (not too bad except it was a large portion size and I ate it all) ....Chicken wraps and a salad for lunch (actually pretty healthy) ....Pub stacker Sandwich for dinner (turkey on white toast with cole slaw and chips, and I only ate a couple chips and left about 95% of them.....and then I split a dessert) And then for breakfast at the airport one of my friends had gotten a hot ham and cheese croissant sandwich....and it looked and smelled soo good....so I went to the little stand to get one, but I got a yogurt, fruit, and walnut parfait instead!! Go Me!

Since I got back I have been doing really good at breakfast and lunch (salmon and salad yesterday/ Lean Cuisine today) but not so hot at dinner, back to usual! but I have worked out the past two mornings, so that is a big step.

While we were on the trip we were talking about diet and nutrition (me and a bunch of guys, you would think weight and dieting would be their topic of choice!) And one guy has lost 35 pounds in the past 3 months, so the others were asking how he did it, and how much was diet and how much was exercise. And he said he thought that diet was at least 65% of it. He has been running a couple miles a day, and eats mostly chicken breast, veggies, and protein bars and shakes.

So I'm going to continue with my daily workout. Try to push a little harder on my cardio. But mainly I guess that I learned that it doesn't matter that I workout 5 days a week if I still eat like poo!

New Meds are killing me...

So i'm on the higher dose of my medication now.....and I feel like death. I don't know if it is from the medication, or because it's 'that time of the month' (which usually zaps my energy and makes be achy), or that fact that my family has the flu. I think it's the flu, we all feel bad, and there are lots of extra trips to the bathroom for various reasons. So i'm trying to hold the family together, the hubby went home early from work yesterday and when I got home with the kids he was sleeping. Because i know how yucky he feels I let him sleep while I got the kidlets ready for bed. (But I secertly wish that he would have realized that he had been resting in a quite house for hours, while I was at work, and then went to my mom's house which was a crazy mess of my 2 parents, 3 sisters, 2 brother-in-laws, 1 friend, my 2 kids, 4 nephews, and 1 step-niece!!! and once I got home I would have liked to rest too!!)

So anyway....I haven't had much appetite. And I've been skipping alot of meals since about Saturday. And then when I do feel good enough to eat, about once a day or less, I eat a whole horse! And I have been so tired that I have not been going to workouts. I skipped Monday, went Tuesday and then felt like I was hit by a truck the whole rest of the day, then skipped yesterday and today. So I think i am just giving up on this week. I'm going to try to enjoy my self this weekend, we should all be better by then. And then Monday I leave for Virginia on a work trip for 3 days. When I get back from that I will put my nose to the grind stone, buckel down, and get right back at it....and whatever other puns I can come up with.

2nd trip to the endocronologist.

I went to the endocrinologist again....not much progress on my symptoms. I actually gained 1 pound from my first visit two months ago. She gave me the results of my latest blood work, my TSH numbers were down from the 5.? it was the last time to 3.?, but since that is still well above the 1-2 that is 'normal', she doubled my dose of medication. So now I wait another 2 months and see where it is then, and hopefully I start to see some improvements in my symptoms, including some weight loss.

....Probably Not!

I don't know what I weigh right now....and I don't really care. OK, I do care, but....you know what I mean. I felt really fat in my workout clothes this morning. I spent the weekend up north with my parents and my kids. We had some Hardee's breakfast on the drive up.....we snacked and ate a ton while we were there. We went to the movies one night and had pop and popcorn and candy. Yada Yada Yada. Then Monday afternoon my son took a nasty spill and we had to take him to the ER.....3 stitches in the eyebrow and he's good as new. but just in case, I stayed home from work yesterday to be with him, you know, in case he needed extra love and care. I couldn't leave my stitched up baby with a sitter. So a missed day of work means a missed workout, and I didn't do cardio on Monday because that was a holiday. So a pig out weekend + 2 missed workouts in a row = blah!

....Or maybe Not!

Well......I've been eating pretty good lately. And then my Dad called yesterday morning and asked if I wanted to go get us ribs for lunch. (There is a man with a smoker that has taken up camp in a parking lot just down the street from our work. He cooks ribs, and chicken, and pulled pork....and it all comes covered with sauce and with french fries that he makes in a little propane deep fryer right when you order.) So I went and picked a slab and fries and we shared it for lunch, and then we just finished up the leftover today for lunch.

I hopped on the scale before my workout this morning. (I had just walked past my trainer downstairs, so I knew he wouldn't be up there to check my progress if I just jumped on real quick)......230! So instead of loosing 2 pounds since last week, which was my plan, I gained 1!!! Not Good!

And this is a holiday weekend coming up, and I'm taking the kids up-north with my parents, and my mom gets up there and cooks like 15 people are there, even though there will only be 6 of us (and 3 of them are under the age of 7!!) But I will just have to work on restraint! (I went to a baseball game last night, and when I was walking around the ball park with my friend and she suggested we get waffle cones, but I declined, One small victory at a time!)

It's my Party.....maybe....

This weekend there was a lot of drama at my house. My brother-in-law is turning 30 this week, and he wanted his wife to have a party for him. I don't know all of the details, just bits that my hubby told me, but basically there are scheduling conflicts and the party may or may not happen, and probably will not happen when the birthday boy wants it. So this got me thinking.....

A couple years ago my hubby turned 30, and I threw him a big surprise party. And because it was the weekend of Cinqo de Mayo, I had a great Mexican Fiesta theme. It all went off without a hitch, the hubby had a good time, and it is still one of my proudest achievements. (Graduating from college and bearing children are pretty high on that list too, but that was one heck of a party, and that I pulled it all off in secret while I was pregnant ..... give me some props!)

So later that year it was my 30th birthday. The hubby kept asking what he could do to make it special for me, but all I wanted was a big fat kicking baby out of my womb! (The baby was born 2 days after my birthday....the little stinker!!) So...needless to say....I had a crummy 30th. I thought maybe the hubby would make it up with something really special last year for the 31st.....but we had both been out of work that year, and financially anything Big was out of the question. So I got a dinner out and some nice gifts, and I was more than happy.

So all the recent birthday drama got me thinking.....maybe I will have a really nice birthday party for myself this year. We have some casinos near us, and they just built new hotels onto them, and they have night clubs in them......see where I'm going! But if I have a big night out for myself....i will need to be celebrating more than just 32 years of existing......and just before my birthday will be the 1 year anniversary of my weight loss journey......and I'm hoping to break the 200 pound mark by then.....see where I'm going again??

So!!! IF.....before my birthday......I can get my weight below 200 (27 pounds lost so far, 29 to go in the next 4 months)...then I will get a room at the casino for the night and invite my family and friends to come meet me there for dinner and dancing! Maybe even gambling, it is a casino after all!

This is such a better goal to strive for.....instead of a number I can be racing towards a PARTY!!! And you can all be invited....you just have to figure out the time and place on your own!