Skipped my cardio today!

So last night on The Biggest Loser, it was the final week on the ranch, and they had flashbacks about how heavy they all were when they first started. And then they showed how well they are doing now, and they went to the doctor to show how much healthier they are too. One man is even off at ton of medications he used to take, just from losing weight. ....You think this would motivate the heck out of me!!

It did! Especially since I had a huge milestone of my own at my workout yesterday. Did I ever tell you about that 'box' that you get in to do ab exercises? Well it's not really a box at all...it's a tall thing and you stand up on two 'blocks' on either side, and it's hallow in the center. And when you are standing up there, there is a pad that you press your back against, and then two pads that are out front at a right angle that you rest your fore arms on, and then handles at the end of that for you to grab. Can you picture it? I'm probably not explaining it very well. Anyway, you are supposed to situate your self into it like so, and then you pick your feet up off the blocks and hold your weight with your arms and shoulders and then pull your knees up, or kick your feet out, whichever exercise you are doing. My first day of working out my trainer had me do that, and I couldn't. Not at all! As soon as I picked a foot off the block I would fall down. I tried a few times, but my bottom was too heavy and my top didn't have enough strength to support myself. Plus I had no endurance or even confidence in myself. And my trainer said "You will remember when you couldn't even do one of these!"

That was almost 8 months ago. And yesterday I worked out with D, my regular workout buddy. And then she scooted out at her regular time, and I had my last 5-10 minutes alone with our trainer. Only we weren't alone. There were 2 of the guys that work out on MWF up there doing a make-up. So the trainer was setting them up on exercises and I was just sitting there laughing and joking. And he told me to do some abs instead of screwing off. So I was doing these things on the bench that I hate, where you balance and lean back, and then put your legs out in front and pull them in and out. Anyway, it's a good move, it's just hard. So I did a few sets of that, still laughing and joking with the boys in between. And the trainer said something like "OK hot shot...get in the box!" And of course I said "I can't do that!?!" But I got in....I got all situated, and he held his hand up for me to pull my feet up to. I would do a little jump/kick thing, it wasn't good form or anything, but I got his hand each time, and then I would have to put my feet back on the blocks. After about 10 of those I had a little rest. Than when we started up again he held his hand closer and told mt "Knees". So I pulled my knees up to his hand and he counted "One"....I lowered my legs, and to my own amazement I didn't need to put my feet on the blocks, I just pulled my knees up a second time "Two"....and again "Three"....I did 5!!! FIVE without putting my feet on the blocks!! It still wasn't good form, and by the time I was at number 5 I had slipped down the back rest a bit, but I did it! And I rested for a second, feet standing on the blocks of course....And I DID IT AGAIN!! Five again!!....and a rest, and then a set of 3 and a rest and 3 and a rest and 3 again!!! I can do it!! My top is stronger...my arms and shoulders, and my bottom is down about 25 pounds....and I can do it! That feels so so good!

And then I woke up this morning and my shoulders and upper back are screaming!! The muscles hurt so so bad! So I reset the alarm, slept in a bit, and skipped my cardio. But I think I earned it. And i'll be right back at it tomorrow....Because to watch them change their lives on The Biggest Loser is motivating....but there is noting like actually doing it for yourself!

MMMMMmmmmm Custard!

Near our house there is a little Ice Cream place, only they don't sell ice cream, they sell frozen custard. It's soooo tasty, and almost fluffy and very creamy. It's only open during the summer, and we like to walk there in the evening after dinner for a treat. Soooo...last night was my daughter's Kindergarten Orientation, so we went and learned all about what she will do next year when she is in kindergarten, and met her new teacher, etc. And she was a very good girl, listened and stayed quiet when needed, played nicely with the other kids, etc. So when we were heading home I said, "Let's stop and get custard!" And I called up the hubby at home to see what he wanted me to bring for him. now he loves custard, even more than me, and sometimes he will even get the packed pints that they sell so we can have it at home for a few days. So....this was the first trip of the year, and I was sure he wouldn't be able to make up his mind of all the yummy choices; shake, sundae, cone, banana split! And he said, "Ummm, I don't want anything, thanks anyway." I hung up, in shock. And we went, and my daughter picked out her treat. (She didn't even get custard!! She picked a little Bratz cartoon thing on a stick, you know, like you get from the ice cream man!) And because I wasn't bringing anything home for the hubby, I just decided not to get anything for myself either! This may not sound like a big deal to you, but it's HUGE to me. That is my will power showing it's little head. Sure it's easy to think, I want custard, but not get any because I don't want to put on my shoes and go all the way there, but to stand there and just say, "Nothing for me, thanks." Is a great feat for me. So I am proud of myself. And I do have to thank the hubby for having will power of his own, and that helped me to have some too!

It's been awhile....

So, it's been so long since I posted that I actually had to go back and read my last couple posts to see what they were even about! They were about being under 230....(not anymore, I'm back around 234, i don't know what it is, but I just can not stay below 230, i have to really struggle to get there, and then if I even smell pizza it all comes flying back on) ....and going to the doctor.

Well I went to the doctor. She was an endocrinologist and a specialist in metabolism and diabetes. She looked me over, asked me about a bunch of symptoms....
Are you cold alot? All the time! Freezing!
Do you have dry skin? She looked at my forearms and shins and wrote down "Very Very Dry"
Have you been losing hair? Yes! I didn't even know that was a symptom!
Do you have trouble swallowing or feel like you are choking? Yes!! What does that have to do
with it? I thought I was getting a hernia like my mom has but I guess it can happen if your
thyroid gland is swelled up.
Are you constipated? No. This is the only symptom I didn't have, lets attribute that to all
the oatmeal and salad I eat!
And last and most important. Have you been gaining weight? No! (she was shocked!) I explained that I work out every morning and eat my oatmeal, yogurt, salad with tuna, cottage cheese and fruit, and then dinner, diet and I actually lost over 20 pounds in the last 6 months, but it's been hard. And I can't seem to loose anymore!

So she showed me my blood test results and explained that a normal reading is between 1 and 2.5 ...... I was a 5.04, only over double what a high reading would be!

She wrote me a prescription, sent me home with samples and told me to start the medication right away. I will go get my blood checked in another month and see if my results are good, or if we need to change my dosage. She said that I should see my symptoms start to improve and that I should actually start losing some real weight from the work I'm putting in.

It's been about 3 weeks. My skin is noticeably softer and smoother and not so itchy and flaky! I'm cold sometimes and warm sometimes, and I get under all my blankies at night, and I wake up in the night hot and take blankets off! (That has never happened except when I was pregnant!) I'm still loosing hair, but i have only choked on my food once in the last 3 weeks, so that is a big improvement.

So you would think with so many symptoms leveling out I've probably been dropping pounds too?? Nope! But, i did kinda think, "Now I have skinny pills!" And i have not been eating well. I did not eat salad once for lunch last week! I did go out for burgers once though, and a sub and chips on Friday....and a gyro and spinach pie another day!! And I realized that eating salad every day, is healthy for my body and my wallet!!

So starting today I'm going to eat really good all week. I'm eating salad right now, and I'm cooking chicken with peppers for dinner, and salad for lunch tomorrow....etc! But this weekend I have a birthday party & a big BBQ at B (you know, the ex-nemesis)'s house. And me and B are having a cheese cake cook-off! (We just can't put the rivalry aside completely huh?) And my baby sis's baby shower is on Sunday. So I'm going to be busy, and I'm going to be around a ton of NOT healthy food. So i will do great during the week, and try to do my best this weekend, without feeling like i am totally denying myself. And hopefully this will help the skinny pills do their job!