Not So Bad

Alright....so yesterday wasn't so bad. According to the WW scale, since the last time I weighed in there.....I was down 3.2 pounds. Their scale said I was exactly 2 pounds more than what I weighed on my home scale last week. The difference between my scale this week and theirs was mine weighed me at 2 pounds more than theirs did. Confused yet? While I am perfectly happy to run with their numbers.....being the pain in the tush that I am, I fixated on the numbers. Whose are right? I want to believe the WW scales...but I tend to go with mine. It simply means I have to work harder....and harder I worked.

This morning I managed an hour and 20 minute circuit training workout. Within that workout I walked 2.5 miles and I mixed in weights, stair running, crunches (I am sure my side will love me), squats and kickboxing. According to my little calorie converter....when all was said and done...I burned 750 calories. That was a necessary burn since I won't be able to get to the gym for the next two days. That is good and bad. Bad because I don't want to fall out of my groove and good because I really think my body needs the rest. I also have to get to the place where I don't feel like I am doing something wrong or sabotaging myself if for some reason I need a day of rest from working out or I simply can't make it to the gym. It is when I start feeling those feelings of guilt that I start behaving badly with food. I am hoping that this weekend I will be too busy to have time to dwell on my lack of workouts or food. My issue is that I don't want to be so busy that I reach for fast food. I am REALLY bad about that.

I treated myself for lunch with one of my favorite Dillon's salads heavy on the fruits and veggies. It was a 10 pointer because I also love the cuckes in Italian dressing and cottage cheese. It still leaves me with 19 points for the rest of the day and since it is just David and I tonight....I have no idea what is on the menu. I am thinking a WW dinner and a salad.

Yesterdays meeting was kind of bittersweet. As of yet...there is no one to replace our leader and there is no guarantees there will be one by fall. My choices to remain going to WW are...I can go to a mtg in Derby. Derby Dillon's has one in their conference room at 7 a.m. on Fridays which wouldn't be bad for the summer. I also like the fact that I could go in and weigh first thing in the morning and then not have to worry about starving myself 3/4 of the day. I could go straight from their to the gym and then on to work. A definite possibility. I can also just do etools which is WW online program (paying monthly of course), but you are basically on your own with no accountability and then finally......I could just use the WW tools I have and do it strictly on my own and hope that by fall we have a leader and I haven't fallen off the healthy eating/working out wagon. Decisions! Decisions!

Well...it is much later and I am exhausted. Supper ended up to be about 12 pts with a WW meal, cottage cheese and a WW cinnamon bar. I barely had time to eat as I spent the evening baking, cleaning and doing laundry. It makes quite a distraction away from food, not to mention a pretty decent workout. My legs are feeling it tonight....as is the rest of my body. It really stinks when your body reminds you that it is not 20 anymore....or even 30. Hey, at this point....I would settle for 40. Oh well...it may suck getting older, but it sure beats the heck out of the alternative. That being said....I think I will call it a night.

Hope you have sweet dreams and that your head always lays on the cool side of the pillow!

 

Three Days Later...................

So I did an hour on the elliptical again this morning. It resulted in 5 miles and 730+ calories burned. I truly thought I might keel over and die this morning. If it hadn't been for the words "don't quit unless you puke, faint or die," I don't think I would have made it. I did though and I am proud of it.

I think I have hit on something interesting that I have surmised for awhile...but didn't want to admit. I think diet pop may be what is behind my headaches. This morning for the second day in a row, I woke up with a headache. Both days prior, I had had a diet pop. Now granted we are in the midst of allergy season and that could play a part, but thinking back, I have had only one maybe two headaches during the last 6 weeks. Now I have had two in a row both.... after possibly drinking diet pop. I am thinking maybe I should just leave the stuff alone. I haven't had any since last night and I don't intend to have any tonight. It should be interesting to see how my head feels in the morning.

I have also started with a side pain. I have had this side pain for a couple of years and had it checked out a while back. The dr. felt that it was muscle related and after awhile it quit hurting. In the last few days though...it has come back full force. I am wondering if it is connected to the crunches I have been doing? I did crunches both Friday and yesterday and today....I am really uncomfortable. Ibuprofen helped some....but as it is wearing off...the pain is coming back and making me somewhat irritable. I went ahead and made a drs. appt because I am not about to let anything slow my workouts down. However...I may give the crunches a rest and see if the side pain takes care of itself before my appt. I am thinking a nice muscle relaxant might work...but I believe I used all of mine up with my last go around. Drat!

Well...I didn't get the above posted yesterday. The reason being.....I was in major pain. I went home....took a handful of ibuprofen and laid down with the heating pad. I didn't move the rest of the evening. I am not sure what all I ate yesterday...but I am fairly sure that I stayed within my points.

This morning I woke up feeling much better and in much less pain, which leads me to believe that this is indeed muscular. The heat helped a lot and thank goodness that it is still cool enough outside that the heat from the pad didn't give me extreme hot flashes. As the day has worn on ....the pain has sort of come back, but nothing like yesterday and again....my heating pad and I have yet another date tonight.

I did workout this morning. Because of it being late start....I only worked out half an hour, but I tried to make it count. I did the workout on the elliptical (apparently my new best friend) and did 2.5 miles burning about 330 calories. I was so glad I made it through without pain. Yay me!

Believe it or not....another day has gone by.This whole side thing has really been a pain (both realistically and figuratively). Did I use those words correctly? Awww at this point....who cares?! After another night of heating pad and ibuprofen, I am starting to feel better. I did make it to the gym today. Between elliptical, stationary bike and treadmill, I went for a total of one hour, 6.7 miles and burned 529 calories. I would not let myself stop. I am mad at me!!!

I was really down this morning. I know that today is my last WW weigh in for awhile. I wanted to weigh at home and compare my scale with the WW one just to make sure I stayed on track until  a) we find a new WW leader or  b) I find a new meeting. Now granted....sugar has drifted back into my diet a bit and I did do the whole Easter thing, Red Lobster things, jelly beans thing and crackers thing.....but still....I thought I had done pretty good on my points this week(quit snickering...it's not funny! It's called denial!). Anyway....when I stepped on the scales....it was very ugly and told me that I had gained my 4 lbs from last week back. How hateful is that????? I really was disappointed. It took me a moment to regain myself because I felt an immediate nose dive in both attitude and determination. Darn...I thought I was over that. NOT!

I guess progress is being made because as each negative thought came to the surface, my immediate response was to come up with a positive or at the very least cut the negative off at the knees. Here is a little peak into the scary workings of my mind:
Negativity: I am not going to work out!
New Me: Yes you are and you are going to workout twice as hard!
Neg.: I am not  going to go weigh in today. I just don't even want to know.
NM: Yes you are. You need that last meeting! Now quit whining!
Neg.: Lets just have pizza for lunch. Why do I even care at this point?
At this point I turned around and smacked my forehead on the wall....which kind of felt like a cosmic b!tch slap and immediately I shoved the negative thoughts right out of my head.

Truthfully, I probably gained for several reasons. One was the sugar intake. I think sugar leaves a very negative foot print on my body. Also...although I "think" I stayed within my points this week, I was not as good at documenting and by not writing it down....things (and by things I mean points) can slip through the cracks and add up. Finally...the old..... make a fatty feel better response....muscle weighs more than fat and after all....I am working out and gaining muscle. However....I seriously doubt that I have gained 4 pounds of muscle in one week.

The upside to all of this is....my clothes especially pants are much looser. In fact most of my pants are almost too big at this point. That is a pretty good sign that if nothing else, with all the working out....I am losing inches. Again....today's gain is not the end of the world, it was just a bit disappointing. It is also not as if I stayed on track every day during the week and had no loss. The bottom line is....I went off track a bit and the scales showed it. So rather than fall into the negatives, I simply have to get back on track. I still have a goal I want to reach by the end of May, and I will not give up until I reach that goal.

Well there has been no food today and maybe the WW scales will weigh me less which will only help my ego a little as I know what my scales weighed me at last week and I will still know what they weighed me at this morning. Sigh! I will however take ego boosts where ever I can get them.

It took me three days...but I finally got this blog posting out. Hopefully my next one won't take so long. Here is hoping that your afternoon is sunny and bright. Till next time....have a great day!

So Today I Catch You Up

Well...I fell off the wagon of every day blogging on this blog....I just got so busy from Thursday on,  that I ran out of time to do it all. So today I catch you up.The weekend was my 20% don't worry about what I ate time. I did go a little a rye as far as points go, or at least I think I did, because I didn't write a thing down. I didn't work out Thursday, but Friday I did my circuit training and burned approx. 430 calories  and Saturday I did an hour on the elliptical which was 5 mi. and another 700 calories. Sunday I rested but today I was back at it. I went 2.5 miles on the elliptical in 30 minutes, burning a little over 300 calories and then I did another 30 min. of legs on the weights plus some stretches and crunches on the exercise ball....using approx. 130 + calories. It wasn't an extraordinary workout, but I NEEDED the stretching badly and my legs tend to not usually get the workout that my arms do.

I found out that once again I am either clueless or just simply get things wrong most of the time. Last Thursday was NOT my last WW meeting. THIS Thursday is. Therefore I have one more weigh in before this session ends. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will find someone new to run our meetings between now and then. As I have said before.....I NEED my meetings. They are the only thing that stands between me and falling back into old habits. My meetings are my accountability and goodness knows....I have to have accountability!!!!

While working out this morning, I had to laugh. I really wonder what people think of me sometimes? Every once in awhile I get some interesting looks while working out, and I am pretty sure I know why. For one...I breathe like I just sprinted up Mt. Everest. When I work out hard....I breathe really hard and heavy. I think people not so much stare, but keep an eye on me with their finger poised to dial 911....afraid I may keel over and fall off the elliptical at any moment. I am sure me going 200+ strides per minute, panting like a dog and dripping sweat....is sending up red flags all over the gym. And yet...I survive. I am also sure that I pose a pretty picture because I get into my music when I am working out....especially on the elliptical. Honestly....my music is the only thing that gets me through most workouts. I really get lost in it because often, that is the only thing I can focus on. So occasionally I will catch myself gliding away to AC/DC or Guns and Roses and I will be shaking my money maker for all that it is worth. Since my back is to the room and my rear end is center stage, I should be charging admission for the show those behind me are getting. Actually though...now that I think of it....no one seems to workout behind me....for long! Coincidence??? I really don't think so!

I also get into my music when I am doing my track laps. I caught myself doing a wicked Tootsie Roll while lapping the other day. Those poor old folks walking the track with me....had absolutely no idea what to think. I have got to watch myself or they are gonna ban me from the track! And it can only get worse now that I have new music on my phone. I can see Meatloaf and I doing some serious moves......and none of it particularly attractive. Perhaps I should just apologize in advance to anyone who works out at the DRC and happens to have to walk or work out behind me. Sometimes I just can't help myself!

While I did not eat my points strictly over the weekend, I can see tremendous change in my eating habits. I ate some candy, but instead of a bag.....I ate pieces. I chose healthy snacks such as WW string cheese and grapes rather than a hunk of pie, and knowing we were having bbq burgers and hot dogs for Easter dinner...I took along my own "thin buns" which is 1 pt. instead of a regular bun which is anywhere from 3-4 pts. I also brought my own Special K "chips" instead of eating sides such as baked beans and potato salad.

I think the biggest change I have seen in myself is my diet pop consumption. Midnight Saturday....Lent was over and I was free to drink diet pop again. I was so ready that I even had a diet root beer sitting by my bed ready for the clock to strike. Midnight came and went and I slept through it. When I woke up at 2:30 a.m. dying of thirst....I reached over the pop and went straight for the water which was also at my bedside. It was not until lunch Easter that I finally had a diet Mt. Dew.....and truthfully....it wasn't all that great. I am sure that diet pop will creep back into my diet from time to time, but water and I have gotten pretty close.....I don't even drink much tea anymore. I think water and I maybe a more permanent thing than what I first thought. But just watch....now that I guzzle water by the gallon, it won't be long and the FDA will be warning us of the hazards of drinking water. At that point....I think I will just give up!

Well...today was my usual salad for lunch. That and my yogurt and a iced sugar cookie made by my bosses mother all came to a total of 13 points. Was the cookie a wise way to spend those points? If you are looking at it from a "how many  points will I have left for supper" point of view....possibly not. If however....you are looking at it from a taste perspective..........ABSOLUTELY it was a good way to spend those points because it was d*e*l*i*c*i*o*u*s!!!!!!! And even though Miss Becca brought in boocous of those delicious melt in your mouth morsels....I only took one. Look at me being all good and not eating more than one. Who would have thunk it?!

 Okay...so I made it out of work before I had a second cookie. Yay me! Unfortunately I was ambushed by jelly beans when I walked in my front door. Boo me! The will power is apparently questionable today. This is not good! The beans were small and gourmet. For 17 beans, they have a points value of 4. Well....not horrible. Supper was then a Lean Cuisine Spaghetti (7) and ff cottage cheese (2) and a WW ice cream bar (3). Tonight's total.....(16). The points for the day are gone as I have used up the entire 29 pts.

While I did what I did (cookie and jelly beans), I did stay within my points BUT...looking at the daily totals, I wasted 9 pts on junk that was neither healthy nor did it fill me up. In fact, the cookie just made me hungry for more sugar....which in turn caused the jelly bean feast as I walked in the door. I would much rather have used those 9 pts on something more filling or maybe not even used them at all. Sigh! At least I recognize it and if I become ravenous before bed time there is always fruit or cucumbers....both having zero calories. Lesson well learned. No mid-week sugar again!

So I am tired and think I will make an early evening of this drury day. Tomorrow will be a busy one and I am sure I will feel the need to work out twice as hard. Until tomorrows blog....may you have wonderful night!

I AM the Biggest Loser!

It has been a day and I am beyond tired. I have cheesecakes to make and barely the strength to make them. We finally got Z figured out....I think. He has what they said he had the other night, which I cannot pronounce to save my life, but it is essentially a secondary infection in his man region. It is extremely painful and he can barely walk. They think it is secondary to an ear infection he has had almost chronically since Oct. The dr. today a man....nearly fainted when he found out that the dr. (a woman) had sent Z home the other night without pain meds. Along with all of this....Z has been extremely fatigued. They started running all kinds of tests on him and the "c" word was even tossed into the mix. I can't even hardly think about my kids and cancer let alone hear a dr. use the word in regards to one of them. My heart about stopped.

After all the tests, sonogram, blood work, etc. we came out with a different...stronger antibiotic, pain meds and no cancer....thank God! It is just going to be tough going for Z for the next 10 days to 3 weeks...but hopefully by Monday he will be feeling much better.

So with all of today's drama and running around.....WW was out of the question. The bad news is....today was my last meeting and I didn't get to weigh in or find out if they have found us a new leader or if and/or when a new session will be starting. I need my meetings Man! The good news is......drum roll please...............I LOST 4.2 POUNDS THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! That's right! So you all know what this means?!  I will continue my daily blogging on TMI (well...maybe not Sundays) and I will continue documenting points and workouts, because.....it's working! In the last 2 weeks I have lost a total of 7.2 pounds and not once have I gone hungry or felt deprived. This loss has even come amongst some low times where I veered off and didn't do as well. Usually my low points or bad behavior happen on the weekends which sort of works out to the 80/20 schedule I talked about a few days ago.

I am so ecstatic even with as crummy as the last two days have been! What is even better is that I had set a number last week that I wanted to be at or below this week. I am 2.2 lbs below that number and right now....I weigh less than I have weighed in about 8 years. I AM REALLY DOING THIS!

In the midst of all of today's fun though, working out just simply didn't happen and I had half a Spangles Western Burger and some Cinnamon Sugar Almonds.....and there may have been some other stuff, I kinda lost track about 3 p.m. I don't care though. I know tomorrow I will be back in the gym and I will be back on my points and with any luck, this time next week there will be even less of me.

Well I am exhausted and as I said....I have cheesecakes to make, so I guess I will get to work, but I just had to share with you all and let you know that tonight....in Lisaland.....I am.....THE BIGGEST LOSER!

The Journey

This morning....as I was working out, a thought occurred to me. Not only is tomorrow my weigh in day, but it is also the last WW meeting of this session. I do my meetings a little different than most. Ours are workplace meetings that we pay up front for and do 17 sessions at a time. The convenience of location and the knowing everyone in the relatively small group.....makes it worth the pay up front issue. The problem is...last I knew...there was no one to take the place of our current WW leader. Our current leader plans to take the summer off....plus, the drive she makes to present our meetings is an hour one way. I don't blame her for maybe wanting to not take us back on for another session....however....I certainly hope we find someone. I maybe good for missing one or two sessions...but I need the meetings to keep me accountable. If we can't find another leader...then I may have to look for another meeting. Unfortunately....in our small town, ours was the only WW meeting around. I guess I will have to look elsewhere. Sigh!

Today is late start for my kids....so when they start late....so do I. Wed. are a day that I often skip working out...just because I am so crunched for time. By the time they are finally out the door....it is almost time for work. Today though....I did manage to squeeze in 30 min,. on the elliptical. It was 2.5 mi. and 350 calories. Not a fantastic workout....but better than no workout at all. It was a necessity this morning as the getting ready at home did not exactly run smoothly. I could literally feel my blood pressure rising before I got out of the house and the stress alone made my workout just fly by. I think I could easily have done an hour today...had time permitted. I do love my kids.....but sometimes they make my head want to explode.

I have started looking for things daily that keep me motivated. While currently my daily workouts go a long way in helping me stay focused and keep me pushing through.....I have definitely learned that on days when I don't or can't workout....the motivation hits rock bottom at some point....causing me to fall face first off the wagon. Motivation for a journey such as weight loss is not always easy to find. You would think it would be. You would think looking at smaller people or smaller sizes or knowing that you are going to be able to move much easier and feel much better when all is said and done would be great motivation.....but I have learned (that at least for me) your motivational needs change as your progresses changes. Some days...just the thought of a lower number on the scale is motivation enough. Other days...it takes much more....like knowing someone else has also taken this journey and come out on the other side smaller, healthier and much happier all the way around. I think that is why I like watching The Biggest Loser. I don't watch it faithfully, but from time to time...I just need to see those big numbers. I need to see people struggling just like myself shedding those pounds, along with insecurities, and life issues that got them over weight in the first place. I need to watch them workout until they puke, cry or both and know that I am not the only one pushing myself to the brink some days...but that the end result is worth every second of pain, exhaustion and frustration. Last night I tuned in. I think I just needed to see people that when they first started couldn't even walk ten steps without being out breath...now be able to run and lift weights and work out in ways they never dreamed possible just a few short months ago. Watching it worked....and it was what kept me from skipping today's workout.....even though it was only 1/2 an hour long.

Because of this mornings less than stellar start....there was not time for homemade salad, so Dillon's salad bar was my lunch of choice again today. It was my regular salad with goodies this time...for a total of 8 pts. There was also an apple involved before lunch which was (0)....so we have gone into the afternoon with freshly brushed teeth and only 8 pts. down. That leaves me with 21 for the rest of the day.

I really am going to have to figure out how I can start working breakfast into this equation. My mornings are so crazy that I just tend to skip it anymore....but I am going to have to change that. My metabolism needs breakfast in order to work properly and to also up my weight loss. The points are likely to change how I use them with the addition of breakfast. They will be spread out  more and be used more efficiently through out the day. There is also likely not going to be all the extra points left at the end of the day.

Well...here is hoping that all stays calm in my world. I want to finish this day out well. Wish me luck. I will be back later......................

I am back. Since last we spoke....the afternoon turned out almost as bad as this morning. Sometimes no matter how hard we try...this parenting gig is hard and we make mistakes. I made a doozie that cost Z a chance at something he has wanted forever. I think he actually took it better than I did. I really had to watch myself after that. I feel like the worlds worst mom! I guess it is all part of the journey!

It became a chaotic evening but I calmed myself with an orange (0) rather than a bag of candy. We ended up Taco Belling it again. (That has got to stop by the way). I had my usual "fresco fare" with a total of 12 pts. I also treated myself to a WW ice cream bar (3) pts. for a total of 23 pts. today. So far....I think I am good and if I jump into bed quickly....maybe I will make it through today without any frustration cheats.

So I guess on that note....I will say.....goodnight.

Questions?

I keep plugging along. The workouts I think give me momentum to continue on, but I know if I miss a workout...I also lose my momentum.

This morning I changed it up and did 20 min. on treadmill, 20 min. on stationary bike, 20 min. on elliptical and 15 min. with weights. This gave me a total of 5 mi. and a calorie burn of about 594. Obviously the 1 hour on the elliptical is the REAL calorie burner.....but my body is not up to doing that daily (yet) and besides....I need to shake things up a bit so as not to get bored. I keep pushing myself and it is not always easy. I never really want to quit once I get started....but sometimes the getting started is a little dicey. I really have to just do it and not think about it....or I will mentally talk myself out of it. As much as I want to be in the "zone" (workout that is) apparently I am just not there yet. Perhaps if when I weigh in on Thursday and there is a definite loss....then the "zone" will be easier to come by. Maybe then the initial getting started every day won't be such a pain and it will actually turn into a ritual.

I must be doing better though....because I am thinking of making a trip here soon and the thought went through my head...."I wonder if they have a gym or workout facility there?" I have never in my life worked out on a trip....but who knows....this time I just might!

Lunch today was the usual.salad (6), yogurt (2) total (8). It wasn't exactly spectacular....but definitely filling.

I am always amazed when people read my blogs and comment on them. Sometimes they comment on the actual blog, sometimes on facebook and often times through email or word of mouth. Since I have been doing this blog every day recently.....I have gotten several questions and I thought I would use the questions in my blog. So to all you who  have asked....here are your questions and my answers.

How much weight have you lost total? Since a year ago May when I started all of this.....as of last week I have lost a total of 23 lbs.

You seem to eat a lot of salads. Don't you get tired of salads? Yes! Sometimes I do. That is why I like to go to Dillons salad bar. They have a great variety and I can change things up from time to time. 


What is your favorite exercise? You say this as if you think I have a favorite exercise. Actually I really don't mind the elliptical. As exercise goes though.....I think I really like kickboxing. It is a huge stress reliever and helps to burn a lot of calories.

Since Weight Watchers uses the point system and not calorie counting, why does it seem so important to you how many calories you burn? It is not so much important as it is a tool for keeping track. I want to get the most out of my workouts so calories burned gives me an idea of how effective my workouts are.


What is your favorite splurge food? Wow! That really depends on the day, my mood and what happens to be available. I happen to be a pretty huge candyaholic and jelly beans and gummy worms are my biggest downfalls.


I am really not big on vegetables. Can you suggest some vegetables or ways to serve vegetables that might make me like them more? I really like most veggies. I am especially fond of raw veggies like tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and mushrooms. Two things I suggest. One....try some raw veggies with some fat free ranch dressing or some fat free sour cream mixed with a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Two....try the Green Giant variety frozen veggies such as broccoli or cauliflower with a light cheese sauce. This might help with your future veggie intake.

And finally

I have been dieting for years. I make a little progress and get frustrated and cheat blowing my diet to hell and back. Does this ever happen to you and how do you fix it? LOL have you read my  blog? Yes this has happened to me. I think it has probably happened at one time or other to any one trying to lose weight. I think a key to "fixing" the binges is to look at your weight loss not as a punishment but more as a gift that you are giving yourself. A gift of health, energy, and maybe when all is said and done....the need for a brand new wardrobe. And don't be too hard on yourself. You are human....you are going to have slip ups. Just find a diet plan that works for you (WW works for me) and work it to the best of your ability.

Well...I hope this answers any questions you might have. And thank you all for reading. It is you guys that help to keep me motivated and moving forward.

Supper is done. I had 4 fat free hot dogs (4), 1/2 low fat cottage cheese (2), Green Giant broccoli/carrots in light cheese sauce (2)  Skinny Cow ice cream cones (4) total (12). I forgot how much I love my ff hot dogs. They are so yummy and with cottage cheese.....well nothing is better. My totals for today are 20 pts. I am still a ways from my 29pts but I am feeling plenty full...so I think we will leave it at that. The nice thing is....if I get the munchies before bedtime, I still have some room to snack without going over.

It is about time for me to hit the sack. Once again...I am beyond tired and soon my eyes will blurr to the point of not even being able to type. I hope you all have had a wonderful Tuesday and here is wishing you the sweetest of dreams!

I Can Do This!

"I can do this! I can do this!" These were the words going through my head as I did one hour on the elliptical this morning. And guess what.....I could do it! In that hour I did 5 miles and burned just a little over 700 calories. This was a first for me. Never have I been able to do the elliptical for more than 45 min. and even then I thought I was dying. Today though....I did it! Possibly part of the fact that I pulled this off was because as I said Sat., I wasn't very good Friday....and while I did better than fine on Sat., Sunday was a bit of a back slide. Again....even my mishaps are getting healthier and healthier, but still not perfect. I knew that if I wanted to continue losing and not be disappointed come Thursday....I would have to get back at it full force. I did!

I have only used 5 points for lunch today....I am back to my homemade salads. They are smaller than the Dillons kind and require less salad dressing. And today proves my assumption that working out=not as hungry and  I don't think about food. Not working out=starving and looking to graze every chance I get. It seems that the two should be opposite of each other as when I work out.....my body (you would think) would be craving food, but somehow....it just doesn't seem to work that way. I am thinking that the reason I fixate on food when I don't work out is because I feel guilty for not working out....therefore.....I start self-sabotaging.

I was reading this article the other day...don't ask me where (most likely some drs, office as that is usually where I do most of my reading) and it was talking about weight loss. It said most over weight people have become so accustomed to eating badly that going cold turkey from that to healthy eating is almost impossible. It said it sets people up for failure. What the article suggested was that people who were trying to lose....first of all had to get rid of the diet mind set. It was imperative that people look at weight loss as a life style change....otherwise, when the diet is through, so is their healthier eating commitment. And the other thing the article suggested was that people ate 80/20. What's that you ask? I continued reading. Eighty/twenty is eating healthy and conscientiously 80% of the time and the other 20% letting lose a little. The thinking behind this is.....the healthy eating 80% of the time will start showing gradual loss and the individual will undoubtedly like how that feels. It is an easier weight loss because they don't feel deprived, but at the same time.....they are going to want to turn those small weight loss numbers into bigger ones.....thus making better choices...even on the 20% days. Honey....they had me at no diet!

If you think about it....it does make good sense. People are more likely to change things around if they get to treat themselves from time to time. Of course....common sense has to be used on the 20% days. You can't binge 24 hours a day during that time period or else you are completely undoing the 80% you worked so hard for. The article suggested that Mon. thru Friday you eat healthy and then let yourself enjoy the bbq or going out to eat on the weekends. These little splurges help to make you feel less like you are confined to fruits and veggies the rest of your life and more like a normal human being. What I thought was kind of funny is...this  seems to be what my body has been doing naturally for awhile now. I stay pretty focused during the week, but the weekends are my down fall. Using the 80/20 method though.....has actually evolved me to the point that even my bad choices are much better than they used to be and by eating right 80% of the time.....I have learned to read my body and know when it doesn't like my 20% choices. It is all so fascinating.....if you are a healthy lifestyle nerd like I seem to be turning into.

And now we are back! Since last paragraph....I have been to the ER and back. By the time we got out of the ER (Z this time....and all is well) I was too  tired to cook....so fast food it was. I got my fresco burrito and taco from Taco Bell for a total of 12 pts. Tonight I am too tired even for ice cream.....so I guess we will call this day a success. I have eaten a total of 17 pts., burned off 700+ calories and drank all my water. I think this helps make up for weekend indiscretions. Until tomorrow.....have a great night!

A Day Later......

Okay...in this mornings blog I was feeling pretty low. I was questioning my parenting skills and the answers were not pleasing me. Perhaps David feeling bad and the fact that I was pretty tired culminated into my dark posting this morning. The fact is though....when he got up and around, although extremely stuffy and a little tired from the tossing and turning all night...he was in pretty fair spirits. I asked him if he wanted to go to school...and he gave me an enthusiastic YEAH! So even though my Mom instincts wanted to keep him home and take care of him (although he neither appeared to want or need it) I went with my Head of Household/Provider instincts and sent him to school. I did however call the drs. office the minute it opened, which just so happened to be moments after the bus left the driveway. Luckily they could see him at 8:30, so I ended up having to go and pick him up (after him being there less than a half hour). Sometimes my brilliance just amazes me. Why didn't I just keep him home until I knew something? Anyway....prognosis is: red ear, slightly red throat (due to a Netty pot mishap I am thinking) and a sinus infection. They put him on antibiotics and out the door and back to school he went.

By the time all was said and done, it was time for me to go to work. Needless to say, there was no workout this morning. I can tell that not working out is not good for me. I immediately started thinking about food. I never do that. My mood was trying to take over and dictate my food intake. I had to run some errands for work and the entire time I was out.... it was as if I was fixated on every fast food place I saw. I was even thinking about donuts! What the heck? It was bordering on ridiculous. So far though....I have fought every inclination to be bad....and so far...I have won!

I am kind of proud of myself as I am starting to figure out what does and does not work for me. What does work is brushing my teeth after I eat lunch. Once that toothpaste taste is in my mouth, it turns me off of food for hours. What also seems to work is working out. Well obviously I like the fact that it is finally letting me see some results, but also when I work out....I just don't seem to get as hungry. What does not seem to work for me is....not working out. The thing is....I can't work out every day. It is not good for my body...and simply not always possible. On those days I can definitely tell a difference in both my mood and my appetite. I am going to have to really watch myself on those days and be super vigilant.

Lunch went well though. I had my usual (at least for this week) Dillons salad which equaled the usual 6 pts. plus the WW yogurt (2) which gave me a total of 8 pts. leaving me with 21 to finish out the day. And tonight Z is having a house full of kids again. I am getting them pizza but since that has more points than I want to give up....I am thinking Taco Bell for me. (Yes...I feel lazy tonight). Since it is Friday and no meat...I am thinking of the bean and cheese fresco burrito. At least that is filling. Maybe though I will have tomato soup and grilled cheese. I just don't know. I can't decide. I guess I will just have to leave everyone in suspense until later.....

Okay...much later...as in the next day.

Here's the deal. Yesterday was just a bad day waiting for me to be bad and I succumbed. I am not even going into points at this juncture. Let us just say there was pizza, lemon cookies and Doritos involved. What can I say....I am human! Honestly....I could have been so much worse than I was and up to the lemon cookies and Doritos...I was still well within my points. The cookies I don't regret for a second because David and I shared them while watching tv together, the Doritos....I may regret a little. The good thing is....I realized that it was just a small stumble and I was back on track today. The bad thing is....the indiscretion did a number on my stomach and I have been suffering like crazy today. Yet another reason not to eat like a teenager left unsupervised.

Today I have eaten next to nothing because of the stomach....and because tonight I think I would rather drink my points. Yeah....that is just who I am today. I also did not workout....again....I am cutting myself some slack. All work and no fun makes Lisa miserable and we wouldn't want that. My body needs a couple of days of rest and then I will get going again.

Well you probably won't hear from me again until Monday. I think one blog from me on a  Sunday is plenty for anyone to have to read...so I will leave it at that. Here is hoping that your Friday was spectacular and that your Saturday is even better and on that note....I leave you with this song!

Learning and Losing

Okay...the more I am doing this whole accountability thing...the more I am actually thinking before acting. And the more I am thinking before acting...the more I am learning about me. The last few days, I have learned a whole lot about me. One of the things I learned is that I am a liar! And we may or may not get back to that in this blog. Maybe liar is a bit harsh. Maybe we will say that at times I am not as forthcoming with details of the truth as certain people might like me to be, or maybe it is just that I say something and then change my mind. Nope! I think liar covers it!

And on this note....I have a confession to make. I know I have said over and over that I won't weigh anywhere but WW(and until recently...that was true), but last Friday (since I didn't make it to the WW meeting Thursday) I possibly weighed myself at home. The number had of course jumped up a pound and I was not feeling particularly proud. That and I wanted to make sure my scale was weighing accurately. A girl can hope can't she? I had it checked and it was spot on. DRAT! Well...that was Friday. Since we didn't have a meeting today....I decided to go for it again. So this morning, half bleery-eyed...I dared to face the beast yet again. I about passed out! After all of this dedication, working out and not once stepping outside my points since Sunday, I freaking could not believe my eyes! I LOST 3 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has been my largest single loss in a really long time. I was over the moon to say the least. It really gave me incentive to keep going and go as far as I possibly can.

What else have I learned about me? Sit down! You just thought you were getting off easy with the first paragraph. I lost weight....not words! I have also learned that eating right does not mean starving myself. It means eating until your full, but eating the right things. I am stuffed at lunch everyday and I never eat less than 4 pts. nor usually more than 11 pts. And if you have been reading the blog.....you have seen that I eat plenty. I have also learned that with last weeks total disregard for exercise and eating right, I felt horrible. I felt sluggish...my head hurt, my stomach hurt and I just in general felt bad about everything. It really  tore me up mentally most of all.  Once I got the water going though and started back with the protein, whole grains, fruits and veggies....I feel like a completely different person.

I also have discovered that I kind of....sorta....like accountability. Well...maybe what I actually like is blogging about accountability, cause we all know I would blog about air if I though I could, so blogging about this journey is both helpful accountability wise as well as mental health wise. It combines all my current passions.....blogging, getting healthy....and staying sane. What else could one ask for? Honestly though....writing down everything that passes my lips helps me to stay within my points and keeps me focused. The same goes for writing down my activity and calories burned. I have also figured out the common sense things that sometimes tend to go over my head such as: on the days I don't work out or don't work out as hard....dial back the points a point or two. Also...don't eat all your points if your aren't hungry. I am trying to eat to live...not live to eat.

Finally a realization that hit me this morning is....I really no longer need a personal trainer. At least not for now. I have gotten to the place where I can take everything my past two trainers have taught me and put it to good use. I also spend a lot of time watching the trainers at the DRC while they are training others. I pick up quite a bit just doing that. Finally....I have learned to push myself and for the most part keep myself going. Of course seeing the product of the effort (losing 3 pounds since actually Monday) doesn't hurt either. Yep...there are just lessons to be found everywhere in this little journey. Who knew????

Well here goes the accountability part. This mornings workout was 1 hour 20 min. I am so afraid I will get bored with the same ol' same ol' or maybe it is that I am just feeling like I am not giving myself a good enough all over workout. I am not sure...but today I tried to switch things up a bit and challenge myself a little more. I started out with doing a mile on the treadmill  burning 97calories, then I did a mile on the stationary bike burning 109, then onto the elliptical where I did 1.2 miles and burned 175 calories. The rest of the time I did the weight machines burning 151 calories. Total was 500 + calories. (I have no calculator and my head hurts so I can't think well enough to add.) Not too bad if I do say so myself...and I felt really good after the workout. Today I didn't feel near so much like dying....of course I was pushing for an even greater weight loss next week. Tomorrow could be another story though as I am thinking I will be doing 45 min. on the elliptical again. My heart is either going to thank me or burst open over all this cardio. In fact the other day when I was doing the fast part of my elliptical workout and was panting like a dog in the Sahara....a lady turned around to check and see if I was all right. A little embarrassing? Meh....I got a goal in mind and I will not stop unless....I puke, faint or die!

And on that note....lets move onto lunch. Today was another fabulous salad from Dillons. What can I say? I am addicted. It was exactly as yesterday's so as not to bore you too much...I will just tell you that it was 6 pts with an added 2 for a cup of WW yogurt. This left me with 21 pts. left over. 

Z called me today and said he wanted to make burgers for supper....so far be it from me to complain when my son is willing to use his culinary skills to benefit us all. They were delicious but I used my 45 calorie bread instead of a bun. The pts. broke down as such: beef pattie (6), WW pepper jack cheese wedge (1), 2 slices bread (2), ketchup (0), Special K chips (1.5) for a total of (10.5). (sandwich pictured to the left is not actually my sandwich....it just kinda looks like it). Z actually brought me two sandwiches but I was neither that hungry nor did I want to use that many points so I ate a 1/3 of the other sandwich and fed the rest to David. That used an additional (3)....giving me a grand total of (13) used. The total so far for today is 21 leaving me with 8 pts. still to use if I want to. Perhaps I will use part of that 8 to reward myself with a WW ice cream treat tonight. I really think I might have earned that.

Well....regardless of how much allergy medicine I have tried to consume (0 pts. by the way), the wind is winning. My head is about to split, so I think it is a shower and an early bed time for me. But what about the ice cream you might ask? (Well...you might!) Will she or won't she? We will leave that as a mystery....until we meet again!

Too Tired to Blog! Too Tired to Eat!

What a day!!!! This day has just zoomed by. I guess it is only fitting that I end my day the same way I started it.....blogging! I am truly exhausted and had this huge long blog planned out....but it will likely have to wait until a later date when my eyes are willing to work with me and stay open.

I am not sure exactly what was with me today. I had trouble functioning all day. It was just one of those days where everything I did....I did wrong. My brain apparently was not in the mood to engage or work with me at all. It didn't matter whether I was on the phone, with a customer or at the grocery store. I managed to look like an idiot on several occasions....not to mention sounding on the phone like it was my first day with the new tongue. Five o'clock could not arrive soon enough!

Inability to function aside....today wasn't too bad. Part of my functioning issue is likely the fact that I keep waking up at 4:45 a.m. on the dot every morning. I am awake long before my alarm goes off and then I can't go back to sleep. Thankfully....the sleep between 11 p.m. and 4:45 a.m. is glorious and I really don't feel overly tired....that is until now.  Perhaps my body is just telling me that I am getting to the age where I don't require as much sleep. Next thing you know I will be eating supper at 4 p.m. and wondering where I put my teeth. Sheesh! I am almost sure I require more than 5 hours of sleep a night. This is all likely to catch up with me when I least expect it.

Even though I was up early....I still managed to make myself run behind this morning. Of course Wed. are late start, so by the time the bus gets here for David.....I have a pretty limited window of time before I have to be to work. Invariably....even though we have an extra hour on Wed., I end up throwing myself off track and running late. This morning was no different. I did however manage to get a bit of a workout in. It was admittedly.....another wimpy one (20 min. to be exact) and I only burned a little over 200 calories in going 1.5 mi. on the elliptical. I really didn't feel too bad about my lack of exercisial (new word....do you like it?) devotion this morning. After all the last two days I have really hit it hard and plan to do the same the next two days. I think today my body just needed a bit of a break. The only thing I wasn't pleased with was my defeatist mindset right off the bat. I was ready to quit before I got started and I was doing mental bargaining and maneuvering trying to avoid anything more than a minimal workout. I had to fight the negativity the whole 20 min. and I am sure that had I actually had more time.....I would likely have punished myself by pushing too hard. So I guess the 20 min. was what I needed today....I just needed a better mental attitude to go along with it.

Again there was no time....or I didn't make time to eat anything before about 12:30 p.m. By then....I was once again starved. I treated myself yet again today with a Dillons salad. It was not planned....but I ran out of time this morning. Since my workout wasn't spectacular.....I kind of dialed back the salad goodies a bit. Today was: salad greens (0), tomato, cucumber and onion all (0), grapes, watermelon, strawberries (0), cottage cheese (2), cukes in Italian dressing (1), 1 Tbsp croutons (1) and 2 Tbsp. Otts fat free dressing. Dessert was a WW yogurt (2). Total: 6 pts. That left me with 23 points for the rest of the day.

Going home tonight I knew I had cheesecakes to make and still needed some stuff. I was starting to feel really tired and decided to do something I try really hard not to do. I stopped for fast food. I went to Taco Bell and got the boys taco's and got myself a Fresco taco (4) and a Fresco been burrito (8). The total was 12 pts. still leaving me with 11 pts. I also licked a spatula during cheesecake making, (what??? I have to make sure it is good) which we will call 3 pts. That still leaves me with 8 pts. left over. Normally I would go for the ice cream....but believe it or not....tonight I am simply too tired to even eat. That is okay though....a few points leftover is not a bad thing...especially in light of the less than stellar effort I put in on the elliptical today.

The rest of the evening was spent finishing cheesecakes and having a wonderful conversation with Z about life, David and God. I think we both learned a lot there. It really was nice just talking with him. We got so involved....I forgot my blog and we both forgot American Idol. Now THAT is some conversation!

Normally tomorrow is weigh in day and I would usually starve myself until weigh in time, but since we are meetingless tomorrow....I think I will enjoy my lunch. Maybe too I will have a little more time to blog. At any rate....other than my little mental tantrum I threw this morning during my workout, I think I did pretty good today. So far I am three for three. Do you think there will be a four? Stay tuned to find out. Same bat time! Same bat channel! Nighty night!