Final for ShrinkYoSelf 2012

Well what can I say? Not much to say really..,I didn't follow through AGAIN and once again I didn't meet my goals. I did lose 6.2 pounds over the past 2 months but really I should have lost 15 to 20. I'm disappointed but I'm not beating myself up (at least I'm trying not to!)

I have been sick for the past 3 weeks which limited my physical activity. It also made me too tired to really care. I'm getting back to "normal", and I've already started working toward getting back into the exercise routine. I've joined a bunch of my friends in a new challenge to lift weights and workout together. I did my first workout last night and I am still sore 24 hrs later! I guess that means I need this!

Even though this is the final weigh in for this challenge I'm sure the wonderful ladies at Shrinking Jeans will have a new one set up soon. I plan to be on board for that one. Hopefully I will do better next time!

Btw, thanks for all the wonderful comments on my post a couple of days ago. Made me realize that people really are out there listening!

Much love to all!

Confessions Time

The past 5 days have been very stressful. Some really crappy real life stuff happened because of negligence on my part. It has cost our family a lot of money that we didn't really have to spend. It has also cost my husband a lot of time that he needed to spend on business stuff. I've spent a lot of time beating myself up. I've spent a lot of time in the bathroom! I've spent a lot of time feeling like a failure.

I have also been dealing with a double ear infection combined with a sinus infection. I haven't exercised in about 2 weeks and I feel like a failure because of that too. I gave up on doing the #FabAb February because I couldn't do the workouts with the sinus infection crap.

Now I have signed up to join a bunch of my sisterhood friends to participate in a weight training workout. As of 9pm Tuesday evening I haven't done the workout although it is first thing on my list after That Other Kid goes to bed. I'm hoping that I can actually be consistent with the workouts and lose weight and build muscle tone. I need this! I need to do this for my health. I need to do this for my family.

The one thing I did accomplish this week is I lost 3 pounds, as of Monday morning (from Wednesday). It hasn't been done in a healthy way but 3 pounds is 3 pounds!

I Should Write Something...

I feel as though I should write something on the ol' blog but then I wonder will anyone notice or care if I do? I wonder why?

Why do I write here? Why do you come read? Or does anyone ever read my blog? Sometimes I think I should just say "good bye" to this blog. I don't get many readers or commenters, but that really wasn't the reason I started this blog.

I started this blog as a place to record my thoughts, journal about my journey to lose weight, and share things about my kids and myself. I will continue writing but lately I haven't felt very talkative. I've been in a funk and I've been busy with life. Together I haven't had much time to think about anything else.

Just thought I would check in...is anyone out there?

Short But Sweet - Starbuck's Giftcard!

I'm going to make this short but sweet! I have in my possesion a $25 giftcard from Starbuck's! Most everyone loves Starbuck's, even if they aren't a big coffee fan (like myself, don't hate me, k?). Most everyone loves boobs and want to do something to save them, right?

So, here's your chance! I am walking in the the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure in November and I have to raise $2300. I know it seems like FOREVER till November but the way this year is just passing me by, I know that it is gonna be here before I can blink too many times. I need to get some money into my fundraising account, so that I can feel confident that I can once again raise $2300 to help find a cure for breast cancer. I know a lot of people are saying but what about the back and forth with planned parenthood donations? What about the politics involved in their decision? To that I say what about it?

IF YOU, YOUR MOM, YOUR SISTER, YOUR BEST FRIEND got breast cancer would YOU really care who they were giving money to AS long as their efforts were going to help YOU (or your loved ones) get past this terrible disease and back to living a "normal" life? I didn't think so. I am walking so that my friends and family won't have to go through breast cancer the way so many others have had to. In 2011 I watched my best friend Glenna go through it. It wasn't fun, it wasn't pretty and it WAS VERY SCARY! She is doing amazing now! And I truly believe that through the power of prayer and the efforts of the Susan G. Komen Foundation she will live a long and healthy life from this point forward. My grandmother wasn't that lucky. She died of breast cancer around 13 years ago. I will never forget how scared I was to realize that breast cancer runs in my family! I remember thinking I want to do SOMETHING to make sure I don't have to go through this! Now I am....I am raising $2300 and walking 60 miles so women all over the world will be able to live a life without the misery of breast cancer!

So...all you have to do to enter in my $25 Starbuck's gift card give away is donate at least $10 to my efforts of raising $2300. It's easy and it's tax deductible! Go here . You never know who's life you might be saving! Maybe someone in your family, although I pray that isn't the case....it could happen. Someone gets diagnosed with breast cancer nearly every 1 1/2 minutes! That's a scary statistic!

This gift card giveaway will end Sunday night, February 19th with a random drawing done by That Other Kid and myself Monday morning! Just donate and your name will be in the running! Go forth, donate and feel good about helping someone in the fight against breast cancer!

ShrinkYoSelf 2012 - Week 7

Last week I failed to post about my "weight loss" cuz honestly I didn't feel like coming here and telling you I had gained weight AGAIN! I almost didn't post today for the same reason....

So, let's just get the boring hum-drum details taken care of then we can move on to something more exciting, k?

I started this challenge on January 1st with high hopes of losing 20 pounds in 2 months. Honestly if I had stuck with my goals and plans I would have made it. BUT...I haven't and I won't. I started January at 205.0. Today's weight was up AGAIN to 202.6. I'm upset with myself. I'm upset that I can't seem to pull myself up by the bootstraps and do what is needed to get this weight off.

I know what to do, it's just a matter of doing it, right? Oh...I have a great list of excuses. But, really I'm just tired of them all! I want to look in the mirror and feel good about what I have accomplished. Not look in the mirror and see my clothes fitting too snug.

For the past week I have been suffering from migraines, and a sinus infection. Sunday I finally decided to go to the doctor and get some medicine. I'm finally feeling a bit better although the migraines are still there. I'm tired ALL THE TIME and have no motivation and energy to do anything beyond the basics of taking care of the house and people in it! Laundry that I washed Monday is still sitting in the basket to be folded and hung up.

Exercise hasn't been happening which is contributing to my depressed state of being. I was doing so good with exercise. I was doing the #FabAb February workout with Bari and Nancy, then it got to the point where laying on the floor was painful so I stopped. I managed to do it this morning (Day 11)...but now I am 4 days behind! Can I catch up when we are supposed to be doing 40+ situps a day? and 40second+ planks? I don't know. This morning those 40 situps were REALLY difficult! I'm gonna try because I like the accountability I am getting from these girls....

As for my Biggest Loser for Kinect workout? I was doing good with it, too, BUT sinus infections and migraines suck the life out of me! I haven't done anything in a week! Now I'm behind on that, too! I hate being sick!

I've been doing decent on my 52 Small Changes Challenges over at the 'hood, but during the past week I have fallen into all the bad habits....time to get back on target! I started tracking again this morning so that's a good place to start, right??

ok...enough of that drivel....My Marine is NOW stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland for the next 3ish months for his MOS (marine name for on the job training) schooling. He arrived this morning and I got a text from him saying he was at his "new home sweet home"! I think he is glad to be out of California! lol Fort Meade is just a short distance from Baltimore and the hubby and I are looking at the possibility of a trip out there! We've never been out east and now we have a great reason to go! And besides I know a lot of my friends live out that way!

Most of you know that I am a BIG supporter of Susan G. Komen organization. I am planning to walk AGAIN in the 3 Day for the Cure Walk in November. Another one of my friends sent me a message earlier this week telling me her aunt was just diagnosed with breast cancer! We MUST find a cure for breast cancer! It affects too many people and I don't want it to be someone else I know! It's time I get going on my fundraising so tomorrow I am holding my first "give-away for donations" for the year. I'm giving away a $25 Starbucks gift card this time! Last year when I did this I was very happy with the results and Thea was the lucky winner of a $75 Target giftcard! Who will be the winner this time? Come back tomorrow for details! All you have to do to enter is donate $10 or more to my fundraising page! Easy peasy, right?!! If you donate today you will get an extra entry...so don't wait! Get a headstart (and an extra chance,k?)!

An Assignment for Your Kids

Yesterday, christieO asked us to have our kids write a "shopping list". Basically we were supposed to ask our kids to write a list of things we might bring home from a typical grocery trip. I thought it sounded like a great experiment and so I "assigned" it to That Other Kid as we were driving to his science class.I asked him to list 10 things I might bring home from the grocery store. His spelling, although not terrible for a early 2nd grade 8 year old boy, should not be held against him! This wasn't a spelling lesson!

The following is his list (unedited) and is a pretty accurate list of what would be brought home. Sadly what this list told me is that I buy less veggies than I should and a whole lot more soda and chips than I should!

Milk bananan Appel chips sodu eggs baken clif.

Bred chicken.

The "clif" that he is talking about are Kidz Clif bars - organic and good for him! He loves them and eats one nearly every day for his breakfast!
I found it interesting that he wrote down both eggs and milk although he is allergic to both he still knows they are staples in our families grocery list!
I also see that I need to teach him about the use of commas!

So, your assignment? Have your kids write a list of foods you would bring home and evaluate it. If you do this please let me know what they write down! I'm curious, and nosey!

After The SuperBowl Confessions

It's Tuesday and over at the Sisterhood we do True Confessions to cleanse our souls of all the crappy stuff from the past week.

Wow do I have a list for you! Here goes....

I started a "no coke" challenge with one of my 3 Day walker friends. She drank Dr. Pepper and I drank coke. We both want to stop...I did great until last Friday, since then I have been TERRIBLE having a coke every day! Until today when I realized how stupid I have been! If I want to stop doing something I just need to STOP!! It really should be that simple...It's called WILLPOWER!! So once again no cokes for me - let's hope I can get it to stick this time!

I went to the grocery store on Sunday (I know, stupid!) when I was hungry! (double stupid!) I bought a bunch of "snacky" things and a bunch of good foods. I bought the ingredients to make the zucchini chocolate muffins and haven't made them yet. I also bought the ingredients (and made) Lisa's salsa! It was a hit in our household! In order to eat salsa you have to eat chips, right?! I ate chips with rotel and salsa during the superbowl....and drank a coke! I also bought and made (and ate) little smokies but I bought the beef ones and only ate 4 with crescent rolls! Yummy!

I started doing the #FabAb workout with Nancy and Bari! It's nice to have accountability with others to do this workout! It's HARD but I need to work my abs big time and this is definitely doing that!



You can join us if you want....I guarantee you won't be sorry! We are all gonna have great looking abs at the end of February!

I have gone over my calorie count on My Fitness Pal for the past few days. It's frustrating but I know I need to work through it and get it figured out. I need to start working harder at keeping my food under control! It will help a lot to stay away from the cokes! Here's to a new start!

Did you read my post Saturday? If not, you really need to. I need to report back that since Saturday I have started focusing more on the exercise and less on the "diet". Today at lunch I decided I wanted a salad! That Other Kid saw me fixing a salad and said, "why are you eating a salad? You said you weren't on a diet anymore!" I told him, "I just want a salad...it's a good choice for lunch!" He seemed to like that idea. I thought it was a great way to change the focus from diet to healthy living/eating. Yay!

Little Eyes and Ears Are Watching....

And here we go again...I thought I hit publish last night but hit save instead!

I started this post last week and never got it completed...life just got in the way but tonight I feel it is necessary to finish it. I hope you read it and hear what I am trying to say deep down.

Last Sunday afternoon That Other Kid learned to ride his bike! It was a glorious day for both of us! I have been working with him for about 2 years, and until Friday afternoon he really had no desire to learn. Friday afternoon we went to the skate park where he saw skateboarders skating all over the place. He has wanted to skate board since he was 3!! BUT my rule has been that if he wants to skateboard he has to learn to ride a 2 wheel bike PROFICIENTLY! So we came home from the skate park and he instantly wanted to ride his bike! BUT he got easily frustrated and mad and kept falling! Rinse, repeat for 45 minutes! Finally I called it a day and made him come in. Then Sunday he went out and after 10 minutes he was riding! It was pretty awesome! After 1 hr of riding he was doing great!

I'm really proud of him and now it's time for me to buy a bike so we can go biking together! I love biking and can hardly wait to ride with him! Great memories are to be had!

So I started looking for a bike on Craigslist and asking around to see if anyone has a bike. That other kid has been listening as I talk to people about my search for a bike. On Wednesday he said something to me that really made me think. (before I continue know that the hubby and I have always taught our kids to speak honestly and openly to us, to tell us what they think!) He said, "maybe you need to get skinnier before you can ride a bike."

continued tonight....

I didn't really think too much of his comment till later that evening. I started reflecting on what I am teaching my 8 year old about being healthy and fit. I started thinking about the impressions I am giving him when I say "I can/can't do this because I am overweight". When I am "skinnier" I will be able to do "xxxx" with you. I started thinking about how he doesn't know what it is like to have a mom who is at a healthy weight. Yes, overall I am in pretty good condition. I can (and did) walk 60 miles. I can lift and carry 80 lbs of water into our apartment from our car. I can (and have been) exercise daily for at least 30 minutes a day. I can run VERY short distances (although I don't really do it often). BUT...am I really healthy? No, I'm not. I'm still at the "obese" category on the BMI charts. I still need to lose at least 40 pounds. I still need to learn how to feed my body properly ON A DAILY BASIS, not just when it is convenient or I feel like it. I still need to learn how to prepare healthy, nutritionally balanced meals for our family. I have a long way to go...but as I keep telling myself it is all a process. One day at a time, right?

But...the clincher came tonight right before he went to bed. My 8 year old, 4'2", 62 pound, karate blue belt came into the living room and said, "mom, will you put me on a diet? I'm getting too big!!" That nearly killed me inside! I thought I was going to start crying right then and there. My child who doesn't have an ounce of fat on his body wanted me to put him on a diet! I told him that, "he was supposed to get bigger! He's a growing boy! He's not fat! He's healthy and fit!"

The saddest part of this is that he learned about diets from me! I am constantly "dieting". I am constantly telling him I can't have this or that because it isn't something that is "good" for me. I am teaching him by example that there are 'good' foods and 'bad' foods. Yes, I realize that there are "good and bad for us" foods but my point is nothing should be seen as something that is totally off limits! That is how I got in this place in the first place. (Well that and not taking care of myself for 20 years!)

Now I need to do damage control. From this point forward I will eat foods that are nutritionally sound. I will choose wisely. I will start setting a good example for my son. I want our family to be healthy. I want us to be fit. I want to raise a child who doesn't look at food as a "good or bad" thing. I want him to look at food from the view of "fuel" for his body. Eat when hungry, and only till not hungry. I don't want him to go through life thinking he is fat or unhealthy just because he isn't built like most of his friends who are lean and tall. I want him to live life to his fullest potential, exactly as God created him.

Raising children can be a very daunting task. Raising them to have a healthy self-image is even more daunting. Raising children to grow up healthy and fit, knowing what that means for each individual is apparently even more daunting!

I want what's best for my son and I want what's best for me! It's time to start proving that to both of us!

ShrinkYoSelf 2012 - Week 5

Wow! February already? I know most everyone is having the same reaction...this year is moving right along and we've already finished 1/12th of the year! Anywho, it's Wednesday and that means it is time for weigh in with the Sisterhood. It is also the beginning of February and I had decided I would do my measurements at the beginning of every month this year to "watch" the progress I am making. Keeps me looking at the big picture...how is my body changing?

During the month of January I lost 8 1/4" around various part of my body! I'm happy with that! 2 of those inches were around my waist, 3 of those inches were around my hips!

I started this challenge on January 1st weighing in at 205.0.

Today I weighed 200.0.

That means I have lost 5 pounds in 1 month...not what I wanted but hey it is a loss and a pretty decent one so I'm ok with it.

My goal for this challenge was to exercise EVERY DAY in the month of January using the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Dvd and an additional ab workout! I am thrilled to report that I accomplished that goal! Not only that but yesterday I did ALL 3 LEVELS of the 30 Day Shred at once! Back to back levels! It was HARD! I was a hot, sweaty mess BUT oh what a fantastic feeling!

For February I have decided to use the Biggest Loser XBox Kinect game that My Marine bought me for Christmas. Honestly I had only played with it for about 10 minutes before this morning so I spent some time setting it up and figuring out what I wanted to do. I am going to workout with this game 4 days a week and do something else on the other days that I'm going to exercise. My goal for February is to exercise a minimum of 6 days a week. I feel like I might want to take an occasional morning off so I'm allowing that "day off" once a week. Have any of you used the Biggest Loser game? I'm not sure how I like it...I don't like having my "body" show up on the screen the whole time. I don't like how if I'm not in the "exact" right location it doesn't register my exercise. I know it's new to me and there is a learning curve and everything so I'm not quitting! Besides maybe if I see myself on the tv 4 times a week I will be more attentive to what I'm putting into my mouth!!

Ok..so in short: I lost 5 pounds in the month of January instead of 10 like I wanted.

I haven't followed the low glycemic index plan very well and that explains the reason behind the smaller loss.

I have stopped drinking cokes again and I'm staying accountable with a local friend so that helps me stay on track with that.

So onto February goals:

Workout a minimum of 6 days a week for at least 30 minutes a session.
Work harder at staying on the low glycemic index plan.
Stay away from drinking cokes.
Continue losing weight and inches.
Start doing some sort of "workout" with That Other Kid.