Who's your best friend?

Spring has finally sprung!

I’m busy getting my workouts in and perfecting my eating habits.  I know how to maintain my weight once I hit my goal weight.  I am thrilled that I’ve managed to lose even in small increments.

I’ve concentrated on changing up my workout routine.  I think my body has just gotten used to the hour long treadmill time or aquafit class.  I mixed it up really good by doing a shorter more intense (intense for me) treadmill warm up.  I also did some heavy weight lifting with my arms and the next day my legs got pushed hard.  My pecs hurt so much in the days after that upper body workout.  I knew I had pushed them pretty hard and it felt good to know I could push myself.  I also did a variety of core building exercises.  Added more veggies into my diet and poof lost a few pounds.  I’m almost back to where I was before I slacked off and gained a few.  I still fit nicely in my clothes and was invited back to do another fashion show at CJ Banks. I went in to try on clothes for it. WOW all of the outfits looked amazing on me.  I’m adding photos from last year’s fashion show when I was 30 pounds heavier.

My arthritis is getting progressively worse in my hands and now my wrists.  It’s so sad, but I know it’s part of the natural aging process.  It runs in my family so I have no choice but to just deal with it and move on. 

I get so much joy and happiness from my Grandkids as you can see from pictures on my previous blog posts.  They keep Grandma Diana young and give me a workout just playing with them.  Baby Isaak is 18 pounds of solid boy.  I get a good upper body workout just picking him up.  I enjoyed chasing Nevaeh and Riley around a little when we went out for lunch.  

My friends are all very supportive of my journey and a few have joined me on this journey.  I’m thrilled to see more people looking to improve their overall health too.

I keep pushing myself to get over 10,000 steps on my Fitbug.  I love this little device.  I named it Lexi-bug.  Lexi-bug keeps reminding me to keep moving and get those steps in for a healthier future for me.  I see myself reaching my goal weight in the beginning of 2014.  I had over 100 pounds to lose when I started this journey in 2008.  I slacked off for 2 years after losing 50 pounds in 11 months.  I managed to put back on almost 40 pounds.  I was understandably upset with myself for letting myself backslide like that.  I also know I’m an adult and must take responsibility for my own actions or inaction as the case was then.  In 2011 I grabbed onto a rope that was tossed to me.  A lifeline that had me improving my self-esteem and my health.

Here I am a year later and I feel amazing.  I have more stamina and energy to do things that used to be too hard for me to do just 10 months ago.  I now eat healthy foods that I actually enjoy and find myself not finishing all of my meal more often.  I know that this is the right path for me and a journey that I will keep learning from every step of the way.

Be Happy with Yourself today.  Be your own Best Friend!  Go look in the mirror and tell that person you see looking back at you “You are a great friend and I love spending time with you every day!” 

My Best Friend and Husband Thomas on our 7th Anniversary this year March 23, 2012

Give up or stay Focused

There are days when I just want to give up and throw in the towel. This week was filled with those types of days, but they had absolutely nothing to do with weight loss.

I’m feeling so frustrated by my Arthritis pain this week.  I just wish I could get one day without pain, but I know that’s not going to happen.  Arthritis doesn’t give days off from the pain. It just keeps reminding me I’m alive to feel pain.  Yup, alive enough to feel it. And just enough pain to remind me not to do too much.  I know I need to keep using my joints or lose all use of them.  So off to the gym I go and get on the treadmill for my 8,000 steps.  I’m enjoying Aquafit classes a little more now that I found an instructor I like.  I go twice a week for an hour. I get a good workout too because my face is very red afterward and my knees don’t hurt J

I spent last week concentrating on tracking my foods and eating more fiber.  It helped as the scale showed me down, but I just lost the same pounds I lost before. I need to work on losing “new” pounds, so to speak.  I’m not giving up on my journey because frankly I’ve come too far to turn around and go back to 267 pounds!  Yes, 267 pounds was my highest weight back in January of 2008.  It’s taken me 4 years to get to where I am now, but I know it’s a journey.  It’s all in the getting there!

My husband has started biking on the bike paths near our home.  He’s enjoying going out and people watching while getting different exercise than a treadmill can offer.

I’d love to bike ride too, but don’t think Hopkins is ready to see my arse on a tiny bike seat just yet.  I would like to find a recumbent bike though as I feel that would be easier on my knee joints and feet. 

I’m preparing myself for foot surgery in August. 3 months of no driving, it’s my right foot so illegal to drive with my left foot. I’m lining up drivers for my trips to and from work.  That part will be easy, the hard part will be not going to the gym 5 days a week.  I’m putting in an extra effort now so when I’m immobile I can still lose only it won’t be big numbers only like a half a pound a week.

It’s important to be prepared for anything life might throw at me.  I enjoyed the Easter holiday with my kids and Grandkids.  I love being able to be with my 80 yr old Father for holidays.  I know there’s no guarantee he’ll be here for the next one so I try to make the most of each one.  The Grandkids hunted for eggs.  That was fun for them and for us. I ate my share of junk that day, but got back on plan the next day.  I’m making sure I eat the things I really want  without depriving myself, but restraining myself just enough.  I hope that made sense to you.  

Today I am finally grasping how this Weight Watchers plan is truly for the rest of my life not until I reach my goal weight.  I’ll be eating on plan from now until I die.  This is my way of life.  I had no problem living with Atkins when I was on it.  I could resist the sugary stuff and carbs just fine.  Now, however, I need to find the balance of sugar and  carbs to keep my healthy way of life going in a positive direction.

So this leads me to this question….What keeps us focused on the goal and not side tracked by sweet distractions?

Irish Luck? I'm wishing it for you anyway!!

I love this dress!!

The Luck O’Weigh-in

I’m so thrilled it’s almost St Patrick’s Day. I’m Irish so it’s a lucky day for me and a fun reason to wear GREEN!

I was having some health issues the last two weeks and finally it came to a head and I went to see my Dr.  I’m so good at beating up on myself about not being perfect or losing weight every week.  I’ve put so much pressure on myself that I started to have anxiety attacks.  I was shaking and thought perhaps I had developed diabetes or even pre diabetes.

Oh no it’s just a lil stress and anxiety that’s all.  Good Grief that was not quite what I expected to hear, but it beats finding out I’m having a heart attack.  My blood pressure is up too so now it’s time to change up things and get back to normal.  Or as I like to say Normal for ME!

I had to take a few days off work to take care of me for a change.  That was so hard because I love my job and am dedicated to being there.

I definitely needed the days off.  I ended up with an extra day because my Father who is 80 had a bad bout with the stomach flu.  That scared me badly.  I fear losing him, but know he’s not a young man.  He is the stoic male who refuses to see a Dr unless it’s for his yearly physical.  When he called me to take him to ER I knew he was miserable. My son stepped up and drove him to ER and I met him at the check in desk.  Thankfully he is okay and feeling great again.  If he drinks his beer after work I know he’s fine.

On to my weigh in.  I woke up Wednesday morning, okay it was really Noon.  Anyway, I got on the scale to see just what I weighed.  I was down from last Saturday so I decided I would go ahead and weigh in to have a good week. No need to beat myself up after starting my new meds.  I was down 3.2 pounds so I felt great about it.

I got back into the gym Thursday and Friday. 60 minutes on the treadmill and stretching.  I just started reading a very good book, GUTS by Kristen Johnston, the gorgeous lady from 3^rd Rock from the Sun.  She has an incredible story to share with everyone.  Definitely worth the time to read. You can order it here http://www.gutsthebook.com/

I’ve also been listening to Penn Jillette’s podcast.  He’s an atheist which is contrary to my way of believing, but it’s interesting to get someone else’s view point on life too.  http://pennsundayschool.com/

I am working on staying positive and saying self esteem boosting words to myself.  If I eat something I know is a LOT of points I don’t eat ten of them I try to limit my splurges to one or two.  I know I have my weaknesses like potato chips and pizza. I’m trying to stop rewarding myself with food and instead using other things like shopping.  Shhh don’t tell my husband that… it’s ok he admitted he doesn’t read my blog.  Bad Man!!!  Of course today he probably will.

I guess what I’m trying to say here is don’t beat yourself up and set yourself up for failure by having unrealistic expectations.  I heard a woman last week say that after 3 years she’s down 123 pounds. 3 years! I was shocked that she didn’t give up on her journey, but OWNED it.

If this takes me 3 years, big deal that means I’m dedicated.  Heck just 4 years ago I was 40 pounds heavier than I am today.  That’s 10 pounds a year, hmmmm that means it’ll be 8 years until I hit my goal weight? Oh no that is so not going to be the case for me.  I’m doubling my efforts to shed this weight sooner rather than later.

Thank You for the feedback on my last blog.  It’s good to know everyone struggles and has good and bad weeks.  Together we can all make this a journey to become healthier, happier people one pound at a time.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY !!!!! 

Me in February 2012

Me in May 2011

 Do you see a difference?  >>

<<

Cha Cha Cha Changes....

Don’t go making changes on me… I don’t handle changes well.

I know Weight Watchers was looking at their bottom line $$$$ when they moved the really good motivational leader we’d had to another location over the Christmas holidays.  NOT a good move. Many people who were not there when he made his little announcement found out the next week and were PISSED.  One week your favorite leader is telling you how to live with WW and Points Plus the rest of your life, the next he’s gone without any warning.

Listen I understand how companies work. I’ve witnessed one too many “down sizings” and “changes”.  I just wonder where the commitment is for the people who are spending their money at WW meetings every week/month.  I’m going to see/hear him tonight because I have lost all motivation in the last 2 weeks.  I’m not caring what I’m eating and I can’t live like this. I can’t gain back what I’ve already lost AGAIN!

I'd even eat this, but it looks so disgusting I just couldn't!! Would YOU eat this?

So now I need to figure out how to accept changes without going off the rails.  I’ve got all the tools to do this thing and do it perfectly.  Yet I get thrown off the rails by little things. They seem little to most people, but to me they are big things.  I just have to cope and not lose my Mojo. 

I have so many positives in my life and no room to complain about anything really.  I just have these pesky little things getting in my way and throwing me off.

My Arthritis pain has been worse the last two weeks and I’m so scared of becoming dependant on my pain medicine.  I know I’m not taking much, but the fear lingers in the back of my mind.  I just keep doing my work outs and tread milling like a crazy person. I know I’m not helping my joints any, but good grief I need to keep moving or I’ll just go back to growing into Jabba the Hut.  Not who I want to look like. 

It’s so hard to see the people who gave up and don’t care anymore.  I’m not giving up, which is why I’m willing to drive 14 miles one way in rush hour traffic to hear Randy speak tonight.  I am NOT going to weigh in, I’m just going to listen and see if I can talk to him.   I like how I’m feeling and the great changes I’m seeing in my body.  I can’t like to give up EVER.(Spoken like Nevaeh)  I’ve never wanted to be a quitter, but I have quit things before. 

My Mom Betty Ann

 This last Saturday was the 9th anniversary of my Mother's death and every year at this time I get depressed. You see I was with her when she took her last breath and held her hand as she left this world. I know she wouldn't want me to give up. For YOU Mom I'll keep moving forward.

Christmas maybe 1967? My Mom, me and my Dad

Getting healthier and stronger has been my goal along with losing the weight.  I just feel overwhelmed some days and fight the urge to throw in the towel.  Do you feel that way ever?  How do you get past the urge to quit?  What have you found that keeps you going even when the scale doesn’t favor you?  Should I throw out my scale and just go to my accountability meeting once a week to find out my weight?  How do I get my head back on track?

I’m open to suggestions and will gladly post your feedback if you allow me to.  Let’s get this conversation going both ways.  I’m not here to just talk/write AT you, but to open up a dialog with other people who struggle with these issues too.

It’s Tuesday and I need to get this figured out before I weigh in Saturday……oh dear this is gonna be a long week.