Plateau Time (07-25-08)

I believe that the dreaded plateau has arrived...Usually, I lose a pound every 3 days but this time, I have stopped since Sunday and I feel it...it's wierd. I know that I have been eating a few too many carbs - fat free crackers satisfy my need for something salty and crunchy, but even though they are fat free, they still tend to make me crave more carbs. So, I've eliminated the snack foods from my office and am concentrating on making sure I am getting my liquids. I had just about completely cut off drinking water over the past week, which I'm sure is a big part of the plateau.

Took some pictures this last week with my daughter and her friend in our pool - they actually came out pretty good and that's the first time I have been happy with pictures in many years!! Still don't like pictures that show my belly and in person, my arms look thin, but in pictures they still look fat to me...what is it with our brains that convince us to be so critical of ourselves? And, even though the scale hasn't changed in a week, my body is still changing because the size 10 pants I ordered and got in last week are now getting way too baggy!! I'm quickly running out of clothes!! lol

Unfortunately, I had too many errands to run last night and didn't make the spin class, but around 8pm I went out for a nice, brisk walk. What used to take me about an hour and a half now took me 45 minutes, so I am walking faster and making progress!! I'm also noticing that shirts are fitting looser and looser, so it appears that my weight is finally coming off my belly and back area instead of my rear end! I don't have much back there now, I don't need to lose any more from my lower extremities! lol

Well, enjoy your weekend....until next time!

Survival of the Fittest (07-20-08)

I did it! I couldn't believe it, but I survived 50 minutes of the spin class. Of course, as some of you may or may not know, I am not always the most coordinated of creatures, so I wasn't able to stand up, sit down, etc. but I still pedaled away and when he said sprint, I pedaled as fast as I possibly could. So, I thought for sure I would die after 5 minutes and I had to stop two or three times, but I was able to make the whole 50 minutes of the class! I just hid myself in a back corner and boy, my ass hurt!! I definitely have to use a seat cushion next time because I could barely move the next day. In fact, is in now Sunday and I still feel "bruised" in the nether regions! lol

Well, just wanted to let everyone know I did survive and it was quite as horrible as I imagined, although it wasn't exactly "fun" either and I do plan on going again. Oh, and the next day when I got on the scale, I was up one pound, but now I'm down three as of this morning! Woot Woot!

Til we meet again....

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (07-17-08)

And so, it has begun...the dreaded hair loss...I wash my hair each morning and my brush is full when I brush it out. There are long blonde strands stuck to the backs of my chair, my car seat, etc. Oh, and did I mention that a piece always seems to get stuck in my lipstick each morning? lol...Fortunately, I have long, curly hair and so, it has not been noticeable YET. However, I do notice that my bangs don't want to curl and give me that 80's fluff that I feel makes me so irrisistable. So, they've kind of gone their own way these days. The skin, however, is looking marvelous. Whether this is due to my better eating habits, including a lot more liquids or my new Mary Kay beauty regimen, I am not sure. I think that it is a combination of everything!

Tonight, my friend Melissa has promised me the workout of a life time...she has convinced me to go to a "Spin Class" with her...what is this, you may wonder? Why, it is where they put my saggy little rear on a seat that is obviously made for a two year old wearing thick diaper padding and they make you pedal away (at your own pace, of course...which, in my instance, would be stopped!) and promise you a fun and invigorating work-out that will soon have you hooked. Okay, so now that I know I also need hip boots because the bulls**t is getting deep, I can promise you one thing...I have never, ever enjoyed a work out in my life!! But, Melissa is fearlessly being my trainer and pushing me to join her...little does she know what a pathetic and whiny little pain-in-the-butt I convert to when it comes to exercise! I think she will have the bigger work-out just having to deal with me! Ha ha ha

I'll let you all know tomorrow, if I can lift my ass off of the sofa after tonight and make it to my computer, how the torture, er um, workout goes! Til next time...

Emotional Eating (07-15-08)

I am so glad that my birthday has come and passed. I don't really know if I was depressed, angry, sad or what but all I could think of yesterday was that I wanted to eat. I think I was disappointed because no one in my family made a big deal out of my day, yet it was what I told them I wanted. I am, I now know, my own worst enemy at times. It is hard to lose this weight and feel better about myself yet I cannot afford to shop and buy new clothes. It kind of takes some of the fun away. I just keep in mind that during Christmas, my bosses treat me very well and I will have money for a shopping trip. But, when it is 100 degrees outside and the holidays are many months away, it is difficult to be enthusiastic about a shopping trip. Besides, knowing me, I will spend the money on my family and have very little left for myself. That is just who I am, for better or for worse...blah blah blah. So, anyways, back to my eating issues...yes, when I am emotionally drained or depressed, it is quite easy for me to graze all day long and boy, do I crave those carbs!! I discovered the 100 calorie packs of sun chips and I need to stay away from those! Although I can only eat one pack, it would be very easy to eat one pack every hour!! The carbs seem to set off this out of control behavior that I've had trouble with in the past. So, no more of that for me. Til next time...

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Hello again - several of you have said that comments are not working, but when I check my settings and try to go on, it works fine. Please be sure to click on the "0 comments" at the bottom of the posting. Let me know if it doesn't work. There shouldn't be any restrictions. Peace!

Birthdays Suck! (07-14-08)

So, today is my birthday and I have been depressed ALL DAY LONG! Here I am 71 lbs. less than I weighed three months ago and all I can think about is the fact that I am now 45 years old! I hate it, hate it, hate it! It has taken every ounce of my will power today to not eat all day. As it is, I probably ate a few more carbs than I should have, but I still did okay overall. I didn't do anything special today because I wasn't in the mood. We didn't even go out to dinner. Lou offered, but then he added that he wanted to go somewhere that had a TV so that he could see the baseball all-star game. I just told him to forget it, I'd reheat some leftovers. At least many of my friends called or e-mailed me to wish me a happy birthday. Honestly, the reason it sucked was all my doing, but I just hated this birthday. I hate getting old. Okay, that's enough pity for one day. Thanks for listening...you're a doll. Til next time...

Hot Happens (07/09/08)

Hello hello! Well, here I am, a little over 3 months out and I'm doing terrific! I've lost 70 lbs. as of my weigh in this morning and I'm feeling great! I have begun to notice the dreaded hair loss...I was hoping with all my heart that it would pass me, but no such luck. However, for the moment, it has been relatively light. I haven't noticed big chunks of hair coming out, but I have noticed some and my hair seems a lot thinner than it used to be. Which, honestly, is okay because my hair has always been very thick and unruly.

I have been having some issues with the extreme heat of the past few weeks - I get dehydrated so easily! It's hard enough for me to get the water and fluids in me, but then to deal with it when I need even more has been rough. Brittany had a softball tournament last weekend and I nearly passed out. I felt exhausted and clammy - it was not good. Even though I was drinking water, I couldn't get it in me fast enough. I have to continue to work at that, as that is way too dangerous to be messing with.

I have discovered that adding a little bit (a teaspoon) of sugar free caramel syrup to my Isopure shake in the morning has done wonders to my taste buds. That and a single packet of splenda and I'm in heaven. Well, as close to heaven as I can get when we're discussing protein shakes. I did order some different snacks from one of the web sites and so far, haven't really liked anything. Protein products just leave the strangest after taste in our mouths. It's something you definitely have to keep trying and develop a taste for.

With the hot weather, I find that I am missing my Pepsi's something fierce. I hear someone walk by with a cup and you can hear the ice clinking and I swear I find myself drooling! I used to drink two sodas a day. I've sworn myself off of them, for a multitude of reasons, but boy there are days when I miss them so badly. Especially the ones on tap...it's not summer without an ice cold Pepsi! lol

I am now officially in a size 10 jeans. I've posted a few new pictures, which Brittany says show how tiny I am. I, however, still see a fat girl. It's this mental thing that we go through, I suppose. I look in a mirror and I see a thinner person, but when I see a photograph, I see FAT. My legs, in actuality, have grown pretty thin but when I look at the pics, I see chubb. Perhaps I should take a photo or my rear end...it's completely disappeared! Funny how pants fit now whereas before they had a hard time going over the hips. I actually feel hip bones now! Maybe this is how anorexic people feel...they only have this mental image of themselves and it's very difficult to move away from it. I still automatically go to touch my stomach and it takes me a moment to absorb that I have to go wayyyy back to touch it. It no longer hits the steering wheel and I can actually see my toes - which reminds me, I need a pedicure! lol

Enjoy your week and I'll post again soon! Chow!