AUGUST GOALS

Monday, August 03, 2009

Very similar to July's but altered after my July review. Some are ambitious, some are boring. Either way - this keeps me accountable! Enjoy!

1. Track my food/snacks and stay within caloric range daily. Goal 26/31 days.

2. At the end of the month: record daily fat , protein, carbs and sodium totals.

3. Daily update on Nutrition Challenge and August Fitness Minutes challenge.

4. Track a minimum of 6 glass of water a day – can drink other ONLY if over 8 glasses.

5. Exercise more fitness minutes than Spark Points!!!!!

6. At least get 1600 fitness minutes, including the steps.

7. Walk much of my minutes while training Jackson on the leash! (Oh, he’s a bad walker).

8. Count pedometer steps – Aiming for 6,000 consistently and building from there.

9. Start cutting down on the chocolate cravings. (I’m definitely addicted).

10. Blog daily.

11. Schedule weekly meals every Sunday

12. Weigh in August 2nd, 16th and 30th.

13. Weigh under 178.5 by August 31st (ambitious, but it brings me into OVERWEIGHT! Not OBESE!! C’mon Emily!)

14. De-clutter and reorganize every room at least once per week

15. Reflect on something positive EVERYDAY! Be an OPTIMIST!



Thoughts?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

GERRYD8784 8/4/2009 11:06PM

Great goals, Em! Looks like August is going to be an awesome month for you! Gerry Report Inappropriate Comment

FITLIKENIC 8/3/2009 2:38PM

SUPER goals! Thanks for the reminder to get mine done! For your chocolate addiction have you switched to Dark? I notice a little of dark is all I need to satisfy the craving. Love #15, there is GOOD in our everyday, sometimes it is hard to find but it's there... Report Inappropriate Comment

ONEREALLYBIGDOG 8/3/2009 2:24PM

M- Can you come to MY house for either September or October? LOL, it'll take a couple of months to get it in order. Kudos to you for your dedication I applaud you Great work girl Report Inappropriate Comment

MISSY_MAGOO 8/3/2009 1:04PM

Great Goals!!! My younger dog was a bad walker too but he's really good now! and it wasn't easy (he's 125 pounds!) We started by buying a head collar. If you've never seen one they look like this http://www.dog-online.co.uk/ima ges/halti_collar_3_03.jpg Also we kept him on a SHORT leash, making him stay right next to us, and I find that if I walk at a fast pace he pays way more attention to the walk and not so much to distractions... and last we watched a ton of Dog Whisperer, haha. He's so good a walking now that we've stopped using the head collar and just use a regular one. But I think consistency is the key with it- the more they walk the better they are at it. Can't wait to hear how you did with all your goals at the end of the month! Missy Report Inappropriate Comment

DEBWA1WOK 8/3/2009 12:24PM

That's a good list of goals, maybe I'll borrow a few That I know I can do. Definitely won't be # 14. I'd get buried under the clutter and never come back up for air. I'll leave the re-organization till after the first 100#s at least. Report Inappropriate Comment

8/2/2009 - Cuttin' it close

Sunday, August 02, 2009

So, today I thought I had a billion extra calories. BUTTTTT I just remembered I also had a peperoni ball !! OHMIGOSH.

So, today for breakfast: nothing.
"Lunch": Banana and peanut butter and a pepperoni ball
Dinner (at home!): Wheat Penne, spag sauce, diced tomatos, onions, green peppers, mild ground sausage - add it all together. Awesomeness.

Then as a snack-ero I had a brownie.
THank GOODNESS I just remembered I had the pepperoni ball b/c I almost ate something else, but didn't! Phew! I would have been over!


"Cuttin' it close" part two............
I weighed in today. Blah. Lost 1 lb. Really really hoping for more.

Okay, okay, okay. I'll tell the truth. Last week when I "didnt' weigh in" I did. Sort of. I weighed in on a Saturday at like 2 p.m. after lunch so I didn't really count it b/c I normally weigh in at like 11 a.m. before I eat and on Sundays.
Anyway, when I weighed in at my not-normal weigh in...................*whispers* (I had gained). I know. I never admitted it to anyone. I was up to 93.6. OH! Spending 5 days in a row at my grandmas was a bad plan!

So, whenI weighed in today I "technically" lost 2.6 but...only really 1 since my last offical weigh in.
Does that make sense?

BLAGH! I wanted to be under 190. That was my JULY GOAL! UGH!

I have a really ambitious goal for August. Dang it. I hope I can do it. It's a little high but I just want to be OVERWEIGHT! (on the BMI scale. I'm 12.5 lbs away.)

And given the fitness minutes challenge I'm in - I'm actually going to start exercising.
Again, it's shameful to admit. I haven't started exercise yet since joining SP. I count my steps and have walked like....4 times total. Two trips to the gym only b/c my cousin went. So, yeah basically 6 moments of exercise in 5 months.

I WILL START EXERCISING TOMORROW DANG IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DEBWA1WOK 8/3/2009 9:20AM

and another week starts. I think one of your goals this week should be to start every day with breakfast. You know it makes such a difference is the way the rest of your day flows. If 190 was your July goal, what's the new goal for August? Report Inappropriate Comment

CARTOONB 8/3/2009 12:12AM

A pepperoni ball? What in the world is that?!?! It doesn't sound very good, but I'm sure it is delicious! Good luck with the exercising! Even if it doesn't help with the weight loss (which it most likely will), you'll feel the difference in your body. Report Inappropriate Comment

ONEREALLYBIGDOG 8/2/2009 10:25PM

WHAT, NO BREAKFAST! What is wrong with you? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Plus it can be the biggest with your evening meal being the smallest. You don't need to eat a big dinner then go to bed, unless you know, you and Jason , you get the picture, LOL Think seriously about eating breakfast, silly! Report Inappropriate Comment

JULY REVIEW

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Here is my list of July goals with comments to follow.

1. Track my food/snacks and stay within caloric range daily.
**Tracked EVERY DAY (this is for you Nutrition Team!) Stayed in range 21/31 days. If I may make one excuse - July 1,2,4,5 I was out! Then I shaped up a little! Haha*

2. At the end of the month: record daily fat and protein totals.
**Fat: in range 10/31 days, over the rest. Holy moly thats bad. Protein: 15/31 days in range, the rest UNDER. Just for kicks I'll do carbs and sodiumtoo. Carbs: 22/31 days in range! WOOHOO! 4 under, 5 over. And Sodium: 6/20 days, the rest over. Yikes**

3. Daily update on nutrition challenge and July spark point challenge.
**Oh, I did it! Everyday or really close to!*

4. Track a minimum of 6 glass of water a day (aiming for more) – drink others things ONLY if over 8+ water glasses that day
**Ohhhh, I was so much better this month! I probably didnt' get six every day, but I did great and I know many days I got 8+. I'll try harder in August to keep a accurate record**

5. Exercise 1000 fitness minutes (or 250 per week).
**From what I tracked it was a little over 750, but I wasn't tracking steps up until like the 20th. So, August will be way better I promise! :)**

6. Make more than 75% of my fitness minutes walking with my puppy!
**Eh, not so much. He got a lot of my activity by training and playing in the yard, but didn't get a lot walking. I think we only went on 3 walks. We're getting him a collar to help with walking. He's a real leash puller and I get SO exhausted**

7. Start counting steps daily – after I get my pedometer around the 15th.
**OHhhh yeah! Love the pedometer. Some days I disgust myself though in how little I walk, but I'm learning a lot**

8. Only have ONE dove chocolate after dinner rather than two. Retrain myself.
**Baha. Not so much. I didn't have dove chocolate around, which I should have b/c it's safer for me. Instead I had Ben and Jerry's (yes, Nancy, I know....) and I had bronies. And I had peanut butter cups. OH-ME-OH-MI!!! I didn't pretty darn good on the restraint. Only one real bad day I think**

9. Blog daily.
**Missed a few, but overall pretty great**

10. Schedule weekly meals every Sunday
**Nope. Tried it one week, made it til Tuesday and failed! Haha.**

11. Weigh in July 12th and 26th.
**Nope. Weighed in the 1st, 7th, and 16th (haha, none of the planned days). Weighing in tomorrow!**

12. Weigh under 190 by July 31st (this will be my HALF WAY mark!!)
**I'll let you know tomorrow!!!**

13. Bring my BMI from 33.0 to under 31.9.
**CROSS YOUR FINGERS**

14. Take measurements (?)
**No way**

15. De-clutter and reorganize a room per week
**I rocked this one! Yahoo. Yet, my house is still cluttery. *sigh***

16. Be Optimistic, Happy, and Reflect on something positive EVERYDAY!
**I did well. Didn't have the happiest of days, but wasn't too sulky either. Better luck in August**





So, 16 goals and I'd say I did DAMN GOOD! Hahahha! Didn't make them all, but if I had I would be superwoman! I did my best and now have to come up with goals for August! Maybe I'll just copy these ;)

How'd everyone else's goals go??

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CGG111 8/2/2009 6:05AM

Sounds like you did really well!! So happy for you!! Hopefully you will rock August also!! Report Inappropriate Comment

DREAMYJ 8/2/2009 1:12AM

Wow! That is a very ambitious list of goals! Perhaps it would be better to just focus on one or two things per month and get them ingrained (habit) and then move on to the next? Just a suggestion...might have better results completing them. Report Inappropriate Comment

DRAGONS.R.COOL 8/1/2009 6:01PM

Wow! You did a good job logging this all. It will keep you accountable. I must admit, while I don't really like doing your #14, it has made me feel better and shown the most progress. When I get on the scale and it hasn't moved, it can bum me out royally. However, I can take new measurement-compare to the original see progress is still there. Have fun in your journey. Report Inappropriate Comment

ONEREALLYBIGDOG 8/1/2009 5:49PM

Sounds like you had one heck of a learning curve. You'll do better next month, or since today is August 1st, THIS MONTH, LOL. I love my pedometer. Yesterday I walked 3.21 miles about killed me too I'm feelin' it today. Hang in there You'll do MUCH better in AUGUST Report Inappropriate Comment

8/1/2009 - Some good 'ol fashion Introspection

Saturday, August 01, 2009

I believe it is time to contemplate about my thoughts............

So, my status today says I'm feeling jealous. Why? I dunno. Theres a few things. Most are dumb, but isn't it always the little things that bug ya the most?

First off: Josh's mom and I haven't always had the grandest of a relationship. (And I'm putting it nicely). During my weight loss I haven't told anyone but MY family. I keep my family as support and test everyone else to see who will notice my weight loss success thus far. Yeah, sort of twisted, but I want to know when people begin to notice. Well, she hasn't said anything to me yet, even though Josh did reveal to her that I've been losing weight. OKay, last time she saw me I had lost 31 lbs! C'mon! Nothing? Nothing to say? What bugged me today was I saw she comment on her daughters picture on FB "wow, you're looking really good." ALRIGHT, seriously? Her daughter has lost like 5-10 lbs because she just started walking. Yeah, that is GREAT. I LOVE Kim and I'm extremely happy for her................but it bothered me that she was looking "GREAT" and I, um, apparently am still a big fat pig. (She's made several weight comments to me in the past).

Next jealous/bother me thing. My BEST FRIEND of 19 years has always been a skinny little crap head. Even when she gains weight she looks amazing b/c it is so proportional and perfect. I mean, the biggest she has ever been is a size eight, but that is just "HUGE" to her. There has always been notice and talk of our weight/size difference. I'm basically a monster standing next to her! haha. It's always been a joking matter. She's my "little skinny shi*" haha. Anyway, I went out with her last night and she still hasn't said anything about me losing weight.

Alright, alright, I know it's a subject that some people are less likely to bring up. But C'MON! I'm pretty sure it's obvious by now - and it's not like I'm GAINING IT! In that case, I could see them not bringing it up. "HEY EM, LOOKS LIKE YOU PUT ON A GOOD 33 POUNDS!"

Thats another thing. Why and how is it I had NO IDEA I WAS SO HUGE?!? Seriously?! And why didn't someone say something? Anyone? My mother?! Hey, your getting a little FATTTTTTTTTTTTTT!


I'm also jealous of people that never have to struggle with weight in their entire lives. Thats bullcrap.

My next jealous thing is *HOPEFULLY* this week I'll hit my next mini-goal. (If not, I'm undoubtably bawling). This next mini-goal is my HALF-WAY mark and I wanted to go see my dearest friend who lives about 5 hours away. I can't. I have no money whatsoever. So now, I'm jealous of people who can actually leave their house and do things. I never, ever, ever can. Oh, whoppy, I was able to go to the bar and have two drinks and some wings. Even then it put us in a prediciment with money. Thats crap. I want to be able to celebrate with my Jess (girl I was going to go see) because we haven't seen eachother in 3 years. Not fair.


So, this is basically a whine and complain blog. I know. And I don't want you to get me wrong. I am VERY GRATEFUL for all the things I do have in life! I am grateful for my family, for Josh, for our home, and our pets, and that our health (while it may not be perfect) is not life threatening. I am grateful that I do have food on the table even if it can't always be fresh veggies because I can't afford them. I am grateful I am able to have this laptop and extremely grateful for SPARK FRIENDS!


I suppose a little jealousy is okay in life............but, oh, I don't know. Sometimes I just want different things than what life has handed me.


Blog to come later of July Reflection.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LEONALIONESS 8/4/2009 5:12PM

Heh. Sorry, DEB, I wasn't planning on responding but the passive aggressive response was just too much. I'm a weak weak person and I'm rising to the bait. YES, science has something to do with the LOA. http://www.livescience.com/strangen ews/090203-bad-secret.html < BR>That's not my biggest issue, however. My problem with it that the whole concept of "like attracts like" has the nasty habit of *blaming the victim*. Poor people are poor because they just didn't WANT financial stability enough. Folks who get AIDS or other diseases just didn't think positively enough. Everything that happens is due to something you've, personally, done right or wrong and if you get tragedy, it's due to your own failings. I find this line of thinking, frankly, vile. I do believe STRONGLY in free-will and individuality. Of course we aren't just being tossed along on the tides. We can affect our lives but we cannot control everything that happens just by WISHING we can. It's not thinking positively or using ones free-will that I have issues with. Comment edited on: 8/4/2009 5:17:59 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

CGG111 8/2/2009 6:17AM

Hi!! I am so sorry you are feeling this way!! Hopefully you will keep looking at all your photos and that will motivate you and make you happy. I am telling you, you look so different in your before and after photos. Your before really looks like someone who might be related to you. You look so good now! Best of luck with your weigh in:) Report Inappropriate Comment

DEBWA1WOK 8/1/2009 11:23PM

I guess someone didn't like my suggestion of reading material. I leave it to you. We all place faith in our own choices. I choose to believe that I do have some say in where I want my life to go. Believe it and you'll achieve it. I don't think physics has anything to do with faith. That's why we have free will. I chose to have 3 little dogs, not cats, not horses,not rats. I choose where and how I live my life. I don't think a scientist has anything to do with that. So we all have our own opinions. I hadn't read your sparkpage before I commented. I was just following a chain and ended up here. You've done a great job so far. I would love to be in the 14/16. That is still a ways off. I'll get there. I'm closer then I was last month and not as close as I'll be on the first of next month. good luck to you in your challenges this month. Keep on doing what your doing.It seems to be working. Bye the way. Let me know if the "Don't snack" mantra works. I save 120 calories every day for my night time snack. I love Edy's fruit bar creamy coconut. 3 grams of fat. Coconut is a good for you oil. If you like coconut, these are to die for. It gives me something to look forward to every night and keeps me out of the cupboards.. Report Inappropriate Comment

LEONALIONESS 8/1/2009 8:46PM

Ohhh... just *snugs* You'll get past all this. You know you look good and free great, that's the important part. Do your clothes fit you? No one noticed I lost 20 lbs until I got a pair of pants that fit right! LOL. Now, at 30 lbs, most folks notice but it's a lot less noticeable in my big pants. Also, no offense to the last poster, but DO NOT waste money on The Secret. It is unscientific, pseudoscience crap. That's putting it nicely. I can have my SO come over here and put it less nicely, if you need more reasons. Heh. Oh, it's SO fun to get him going. He's into physics and apparently they mess the heck out of any science they are trying to use. Which isn't much. And they don't use it well. It's bad, m'kay? Report Inappropriate Comment

DEBWA1WOK 8/1/2009 5:16PM

okay! if you want different things then life "HAS HANDED YOU" Then go after them my dear. No body has to notice or say anything about your loss but you. You don't need to live by "what you think" they are thinking. Why do you care. I don't know what size you are, but you can't see a 30# difference on this body no matter how hard you try. Let go of all the negative thoughts and replace them with "I can and I will" and see how quickly things change for you. The Law of Attraction does work. If you're not sure what that is get the book "the Secret". this is the first day of the first month in your journey to happiness. Report Inappropriate Comment

BOVEY63 8/1/2009 5:13PM

I can understand where you are coming from. People that I have thought would notice my weight loss haven't said anything. I am so grateful to those who have said something (who weren't aware that I was trying). As for the jealousy, again I can relate. When I see a skinny woman eating something fattening, I think to myself "why can she eat that and still look like a model and if I do it goes right to my butt or stomach?" In the past (before SP) I would have come home and raided the cupboards. Now I come in, turn on the computer and find the inspiration and motivation to make better choices. It also helps to read posts like yours that let me know I am not the only one who has these thoughts. I would have never believed that an online program could make such a difference in my life. SP has definitely been added to the things in my life I am most grateful for. Report Inappropriate Comment

7/31/2009 - Scariest Moment of My Life

Friday, July 31, 2009

I've been nagging Josh to come with Jack and I on a walk or to go swimming. He finally agreed we would tonight. YEAH! It had been raining here the last few days so I asked if on the way home from work he'd take notice at the creek to make sure it wasn't too high or too fast.

Where we go swimming is a few miles away from where he checked, but it's the same creek so I figured it's similar. He told me it was fine so we headed out when he got home! Jackson was SO EXCITED. Holy crap. As soon as we pulled in the park - he knew and he pulled my butt down the road towards the woods.

To get to the creek there are two spots to enter: one is right by where everyone else goes, and the second is our little secret. It's a little ways upstream, but under an old train track so Jack really has fun in our secluded spot. We walked up the bike path towards the woods to our beaten path to the creek. At the edge of the bike path I released his collar and let him go FLYING through the woods down to the water.

HOLY SH*T IT WAS TOO HIGH. My dumba** boyfriend was down there and didn't freaking warn me that it was WAY TOO FAST for him to swim in. By the time Jackson knew it he was being swept down stream and couldn't paddle his way back to me. Ohmigod. I'm freaking out. I SCREAM for Josh to run to the other entrance down stream to try to catch him and I was gonna dive in and swim after him. But he kept going, and going. He was keeping his head up for the most part, but sometimes it splashed him under.

OHMIGOSH. I was just about to dive in, when him and I connected. I could tell he was doing his best to stay near shore (not just swim back to mom). So I went BOOKING IT through the woods and briars calling his name. I could barely see the creek and I was about 2 feet from it - it was so thick. I saw Jack and just kept yelling his name. He got this boost of energy and got himself to shore and up the da*n 5 foot bank. How, I'll never know.

I gave him the come command and he willingly ran right to me. I told him stay while I hooked his leash. He didn't move. He knew. He had the most frightful look in his eyes. I bellowed for JOsh that I got him, knelt on the ground and gave him some quick love before going to find daddy.

Once I acted not like a frightened monkey Jackson really calmed down and was just excited to see dad. We walked about another few feet and my legs and hands were shaking so bad I couldn't walk him and had to pass the leash to daddy.

We were going to then go for a hike (b/c there is a great bike trail there) but Josh was wearing jeans and it was WAY too hot for jeans. So we stayed at the park and played Hide And Seek with Jackson. (seriously, it's his favorite game).

Now, I'm going to have an emotional freakout everytime we go to the creek, but we're just going to be a heck of alot more aware (and I AM GOING TO CHECK the water before we go NOT JOSH.)

Either way I got a bunch of steps in, and Josh and Jack are napping as I type.

But I am pretty sure that was the scariest moment of my life.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LEONALIONESS 8/1/2009 8:41PM

O.o Oh god, I can imagine exactly how awful that way. I've had a couple close scary things with my kids and it's just a sickening feeling. I've come so close to having rats get into fatal accidents, for instance, it just is horrible. You just shake and shake afterwards. I love my animals just as much as anyone loves a human kid and the reaction is very much the same when one of OUR animal kids are in trouble. I'm glad he's okay! Report Inappropriate Comment

ONEREALLYBIGDOG 8/1/2009 9:59AM

Glad you ALL are alright. YOU knew that there was a question of the safety, because you asked Josh to look at the creek before you got there. I'm not blaming you, just that you should trust your own instincts! They were working better than Josh's. Have a great weekend, and don't let Jackson feel your hesitancy on your upcoming trips because he can tell from your emotions without actually telling him. Report Inappropriate Comment

NANCY-GIRL 8/1/2009 12:20AM

Wow! What a fright! I'm so glad everyone's OK. Report Inappropriate Comment

SUCCESSFUL-GALE 7/31/2009 11:28PM

Sounds very scary! I'm glad you are all o.k., and I concur men have different judement than women when it comes to certain things....like...um...er...safety!< BR> I've had a few scary moments with my dog lately. He's a little 10 pound Yorkie. I've got new neighbors with a 60 pound adult male PIT BULL that's not neutered. They think it's fine to let him outside without a leash. Three times this dog had charged me and my dog on my back porch to assert his male dominance. I've gotten bruised and scratched trying to save my baby, and have been screaming a lot of not-so-nice words. I've talked to 3 males--2 sons and a father, who all assure me that their dog isn't a MEAN dog. But if he's not mean, why he is trying to eat my baby?!?!?! Report Inappropriate Comment

CHANDTE 7/31/2009 10:02PM

Wow! What a scary situation you found yourself and your doggie in! I'm glad everyone is ok...and of course that you got your workout in! Report Inappropriate Comment

CARTOONB 7/31/2009 9:39PM

Don't be too hard on your boyfriend. Sometimes they don't think things all the way through. Glad to hear that everything ended well. Hide and seek? LOL! That is awesome!! Report Inappropriate Comment

ALEXSGIRL1 7/31/2009 7:31PM

wow that was a close one. i guess we love our dogs as much as people. glad everyone is okay. Report Inappropriate Comment

FROGGEE 7/31/2009 7:14PM

It's great that you all exercise together. What a fun way to work out. I can relate to the difference of judgement between men and women. Glad that you are all OK. Report Inappropriate Comment

KIN59VARA 7/31/2009 6:41PM

Loved reading your blog. Dogs are wonderful aren't they! Report Inappropriate Comment

FITLIKENIC 7/31/2009 6:30PM

So glad all are ok, scary is right!?! Too funny that you played hide and seek with your dog, love that! Don't be too afraid of going back to the creek though, check it out and enjoy it when it is safe or you and Jackson will both hang onto the fear. Report Inappropriate Comment