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GERMANIRISHGIRL's Recent Blog Entries
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011
"Normal” HEALTHY BMI…in 299 days & some NSVs too
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I DID IT! In 299 days I DID IT! I weigh 136 lbs. and now have a “NORMAL” HEALTHY BMI of 24.9
When I started my Spark journey on Jan 1, 2011, I weighed 190.1 with a BMI of 34.8, right in the middle of the obese category. I didn't even know my number then. I knew I was fat, I just didn't know how bad it was, numerically speaking, I mean.
I am now down to the “normal” healthy category. Why do some people call it "normal"? I prefer “healthy”.
I have never liked the word "normal".
Maybe because I have been called abnormal.
I don't think I am abnormal, just anti-normal.
Normal is highly over-rated!
I take pride in being strange and unusual! 
I weighed 120-125 all through high school and got up to a high of 135 in college...still in the healthy range...though, at the time I thought I was as big as a barn.
I weighed 115 when I got married 14 years ago...my natural weight at that time was 120-129...I lost extra weight for the wedding pictures...mistake…my DH even said at the time, that I was too thin.
I weighed 125 when I got pregnant with my first child...
gained 50 lbs...mistake...
lost 45 lbs.
3 years later...
weighed 130 when I got pregnant with my second child...
gained 60 lbs...mistake...
lost 60 lbs.
gained all 60 lbs. back when my brother-in-law(like the brother I never had) died, I mourned and grieved his death medicating my sad self with food for years.
It's worth repeating, to maybe help someone in some small way...I used food as part of my grieving process...
learn from my mistake...do NOT do that!
So here I am today, back in the healthy BMI range. My body is not the same shape as it was 14 years ago. When I had my huge baby boy, my hips opened up like the Grand Canyon, and did not go back to the previous position like they did after the birth of my DD.
Wouldn't you just know it, this is all a man's fault. 
I not sure if it is age or mommy gravity working here. The weight just seems to be in different places than it used to be. I need to work on tone in the upper body. If I could take the extra mommy belly skin and make it into some sort of Joey pouch that would be great! You know, when you need a third hand for something...just use your Joey pouch.
Could make it a fashion statement too, maybe some tattoos or piercings. Why not? Hey ,could I get Spark points for that?
Will I just wake up one day and say "this is it"? "This is my goal weight"? I am not sure where my natural body weight will be now.
I feel like I have already won the war, so to speak. So do I say "done"? My life habits have changed permanently. Thanks Sparkpeople! I do not fear the last quarter of the year, as in the past. I am confident I have what it takes to successfully get through:
Halloween parties...
dysfunctional family functions...
trick or treat...
Thanksgiving...
dysfunctional family functions...
holiday baking...
my birthday...not sure which one...
dysfunctional family functions...
Christmas...
parties...
did I mention...dysfunctional family functions...
Almost forgot about the NSVs...
My latest NSVs:
Two of my co-workers have said that I need to STOP losing weight. 
My son called me skinny the other day. He is only 10...but still.
I can wear a SMALL now. I did miss out on some great medium fall pants that I had. Oh well, not complaining. My pants are size SMALL, 8s and 10s. I can even wear some EXTRA SMALL tops.
And a negative NSV if there is such a thing...
The operations manager at work ran a stop sign in his company truck, totaling it. It was delivered to our shop on a flatbed. It was a mangled mess. He was lucky to walk away with only 5 broken ribs. We had to get company property and his personal belongings out of the truck, so the insurance company could take it. It was a full size club cab pick up. But there wasn't much room to get in the cab. The cab had been reduced to about half the original size. None of the guys could squeeze into it. So one of the them said, "Hey Trish, I bet you can get in there." I could fit! So lucky me had to clean out all of the crap. At that moment, I thought, for a brief second, that I wouldn't have to do this crap if I wouldn't have lost all of that weight! NO! It was so worth it! Bring on the crap!
And I would like to thank you for the support and encouragement along the way...Sparkpeople...
my Spark friends
my Clover team &
my Onyx Outlaws team...
I really appreciate it!
 
Spark on!
  
Trish
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
At the local Labor Day festivities,  a day before our 14th anniversary, my DH says"Here's what I am thinking..."
When he says that, I get nervous. It sometimes involves a lame idea--think rope, chainsaws, and ladders.  Sometimes it involves OUR money going to my in-laws, which irritates me to no end. Sometimes it is perfectly harmless and I let him have his way.
This time he says, "since next year will be a big one, I think we should renew our vows." 
What?
You see, big one, is a relative term here. We lived together TEN years before we got married. 
I know, I know. I just wanted to be sure he was the one.
So every year at anniversary time, he looks at 2 different gift choices. This year was 14 years or 24 years with his adjusted math. I don't care, as long as it involves jewelry.
Now you are saying, wow, its a good thing those two people found each other. That way, they are not screwing up two other peoples lives. 
So with his adjustment, next year will be 25 years. I have never known anyone that renewed their vows. I have been to 50th anniversary parties. They seem to be celebrations of the mere fact that two people lived together and didn’t kill one another.
What adds more "ew" factor is that he wants me to wear my wedding dress. 
WTH! I weighed 115 lbs. when we got married.
And he thinks I could get into the dress NOW. 
Oh that is really sweet honey….YOU NEED GLASSES!
WHEN I get to goal weight of 119 I don't know if it will fit.
But you know what…it doesn’t matter. 
According to a SP quiz I took…I love my body. My results:
How Positive is Your Body Image?
Quiz by Liza Barnes, Registered Nurse and Health Educator
Body image affects how you feel about yourself, how you project yourself, and how you care for your own health. Answer the following questions to find out where your body image stands now—and how you can improve it.
You love your body.
Congratulations! You have a positive, healthy image of your body and tend to treat it with respect. You realize that there are far better ways to spend your time than obsessing about the way that you look, and you incorporate healthy behaviors into your lifestyle in order to feel better, not just to look better. Keep up the good work and don't let others pressure you to change if you're already happy with your body.
I didn’t think of it like that before. I thought I was just accepting the aging process.
I didn’t want to fight it…and it beats the alternative of being DEAD.
So it is OK with me that my boobs hang so low I could throw them over my shoulder like a Continental Soldier…as long as I don’t trip over them, that is all that matters.
And my hips opened up like the Grand Canyon duing both pregnancies. After the second, they did not go back.
Oh well…the Grand Canyon is a beautiful place.
So I said...
...here is what I am thinking...yes, I will marry you all over again…just maybe not in that dress. 
Trish
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/group
s_individual.asp?gid=52982
Monday, September 05, 2011
It is NOT not about the Twinkie(fill in the blank-- junk food of your choice)in your grocery cart
  
Please, no Twinkie bashing. I don’t even like Twinkies. I think I subconsciously used the word Twinkie, because one of my co-workers uses the word to describe an incompetent co-worker(the company president’s daughter). She is a sweet girl, not very intelligent, not good for the company(it is a waste of money to pay her). She doesn’t want to work there, but she can’t land another job, despite her numerous attempts. So she is like a Twinkie.
Just for the record, there were no Twinkies in my cart.         
While in the grocery, waiting in line, looking in my cart, and other shopper’s carts, I had some random thoughts in my head.  Thank you SparkPeople . It went something like this…
Imagine the body that you want to have. Not the airbrushed, super model, cover girl body. The body that you will feel comfortable inside. The ideal body weight for you.  The fit and trim you. This is your vision for YOU. This is the starting point and the point we will re-visit. This starting point has nothing to do with the excess weight you have. If you focus on the weight, this will not work.  Getting fit and trim is rarely about the weight. Well if it’s not about the weight, what is it about?
It is not about the food. BUT it is NOT not about the food either. This is where emotional eating comes in, (well duh—do people really say that?). Food is fuel for your body. To sustain and nourish it. Not something you do when you are bored, sad, grieving, pissed, or feeling out of control. If you can eat an entire box of Twinkies and get to that goal vision you have for yourself, then GREAT. Knock yourself out. But if the Twinkies are getting in the way of achieving that vision…WHY are they in your kitchen? Or WHY are they even in your grocery cart? Is the food in your cart going to help you reach your goals? Or is it going to get in the way of your vision?
Does your body even want the Twinkie? No, your mind wants the Twinkie. Eat what your BODY wants, and STOP when you’re full. Don’t clean your plate! I don’t care what Mother says. She knows how to push those buttons because SHE installed them!
Commit to making the changes you want. It is not going to take care of itself. It will take time and effort.  And above all, celebrate your successes.  Take time to reflect on your achievements.
Be realistic.
Be happy.
Be Sparked.
Trish
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/group
s_individual.asp?gid=52982
Saturday, August 13, 2011
A NSV that warms a mother's heart
Actually, I had 2 non-scale victories this week.  The first happened at the water-park. I always keep a swim-bag packed, ready to go, in my car. Sometimes we are spontaneous and just decide to go swimming on a whim. We had not been swimming in about a month. We decided to go the other day. I didn't have to pack the swim bag, so I didn't think about my suit not fitting. When we got there, I put my suit on, and was shocked, happily so, that my suit is now TOO BIG. YEAH!  I’m going to miss that suit. I liked it so much, I bought it in 2 different sizes (that was the smaller one). Oh well, glad to let it go.
My proudest NSV, up to now, happened when we went to Taco Bell after the water-park. By the way, not my restaurant choice, but sometimes you have to go along to get along (with other people, I mean). We hardly ever go to TB. First, let me say, in January, when I started my Spark journey, I did not force my new eating habits on my family. I knew they would come around with less resistance if I let them come along and join me at their own pace. At first, I had to prepare separate meals for myself. But not anymore. The DH and both kids are on board 100%. They are all into shopping for and preparing our food together. Which is FUN! That whole Spark thing changing other areas of your life really works! I feel like I am a better mom.
My 9 year old son was the first one in the Taco Bell door and the only customer in line. The cashier asked him for his order. He spied the printed pamphlets listing the nutritional values. He said "Oh wait a minute, I need to check your nutritional values before I can order." The cashier looked like a deer in the head-lights! I said "At-ta boy!". After he ordered, I asked him how he decided what to order. He said, in such serious tone, " Well, I looked at the fat, sodium, and calories of everything." 
Both of my kids ordered water to drink. The self-serve pop machine did not have the water button clearly marked. There was a man at the machine finishing up when my kids started to get their water. He could see my son trying to figure out the water thing. And he asked him what he was trying to do. My son said "I am getting water". And my 12 year old (going on 17--yes, I know I am trouble) daughter said to the guy, without any hesitation, "That's what your body wants." The guy was probably thinking that I have my hands full. I LOVE the monsters I have created!
So, for me, as a mother, I am proud that they are "getting it" at such a young age. And I didn't have to force it on them. To me, that is the best NSV I have ever had. 
Spark On...Together with Your Family!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
The word “vacation” doesn’t mean to vacate your new healthy lifestyle that you have worked so hard to achieve. I picked a mini vacation for my reward for reaching the half way point of my goal weight. If you don’t have rewards for yourself, I strongly recommend it. It can be a great motivator and they don't have a cost a lot either. For example, I buy myself a goodie each week---how cheap! While I was eagerly anticipating my vacation that I had worked so hard for, I was concerned about undoing all of my progress up to that point. So I armed myself before I even pulled out of the driveway.
We (family of 4) stayed in a condo with a full kitchen. So I had the benefit of making my own breakfast and snacks every day. I also packed a picnic lunch or supper every day. We decided before we left home, only one meal out per day. That is not only Sparkplan friendly, but also saved $$ too. Here’s what I packed:
Healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack items…same food as when I am at home
Water …and more water
Coolers and ice packs…to take food and water on daily excursions so you don’t get hungry through out the day…my husband is still in shock that I must eat 5 times a day
Measuring cups and spoons…ya, I still measure everything
Food scale…measure and weigh…I did not take the bathroom scale though, I only weigh once a week. One week out of the month, I gain and lose 5 lbs. in that week. Net gain/loss is zero. I just accept that 1 week out of 4 the scale is not going to move for me.
Pedometer and HRM…to monitor all of my activities, make even sight-seeing count
Fitness DVD…just in case I did not get enough cardio or strength training in every day
Droid smart phone…for tracking everything that goes in…when up in the mountains when I had no service, I would take a picture of what I was going to eat and add a “sticky note” in my phone with a brief description so I could enter it later on SP.
Laptop…used it at night to do my Sparktime…track at least food and fitness everyday.
Just because you are on vacation is no excuse for not working out. No matter where you are, you can do SOMETHING. There was a treadmill and elliptical and weights at the condo for guest use. I didn’t use them, but I did swim every day. I also took a fitness DVD with me. For this particular trip, I wasn’t too worried about getting in fitness minutes. We did a lot of strenuous hiking. The kind where it is just as much of a workout going down the mountain as it is going up. And I volunteered to carry the water for added weight…more calorie burn. And it was still less weight than I carried up the mountain last year. It was fat instead of water.
For meals that we had to eat in a restaurant…I engaged the Mom Veto Power…NO buffets, and sometimes we ordered 2 or 3 meals and split them 4 ways. Here’s where the phone came in handy. I could look up food BEFORE I ordered. If I had to estimate something, I went on the high side to be safe. I enjoyed decadent foods IN MODERATION! Yes you can enjoy good food without deprivation.
Be realistic in your goals…I only expected to maintain my weight during my vacation time. But I actually lost 1.5 pounds. I tracked everything every day. I stayed in calorie range every day but one. The day that I did go over, I still had a differential because I was so active that day. If you are not familiar with the Single Day Calorie Differential Report, I recommend it. I look at that daily, and it really helps keep me on track.
Above all, have fun! And don’t feed the BEARS. In fact, just leave them alone. And don't pick the flowers either. This is my public service announcement/rant for the Great Smoky Mountains…I find it irritating that a mother bear and her two cubs have been removed from the park and taken to NC three times. According to the ranger, they think she MAY become too aggressive(with humans that are irritating her). HELLO, maybe she doesn’t want to leave. It IS HER HOME. When in the wild, YOU are the guest, so act like one. OK, rant over.
With a little planning you too can Spark while on vacation! And if you do pack on pounds while you are on vacation…so what…just get back to SP when you get home.
Spark on!
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on the swim suit too! 
Member Comments About This Blog Post:
Great blog!! Guess you can tell what my weakness is!! LOL
in my case). :P
