NSV - Perfect blood work results

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:26:58 EST

334 334 334 334

To say that I am happy and smiling is an understatement.

I am ELATED to the 15th power!!! 334

I will not lie...the last time I had blood work done I was pregnant with my 3rd (he's almost 7 now) and I was heavy...and even then it was pretty good for my weight...maybe a little on the higher side for cholesterol (I think I remember a 190 or 209 number somewhere)..maybe that was from my p...

The wine fairy

Thu, 9 May 2013 09:56:43 EST

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a fair maiden who was tired and low because day in and day out, all those she loved and cared for did not say thank you as much as they should... and the humdrum monotony of life was starting to take its toll.

Distraught, she turned to the her mystical online friends and typed in her plight...that all she wanted was a hug and a nice glass of wine.

Little known to her, a friend saw her need and grabbed a bottle of wine out of h...

Where I go when I am quiet on Spark

Tue, 7 May 2013 15:05:12 EST

Not anywhere really. 211

I think a lot...and I "lurk" instead of interact... I read things...but I don't comment.

I absorb...like a sponge...and I try to figure people out, like I'm on CSI.

As in "figuring out", I try to see where people are, how they got there, etc. etc. and their plan of action and how or why things are working or not working for them.

I also look around all those Sparkfriends in my list. ** sigh** 39 some...

Breathing a sigh of relief...literally

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:53:19 EST

You'd breathe a sigh of relief if you've been holding in your pee for 2 days too!
211

Today, the angels sang and brought me an angel on earth in the shape of a man who unglogged the drain in the house....and now, I have a new cesspool company too!!!!

WOOHOO!

I got the recommendation from a friend, and when my guy came over and couldn't do any more...I gave the number a shot and THANK GOD! The nice man cleared the clog!!!!

Ever not ...

What to do when the $hitter$ full

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:06:44 EST

40

No joke. The septic system is completely and utterly full. Main tank AND overflow tank... so last night after dinner, what we THOUGHT was a clogged main line thanks to my youngest's poop wiping mitt...was in fact NOT that at all (and I apologized to him for accusing him of the clog - trust me, I did).

So now what do we do, besides wait for the truck to come and pump us out....we called last night too, at 6pm, but they were basically done for the night an...

Run, Forrest, Run!

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:09:18 EST

Exercise slump broken this week after a month of "I really shoulds"

Don't know if it's because I have routine blood work that needs to be done on Monday, and I want to have good results - whatever that would be for me as a non-pregnant, non-heavy individual...I really don't know, so maybe it's me "putting my best foot forward".

But today's run was one of those "Well, I have all the stuff on, but I really don't want to, but really you should, but the kids have a half day,...

Deleted blogs

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:55:23 EST

I am just going to save this now...and continue on it as time goes by in the next hour or two, so don't be surprised if things change while you are actually read this one.

WHY?????

Well, because at 4am, when I couldn't sleep - I poured my heart out into a blog and when I hit 'post' ...well...it was just not there.

It has happened before to me. Maybe I just take to long to post a blog...because I actually THINK and PROCESS while I write things out.

...

Giving some kudos

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:07:44 EST

Just received a nice email from a HUMAN BEING about a position in a corporate company about an application I put in.

So basically I wrote back a little bit, slightly long, but concise email (can that even be? LOL) back answering the questions and giving the weightloss history of me. Yup, Spark was mentioned - how could I not! LOL I hope it doesn't shoot me in the foot though! LOL

Anyway, It's all about what you bring to the table right? About another path in life.

The 5K Wog and other stuff

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 09:36:51 EST

So last everyone heard from me is that I was training for a 5K...and the treadmill workouts were great (I only did 3 of them) but still, they were great because I ran 2 miles straight without stopping on the darned thing and I went from 26 minutes to 23 minutes in 4 days. Not too shabby for someone who doesn't run all the time and also for someone who really hasn't worked out in months. 211 Thank you muscle memory. Thank you crazy life for keeping me always on the move so my c...

Practice makes perfect.

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:17:49 EST

I have been thinking a lot about long term maintenance lately. I am technically 3 years in, but really, I myself count it as 5.

Why 5? Well, that is when things "clicked" for me and I changed my attitude and mind set for good...for life. My Sparkpage was titled "Enough is enough" back then...and it was.

What made that time different than all of the other times before. Maybe it was maturity. Maybe it was coming to terms with past life issues. Maybe it was wanting a health...

An ode to my pot belly

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 08:29:49 EST

You and I have been together,
Since I ever could remember.
You been patted, squished
Criticized, mushed
Been the torment of my youth.

You have never truly gone away,
And maybe that is why today
I barely tend to think of you
As really something, not that new.

You have come and gone through pregnancies
Hanging out inside my jeans.
Whether then size 16 or now a 6,
You always seem to get your kicks
By hanging out and st...

NSV - 60 jumping jacks

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:43:43 EST

Yup - 60 jumping jacks

Not that big to some, but for me...it's HUGE!!!!

Why?

Well because I didn't wet my pants! That's why!
40

Just think about it
- 3 kids born au natural
- heavy for lots of my life
- not a big exerciser prior to the last 5 years

All that adds up to some, um, leakage at some point! 100

I'm not to proud to admit it either... this is a HUGE HUGE thing to actually...

Is Sparkcoach helping?

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:40:35 EST

This is a very very very informal poll... I am just curious.

Please answer the following if you are using Sparkcoach:

a) I am more motivated now than ever before: Yes or no

b) Has this made the difference?

c) Is guilt (ie, I am paying for it so I have to use it) a factor in your success? or does it not matter (like in any other paid online diet plan - WW, eDiets, Jenny C)

d) If you have used other programs (as I mentioned above) - what ma...

Taking chances

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:08:07 EST

Sometimes life is a gamble... I am learning this a little late, especially since I am usually on the safer side of the fence: don't disrupt the order of things, don't run with scissors... you know... that kind of being.

But sometimes, life throws you are curveball and things NEED to change and you HAVE TO take a chance on something new, and the only thing that is really holding you back, well...is you.

Eww....how sad is that to think of! 20

But th...

Over the weekend

Wed, 6 Mar 2013 06:56:22 EST

Over the weekend...I turned 40.

Over the weekend...I turned off all emails and stopped thinking about work and enjoyed my family and a much needed break.

Over the weekend...Life continued on without me in a certain situation, just as I wanted and intended it to (thus the turned off emails explained a little bit)... and when I took myself out of the equation, the reality of what was going on for 3 months came to a head and others revealed their true colors... and I was no...

The Music Box

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:41:46 EST

I have a table with pictures on it...it's sort of like a shrine at this point: the pictures all have their spot, I dust around them, they have been in the same spot since my mom placed them on that table 25 years ago with some additions made here and there, but in general, it is the same as it was...it's intent is still intact, with the faces of our past looking back at us through another generation. It's neat really.

On the table are 2 statues - one of St. Francis (I think it is)...

Joy emerges slowly sometimes

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:51:45 EST

I will not lie on here... and I will openly admit that the last 2 months has absolutely sucked because of various indecisions in my life, and these indecisions that were not on my plate to decide what to do, it was me waiting for action on anothers part... and while I started to say "NO" around the end of January in other areas of life, it wasn't enough to give me clarity, so February kept going with me being in limbo.

Ahhh, sorry to be vague, but everyone has these times in life, ...

Bootstraps

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:48:55 EST

I am constantly pulling at them.

Always.

Today is just a little harder to pull on, but eventually, the boots will come up all the way.

They always do, right?

Some days are harder than others though, especially when you feel like someone kicked the boots to far to even reach.

Speaking of which, right now...I feel barefoot and raw, boots nowhere in sight..hidden under the bed amonst the residing dust bunnies.

It's ok...I'll figur...

5th Year Sparkiversary vlog

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 09:11:51 EST

This is my very first vlog...and it's the very first take too. Just wanted to say hello to all my fellow Sparkers.. and send a thank you as well.

Sorry about the low sound quality...and for the water bottle banging loud on the table! LOL

I tried to do another take, but it's not so great when you get overemotional and start crying in a vlog! LOL

And just a shout out to Jenni real quick: I am wearing the bracelet on my right wrist!! I wanted to mention it in t...

How the dead see you

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 09:23:18 EST

5 years ago, I started Spark...for me it was my "hail Mary" pass because before this, nothing "worked" and stuck...and I had had about enough and in fact, my Spark page was titled "Enough is enough!" It was Feb 7, 2008. Looking back, nothing "worked" or "stuck" because I wasn't ready for it to...

It just so happens that Feb 8, 2005 is the anniversary of when my brother in law passed away at the age of 27 from cancer.

So in these 2 days, you can see the juxtaposition of m...

Photograph blog found - good read

Sun, 3 Feb 2013 10:10:42 EST

I found this from a friend on FB...and it really hit a cord with me...since I was rarely in photographs prior to the last 5 years of my life...which is sad, because I mattered even when I was heavy but was too stupid to realize that moments are once in a lifetime...enjoy the blog, I hope someone gets something out of it.

myfriendteresablog.com/so-youre-feel
ing-too-fat-to-be-photographed/

Clarity in saying "no"

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:41:12 EST

I was just sitting here thinking... well, actually on my drive around town today to get stuff done within an hour's timespan for personal reasons... and as I popped by the office to bang out some work real fast, it occurred to me that there can really be some wonderful clarity when you say "NO - that doesn't work for me" when it actually means something....and then to actually embrace it as such.

This can be in many scenarios when you think about it... at work, at school, with fami...

Two weeks of crazy...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:00:57 EST

and now is this the calm before the real storm???

Ugh, you guys have no idea how the full moon hit me last week! I'd say it was one of those rare collisions of choas coming together all at once that hit me in the work - family - extracurricular - school world...and I could do NOTHING but ride the wave until it passed.

40 was my face when I ended it and then decided to hide for the weekend!! LOL

Hey, sometimes, S-it happens like that! I don't li...

Older women

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 04:57:03 EST

I have a serious crush on some older women...

246 but I do!

I have always looked to the future saying "who inspires me of how I want to look like in the future..." and totally on a superficial level too...

So here are my top two: Reba McEntire and Helen Mirren.

I see them on tv and I just think: boy, these ladies are rockin' it! I wanna be that way when I am older. Reba is really pretty fit for her age (look at her arms - they are nic...

My awesome day

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:04:57 EST

OK... I just realized that the very first blog someone new will read on here in the last 4 days was about gas... my gas inducing Colon Blow goo. 246 Lovely!!!

So yesterday, I had an awesome day.

It was totally not weightloss - maintenance - exercise related either (Hmmm or now that I think about it... was it?) Well, anyway.. It was work related.

I don't reallly talk about work on here, but let me just say this one thing: Change is a-comin' in 201...

The tale of the mush.

Thu, 3 Jan 2013 09:53:58 EST

Ok... so here's the deal. I had bought, more like overbought, 3 boxes of Kashi 7-grain Pilaf a few months back because they were on sale...and I make a soup with it that I lovingly refer to as "Colon Blow" 40 , well, the the thing is, that soup is good for like, once a year thing or otherwise, you'd feel like this 15 and then this 234 and then this 9 .. ALL THE TIME!

Unless you like that sort of thing... you sick twisted masochis...

I think about food.. every . day .

Wed, 2 Jan 2013 20:09:00 EST

I had a conversation with someone, not to long ago, about how she just didn't want to have to think about food every single day. She knows how to lose weight (been there done that), but once she stopped thinking about food, the weight crept back on. She really wishes she could just not think about food and have it be done.

Good god! Me too!!

But that really is not the case at all.

I think about food every . single . day. Period.

But at least now ...

Everyone's Day 1

Tue, 1 Jan 2013 10:14:15 EST

Why HELLOOOO there!

Welcome to everyone's Day 1!

You have oh-so-many hopes wrapped up into today... into this first month in fact, right? oh, yes... right!

I WILL stay in calorie range!
I WILL EXERCISE for 2 hours!
I WILL NOT cheat or binge at ALL!! So help me!
I WILL drink that 8 glasses of water!

And then... reality sets in like the 18

Stomach is growling.

Your mood is 39

Y...

Last blog of the year.

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:38:10 EST

It got deleted!! and it was a good one too!! It took me a whole 20 minutes to write!!!

LMFAO!!!!!

I swear - I just hit "post blog entry" and it came up blank!!

So instead of re-hashing:

Have a Happy New Year everyone!!! 236

See you next year!!!! 249

OMG - I am wetting my pants!! 246
Oh well!!!!

It's time to toss your cookies!!!

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 08:14:35 EST

Yup! It's that time of the year once again!!!

It's time for the GREAT COOKIE TOSS!

I do this every year because a) it gets the crap out of the house because by now, really noone in the place needs any more of it and b) it just feels soooooo gooooooood to do it.

Yeah yeah yeah... all that work I put into them - the time, the money... oy what a waste! Ummm... well, I'd rather see it go into the trash than onto my ass though at this point so, out they go - for th...

Why my page is the way it is.

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:28:45 EST

When I started SP in 2008, I was in AWE of the people who were successful. I friended, I got to know their stories...I also got my own plan together and I figured to use the Spark nutrition tracker diets as a guide, but I basically built my own plan from what I saw but mainly from what I had in the house. I stayed in my designated range and that was that. I drank water. I exercised. I lost weight.

And I saw on another page, a woman's journey in a month by month form, and I copied ...

Back in the saddle

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:05:34 EST

I will NEVER say that getting back in the saddle is easy.

Never, ever, EVER!

But sometimes are easier than others, depending on how off it's been.

For example: I mentioned that I was going to get derailed this weekend...and you know what? I sure as heck was!!! To the nth degree too!!

There was "visiting eating" - I also call this "polite" eating because you are the guest and it's a special occasion and there is NO WAY you can avoid this specially ...

Why I don't flip out:

Sat, 8 Dec 2012 07:26:30 EST

So today, the scale was up.

Big deal.

So what.

3 pounds.... WhAt!?!?!?! OMG!!!! 198

Most of us would be having a sh-t fit, but after a while of learning and relearning, the first thing I do is look back at the last 2 or 3 days and see what was going on...here's the last 2 days:

- Pizza for dinner last night (no big whoop - I ate 2 garlic knots and a slice and a half)
- 2 glasses of white wine (over 2 days - ooooOooo)

Fight the demons

Fri, 7 Dec 2012 14:04:26 EST

I have this tendency to start a blog...and then delete it lately. I'm up to counting 4 in the last 2 weeks. And there are various reasons I do this, but it's mainly because sometimes I get to thinking that since I am steady and stable, no one is going to want to read what I write...and other times I am thinking that maybe I am coming off too harsh in what I'm writing... because after a few years of reading some things, or observing things, I can get a bit pissy and it comes off in what I w...

3 Years on Maintenance... and I forgot!

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:36:27 EST

Yup...I completely forgot and here I come on Spark to log-in, get some points, check in... and I have an email and goodie and a few page comments (which I will get to return visits in a wee bit to say thanks to) ... and I see that I was lovingly reminded of the fact that I hit 137 on 11/18/2009....and I am glad to say that I have only seen that number once while on maintenance since I am maintaining in the 130-135 range.

But even so, the 137 was a HUGE thing because that was 50 pou...

Post Hurricane Sandy update

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:03:58 EST

Hey everyone!

If you didn't already know it from my Sparkname...I am from LI , a.k.a. Long Island. (That's the fish shaped island sticking out into the ocean that's part of New York State).

2 weeks later, I am finally finding the time to write a blog and give everyone an update on the whole thing. What the media has been showing about Long Beach and the Rockaways is all true...I can only imagine how NJ is faring.

There are other parts of LI that are pretty ...

Took the time - glad I did

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:38:38 EST

Today, I took the time to get on the treadmill.

Woke up, no makeup, workout clothes on...enter the 2 hours it took to feed, dress, prep lunches etc, get the kids to school, yadda yadda yadda....and then I was faced with the decision to a) get on the treadmill or b) walk to work as is (not seeing anymore today) and sit at the office and get stuff done and walk home.

So I called my dad....and he said "Go get on the treadmill....I'll see ya later."

So that is wh...

Nothing kills a workout like Tylex

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:28:31 EST

So the plan was to get a walk in today...and run a bit....

THAT was the plan.

But I am SUPER-efficient and decided to clean the shower with some Mold and Tile cleaner...the WHOLE tub, since it needed it...and so I did, while the kids were getting dressed and such. I even changed the shower liner! Oh yeah....I don't mess around!

Great right...well, the bleach smell absolutely, positively killed me.

Yeah, I know...well ventilated is important - trust ...

Laughing at my fridge ... and it's echoing back!

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:04:47 EST

Seriously laughing today.....for the 3rd day...I am having a salad for lunch.

Oh yeah baby.....give me that pat on the back! I am being SOOOOO gooooood!
211

Sure I am....especially since it's the ONLY thing in my fridge at the moment besides eggs and milk and orange juice...oh, and condiments....LOTs of those.

Hold on...open the drawer - apples, grapes, lettuc, carrots, onions...I got more stuff...but seriously....after that, the thing is po...

A conscious effort

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 09:21:16 EST

Every morning...like clockwork...I hit the alarm at 6:30, go downstairs, say hey to hubby, get my cup of coffee, and log onto my emails and read my horoscope that is sent to me daily...and then I check FB and get Spark log-in points. When I am really good....I weigh myself nekkid before I go downstairs, but I'm hiding from my scale right now...stress eating guilt going on...but I digress, that is another blog entirely.

So back to the emails and my horoscope....or HORROR-scope as I...

SOooo tired

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:30:45 EST

The only thing I can equate this lethargy with is being pregnant....but I'm not pregnant, so I'm attributing it to needing a vacation.

Last week was an emotional one...BIG TIME. I had a blog written about it, but swapped it over to a journal entry instead...but trust me, between running around with the kids, the extracurriculars, the planning, the emails, the homework, the shuffling of bodies from place to place...I am pooped.

So staring at me this Monday is this (on h...

Why I love tracking fitness

Tue, 9 Oct 2012 09:20:50 EST

I cannot say that I exercise religiously...I am more of a "cyclical exerciser"...but the main point is that EVENTUALLY, I do get back to it. It just all depends on what is going on at the moment.

So here I am...in a exercise "hiatus" if you will...and just when I start to get mean and nasty on myself, I pull up my exercise report tab and see where and what I did last year...and even the year before that.

Well surprise, surprise! Look at that! 2 years ago...total October...

Joined the National Weight Control Registry

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 09:58:51 EST

The National Weight Control Registry is a study that is basically documenting people who have lost and maintained a 30 pound weightloss for over a year.

I'm glad to say that I fit into that category 3 times over.

Year one - lost 30 pounds and maintained for one year.
Year two - lost 10 more pounds and maintained the 40 year weightloss for a year.
Year three - lost 5 to 10 more pounds and am maintaining a 50-55 pound weighloss now for over a year.

Bu...

Change #3 - Give yourself credit

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:19:47 EST

Give yourself credit where credit is due.

Seriously.

Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at yourself as if you were an outsider. What or who you might see may surprise you a whole lot.

For instance - if you have lost 5 or 10 pound...break out some pictures and look at a new one...YOU did that. Not anyone else. YOU did that.

Pat yourself on the back!

Go ahead you deserve it!

But before you go crazy and eat th...

Change #2 - perspective

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:36:39 EST

My long-time Sparkfriends know all about the blue bridesmaid dress from my youngest sister's wedding on May 2011...just to jog the memory - it's a size 8 (really a size 6 in a normal person's world) and was only hemmed at the bridal shop because the thing fit perfectly...in fact, it was my other sister's dress and we swapped sizes. Anyway....I love this dress and it's one of those Vavavavoom! Dresses! that will probably never be worn again....except in the privacy of my own bedroom...and I'l...

Change #1 - less on my plate, sort of...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 09:50:12 EST

In my last blog, I mentioned changes going on....one of them is that there is "less on my plate"...in the figurative sense...not the literal sense.

For example - I used to get my nephew on and off the bus at my house every day because he and my kids went to the same school...for the last 2 years. Well, they moved across town and now he is going to another school...and I am no longer needed every day.

I'm sad and happy all at the same time.

Sad that I won't be...

Update: so many changes going on.

Sun, 9 Sep 2012 14:41:52 EST

If I had to list how many changes have been going on and are going to be in the future, your head might spin! And most of these things are GOOD things too...but stressful nonetheless.

All of these changes have been weighing on my mind too - these last 2 months - and I really have not been sleeping well and I can actually FEEL stress eminating from my pores at times. I can also report that old habits from years ago have peeked their head out...the stress eating, the "I don't care I...

ANNIEONLI's SparkPeople Blog

Found a cute pic