http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal.asp?id=LUV2SURFCHIC LUV2SURFCHIC's Blog on SparkPeople, home of free diet plans and a healthy living community http://assets2.sparkpeople.com/assets/nav/logo_spark.gif http://www.sparkpeople.com/ http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5243057 Its a cold, rainy day in Southern California. (Sounds like the beginning of a book doesn't it?) I've been walking outside, but that isn't really a possibility today. I can find a lot of reasons NOT to do anything today that resembles exercise, but when I was picking up emails I ended up on my Sparks Points page and I realized that if I wanted to get some major points today I would need to get in my exercise. <BR> <BR> Jumped in the workout clothes, put on a hoodie and walked over to the w... Fri, 8 Feb 2013 16:08:01 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5202162 I love working from home. I live in Southern California, and I spent a lot of my life commuting more than an hour each way to and from work for more than 12 years. I have a lot of freedom to go to the gym during the day, take walks with friends, enjoy nice weather. <BR> <BR> This morning my trainer told me that sitting for long periods of time is really bad for a person's long term health. Not that I didn't know this, but she saw it on some news show and now I'll research it. Anyways she... Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:51:54 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5200353 I woke up this morning realizing that the people in my challenge, my friends and my family that are all losing weight already this year are owning their weight loss. And I, sadly, am not. I keep enjoying my coffee with creamer about four or five times a day wincing sometimes but still doing it. I know this doesn't sound like a lot but for someone who has been at a plateau for a long time and doesn't or can't find a way to get out of it, drinking an extra 800 or 900 calories a day can be ho... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:17:02 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5193585 I used to hate Sundays. I would wake up, counting the hours until I had to go to work on Monday to the dreaded job I hated. Never mind that I had one more 24-hour period of respite until that job, I started a negative countdown, ruining a perfectly wonderful day by laying around, eating too much, accomplishing very little, turning down invitations from friends, basically pissing away 52 days a year for 2011. <BR> <BR> For the last year I've thoroughly enjoyed my Sundays. I have a new job,... Sun, 6 Jan 2013 18:25:55 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5048608 I really enjoy entering my fitness minutes in SparkPeople every day, and for the last couple weeks I am really finding a lot of motivation in my eating, exercise, shopping and sleeping to allow me to be healthier as I continue to struggle with losing the last part of this weight toward my goals. <BR> <BR> I've gone in this morning and updated my profiles and pictures, and I showed my friends pictures of what I looked like the week before and the day of surgery and they actually did not recog... Fri, 7 Sep 2012 13:38:02 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4956939 I had lap band surgery in late May 2010. Although I've eaten within guidelines and exercised well since, I haven't really lost much weight since November 2011 (about 10 lbs). I've done a lot of research, had a lot of testing and tried a lot of different things. I'm going back to basics today. Made an appointment with my bariatric surgeon (several weeks away), logging my foods, tracking my exercise, trying to really figure this out. I've lost 89 lbs, but I have about 70 to go and I'm not ... Thu, 5 Jul 2012 18:36:42 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4839303 I am more focused and energized when I have specific tasks to accomplish and places to go. I find myself making some salads ahead, bringing along water, planning meals. And of course, the biggie is that I'm not home where the refrigerator is a mere 20 steps away. <BR> <BR> This is only the second day of this new schedule, but I'm liking it so far. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:32:32 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4821674 I love SparkPeople, because I can get a lot of good information on the site that creates solid fit, real-world pieces to the puzzle that is my life. Whether its living alone and getting in enough social time, to cooking for one, to new exercises I'm always finding out something to use. <BR> <BR> At 53, I'm still learning. A lot. About everything. And loving (almost) every minute of it! <BR> <BR> Happy Thursday, everybody. Thu, 5 Apr 2012 10:48:56 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4820728 Working from home, I'm finding myself needing more motivation in eating, and more motivation to get the work done and not find something else to do. I've set a schedule for myself (I know, pretty anal) when I can go down to the kitchen and when I have to get some writing done. I'm finding that, establishing a new HABIT such as staying out of the kitchen will only come from following the schedule. <BR> <BR> I've scheduled in strength exercises, separate ab work and cardio every day as well.... Wed, 4 Apr 2012 18:33:04 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4817554 So I go to the store this afternoon. I've pre-planned everything and I know which aisles I'm going in. I've had lunch before I left. THEN it hit - they remodeled the store in the last week! I couldn't find anything and I was forced to go down every aisle to find stuff. I ended up with a bag of PopChips but I worked through the rest of the items (diet soda, ice cream and bread). <BR> <BR> The best laid plans............. Mon, 2 Apr 2012 21:28:44 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4811498 I had such a good time visiting with a long-lost friend today. Felt so good about setting it out, but we ended up at Lone Star and I did not choose well. We selected specials and ended up with an appetizer to share, FRIED SHRIMP, and cheesecake to share. Although I didn't finish everything on any plate, I still could have made better choices. Disappointed in lack of restraint on this avenue. Tomorrow is another day! Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:06:38 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4781806 I've stalled out since last November and I was really getting on track with eating exercise, changing food choices THEN I hurt my knee. Not bad, just a twinge, set me back a week. I must have adjusted walking to cover for it and my back is really messed up. For several days I can hardly move. I've been to the chiro, gotten an MRI, icing and resting. I can't say its any better today than it was yesterday. <BR> <BR> Another week of setbacks. I guess God is telling me to get some reading... Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:57:09 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3368206 So many things to learn! I love reading people's blogs and seeing pictures. I debated long and hard (ok a little long and not that hard) on whether to post my pictures. Looking at them now I just want to cry to see where I ended up after years of eating, drinking, no activity. I honestly did not see myself like the person in those pictures. <BR> <BR> Four weeks ago I had WLS. I can't believe how much better I feel and how much hope I have for the future in so many ways. There is joy ar... Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:51:27 EST