When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange...

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 12:50:52 EST

Ah... thank you Silver Platters and Peter Brady! Every time I need to shuffle things around, that tune pops right into my head.

Since I'm stuck here for at least another week, unable to exercise due to pneumonia (doctor's orders), I came to realize that I will not be able to meet my original goals and timelines.

Yeah, I'm frustrated and annoyed. But I've had time to absorb and accept my situation. S#!+ happens. This was completely out of my control. Time to move on.

Even the best laid plans can go haywire.

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 18:46:38 EST

Even the best laid plans can go haywire. And there are some setbacks that you really just can't plan for.

You can plan around the holidays, the birthdays, the football games...

But there's no way to predict WHEN GERMS ATTACK!!

Monday: Feeling "under the weather." Very tired, run down, not too hungry; coughing a bit; but still went to spin class, and attended the SP Live meeting.

Tuesday: Felt like poop. left work early; Very worn out; feverish, ache...

Post Thanksgiving Recap/WI

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:20:52 EST

Official WI today: DOWN 3.5lbs!! 244

GOALS ACHIEVED:
Lose 10lb by Thanksgiving - 248
Maintain an exercise regime to support spending the $$ a personal trainer - 248

I won't lie to you. It was A LOT of hard work to lose those 3.5lb - or even the these last 10lbs in general!
198

It took a huge amount of planning and tracking and exercising. Oh my!

So now I'm working on revising my medium- and l...

WI is tomorrow... I'm on pins and needles

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:12:12 EST

Well, I achieved most of my goals for Thanksgiving weekend.

I am really proud of myself for getting to the gym on Thanksgiving MORNING and doing a really powerful zumba class. And I managed to do 4 miles with Leslie Sansone on Black Friday, even after all my shopping!

I think I did ok on the calories. I skipped dessert on Thanksgiving and enjoyed a yummy yogurt with my SIL instead.

I tried my best to log everything in as much as possible and as close as pos...

Thanksgiving Weekend Plan of Action

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:00:33 EST

Goals for this weekend:

1. Get to gym for Zumba class on Thursday am. Burn lots of calories. 248
2. Fill plate with veggies and some protein. Flexible to HIGH end of cal range; It's ok 248 to go a bit higher. I'm giving myself permission to eat up to 1800 cals that day.
3. Skip dessert and head to stores to wait for Black Friday deals. (Bring some extra veggies and turkey, plus other noshes for the 6+hour wait) 248
4. Exercise while on t...

Two steps forward, 1 Step Back... slow but steady...

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:45:42 EST

So on Friday I blogged that I lost 2lbs. Knowing that I had a challenging weekend ahead, I made my goal for today's official WI to be more of a range: 1/2# - 2lbs down from last week's weight.

Today I'm 1/2lb down for my official WI today! 244

I'll admit, on the surface, I WAS a bit disappointed that I didn't maintain the loss from Friday, but in all honesty, it wasn't a realistic goal for this weekend.

I basically attended 3 parties this weekend:...

It's Working! Time to be consistent

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:06:00 EST

I've lost 2#'s since Monday! I WI on Fridays to help keep me accountable over the weekend. And needless to say, I was FLOORED when I saw the loss show up on the scale this morning!
9

I changed up my meals and calorie consumption on days where I work out - sometimes even going over my cal limit on those high intensity days. And it seems to be working.

So I'm going to keep up with this regimen.

I've been reminding myself that my body is not a ca...

Tried a new "food" today: Coconut Water

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:26:10 EST

I've been hearing a lot of accolades about coconut water lately and wanted to give it a try. Also, since I tend to eat the frozen meals on a daily basis - and they are high in sodium - I thought it might be a good way to equalize things since coconut water is so high in potassium.

I've only tried the one with pineapple so far. It takes kind of like a pina colada! I may have to try this at home in the blender with a little milk and ice..... 4

Body must be adjusting

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:10:40 EST

Dealing with a 0.7 lb gain this week over last week. And I gained last week too. I was hoping to net out last week's gain, but no.

I've been tracking. And if you read my previous post, you'll know I realized that I wasn't eating enough. I ate more over the weekend, but I also did 60 extra minutes of exercise overall too. So I think my body must still be adjusting.

It's still a net 6lb loss since I started back at the end of September. And that comes to about 1 lb per...

Do I really HAVE to track EVERYTHING I eat????

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:14:40 EST

I'm so glad I posted those mantras yesterday because I needed them today!

On Fridays, I give myself a pre-weekend weigh in to help me stay accountable over the weekend. Mondays are my official WI days, but the Fridays give me somewhat of a preview and help me focus on the weekends.

Well, I'm up 0.2# from Monday. And on Monday, I had gain 0.5#. So I was already mentally feeble from that. Thank goodness I take my measurements! I could have easily spiraled out of control...

Mantras that help keep me going

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:13:39 EST

8 Many of these I've found on SP (either in other blogs, the message boards, the Daily Spark, etc.) But they rang true for me and they're helping me stay focused and grounded during this period of transition. 8

I am NOT helpless.

I am NOT a victim of circumstances beyond my control.

Weight loss is NOT predictable.

My body is NOT a calculator.

I AM in CONTROL of my choices.

I am not perfect. Perfection ...

Feeling really proud today! [shameless gloating]

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 13:09:57 EST

All weight topics aside...

I have THE BEST kid around! Sorry folks! 211

We had our teacher/parent conference last night and I have to gloat. I mean, I know I have a great kid, but it's really nice to get the pat on the back, especially from teachers.

I do count my blessings that we've never encountered a "bad" conference. My DS works hard, does his homework, is smart, and gets great grades. His teacher is actually struggling to find more challengi...

The scale does not tell the whole tale...

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 11:52:29 EST

I'm up 1/2 lb from last week. 29 I'm ambivalent about a gain like that. On the one hand, it's a gain. I didn't exercise at all last week and I wasn't tracking very well. And I know I didn't drink enough water. I also enjoyed a couple of cookies and a couple of pieces of candy. But I didn't binge or overdo like I've tended to do in the past.

On the other hand, it's only 1/2 lb. It could be water retention since I didn't drink that much water last week to flush it all o...

I solemnly swear I'm up to no good...

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 10:28:33 EST

Previously, a setback, such as 5 days without exercising would have thrown me into a downward spiral of binging and depression. We had no power for a while and, although we've had a it back for a few days, I still haven't managed to squeeze in any "formal" exercise routine.

I'm working from home. Which I really like. But it's so easy to just say, "I'm home. I'll do it later."

And then, of course, there's all the stuff around the house that gets ignored while I'm at work...

No power, no heat, no running water, no Halloween and no weight gain!

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 08:01:48 EST

I was almost afraid to WI this morning. I live in the NE and got hammered with the snowstorm. My area got at least a foot of snow..in OCTOBER! We usually MIGHT get about a dusting to an inch this time of year. So this was really a freak of nature.

We were out of power, heat or running water for a while. We survived in our family room with the fireplace. And might I add that it was ME that got the fire started and didn't smoke out the house AT ALL. So I'm pretty proud of mysel...

Do you exercise when you have a cold?

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:41:26 EST

282 I'm all stuffy with a head cold. Feeling a bit fatigued and have some post nasal drip.

I bagged my AM exercise, opting for a little extra rest (although it was mostly spent blowing my nose anyway...)

39 I feel guilty about skipping the exercise this morning. I'm thinking that maybe I should have just sucked it up (almost literally) and worked out. But on the other hand, I don't want exercise to become a CHORE. But then again, I don't want to get...

Still sparkin! Plus a mini goal and a request

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:46:48 EST

I'm still sparkin! I've lost 5lbs in two weeks! I'm thrilled. I'm not flogging myself for exercising for "only 30 minutes." I used to go full tilt every time I'd restart. And this time I'm doing it differently and with more realistic expectations. I'm also forgiving myself more. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going out there and saying "let's get the donuts and forgive ourselves." It's just a new mindset for me that for every little setback, I'm not going to dwell on it or beat myself up ove...

Reboot # ???? and SP Live! Inspiration

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:25:03 EST

I'm rebooting my journey again. It seems I missed a turn somewhere on my journey and got sidetracked once again. So I've reviewed my "maps,' know my destination, and I'm determined to get there!!

To help keep things interesting, I joined the SP LIVE! on LiveMind. I can join in a live meeting via either webcam or just the chat box. I've been to 3 meetings so far and it's been awesome. It's like having a WW meeting in my house! I still use SP for tracking and everything else. But th...

How do you deal with "diet bullies?"

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:28:55 EST

It's always frustrating when I'm working hard to eat healthy and exercise and then someone gives me a stink face when I choose a food that SEEMS to be "against" the plan. For instance, if I've been tracking my food, etc. and I know I have a certain amount of calories left within my range that would allow me to eat 2 slices of pizza. So I do because I know I'm good for it.

Then whomever I'm with looks at my plate with a sour face 234 and begins to drill me with all the q...

Open the Gate

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:31:15 EST

I feel like a broken record, but I realized today that it's ok. I need to shake things up and really get serious.

I'm back on SP after being away since March. AND I signed up for the SP Live! online meetings. This week's discussion was about Setbacks. I couldn't believe the timing!

And the meetings were great! The new program is JUST what I needed and it's perfect for me.

I'm a lifetime member in WW, but I HATED going out to meetings. Yeah, the meetings w...

OK... so that plan didn't work!

Tue, 8 Feb 2011 11:52:21 EST

Well I'm up a pound today and I'm really upset over it. I knew I was going to be up - considering the "damage" done during the Super Bowl party. I guess it could have been worse. Part of me blames the over 2500 calories, but I did try to track it all and my sodium was well over 3000!!! So this pound could very well be retained water weight due to the high amount of sodium I consumed. One day of drinking LOTS of water to try to flush it all out just wasn't sufficient.

Also, I to...

Chuck the plan and INDULGE...

Wed, 2 Feb 2011 19:12:53 EST

well.... not quite.

I've had a good couple of weeks. I even lost 1/2 lb this week. YAY!! Then yesterday, thanks to the unrelenting snow and ice storms we've been dealing with in my area, I started getting the blahs. Comfort food was on my mind. I toyed with the idea to just chuck the whole plan and indulge. 15

Well, the weather beat me down somewhat yesterday and I went "off track" and ate 300 Calories over my range yesterday. BUT ALL WAS NOT LOST!!! NAY!!! ...

The scale is lying to me!!!

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:20:54 EST

I gained 2.2 pounds this week? 15 46

I was on the verge of tears until I ALSO measured myself and am down 1.5 inches on my waist and almost 2" around my hips. I also lost an inch around my upper thigh. 9

I stayed within my range all week. Exercised every day for 1/2 hour each day. Drank water.

I weigh myself the same time every week - in the morning, in the same clothes, before I eat or drink and after I go to the bathroom.

Whoa (Negative) Nelly!

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:06:36 EST

By that I mean NEGATIVE NELLY. That little voice inside my head that pesters me and brings me down. Well, she got to me again today. Ugh.

I was taking a step class for the first time in I don't know how long. And I thought it was going ok for a while. I talked to the instructor beforehand and told her that it had been a LONG time since I did a step class and I was likely to be all over the place. And she was lovely, encouraging me that it was ok and it would be fine.

I...

Getting a little nutty...

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 16:39:29 EST

We're going out to dinner tonight at a Hibachi restaurant. Fortunately, I've been there a few times and I recently went to the online menu to really think about what I want (and can) order.

I'm still not sure of the calories, but they seem like healthier options: A tomato and avocado salad and a yellowtail scallion sushi roll. I'm not sure about the salad because of the avocado. But I've had it a couple of times and they are really skimpy on the avocado anyway. I'm going to ask fo...

Waiting for the ball to drop

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:58:00 EST

I try to be optimistic. REALLY.

It's hard.

I'm doing really well so far. I'm skipping along DOWN that hill (la la la la la) and well on track to meet my goal, but I KNOW what's coming up....(dun dun DUN!) the dreadful plateau.

Even though it hasn't happened yet, I've done this so many times, I can't help but think about it. How long will it be? Will I be able to get beyond it? Will I turn back and trudge back up?

I dunno.. this time, though, FEELS ...

Goodbye Snooze Button! (But I'll keep the cat)

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:39:56 EST

I was SOOOO tired this morning.. and I mean DRAINED!!!

I was emotionally and psychologically drained from a consultation with my doctor about a cyst I need removed. And I was PHYSICALLY drained from meeting my goal of exercising for 30min a day, EVERY day. Plus, I did some strength training yesterday morning too to help combat my nerves about meeting with the Doc.

It didn't help that my cat kept me up practically all night. We've had to switch her food to wet food and s...

The little devils on my shoulder

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:41:26 EST

I've been reviewing my blog posts to help get perspective on my progress/journey.

I'm reposting this from a previous blog post from 2007!! But it still resonates with me.

There was a discussion on a board about our inner demons - those pesky thoughts or even personalities that show up and try to throw us off course.

I tried to tie them to the 7 dwarfs, but some of the names didn't quite fit. So I had to improvise in a few places. But now that they have names, ...

Try Twice, then Decide (overcoming a Road Block)

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:16:30 EST

I tried out a toning class at my local Y and did not like it at all. Let me add that I went to the class knowing that I was just trying it out. This was a toning class and not a cardio class. I wasn’t expecting to get the “full” workout . I purposely kept my weights low since I had no idea what the movements were going to me and I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to play it safe.

The exercises were ok ( Like I said, I kept the weight on the bar at 2.5 lbs) but her transitions...

How I'm going to get my butt into the gym

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:13:10 EST

Tonight I joined my local YMCA's fitness program called LOSE TO WIN. It's 7 weeks of challenges meant to kick start ANY fitness or weight loss plan. Your team gets points for each of the different things you do - cardio, strength, taking a class, swimming, etc. And the team at the end WINS. There are points for weight loss, but it's not the primary focus of the challenge, which is great.

So far, I'm on a friendly and motivated team and we're really excited about it.

I...

Goals and Rewards - A Family Affair

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 21:33:28 EST

Despite the many times I've undertaken weight loss plans and "lifestyle changes" I never truly considered setting up my goals. Yeah, I had my usual weight loss goal with target dates. But I never really sat back and really thought about how I can get motivated and stay motivated throughout the process and beyond.

18

This is THE FIRST time I've done just that and the funny thing is, I'm really excited about it. Not just the rewards I've set up for myself, but ...

OK... BREATHE... don't grab that candy bar!

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:41:13 EST

Eight years ago, doctors found a dermoid cyst on my ovary that we've kept an eye on. These are usually non-malignant. Look it up. They are pretty benign.

Seems it decided to grow a bit lately. I got the call today that I have to get it taken out. It will be laparoscopic surgery, so not a full blown cut-me-up kind. But now that I'm just getting into my groove, I will have to adjust and plan for some recovery time - translation: no exercise, etc.

I know it's important to ...

REPOST - I'll be missing you...

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:53:10 EST

I needed to repost this from an earlier blog entry because I needed the reminder...

Things I miss....now:

Sleeping in late
Oreos
Sugar cereals - particularly Apple Jacks and Cocoa Krispies
Baked chicken with crispy skin
fried chicken
"real" ranch dressing
Tortilla chips/Doritos
Corn chips with Chili and ranch dressing
CHOCOLATE!!!!!
nachos
movie popcorn drenched in butter and salt
Aunt Anne's pretzels

Snow day, but not a Blow It day

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:49:30 EST

Major snow here in the Northeast. We got around 20-24 inches in about 8 hours. Usually a snow day like this is really difficult because I'm home and not on my usual "routine."

I was working from home today, which meant I was on the computer alot. But I'm proud of some actions I took today to stay on target:

1. I woke up at my same time despite being able to sleep in
2. Even though I was a little later than usual, I still got in my 30 minutes of cardio; and it was a...

My Mission Statement - January 2011

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:43:57 EST

Mission Statement:
To be a healthy, active woman who can
• participate fully in her son’s life,
• be a role model (both nutritionally and generally),
• be romantically spontaneous with her husband, and
• be confident in herself and her abilities knowing that she saw something through to the end, completed a goal, and did not quit when things got tough.

HOW:

By losing 40 pounds by August 20, 2011

• Making healthier food decisio...

Anger Issues??

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:51:15 EST

It seems every time I start a weight loss program, I suffer from some sort of anger problem. I get so nasty toward the people around me. My temper gets really short.

Has anyone else experienced this? I totally went off the handle yesterday at my son for going over a small hill and out of my line of sight while sledding. I mean I was totally freaking out and I just couldn't get a handle on it. I almost made the whole day miserable instead of fun.

And I think my son di...

Couch Potato Blues

Thu, 21 May 2009 11:36:27 EST

So I've put off exercising for most of the week and I'm really feeling it. I was a COMPLETE couch potato the last couple of days. I ate a whole bag of Quaker Quakes - cheddar cheese over the last couple of days. Let's not mention the choc chip cookies I allowed into the house (i was the one that bought them too).

Plus, part of my new regime was not to eat after 7pm except for special occasions (like weddings or BBQ's where I won't be able to control the timing of meals as well). ...

1 Step forward, Two steps back

Mon, 18 May 2009 08:03:27 EST

Ugh... I gained 2 lbs in 3 days. I know exactly how it happened, even though I didn't track all weekend. Those slices of cheesecake aren't exactly on the plan, eh?

Despite how discouraged I'm feeling right now - not to mention guilty, ashamed, fat, bloated, disgusted, depressed, etc. etc. - I'm trying my best not to let it get the best of me.

I stayed on course this morning and got in my Leslie Sansone 2 mile walk. I alternate between the 2mile and 3-mile as my first-t...

The big payoff

Fri, 1 May 2009 08:05:54 EST

I've been clipping coupons for about a month or 2 now and i'm starting to reap the rewards. I managed to save over $125 in groceries, thanks to some savvy strategy and lots of great coupons. I had the will and determination to keep trudging through all the papers and fliers. It's taken a couple of months before i started seeing the payoff.

If I used a coupon too soon, i would miss out on the really good special/savings.

Now if I can just "move" that attitude toward EA...

Tossed out the candy

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:03:05 EST

"I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied up my point of view
I got a new attitude" - Patty LaBelle

I tossed out the candy last night... ALL the candy! It was just too tempting. I simply can't have it around. I broke down and ate a couple of Reese's peanut butter cups and that's when i decided that I just can't have it around. so after I felt digusting from eating the candy, I got up, went to the candy box and D...

I struggle every day but it's worth it.

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:12:09 EST

it's not easy changing one's habits. I struggle every day over choices that most other people can just easily make. It's a constant fight to NOT eat a whole bag of Oreos. It's a constant struggle to get up in the morning and exercise (especially after a bad night's sleep).

Everyone on the outside makes it seem so simple. Just eat less and move more. And while on paper it looks simple enough... it's probably the hardest thing I've been trying to do.

I lost another 4 p...

WOO HOO!!!!

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:15:36 EST

Despite being laid off last week, I managed to keep my emotions in check (somewhat) and I lost 3.4 #'s this week. YEAH!!!!!!!!!

I did sneak a couple of chocolates and one little mini cheesecake bite. And I missed my usual exercise routine. But I spent 6 hours painting a room in my house. Plus I shoveled the driveway and took my son ice skating for the first time. So I wasn't sitting around.

I think I made some good choices this week, too. We went out to dinner and, desp...

And I keep going ... and going... and going...

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:58:20 EST

OK. I had a bad day yesterday. I was feeling rather depressed about it all and perhaps it was because I had such high expectations. But I really wanted to push myself. So the small loss was a minor setback. I did eat, but I stuck to my calorie range.... barely. I did go over a smidge, but I'm happy at the fact that I didn't totally give in and rush to the fridge/pantry. I managed to not binge. And I tracked it. So that was really helpful.

I almost let myself slack off today too...

Disappointment and Frustration (already)

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:35:13 EST

So today was WI day. I was anticipating a relatively large loss - around 3 lbs since usually the losses are high the first couple of weeks. But what a disappointment.. Only 1.8lbs.

I know I know... a loss is a loss... it's close to the 2 lbs max SP allows... I'm still on track... yada yada yada...

I REALLY was expecting that 3 lbs push. I really needed that kind of reward right now. I"m so bummed about it.

I can try to make excuses for it.. last night wa...

Daily (not so daily) ramblings 1-9-09 - Wii Fitness game question

Fri, 9 Jan 2009 23:06:27 EST

OK... so it's been 5 days now that I've been faithfully following the program. I've been tracking everything, planning my meals, and exercising.

So far I haven't gone over cals and have managed to stay at the lower end of my range. I'll probably kick in a few high cal days just so my body doesn't go into starvation mode and plateau too early.

I've been feeling quite perky since I started. It's probably the endorphins b/c I'm exercising. They say people who exercise ar...

I'll be missing you..

Thu, 8 Jan 2009 19:05:57 EST

Things I miss....now:

Sleeping in late
Oreos
Sugar cereals - particularly Apple Jacks and Cocoa Krispies
Baked chicken with crispy skin
fried chicken
"real" ranch dressing
Tortilla chips/Doritos
Corn chips
CHOCOLATE!!!!!
nachos
movie popcorn drenched in butter and salt
Aunt Anne's pretzels

What I WON'T miss LATER:

buying a size bigger
holes in the seams of my pants
dirty looks from other pe...

Exercise is like going to church..

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 21:00:47 EST

it's a struggle to get yourself there, but once you're there, it's not so bad.

I hate getting up early. I'm a night owl. And I'm not a huge fan of exercise, but it's been the only tried and true way I've lost weight in the past, so I have to try to fit it in somewhere. And right now, early morning is it. But oh! how I LOVE the snooze button!!!

So how do I fit it all in? (I could make this a blog about squeezing my current fat butt into my jeans, but that's a horrible...

How my spouse affects my eating habits

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 06:49:24 EST

By nagging and putting my eating habits under a microscope. It's one of the biggest triggers for emotional eating I experience. He's trying to be supportive, but it just comes across as a negative. It usually results in my sneaking around and closet eating.

but at the same time, he's often right. it just pains me to admit it. i probably shouldn't be having that 3rd slice of pizza, or piece of cake. I think that's really what triggers the emotional aspect of it.

I w...

PUNKIN77's SparkPeople Blog

Celebrating being NOT PERFECT

Do you have a Mission Statement?