YAQUINDN's SparkPeople Blog

I'm back

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 07:31:48 EST

Well, I'm back. Food-wise, my life fell apart and the whole time I was thinking that I was enjoying myself. Now I have gained back all the weight and then some and I don't have any energy. None of my clothes fit and my self esteem has gone back down. Any way, I decided that I don't like living like that and to come home to Spark People. I am back to making baby steps to great health, but I am making them.

While I was gone some really great things happened. Hubby got a CPAP ma...

I hate computers!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:34:54 EST

When did I turn my life over to the computer??? I sit at one all day at work. I use it to keep in touch with friends and family. I relax by playing games online and learn about current events through web pages. I don't watch television. Either the shows are repeats or stuff that I just don't want to watch.

Last night I found out that the computer that I thought was my friend betrayed me and stabbed me in the heart. ALL the digital pictures that we had stored on the computer a...

The good and the bad

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:32:31 EST

So I had a really good walk this morning. I walked two miles in 30.5 minutes. During my walk, I felt great. I was right there in the groove. I felt proud of myself, I was having fun and I didn't hurt.

See, I've had a near constant pain in my left hip that can cause my knee and ankle to hurt also. But today, while I was walking really fast, I didn't ache at all. It was great.

Then I finished my two miles and slowed down. Immediately, my hip started hurting. Had...

Relearning it...again

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 13:49:08 EST

Well, last year I did so well for the first half the year. Then things just seemed to slowly fall away. I kept pushing how much I could eat without gaining weight. Then, I started getting moody (probably because I wasn't eating as healthy) and my left leg started hurting. I started gaining. I was getting frustrated by my family wanting all the less healthy foods they were used to like fried foods and desserts, that I started making them again. Then my cat died and I started eating every...

New Year's Eve

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:23:32 EST

I am sitting at my computer on the morning of New Years Eve. The house is still quiet since everyone else is still asleep. I have a lot to do today. My mom always told me that the mess you left when the new year started would stay with you all year. I have learned that I can change that, but it doesn't change the fact that my house needs some cleaning up.

The family is going to be staying home to kick off the new year and we tend to make a lot of finger food to munch on all ev...

Thank you

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:11:21 EST

It is so wonderful to come home to friends and family. I truly think of many of you as my family. Thank you all for being here for me. You are all so wonderful.
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Lisa

Struggling, but getting better

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:20:28 EST

Hi everyone,
First, thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to get back on track. September and October were rough, but they are behind me now, Your prayers and warm wishes really made a difference for me and I really appreciate it.

Second, here is a picture of my new little monster, William.

My son, daughter, and I went to a cat rescue place and William immediately jumped into Nathan's lap an...

I'm back

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:57:53 EST

Hi there,
I am back to being active on SparkPeople. I went through a rough month and didn't have the time to be very social.

There are probably those who will not understand, but my cat got really sick and I finally had to have him put down yesterday. In August he was a 20 pound cat and yesterday he was down to 11 pounds. The vet said that he had a liver tumor. I loved my cat very much and he will be greatly missed, but I was actually dealing with other baggage.

...

What a week!

Sun, 4 Sep 2011 09:42:15 EST

Well, work has been very busy with a rushed project and has me learning new skills so I can support my boss. That is fun, but somewhat stressful. I tended to want more than just the sandwiches that I generally have for lunch at work. I overate a lot this week and didn't have the time to take long walks at work either. And I broke my pedometer! I'll weigh myself on Tuesday.

But, the biggest stress was given by Ani. I don't call her Ani-Monkey for nothing. Her mom had to go t...

Columbus, Georgia Sparkers is an active team!

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:51:20 EST

This is the best day I have had in a while. I got to meet three other SparkPeople and their families! Our team sort of fizzled and we needed to get back together and plan get togethers and decide what we want from the local team. It was really exciting for me when JOHNWBROCKSR777 walked up. Then we were joined by HURRYANWAIT and her family. Lastly, IWHIISPER came up with her girls.

We visited and got ...

Inevitable

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:12:32 EST

As you know, Ani and I are very close. So close that I guess me getting strep throat was inevitable. I went to the doctor yesterday and got antibiotics. The thing is, I felt like I had been hit by a truck and Ani was feeling fine!!! I'm so jealous. I did sleep a lot yesterday and feel better today. My doctor's note says that I can return to work tomorrow (Thursday). If only I felt well enough to enjoy this time off from work (heavy sigh).

Well, I still have a bit of a headac...

Ani Update

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:07:00 EST

Ani has scarlet fever. Not serious. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and said that Ani could return to school on Wednesday. Apparently, with the new vaccine, they can still get scarlet fever. I know that my younger son and I also had it and just stayed home on antibiotics for a week. Ani is enjoying the attention and extra rest, but I know that she misses school already.
I am still a bit tired, but feeling much better. I was really cold this morning, but now I am back to my nor...

At home today

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:07:25 EST

Well, I was tired a lot last week and this weekend just pooped out. I was cold and just off. Then on Sunday, Ani woke up with a rash. She has been sniffly and grumpy, but we thought that it was allergies. Now we are waiting to take her to the doctor this afternoon. Oh, did I mention the fever yesterday. It responded well to Tylenol, but it was there; 101 degrees at one point. I no longer think that it is chickenpox since the rash has not developed pustules, but we will see what the doc...

I'm sorry especially to the new members

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 08:34:47 EST

I have had a busy time lately and then had some computer issues so I have not been meeting you all when you post. I really enjoy meeting people through their posts and blogs and like to encourage people. I feel bad that I don't get to share as much of the journey with you when I don't hang around on the computer as much. For this, I am sorry.

However, I have had fun with a visit from my brother and his little girl last week. I am crocheting a blanket for a friend expecting a ne...

50 questions

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:10:26 EST

stole" this from a Spark Friend, and thought it would be a great way for us to get to know a little more about each other. No pressure, but feel free to copy and paste to your blog and let others get to know more about you, too. I had a great time reading the answers and answering. It was a nice break

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Lots of people were named before me. Seriously, Mom's criteria for naming her kids was that the name be no longer than 4 letters long. ...

The line has been drawn in the sand!

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:33:47 EST

I have been enjoying summer and all the fun that goes with it. New grill so we had to try grilled pineapple served on grilled pound cake with a dollop of ice cream. I did skip the cake, but I had already eaten too much that day. There was the 4th of July Braves Baseball game. They won, it rained, but the fireworks were awesome complete with lightning in the distance. Then we stopped for a midnight dinner on the way home. I really thought the grilled chicken sandwich with onion rings was...

Back at work

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 15:34:08 EST

I actually had a great 4th of July too. My husband and I took our two sons, two nephews, and granddaughter and her mom to an Atlanta Braves baseball game. The kids are all adults except my granddaughter.

I tried to be prepared. Took bottles of water, vegetable sticks, crackers, and fruit snacks (for Ani) so we could munch during the game. I heard that it would rain so I took a change of clothes for me and Ani, made sure that Ani, my DH and I had rain coats, and grabbed the tw...

It was a great 3rd of July

Mon, 4 Jul 2011 09:12:00 EST

Sunday was the day that my family did the stuff together that included grilling. Today, the 4th of July, we will be spending time together and finish up with a trip to Atlanta to see the Braves baseball game complete with fireworks...weather permitting.

Back to Sunday. Dez asked me to get her up when I got up so we could walk before it got too hot. We walked through the neighborhood for an hour at a slow pace for me, but she does not walk regularly yet. I had also told Ani, my...

Good news/bad news?

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 14:56:48 EST

I am continuing to loose weight. I have lost 33 pounds in 6 months. I am pretty proud of that. I still have about 39 to go to get down where the doctor wants me, but we’ll see where I feel good.

Which brings me to the next thing. My blood pressure is now getting kinda low. Yesterday afternoon, it was 97/63 and this morning (before breakfast) it was 93/62. According to MayoClinic.com, hypotension (low blood pressure) is considered 90/60 or below. I still think that I need to ...

Making a difference!

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:23:02 EST

So last night we had broiled hamburgers for dinner. I stopped and bought buns and made sure that we had lettuce and tomato slices to put on the burgers. What surprised me was when I got out my multi-grain sandwich thins (100 calorie buns) my son and daughter both asked if they could try them also. I said sure. Well, I looked over the table, my younger son was eating his burger with cheese, but he only ate one burger and filled up on cucumber and watermelon. My granddaughter didn't want l...

Learning to grill

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 15:45:52 EST

Well, that grill that I won is awesome on so many levels. My son put it together for my husband and me. It is so easy to use and much larger than our old charcoal grill. My DH is visiting his brother this week, so I have spent the weekend with my son, granddaughter and her mom. We went to a Saturday fresh market, then to a local farmers market, and then to the grocery store. That evening, we grilled dinner. We grilled chicken and keilbasa, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato...

Realizations

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:19:24 EST

Well, my sweetheart and I got away for a weekend alone to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary. It was really nice to just enjoy each other's company without any distractions. At one point we sat on a swing overlooking the Flint River and just enjoyed the peace and quiet and beauty of the area. I love my husband more now than I ever did when we were young.

However, we are not young any more. I am 9 years younger than my husband and that means that next March, he will turn 60 ...

I won a grill!

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:12:21 EST

I won a gas grill yesterday! I had bought dinner for my family last month from a local fundraiser and was just glad to support the cause. But I got a call yesterday saying that I won a gas grill from the raffle. I didn't even remember that there was a raffle. Anyway, I got a new gas grill. I have been enjoying grilling more, but our poor charcoal grill is probably about 27 years old and bit small for my group. This new grill is much bigger and nicer. I called my son because I had to sh...

The artist

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:24:54 EST

I like to doodle. Grab a pen and sheet of paper and just start drawing lines without any intention of how it should look at the end. This is really relaxing to me and I have gotten many compliments from my work.
However, these days, I've been thinking more about sculptors. How they can grab a hunk of rock or wood and turn it into something entirely different and stunning is beyond me. When I was in 6th grade camp (I guess about 40 years ago) we were given soft rock to sculpt. I work...

Back on track

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 08:38:05 EST

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Okay, before I joined SP I lost 12 pounds on my own, but it wasn't in a life changing or really healthy way. Since joining SP, I have lost 18 pounds and feel SO much better. But the exciting thing to me today is that I have lost a total of THIRTY POUNDS since the 1st of the year. I know that it is just a number, but I do love that number. I still have 40 to go, but I am well on my way and feel so good about the changes I am making.
As many of you know, I celebrate...

Good news/bad news

Mon, 30 May 2011 20:28:40 EST

Well, the good news is that I tried on a bathing suit that I have had stashed away for over ten years. It is a little small, but wearable.
Back in 1995 when my husband retired from the navy, we moved to Columbus, Georgia. We wanted to take our time choosing a house so we rented an apartment with a pool. What a luxury!!! I love to swim so I did really well for a while. Then we moved into a house without a pool.
Fourteen years later, I am now playing in a large wading pool with A...

Hit 50 and started sliding down the slope

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:05:27 EST

They are all teasing me. I turned 50 on Wednesday and since then have injured myself and cannot walk at exercise speed. (I have gone out strolling).

I went to the chiropractor on Friday morning found out that my ankle was a problem due to my hips being out of alignment. She got me all fixed up and I felt wonderful. Well, then my husband and I went to get groceries. As we were bringing them in, I crashed my knee into the sharp edge of the door jam. That made me see stars and g...

Half a century

Tue, 17 May 2011 20:34:59 EST

I decided last December that I would loose weight for my birthday so I started dieting in January to get ready for May 18th. I was lucky that my walking partner found Spark People an pointed me toward it. On February 18, I joined.

Between the 12 pounds that I loss on my own and the additional 15 + pounds that I have lost on Spark People, I am celebrating my 50th birthday 27 pounds lighter and feeling at least 10 years younger. It is amazing how wonderful I feel physically, emot...

It's the little things that change lives.

Mon, 16 May 2011 19:04:50 EST

Let me tell you a story. My son Josh and his girlfriend Dez met in high school, graduated together and went to Atlanta together to attend college. They lived together with some other friends in an apartment off campus. After finishing their first year of school, they came home and explained that they hadn't made it as a couple, but remain friends. Dez' family lived in a very small house and she asked if she could stay with us until she could go live with her grandmother in Pennsylvania. ...

Party Mode

Sun, 15 May 2011 12:01:33 EST

Celebrations can be a nuisance. This week I have overeaten because I was having too much fun being social. I went to an Italian restaurant Friday and had pasta primavera and only ate half of it, but filled up on garlic bread. Yesterday, I went to Moe's (think Subway, but with burritos instead) with my husband and ate the whole burrito after he offered to split one with me. We were on a date and I was enjoying the time alone with him.

I am concerned that this coming week will be...

Out to change my world

Mon, 9 May 2011 13:10:13 EST

Well, I never thought that I would be the go-to person about getting fit and healthy, but here I am. From people at work who have watched me loose weight and embrace walking, to friends who ask what that funny looking grain is (quinoa), to my family joining me for walks and most of all, my 6 year old granddaughter, Ani, telling me that she wants to be healthy like me. They are all seeing a BIG difference and are asking me what I am doing.

A friend at work asked me this morning ...

Ouch and Yippee!

Thu, 5 May 2011 09:23:01 EST

Well, I twisted my ankle on Tuesday night when I went outside to see if it was raining yet. No rain, but I had to brace my ankle after I tried walking it out. It is still sore today, but yesterday it was uncomfortable to walk so no "fitness" walking. I made sure that I kept getting up and about, but I kept it slow and easy and very short.
The yippee is because of how much I missed my walk.
I now walk at least 2 miles a day and aim for a pace of 15 minute mile. My preference is t...

It's a beautiful day!

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:10:32 EST

It is a beautiful day here in Columbus, GA. I finally got a good night sleep last night and after lunch intend to play outside with my granddaughter, Ani, age 6.

We need to wash a couple of cars and fill our inflatable pool. I know that we will both be soaked long before the pool gets up.
I hope that you all are having a wonderful day also.
Lisa

My visual motivator

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:58:02 EST

I tried to loose weight before I found SparkPeople and actually lost 12 pounds on my own, but it was hit and miss and I knew I wouldn't stick with it. Since joining, I found I was getting much needed support and the weight is coming off "easier". Any way, when I lost a total of 20 pounds, I picked up my 21 pound cat. I was amazed how big he was especially since I was having trouble seeing the difference on me. When I get t...

Happy Easter

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 09:54:00 EST

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Life is good. Enjoy it.