Got up this morning and did my Richard Simmons Broadway Blast Off video. I don't care what anyone says about Richard, I love his videos! They are a blast! Who knew you could razzle dazzle your way to a slim figure!

Have to go the Cancer Patient Care today and schedule my yearly mammogram. My great grandmother died of breast cancer, my grandmother is a ten year survivor, and my mom is a six year survivor. I have been getting them every year for the last three years. GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS LADIES! They aren't as bad as you think, and they can save your life. My mom's breast cancer was detected at her very first mammogram at the age of 39. Had she waited one year, it would have been too late. Don't put it off one more second.

Take care and have a wonderful fall day!

Hello All! I hope the past few months have found everyone well and reaching their goals. I am doing ok. I am holding at 153# and finally went to buy some size 8 jeans which I now wear all the time. It feels great to be here, but I will admit that it doesn't feel as I thought it would. And I definitely don't look like I thought I would. I have a donut. A ring of fat around my belly button that looks exactly like........a donut. Others have referred to it as my baby pouch. And my cottage cheese butt, while now fits gloriously into size 8 jeans, still has more craters than the surface of the moon. I have had to deal with these weight loss disappointments. While I wish I could be permanently airbrushed to perfection, I know that is not realistic. I will never feel comfortable in a midriff, low rise jeans, or a bikini, but that is ok. I am proud of my accomplishment of losing 47# and maintaining it for three months. I am in better shape now than I have ever been. I have reduced my risk of a plethera of diseases. It is good! I have quit counting points these past three months as I have found an eating "formula" that is working well for me. I eat portion sizes and I don't cheat on them. All my snacks must be natural (i.e. fruit, veggies, or nuts). I eat nutritious foods in the correct portions and I don't eat anything after 6 pm. I pretty much have what I want, I just eat a portion of it and I don't worry about it if I eat a can of Pringles. (But it doesn't happen on a daily basis, just sometimes!) Exercise daily is a must and it will not be put aside! It is working for me and I am happy.

I hope everyone is doing as well as I am and that you too will learn to overcome any unrealistic expectations you may have for your body. You only get one.

Take care eveyone!

Wow! Haven't been around here in a long time! I have lost another four pounds since the beginning of July and have been holding strong at 153# for over a month now. A lot has happened since then and it has been very busy. I am now going to try and stay at this weight. A little shy of my goal of 145#, but the doctor doesn't think I should lose anymore due to low blood sugar and low blood pressure when I stand up. So I have been working on figuring out just how much I can eat everyday and not gain weight. I am up to 24 points and 35 flex points and next week I will try 26. It has been going well and I am still exercising everyday but Sunday. I am in a loose size ten now and with all my toning and weight lifting, I know I am a size 8 even though the scale hasn't changed. I just haven't got out there to get any smaller clothes in awhile. I probably won't be around here much as life is busy and it is hard to get anything that requires an extra minute done. So I wish you all well and hope that you too will reach your goals.

Went for a walk this morning. 2.3 miles and then came home and did 20 minutes of Pilates. My legs are still sore from the workout on Saturday. I did go for a walk last night too, so I didn't miss yesterday.

I made chicken and barley pilaf last night and it was really good. Only four points per serving, so I did really well on points yesterday. Gonna make burgers for dinner tonight with baked chips. 8 points total. The WW meals have been making it really easy as I can eat a meal and feel full and have only used 4 or 5 points.

Take care and have a wonderful day!

Down half a pound this week. I weighed myself yesterday as I had my fourth of July free day yesterday. Today I feel yucky and bloated, but I will get back on track and all will be well again. My other free day will be for James birthday on the 17th I think. I may have enough flex points to get through it without needing it.

I went to the vitamin store like I said on Friday to get some omega-3's and to get some information on CLA. I asked the guy behind the counter what is the difference between the two. He was a young guy, 19 or 20, and he launches into this long explaination. After a few seconds I begin to feel really uncomfortable and realize that he hasn't looked at my face since I started talking to him. He couldn't tear his eyes away from my chest!!!! I'll admit, for a split second I thought WOW! someone's checking me out. That hasn't happened in about 10 years. But after he kept staring and staring, my face got bright red and I was soooooo embarassed! It's not like I was wearing something with cleavage popping out or anything. I was wearing a sports bra and a pink sleeveless polo shirt. They were pretty much smashed down to nothing. I walked away to get the vitamins, paid (while he stared again), and practically ran out the store. I wish I had said something, but I was so shocked. I'm used to being the fat mom who just goes unnoticed. I was just shocked speechless.

The omega-3 is helping a lot! I don't feel as brain tired as I have been and not quite as tired. I'm glad they are helping!

Saturday I did Pilates for twenty minutes and Sunday I got up and enjoyed the holiday quiet and went for a walk. I will walk this week. We got home last night at 11:30, so I will go for a walk tonight with Jon and the kids. They are still sleeping and it will be a much more pleasant day if I let them sleep in!

Have a good day and enjoy your holiday if you are still off!

Woke up this morning and found very strong winds. So I didn't go for my ride this morning. I decided to Gazelle instead. The humidity is supposed to break today, so maybe we will get some decent sleep tonight! YAAAA!

We have decided to have a salad potluck for the fourth at my mom's house. I will look through the cookbooks today to see what looks good to make. Then we will go downtown to the fireworks. That's about all. We have never been big on fourth of July celebrations. Jon will probably change the oil in the car and all that too.

I have been incredibly tired for almost three weeks now and I am wondering if it is my brain telling me it needs more fat. I am going to run to the vitamin store later and get some omega 3's to start taking. I have never made it this far into weight loss before and the fatigue has been a surprise to me.

I went online yesterday and found out that I am now at a healthy BMI! WOW! However, now the challenge of deciding what weight I will be happy at is looming. I look in the mirror and know it is not 158#, but I am trying to be realistic about how I will look. I think 145# is good, it is what I weighed before I got pregnant. I think 135# will be too low and will leave me crabby and struggling to maintain it. I just can't picture how I will look. I have 3 spare tires still, two around the tops of my thighs, and one that looks like a donut stuck around my belly button. I know I want to look like Daisy Fuentes, but I also know that is unrealistic.

Take care and enjoy your weekend! HAPPY 4TH!!!

Good morning everyone! Doing well this morning. I got up and rode my bike even though the sky was black and heavy with ominous looking clouds. I didn't see any lightning so that was good! It was a good ride even though the air was warm and heavy. I wore too many clothes anticipating a cool morning. Then I came home and did 20 minutes of Pilates which showed me how tight I have gotten lately! It will be good to stretch out this month!

Trying to figure out what we will do this holiday weekend. Peter was in the hospital last 4th of July and was very disappointd that he did not get to go to the big fireworks display downtown, so we will definitely be doing that. Other than that, I have no idea what we will do. I'm not big on planning holiday get togethers.

Take care and move!

It was stormy and hot all night long last night. We live on top of a hill where the city has the majority of its TV and radio transmission towers, so any time we get lightening, it is incredibly loud as it hits the towers. So I was up from midnight to two am when the rain started but the lightening quit. So I did not get up and go for a ride this morning, I did the Gazelle instead.

Now off to jump in the shower and get this day going!

The meals will help a lot I think. They are a good serving size and I felt really full yesterday after just 4 points. Then we went out to Applebee's for dinner and I had the onion soup au gratin 3 points and the grilled chicken salad 4 points. They were both very good, except for the cilantro on the salad which they cannot remove. I HATE cilantro. Like eating sweaty socks.

I got up this morning at 4:30 and went for my ride. This route is 5.4 miles and a good workout. Just enough to peddle the entire time and get into a good groove. Then I came home and did my upper body weight training for today. Last day of this workout for the month. Next month I will do a month of Pilates/Yoga for my strengthening exercises.

Jon and the kids are going shooting tonight. They belong to an archery club. I usually go and visit my mom while they are gone because my dad goes with them. So that is the plan for today.

I'll take the kids swimming this afternoon for awhile. It is uncharacteristically humid here. Over 50% humidity which is making for some uncomfortable conditions. Not used to it here!

Take care and MOVE!

Had a great weekend. Very busy! Saturday I did my weight training for inner and outer thighs, calves, and butt. Good workout! Sunday I got up to go for a bike ride and found thunder, lightening, and a good heavy rain. So I went back to bed. I did the Gazelle last night after we got home.

Got up this morning and weighed in and found a two pound loss! 158#!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I haven't been in the 150's since my first pregnancy! It is exciting to see it coming off!

I do have to tell you though that eating 20 points a day is tough. 24 and 22 were a piece of cake compared to 20. My problem is that I like to cook us a big dinner, so breakfast and lunch have to be conservative pointswise. So I went and got some WW meals to have for lunch. We'll see if this helps to even out my eating and take some of the edge off the toughness of 20!

Take care and don't forget to make today count!

Went and got my hair cut off yesterday and the first comment that I got when I was done was from my mom who said "Wow, it makes your face look so skinny!" That was nice. I love it! It is nice to be me again after 8 months of stringiness.

It was HOT yesterday and thunderdstorms moved in last night with dry lightning. We sat out on the porch and watched the show. They did nothing to cool it off though. More in the forecast for today.

Got up and went for a walk this morning. It was 70* at 5 am, so today is going to be a hot one.

Not much new, gonna get the kids done with their schoolwork and then off to run some errands. It is payday! YA! I'm going to buy a couple of pairs of smaller shorts.

Sorry. I know my diary entries have gotten really boring. That is my life right now, really boring. I got up and went for a walk this morning. It is going to be another hot one today! Then I came back and did my weight training for my legs. Got a good workout this morning. Jon will do the weights tonight. Now that he is done with baseball I will get him exercising more.

We went swimming last night with the kids and we have both had to come to terms with the fact that we can no longer float. My bubble butt used to float right to the top, just two cheeks peeking out of the water. Not anymore! That's ok. I suppose I will burn more calories now trying not to drown than I did bobbing around on top of the water.

James has to go and get his immunizations at the doctor today. He is nervous. He got to wait an extra two years because he isn't going to school. I think he will handle it much better now than he would at five. That and it is much easier to get them in the arm than the butt.

Then we are going to spend the day with my mom. I am going to go and get my hair cut off. Jamie Lee Curtis style. I have been trying to grow it out, but I was cursed with frog fur. If I put my hair in a ponytail it would be as thick as a pencil. I'm serious! So it won't do anything. It is wavy on one side. It is either dry and frizzy or oily and stringy. I have had my hair that short most of my life and I love how easy it is, and it looks really good on me. I have a nice shaped head. LOL! Just put some mousse in and go. I'm looking forward to it. Then I might dye it black this weekend. We'll see.

Other than that, nothing is new. Just plodding along with the eating and exercising. Just keep swimming.........

GET MOVING!!!!

Hello everyone on this wonderful morning! got up and went for a walk. It was already 65* before the sun came up. I love getting out in the morning.

Get out there and move!!!

I'm very tired this morning as my five year old decided that the day should start at three am. I wouldn't let him get up and I tried to go back to sleep, but he kept calling every ten minutes or so for juice, potty, dumped his juice in his bed, wanted to change his underwear, etc. He is also very tired this morning.

I got out at 5 am and went for a walk. It was a beautiful yet warm morning. I left Peter with daddy.

They are going to go shooting this evening (archery) and I will go up and visit my mom. Other than that, nothing exciting is going on.

Down another two pounds on this beautiful first day of summer. I have reached my goal for the month of June. I am officially down 40#.

This weekend was fun. Jon and I had a great time at the concert on Saturday. Shania Twain doesn't put on the best show I have ever seen, but it was still good. She really likes her fireworks. We went out for dinner and ice cream which was fun too. It was nice to spend some time together without the boys. We had a fun Father's Day as well. Had a BBQ and then went to play some tennis with the boys. Then we came home and jumped in the pool for awhile.

It is amazing, I am down 40# from last summer and the feeling of dropping my towel at the pool and walking across the deck to get in is still the same. I just don't feel confident with how I look. I am working on it.

Take care and MOVE!

Wow! I didn't have to sign in to get to update my page. Well, it is still very windy here, so I didn't go for my bike ride this morning. I will Gazelle again today. It is supposed to be warm out, just windy. It can't just be warm, there always has to be doing something else.

We finished the season for baseball last night. It went well and the kids got an achievement award and a little baseball trophy. It was neat to see their faces and for a lot of them it was there very first trophy. They were so excited!

Nothing else is new here. Just enjoying the realaxing I have been doing this week before we get back into the grind next week. I am excited about tomorrow and having a date day with my hubby.

Take care and I'll update on Monday!

I did not get up and ride my bike this morning. The winds have picked up to 20-30 miles an hour. Not interested in fighting that the whole way! I'm going to Gazelle and do my leg weight training this morning. Probably around ten o'clock as there isn't anything really going on today.

James has his last baseball game tonight. Two more days until the concert. I'm looking forward to it!

I'm having some weight loss related problems and I was wondering if anyone else has any. I get light headed when I stand up after sitting or lying down for awhile. I am always cold. When I do get chilled it takes forever to get warm again. I feel some muscle weakness and tiredness. Normal?!

Hello all! It seems pretty dead around here lately. Everyone busy with summertime activities I guess. Hopefully everyone is staying on course and reaching their goals!

I got up and went for another bike ride this morning. It is getting easier everyday. Told the kids I would take them swimming this afternoon. It is nice and sunny and warm here.

Other than that, not much is new. Take care and Move!!!!!!

Wow! Had a tough time getting here this morning. DD did not want to load or something.

Got up and rode my bike at 5 am. It wasn't as tough today as the wind has died down and I didn't have a headwind up the hill. I can do one loop really easy, but the second time around is tough! My legs are burning, I'm huffing and puffing, trying to get up the hill faster than I could walk it. A great workout!

This is the last week of baseball and it looks to be absolutely gorgeous weather wise. High pressure has finally set in and the heat is on! YAHOO!!! I love hot weather. 85*+ is perfect. I keep telling Jon that I would love to move to Phoenix. I could be happy there.

OH! I have to tell you this. Jon bought me a ring when we were dating 8 years ago that I have always loved. When I got pregnant with James, my fingers ballooned up and I had to take it off and put it away. After he was born I was 20# heavier and it still wouldn't fit. Then I got pregnant with Peter and you know the rest of the story. I haven't been able to wear it since. Every now and then I will get it out and try it on and see if my finger turns purple and goes numb. Guess what I am wearing right now?!!!! My ring! It fits comfortably and my finger has remained its little pink self. I am so excited! It's these little victories that make the fight worth while!

Take care and move!

Down another pound and a half this week, even with the big mac and fries! I just got right back on track the next day and didn't look back! I was hoping to be at my goal of 145# by the end of November, but now I am hoping the end of the summer. I will have another free day this Saturday as Jon and I have tickets to go and see Shania Twain, and we will be childless, and will also go out for a fancy dinner. I'm looking forward to it!

I got up and rode my bike this morning. I am up to 4.5 miles and it takes me around a half an hour. This route has a long uphill stretch and it is very tiring! The weather this week is supposed to be beautiful, so getting outside will be wonderful after all the crappy weather we have had.

I didn't sleep well last night for some reason. Just thinking about a lot of stuff. The boys both cried themselves to sleep because their best friends are moving back to Utah today. Their first real experience with change. It was very hard to see them so sad, but there really is nothing I could do to make them feel better. Life is full of change. My brother also got bad news on Saturday. There is a possibility that he has testicular cancer. He just turned 22. We will see what needs to be done tomorrow. Very scary at 22 to realize you aren't immortal. He is having a tough time. My mom is a 6 year breast cancer survivor and it helps to know that cancer isn't always a death sentence.

The kids have a week of vacation from school this week. Then we will go three weeks and then another week off. We got off the regular school schedule and it has worked well for us. More breaks when everyone else is in school, and no summer boredom to deal with.

Take care, cherish today, and move!

My body is very angry with me this morning. I don't want this to be a diet, so a couple of times a month I don't keep track of points for a day and eat what I feel like eating. I did that yesterday and had a big mac with fries and a root beer. Now I am paying the price. My stomach feels gross and I feel all greasy and sick. A good reminder to get right back on track. I am eating good nutritious food today, even though I don't feel like eating at all.

I did the Gazelle this morning and noticed that my thighs no longer rub together or rub the sides of the Gazelle. Cool!

Good morning everyone! Got up at 5 am this morning to Gazelle for thirty minutes, took Jon to work so I can have the car today, and came home to weight lift for twenty minutes.

I AM SOOOOO TIRED OF RAIN AND COLD!!!!!!! It has done nothing but be rainy and cold for 6 going on 7 weeks. OK, we did have three really nice days, but then back to the blah, depressing weather. It shows no signs of turning anytime soon either. We had an entire summer like this about ten years ago. Cold and rainy for weeks, and then two days of hot weather. We went swimming twice and I wore shorts and sweatshirts all summer long. I certainly hope we don't have a repeat of that gross summer. Someone send some summer!!!!!!!

James has a baseball game tonight- another parka toting event. It is fun to watch and he is really enjoying it, it is just COLD! I try to get all my complaining out here so I am ready to go by gametime.

I am so excited! We will put our first five dollars into our down payment for a house savings account today! YAAAAAAA! We have been working hard to get some savings going and getting out of debt. We have paid off half of our credit card debt so far this year. (Total was $10,000) We have put away money for all of our deductibles, got Jon adequate life insurance coverage, raised our 401K 2%, and will FINALLY do our will the 28th of June so the kids are taken care of. Then we will have done almost everything we need to do to be financially on our way. And we have done it and Jon will only make about $24000 this year. You can do it on a budget!

Well, off to get stuff cleaned up and throw in a load of laundry. James uniform needs to be washed. Take care and see you all tomorrow!

We went to James' baseball game last night and the weather was actually nice! It was nice to sit in the sun for a couple of hours in between storms. This spring has been long and cold and I am ready for truely hot summer weather.

Got up and Gazelled again this morning. We will go for another walk tonight if the weather isn't horrible. I am making savory ham and rice for dinner tonight-4 points. Another new recipe. Take care and move, move, move.

We went for a walk last night with the kids riding their bikes. It was nice, we haven't gone for a walk together since last fall. This morning I did the Gazelle for thirty minutes and then did twenty minutes of weight training. Biceps, back, triceps, and shoulders today. Good workout and my arms are very tired typing this.

I have never been so committed to weight loss as I am right now. I don't know what is different this time, maybe wanting to achieve my goals before I turn thirty, maybe proving my family is wrong to give in and say that we are genetically supposed to be fat, realizing that if the pattern continues I could be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next couple of years, I don't know. But as I look in the mirror and see where my 35+ pounds have come off, I am struck by the fact that I still hate what I see in the mirror. While my butt and thighs have shrunk considerably, my cellulite has not. While I am beginning to see some muscles in my abs, my stretch marks have not magically disappeared. While I have some chest definition, my boobs have not migrated north. I am not a beautiful shade of golden brown, I have scars, spider veins and bruises from my constant running into furniture. Losing weight has not changed my personality, I am not more social, nor do I want to be. Losing weight has not made my world wonderful and perfect. It still has unsightly blemishes just like my body. I have had to come to terms with the fact that the American ideal of beauty is a myth, made with computers, good photography, and hours upon hours of preparation. I will never be Heidi Klum. Reaching my goal weight will not magically make all bad things go away. Reaching my goal weight might not protect me from breast cancer, heart disease, or a horrible car accident. BUT, it is my body, the one that God has blessed me with, the only one I will get to take me through this life. I need to try and be happy with it, and not fall into social pressure to acheive something that won't matter a hill of beans in the end anyway. My husband loves me, my children love me, and I know that God loves me. I'm working on letting that be enough.

Have a good day and MOVE!

Down another pound this week. It feels great to keep seeing those numbers go down. I was going to walk this morning, but it was cold and rainy, so I jumped on the Gazelle instead.

The weather turned as predicted and now it is supposed to be cold and wet all week long. So I will probably just Gazelle this week.

I am done babysitting, and let me tell you, today has been so much more relaxed than it has been around here in two years. The kids are enjoying some time to themselves and playing QUIETLY TOGETHER. James has his story to read and he is done with schoolwork for the day. Peter finished his work at ten o'clock.

Gonna try a new recipe this evening for dinner. Sweet and spicy chicken over parsleyed orzo- 8 points. Sounds good, but we will see how it turns out.

Take care and get out there and move!

The game had absolutely perfect weather! Sat in the sun and enjoyed the warmth. The kids played great. They are improving on a daily basis, starting to get some really good plays going. It's fun to watch them and see them start to get the hang of it.

I got up and rode my bike this morning. A lovely 60* at 5 am. Worked up a good sweat this morning. It is supposed to be 86* today. I love the heat, but going from 50* just four days ago to 86* is quite a change. We are supposed to be back into the upper 50's by Sunday. Spring in the northwest.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, I'll check in again on Monday with my weigh in. Take care!

OK I admit it, I ate four twinkies last night and a cup of ice cream. It came out to be 16 points. Thankfully I have plenty of Flex points left so it is no problem! I love WW. I love not having to feel guilty about eating my fill of a food I was craving. Of course I know the nutritional content of twinkies leaves a lot to be desired, but I make sure to get all my dairy and fruits and veggies throughout the day. I'm not worried about not eating a balanced diet.

I made chicken with barley pilaf last night. It was only 5 points and it was surprisingly delicious. My neighbor gave me a whole bunch of barley, rice and beans and I am trying to incorporate them into our diet at least once a week. They are moving and didn't want to take a bunch of groceries with them.

I got up and went for my bike ride this morning and it was 10 degrees warmer this morning than it was yesterday. So I didn't have to wear my winter coat or my gloves this morning. Jon adjusted my bike last night and it was so much more comfortable than it has been. I was riding with an almost flat back tire and my seat was way too low.

We are doing the school thing and looking out our windows at a gorgeous morning. James has a baseball game this evening and I am actually looking forward to it as it is supposed to be in the 80's today.

Make the most of today. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow!

Today is my last day of babysitting the one little boy who I have been watching for two years. My last day for the three next door is Friday. They have all done nothing but argue, whine, and cry all morning. I am not going to miss this at all. James is only half done with his schoolwork for the day, probably because it has sounded like WW2 around here all morning. EVERYONE is taking a nap. I have a headache the size of Texas. Why does the last day have to be one of the worst?

I got up this morning and went on my bike ride. I was passed today by two people which I guess bothered me. Even in the best shape of my life, I have never been big on lung capacity. Jogging practically kills me. I have trained before, you know where you gradually work up to jogging for a few minutes, and it never works. I have little lungs.

I made chicken caesar salad wraps for dinner last night-7 points a peice. Very, very good. I think it will be one of our main summer meals. I am going to go out this afternoon and enjoy our beautiful summer like weather.

Thanks for the sun!!

The weather has finally turned here. We are to be up to 70* today and in the 80's by Thursday! Thank goodness! James has a baseball game Thursday evening. Maybe I won't have to huddle under a blanket this time!

Got up at five this morning and went for a bike ride. I love to be up at that time seeing the sunrise and the world before most people are even up. It is getting easier. The route I chose for this week is 4 miles long and is quite a bit hillier than I originally thought. Get a good workout for the legs! Then I came home and did my weight training. Changed up my exercises, so I now have a new program for June.

Gonna go and eat my snack and then out later to enjoy the sunshine!

Down 2.5 pounds this week. It is just falling off! I now weigh less than I did after my first son was born and have reached my second goal. My next goal is 155#. I am going to reach it by the end of July!

We spent Saturday at a baseball game- yes, sitting in the rain and cold. Sunday we went to church and then out to the cemetery to place some flowers on my grandfather's grave. Then up to my mom's for a bbq. Today Jon is home and we will wrap up the assistant manager stuff and turn in our keys.

Saturday I did my weight training, Sunday I rode my bike for a half an hour, and again today I rode my bike. I firmly beleive exercise is the key. So get out there and move!

Have a fabulous Menorial Day and take the time to thank someone who has dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom.

I am getting really tired of sitting out in the rain and cold. I just wish the weather would be nice for just one of my son's games. I got up this morning with a screaming sinus headache and decided to Gazelle instead of going out to ride my bike in the cold and rain. You don't move your head much while Gazelling!

It is Friday YAHHHHHH! Jon gets a three day weekend and then we are done with assistant managing YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! We don't have anything really planned for this weekend, just going to relax and enjoy spending some time together. I'm going grocery shopping tonight. I have planned to try a bunch of new recipes for this week, so we will see how they turn out. I love to cook and try new things. I grew up in a house that ate a lot, but a lot of the same things over and over. We had a breakthrough with my 5 year old son the other day. He ate broccoli and yellow peppers and actually liked them! He even requested some of the leftovers at dinner last night! Amazing! I'll see if he'll eat couscous tonight.

Have a great day, and send me some sun!!!

Went out this morning for my bike ride even though it is windy and I have no lung capacity from this cold. It took awhile longer than it has been, but I got it done anyway. Then I came home and did my weight training. Last week for this set of exercises. Now I am just sitting here enjoying my cup of coffee and the morning quiet while the kids are still asleep.

We are in the home stretch of our assistant manager job and I am counting the minutes until we can turn in our keys. It has taken up so much of our time that it is going to be quite an adjustment to have our evenings free. I finally got a firm answer from the girl I sit for and June 11th will be my last day for that. With homeschooling our boys, we have had to seriously cut down on the things that are taking up all of our time. We will be taking around a $1000 financial loss monthly, so that will be a huge change as well.

We have another Little League game tonight and I am hoping it won't rain. It looks ok now, but who knows with our whacky spring weather. I have trouble staying warm when I am sitting outside at these games. I never used to, but now I wear my winter coat and bring a blanket and I am still chilly. And I have noticed that my feet are always cold. Anyone else with these troubles?

I would also like to know how to submit a diet review. I have gone to the page and can't find out how to do it. Anyone help?

Well, enjoy your day. You will only get this day once, so make it count!

I am fighting a head cold today. Feel like I have pillows stuffed up my nose. I did do my Gazelle this morning instead of riding my bike as the weather has turned yucky again. I figured that riding in the rain isn't going to help me feel better anyway.

Not much to type today. Not much exciting going on. Just plodding along in life at the moment.

Got up this morning at four to help Jon with the pool. We are going to be gone most of today and this was the only time we could get to it. It is looking a little better, not much, but a little more pool and a little less mud puddle.

I went for a bike ride at five for a half an hour. It was a gorgeous morning with clear skies and a beautiful sunrise. Then I came home and took Jon to work so I can have the car today. After that I came home and did my weight training for the day. 3 activity points for today.

I am sitting here typing to you in my size 10 jeans! I still can't believe it! I am so excited to be on my way to a smaller, healthier me!

Take care and stick to your goals!

Good news at weigh in this morning! Down another 2.5 pounds! Yah!!!! My next goal is 165# which is the least amount I have weighed since I had my kids. My size 12's were loose, so yesterday I went back to the store where I get them and tried on a ten just for kicks. I honestly didn't think that they would fit, but they did! And I could breathe!!! So I bought a pair! I was so excited!! I haven't been a ten in 10 years!

Saturday I did my weight training. I follow the same program for a month and then I change all the exercises. Sunday I got up and went for a bike ride for thirty minutes. This morning I did the same. I am going to add more cardio now that the weather is nice and I love to be outside. I got to see a beautiful sunrise and see all the birds that are out. And there is very little traffic.

We are assistant managers of our complex and one of our jobs is to get the pool ready for summer. Well, we have given our notice and this is our last week. So we have seen the manager out at the pool a lot lately, so we figured he was getting it ready. Nope! He just likes putzing around out there and I'm not sure he really knows anything about pools. He turned on the pump which circulates the water, dumped in enough bromine to eat your skin right off, and put the cover on. Then we talked to his wife and she said he was going to call the pool company because the pump wasn't cleaning the water. The filter will pull out small impurities in the water, but major gunk has to be vacuumed out by hand. And they want it open on Thursday. So we went out yesterday and pulled the cover off to see how bad it is and sure enough it is a giant mud puddle. So we spent about two and a half hours out there vacuuming and adjusting chemicals and adding water clarifier. We will see if it is improved today. We have saved their butts more than once with that pool, they get it so out of whack the state would close it down! I am nervous about not knowing the chemical composition, so we may go and purchase our own pool test kit. I would feel better knowing the kids are safe.

Well, off to get this day going! Good day to all and remember your goals!

This morning is not getting off to a good start. I have a problem with my 7 year old son who can't go 3 seconds without whining. It drives me up the wall! He whines about everything! And it starts the second he gets out of bed in the morning and continues until he goea to bed at night. I thought it was just a phase he is going thru but it has continued and continued and continued.

Anyway, I did Gazelle this morning so that is out of the way. Now we are working on schoolwork for today- spelling mostly.

I am going to make orzo with bacon and asparagus for dinner. 9 points. It's a new recipe, so we will see how it goes. Take care.

Good morning! Did my weight training this morning. Got a good workout. My hamstrings are numb, so I guess they got worked really well. Get to put down one activity point. I'm almost to the weight where my weight training isn't going to be worth anything points wise and then I will have to add some cardio on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Oh well. I love exercise and my day wouldn't be the same without it. It has become my me time. Really the only thing that I do for myself most days!

We went to the AWANA program last night and James got his second book award. Very proud! It is over until next fall. One activity down, 4 more to go.

I have a question. Sometimes I watch these weight loss infomercials on TV, kinda to keep up with the latest gimmicks and some of them I find very motivating. But, I want to know why it is that these people can........ok, here's the typical speel with my twist on it:

I lost 35 pounds in 45 minutes and went from a size 24 to a size 6!

I have lost 30# and have gone from a size 14 to a size 12. My smallest size will probably be a 10, an 8 if I'm very lucky and not retaining any water that day. Do people really see such dramatic size changes, cuz I'm not! Inquiring minds want to know, so let me know!

Gonna hit the shower and get this day on the road. Off to Little League tonight.

Quote for the day: Life's great accomplishments are measured by what one does in the little tasks.

I got up early this morning to Gazelle for a half an hour and the do my fake bake cream. Then Peter had bed troubles and James woke up, so now I am not going to do my fake bake cream. I really like the results it gives, but it's a pain in the butt to do. I just have my mother's legs, complete with lovely red and purple spider veins which the cream makes less noticeable. That and brown fat looks much better the white fat! LOL!

I am planning on making beef and cabbage pitas for dinner tonight. It is a fantastic recipe that gives you a lot to eat for only 6 points.

Other than that, just going to do schoolwork with the kids, babysit, do laundry, clean the kitchen, vacuum, wash beds, make lunch and dinner, and go to an end of year program for AWANA. Take care!

Quote for the day: Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.

Hello All! Got up after a decent nights sleep and did my weight training for the day. Shoulders, abs, biceps, and triceps were on for today. Got a good workout.

Took Peter to the doctor for his well child check. He just turned 5. He is very tiny for a five year old, and barely squeaked out his 2# and 2 inches for the year. He has to go back for another weigh in the end of the summer.

I am "enjoying" my visit from the PMS fairy. She gives me huge cravings for salt and chocolate. I ate my chicken tacos for lunch (6 points for 2) and then had two snack packages of fudge stripe cookies (10 points). Thankfully I am at the beginning of my week and have plenty of Flex Points to use. I use all of them almost every week. I love being able to use 10 and not feel bad at all. I just cut my ice cream consumption from 1 cup to 1/2 a cup. We'll eat the rest of the tacos for dinner with tater tots (3 points for 9). I used to make a huge family bag of tater tots for us to eat all at once, but since making everyone eat just one serving it lasts for a long time. Yes, I make the kids eat just one serving as well. They might as well learn what a portion size is! We have cut down on our grocery bill by eating correct serving sizes. Dinners that used to feed us for just one night, now sometimes lasts for two or even three nights. A good set of storage containers is a must when doing WW!

Once a month my husband and I go out to dinner and a movie or whatever. On that day, I don't count points at all and enjoy having what I want with no thought given to the nutritional content. It has worked well, as long as it only happens once or twice a month. It has been easy to get right back on track the next day. I have actually had fairly big losses the week after, for what reason I'm not sure.

I bought a bike last weekend and now have to brave the storage room to find my helmet. I know its in there somewhere. Riding my bike will be my exercise for next week.

IP- Yes I really like the Gazelle. It is fun to do and it doesn't take up much space for us apartment dwellers.

Well, that's all for now.

Quote for the day: Note carefully the mistakes of others, not that you might criticize them, but that you may avoid making them yourself!

Weighed in this morning and was happy to see a loss of 4.5# in the last two weeks. My goal for the month of June was going to be 170#, but I see we may have to change that. I'm getting ready to jump on the Gazelle for 30 minutes this morning. We were up most of the night with Peter being ill, so I'm really tired this morning. I also have a sore throat, so that sucks too. We were supposed to have some little kids over this evening for a birthday party, but I think we will put that off until later in the week. I'm going to take a nice long nap this afternoon if I can.

Well, better go and get the exercise out of the way for the day. Take care and keep on track!

Hello all again! Yesterday was a hectic day from beginning to end. We got up early and I took Jon over to my granmother's house to paint her garage. While he was doing that, I picked up my sister and we went out to grocery shop at Walmart. We went out to eat at McDonald's twice yesterday, and I made good choices both times, staying within my points allotment. Then we picked up Jon and it was off to the Little League game. That ended up being an experience. The coach for the other team felt him and his team were above Little League rules. My mom and dad, sister, grandmother, brother and a couple of friends came to the game. By the end of the game my grandmother was so angry that she had to go sit in the car. The coach wouldn't let the kids play like they are supposed to and made it all about winning no matter what. It is AA level, which means we don't even keep score, it is about the kids and having them learn the game in a fun and pressure free enviroment. It is too bad that some adults are such a****les. Friday the car got cleaned and now smells like berries instead of pee. Nice! Today we are going to celebrate my son's birthday and he woke up this morning not feeling well. Oh well. We all have to spend at least one of our birthdays sick. I'm going to make lunch for everyone and am making Caesar Tortellini and Ham Salad on Lettuce. 9 points for the meal. If anyone wants the recipe, just ask. It's excellent!

Well, have a wonderful day everyone! Stay on track and live your life!

I got up this morning and did my weight lifting. Today was legs and butt. Did a move called the ball bridge, killer on the hamstrings. Also did the wall squat. Very intense on the quadriceps.

Since this is my 12th week of my weight loss journey, I thought you might like to see where I have been over the weeks. Start: February 23, 2004= 200# Week #1: March 1, 2004= 195# Week #2: March 8, 2004= 190# Week #3: March 15, 2004= 189.5# Week #4: March 22, 2004= 188.5# Week #5: March 29, 2004= 184# Week #6: April 5, 2004= 181# Week #7: April 12, 2004= 182# Week #8: April 19, 2004= 179# Week #9: April 26, 2004= 177# Week #10: May 3, 2004= 174# Week #11: May 10, 2004= No Weigh In

This has been my weight loss progress since February.

We have a Little League game to go to this evening, so that is where we will be tonight. It is fun to watch all the kids and cheer them on. My husband got wrangled into being the coach for my son's team. It is taking a lot of time, but I think he really enjoys it.

Points are going well today. Making chicken and wild rice for dinner tonight. Love the rice! I'm working on getting in all my fruits and veggies for the day. We'll see how it goes. I have been eating peanut butter creme cookies as my treats for this week. Very, very good, and only three points for two cookies. I am looking forward to cake this weekend as it is my son's birthday.

My sister and mom started WW a couple of weeks ago, but dropped the program after only four days. I come from a family that loves to eat good food and the more you eat, the better. I have had to learn to say no and realize that if they are offended, oh well. I'm not letting them sabotage me into old patterns just because they don't want to do it. I asked my brother to get me a diet coke at McDonald's last weekend and he got me a regular and pushed the diet thingy down. Of course, after months of diet soda, you can tell instantly that it's not diet. But, he came to me a little while later to gloat and tell me I drank a regular soda. He thought he had me, but he didn't. I threw it out. It's hard to constantly deal with them, but I have taken to making some of our family meals when we all get together. Then, I serve them correct portion sizes. They complain because they don't eat enough. Oh well. How does everyone else deal with family that is less than supportive?

Just so you know, I only weigh in once a week on Monday. I will be purchasing a new scale this weekend. I found my pee soaked scale on Monday morning of this week, so the 174# weight is actually from the week before. No weigh in this week. Oh well. It is just that I have gotten hooked on it and those little numbers keep me going for the next week. Even if they register a gain or no loss at all, it motivates me to work harder.

I got up at 6:30 this morning to walk. I vary my workout from week to week so I don't get bored. The road we live on ends on a very steep hill that is about half a mile long. I have been making it up that hill with no trouble this week until this morning. I had to stop three times because my lungs felt like they were going to pop and I got a major cramp in my butt. I wonder if I'm not coming down with a virus as everyone else is sick today. Anyway, I'll type more later.

Well, I'm back. I'll probably type in my entry after lunch. I spent some of the morning on the phone to see how much auto detailing is going to be. Around $150 for the whole car. Not as bad as I thought, and it is worth it to not smell THAT smell all summer long.

I am doing well on points today. Went and read some of the diet reviews. Interesting. You can tell who is commited and who isn't by some of the things they say. There is no such thing as a diet. You either make a lifestyle change or you yo-yo. Simple as that. I chose WW because I am a carb-o-holic. I love my pasta, my fruit, my sugar, my ice cream. I would die without them. On WW I can eat what I want in moderation and enjoy myself. Ice cream everyday for me!! Yaaaaaaa! I don't think any "diet" is better than another, (ok, ok, I don't like Atkins as I am not sure people realize the health ramifications of cramming your body with protien straining all your internal organs, but that's just me!), it all basically comes down to eating less and moving more. Which way of eating can you maintain for life? For me, I want to enjoy all that this world has to offer food wise.

One thing that I am dealing with is not emotional eating. Cramming myself with crap when I feel down. I have come to realize over the past four months that this to is a choice I make. No one forces me to eat a half gallon of ice cream when I have a crappy day. I do it myself and thus it is something that I can make a conscious decision not to do. I think we make some things about change so difficult when they are rather easy when you think about it.

Any way, I'll get off my soapbox now and go clean up the kids who are swimming in Spaghetti-O's (3 points for 1 cup!).

I have decided to get a journal because I need somewhere to vent all my frustrations. I started doing WW at home in February of this year with a starting weight of 200#. I am now down to 174# and am on my way to making my weight goal of 145#. That was my weight before my first son was born. I am hoping this will be inspiring to someone else and that I might get inspiration from others.

Today went well! I am working out on a daily basis and like the look of my emerging muscles. I am doing aerobics 4 days a week and am lifting weights for 20 minutes 3 days a week.

I am having a stressful time right now as my husband is working around 70 hours a week with training for a new job and wrapping up a job that will end the end of May. I am also homeschooling our kids, which is a stress all its own. I babysit five kids during the day and that wears me out. My oldest son is also doing Little League this year and that eats up time as well. We are very busy right now, but all of that will end soon.

My weight loss has been going well. I have had some minor situations that in times past would have caused me to eat, eat, eat. I had some oral surgery in March, dealt with a prolonged jaw dislocation last month, and dental work. I was unable to exercise for a week and had to eat lots of soft foods, which aren't always the best to eat.

My major stress today= why do boys always have to pee all over everything? I just want one thing in my life that doesn't get urine soaked and end up smelling like a urinal. My son peed all over my digital scale which ruined it, and someone else who shall remain nameless peed all over the car. Wonderful on those 90* days when that gets all warmed up. I'm tired of urine. I can handle poop, vomit, blood, and snot, but pee gets to me every time!