Sunday, October 31, 2010

Blogging 101

When I first started blogging in Feb. 2009 I had never read another blog. All I knew was that I wanted somewhere to journal my weight loss journey. I did not really have any expectations and if I had had any idea what blogging would bring to my life I would have started it a long time ago! Over the last 22 months, I feel like I have learned a thing or two about blogging and thought I would put this post together to help newbie bloggers and to document what I have learned over that time period.

Anonymous or Not
If I had it to do over again, I would probably be anonymous. I never anticipated that I would have 385 followers and it scares me a little to think that my own words might come back to haunt me (paranoia may destroy ya!) I do edit myself a bit because of that whereas if I was anonymous, I could post more freely. For example, there are some things that have happened in my life that I believe have affected my weight but they are super personal so I am afraid to put it out there with you knowing it is me. Does that make sense?

Followers
If you have a public blog, people can subscribe to or “follow” your blog. It is helpful, if you are interested in getting more followers, to set up a Follow button on your blog. Otherwise, they can follow you through the RSS feed. I never set out to have so many followers but if you would like to increase your traffic there are a number of ways to do so. First off, be a follower. Look for like minded bloggers in your particular arena (WL) and follow them. If you follow them, chances are they will follow you as well. Also, if you do any giveaways, you can gain readers that way. I have bought items to give away but also have given away items that I received from vendors that contacted me to do the giveaway. Giveaways are NOT necessary but I do like doing them.

Ads
I do not have any ads on my blog, but there are ads that can be added to your blog through Google which may generate some income for you. They are more then likely products that relate to your readership.

Comments
I could write a whole post on this topic alone! I will talk about both comments I receive on my blog and commenting on other blogs. In all the time I have been blogging I have never received an angry or mean comment. I have not agreed with some of the comments I have gotten but they did not have negative intent. Some people choose to comment anonymously but I do not allow anonymous comments on my blog. The anonymous comments I have seen on other blogs can be quite scathing and rude so I prefer to avoid any option for someone to do that to me.

Commenting on other blogs is important too. There are some instances though that someone has already stated what I would have said so I either say “ditto” to what so and so said or refrain from commenting at all. I think the key here is common courtesy. If you don’t have anything nice to say then it is probably a good idea not to say anthing. If you are close to this blogger then calling them on something may be necessary but treat them like you would want to be treated.

Content
When I first started out, I would write a brief paragraph and post it without too much thought. As I continued blogging, my posts expanded and the realm of subjects did too. I am constantly thinking of things that I can write about that my readers would be interested in.

There are many ways to enhance the content on your blog too. There are a lot of free templates that you can use to brighten up your blog. I used The Blog Fairy which I paid for but this is not necessary. Putting widgets on your sidebar can help you tell the reader where you are at, what the weather is like or just about anything you want to list. Blogger has some of these widgets but there are 3rd party websites that have them too like Widgetbox.

I try to refrain from using profanity in my blog. Not that I am a prude or anything (quite the opposite!) I use some of it in real life but I don’t think it is necessary to use it in my writing. I can use many other adjectives to get my point across. I also feel it is important to proofread your posts as well as use Spell Check. Every day I read a blog that says loose instead of lose so I try to be careful not to do that.

Frequency of Posts
Personally, I post almost every day. The days I don’t are on the weekends or if I am sick. It is really up to each individual how often they can post. I don’t have children and I have a fairly flexible job so I have the time to do it but there are some folks who can only do it once a week. I would say once a week should be the minimum but that is my humble opinion.

Pictures
It is nice to have pictures on your blog. It is a way to share your life with your readers. I am not a fan of getting my picture taken (yet) but I do include pictures of me from time to time. More often then not they are pictures of places I have been or my friends/family. One thing I think is really important about pictures is to capture progress pictures.  You will appreciate having them as you lose weight or tone your body. Measurements are equally as helpful in tracking progress.

Following
I follow 100s of blogs. I would say 98% of them are WL blogs but there are a few others too. It is great to read about others who have gone through the same things you have. There have been times though that I became bored or disillusioned with the blog writer and I will unfollow them. It brings to mind one particular blogger that I follow. I have not un-followed him/her yet but all I see in his/her posts is that they are going in one big circle and not making any headway. He/she consumes WAY too many calories on a daily basis and then says “Bad me!” and then does the same thing over and over. I think he/she has lost +/-10 lbs. in the last 2 years. I want to be supportive but if you do the same thing and expect the same results then “Houston, we have a problem.”

Reading Blogs/Google Reader
Since I follow so many blogs, I decided the best thing to do was to use a Reader. There are quite a few different readers out there but I use Google. It can be clunky sometimes but it seems to be the best way for me to keep track of all the blogs I read which as I said are 400+. It ends up being about 90 posts a day to read.

If I get behind, I just mark them as being Read. I love keeping up with everyone but I also don’t want be consumed by it or feel guilty because I did not have a chance to read them. One thing about the reader though is if I want to comment I have to actually click on the link in the post to take me to the blog directly which can be time consuming. There should be a way to do it right from the reader but I will have to research that. Hmmm…

Leaving Blogosphere
No, I am not leaving anytime soon. However, one of the most frustrating things about blogging is following someone who bails on the blogosphere by fading into the distance without saying something. If you intend on stopping your blog – do your readers a favor and warn them ahead of time. I have gotten attached to some bloggers only to find that they drop out and then leave the skeleton of their blog up. I assure you, if I leave I will give you ample warning. My intent is once I get to goal that I will change this blog to How Katie J found her Way so nope, you can’t get rid of me that easy! Bwahahahaha!

Well I hope this helps someone and of course if you have any questions you can comment here or email me at katiejisonherway@gmail.com and I will get back to you. Until next time...


Saturday, October 30, 2010

Saturday Stuff

I ended up having a good day yesterday. I have been in a funk lately. Part of it I think is due to the lack of restful sleep and exercise. Also the events of late like meeting Bruce, fighting with Dave, my mom's vision, the bed bugs etc. have thrown me for a bit of an emotional loop. I have been feeling overwhelmed with everything. My retail therapy hasn't helped the situation either. Identifying what the cause is and working towards a solution/plan will help me feel better so that is my intent.

My plan today is to go to the gym and then go to my mom's house and help her sort out her finances. Her vision is impared due to Macular Degeneration and she is having trouble seeing small print on her bills so I will write out her checks for her. I also need to give her a tutorial on her new computer. Windows 7 is confusing her apparently.  I will write down the instructions for her so she can refer to them. I hesitate to write about her because she is extremely private and it would upset her but she does not read my blog so I think it is probably safe. Plus, if I write about it on the weekends then people are less likely to read it but I have still gotten out of my head if I blog about it... a dilemma...

Tonight Dave and I are staying home and watching Couples Retreat and Invictus. Invictus looks pretty serious so that may or may not happen. I don't need to watch anything depressing. I am going to make chicken fajitas for dinner.

Not sure what my plan is for Sunday. We live in an apartment so I don't think anyone will come Trick or Treating but I don't want to be left empty handed so I will bring home the yucky candy from the office. Kids like that stuff and I don't so win-win. Hope you have a great day! Until next time...



GO GIANTS!!! & HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!


Friday, October 29, 2010

Hot 100 Update #5

Last night ended up turning into a binge carbfest. I did not see my mom (I canceled on her) and just went home to veg. We haven't gone grocery shopping lately so I was scraping to eat something satisfying. I had waffles with syrup, popcorn, dinner rolls and string cheese and M&Ms. Why am I reverting to old behaviors? I hadn't done this in a long time. Ummm... can we say Self-sabotage? Don't feel like you are worth the effort anymore, Katie J?  The silver lining is that I am aware of what I am doing to myself and today is a new opportunity to turn it around. In my past attempts to lose weight this would have been the end and I would saw "Screw it all" and gain weight but I will not allow this to break me down or dampen my spirit. I CAN and WILL do this! Hoo-rahhh!!!

So on to the update:
  1. I will lose 2 lbs. per week. I gained 4 lbs! (263) FAIL
  2. I will wear my bodybugg from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. daily. I wore it 5/7 OK
  3. I will exercise a min. of 30 mins - 5 days per week. I did one day this week FAIL
Now that I have my living room back, I can Wii again which will help a lot, especially now that it's getting cold out.  Danielle and I are planning on going to the gym tomorrow morning. Most likely won't take a Zumba class -we'll do cardio and light weights. Danielle is not overweight at all, in fact, she struggles sometimes to maintain her weight. What her motivation is - is toning. It would be fantastic if she joined the gym but I am not holding my breath. It would be great to go with someone but I know if I went alone I would make friends there - not that it is even necessary. Anywhozzle, hope you all have a great weekend and GO GIANTS!!& HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thursday Tidbits

Made it through the boob squishing ordeal. I am so glad that it only happens annually because that just isn't any fun. Necessary but no fun. Fortunately they were able to take me in early so that helped ease the trauma of waiting.
Dave is sick with a horrible cold. He sounds and looks like crap, poor guy.  I just hope like heck that I don't get sick from him. I don't have any time off work available so that would be a big bummer. I made scrambled eggs with cheese and toast for dinner. After the junk food escapade, my belly was iffy so it was just what the doctor ordered. Hoping for a decent weigh in tomorrow but we shall see.

I slept like a freaking log last night and feel SO MUCH better this morning. I can think clearly and I have energy. Like I said, I hate that CPAP machine but it really does help me and makes a difference in my sleep quality.

My mom and I will most likely be going to the Fish Market tonight. She needs some help writing out bills and with her computer. She is having trouble with her vision more and more which is making her depressed. I will dedicate a post to this soon but in the meantime I am trying to help and also come to terms that it is happening to her and there will come a day where she will not be able to drive. I am hoping and praying it is in the distant future but you can never tell. If you are the praying type, please keep her in your prayers. Until next time...



P.S. Go here if you are interested in entering the Workout CD Giveaway.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Bad Bugs & Boobs


I did not go to the gym but that is no surprise to anyone. I waited for Dave to get home and then we went across the street to get a new box spring becasue we found #%^* bedbugs again. When we went through this the first time, we covered the matress with a special cover ($100+) but did not get one for the box spring. Lesson learned. It looks like we got rid of them this time (hopefully) with a combination of washing and drying TONS of clothes and spraying. They can survive a year without food! They are evil little buggers and I would not wish them on my worst enemy. Well maybe my worst one... just kidding. Meanwhile, we have been sleeping in the front room but I have not been using my CPAP machine and I can totally tell the difference in sleep quality. I am getting crankier by the day! As much as I hate that damn thing it really does help me get the proper rest I need.

After we purchased the box spring, I was hungry so I asked Dave to go through Jack in the Box. I got a Turkey Bacon and Chedder sandwich, Small fries, Small Coke and cheesecake. I could count on one hand the times I have had junk food in the last 2 years but I just said "Screw it!" After I ate, I felt like crap and even this morning my belly is upset. The total for the meal was more then I eat for a whole day: 1,534 calories. Yikes! No wonder I got up to 315 lbs. eating meals like that. It will be a LONG time before I do that again (if ever!)

Tonight I am going to get my mammogram done after work at 6:00 p.m. Remember it is Breast Cancer Awarness Month and if you have not gotten your mammogram done I urge you to please make an appt. Early detection definitely saves lives. Hope you are all having a good week. Until next time...




P.S. Go here if you are interested in entering the Workout CD Giveaway.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tuesday Giveaway: BL Ultimate Workout CD

Pretty uneventful Monday. Dave had a meeting so I made eggs and toast for dinner for myself.  Although I stayed close to my targets, I ate spotty and I should have been playing attention to what I was eating rather then grabbing what was handy and shoveling it in.

When I was at Bed Bath and Beyond on Sunday, I found a CD of Biggest Loser Workout Music. 25 songs of upbeat music for you to shake your booty to. Here is a list of the songs:

Volume One
  1. Stonger
  2. Damaged
  3. Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
  4. Break It Off
  5. Take You There
  6. I Need You Tonight
  7. Won't Go Home Without You
  8. 4 Minutes
  9. Here (In Your Arms)
  10. Love Like This
  11. Good Times
  12. Shake it Off
Volume Two
  1. She Works Hard For The Money
  2. If You Could Read My Mind
  3. All I Need Is A Miracle
  4. Nobody Does it Better
  5. My Heart Will Go On
  6. The Heat Of The Moment
  7. Hold Me Now
  8. Love Will Keep Us Together
  9. You're So Vain
  10. Whenever, Wherever
  11. Conga
  12. Let's Get Loud
  13. Stayin' Alive
  14. Children
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite workout song is.  If you don't have a favorite song then tell me what your favorite form of exercise is. I will announce the winner on Friday, Oct. 29th. The giveaway is open to ALL readers, even if you are International. Good luck everyone!!!

Danielle said she would be willing to go to the gym with me tonight. I want to go to the Super Sport which is actually the closest location to her. I hope we do actually go but one never knows. Until next time...



P.S. Let's Go Giants!!!!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday Musings

How was your weekend? Mine was good and mellow thankfully. Saturday my mom and went and got her a printer. It was $69 for an HP Printer-Scanner-Copier. I was impressed with the functionality for such a low price. I would really like to use the scanner for making a photo collage in the near future. Should be fun and pretty easy.  Sunday was fairly uneventful. I did not go to the gym. I did some retail therapy at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I needed to get a cover for our box spring and of course found some other things I just couldn't live without! The rest of the day I pretty much took it easy. I made Mahi Mahi with a Mango and Peach salsa for dinner last night. It came out really yummy and I was pleased because I was winging it.

I did wear my bugg throughout the weekend but did not track my food. I did pretty well with my food although I did consume a lot of snacks yesterday afternoon. With the cool weather and rain it makes me want to hibernate and eat. I am definitely affected by SAD which is Season Affective Disorder. It takes me a little while to adjust from summer to fall/winter mode. Ironically, one of the treatments is to get some exercise. Ummm, hello Katie, what are waiting for??? A personalized invitation?? Someone to hold your hand and drag your ass there? It is NOT a big deal. Just walk in with your chin up and head held high and get to it!! You are a strong lady and you have achieved everything you have set out to do in your life so why the heck are you stalling?? Until next time...

 

Friday, October 22, 2010

Found Friday (Hot 100 Update #4)

First here is the Hot 100 update #4:
  1. I will lose 2 lbs. per week. I lost 2 lbs. this week! (259)
  2. I will wear my bodybugg from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. daily. I wore it 4/7
  3. I will exercise a min. of 30 mins - 5 days per week. I did one day this week (sick)
Being sick obviously affected my goals for this week. Alas, this is a new week and I will forge ahead. I am not 100% but I am feeling a lot better so I feel like I can at least get some walks/rides in.

I got a life altering phone call yesterday morning. One of the 3 letters I sent out to Bruce L. Smith was the correct one!! I was contacted by a lady by the name of Lani S.  She told me he is Burlingame, CA which is only about 40 miles away from me. He is in a long term care facility but I don't have many details because of the HIPAA laws, they couldn't really share much info with me over the phone.  So instead of waiting to go and meet him, I decided to throw caution to the wind and went there after work yesterday. Ironically, President Obama was visiting the area so I got stuck in traffic because of that. It took me a little over an hour to get there from work which normally would be 45 mins.

We had a good visit. I was nervous but surprisingly I did not cry. I tried to keep it light and did not want to overwhelm either one of us. My main questions were nationality and medical background. I did find out I am 50% Scottish but did not find out any health things except that he has had kidney stones which I have had before.  I stayed for about an hour and a half and then took off. I would like to see if they can provide more information on his medical condition.  He is basically an old hippie. He is 67 and was 23 when I was born. I will go and see him again in a week or two but in the meantime, I will write him a letter.

My bio siblings are thrilled to pieces that I found him and Tess even suggested that if he does not have a place to stay when he gets out that he could come live with her and Goliath. They really care about him and consider him the only really positive influence in their lives while they were growing up. I am happy to advocate for him but I couldn't/wouldn't open up my home to him. The difference I suppose is that they know/knew him and I don't. I could never call him my dad. He is my bio-father.

As for this weekend, it's going to rain both days. Tomorrow my mom and I will get together to get her a new printer. Her new computer is not compatible with the old printer. I would like to get to the gym but we will see. This weekend is Bring a Friend so maybe I will grab somebody to go with me. Can we say co-dependant? LOL - Hope you guys have a good weekend! Until next time...

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Keeping a Food Journal

I had a decent day yesterday even though I was still feeling funky . Just stuck with milder foods and drank lots of water and diet 7-up. We had BLTs for dinner.  I am armed with my bodybugg today and ready to resume tracking. I even have the Digital Display on. I am actually drinking coffee so I know I am on the mend :-) Oh warm, wonderful energizing beverage, I have missed you!

Speaking of the bugg, they just came out with a new version called BodybuggSP. I don’t plan on upgrading mine anytime soon but it is nice to see they are upgrading it. I wonder if the new one has a built in HRM. I will research it and let you know.

The other day I received a package from Hershey’s Moderation Nation. It came with a T-shirt (Large - gave to Dave) a bag of kisses to be enjoyed in moderation of course and a food journal. It also had some helpful information with it that I thought I would pass on to you about food journaling.:

Keeping a Food Journal

Keeping a record of what you eat and how much activity you get will help you understand your patterns of behavior and assess what changes you need to make to get closer to a more balanced overall lifestyle. It will also help you identify where there is room for your favorite foods and make decisions about what to include from day to day.  And if you decide to visit a dietitian or your doctor for additional guidance, your food journal will be an important tool to review with him or her as you build a program that works best for you.

Here are some helpful guidelines:

  1. Record your total intake of food and beverages (even small snacks or tastes). Be honest about what you consume.  This is a tool to help you get in balance, not a test you pass or fail.
  2. Since it can be hard to recall what you have eaten for breakfast at the end of the day, do your best to record each meal or snack immediately after it is eaten. It is easy to forget the handful of chips, or the piece of gum you had but these calories can add up!
  3. For accuracy include all ingredients. For example: Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich: 2 slices of whole grain bread, 1 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter (about the size of a golf ball) ½ banana. Be sure to include all condiments, or extras, like butter and gravy, etc.
  4. If eating out include name of restaurant and menu item.
  5. Describe method of preparation of food, e.g., grilled salmon
  6. Estimate portion sizes. Click here for helpful chart you can print and refer to as needed.
  7. Be sure to include any dietary supplements or medications you may take.
  8. Write down the place you ate your meal (home, car, office/desk, etc)
  9. Include any activity or exercise you did during the day. (Walking up stairs, etc.)
  10. If relevant, include mood, such as stressed, angry, happy, etc.
Tonight my plans are tentative. I may go to San Mateo to see Candace but we have not confirmed. I would be just as happy to stay home and watch the Giants game. GO GIANTS!!!!!!! 
Not sure what to expect for tomorrow’s weigh in. I am hoping I at least stayed the same. Guess I will find out soon enough.  Until next time…

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Weary Wednesday

I was home sick on Monday and Tuesday this week. My stomach was giving me major troubles.  I won't go into details but needless to say I am taking it easy today but I am at work.  I can't even drink coffee and that is a true sign that I am not well if I can't stomach coffee. I am sipping tea and contemplating eating a banana. The only good thing about being sick like that is starting with a clean slate. Blerghhhh... Hopefully I will have more energy tomorrow. I forgot my bugg this morning. I haven't had it on since Friday. Until next time...

Friday, October 15, 2010

Black & Blue Friday (Hot 100 Update #3)

My Chicken Waldorf came out really good. Dave said and I quote "It's kick ass!" Next time I will cut the grapes in half and possibly use red grapes. I got the idea from a chicken salad I have had at Whole Foods and I pretty much nailed it. Go me!

Now to the update:
  1. I will lose 2 lbs. per week. I lost 2 lbs. (261)
  2. I will wear my bodybugg from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. daily. I wore it 6/7
  3. I will exercise a min. of 30 mins - 5 days per week. I did 2 days this week
I am still doing the dance with the same pounds over and over. It helps me to know what maintenance will be like but I am not supposed to be maintaining at 261! Grrrr! Moving on...

Black and Navy Blue look the same to me and it has caused some major fashion faux pas. This morning I thought I was putting on navy pants and wore a light blue top and brown shoes. Well on my way to work I discovered that they were black so thankfully I had my black pumps in the car. This is not the first time this has happened to me. I have shoes the same style in navy and black and have worn one of each to work. I definitely need to figure out a system so I know which one is which. At least I can laugh about it now.

The only thing on the agenda for the weekend is cleaning and exercise. I would like to go to the gym as well. I happened to call them just now and I talked to the most wonderful gal. Her name is Nicole and she is in Member Services. She has lost 70 lbs. and totally gets why I am nervous to go in. She even gave me her cell phone number and hours so I can call her if I need motivation. This week has really taught me that there are kind souls left in the world. Sometimes it seems like we are in an angst ridden world so it is refreshing. Until next time...

Thursday, October 14, 2010

TTFN Thursday

Dave made chicken and cheese enchiladas for dinner and we had Spanish rice and salad to go with. It was super tasty and I brought the leftovers for James my co-worker. He is my bud at work and he is single so I knew he would like them :-D  We went out to Paige's soccer game as planned. I tried to take pictures but she was too far away. There were a few of us there to cheer her on though. Lisa, her mom (Dave's daughter) Judy, her Grandma (Lisa's mom and Dave's ex-wife) Maricela, her great aunt (Dave's sister) and me. They ended up losing but it was still fun to watch.

Tonight I am taking Bob to the airport after work. I will pick him up from my mom's and then drop him off at the airport. I live about 5 miles away from the airport so I will make it home at a decent time.  We are going to have a Waldorf salad for dinner. I am winging it though because I have never made it before. I am using chicken, grapes, apples and walnuts with a poppy seed dressing. I will have it with a french roll and salad as well.

Have you seen the preview or watched the show What's Eating You? It looks like a very compelling show! They are profiling different eating disorders. The first episode addresses anorexia and bulimia. I am recording the series so I will let you know my thoughts on the episodes. I am interested in the food addict one the most. Until next time...

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

On-Call Katie


Last night went just fine. Whew! We ended up going to the Outback (I know my peeps) and I did order the Ahi Tuna Appetizer as the entree and then had salad and Garlic Mashed potatoes. I had about 3-4 bites of the potatoes and left them alone. They were good but I just did not want to overdo it. Got back to my mom's and then headed home shortly thereafter. I am on-call for my brother today. He is not sure if he will be going home today as originally planned or tomorrow so I am on-call.

I have decided to move my Weigh Day to Friday to align with the Hot 100 Challenge. I did get on the scale this morning and I am the same as last week, 263. Hopefully the scale will budge a little by Friday :-D

Speaking of on-call I spent the majority of my evening on the phone. I got a call from a gal who was responding to my letter to Bruce L. Smith. She was able to look me up through Facebook and found my blog and saw the pictures of my bio parents and knew it was NOT her father. She was so kind and understanding. I feel like a shmuck for disrupting their lives with my inquiry but they have all said they understood why I was searching. This charming gal even offered to help me with my search!

After I spoke to her, my brother Michael called. He is doing okay but he told me that he went to the doctor and they put him on Diabetes meds and are planning on him having to do insulin at night as I suspected. I was soooo resistant to them putting me on insulin but what a difference it made in how I felt. Like night and day really. I am hoping that I am off of insulin by next summer but we shall see. 

Since I am on-call, I am not sure what I am doing tonight. Dave is making tacos.  If I am not taking Bob to the airport then Dave and I will be going to see his grandaughter's soccer game. It is next door to the 49ers camp.  It is a really nice facility and we could walk around and get some exercise in while we are there.



P.S. Emmie over at Skinny Emmie Exposed herself. Go check it out!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tentative Tuesday

Hello ladies and gents! (if there are any gents reading...) How are you guys doing? I am doing better today.  Thank you for all the comments yesterday, btw. I really appreciate it! Not an easy situation all the way around. We did have a decent talk last night and I am going to come up with a list of things that I will not tolerate and if he violates them, he is out. There has to be repercussions for his behavior. If I take him back time and again then he knows he can get away with whatever he wants. If I set guidelines and he violates them then he has no one to blame but himself. BIG sigh.

I went and got my haircut and ended up crying while talking to Katie. What a sap I am! I filled her in on everything since I met Uncle Steve back on August 14th.  I discovered that the sushi place behind the salon is now Mr. Pickles Sandwich shop. Bummer!! I have never heard of Mr. Pickles, but Katie said they are really good.  I was looking forward to sushi though! I ended up having a steak sandwich at home. I had intended on playing Wii but it didn't happen. When I was at Big Lots I found attachments for the Wii remotes for Tennis, Golf and Baseball that can be used with EA Sports, Wii Plus, Wii Sports and Wii Resort. I wanted to test them out last night but I was too burnt. Maybe tonight...

Picking up my brother, Bob at the Airport today. His plans changed and he is staying until Thursday. We will go out to dinner with my mom and then he is staying at her house and using her car tomorrow for his meeting.  I can't help but feel apprehension about going to dinner with them and I know it is silly. They are my family and they love me. I still feel it though... not sure where we will go to dinner but I imagine it will be Fish Market. It could be Outback and in that case I would order the Ahi appetizer as my meal. Guess I will find out... Until next time...

Monday, October 11, 2010

Monday Mixed Bag

How was your weekend? Mine was a mixed bag of fun and funk. The weather was lovely. Low 80s which is just my style. Saturday I got up and was doing stuff around the apartment and I decided to take the bisque bowls I bought to the carport to store them and I was carrying the box outside, I dropped them and all 4 of them broke :-( $60 worth of ceramics down the drain. The good news is I had not started painting them yet. If they were painted I would have been MORE upset.  I went to the storage and pulled out all my Halloween decoreations. I found this pumpkin that I painted made me smile.


My mom has been needing a new computer so we did that Saturday afternoon. We went to Best Buy and they were really helpful as usual.  I go there for all our computing needs.  I had left my bodybugg at her house on Thursday when we went to dinner so hence the reason why I have not been posting screen shots.

I picked up Dave's grandaughter from her soccer game on Saturday and it is right next door to the SF 49ers Training Camp (Santa Clara). Even though they are totally sucking this season, I still love our Niners. 

Sunday was a kick back day. I did a little shopping at Big Lots. That place is dangerous! I went to get some fall colored candles and I walked out $133 later. Can we say shopaholic! My eating was spotty and I did not eat lunch.

Dave decided to drink and came home drunk and picked a fight with me. He said he was done with me and going to move out. I would actually prefer that at this point. I love him but I don't deserve the poor treatment and I have done ALL that I can to help him. Honestly, I don't think he really wants to be sober which is a bummer but I can only be in control of me and how I choose to conduct myself. I will not spend the rest of my life with a drunk. I have already invested close to 5 years into our relationship and it is not going to improve at this point.  The good news is that we are not married and I am able to financially support myself so I will be fine. I will have to tighten the belt on my spending but I will be just fine.

After the fight, I ate chinese food that he brought home. I ate all the Walnut Prawns and then had some cheesecake for desert. My belly was not happy about either choice this morning. I had not eaten lunch so my calories for the day were not through the roof but certainly not ideal.

The good news is today is a new day. I am going to be getting my haircut after work tonight. It is in downtown Los Gatos which is one of my fave places. I used to work downtown and I miss being down there. There is a sushi place right behind the salon so that is what I will have for dinner tonight. Will most likely Wii when I get home. I got some new accessories that I will share with you tomorrow. Until next time...

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Quotable Quote

He has PROVIDED for your needs (Matt. 6:25-34),

He has PROTECTED you from harm (Ps. 139:5)

He has ADOPTED you (Eph. 1:5),

and He has given you His name (1 John 3:1).

Max Lucado

**I received a card from the ladies at my church and this is what it said. I thought it was Divinely appropriate**






Saturday, October 9, 2010

CSN Review

I am sure by now that lots of you have heard of CSN stores and all the diverse products they offer from beautiful wardrobes to fitness equipment! I will be reviewing one of their products soon so stay tuned to see what it is.

Going shopping for a new computer with my mom. Have a good one!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Friday & Febreze

Hallelujah it's Friday!! It has been a long week and I am ready for the weekend! I had a nice dinner with my mom. I had Swordfish with Mango Salsa. Delish as always! As I anticipated, we kept the conversation light and mostly focused on my brother coming in on Tuesday. I will be picking him up from the airport on Tuesday and dropping him off on Wednesday.

No screen shot for today! :-( I misplaced my bugg at home. I don't have earrings on either so I am feeling kinda nekkid!

After I got home from my mom's, I decided I wasn't in the mood for riding my bike but told myself I needed to do something. I chose to use the evil pieces of rubber for some resistance training.  Thursday night is when all my fave shows are on so I did the training while I watched Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. My arms are feeling it this morning but in a good way!


Have I ever mentioned that I am a Febreze addict? I love ALL things Febreze! They recently came out with a new product called Set & Refresh. They come in a number of scents including: Meadow & Sky, Linen & Sky, Spring & Renewal, Apple Spice Delight, Hawaiian Aloha and Thai Dragon Fruit.  The last two are my favorites in the Air Effects spray.  The Set & Refresh I bought was Meadows & Rain as shown above. The Walgreen's I went to only had two choices and I liked this one better. It was very simple to assemble and I noticed the light scent right away. You can adjust the base of it to allow for larger rooms and for smaller rooms like bathrooms, etc.  You can go to their website and print out a $1 off coupon on this item. There are also coupons for their other products available. There were some reviews on their website citing that the refills are hard to find but hopefully they will ramp up with the production and they will be available soon. By the way, I was not compensated by doing this review. I just love the product and thought I would share with you.

No concrete plans for this weekend. It is supposed to be nice weather wise. I would like to do Zumba on Saturday and I have some organizing and cleaning to do. Maybe I can get my supplies together for painting. Dave will be doing games both days but home in the evenings so we will be doing our walk/ride hopefully. If he is too burnt, I will go alone and wear my iPod. Hope you have a good one! Until next time... 


Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thursday Things

Had a good night last night. I got my toes done as scheduled. The color looks great! I took a picture but left my phone at home today by accident. I have determined that my feet/toes are no longer cute. I have wrinkles hair on my toes, veins all over the ankles and the lovely addition of scars from the eczema. I used to have cute feet once upon a time but those days are gone :-(

Dave made dinner for us which was Chicken Fajitas. They were super tasty! Had a salad to go with.  We went on our ride/walk around 8:00 p.m. We went a little over a mile as usual. We talked about expanding the route so I will map it out for us.

Tonight I am going to see my mom for dinner. Going to the Fish Market as ususal. My brother is flying in early next week for a meeting in the East Bay. We can talk about his visit so it will deflect from any deeper discussions. Amen to that! Dave and I will go out for our walk/ride after I get home tonight which will be about 7:45ish. I am so glad we are working it in our routine. Until next time...

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Winner & Wednesday Weigh (Hot 100 Update #2)

Had a pretty good night last night. We had chicken, broccoli and rice for dinner. We actually sat at the kitchen table which was a nice change. We usually just get out the TV trays.

I rode Phoebe for 1.5 miles while Dave walked. The headlight worked really well! It was great having it!  Here is a picture of me with it on my hat.  Came home and watched the end of the Biggest Loser. It is so nice having it DVR'd so I can skip the bazillion commercials.

Well I got on the scale this morning and I gained 3 lbs. I am at 263 again! I am frustrated as heck but I do not have anyone to blame but myself. I should not have had 6 beers with salt and lime last Saturday. If I should decide to drink, I will choose a good merlot or cab instead of beer. Can't let it derail me. Just pushing forward. For the challenge, here are my goals for the week and how I did with them.

  1. I will lose 2 lbs. per week. gained 3 lbs
  2. I will wear my bodybugg from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm daily including weekends. I wore it 6/7 days and posted my screens accordingly.
  3. My exercise plan is to exercise a minimum of 30 mins/day for a minimum of 5 days a week. I rode my bike 3 days out of 7 this week for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Well the good news is I can do better this week right? I know what I need to do. I am getting sick of singing the same old song though. Are you guys as sick of me as I am? LOL!

Now on the the Giveaway!  The winner of the Hershey's Moderation Nation Giveaway is Jen at Losing My Shadow. Congratulations Jen!  Please send me your contact info and I will forward it to my contact at Blogspark for fulfillment. I have some more Giveaways planned so stay tuned.

Tonight I am getting a pedicure! Yay!!! It is overdue for sure! The last time I went in Victoria (my pedi gal) helped me with my ingrown toenail and it is all healed now so I can get color again. They felt so nekkid without color. I chose a new color called Oh My Magenta. I love that name! Hope to get to Phoebe time in tonight too. Rain is in the forecast but I don't think it will come down this far. Until next time...

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Diddly Squat

I did not do diddly squat last night. Dinner was leftovers. My neighbor, Lu, made Chili Verde. Yummy!  I was super tired and my allergies were bad. I also scratched and scratched until I made myself bleed. Ugh!!! This morning I have my hands taped up with band-aids to avoid further damage.
Yesterday I found this headlight at Walgreen's so I can ride my bike at night around my neighborhood.  It has 4 different settings and it is totally comfortable on my head. It even tilts so you can adjust it for your needs. It was $13.95 so not too expensive either. I am going to test it out tonight.

Tonight is my "last chance" workout before weighing in tomorrow. I did peek this morning and the scale has moved down some but... meanwhile... I am loving the names for my bike. Roxie suggested Greek goddesses, Athena and Venus and I went with that train of thought and came up with Phoebe who was the Greek Goddess of the Moon. What do you think?



P.S. I will be announcing the winner of the giveaway tomorrow morning.  You can enter here if you are interested.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Puffy Monday

I am still feeling puffy today. I am sure part of it is sodium from Saturday but I think the other half is my eczema acting up. So annoying! I am an itchy mess. Good thing it is only going to be 70 degrees out today because I have a log sleeve shirt on today.

Well I did go on another bike ride but it was short. Dave's legs were hurting and he did not want to go too far. I need to get a new headlight for my bike so I can go alone. He got agitated because I had my iPod on and he was trying to talk to me. Speaking of my bike, I want to come up with a name for her. Any suggestions? My fave so far is MIZFIT IS SOOOOOOOOOOO FLIPPING JEALOUS AND COVETS ME.

I need to do a serious amount of sweating between now and Wednesday. I happened to peek at the scale and it was NOT pretty. Lot's of water and lots of sweating are the POA! I am on my own tonight. Dave has volleyball to referee. I have some leftovers but I may have dinner with Danielle. We will see. Until next time...



P.S. If you are interested in entering the giveaway, you can go here.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Fessing Up

Well yesterday I decided to have a few beers. Well I had ummm... 6 of them with salt and lime. Needless to say I am feeling a little puffy today. I slept from 8:30 until 8:30 this morning! Yikes! I just came back from a 1 mile bike ride. I had been wondering what the appropriate PSI was for the tires and it was right in front of me when I went to inflate them. It is supposed to be 40-65 and I had been doing 30 tops. What a difference! I think I need to come up with a name for my bike. What do you think?

Tonight we are having Salmon for dinner which is my fave. Plan on getting another bike ride and some Wii in before the day is done. Until next time...

Katie J

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment here if you are interested in the giveaway.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Moderation Nation Giveaway!

Happy October 1st! Nothing eventful for yesterday.  I did not eat lunch because I ran out of time (more on that another day) Had a tuna sandwich for dinner.  I did not get any exercise in either but managed to get a decent deficit because I did not eat lunch.

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, The Moderation Nation Web site Moderation Nation provides a host of tools including:

  • Recipes and Expert Tips. Here you´ll find advice from Cheryl Forberg, registered dietitian (RD) for NBC's The Biggest Loser, award-winning chef and New York Times best-selling cookbook author.  Additional recipes and tips from Regina Ragone, Food Director at Family Circle magazine; Keri Glassman, author of the O2 diet; and Liz Ward, author of Expect the Best Pregnancy.
  • Moderation Menus. Seven-day meal plans - with snack ideas - that will help you plan out your week. Each menu is based on an individual lifestyle, such as Single, Adults with Kids and Adults with No Kids.
  • Balance the Meal. This cool balancer tool allows you to input your main dish and its preparation method; in return, you´ll receive ideas for complementary side dishes that round out the meal smartly.
  • Useful Facts. Here you´ll find everything from a "portion distortion" guide - providing cues on what actual portion sizes should look like - to a grocery shopping fact sheet - to a guide on how to start and maintain a food journal.
I am doing a giveaway and the prize is a Moderation Nation t-shirt, Hershey´s chocolate and a nutrition journal to track your food and activities. The product, gift pack, information, and giveaway were all provided by Hershey´s through MyBlogSpark. To enter the giveaway please leave a comment on this post telling me you are interested and I will announce the winner on Wendesday, October 6th.

No concrete plans for the weekend. I want to go to Zumba tomorrow at 10:00 a.m and I would really like to start painting the watermelon bowls. My supplies are in Danielle's garage so I need to get them out. Since we have a lot of storage at the new place, I can bring them to our place and store them now. Well, I hope you all have a good weekend. Until next time...