Shopping burns Calories!

Had a good time at Ikea :-) I had a veggie wrap and red potatoes for dinner. I am not a fan of Swedish meatballs (don't like gravy) so they did not tempt me at all. The smell of warm cinnamon rolls was alluring but I thankfully avoided them. During our adventure, I took 3,220 steps and 638 calories! Not bad for shopping huh? Here are some pictures of what we got.

We got two lamps as well as some plants and I stocked up on candles. I burn candles daily so I am always needing them and they have a package of 36 highly scented tea lights for $3.99 so I bought 4 packs. That is a steal! They should hold me over for awhile.

Tonight we are going to go buy a new bed. I can't tell you how excited I am! I am WAY overdue for one. Being morbidly obese can put some wear and tear on a bed. I am surprised that it is not sagging for as old as it is. At least I am not as heavy now and moving forward will only be lighter so it should help prolong the life of the mattress. We have a neighbor who is one of the top sales people at the local Sleep Train so she is going to hook us up. She told me about a bed that just went on sale that is a top of the line Serta with a pillow top and we are able to get it for at least $400 cheaper then retail. Yay for that! I don't have plans for the weekend except for getting things situated in my bedroom. I NEED TO GO TO THE GYM and I NEED TO GO SWIMMING! Hoping to make that happen for sure. Until next time...

P.S. It is a full moon tomorrow! Yikes!

Fat fills in the wrinkles

As you can tell I ate more then usual yesterday. I am surprised to even have a deficit. I did not binge but I had pizza as a snack. Dave got his car serviced and it ran late so so did dinner. I couldn't wait and just grabbed what was handy. We had Tilapia for dinner which was okay. Of all the fish it is probably my least favorite (hate catfish) but you can doctor it up pretty easily so it is palatable.

People usually peg me at least 5-7 years younger then I am which is flattering. I always joke with people and say I look so young because the fat fills in the wrinkles. Well, I have been noticing more wrinkles on my face lately. I know that this is a natural part of aging and I accept that (don't have to like it) but I think there is an element of truth in my joke which makes me fret. I am doing my best to keep my skin moisturized and I think I will start going to the local beauty college and start getting facials. They are supervised and are like a 1/3 of the cost of going to a salon so that appeals to me. I know drinking more water would help hydrate my skin as well.

Hoping to go to Ikea tonight which will be an adventure! That place is freaking huge. We will be getting some major walking in for sure. I will make sure to wear my bodybugg to see how many. They do have a cafe on site as well so hopefully they will have something I can eat. The sun is peeking out this morning so it is a nice reprieve from all the rain. Hope you are having a great week! Until next time...

Chocolate Cheerios Euphoria

Had a decent day food wise except that I did have onion rings with my dinner but I did not go overboard with them. I had a Philly Cheesesteak but made with chicken. Yummy stuff! Hopped on the scale this morning and I am down to 259 which is a 1 lb loss. I have seen this number before too. The lowest I have gotten on this journey is 257. That does put me back to 99 vs. 100 lbs. to lose. It is better looking at a 2 digit number vs. a 3 digit at least in this case.



I just recently heard that Cheerios came out with a Chocolate flavor. I am a Cheerios fan so I had to try them out. I had tried the Banana flavor when it came out but I was disappointed. Anyways, I tried them with and without milk and they are YUMMY! I was afraid they were going to be too sweet but I was pleasantly surprised. I had my HG and my coworker try them also. Both commented that they were kinda like Coco Puffs but not as sweet or abrasive. The great part is they are only 100 cals per serving (w/o milk) so they would be a great snack or desert.

Dave bought me two Christmas presents yesterday. I picked them out and he paid for them. One is the new Calvin Klein fragrance called Euphoria. It smells fabulous! Check it out if you get a chance. It was a little spendy but I will definitely use it until it is gone so it's a good investment. The other gift was these cute earrings!




I happened to be poking around over at TJ's Test Kitchen and noticed she had an Etsy shop and some really cute pink earrings so I just had to have these little gems. To top it off Ms. TJ is actually a Cali girl too and lives about an hour away from me. What a small world eh? Well that is about it for today. Hope you have a happy hump day! Until next time...

What a Difference a Day Makes!

I managed to etch out a deficit surprisingly enough. I was fairly low cal during the day. I had 2 slices of veggie pizza and a salad for dinner. Dave had a Baseball meeting (he is an Umpire) so HG (Houseguest) and I were on our own and I was not in the mood to cook. Dave brought home 2 deep fried Oreo cookies for me. They are soooooo good... I wasn't even sure how to account for those calorie wise so I input that I ate 4 cookies.

I am in a much better mental space today. Goes to show you what a difference a day makes. I went to bed a little later then normal but did get a decent nights sleep. Speaking of sleeping, I got replacement parts for my CPAP machine this morning. I have been waking up with huge ass divets in my cheeks and the strap marks and this will really help with that. Apparently I was supposed to be contacted every 6 months to get it serviced (I have had it since 11/08) but no one has called. I signed up for a Yahoo group of CPAP users and they told me to that my mask need replacing and that was the reason for my discomfort. Whew, I am glad that will go away. It has been bugging me big time.

When I was getting my blood pressure done yesterday I was talking to the volunteer who was a senior (in her 70s) and I had mentioned that I have lost 55-60 lbs. and that it has positively affected my BP and meds. She then went on to explain that her daughter is overweight and asked me why I thought I was overweight. I told her that was the $1,000,000,000 question jokingly but I told her I have been thinking about it too. I know there is not just one reason that could be summarized in a casual conversation so I told her that first and foremost, I do not know about my birth parents so I don't know about the genetics. I went on to tell her that I have always been overweight but I am sure there are some underlying reasons. I would like to explore them in a future post. Sidenote: I emailed my doctor about the BP readings and she said that those are good numbers and unless I am having side affects like being dizzy then it is okay.

Not sure if I will go to bowling tonight. I have a mess going on in the corner of my bedroom that needs major attention. Dave and I will be going to Ikea this weekend to get two nightstands and a small dresser so I need to sort some things and make room. Plus I weigh in tomorrow. We shall see. Until next time...

Maudlin Monday

My plan was to go through and organize paperwork which I did and got quite a lot done. I did not realize however, the emotional impact it would have. It was cards, pictures, notes and paperwork that I was going through. Pictures of my dad and family, pictures of me at my heaviest looking really unhappy, notes from old friends and boyfriends, addresses of friends who are now dead… ugh… then to top it off…

I recently changed my outgoing voicemail to an automated message vs. my own personalized message because Dave is getting calls on my phone until we get a home phone… I was supposed to take her to her eye appointment this morning and called her around 3:00 p.m. yesterday to confirm what time I would arrive at her house and she said “Since I couldn’t reach you I asked Debby to take me” I had taken the morning off just to take her and we had numerous discussions about it! I was upset with her and hung up on her. I also called Debby and let her know I was not happy the situation but that she could take her. So instead of taking her, I opted to go to the pharmacy and got my hair cut. I arrived at work earlier then they expected me but got scolded because I had forgotten to write down an appt. in my appt. book. Oh well what can you do…

Did well on food over the weekend except I waited too long in between meals and got kinda shaky around dinner time last night. Did not do any “formal” exercise yesterday but did a lot of moving around lifting and pulling.

I need to contact my doctor about my blood pressure. While I was at the Pharmacy, I saw a blood pressure screening station and she took it and it was 108/60 and the last time it was 118/68. I think that is a little low. I am on two different blood pressure medications so I am wondering if I need to discontinue one. That would be good! My goal is to ditch ALL the meds I am on.

Well I hope the rest of the week turns out better then this! Until next time…

My Guide for Me with You

I want to love you without clutching

To appreciate you without judging
To invite you without demanding
To leave you without guilt-feeling
To join you without invading
To critizize you without blaming and
To help you withot insultling.
If I have the same from you, we can truly meet

~ Virginia Satir ~

P.S. I found this poem today as I was going through my mementos and thought I would share. It really does fit for any kind of relationship doesn't it? By the way, there are 7 hearts in the picture. Can you find all of them?

Smooth Saturday

Did not wear my bodybugg today and I did not end up going swimming BUT I did go on a walk and did some dancing and some squats. I have had a house guest and I have not been able to use my workout DVDs but told my guest that I needed to be able to do them so if they could give me an hour or so in the evening it would be good. I felt better after saying something about it but I was nervous about bringing it up. I always seem to agonize more then is necessary. Definitely need to work on that.

I am going to work on organizing tomorrow. I got a 5 drawer little dresser from Dave's mom's house so I am going to move and purge some items out of my closet. I really have made some major headway in that department. I actually know where things are most of the time these days.

The escrow has closed on Dave's family home. They should be getting about $80,000 each and they are getting everything moved out tomorrow so I will go over there. I think it is going to be sad though. I plan on doing some walking and a workout DVD. I am thinking Belly dancing. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Until next time...

Friday Fodder

Here are my numbers from yesterday. Nothing too exciting to report. We had tacos for dinner which were yummy. I have been taking the bugg off once I get home from work. It has been a little uncomfortable. I need to get a new strap I think. My point is that I am burning calories at night that are not being shown. I used to wear it until I went to bed before so it will be interesting to note the difference. Speaking of...

As a member of 24hr fitness, I get a monthly newsletter and included in January's newsletter there was a picture of the "new" Bodybugg in different colors!! Mine is the older model so it is bigger then these and bulkier but it works just the same and it was free. However, if I was in the market for a new one or if mine breaks you bet your sweet bippie I would get a PINK one! They come in Black, Blue, Silver, Pink, Camouflage and Zebra now :-o

I had the nicest compliment from the President of the Private school I work for. She has been in business for 47 years and I highly respect her. She is in her late 70s and is still quite active in the company. She told me that I am a wonderful asset to the company and how grateful she is to have me working for her. It took every shred of my being not to cry in front of her! Made for a wonderful start to the day though!

Speaking of compliments, Beckie-Lynn gave me a Beautiful Blogger award. Thank you Miss Beckie! This road is less bumpy with you along for the ride sista!

Nothing planned for the weekend. I am getting a pedicure (Yay, happy toes!) and I plan on going to the Senior Center to swim tomorrow morning. Other then that I don't have anything concrete going on... Hope you all have a great day and a great weekend! Until next time...

What's the Plan, Stan?

I did well on food yesterday. I didn't eat a whole bunch so hence the bigger deficit. We ended up not going to Costco last night. I had some homemade chili and cornbread for dinner that our friend Huggy made. Perfect dinner for a wet, rainy night. I am usually not a fan of cornbread but his was very moist and tasty.

As I mentioned, Beckie-Lynn wanted to know what kind of plan I was using for diet and exercise. My intentions when I started this journey was to make this a lifestyle change. I know it sounds cliche but it is true. I think the biggest hurdle for me was identifying what a "real" portion was. My idea of a portion was grossly inaccurate!! I put a handy chart on my fridge and referred to it when cooking or preparing meals.

I have included yesterdays food log for your reference. My breakfast during the week pretty much stays the same. I have some yogurt, a cereal bar and string cheese or cottage cheese throughout the morning. For lunch, I usually have a sandwich or sushi. My afternoon snacks are usually nuts or fruit. For dinners, I mostly eat chicken or fish. Sometimes, I will have pork or beef but maybe once a week if that. Where I run into trouble the most is in the evenings. Getting snacky and eating too late is where I still need work.

Here is the nutritional breakdown of the calories as well. I just love all the charts and graphs the bugg provides.

I am tracking calories for the most part and not really counting them. I try to stay within 1400-1600 cals per day. The way my bodybugg is set up is I should burn 2850 and consume 2150 but I never burn or consume that much. As long as I achieve a deficit of 700 calories per day (Calories Burned - Calories Consumed) then I should be able to lose 1.5-2.0 lbs. per week.

My exercise plan needs a MAJOR overhaul! I am more active now then I was a year ago for sure but I am far from being an "active" person. My objective is to just make it a part of every day life. I have the resources available (Sr. Center AND 24hr fitness) but I am not utilizing them. I really need to work on this!!! When I do exercise, I mostly walk in my neighborhood or do Zumba or Belly dancing. I am a big fan of dancing so I enjoy shaking my booty for exercise.

Well I hope that answers your question Miss Becky! Until next time...

Weigh-In Wednesday

Like a dork, I forgot to put my bugg on this morning. My calories consumed yesterday was 1334 so I probably had a 1000 deficit or so. I was trying to get to work a little early and I guess it threw me off my regular routine. I did not go to bowling last night. I wanted to insure a decent weigh in and the weather was harsh so it was just as well. We ended up having a nice dinner (see above) of pork chops, potatoes and green beans. I made a Sugar Free Fat Free Cheesecake for desert. I should have taken a picture of that too. It was good but I think it would be better with some fresh fruit on top. It did have a little bit of an aftertaste to it so the fruit would help mask that.

So for my "official" weigh in I am at 260 which is 2 lbs. less then last week! It feels so good for the scale to be moving downward again. I have seen this number before though and am truly looking forward to breaking through the next decade and seeing some "new" numbers on the scale.

Beckie-Lynn at Confessions of a Pleasingly Plump Single Mommie asked me what "plan" I am using for my weight loss and I told her I would address that in today's post. However, since I don't have my bugg with me today I will explain in detail tomorrow.

It is another blustery day in the neighborhood. Apparently today is going to be the worst of this storm front. I am going at lunch to get my eyebrows threaded and need to run one quick errand with Danielle tonight. The bar is hosting a Pleasure party and she needs to get some snacks and a cheese tray from Costco. We will not be attending the party though. Not the venue I want to do "that" kind of shopping in ;-) Until next time...

Tuesday Tales

I did not get my target deficit yesterday but I did check the scale this morning and I am down another pound to 262. Amen! Now I am only 5 lbs. away from my lowest weight on this journey.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I am posting my list of 10 recipients of the Happy Blogger 101 Award and they are as follows:

1. Jo at 282.5
2. Dree at The Making of Dree
3. Dana at The Best of my Ability
4. Shelley at A Forty Somethings Weight Loss Journey
5. Mary at Curvaceous Conundrum
6. 266 at 266
7. Stella at The Shrinking Violet
8. Beckie-Lynn at Confessions of a Pleasingly Plump Mommie
9. Kellie at Chubby Girl Diary
10. Simone at In[Fat]uation

If you have not checked out these blogs, I suggest you do so. They make me happy! I also received another Beautiful Blogger Award from Kelsey at The Sweet Tooth Obliteration Operation. Kelsey just started her blog not too long ago so you should stop by and say "Hello" to her.

In other news... the weather here has been a little crazy (for us) with high winds and lots of rain. It actually woke me up in the middle of the night. I ended up taking off the "mask" and slept without it for the rest of the night.

Which reminds me... I had a conversation with one of my friends the other day and he made an interesting observation. When I moved to my new apartment I stopped wearing the CPAP machine until Dave came back which was about 2 months without it. It was those two months that I was struggling emotionally. Once I started wearing it again, things seemed to mellow out and I started feeling better both physically and emotionally. It just goes to show you how IMPORTANT sleep is and how sleep deprivation can take its toll.

Most likely will go to bowling tonight. I need to be mindful and not make it a snackfest. Until next time...

MLK and Happy 101 Award!

My brilliant blogger buddies, Anne H over at Carb Tripper and Kristina at Life Won't Weight have presented me with the Happy 101 Award. Thank you Anne and Kristina! I am supposed to come up with 10 things that make me happy and do one of them today. I also must pass it on to 10 other people. Here is my list and I will post my 10 recipients tomorrow.

1. Good friends
2. Hugs and Kisses
3. The color Pink
4. Coffee
5. Being by the ocean
6. Reading a good book
7. Singing
8. Painting ceramics
9. Dancing
10. A good movie

I did not do diddly squat yesterday. I just hung out and watched movies and read. It was too stormy to go on a walk and the boys were watching football in the other room. I did peek at the scale this morning and I am down to 263. I was doing a little ab work on Saturday so maybe that helped. Whatever it was I will take it!

Today is MLK day and even though the campuses are closed, we are working. Boo hisss! Hopefully it will go by quickly and painlessly. Having fish for dinner tonight and hoping to map out an exercise schedule. I need to step it up big time if I want to achieve my goals! Until next time...

Blessings...

First of all I have to say thank you to everyone who commented on yesterday's post. My plan is to find out the medical and circumstanital information first and then make the decision if I could handle the possibility of meeting them.

Suddenly the last few days everything seems to be falling into place in my life. Dave and I are planning a trip to Disneyland for his birthday. He will be 59! His birthday falls on a Saturday this year :-) and the admission is free on your birthday so that will save $90. How fun huh? He is also going to fix my car. I hit a pole at my old apartment complex and dented the rear passenger door. It is also due for a 30K service. I got approved to swim across the street, I am going on a cruise to Alaska in July and I am going to get to my goal weight this year. I am feeling so blessed and thrilled to see what is in store.

I have been thinking about doing a Vision board. Have any of you done one? If so did you do it online or with magazines and pictures? Have a wonderful day my lovely readers! Until next time...

Whoa!

It is Saturday afternoon about 2:00 p.m. I just got home from visiting my mom. It was a great but jaw dropping visit. I am adopted and so is my older brother. His was open and mine was closed. When my brother came to visit at Thanksgiving my mom gave him his adoption papers that were in the safe deposit box.

Well while we were driving to have brunch she told me this and told me that she is going to give me MY adoption papers... I instantly started to cry... I am actually crying as I type this... She told me not to cry while I was driving (Dave does too!) so I composed myself quickly and continued talking to her about it. I told her I recently had printed some information on the CA Dept. of Vital statistics which had ALL the documents you need to get your "original" birth certificate. Having these documents will only make the process that much easier. I never wanted to hurt my parents, especially my mom, by inquiring about my birth parents. My biggest concern has always been the medical background and nationality which I do not have any info on. I have lived in the same 15 mile radius of where I was born so if the birth mother stayed in the area she may be closer then I think. I am just trippin right now... Whew...

Hoping to get a walk in with Dave later and we are having Rotisserie chicken for dinner so calories will be low today. Hope you guys are having a nice weekend. Until next time...

Friday Fun

Went a little overboard on cals yesterday. I had Ceviche and Fish Tacos for dinner! So yummy! I am also down another pound to 264 so I am keeping it.

Lovely Lainey over at Shrinking Lainey has given me a Beautiful Blogger Award. I feel soooo special! If you have not had a chance to read Lainey's blog you should check it out.

This is a picture of me when I was 5. It is actually a picture of my brother and I but I cut him out so I could post this on Facebook. One of my friends asked if I would post a baby pic and this is what I came up with on the fly.





Now this may seem totally random and weird but oh well... I have always felt strongly about which way a paper towel or TP roll is placed. I am an OVER kind of gal. Well now you can actually cast your vote at Cottonelle. Apparently, I am not alone on this and currently there are 81% of the people polled who think it should be OVER.

What I would "like" to get done this weekend is exercise both days. Work on organizing my bedroom a little more and visit with my mom and do some filing for her. Tonight Danielle and I will most likely go to Sizzler. I say most likely because plans are always subject to change.

Hope you all have a great weekend! Until next time...

Cruzin...

Had a decent day yesterday. I ate healthy except I did have a small chocolate croissant in the afternoon and 2 blueberry muffins after dinner. It would be fine if I were getting in some exercise. I need to look at my calendar and mark down when I can go to the Center and to the gym. BTW, I got on the scale this morning and I was down a lb. from yesterday. I am taking it because I would rather look at 50 on the ticker instead of 49.

Sweet Beckie over at Confessions of a Pleasingly Plump Single Mommie gave me another Beautiful Blogger award - Thank you Miss Beckie! It really makes a gal feel special!

For those of you who have been hanging around for awhile know that I went on a Cruise to Alaska last summer with my mom. I set a goal to lose 40 lbs. by the cruise and I ended up losing 45! Well... my mom wants to go again this summer! She wants me to see Glacier Bay National Park which was not on our itinerary the last trip. The departure date would be July 24th or 31st which is basically the same date we sailed last year. It would be G-R-E-A-T to be down 100 lbs. by the cruise. I will need to do some number crunching to see how much I would need to lose each week. Something to look forward to! Yay!! Until next time...

Winner and Weigh-In

I went to bowling last night and hung out with my peeps. I always seem to have a snack fest when I go there (note to self) I did okay and did not go overboard but I did have some peanut M&Ms and a few french fries.

The winner of my giveaway for the Progresso Soup Gift Pack is Jo at 282.5! Congratulations Jo!!! Thank you to everyone who entered and stay tuned, I will be having a blogoversary pretty soon and plan to have a giveaway to celebrate. Jo, just send me your contact information and I will ship it out ASAP. Speaking of shipping, I found the DVD I was looking for (Yay!) so I can get that shipped out today Mae_Flowers.

On to the weigh in... I gained 4 lbs. I am up to 266. BIG Sigh... It does not surprise me. I have been a slug lately with my back pain and basic laziness. I have been eating more calories and not making adjustments for the lack of activity. I refuse to let this set me back. I refuse to landslide and throw in the towel. I know what to do - I just need to DO IT!!! Until next time...

Half Decent + 7 Beautiful Bloggers

Here is the screenshot for yesterday. I had a roast beef and cheese sandwich for dinner because I was lazy but etched out a decent deficit.

I met with Ms. R and they have approved me to use the pool at the Senior Center. I can ONLY use the pool which is fine because I do have a membership to 24hr Fiteness for all my other activities. There is a pool at 24hr too but I will be less self-conscious about my NLD in front of Seniors then I am in front of my peers.

As I mentioned yesterday, I am posting the 7 Beautiful Bloggers to pass on the award too. You know, I think you are ALL beautiful but I could only choose 7. They are:

1. Candace at Believing in C - C is Me
2. Jewelia at Jewelia Goulia
3. Lisa at In Weigh Over my Head
4. Caitlyn at Project Revamp
5. Katie at A Thinner Katie
6. Tamzin at One Inch at a Time
7. Coley at Sugar Shakes

If you have not had an opportunity to check these blogs out, I would highly suggest you do so. It will be fun to learn 7 things about these ladies!

Yesterday at lunch I ran across the street to CVS to get a few things and as I was exiting the store and walking down the sidewalk a lady shouted "Excuse Me... Excuse Me" so I looked back and she said "You look Beautiful today!" and I was a little shocked but said "Oh, that was sweet, thank you for saying so!" and went about my business. Random huh?

This picture was taken when I was on the cruise in Alaska (July) I am about 10 lbs. lighter then this now but this picture is actually not a bad one compared to most of the pics I take so I thought I would share.

Tonight is bowling so I will most likely go and hang out with my peeps but one never knows what the day will bring. Hope you have a great day! Until next time...

Beautiful Monday & Shout Out!

My back is feeling better today. I think the stretches and applying heat to it really helped.  I did a whole lot of nothing yesterday.  I did some light housecleaning but that was about it as far as motivation.

I was able to get 3 short walks in last week which was good. I want to do at least 3 this week but extend the route substantially.

Did alright on food too. Although I did not have my bugg on nor did I track my calories consumed.  I also forgot to take my meds yesterday. I retain water if I don't take the pills so I am feeling a little puffy this morning.

I have my appt. with Ms. R at 5:15 p.m. tonight. Hope it all goes smoothly and they accept my application. The hours are:

Monday through Thursday: 7 am - 7 pm

Friday: 7 am - 5 pm
Saturday: 9 am - 3 pm
Sunday: Closed

I want to alternate swimming there with walks in my neighborhood and classes at the gym. Some of my favorite classes at the gym do not start until 7:30 or 8:00 which is late for me. When did I get to be such a fuddy duddy...sheesh... I need to come up with a plan of action.

Miss Candy over at Melting Candy has bestowed me with a Beautiful Blogger Award. You are too sweet Candy!  The rules of this award are to tell you 7 things you don't know about me and to pass it on to 7 other recipients. So here goes on the 7 things and I will post the 7 recipients tomorrow.

1. I have two college degrees. I have an AA in Business Management and a BS in Business/Marketing.
2. I don't like war movies of any kind. I will change the channel immediately if there a gun battle of any sort on TV. This stems from my father having been shot in Korea. It reminds me what he must have gone through and that is not entertaining to me.
3. I started smoking cigarettes at 13 years old and I still smoke :-(
4. I started drinking alcohol at 13 years old and was arrested for being drunk in public.
5. I love to sing and have always dreamed of a musical career
6. I do not like to eat or drink anything that is blue except for blueberries
7. I think I am hip for my age - I make it a point to keep current with music, lingo and current events.

I wanted to give a big shout out to Jack Sh*t. He hit Onederland over the weekend!  There are 129 comments on that post. He must be feeling all the bloggy love! If you have never read Jack's blog NOW is a good time to start. Run don't walk over there and check him out.

Hope you all have a great week! Until next time...



P.S. Don't forget to enter MY giveaway!

Pain in the Arse!

Had a good day yesterday. I did go to Target but did not get the nightstand. It was too cheapy looking. Got some household items, a workout shirt, some chonies and some cereal bars for work.  I will look for a nightstand on Craigslist. Got a short walk in with Dave. I did go to Carl's Jr. with Danielle but stayed within my cals for the day.

I have been having some lower back pain. I have been lucky and really have never had any problems with my back before.  Apparently it is Sciatica. I called Kaiser and have an appt. tomorrow a.m. Here is what WebMd said:

Sciatica is a common type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending from the lower back down the back of each leg.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:

• Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
• Burning or tingling down the leg
• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body. Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes. For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the pain from sciatica might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse. Seek immediate medical attention with any symptoms of progressive lower extremity weakness and/or loss of bladder or bowel control.  Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Things that may make your back pain worse include being overweight, not exercising regularly, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a mattress that is too soft.

Putting heat on it seems to help and I am going to take some Aleve. Motrin makes my belly funky. My mom was bummed that I wasn't coming over. I thought she was going to cry which did not help me feel any better. Ughh... Until next time...

Planned to but...

Well we decided against going out to dinner last night. I got a Stuffed Chicken Breast from the local specialty market. It has Apricot stuffing and it is super delish and not bad on calories as long as the portion is appropriate. We had green beans and mashed sweet potatoes. I also bought myself some flowers. (sorry the photo is so dark but it was taken on my phone) I had a hankering for something sweet so I ended up having an Almond Joy and some sugar free cheesecake pudding. My bodybugg is not cooperating this morning so no cal totals but aside from the sweets it was a lo call day.

I was supposed to go to Betty's (my mom) but I put her off until tomorrow. Most likely I will go to Tarjay with Danielle. I need a nightstand for my bedroom and she gave me a gift card for $40 and that is how much it costs. It will be nice to finish up organizing my bedroom and then I need to go through my car. I would like to get a walk in this evening. No reason not to unless it rains. Hope you are having a good weekend! Until next time...

P.S. Don't forget to enter MY giveaway!

Ducks in a Row

Yesterday was a good day! Look at that deficit woohoo! Haven't seen a four digit deficit in a loonnnnggg time. I had a salad for dinner with some Progresso soup: Zesty Southwestern Style Vegetable. It was yummy and only 80 cals a serving! I also walked with Dave. We expanded our path about a block and a half. I also did about 20 squats and I am feeling it a little bit this morning.

I have been making a diligent effort to be more organized. It seems to be a never ending project. Once I get one thing organized, something else needs attention. With my recent move I was able to shift some things around and am more organized then I have been in a long time. I have my clothes sorted by colors, I have all my accessories together and it makes getting ready for work in the morning SO much easier! Plus I discovered clothing I had forgotten about! Another benefit is I have been able to start putting makeup on in the morning again. When I first started insulin the time I used for makeup shifted to shots and pill time but now I can do both and it makes me feel more put together. With ALL that said, I have been looking for a DVD that I need to send to someone and I am having a hard time finding it. It is around somewhere... Grrrr...

Anyway... tonight Danielle and I will be going to dinner at Eulipia. It is a fab restaurant in Downtown San Jose. We always have a good time when we go there and they are always very generous with the vino. Tomorrow I am going to my mom's. I put her off last weekend and all this week so it is time to suck it up. Until next time...



P.S. Don't forget to enter MY giveaway!