Monday Part II

Coming back to work after a Monday off feels like a double Monday but the good news is it is a shorter week. Did you guys have a nice weekend? Mine was fairly uneventful really. I did finish reading The Help. I am looking forward to seeing the movie in August. I did get some activity in but not as much as I should have. Eating was on and off throughout the weekend. I did not binge but I did consume more then my usual. Back on it this morning with my Fitbit!

Speaking of the Fitbit, since I started using it, I have lost 10 lbs. (since April 26th) which I am thrilled about. Just knowing the numbers, regardless of what system you use, it really helps. Knowledge is power!

I am hoping to have a successful June too. My next short term goal is to reach 70 lbs. lost. I will be rewarding myself with a Vera Bradley purse. This is the one I am thinking of. It is called "On the Go" in "Blue Rhapsody"

I just love the colors and patterns they have. They travel really well and are washable too so you get more mileage out of them.  I usually gravitate toward the pink ones but thought this is such a pretty blue. Well, I have time to decide...

I feel like June is going to be a good month! My birthday is in 3 weeks and I haven't made any concrete plans but I may go to Santa Cruz for the weekend before. I am going to be 45 on June 21st!!! It is the first day of Summer and the longest day of the year. Also, it is Prince William's birthday too. Have a great day! Until next time...

Freedom is Not Free

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze;
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform,
So young, so tall, so proud;
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought ... how many men like him
Had fallen through the years?
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilot's planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers graves?
No ... Freedom is not Free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still;
I listened to the bugler play,
And felt a sudden chill;
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend;

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands...
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea,
Of unmarked graves in Arlington...
No ... Freedom is not Free!


-- Kelly Strong

Hot Diggity Dog!

It is a Friday AND a 3 day weekend! Woowoo!!! I am looking forward to having an extra day off! I will be pet sitting Saturday for my mom's neighbor. They have a dog named Titan and a cat named Pan.

Titan a.k.a. Big Boy

Pan Kitty a.k.a. Mouser

The last few times I have babysat, Pan wanted to give me presents as in mice and rats. They live in the foothills so they are around. Blecchhhh.... the last time is was a rat and he was already dead but before that she brought me a live mouse. Ewww...

As for the rest of the weekend, I really don't have much planned. I do want to get some activity in and some reading. I am fairly close to finishing The Help. It is a really good book and I highly recommend it.  I also downloaded some free books to my Kindle so I have plenty of options. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend whatever you do. Until next time...

Adorable!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on yesterday's post Your encouragement and kudos really mean a lot and I can't thank you enough!!

 

The lovely and charming Sarah from On my Weigh to Happiness gave me the Adorable Blog Award. Thank you Miss Sarah! Sarah is a WL warrior! She has lost 92 lbs. since her WLS plus she has the cutest little boy named Gage! If you have never visited Sarah, please go check her out!

The rules for the blog award are as follows:

• Thank the blogger that gave it to you
• Post 10 things you don't know about me (getting really hard to come up with these!)
• Pass it on...

1. I have double jointed fingers but not thumbs
2. I don't like jelly beans or jelly candies. I just think they are awful! Ewww...
3. I don't like licorice of any kind
4. I prefer Strawberry milk over Chocolate if I am flavoring my milk
5. I have very flexible toes and can pick things up with my toes easily
6. I have never been to a movie by myself
7. I have never made fried chicken and most likely, I never will
8. Consider myself to be physically strong (there is muscle under there!)
9. I have nice penmanship. I often get compliments on it
10. I have a fetish for flip flops. I have about 25 pairs of them!

Now to pass it on to others:

Cara May at Fabulous Attitude Blog
Suzi at Working Towards a Healthier Me
Shelley at My Journey to Fit
Helen at Doing a 180
Amy at Once upon a time...in the Land of Cheese and Sunkist

Most likely I will go to my mom's after work. I need to do a few things for her. Until next time...

I've lost 65 lbs!!!

I got on the scale this morning and it is said 250 which is 4 lbs. down from last week and brings my total weight loss to 65 lbs! I actually let out a woot woot and started dancing around the living room nakkie! After stalling in the 260s for soooooo long, it is really encouraging to see the scale moving again. I have been on track with my food and chanting the mantra "Food is Fuel" every time I eat. It seems to be helping. I have increased activities but not to where I would like them to be so I will keep striving to improve that. I am still a long way off from goal but it motivating me to see the scale going down again. This also means that every lb. loss is new territory for me. The most I have ever lost at one time is 40 lbs. so this is exciting. I have 35 more lbs. to lose until I get to 100 lbs. lost.  I am going to get to goal! 

Dave made it through his surgery okay. He needed my help last night so I did not go to the gym. I am going to go home after work tonight and make dinner etc. and I will try to squeeze in some activity. He does a lot of the housework so I am realizing now how much he really does. Plus we don't have a dishwasher so I made dinner and washed dishes plus did some other chores. I am still upset with him but trying to put that aside for now so he can heal and resume work.



P.S. I have a surprise for you tomorrow!

Fingers and Woes

Had a decent night last night. I did not have my "discussion" with Dave because he is having surgery today (right now actually!) on his trigger finger and I did not want to blow his gig the night before his surgery. I did let him know that we WILL be talking about it but I gave him a little reprieve. I wimped out for dinner and had a lean cuisine which was actually pretty tasty. It had been a long time since I had one. It was the chicken artichoke panini.  I used to eat them more often but now just have them as back up.

I have to pick up Dave when he gets out of recovery. I was hoping to get to the gym after work tonight. I have teryaki salmon planned for dinner.  Last night I used the medicine ball and did 100 reps of arm exercises. I highly recommend getting one because you can use it anywhere and it really does strengthen your arm muscles with regular use. I got mine at Big 5 but you can find them almost anywhere.

If I get to the gym, I want to do some cardio and I would also like to check out the pool. I need to get over the fear of being in public in a swimsuit. My reservations are two-fold: One is being overweight and the other one is my NLD. I just need to keep telling myself that no one cares. I am there to get healthy and the heck with them if they stare, right? Right! Until next time...

Monday Madness

Hope you all had a nice weekend! I had a pretty good one. Did well with food but was not super active like I wanted.  I peeked at the scale and it is moving down to where I was at my lowest so I am going to keep doing what I am doing. Last week was pretty busy but I am planning on 3 visits to the gym this week and strength training and other activities in between.

Dave and I are in another spiff and I am getting sick of it. I try not to share too much here about our relationship but he is pushing me to make some drastic changes in our situation. The good news is I could handle all the expenses by myself. It would be tight but at this point, I think I might be happier without him. I do love him and he loves me but there is an elephant in the room and neither one of us is willing to go talk about it. Lord knows I have made some changes in the last two years... it would be an adjustment for sure...

I picked up the Avalon yesterday. It is still bittersweet to be driving it. I love it and really enjoy driving it but knowing my mom can't drive anymore is hard too. She is a tough cookie though and will adjust. Between neighbors, friends, relatives and Outreach, I think she will be okay. It is going to require more time on my part but I have decided that I just need to buck up and take care of business. It is challenging but all worth it. Sorry to be negative on a Monday but I am just trying to keep it real. Until next time...



P.S. Jack ran my W.I.D.T.H pictures on Saturday

Shimmer by Shawn Mullins

Shimmer

Sharing with us what he knows
shining eyes are big and blue
and all around him water flows
this world to him is new
this world to him is new
to touch a face
to kiss a smile
new eyes see no race
the essence of a child
the essence
he's born to shimmer he's born to shine
he's born to radiate
he's born to live he's born to love
but we'll teach him not to hate
true love it is a rock
smoothed over by a stream
no ticking of a clock
truly measures what that means
truly measures what that means
and this thing they call our time
heard a brilliant woman say
she said you know it's crazy
how I want to capture mine
I think I love this woman's way
I think I love this woman's
way she shimmers, the way she shines
the way she radiates
the way she lives, the way she loves
the way she never hates
sometimes I think of all this that can surround me
I know it all as being mine
but she kisses me and and wraps herself around me
she gives me love, she gives me time
yeahh.... and I fine
but time I cannot change
so here's to looking back
you know I drink a whole bottle
of my pride
and I toast to change
to keep these demons off my back
to keep these demons off my back
cause I want to shimmer, i want to shine
I want to radiate
I want to live, I want to love
I want to try to learn not to hate
try not to hate
we're born to shimmer
we're born to shine
we're born to live, we're born to love
we're born to never hate

Love this song and thought I would share

Weighing In On the Subject

At the banquet

Had a lovely evening, although it was a long one. Here is a picture I took of myself. I had someone else try but I did not like the results so you at least get to see the pattern on the blouse.  I got SO many compliments! I usually don't wear eyeshadow but decided to wear it last night and people really noticed.  I also posted it on Facebook (the pic) and I got some wonderful comments! Made me feel so good!

I did not get home until close to 11:00 p.m. Times have sure changed. Younger Katie J would have partied the night away but not anymore. I was ready for bed at 9:00! The food was good and I ended up eating the dessert. It was a raspberry mousse with a lemon glaze drizzled with chocolate.

I got on the scale this morning and I lost 1 lb. this week so I am down to 254. Only two pounds away from my lowest thus far. Everything after that will be new territory! It is interesting to me that I don't remember weighing this weight before. I can remember when the scale went above 200 in my early 20s (and of course 300 in 2008) but other then that. Part of it was denial I am sure and also I did not have a scale and would only know when I went in to the doctor but even then.  I look forward to the day where there is a 1-- weight!  I am hoping by the end of this year.

Plans for the weekend are to go to the gym on Saturday and do some sorting of clothes and the like. Sunday I will be getting my "new" car. I have decided that I will be selling my "old" car to my neighbors, Lu and Joe. They are really in need of a car (have two kids) and it has a lot of life left in it so I am happy to see it go to good use. I just need to figure out a mutually agreeable amount. Hope you all have a great weekend! Until next time...

Banquet Bound

Well I did not get together with Danielle. I assume something came up but I never heard from her. Actually I was relieved because I have been running around a lot this week and it was nice to just kick it for the evening. I should have done some activity but I never got off the couch. Dinner was a tuna sandwich.

Tonight is our End of the Year banquet for work. It is held at the Dolce Hayes Mansion It is the only venue that can accommodate all of us for dinner. There will be about 500 of us! I bought a pretty blouse to wear and some matching earrings. I did have a fleeting thought of wearing a dress but not this time.  Hopefully, I can get some nice pictures. I ordered Sesame Cilantro Crusted Breast of Chicken. The choices were Prime Rib, Chicken and Eggplant. In the past, I would order eggplant but thought I might try something different. My only potential roadblock is the dessert. They usually have the most delectable desserts but they are very rich so I will have a bite or two and that is it.  The other thing is that we are sitting in the front of the room next to the President of the company so all eyes are on us. It is a little unnerving but I have gotten used to it over the years.

Hoping for a good weigh in tomorrow. I did take a peek and it looked promising! Until next time...



P.S. Speaking of good weigh-ins, go check out Tiff's post at Project 365! She just reached 100 lbs. lost!

Wednesday Whirlwind

I did not have my Fitbit on yesterday. I tracked my calories and came in at 1,276 for yesterday. No formal activity. So, I had the appt. after work as planned. I knew it was going to be a long appt. It is all done by machines no human interaction. The first one was a hydrating chamber that helped with skin repair and cellulite reduction. It heats up to 118 degrees and it was steamy. I think I liked that one the best. My skin feels great today. The next one was a massage table that used water to massage you but it is contained so you don't get wet. It was noisy but enjoyable. The next one was a Red-light therapy that helps with skin repair and what was great about this one is that I could close the machine over me and fit! I actually fit! Something I know I couldn't have done before. At this point it is 7:30 p.m. and I am still not finished. I had not eaten dinner so I was getting low blood sugar. I still had one treatment left which was the facial. I told them I would need to reschedule the last one and they were fine with that. My next full appt. is on June 7th but I want to do the facial before then. Next time I will make sure I have something to eat while I am there or before I go in.

At lunchtime, I am going to my mom's to install her new keyboard. Everything should be back up and running for her. She will be having lunch with my Aunt Roberta so it should be an in and out deal. Aunt Roberta is coming to get her and they will go to our usual spot, which is Coco's. It is in a central location for all of us and they have good food so it works out well for everyone. After work, I am getting together with Danielle for dinner. I am holding steady with my weight so I need to be extra mindful of what I eat or drink tonight. Until next time...

Spa Day

I had a good but busy day yesterday. After work, I went to my mom's to work on her computer. Her keyboard is still not working so I will have to get a new one for her. Being on the computer is her lifeline to her long distance friends so I want to get her up and running ASAP. We went to Fish Market and I had sushi and sashimi. After dinner she wanted to run a few errands so we did that and I ended up getting home around 9:00. I watched the rest of Desperate Housewives and called it a day. Calories were surprisingly low.

Our President and Vice President of the company are here today since we are having our annual End of Year Banquet on Thursday so it will be an interesting day. After work I am going to the Spa.  I purchased a LivingSocial deal for Planet Beach. This is the description of what I bought:  Life's a beach. Soak up its spoils with today's deal from Planet Beach. For $49, you'll get a Contempo spa package that includes three massages in the CyberRelax chair or the HydroMassage bed, three luminous facials, three Hydro-Derma Fusion treatments, and three red-light therapy sessions (regularly $420). Even out stubborn skin tones and fine lines with a luminous facial, which uses light therapy and skin creams to stimulate cellular renewal and soothe problematic skin. Or, indulge in a Hydro-Derma Fusion treatment, which includes luxurious steam and infrared heat for the body that'll leave your skin silky smooth and your body feeling amazing. Planet Beach is dedicated to offering affordable, automated spa treatments and high-quality skincare products to help you achieve your wellness goals. 

I will go in at 5:30 p.m. and they said it would be 1.5 hours because this is my orientation session. It will be a little tricky since I won't be done until 7:00 as far as dinner goes. I will make sure I have something to snack on so I don't get low blood sugar. I will do some resistance training when I get home after I have a bite to eat. I am looking forward to the massage for sure! Until next time...

Happy and Sad

Hope everyone had a nice weekend! Mine was good. I did not get to the gym as planned but I ate well and kept fairly active. Saturday, I met up with Kathy and we had a lovely time catching up. We are going to try to meet at least once a month hopefully. After I got home, my friend and neighbor Lu brought over some flowers for me and I took some pictures of the lovely flowers blooming in our courtyard of the apartment. It is nice to have them there plus I have fresh flowers weekly :-)

Alstromeria

Iris

Yellow and Pink Rose

Pretty Pink Rose

Impatiens (Lu gave me these)

Sunday, I went to see my mom to help her with some paperwork and we went to brunch first. She was told by her doctor last week that she would not be able to drive and/or renew her license. She decided instead of putting herself and potentially others at risk that she will stop driving now. She did not want to prolong the agony so she asked if I wanted her car. I had a feeling she might but was not sure. I am happy to have her car but I am sad that she no longer will have the freedom to get up and go at will. I love her car though. It is a 2002 Toyota Avalon and is fully loaded. Moon roof, dual climate control, leather seats, 5 carousel CD disc changer, JVC stereo. She only has 58K miles on it so it will last a long time. I just have to figure out what I am going to do with my car. I may give it to my nephew but need to think about it some more.

  

We also talked a little bit about my adoption stuff. I told her I felt like she got gipped when she picked me as a baby. I know it is a bad way of thinking but I have been carrying guilt for all these years about my poor behavior as a teen and early adult. In hindsight, it makes much more sense that I behaved that way (knowing where I came from) but I wanted to get rid of the guilt once and for all. When I told her she joked and said “Well it’s too late now!” which made me laugh through my tears. I feel like a major weight was lifted.

Tonight I am going over there to fix her computer. We will go out to dinner first and then I can get her squared away. I am not a big fan of doing things on Mondays but I am learning to be more flexible in my old age lol!  Until next time...

Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight

Dave and I are going to see him in August at the Fox Theater in Oakland. He is one of my favorite artists ever. Hope you enjoy it!

Fixed Friday

Happy Friday everyone!!! Hope you all had a good week. It was a good week for me and I am feeling pretty darn good. I got to the gym on Tuesday AND Thursday and I do plan on going tomorrow. I am meeting up with a girlfriend at 10:00 for breakfast (Hi Kathy!) and not sure if I will go before or after but I WILL be going regardless.

My mom called and wants to talk to me about her car. She has a 2002 Toyota Avalon and it is what I call a “Cush” car. It has leather seats, moon roof, great stereo, dual climate control, etc. You get the picture. Well since she can’t drive anymore she wants to talk about what to do with her car. We have talked a little bit about what she would do in this situation but nothing conclusive was decided. She mentioned giving it to me at one point but I am not sure if she still feels that way. It has to be heartbreaking for her to make that kind of decision.

I did get on the scale this morning and I am the same, 255. I have been doing great with my caloric intake and activity so I am just going to keep on keeping on. I can feel changes in my body, my clothes are getting looser again and I am feeling fab so I will just go with it.

Have a wonderful weekend! Until next time…



P.S. Blogger has been such a bugger. I hope they fixed what is wrong! :(

Thursday Tales

Had a good day yesterday. I went over to Kohl's at lunch time and bought a new blouse for our company banquet next week. We have an end of the year banquet every year where all the CA staff members get together. There are about 450 people so it's a big shindig. I always get something new to wear for it. I did glance at some dresses but decided against it but that is another post in itself. I will have someone take pictures of me with it on.

Did not get much activity in last night. HG and I went to Sushi O Sushi. It was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. I had a Cherry blossom roll and Papaya and Maguro roll. The papaya roll had cucumbers and papaya inside and a sweet sauce lightly glazing the top. Yummy!!!! I did have a large Asahi as well.

Tonight I am going to the gym. I have my iPod this time so it should be better. I will most likely do cardio but I will be checking the schedule to see if they might have a good class going. When I was there on Tuesday, people were actually lined up waiting for the next Group X class to begin so they are popular apparently. Hope you are having a good week! Until next time...

Gym Dandy!

Yesterday turned out to be a good day after all! I actually went to the gym and survived! What a concept! Actually it turned out to be a great visit. This is a new location that just opened up a few weeks ago. Upon arrival, I was greeted by one of the most friendliest staff members I have ever met, Jeff Jones. I told Jeff that I had never been to this location so he gave me an overview of where everything is located.  This is a Super Sport so they have a pool and basketball courts etc. He himself is a weight loss warrior, losing 140 lbs. so he said he will be my biggest fan! Next time I see him, I will mention my blog to him.

I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. I did mildly attempt the C25K but without a sport bra on it was pretty doomed to begin with. I also did not have earphones so it was kind of a bummer but I watched the t.v. and people around me.  After I did the treadmill, I did one minute on the elliptical and a few minutes on the rowing machine. This is me afterwards. Tomato head!

I colored my hair over the weekend but no one has said anything. It  is fairly close to my usual color but it is a bit darker. I suppose I should take that as a good sign.  My plan of action is to go to the gym on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. In the in between I can do DVDs, Wii or Resistance training at home or ride my bike and/or walk. 

Tonight, I am on my own so I will most likely Wii and read until American Idol comes on. Go Lauren and James! Until next time...

Tough Tuesday

I have my Fitbit on today. I wrote myself a note on my white board Got Fitbit? to help me remember. Had a good night last night. I had chicken tacos for dinner from La Paloma. I ended up reading 6 chapters of The Help on my Kindle. I am so happy I bought the Kindle. So easy to read and lightweight. That is what sold me really was the fact it is so light.

My mom is 77 and has Macular Degeneration and cataracts. The Macular Degeneration is rather aggressive in one of her eyes and she went to the eye doctor yesterday. He confirmed that she will no longer be able to renew her drivers license due to her vision problems. This is a MAJOR blow for her. She will be able to drive until her birthday which is June 30th. She is not physically able to get to a bus stop or ride local transit.  They do have a program for Seniors called Outreach that she can use for trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctors appts. etc. I of  course will pitch in where I can but I work full time. Dave could help her too so we have options but it is going to be tough on her.

My plan is to go to the gym tonight after work. I have my gym bag packed and ready to go. There is NO EXCUSE not to go. I just need to pick which location to go to. I am planning on doing cardio and may even try the elliptical machine. Wish me luck! Until next time...

Monday Mix

Hope you all had a nice weekend and Mother's Day if you were celebrating it. It turned out to be a nice weekend. Saturday I saw some friends I had not seen in a couple months so we got to catch up and that was great. Then Dave and I went to dinner with my Mom Saturday night to the Outback. I still have half my entree left. Sunday, my mom and I went and saw Water for Elephants. I have not read the book but it was a good movie. It was rather graphic in some parts (I did cover my eyes!) and it was sad but overall I think it was well done. Especially the costumes and dresses Reese wore.

Speaking of books, I broke down and got a Kindle. It will be coming today! What finally sold me was the fact that it is lighter then a paperback. I do most of my reading in bed and it is hard to hold heavy books so I think this is going to be great. Everyone that I have spoken to about it just loves theirs so I am anxious for it to get here. I wonder which book I should read first... any suggestions? I wonder how easy it would be to read on the treadmill...hmmm...

I did well with food over the weekend which was a first for awhile. I did get some walking in but nothing spectacular. I also forgot to put on my Fitbit. I have it set up to post on FB and Twitter and Saturday it said I took 6 steps. I had to laugh cuz it is like it narked on me - not that I only took 6 steps but that I did not have it on. Little bugger!

Dave is having some minor surgery today on his trigger finger. He has my car because his is a stick shift and it is on his right hand. Hopefully the sun will come out so I can go for a walk at lunch time. He will pick me up after work and we will most likely get La Paloma for dinner. He wanted to do a game tonight but I asked him to get someone else to cover. He wants the money but he also needs to take it easy at least on the day of surgery. Until next time...

What is a Workout?

A workout is 25 percent perspiration and 75 percent determination. Stated another way, it is one part physical exertion and three parts self-discipline. Doing it is easy once you get started. A workout makes you better today than you were yesterday. It strengthens the body, relaxes the mind, and toughens the spirit. When you work out regularly your problems diminish and your confidence grows. A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination. It is the badge of a winner – the mark of an organized, goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his, or her, destiny. A workout is a wise use of time and an investment in excellence. It is a way of preparing for life’s challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary. A workout is a key that helps unlock the door to opportunity and success. Hidden within each of us is an extraordinary force. Physical and mental fitness are the triggers that can release it. A workout is a form of rebirth. When you finish a good workout you won’t simply feel better – you feel better about yourself.



P.S. I have run this post before but I think it deserves the occasional repeat :)

The Weigh It Is

Yay, it is Friday!! Woohoo!!

I didn't do anything festive for Cinco de Mayo. I was tempted to have a Pacifico but one leads to 6 for me so better to avoid it all together. Dave had night games so I was on my own for dinner which has been happening more and more lately. I generally get lazy when he is not around to cook for Shelley but I wanted something healthy since I knew it was going to be weigh day today. So, I had a chicken and veggie skillet dinner. It was pretty darn tasty! 

Got on the scale this morning and I am down 1 lb. so I am at 255. I wasn't expecting more then that given that I haven't been very active this week but food has been good so I think that is what helped. Actually, the way the Fitbit is set up, they want you to achieve a 500 cal deficit per day which is 500 x 7 = 3,500 cals or 1 lb. The bigger the deficit the bigger the loss. Once I get my finally get my arse in gear and get some activities going that deficit will be bigger but I will be shooting for a 1.5-2.0 loss per week. I truly am my biggest roadblock.

I will be doing something with my mom both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night we will go to the Outback and then Sunday we will go see Water for Elephants. I have not read the book but the movie looks good so I am hoping she enjoys it. Other then that, nothing planned. I am trying to put together a workout plan and have my gym schedules out to see if I can go to a Zumba class or something. Has anyone tired Les Mills Bodypump or UJam Fitness? They both look like kick booty classes. What is the worst thing that could happen if I did go? As long as I make it through the class without hurting myself there isn't anything horrible. So what if people look at me. I am there for ME not them! Have some confidence in the fact that you are going! Hope you all have a lovely weekend whatever you do. Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's and mom's to be! Until next time...

Track it Accurately!

First of all, I want to give a shout out to my nephew Michael. It's his birthday today! He is 20 years old. He lives in Colorado. Next time we will see him is in the summer. My brother will be turning 50 so they are all coming out to celebrate it with my Mom. Awwww...

My method of choice for losing weight is tracking/counting calories. It is what works for me.  When I am diligent, I see results. When I get lazy about it… not so much. I have been asked a number of times about how “accurate” the Bodybugg or the Fitbit are as tracking tools. Well, my response is that you have to be honest or neither one will work.

The trouble is sometimes it is hard to estimate one bite of a cookie or a lick of batter but it did get consumed right? What I do is try to determine what the caloric value for the whole item is and how much of a serving I had and divide it. It is always better to overestimate then underestimate. Someone coined the term BLT which stands for Bites, Licks and Tastes.

The other thing about tracking is making sure to include things that you add to your meals like butter or margarine on your potato, mustard or mayo on your sandwich or soy sauce to your steak. It all adds up. Using measuring spoons is very helpful with these items.

Another area is beverages. I basically drink coffee, water and diet 7-up so the only thing I have to account for is the creamer in my coffee. For those of you who drink juices, energy drinks or vitamin water, they all have calories too so be mindful of what you’re drinking too. Again, it all adds up. Regardless of what method you choose to lose remember to be honest. If not, you are only cheating yourself. Until next time...

Willful Wednesday

Had a nice evening. Instead of cooking fish, we went out to eat with some friends at the Redi Room. It was one of the last nights they will serve dinner before summer so we went. I had salmon and it was HUGE so I brought half of it home. No exercise to speak of. I watched this new show called The Voice and thought it was pretty good. I have it DVR'd so I can catch up.

I saw this book on someones blog yesterday. They picked it up at the library and it looked like something that would be helpful for me to get a routine going so I ordered it on Amazon. It should be here by Friday. Gotta love Amazon!!! Wish I could remember who it was!

You know me and my love of all things Java. I got a lb. of Starbuck's 3 Region Blend  It is smooth but full bodied. I don't like bitter blends so this is right up my alley. It is a limited edition which is a bummer but they are always coming out with something new and exciting.

I have a funny little story I wanted to share. In the office building where I work there is a day porter who roams the buildings cleaning and polishing. He is a really nice young man. He is very efficient with his tasks but it has caused some "issues" for me. See, at least twice a day he goes into the ladies room and cleans the commodes and leaves the toilet seat up. Well with my increased water consumption and newer smaller pants with multiple buttons and zippers, it has cost me precious time and has caused some very near misses let me tell you. We are the only company on our floor so our restrooms don't get any traffic other then us. Back at my heaviest, I wore elastic waisted pants so it was not an issue but it has been lately. The key is to plan a little better. Since I have to get someone to cover the phones, I hesitate asking. Silly, I know but I am getting better about it which is progress.

Hope you are having a good week! Until next time...