Oh joy...just when we recover from the ickiness of paying in income taxes (oh the joys of self-employment) then it hits again. Went to the post office this morning. Joy of joys, the bill for our property taxes. Does the fun ever stop??? ROFL
Saw the funniest video on youtube this morning. Oh my word, I just sat and laughed. Tis of course about cats!
Lets see, my weight first of all. Yep, it's up 1 pound today. I'm not shocked. While I worked my tail end off yesterday....I did splurge a bit at dinner. (more on that later). I'm not worried. It will come back off. No problems.
My splurge. Well, we went out to eat and I got a cup of soup and the salad bar. We were at a restaurant where the salad bar is that...salad. Not all the desserts and hot foods....none of that. Salad fixin's. Oh well..there was potato salad and some grapes on there also! So my splurge.....it was from the salad bar. So even though I went over my points, it was healthier foods. I feel no guilt what-so-ever about it either.
But while we were eating, Todd and I got to talking about how we are eating now versus how we WERE eating and then it rolled the conversation around to how we think we'll be eating in the future. Well, of course we used to eat ourselves silly....we'd each get an appetizer, an entree and we'd each get our own desserts. Many times we'd get a salad also. I mean..TONS of food. We talked about the future and what our eating will hold once we get to our goal weights. I couldn't help but laugh and say that I will STILL love food then. I'll STILL be addicted to food. But the difference is that I realize that I will have to 'earn' my right to eat the foods. Basically I will have to exercise to eat. I will NEVER be able to go back to eating the way that I used to. Nor do I want to. But I know that the more I exercise, the better I'll be able to handle any little eating situations. My brother has commented many times to me about how he has many friends (guys and gals that he bikes with) that say that they started biking because they simply loved food and that when they bike, they can eat what they want with less worry about the reprocussions. Now of course there is a downside. The downside? His friends tend to gain weight during the winter when it's cold outside and they are less apt to bike! I think he once told me that it's nothing for some of his friends to gain between 10 and 15 pounds during the cold months (I actually want to say it was 20 pounds...but that seems awful high).
Talked to my brother the other night about my desire to buy a new bike. Yeah yeah yeah...I don't really NEED a new bike. I just want another bike. NO WAY am I getting rid of my current bike. I love my bike! Well....after talking to him...and really thinking about the money that I'd be spending (yeah, lets not forget I just dumped close to a grand down for a new camera......and I'm not made of money...NO WHERE CLOSE) I'm going to stick with my bike. He recommended gettings slicks for my bike so when I do ride on the road. NOW....this is the new dilema. Do I want to just change out my tires.......or do I want to get whole new rims......and keep my current rims so that I can change out wheels for whatever/whereever I'm going to be??? I stopped by the bike shop yesterday......new wheels, i'm looking at just under $200. New tires to put on my current rims....I'm talking about $40. Don't chastise me....I know, I know I know! New tires...keep the old rims. Well, no matter. I'm not gonna purchase anything now. Getting a new re-railer is actually first on my list of things to do for my bike. BUt you know what...I've ridden with it out for a year and a half now...and it's just annoying. I still have 7 gears at any one time....and if I get tired of those 7...all I have to do is get off my bike and move the chain with my finger. (uhhh that doesn't happen often...lol)
Last night I just cringed. I went to bed and Todd was like, 'set the alarm for 6AM'. I just groaned. of course, the days that I dont' need to wake up, he wants to wake up early. And typically the days that I have to wake up early for work, he lays in bed sleeping the whole time I'm tiptoeing around the house. AND of course he can sleep through it all...but me, when that alarm goes off..I'm awake...no more sleep for me. To make matters worse....half the time when we have to wake up early for him, he rolls over and goes back to sleep...leaving me wide awake. Well this morning he did sleep for maybe another half hour. But that's not too bad. I however was super productive. Before 8AM, I'd had breakfast, re-upholstered the chairs that go with my glass top table that's on the screened in porch, scoured the drip pans (all of them) on my stove (and of course the stove got a good scrubbing also), the dishes had been washed, the kitchen cleaned (except for the floor, which I'll do tomorrow when I do all the floors), and the guest bathroom thoroughly cleaned....spotless. (I told Todd that we are not using that bathroom until the party...haa haa haa...I'll probably be the first to use it..forgetting my edict). By 8:30, I was tired and worn out. Didn't do much else of use this morning.....haa haa haa Oh wait, before I showered and got ready to come to work, I did go for a ride......just shy of 10 miles today. Tomorrow will be my busy day in the house...getting stuff ready....and some light cooking and baking. Yep, I'll get my normal ride in first thing in the morning!
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Two rides and a half day off.
Did two rides today. One in the morning before work...my normal ride. And then one this afternoon with Todd! The above picture is from after my second ride. We rode out of Williamsport on the canal (I'm standing on the east wing wall of the Catoctin Aqueduct). I didn't weigh myself this morning. I should have. BUT, I didn't. I didn't eat all that great today...but I wasn't way overboard if that makes sense.
I only worked this morning and then Todd and I had a half day together. I can't wait until we are fully staffed once again at work so that I don't have to work on Wednesdays! That will be a huge relief!
I feel as if I've not held one thought together in this blog entry....so thus I will end it now!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Week three of mainenance done
Something interesting that I realized about myself today. When I'm eating a larger or even a 'normal' portion of food, I find myself taking bigger bites and mouthfuls of food. As compared to when I'm eating something that is strictly portion controlled. I noticed it earlier when I was eating my 1/2 cup of ice cream (which is STILL working great might I add). I was taking teeny tiny bites. ANd now I"m splurging and eating a 100 cal choc bar. And I'm taking baby bites. I know it's simply because it's so 'small' and I want it to last! And I'm enjoying it a heck of a lot more than if I were taking huge honkin' bites!
Weighed in officially today.....1.4 down! WOO HOOO! 177.6 as my official weight! 3 mores weeks left before I become a lifetime member. What a relief financially at least!
Today was my day off from riding. Tomorrow it's back up at 5:30 to ride. Weird thing. The last few mornings I've had to DRAG myself out of bed to ride. SO this morning when I could sleep in a bit.....I woke up raring to go! What's up with that???
I've been on a mission lately. I'm tired of all these little errands and jobs that come up in life. The ones that you put on a pile on your desk and say , "I'll get to that soon" And sometimes its ultra important things. (one of my things was upping the personal property insurance on our place....we were grossly under insured!). I'm tackling one or two things each day. Sadly enough, a good many of these things are turning into multi-day projects/tasks. But I'm determined to get through them! Tomorrow I'm going to tackle the boat and it's registration. I've sent in the registration papers for this stupid thing 2 times now...and DNR keeps sending it back saying something is missing the last time I put everything they said was missing...a signature from the seller..and resent it. NOW supposedly it's missing something else! Go figure. And each time it gets sent back, it ends up on that 'soon' pile. Well......I think that will be tomorrow's project...start working on getting the 'missing' piece of the puzzle and sending it in! Well, and following up on the other things I've started this week! I will get this list of 'to-do's' eradicated!
URrggghhhh...why oh why did I just eat that portion controlled 100 cal chocolate bar?????? It's sitting in the pit of my belly. I'm not feeling sick from it...but I'm not feeling overly great. BLECH!!!
Weighed in officially today.....1.4 down! WOO HOOO! 177.6 as my official weight! 3 mores weeks left before I become a lifetime member. What a relief financially at least!
Today was my day off from riding. Tomorrow it's back up at 5:30 to ride. Weird thing. The last few mornings I've had to DRAG myself out of bed to ride. SO this morning when I could sleep in a bit.....I woke up raring to go! What's up with that???
I've been on a mission lately. I'm tired of all these little errands and jobs that come up in life. The ones that you put on a pile on your desk and say , "I'll get to that soon" And sometimes its ultra important things. (one of my things was upping the personal property insurance on our place....we were grossly under insured!). I'm tackling one or two things each day. Sadly enough, a good many of these things are turning into multi-day projects/tasks. But I'm determined to get through them! Tomorrow I'm going to tackle the boat and it's registration. I've sent in the registration papers for this stupid thing 2 times now...and DNR keeps sending it back saying something is missing the last time I put everything they said was missing...a signature from the seller..and resent it. NOW supposedly it's missing something else! Go figure. And each time it gets sent back, it ends up on that 'soon' pile. Well......I think that will be tomorrow's project...start working on getting the 'missing' piece of the puzzle and sending it in! Well, and following up on the other things I've started this week! I will get this list of 'to-do's' eradicated!
URrggghhhh...why oh why did I just eat that portion controlled 100 cal chocolate bar?????? It's sitting in the pit of my belly. I'm not feeling sick from it...but I'm not feeling overly great. BLECH!!!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday Madness
Ok, my weight was down a few ounces. SO I feel much better about my day yesterday. It wasn't down by much...but it was down by a bit...and that's what counts!
Got a nice long ride in this morning. 19.7 miles. My knee is still acting up....but I'm simply working through the pain. Ate wisely for breakfast and lunch (an egg and cheese sandwich..and with my ingredients....3 points). A salad (three points), strawberries and a small banana for lunch. I'm making chili for dinner....so I'll be in good shape point wise. This week is just a terribly busy week. I think I've worked it out that I'll be able to get to a meeting. I'm kinda worried..because I won't be at my normal meeting...and attendance has fallen WAY off at that meeting...as in it's probably in danger of being closed. BUT, I can't worry about the fact that I'm not goign to that meeting this week. I need to focus on ME and what I can do, and which meeting I can most reasonably go to. (I could go to my normal meeting, but it would require me to either make two trips to town thus wasting gas. OR go into town at lunchtime and stick around town pretty much doing nothing until my normal meeting at 7PM). For me, missing more than one meeting in a row is not an option. I know that for me, I need to go to meetings. ANd I realize that I will most likely need to regularly attend meetings the rest of my life. My plan is to make an effort to attend weekly even after I hit lifetime.
Well, the mower saga. I called the repair place and got the run around once again. And when they finally called me back, they made it clear that they A. think troybilt is a pain and B. don't consider me their customer. IN their words, "You have to understand, we contract this stuff." HELLO....you have my mower...that makes me your customer. Just because the money is coming from someone else..I'm ultimately your customer! Well, of course I got off the phone with them and turned right around to call Lowes (the place I bought the mower from and the people that I purchased the service plan from). They are going to see what I can do. They also told me that they have a fix it fast program...the mower should have been returned to me within 3 weeks of my first call. HELLO....this company didn't even pick it up until 2 weeks after my call. And that was three weeks ago....we are talking 5 weeks! Well...at least I"m going to get a $50 reimbursment for having someone else have to mow my yard (since it's been over three weeks) This is just nutty!
Lets see I also called the insurance company that holds our homeowners policy. Before we moved in we only had minimal insurance on the contents of this place. Well, now that we are living here, we have tons more stuff here.......as in we are GROSSLY under-insured for contents for this place. We need to get that fixed ASAP. I called and they said that they 'could' do it over the phone but would prefer not to....so Todd and I are going to head in there on Wednesday and get that done.
Ok, researched the cancellation thing with my monthly pass for weight watchers. I had looked and realized that they bill me on the seventh of each month. SO I was gung ho to cancel by that time, to avoid being billed again. I had calculated that I would have just enough time on my current pass to make lifetime. But I read the paperwork that they gave me when I signed up. They will refund if you make lifetime apparently. So I may delay cancelling it a bit. I guess I"m just nervous about cancelling it until I know that I'm not going to need it. It's kinda my safety net!
What is it with Todd and I???? Is there any particular reason why we've had such incredibly bad luck this year? We are almost exactly at midpoint in the year. Will that be the turning point to our year??? Or are we going to have a full year of this crap???????
I was talking to Todd and wanting to get a different bike...a road bike. His words were to start checking out these used sporting goods places. Good idea! I was looking at road bikes last night. My oh my......I saw some that I was literally drooling over. The drool dried up when I saw the price tag though. :-) I've always said I want to eventually get a recumbant bike also...for 'cruisin'. Oh to actually have enough money to get what I want, instead of dreaming!
Got a nice long ride in this morning. 19.7 miles. My knee is still acting up....but I'm simply working through the pain. Ate wisely for breakfast and lunch (an egg and cheese sandwich..and with my ingredients....3 points). A salad (three points), strawberries and a small banana for lunch. I'm making chili for dinner....so I'll be in good shape point wise. This week is just a terribly busy week. I think I've worked it out that I'll be able to get to a meeting. I'm kinda worried..because I won't be at my normal meeting...and attendance has fallen WAY off at that meeting...as in it's probably in danger of being closed. BUT, I can't worry about the fact that I'm not goign to that meeting this week. I need to focus on ME and what I can do, and which meeting I can most reasonably go to. (I could go to my normal meeting, but it would require me to either make two trips to town thus wasting gas. OR go into town at lunchtime and stick around town pretty much doing nothing until my normal meeting at 7PM). For me, missing more than one meeting in a row is not an option. I know that for me, I need to go to meetings. ANd I realize that I will most likely need to regularly attend meetings the rest of my life. My plan is to make an effort to attend weekly even after I hit lifetime.
Well, the mower saga. I called the repair place and got the run around once again. And when they finally called me back, they made it clear that they A. think troybilt is a pain and B. don't consider me their customer. IN their words, "You have to understand, we contract this stuff." HELLO....you have my mower...that makes me your customer. Just because the money is coming from someone else..I'm ultimately your customer! Well, of course I got off the phone with them and turned right around to call Lowes (the place I bought the mower from and the people that I purchased the service plan from). They are going to see what I can do. They also told me that they have a fix it fast program...the mower should have been returned to me within 3 weeks of my first call. HELLO....this company didn't even pick it up until 2 weeks after my call. And that was three weeks ago....we are talking 5 weeks! Well...at least I"m going to get a $50 reimbursment for having someone else have to mow my yard (since it's been over three weeks) This is just nutty!
Lets see I also called the insurance company that holds our homeowners policy. Before we moved in we only had minimal insurance on the contents of this place. Well, now that we are living here, we have tons more stuff here.......as in we are GROSSLY under-insured for contents for this place. We need to get that fixed ASAP. I called and they said that they 'could' do it over the phone but would prefer not to....so Todd and I are going to head in there on Wednesday and get that done.
Ok, researched the cancellation thing with my monthly pass for weight watchers. I had looked and realized that they bill me on the seventh of each month. SO I was gung ho to cancel by that time, to avoid being billed again. I had calculated that I would have just enough time on my current pass to make lifetime. But I read the paperwork that they gave me when I signed up. They will refund if you make lifetime apparently. So I may delay cancelling it a bit. I guess I"m just nervous about cancelling it until I know that I'm not going to need it. It's kinda my safety net!
What is it with Todd and I???? Is there any particular reason why we've had such incredibly bad luck this year? We are almost exactly at midpoint in the year. Will that be the turning point to our year??? Or are we going to have a full year of this crap???????
I was talking to Todd and wanting to get a different bike...a road bike. His words were to start checking out these used sporting goods places. Good idea! I was looking at road bikes last night. My oh my......I saw some that I was literally drooling over. The drool dried up when I saw the price tag though. :-) I've always said I want to eventually get a recumbant bike also...for 'cruisin'. Oh to actually have enough money to get what I want, instead of dreaming!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sitting with my leg elevated
Well...between the two rides I got in today, I logged 34.2 miles. I'm happy with that! I probably shouldn't have ridden that much. I'm really suffering. ON Saturday while at work, I went to move and whacked my knee against the panic button underneath my desk. NO, I didn't set off the alarm (although that would have been funny). I felt that terrible pain for a few minutes. (you know...the pain like when you hit your funny bone). But it passed relatively quickly or so I thought. BUT, when I stood up and went to move...eii yiii yiiil......hurts hurts hurts. I do feel as if it just irritated the good old arthritis...as that's what the pain feels like. AND I've had a few instances where my knee has just buckled under me. I haven't had that not so pleasant experience since about 100 pounds ago. I just want to lay around with my knee propped up becaues that helps ease the pain. However, I didn't do that all day....just NOW. Beyond logging 34.2 miles today. I reorganized the screened in porch (I had moved everything to finish painting the floor yesterday). Oh yes, the screened in porch is now truely screened in again! WOO HOOO! I got a bit of chipping done also...before the rain at least!
Now for the bad part. I've been sooo hungry today. I'm hoping that all my miles and my outdoor work. (and even this morning, I was moving at the grocery store and then at home while I took care of all that) is the reason my body was demanding food and that it won't show on the scales tomorrow. I hate this part of weight loss!!!!!!!
Speaking of weight loss...I"m goign to go on to cancel my monthly pass tonight. I just got my renewal card...and I"m paid up until July 21. That is on a Monday. If I go in on MOnday the 21st instead of my normal Tuesday night weigh in that week, I SHOULD meet my lifetime goal that night....that would be the 6th week of maintenance. And if I don't make it on the 21'st...I can simply pay for that last meeting.....or if I have to...last two or three meetings! As long as it is only 2 or three meetings I'll be ok. But if it segued into more than three, I'd be losing money. OK, I just checked my credit card statement...they bill it on the 7th of the month. I"ll wait until a day or so before that....that way I'll have another weigh in under my belt and I'll also be right around the corner from yet another weigh in...so I'll be reasonably sure how that one will go. :-)
Now for the bad part. I've been sooo hungry today. I'm hoping that all my miles and my outdoor work. (and even this morning, I was moving at the grocery store and then at home while I took care of all that) is the reason my body was demanding food and that it won't show on the scales tomorrow. I hate this part of weight loss!!!!!!!
Speaking of weight loss...I"m goign to go on to cancel my monthly pass tonight. I just got my renewal card...and I"m paid up until July 21. That is on a Monday. If I go in on MOnday the 21st instead of my normal Tuesday night weigh in that week, I SHOULD meet my lifetime goal that night....that would be the 6th week of maintenance. And if I don't make it on the 21'st...I can simply pay for that last meeting.....or if I have to...last two or three meetings! As long as it is only 2 or three meetings I'll be ok. But if it segued into more than three, I'd be losing money. OK, I just checked my credit card statement...they bill it on the 7th of the month. I"ll wait until a day or so before that....that way I'll have another weigh in under my belt and I'll also be right around the corner from yet another weigh in...so I'll be reasonably sure how that one will go. :-)
My weight was up a bit this morning. But I pretty much expected it. We went out to dinner with mom and dad last night. And while I ate sensibly there, I did come home and sample (ok, I ate) one of the chocolate muffins that I made for my husband (at his request). That pushed me over my points for the day. So it pushed me from 177.2 to 178.4 Not a big deal...I'll get it back off...no problems.
This morning I got up early and read a bit in bed. I then headed to town and ran into Lowes to get one or two things for Todd and then into the grocery store. I brought everything home and I spent the time washing, chopping, slicing and separating everything. My salad 'mix' that I create is ready for me this week. My fruits are washed and in some cases sliced. I made homemade croutons from my low cal high fiber bread. And the ice cream is divied up into the 1/2 containers for this week. I'll admit to tasting the Bryers Cookies and Cream Ice cream. 2 points for 1/2 cup! YUMMY! After everything was put away and the kitchen cleaned.....I headed for the exercise bike. Gotta get in my ride! Shortly I'll be heading to eat my lunch....a salad! YUMMY!
Hopefully I'll be able to get some work done around the house outside this afternoon!
This morning I got up early and read a bit in bed. I then headed to town and ran into Lowes to get one or two things for Todd and then into the grocery store. I brought everything home and I spent the time washing, chopping, slicing and separating everything. My salad 'mix' that I create is ready for me this week. My fruits are washed and in some cases sliced. I made homemade croutons from my low cal high fiber bread. And the ice cream is divied up into the 1/2 containers for this week. I'll admit to tasting the Bryers Cookies and Cream Ice cream. 2 points for 1/2 cup! YUMMY! After everything was put away and the kitchen cleaned.....I headed for the exercise bike. Gotta get in my ride! Shortly I'll be heading to eat my lunch....a salad! YUMMY!
Hopefully I'll be able to get some work done around the house outside this afternoon!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday Ramblings
177.2 This morning I've once again hit uncharted territory in my weight loss journey. Yes, 177.2 is the lowest I have ever been since I was a teen...or whenever I hit that weight on the way up.
I'm pretty tickled about my weight this morning. However, I can't get too excited. Why you say? Well, because I feel miserable! I woke up in the middle of the night not feeling well. And this morning when the alarm went off I all of a sudden realized the most probable reason why my body has been craving sleep so much. It's been fighting off getting sick. And apparently last night, it gave it up. Right now my main complaint is that my throat hurts like a demon. I feel washed out and just out of it...I can deal with that though. I have no congestion of anything like that. We'll see how this shakes out. I just don't have time to be sick! Not this week.....tee hee hee...like I have a choice of when I get sick.
Even not feeling well this morning, I got on the bike. As I got on I made a conscious decision to ride and not worry about the odometer or whatever. I just wanted to get "something" in on the exercise log. My first thought was back to April when I had a sinus issue.....I stopped exercising that week. I don't want to do that. So I decided that even if I do light rides or light workouts that I would be happy with myself. SO I rode for 27 minutes. I was actually shocked, because I assumed it would be about 4-5 miles. I actually knocked out 6.89 miles in that 27 minutes. Not my normal pace...but definitely nothing to sneeze at.
Well, I work this morning. After work I'm coming home and hopefully I'll be able to get the porch painting finished this afternoon. Todd has a friend that will be over here helping him wiht the insulation under the house today. So I'll have to run and pick up lunch for them before I can start working myself. And no...as tempting as it will be to pick myself up a sub when I pick up theirs, I have already written down my lunch foods into my journal and I'm planning on sticking with it. I'll be eating mostly fruits and veggies for lunch :-)
A while back I was looking at biking events and such. I talked to Todd and with everything that's going on this year, I knew that I didn't have the time to train for one this year. But there are some out there that I SOOO badly want to do. The Covered Bridges ride looked like something I would LOVE. Not to mention the fall ride in Staunton, VA. BUT, yesterday I was introduced to a different kind of ride. It's not a race.....but it raises money for a really good cause....cancer. Which many people in my family has battled, and some has lost the battle (go dad....cancer free now for 9 years!) The 24 hours of Booty sounds SOOO interesting. Basically you go to this event and they have a track/path/route set aside, no traffic in which you ride for 24 hours. You are not required to ride the complete 24 hours, you ride what you want to ride..and what you can ride. I'm really tempted to ride in it this year....even though it will be a bit close for me to get my fundraising done in time. I've already run it by a co-worker (my manager) and she seemed interested in getting a team together for next years ride. (that way we can get our employer involved as a sponsor for our team!) I may go for it myself this year...however I need to get my bike fixed...I'm having a problem with one tier of gears. It's been on my list of stuff to do, I just haven't gotten around to it...and meanwhile, when I ride that bike, I just ride without that tier of gears. LOL Makes me work harder..tee hee hee Actually, if I'd start to do these rides, I'd have to invest in a road bike. My hybrid would be ok, but a road bike would be better. :-) Ahhh expensive hobbies. Well...maybe not...my hybrid is now 7 years old......and still going strong except for that gear issue (and that gear issue is because I was stopped on a trail at one point and my dearest husband ran into me and bent up my rerailer...yeah, I just need a new rerailer).
Oh well......I'm going to keep myself on my pace of training and see what happens! :-)
I'm pretty tickled about my weight this morning. However, I can't get too excited. Why you say? Well, because I feel miserable! I woke up in the middle of the night not feeling well. And this morning when the alarm went off I all of a sudden realized the most probable reason why my body has been craving sleep so much. It's been fighting off getting sick. And apparently last night, it gave it up. Right now my main complaint is that my throat hurts like a demon. I feel washed out and just out of it...I can deal with that though. I have no congestion of anything like that. We'll see how this shakes out. I just don't have time to be sick! Not this week.....tee hee hee...like I have a choice of when I get sick.
Even not feeling well this morning, I got on the bike. As I got on I made a conscious decision to ride and not worry about the odometer or whatever. I just wanted to get "something" in on the exercise log. My first thought was back to April when I had a sinus issue.....I stopped exercising that week. I don't want to do that. So I decided that even if I do light rides or light workouts that I would be happy with myself. SO I rode for 27 minutes. I was actually shocked, because I assumed it would be about 4-5 miles. I actually knocked out 6.89 miles in that 27 minutes. Not my normal pace...but definitely nothing to sneeze at.
Well, I work this morning. After work I'm coming home and hopefully I'll be able to get the porch painting finished this afternoon. Todd has a friend that will be over here helping him wiht the insulation under the house today. So I'll have to run and pick up lunch for them before I can start working myself. And no...as tempting as it will be to pick myself up a sub when I pick up theirs, I have already written down my lunch foods into my journal and I'm planning on sticking with it. I'll be eating mostly fruits and veggies for lunch :-)
A while back I was looking at biking events and such. I talked to Todd and with everything that's going on this year, I knew that I didn't have the time to train for one this year. But there are some out there that I SOOO badly want to do. The Covered Bridges ride looked like something I would LOVE. Not to mention the fall ride in Staunton, VA. BUT, yesterday I was introduced to a different kind of ride. It's not a race.....but it raises money for a really good cause....cancer. Which many people in my family has battled, and some has lost the battle (go dad....cancer free now for 9 years!) The 24 hours of Booty sounds SOOO interesting. Basically you go to this event and they have a track/path/route set aside, no traffic in which you ride for 24 hours. You are not required to ride the complete 24 hours, you ride what you want to ride..and what you can ride. I'm really tempted to ride in it this year....even though it will be a bit close for me to get my fundraising done in time. I've already run it by a co-worker (my manager) and she seemed interested in getting a team together for next years ride. (that way we can get our employer involved as a sponsor for our team!) I may go for it myself this year...however I need to get my bike fixed...I'm having a problem with one tier of gears. It's been on my list of stuff to do, I just haven't gotten around to it...and meanwhile, when I ride that bike, I just ride without that tier of gears. LOL Makes me work harder..tee hee hee Actually, if I'd start to do these rides, I'd have to invest in a road bike. My hybrid would be ok, but a road bike would be better. :-) Ahhh expensive hobbies. Well...maybe not...my hybrid is now 7 years old......and still going strong except for that gear issue (and that gear issue is because I was stopped on a trail at one point and my dearest husband ran into me and bent up my rerailer...yeah, I just need a new rerailer).
Oh well......I'm going to keep myself on my pace of training and see what happens! :-)
Friday, June 27, 2008
Drastic drop
WOO HOOOO! Man, I knew that sodium could wreak havoc...and I knew that the ick did the same thing...both in the name of water retention. BUT I've never been stupid enough to pair the two together. Until last weekend! Well, in defense of myself, I wasn't expecting the ick for another week. But, woah, my weight jumped up about 3 pounds! ANd nothing I could do would get it down. I admit that during that time I did snack a bit more than normal. BUT nothing out of control....and still right around my point range (using maybe one or two flex points per day). SOOOO this morning when I stepped on the scales and that weight was just magically GONE! Whew, what a relief! There is nothing more troubling than seeing your weight jump.
Morning ride is in....16.1 miles. I've been quite productive since my ride. I've sat and entered foods onto the fitday program. With my points that I currently get with weight watchers, I'm eating about 1300 calories. That is good. I'm happy with that. I'm curious though....because weight watchers will keep having me drop my points and I know that everything I've ever read says do not go below 1200 calories. So I want to keep a close eye on that! I've also sat down and created my menu for next weeks meals. I've checked the cabinets for what we have and made up the grocery list. AND while looking to see what we had, I cleaned and organized the cupboards! And I've still got an hour before I need to leave for work! WOO HOOOO!
On to other news. Todd told me last night that he went ahead and called the non-emergency police number yesterday. WHen I asked why, I flipped out! Turns out that he has been receiving calls from a guy that is insisting that Todd work with him. Now number one, he doesn't work with the type of music that this guy is into, for two reasons....one he doesn't like that style and secondly the typical musicians in stereotypically in the genre are very disrespectful and just out of control. So he has turned the guy down and actually referred him to a recording studio that actually does work with that style of music. Well this guy has continued to insist and badger and apparently yesterday it came down to death threats!! WHAT????? Someone has made death threats against my husband????? They actually made some of the threats via email. Our only recourse at this time.....print the emails and notate everything and get it up to the police station to have on file in case this guy does something. OHhh yeah, I feel comforted! Yes, I know that most likely this kid (he is in his late teens early 20's) is blowing smoke and just threatening. However, there is no way to know for sure! Yeah, I"m not comforted. Ahhh life....isn't it grand?????
Morning ride is in....16.1 miles. I've been quite productive since my ride. I've sat and entered foods onto the fitday program. With my points that I currently get with weight watchers, I'm eating about 1300 calories. That is good. I'm happy with that. I'm curious though....because weight watchers will keep having me drop my points and I know that everything I've ever read says do not go below 1200 calories. So I want to keep a close eye on that! I've also sat down and created my menu for next weeks meals. I've checked the cabinets for what we have and made up the grocery list. AND while looking to see what we had, I cleaned and organized the cupboards! And I've still got an hour before I need to leave for work! WOO HOOOO!
On to other news. Todd told me last night that he went ahead and called the non-emergency police number yesterday. WHen I asked why, I flipped out! Turns out that he has been receiving calls from a guy that is insisting that Todd work with him. Now number one, he doesn't work with the type of music that this guy is into, for two reasons....one he doesn't like that style and secondly the typical musicians in stereotypically in the genre are very disrespectful and just out of control. So he has turned the guy down and actually referred him to a recording studio that actually does work with that style of music. Well this guy has continued to insist and badger and apparently yesterday it came down to death threats!! WHAT????? Someone has made death threats against my husband????? They actually made some of the threats via email. Our only recourse at this time.....print the emails and notate everything and get it up to the police station to have on file in case this guy does something. OHhh yeah, I feel comforted! Yes, I know that most likely this kid (he is in his late teens early 20's) is blowing smoke and just threatening. However, there is no way to know for sure! Yeah, I"m not comforted. Ahhh life....isn't it grand?????
Thursday, June 26, 2008
STarting the downward thrust!
Well....at least my weight went down a little bit this morning. It WAS 181.6. Today it was 181.4. I've been a very good girl thus far today. In fact, I still have about 2 points left for my day...and it's 7:30...so as long as I can chew away on my gum (to keep me from wanting to actually eat food), I'll be good as gold! WOO HOO. Lets hope that the scales show something positive tomorrow!
Last night Todd and I were watching tv together, laying on the couch. We both fell asleep at around 7:30 to 8 PM. Todd woke me up at 9 so that we could go to bed. I stumbled to the bedroom and fell back asleep. I slept straight through until the alarm went off at 6AM. That is a LONG night's sleep. I got up and I got mad at myself because I should have set the alarm for 5:30.....because today was a long ride. I decided to go ahead with the longer ride and just make up the time difference in my morning preparations for work. SO, I took a shorter shower.....left my hair just a bit damper, rushed my breakfast along....and did my longer ride! Yeah me!!!!!!! I may try to jump on the exercise tonight.
Ok, exercising tonight isn't an option anylonger. As I was typing earlier, I heard a beep. My parents stopped by for a visit. Ok, I live out in the country..there is not 'stopping by' they drove down specifically to see me. SO it was a nice little visit. But now it's 9:30....so I'll be honest and say that exercise is a no go for me tonight. But hey, I rode this morning! WOO HOOO!
My job is starting to bore me to tears. The only reason I'm still ok at the job at this point is the fact that I can surf the internet, write, and read books all day! Why can I not find a job that I adore???
Last night Todd and I were watching tv together, laying on the couch. We both fell asleep at around 7:30 to 8 PM. Todd woke me up at 9 so that we could go to bed. I stumbled to the bedroom and fell back asleep. I slept straight through until the alarm went off at 6AM. That is a LONG night's sleep. I got up and I got mad at myself because I should have set the alarm for 5:30.....because today was a long ride. I decided to go ahead with the longer ride and just make up the time difference in my morning preparations for work. SO, I took a shorter shower.....left my hair just a bit damper, rushed my breakfast along....and did my longer ride! Yeah me!!!!!!! I may try to jump on the exercise tonight.
Ok, exercising tonight isn't an option anylonger. As I was typing earlier, I heard a beep. My parents stopped by for a visit. Ok, I live out in the country..there is not 'stopping by' they drove down specifically to see me. SO it was a nice little visit. But now it's 9:30....so I'll be honest and say that exercise is a no go for me tonight. But hey, I rode this morning! WOO HOOO!
My job is starting to bore me to tears. The only reason I'm still ok at the job at this point is the fact that I can surf the internet, write, and read books all day! Why can I not find a job that I adore???
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
A synopsis of my downward spiral
You know, I made it through Hershey Park with flying colors. I headed into the weekend strong...and on Saturday I ate foods REALLy high in sodium. My weight jumped. I was like, "I know why" so I wasn't really worried. Then Todd made plans to eat with friends at a CHINESE restaurant on Sunday....MORe sodium. (oh yeah, we worked outside a lot on Saturday and Sunday...hard to stay hydrated ANYWAY). Well...of course Chinese is a food that just doesn't stick to my bones. So even though I had no points left...by 6:30 (we had eaten at like 4) I was STARVING! I ate and ate! Oh, I had a PB&J, some pretzels, a hundred calorie pack, a pudding cup, ohhh and a little bit of ice cream. Oh yeah, and the ick hit the same day! (A week early...what's up with this every three week thing???? I don't like it!) Since Sunday evening I've struggled with eating. I haven't done too badly. I've stayed relatively 'close' to my points. I've had one or two over each day. (yeah, those flex points are supposed to be there for such occaisions...but I don't lose if I eat them...sucks to be me!) So my weight is UP UP UP! I didn't go to my weigh in this week........probably because I would have not been considered 'maintaining'.
This week....STRESS city. On Monday, todd had a front tire blow out on his car. Ended up buying 4 new tires. Then his pump on his coolant in his computer (basically his computer is cooled with antifreeze instead of fans) blew up....there goes another $100 (actually probably more when all said and done). AND last night we went out to work trying to get ready for our 4th of July party (actually it's on the 5th).....SOMETHING crawled under the house (in the crawlspace) and died! We started looking for it at 6AM this morning....and we ended up and had to call in a professional! $100 bucks more to find this HUGE cat and drag it away! What else??????
This week....STRESS city. On Monday, todd had a front tire blow out on his car. Ended up buying 4 new tires. Then his pump on his coolant in his computer (basically his computer is cooled with antifreeze instead of fans) blew up....there goes another $100 (actually probably more when all said and done). AND last night we went out to work trying to get ready for our 4th of July party (actually it's on the 5th).....SOMETHING crawled under the house (in the crawlspace) and died! We started looking for it at 6AM this morning....and we ended up and had to call in a professional! $100 bucks more to find this HUGE cat and drag it away! What else??????
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
A battle with the scales...and the scales won!
Faced the scales this morning, I did. Oh boy oh boy. Was I ever tickled to see the results. Oh yeah! (note the excessive sarcasm just oozing from my pores!) My weight....181.6! NOT at all looking for that. I was hoping that my weight had gone down a bit...even just a hair from Sunday's weigh in results! NOT up another half pound! I'll admit though that on top of the sodium issues, I cheated a bit last night....and uhhhhh the night before. I didn't do much...just one or two points above my daily allowance. They "SAY" it shouldn't affect me.....it's flex points I'm allowed to eat. However, I just can't seem to eat my flex points and still lose! Oh well....my nose is to the grindstone. I'm gonna work this plan and get this weight OFF! There are no ifs ands or buts about it!
Rode the bike this morning.....30 minutes, 9 miles. Then Todd and I went out for a walk. We did about 2 miles. :-) The bad thing...we had gone to a place that I had wanted to photograph. Got there and my battery went dead after just a few pics. Yeah, my stupid fault for not having put the battery on the charger! I accept full responsibility!
Hopefully I can get my second round of activity in this evening. Twould be nice. I'll take whatever activity I can get!
Had read about a neat idea. Someone (sorry, can't remember who) wrote that they saved their old pudding cup containers and reused them to create individual portions of ice cream by dishing the ice cream into the cups, and then covering them with saran wrap or tin foil. That seemed like a grand idea to me. So I immediately started saving my cups. BUT as I was washing the first ones that I saved, I realized how incredibly flimsy they were. SOOOO on Sunday I checked out the storage container area at the store. I saw that Glad had 1/2 cup 'disposable' containers. I think they were on sale....$2 for a package of 8 containers. Now, I personally use the disposable containers as long as I can...and when the crack, break or just look disgusting, I pitch them. (I'm trying to switch out household to all glass....but didn't want to sink the money into this project until i know if it works). Sooooo at the grocery store, I bought a half gallon of 'healthy' ice cream. I got home. I put the groceries away....and like normal I put stuff that i wanted to 'prepare' for the week onto the counter. Normally that's fruits and veggies....any dips or things that I want to have fixed and ready to grab. Well, I put the icecream in that grouping of things. I pulled out the containers and dished up the icecream. It was WONDERFUL..the icecream was soft from the drive home...so it dished up like a dream...and I was easily able to fill up the cups. I snapped the lids on and popped the containers into the freezer. And there they sat. I spent about 3 or 4 dollars on the half gallon of ice cream....where as the individual serving cups I spend 4-5 dollars for 3 or 4...and sometimes two. Well, last night after dinner Todd mentioned ice cream. We pulled two out. We each ate our 1/2 cup serving. Worked like a charm! I washed up the containers and they are sitting ready for the next ice cream buying time! WOO HOOOO!
Rode the bike this morning.....30 minutes, 9 miles. Then Todd and I went out for a walk. We did about 2 miles. :-) The bad thing...we had gone to a place that I had wanted to photograph. Got there and my battery went dead after just a few pics. Yeah, my stupid fault for not having put the battery on the charger! I accept full responsibility!
Hopefully I can get my second round of activity in this evening. Twould be nice. I'll take whatever activity I can get!
Had read about a neat idea. Someone (sorry, can't remember who) wrote that they saved their old pudding cup containers and reused them to create individual portions of ice cream by dishing the ice cream into the cups, and then covering them with saran wrap or tin foil. That seemed like a grand idea to me. So I immediately started saving my cups. BUT as I was washing the first ones that I saved, I realized how incredibly flimsy they were. SOOOO on Sunday I checked out the storage container area at the store. I saw that Glad had 1/2 cup 'disposable' containers. I think they were on sale....$2 for a package of 8 containers. Now, I personally use the disposable containers as long as I can...and when the crack, break or just look disgusting, I pitch them. (I'm trying to switch out household to all glass....but didn't want to sink the money into this project until i know if it works). Sooooo at the grocery store, I bought a half gallon of 'healthy' ice cream. I got home. I put the groceries away....and like normal I put stuff that i wanted to 'prepare' for the week onto the counter. Normally that's fruits and veggies....any dips or things that I want to have fixed and ready to grab. Well, I put the icecream in that grouping of things. I pulled out the containers and dished up the icecream. It was WONDERFUL..the icecream was soft from the drive home...so it dished up like a dream...and I was easily able to fill up the cups. I snapped the lids on and popped the containers into the freezer. And there they sat. I spent about 3 or 4 dollars on the half gallon of ice cream....where as the individual serving cups I spend 4-5 dollars for 3 or 4...and sometimes two. Well, last night after dinner Todd mentioned ice cream. We pulled two out. We each ate our 1/2 cup serving. Worked like a charm! I washed up the containers and they are sitting ready for the next ice cream buying time! WOO HOOOO!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Monday...a day for ignorance!
I've decided to live Monday June 23, 2008 in a state of ignorance. Nope, I did not get on the scales this morning. I'm assuming that the scales are still up. Come on now...I had Chinese food last night....salt city! Plus of course the ick is still with me. I'd HOPE that maybe the scales went down a bit...but oh well....ignorance is bliss. Ok, ok ok...I say that all cocky, but I'll admit to sitting here and worrying and wondering about it! I will however definitely weigh in tomorrow!
I am trying to eat healthy and I did get a ride in this morning. I'd like to get another ride or some other form of exercise in this evening!
Whew! What a morning! Todd had me set the alarm for 6:30 for him. We have a friend that was working last fall and fell off a thirty foot ladder. He shattered his leg. He’s at home now and he’s recuperating, but he needs to go to Physical Therapy 3 times a week. Well, every so often Todd offers to take Shane up to the physical therapy place so that Shane’s wife gets a break. Today was one of those days. So Todd had to leave our house at 7:15. I putzed around the house and had breakfast and was just ready to get to my bike ride when the phone rang. It was Todd. He had headed south and picked up Shane and while heading back through Sharpsburg on the way up to Hagerstown, the front tire started making a crazy noise. So Todd had headed towards our place to switch cars and he’d look at the tire when he got home. WELL…he didn’t make it home. The tire blew. (front drivers side). They were ok (thank heavens!). So I rushed out to get my car to them. We left the old car sitting and they took me home. I did my ride (15.4 miles) while they were gone. They came back and we went down to change that tire. FIRST of all, the car was parked weirdly (or the road was angled or something) because it was a pain in the arse to jack up. We popped the lugs off easily…BUT oh my word…we couldn’t get the darn tire OFF the car! I then remembered that when we switched from Cellular One to AT&T for our cell phone service, that they had automatically put on a roadside assistance program onto our cell phone bill. I had planned on removing it, but Todd was like, “hey, we don’t have triple A on our cars….lets just leave it” (my car is covered under the Honda Auto coverage…at least until I reach 100 K miles…which I’m only at 54 K so I’m good for a while longer). So we did. I looked and sure enough, it covered tire changing…so I called them. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. They came and changed that tire for me..AND pumped air into the donut tire (it was low). Todd got back right as they were finishing up…so we went home and had lunch…and then Todd turned his butt around to go up to Sears to get new tires. We are ending up getting 4 new ones…the back tires were on the edge of needing to be replaced….and of course it was a front tire that blew. PLUS, they are fazing out the 13 inch tires….which is what the old Honda takes. LOVELY. They had them today…but can’t guarantee in the future…so we are doing all four…and then if the car lasts that long (tis an old car), we’ll probably have to get new rims for the car. JOY JOY. While Todd has it there though, he’s going to get an oil change…it needs it. May as well do it all on one stop. So there goes $350 bucks out the window. I’m sooooo ready for our string of bad luck to end! I mean, wouldn’t you think replacing the hvac in our house was enough for one year??? Me hitting a deer wasn’t enough????? Come on now!!! Oh well……Todd and Shane were safe. That is the important thing. Todd was quick to remember that just the other day he had gone to DC in his car…and if that tire had blown on the interstate, it would not have been pretty….and could have caused a major accident. So we will look on the bright side of things!
At least I'm getting settled now that I'm sitting at work, and all calmed down. (I got home at 11:40.....and in 20 minutes, I ate lunch, showered, dressed and got to work!...yeah, my hair was still wet....I just pulled it back into a bun...not high fashion...but I'm here!)
I am trying to eat healthy and I did get a ride in this morning. I'd like to get another ride or some other form of exercise in this evening!
Whew! What a morning! Todd had me set the alarm for 6:30 for him. We have a friend that was working last fall and fell off a thirty foot ladder. He shattered his leg. He’s at home now and he’s recuperating, but he needs to go to Physical Therapy 3 times a week. Well, every so often Todd offers to take Shane up to the physical therapy place so that Shane’s wife gets a break. Today was one of those days. So Todd had to leave our house at 7:15. I putzed around the house and had breakfast and was just ready to get to my bike ride when the phone rang. It was Todd. He had headed south and picked up Shane and while heading back through Sharpsburg on the way up to Hagerstown, the front tire started making a crazy noise. So Todd had headed towards our place to switch cars and he’d look at the tire when he got home. WELL…he didn’t make it home. The tire blew. (front drivers side). They were ok (thank heavens!). So I rushed out to get my car to them. We left the old car sitting and they took me home. I did my ride (15.4 miles) while they were gone. They came back and we went down to change that tire. FIRST of all, the car was parked weirdly (or the road was angled or something) because it was a pain in the arse to jack up. We popped the lugs off easily…BUT oh my word…we couldn’t get the darn tire OFF the car! I then remembered that when we switched from Cellular One to AT&T for our cell phone service, that they had automatically put on a roadside assistance program onto our cell phone bill. I had planned on removing it, but Todd was like, “hey, we don’t have triple A on our cars….lets just leave it” (my car is covered under the Honda Auto coverage…at least until I reach 100 K miles…which I’m only at 54 K so I’m good for a while longer). So we did. I looked and sure enough, it covered tire changing…so I called them. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. They came and changed that tire for me..AND pumped air into the donut tire (it was low). Todd got back right as they were finishing up…so we went home and had lunch…and then Todd turned his butt around to go up to Sears to get new tires. We are ending up getting 4 new ones…the back tires were on the edge of needing to be replaced….and of course it was a front tire that blew. PLUS, they are fazing out the 13 inch tires….which is what the old Honda takes. LOVELY. They had them today…but can’t guarantee in the future…so we are doing all four…and then if the car lasts that long (tis an old car), we’ll probably have to get new rims for the car. JOY JOY. While Todd has it there though, he’s going to get an oil change…it needs it. May as well do it all on one stop. So there goes $350 bucks out the window. I’m sooooo ready for our string of bad luck to end! I mean, wouldn’t you think replacing the hvac in our house was enough for one year??? Me hitting a deer wasn’t enough????? Come on now!!! Oh well……Todd and Shane were safe. That is the important thing. Todd was quick to remember that just the other day he had gone to DC in his car…and if that tire had blown on the interstate, it would not have been pretty….and could have caused a major accident. So we will look on the bright side of things!
At least I'm getting settled now that I'm sitting at work, and all calmed down. (I got home at 11:40.....and in 20 minutes, I ate lunch, showered, dressed and got to work!...yeah, my hair was still wet....I just pulled it back into a bun...not high fashion...but I'm here!)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sodium Sunday
You know, after our day at Hershey Park, I told Todd that I was going to buckle down and live frugally, well eat frugally...point wise this week. So on Thursday night he comes home and says, "I was talking to Paul, and if it's ok with you ladies, we wanna hook up on Sunday to go to such and such Asian Restaurant" (Paul and Todd love their Sushi...and their Sushi bar that they have on Sundays.....we wives order off the traditional menu). OK.....BUT of course Chinese isn't all that great. But I figured I'd make it. Well, I did fairly well. I got basically chicken and broccoli (but instead of the traditional chicken and broccoli sauce, I got a garlic sauce. Chicken was NOT breaded. I got plain rice instead of fried rice...and I drank water! BUT man oh man.....Chinese food does NOT stay with me. It's only been like 3 hours and I'm HUNGRY again! With no points left for the day! NOT good!
Yesterday I worked outside for quite a bit in the afternoon. I came in to go to the bathroom...and luckily glanced in the mirror. I flipped out at how pale I was. I called out to Todd and yelled that I was needing to stay inside and asked him to take care of putting the chipper away along with the rest of my gear. He took one look at my face and was like, "SIT DOWN...NOW" Well, I rested a bit...and then showered and made dinner. I made this nacho chicken bake. It was pretty good....and actually not that bad point wise. HOWEVER, I should have thought about how much sodium was in the recipe! This morning I was up to 181.2! OUCH. that's up from 179.8 OUCH OUCH OUCH! I know that it HAS to be mostly water retention. I KNOW my sodium was super high yesterday. PLUS then of course the ick hit this morning/early afternoon. SO that added to the water retention issue! SOOOO of course, what do I eat today? Chinese....sodium city again! I don't even know if I want to get on the scales tomorrow morning!!!!!!
I did ride this morning....I knocked out about 17 miles today. woo hooo!
Meanwhile, I'm reading an awesome book. I was super skeptical when it was recommended to me. It is a book by Lisa See entitled, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan". I"m not usually into the Chinese culture (what is up with Chinese and this post) but it came highly recommended and the brief synopsis caught my eye because it mentioned the practice of foot binding..which does intrigue me. So I followed the recommendation. I'll be honest, I almost passed on reading it. But I started....and I can't put the darn book down. There have been passages and chapters that I've literally read with my jaw dropped to my chest (in particular the passages when the main character is describing the first weeks of her foot binding). I've gasped and gotten teary eyed at this work of fiction! When a book can do that to me.....it's darn good! Lets see...what else have I read this week...... Bought "Turbulance" by John Nance on Tuesday night. Started reading that on Thursday...at about lunch. Finished it Friday afternoon! (gotta love a job I can read at!) Excellent read!!!! I flew through that! Lets see...I had gone to the library on Tuesday...and picked up "the Blue Zone" by Andrew Gross. That was another. I started reading that...and even with being away all day Wednesday (didn't read a word on Wednsday) I still finished that one on Thursday by lunch. Today I was at Ollies and bought a book by Michael Connelly, can't remember the title right at this moment. So I'll probably start that book when I get the chinese based book done! Ahhhh I love to read!!!
Yesterday I worked outside for quite a bit in the afternoon. I came in to go to the bathroom...and luckily glanced in the mirror. I flipped out at how pale I was. I called out to Todd and yelled that I was needing to stay inside and asked him to take care of putting the chipper away along with the rest of my gear. He took one look at my face and was like, "SIT DOWN...NOW" Well, I rested a bit...and then showered and made dinner. I made this nacho chicken bake. It was pretty good....and actually not that bad point wise. HOWEVER, I should have thought about how much sodium was in the recipe! This morning I was up to 181.2! OUCH. that's up from 179.8 OUCH OUCH OUCH! I know that it HAS to be mostly water retention. I KNOW my sodium was super high yesterday. PLUS then of course the ick hit this morning/early afternoon. SO that added to the water retention issue! SOOOO of course, what do I eat today? Chinese....sodium city again! I don't even know if I want to get on the scales tomorrow morning!!!!!!
I did ride this morning....I knocked out about 17 miles today. woo hooo!
Meanwhile, I'm reading an awesome book. I was super skeptical when it was recommended to me. It is a book by Lisa See entitled, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan". I"m not usually into the Chinese culture (what is up with Chinese and this post) but it came highly recommended and the brief synopsis caught my eye because it mentioned the practice of foot binding..which does intrigue me. So I followed the recommendation. I'll be honest, I almost passed on reading it. But I started....and I can't put the darn book down. There have been passages and chapters that I've literally read with my jaw dropped to my chest (in particular the passages when the main character is describing the first weeks of her foot binding). I've gasped and gotten teary eyed at this work of fiction! When a book can do that to me.....it's darn good! Lets see...what else have I read this week...... Bought "Turbulance" by John Nance on Tuesday night. Started reading that on Thursday...at about lunch. Finished it Friday afternoon! (gotta love a job I can read at!) Excellent read!!!! I flew through that! Lets see...I had gone to the library on Tuesday...and picked up "the Blue Zone" by Andrew Gross. That was another. I started reading that...and even with being away all day Wednesday (didn't read a word on Wednsday) I still finished that one on Thursday by lunch. Today I was at Ollies and bought a book by Michael Connelly, can't remember the title right at this moment. So I'll probably start that book when I get the chinese based book done! Ahhhh I love to read!!!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Change?
No, there was no change in my weight this morning. I was still exactly 179.8 pounds. I just want to get away from that 180 pound mark! I'm hovering at 179.something now...and I want to put some distance between us!
I woke up and rode the bike for about 45 minutes this mornng. Felt good (to be done...haa haa haa, j/k). I'm at work now and hopefully all this afternoon I'll be working outside. I hope to work some more on the chipping! That's a workout! Last week I was sore...from using muscles that don't normally get used as heavily. I'm thinking that if I work all afternoon, that the pile of trees/brush that I'm currently working on may be almost gone by tonight! That would be sooo awesome! I also want to move the boat and trailer to a different spot in the yard. (further down towards the woods!). The old riding lawn mower needs to be moved down there also! I want them out of my yard proper! :-) So hopefully I can do that today also! If I have the energy, I will also paint a bit more of the floor on the screened in porch. I'm painting it in sections. I've got almost half of it done. I've got about a 5x5 section to finish until I can say that I've done enough to satisfy what NEEDS to be done (bare minimum) for our fourth of July Party. Once I get that much of the floor painted, Todd and I need to borrow the van from mom and dad and get the glass topped table and the small freezer moved over! I've decided that I may for the time being leave the big freezer over at the studio apartment. It's not hurting anything over there..and it's a pretty old freezer. Todd's grandmother gave it to us...and when we moved it over we were afraid that it would die on us as they say sometimes when you move old freezers and refridgerators that the compressor or some such piece of them goes out. The chest freezer is relatively new (actually it was just replaced through warranty last may). That would give us the freezer space that we need at the house....but yet we'd still have the big freezer for storage at the other place. It would also keep my screened in porch a little less crowded. I told Todd taht eventually we would buy another freezer for the house. The old one is ...well old. The seals and such are not the greatest anymore! Energy efficient it is not. Plus, we can move those two things in my parents van! We'd like to get the picnic table...but I'm not sure that will fit into the van! We'll have to measure, but I think we need to get a friend that has a pickup truck to move that one! I can see the end getting closer. Well, maybe not the end...but at least one project closer to being finished!
I woke up and rode the bike for about 45 minutes this mornng. Felt good (to be done...haa haa haa, j/k). I'm at work now and hopefully all this afternoon I'll be working outside. I hope to work some more on the chipping! That's a workout! Last week I was sore...from using muscles that don't normally get used as heavily. I'm thinking that if I work all afternoon, that the pile of trees/brush that I'm currently working on may be almost gone by tonight! That would be sooo awesome! I also want to move the boat and trailer to a different spot in the yard. (further down towards the woods!). The old riding lawn mower needs to be moved down there also! I want them out of my yard proper! :-) So hopefully I can do that today also! If I have the energy, I will also paint a bit more of the floor on the screened in porch. I'm painting it in sections. I've got almost half of it done. I've got about a 5x5 section to finish until I can say that I've done enough to satisfy what NEEDS to be done (bare minimum) for our fourth of July Party. Once I get that much of the floor painted, Todd and I need to borrow the van from mom and dad and get the glass topped table and the small freezer moved over! I've decided that I may for the time being leave the big freezer over at the studio apartment. It's not hurting anything over there..and it's a pretty old freezer. Todd's grandmother gave it to us...and when we moved it over we were afraid that it would die on us as they say sometimes when you move old freezers and refridgerators that the compressor or some such piece of them goes out. The chest freezer is relatively new (actually it was just replaced through warranty last may). That would give us the freezer space that we need at the house....but yet we'd still have the big freezer for storage at the other place. It would also keep my screened in porch a little less crowded. I told Todd taht eventually we would buy another freezer for the house. The old one is ...well old. The seals and such are not the greatest anymore! Energy efficient it is not. Plus, we can move those two things in my parents van! We'd like to get the picnic table...but I'm not sure that will fit into the van! We'll have to measure, but I think we need to get a friend that has a pickup truck to move that one! I can see the end getting closer. Well, maybe not the end...but at least one project closer to being finished!
Friday, June 20, 2008
The preliminary results
Well, yesterday I DID get on the bike before I went to work. I made it exactly 15 minutes before I got off. It just wasn't happening. My body was so tired and depleted to begin with! Hey, that's ok...I got some form of exercise into my day! I'd rather look back and say I did something versus nothing! I had my eating plan all laid out. I had left myself a point or two for a evening snack should I need it. BUT, after dinner I went to get a snack. I saw the little containers of tapioca and rice pudding. (One point each). Well, I started wondering how they really compare in taste. SOoooo instead of eating ONE, I grabbed one of EACH and ate them both....alternating bites of course to fully judge them! (I prefer the tapioca!) And then, as if the two little things were not enough, I went to the box of Weight Watchers lemon cakes and had one of those. (once again one point). Well, yeah...those things are all one point items...but together they were at least three points! So I worried throughout the evening...wondering if I had ruined it and if my weight would go up. Well, this morning I got up and stepped onto the scales. WHEW! Huge sigh of relief. Yesterday had me at 180.8. Today i was at 179.8! One pound down. So still a little bit more to recoup my little gain...but all is well! I can do this! I just need to keep my eye on the end result!
Speaking of end results....and some thoughts about where I've been and where I've come from. The last time I went to Hershey Park, I was with my friend Julie and Todd (he and I were dating at the time). This was about 7 years ago. I had just left teaching, a time in which my weight dropped...but by that time, it was already starting to skyrocket back up to my all time highest. I know that at some of the coasters I stood in worry that I wouldn't fit. And in fact, one of the coasters we had to go to the middle row where the restraints were a bit more accommodating for a larger person. How utterly embarrassing. I didn't let it bother me all that much, I liked myself...and my friends liked me, so I just let it slide off of me. BUT, the other day at the park, those memories came rushing back. I was worried that I wouldn't fit. I literally had to keep telling myself, "MaryFran, you are less than 180 pounds, you fit...and you will fit in ANYTHING". It just hasn't sunk in!
The other thing that was an eye opener for me. The turnstiles in the rides! Woah, for so long I had to turn sideways, suck in my gut, and squeeze it all in to get through a turnstile. While leaving the first ride and going through the turnstile, I just started to laugh! OH my word, I just breezed through it! All day it was just amazing to me. Without thinking I'd go into my old 'routine' in which I would suck and squeeze it in to get through....but I didn't need to! Amazing!
Well, as I already said, I was down one pound this morning. I'm tickled about that! I ate a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch. I'll admit that I'm already thinking ahead to dinner...but it's all good! I'll make it. Especially since I'm here at work and the temptations are easier to avoid here. WHY? Well, because I can sit back here in the drive through and ignore the food up on the counter. And secondly, I'm a bit of a closet eater......I would be in much more danger if they were to all leave me alone with that food sitting on the counter! IN a way, that's good, at least here at work!
Rode the bike for 8.75 miles this morning. I plan on getting up early tomorrow and going longer! Anything to push this weight off my body! I'm determined!!!! Especially since I am officially TWO weeks into maintenance! 4 more weeks to go and I will be considered a lifetime member at weight watchers! (meaning I no longer pay!!!!!!) I can do this!
Speaking of end results....and some thoughts about where I've been and where I've come from. The last time I went to Hershey Park, I was with my friend Julie and Todd (he and I were dating at the time). This was about 7 years ago. I had just left teaching, a time in which my weight dropped...but by that time, it was already starting to skyrocket back up to my all time highest. I know that at some of the coasters I stood in worry that I wouldn't fit. And in fact, one of the coasters we had to go to the middle row where the restraints were a bit more accommodating for a larger person. How utterly embarrassing. I didn't let it bother me all that much, I liked myself...and my friends liked me, so I just let it slide off of me. BUT, the other day at the park, those memories came rushing back. I was worried that I wouldn't fit. I literally had to keep telling myself, "MaryFran, you are less than 180 pounds, you fit...and you will fit in ANYTHING". It just hasn't sunk in!
The other thing that was an eye opener for me. The turnstiles in the rides! Woah, for so long I had to turn sideways, suck in my gut, and squeeze it all in to get through a turnstile. While leaving the first ride and going through the turnstile, I just started to laugh! OH my word, I just breezed through it! All day it was just amazing to me. Without thinking I'd go into my old 'routine' in which I would suck and squeeze it in to get through....but I didn't need to! Amazing!
Well, as I already said, I was down one pound this morning. I'm tickled about that! I ate a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch. I'll admit that I'm already thinking ahead to dinner...but it's all good! I'll make it. Especially since I'm here at work and the temptations are easier to avoid here. WHY? Well, because I can sit back here in the drive through and ignore the food up on the counter. And secondly, I'm a bit of a closet eater......I would be in much more danger if they were to all leave me alone with that food sitting on the counter! IN a way, that's good, at least here at work!
Rode the bike for 8.75 miles this morning. I plan on getting up early tomorrow and going longer! Anything to push this weight off my body! I'm determined!!!! Especially since I am officially TWO weeks into maintenance! 4 more weeks to go and I will be considered a lifetime member at weight watchers! (meaning I no longer pay!!!!!!) I can do this!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Report on HersheyPark and the concert
We were in Hershey yesterday. We spent the day in the actual amusement park! Then in the evening we mosied over to the Star Pavillion and saw a concert. We saw the Doobie Brothers and Chicago! As usual, the concert was excellent. I've seen Chicago every year pretty much since Todd and I met and each year they just blow me away! I only hope that when I'm the age as some of those guys that I'm still operating like they are!
I had decided that I would try to be responsible with my eating, yet I was going to enjoy the food I ate, and eat WHAT I wanted. That said, I ate a reasonable breakfast (egg beater sandwich) for lunch I had a Grilled Chicken wrap, and for dinner I splurged and had a cheeseburger (I've been dying for one lately). I did ask if I could substitute something else for the fries...and got about 1/4 cup of baked beans instead. Here is the bad stuff. My husband and I split a SMALL dippin dot's. I had a chocolate covered banana (hey, at least it was mostly fruit!). I did splurge and have a chocolate milkshake. ANd I ate four miniature pieces of the free candy that you get here and there throughout the day. After the milkshake...which as at 6PM, I called it quits and said no more...I ignored the venders inside the concert (except for the bottled water that I purchased at the concert) AND on the way home when I stopped to get a drink (diet Dr. Pepper) I really fought the urge to buy some kind of food snack. That is immensely better than I would have done recently. Previously I would have eaten my way through the park, through the concert and stopped on the way home to get something else. (tis no wonder I ballooned up to over 300 pounds eh?) SOOOO are you curious what the damage was? Well, let me first tell you that my pedometer counted my steps at close to 30K steps for yesterday. THe last time I weighed I was at 179.4. This morning I was at 180.8. I'm of course not happy to be up 1.4 pounds...but that's managable! I did drink a fair amount of water yesterday....but probably not what I should have. SO even though I can probably blame some of the weight gain on that (and probably some on the upcoming ick if I really wanted to), I'm not going to. that was 1.5 pounds of food! I enjoyed myself and I"m not going to feel guilty about it or worry about it. I've made my plans for getting myself back down and all will be good!
So what is my plan? Simply watch what I eat and hop back into my exercise routine! However, I usually do it first thing in the mornings...and this morning I still haven't! I'll get to it though! 4 hours of sleep and I just don't seem to have the energy! I however am getting ready to clean the house...and get some laundry out on the line. WHen that's done I plan on riding right before I shower!
I had decided that I would try to be responsible with my eating, yet I was going to enjoy the food I ate, and eat WHAT I wanted. That said, I ate a reasonable breakfast (egg beater sandwich) for lunch I had a Grilled Chicken wrap, and for dinner I splurged and had a cheeseburger (I've been dying for one lately). I did ask if I could substitute something else for the fries...and got about 1/4 cup of baked beans instead. Here is the bad stuff. My husband and I split a SMALL dippin dot's. I had a chocolate covered banana (hey, at least it was mostly fruit!). I did splurge and have a chocolate milkshake. ANd I ate four miniature pieces of the free candy that you get here and there throughout the day. After the milkshake...which as at 6PM, I called it quits and said no more...I ignored the venders inside the concert (except for the bottled water that I purchased at the concert) AND on the way home when I stopped to get a drink (diet Dr. Pepper) I really fought the urge to buy some kind of food snack. That is immensely better than I would have done recently. Previously I would have eaten my way through the park, through the concert and stopped on the way home to get something else. (tis no wonder I ballooned up to over 300 pounds eh?) SOOOO are you curious what the damage was? Well, let me first tell you that my pedometer counted my steps at close to 30K steps for yesterday. THe last time I weighed I was at 179.4. This morning I was at 180.8. I'm of course not happy to be up 1.4 pounds...but that's managable! I did drink a fair amount of water yesterday....but probably not what I should have. SO even though I can probably blame some of the weight gain on that (and probably some on the upcoming ick if I really wanted to), I'm not going to. that was 1.5 pounds of food! I enjoyed myself and I"m not going to feel guilty about it or worry about it. I've made my plans for getting myself back down and all will be good!
So what is my plan? Simply watch what I eat and hop back into my exercise routine! However, I usually do it first thing in the mornings...and this morning I still haven't! I'll get to it though! 4 hours of sleep and I just don't seem to have the energy! I however am getting ready to clean the house...and get some laundry out on the line. WHen that's done I plan on riding right before I shower!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday!
Ok.....my weight was down eight-tenths of a pound today. That puts me back at 179! Hopefully I can hold onto that or go a little lower for my weigh in tomorrow night! I was planning on having pasta with a pesto tonight...topped with chicken. And while I can fit it into my points values, I know that days where I am totally high in carbs, I just don't lose as well, and in fact sometimes gain. SOOO I'm going to make Southwest Chicken....which is yummy in it's own right. :-)
Rode the bike this morning...and then when Todd woke up we went for a walk. SO I've been active thus far!
SORE SORE SORE. That's all I can say. My upper body is so extremely sore! Eii yii yiii! ALl that chipping yesterday!
Rode the bike this morning...and then when Todd woke up we went for a walk. SO I've been active thus far!
SORE SORE SORE. That's all I can say. My upper body is so extremely sore! Eii yii yiii! ALl that chipping yesterday!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
My day in pictures
I started my day almost exactly as I normally do.....on the exercise bike. I will admit that since I didn't have anything pressing, that I read in bed until 7:30! I felt so decadent! (I'm usually on the bike by 5:30! I knocked out 10 miles in 30 minutes. And then called it quits knowing that I would be having a super busy day!
While getting dressed I realized that I hadn't done laundry in ....ohhh a long time. SO I did laundry and filled up my lines. It's GREAT having super long lines (well...except for the sag...but as you can see the straight tree limbs every 20 feet or so seem to work just perfectly!) 4 loads of laundry complete! (oh yeah, and the bed made also!)
Oh joy...the chipper revisited! I had almost forgotten how much fun I have with this thing! Yes, please take note of the sarcasm! It was slightly better today though, as we bought some earplugs since the last time I used the chipper! I chipped for about 5 hours! That entails walking to the piles of limbs, bending over to grab a limb, pull it free and drag it back to the chipper. Then I had to shove that sucker down the chute (or into the hopper, depending on the size of what I was chipping). Tiring after a while...let me tell you! Not to mention the injury sustained while using the chipper....more on that later.
As if the chipping wasn't enough. I then decided to work on painting the deck and the floor of the screened in porch! Oh yes, and the steps leading to the deck also of course! After painting I headed inside. I showered and folded all the laundry that I had just grabbed off the line. I took the time to actually fix a few things also. Don't ask me what came over me, I usually let things sit until the pile is so huge that I'd rather throw the stuff away! But, I sewed on three buttons today! WOo hooo.
I had just started to make dinner when mom and dad pulled into the driveway. Sorry, this is an old picture (from February of this year). I didn't think to snap a picture of them tonight! Mom and dad stayed for about an hour (while the potatoes cooked....and while I finished dinner). Dinner was grilled chicken (in the best marinade by this little company called FireCreek), mashed potatoes, green beans and for dessert cherries. After dinner I washed dishes again (dang we really need to get that dish washer in and running!) for the second time today!So now I'm sore from my activity today! SO I'm just surfin' the net and in general loafing around. Oh yeah, and I'm in the middle of painting my nails...toes and fingers! LOL
OH yes....the big accident and injury from today. Once again, sorry for the older picture...it is from June 1st of this year. BUT, it has something very important in it. My sunglasses. I was wearing them today. I went to throw something into the hopper and my sunglasses fell off....into the chipper. I went to grab for them...but lets be realistic....I'm not going to dive into the hopper with blades swirling to get a pair of sunglasses! Oh yeah, they shattered into a billion pieces. Todd spread the newly formed mulch from the bag and he said he couldn't see anything remotely looking like plastic! ROFL So yes the injury was the glasses!
OH yes....the big accident and injury from today. Once again, sorry for the older picture...it is from June 1st of this year. BUT, it has something very important in it. My sunglasses. I was wearing them today. I went to throw something into the hopper and my sunglasses fell off....into the chipper. I went to grab for them...but lets be realistic....I'm not going to dive into the hopper with blades swirling to get a pair of sunglasses! Oh yeah, they shattered into a billion pieces. Todd spread the newly formed mulch from the bag and he said he couldn't see anything remotely looking like plastic! ROFL So yes the injury was the glasses!
I'm hoping that my busy, active and productive day will help eradicate that stupid gain! I've been drinking like a mad woman today. At one point I KNOW I was super dehydrated. It was after my first gallon of water. I knew I was coming to the end of my outside work and I didn't feel like running inside to refill my mug. When I got in here....dang I about drained the 64 ounce jug as soon as it was filled! So I've been drinking steadily! Crossing my fingers!!!!!
Sunday morning check in
Got up this morning and went to step on the scale. I was feeling moderately ok with my weight. I was thinking that I would have maintained yesterday's weight. I exercised yesterday and I had stayed within my points range. But I digress. I stepped on the scales....179.8! What..that's 1.2 pounds up from yesterday! 2.2 pounds in TWO FRIGIN' days!
Ok, my rant is over!
I thought about it a bit while I sat on the exercise bike (well, I was sitting...but I was riding my heart out at the same time). I'm not going to let this beat me! My body is just totally balking about leaving this 180 mark. Thinking about it....I think I was right about this weight for a couple years....like 7th -10th grade. I've read somewhere that when your losing, your body gets to a certain weight that it 'recognizes' and it tries to stay there. Hmmmm....don't know about all that...but ok, we'll go with it. I will push through it! Looking on the bright side, I'm happy to say that for about 2 weeks now I've stayed BELOW that 180 mark. That is a first. During these long last 9 months...I would dip down below for 1-2 days...and then go right back above. SOOO I'm doing good.
My plan of attack. Continue onward. I exercised this morning. I had my healthy breakfast. I filled up my 64 ounce water jug. I'm planning on working outside all day (using the chipper and painting the floorboards of the screened in porch) so I'll be active. I've got to really focus on making sure I drink enough water. Because that's the last thing I want...to see a spike in my weight due to water retention!
Meanwhile, I saw this interesting push up program and I've decided to try it. It is supposed to train me to be able to do 100 push ups. (consecutively...haa haa haa). So anyway, last night I did my initial test. Uhhhhhmmm......do I have to say how many I did? Well...lets just put it this way...it may take me a few weeks just to make it past week one in the training program! Uhhh yeah, I couldn't even do ONE push up. Oh yeah, I could do it if I did it granny style...but proper form...on my toes....NOPE! I can lower myself down without smashing my face into the ground but lift myself back up? Not happening! So I'm going to continue 'trying'.....I guess the attempt and the slowly lowering of myself will help build the muscles that I need. We'll see. Maybe I should break down and do granny style push ups for a bit to build my muscles...hmmmmmmm. Well, I will conquer that also. AND it shows me that while I used to be doing a lot of strength training......I can see where I've fallen off the strength training bandwagon! NOT GOOD!
Ok, my rant is over!
I thought about it a bit while I sat on the exercise bike (well, I was sitting...but I was riding my heart out at the same time). I'm not going to let this beat me! My body is just totally balking about leaving this 180 mark. Thinking about it....I think I was right about this weight for a couple years....like 7th -10th grade. I've read somewhere that when your losing, your body gets to a certain weight that it 'recognizes' and it tries to stay there. Hmmmm....don't know about all that...but ok, we'll go with it. I will push through it! Looking on the bright side, I'm happy to say that for about 2 weeks now I've stayed BELOW that 180 mark. That is a first. During these long last 9 months...I would dip down below for 1-2 days...and then go right back above. SOOO I'm doing good.
My plan of attack. Continue onward. I exercised this morning. I had my healthy breakfast. I filled up my 64 ounce water jug. I'm planning on working outside all day (using the chipper and painting the floorboards of the screened in porch) so I'll be active. I've got to really focus on making sure I drink enough water. Because that's the last thing I want...to see a spike in my weight due to water retention!
Meanwhile, I saw this interesting push up program and I've decided to try it. It is supposed to train me to be able to do 100 push ups. (consecutively...haa haa haa). So anyway, last night I did my initial test. Uhhhhhmmm......do I have to say how many I did? Well...lets just put it this way...it may take me a few weeks just to make it past week one in the training program! Uhhh yeah, I couldn't even do ONE push up. Oh yeah, I could do it if I did it granny style...but proper form...on my toes....NOPE! I can lower myself down without smashing my face into the ground but lift myself back up? Not happening! So I'm going to continue 'trying'.....I guess the attempt and the slowly lowering of myself will help build the muscles that I need. We'll see. Maybe I should break down and do granny style push ups for a bit to build my muscles...hmmmmmmm. Well, I will conquer that also. AND it shows me that while I used to be doing a lot of strength training......I can see where I've fallen off the strength training bandwagon! NOT GOOD!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Saturday weight!
Well, could it be the pancakes? I did eat within my points last night. HOWEVER, I had pancakes...carb city. ANd I know that when I eat an over abundance of carbs that my weight responds thusly. The other factor...i was thirsty when I woke up. This usually tells me that I'm bordering on not having drank enough...and my weight is usually up on those days. SOOOOOO I wasn't shocked when I weighed in at 178.6. Exactly one pound up from yesterday. Disappointed...yeah, shocked no!
Rode the bike for about 45 minutes......roughly 13 miles. And here I am at work. Nothing else much to report! Boring thus far!
Rode the bike for about 45 minutes......roughly 13 miles. And here I am at work. Nothing else much to report! Boring thus far!
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