Ok, let me lay it out there. Yes, I worked outside and did TONS of manual labor this week with our scads of snow. But, my eating wasn't the greatest. I was doing ok...but then it just went to pot and righ tnow I don't give a darn!
I know a lot of it has to do with some stress that I'm under. Without saying too much, today I made a decision and did something that hopefully turns out to be totally un-needed but very well could be the first step to a very long difficult journey. I'm not handling the stress well. I came home and immediately got in the fridge and ate something. Todd and I went out to dinner and I ate. I came home and I topped it all off with two muffins. So not good and while I'm sick at heart for doing it to myself....right now I just can't make myself care.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Saturday, February 06, 2010
I started my day out right with a nice protein laden meal. We had Baked Egg Cups
So why did I need a good nutritous breakfast? Well, let me tell you!
Yes, snow! Lots of snow. At 9 this morning we were at about 18-19 inches. And let me tell you...it's still coming down at close to an inch an hour..supposed to go through the evening....8PM apparently. Ohhh, so that still doesn't explain why I needed a nutritious breakfast? Well, all that snow needs to be moved!!! I worked outside this morning for a couple hours. Let me tell you! I'm going to count moving that HEAVY (yes, it's a really wet snow) as an upper body strength workout! Yikes, am I ever sore!
After working outside for a few hours, I came inside and low and behold it was time to make lunch! I made Taco soup. and cornbread.
Now here I am warming up and relaxing. Todd and I are planning on going out to walk down the road for a bit this afternoon. All good fun!
So why did I need a good nutritous breakfast? Well, let me tell you!
Yes, snow! Lots of snow. At 9 this morning we were at about 18-19 inches. And let me tell you...it's still coming down at close to an inch an hour..supposed to go through the evening....8PM apparently. Ohhh, so that still doesn't explain why I needed a nutritious breakfast? Well, all that snow needs to be moved!!! I worked outside this morning for a couple hours. Let me tell you! I'm going to count moving that HEAVY (yes, it's a really wet snow) as an upper body strength workout! Yikes, am I ever sore!
After working outside for a few hours, I came inside and low and behold it was time to make lunch! I made Taco soup. and cornbread.
Now here I am warming up and relaxing. Todd and I are planning on going out to walk down the road for a bit this afternoon. All good fun!
Friday, February 05, 2010
It's snowing!
Weeee....it's starting to snow!!!! It's not really laying on the roads or sidewalks yet.
I didn't make too much progress on my yearly goals last week. I did ride 57.5 miles. So I at least didn't fall too far behind. However, I did not make up any miles! I loooked this morning and I am actually 43 miles behind schedule. (that's not calculating in my two week grace that I built into my schedule.....I'm planning on riding 60 miles a week for the year....but my grand total of miles I want to hit is 3000 miles...which is actually only 50 weeks of 60 miles)
Weight....I actually didn't make it to a meeting...we were in the throes of a snow storm and the roads were hideous at that point (WV doesn't do anything to their roads so I didn't want to even go across the river). But I will say that it was looking like a gain on tuesday. I will also say that since then I've recouped that gain and it looks like I've dropped some so I may be able to show a loss at this upcoming weigh in.
Strength training.....nope. Well, does it count that we had two snow storms (only 5-6 inches each time...) but I did shovel both times!!!
New recipes.....I made an Irish Potato Casserole It was a bit fattening, but it was quite tasty!
So all was not a total loss.
This week my biggest challenge will be a snowed in weekend. I tend to want to go to the kitchen and bake!!!
1. Keep my eating under control at ALL times, even through the weekend. No excuses about "I shovelled for hours so I can eat like a starving pig"
2. Get my 60 miles in and hopefully cut down my 40 mile deficit.
And those are my goals for the week!
I didn't make too much progress on my yearly goals last week. I did ride 57.5 miles. So I at least didn't fall too far behind. However, I did not make up any miles! I loooked this morning and I am actually 43 miles behind schedule. (that's not calculating in my two week grace that I built into my schedule.....I'm planning on riding 60 miles a week for the year....but my grand total of miles I want to hit is 3000 miles...which is actually only 50 weeks of 60 miles)
Weight....I actually didn't make it to a meeting...we were in the throes of a snow storm and the roads were hideous at that point (WV doesn't do anything to their roads so I didn't want to even go across the river). But I will say that it was looking like a gain on tuesday. I will also say that since then I've recouped that gain and it looks like I've dropped some so I may be able to show a loss at this upcoming weigh in.
Strength training.....nope. Well, does it count that we had two snow storms (only 5-6 inches each time...) but I did shovel both times!!!
New recipes.....I made an Irish Potato Casserole It was a bit fattening, but it was quite tasty!
So all was not a total loss.
This week my biggest challenge will be a snowed in weekend. I tend to want to go to the kitchen and bake!!!
1. Keep my eating under control at ALL times, even through the weekend. No excuses about "I shovelled for hours so I can eat like a starving pig"
2. Get my 60 miles in and hopefully cut down my 40 mile deficit.
And those are my goals for the week!
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Ready for the snow
From what they are saying, it's not a question of if we are getting a snow. It's a definite. The last I heard, they were saying at least 2 feet of snow. Sooo my house is stocked with food. Yes, it was stocked before, but I'm double stocked now!!! Ok, I'm not one of these to go shopping because a snow is coming. This weekend is my normal shopping trip weekend (I grocery shop every two weeks).
I've been lax the last few days with my riding. I only need 7-8 miles though to reach my weekly goal. I have tonight...so I plan on riding to get at least that!!!
My weight is dropping! Today I was very pleased to see my weight! WOO HOOO! I've been very good with my eating. So while my exercise went lax, my eating got under control. It's almost as if i'm on a see-saw and one is up and one is down. I need balance!
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Another snowy mornng
So, even though I was awake and moving at...well before dawn, I didn't get a ride in on the exercise bike. Why, you ask? Well, I woke up at 5:30, fed the cats and then headed outside to shovel the driveway and clean off my car. I came in and hopped in a nice hot shower and got ready to work and I was out the door by 7:30. So I did get some exercise in.
The scales showed me down a pound on the scales this morning. Other than that, I've got not much to say today. I'm focused on well, just getting by.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Stock-piling
Just a little food porn to start the day off right. This is Irish Potato casserole.
It was so scrumptiously delicious!
So, I got to thinking last night. I was walking through the house and stopped to admire the storage of food.
It made me start to think. Why do I have a complex about having stored food. Now, of course the home canned foods are simply because we grow our own foods and thus I can a lot of food for the winter months. But my pantry is just jammed with purchased foods. I've never gone hungry in my life. There is no reason for me to have any fear of being hungry. Yet I stock pile food. I just really doesn't make sense!
It was so scrumptiously delicious!So, I got to thinking last night. I was walking through the house and stopped to admire the storage of food.
It made me start to think. Why do I have a complex about having stored food. Now, of course the home canned foods are simply because we grow our own foods and thus I can a lot of food for the winter months. But my pantry is just jammed with purchased foods. I've never gone hungry in my life. There is no reason for me to have any fear of being hungry. Yet I stock pile food. I just really doesn't make sense!
Monday, February 01, 2010
A change is in the air
I woke up this morning determined to put a stop to my eating. I do not need to eat to medicate my feelings. I do not need to eat for anything other than to sustain life. Yeah yeah yeah, easier said than done. But I just had a week of eating whatever my mood struck me to eat....and I don't need to do it again. Surprisingly, my weight is only up by a pound or two. That's a pound or two too many, but it could have been a whole lot worse!
Read a post this morning....the last paragraph really hit home to me. I am trying so hard to get back on track with my eating. This is no easy task as I have built up bad habits AGAIN that compromise my journey. But all in the same, this is still part of my journey. I am not afraid of these bad habits, I know how the change them, but it is not easy for sure. So to that I also say I am all done. Done doing that stuff. Done not treating myself kindly. Done with unhealthy living. I say yes today to treating myself with love and respect and health
I could have written that last paragraph! It pretty much sums it up!
Read a post this morning....the last paragraph really hit home to me. I am trying so hard to get back on track with my eating. This is no easy task as I have built up bad habits AGAIN that compromise my journey. But all in the same, this is still part of my journey. I am not afraid of these bad habits, I know how the change them, but it is not easy for sure. So to that I also say I am all done. Done doing that stuff. Done not treating myself kindly. Done with unhealthy living. I say yes today to treating myself with love and respect and health
I could have written that last paragraph! It pretty much sums it up!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Update:
*I went to the gym and had a really good cardio workout! My mileage is flyign by this week. I'm three days into my week (starting on Fridays as that was teh first day of the the year) and I've alrady got 45 miles down!!!!
*My food has been entered onto E-tools (I keep track of my foods on e-tools). Interesting thing to note.....when you go through all of your weekly points and go into the negative, it turns bright red. A bright red warning! I was able to update my activity points and it brought me back into the positive....but it's all entered!
*I went to the gym and had a really good cardio workout! My mileage is flyign by this week. I'm three days into my week (starting on Fridays as that was teh first day of the the year) and I've alrady got 45 miles down!!!!
*My food has been entered onto E-tools (I keep track of my foods on e-tools). Interesting thing to note.....when you go through all of your weekly points and go into the negative, it turns bright red. A bright red warning! I was able to update my activity points and it brought me back into the positive....but it's all entered!
Well, let me look at the last week of eating. Total debauchery! That's all I can say! I've been over my points. I've not chosen wisely. I've just been all off! The only thing that I've had going? Exercise. I've been on top of it with my exercise. Oh why oh why can I not get both things under control at the same time????
Emotional eating. I know that much of my poor eating choices this week have come purely from emotions. I know it. I'm trying to figure things out....get those emotions under control so to speak. I keep telling myself that there are few things in life that you have sole control of....and weight is one of...so take control! But for some reason that message just isn't getting to my brain.
So, as of today I'm back to journalling every bite I eat. I was doing it...and did do it through thursday. And then it all went to pot. In fact, I plan on going back and filling in my journal with the last two days of eating!!!! It's not gonna be pretty (when I stopped I only had 7 weekly extra points....I'm sure I'm WAY in the hole now!) But I will face up to my eating!!!
Emotional eating. I know that much of my poor eating choices this week have come purely from emotions. I know it. I'm trying to figure things out....get those emotions under control so to speak. I keep telling myself that there are few things in life that you have sole control of....and weight is one of...so take control! But for some reason that message just isn't getting to my brain.
So, as of today I'm back to journalling every bite I eat. I was doing it...and did do it through thursday. And then it all went to pot. In fact, I plan on going back and filling in my journal with the last two days of eating!!!! It's not gonna be pretty (when I stopped I only had 7 weekly extra points....I'm sure I'm WAY in the hole now!) But I will face up to my eating!!!
Friday, January 29, 2010
4 down....lots to go
Goals.....I did ok this week. exercise and recipes I rocked! The other two....well, lets just say better luck next week.
Mileage: I completed above and beyond my 60 mile mark for this week. (just above...but I did it). I'm still behind by 35 miles or so....but I'm on a roll and I'm going to make that up soon!
Strength training: Nada
Recipes: I tried three new recipes.
** Sweet and Spicy Wings which turned out quite tasty!
**Baked Mozzarella sticks.....I've missed cheese sticks as an appetizer, so I was super excited about these!
** Cake balls. Not at all healthy...in fact, step away from the computer...they are delicious, but highly fattening!
Weigh: Well when my official weigh in day came, my home scales showed a loss...the weight watcher meeting (not my normal) that I attended showed a gain. Go figure.
Last weeks goals:
Water consumption- I did ok, except for one day
Healthy foods-I struggled with some of my choices this week. After the first two days of my weight watchers week I looked at my counter and realized that I only have 8 flex points left for the week. YIKES! I ate that much extra food in TWO days!
Exercise-I made my 60 miles...with about 3 miles to spare! So I didn't cut deeply into the deficit, but I didn't go in the hole any further!
So for this week. Basically more of the same
1. water consumption
2. Healthy foods
3. Eradicate the mileage deficit that I have!!!
Mileage: I completed above and beyond my 60 mile mark for this week. (just above...but I did it). I'm still behind by 35 miles or so....but I'm on a roll and I'm going to make that up soon!
Strength training: Nada
Recipes: I tried three new recipes.
** Sweet and Spicy Wings which turned out quite tasty!
**Baked Mozzarella sticks.....I've missed cheese sticks as an appetizer, so I was super excited about these!
** Cake balls. Not at all healthy...in fact, step away from the computer...they are delicious, but highly fattening!
Weigh: Well when my official weigh in day came, my home scales showed a loss...the weight watcher meeting (not my normal) that I attended showed a gain. Go figure.
Last weeks goals:
Water consumption- I did ok, except for one day
Healthy foods-I struggled with some of my choices this week. After the first two days of my weight watchers week I looked at my counter and realized that I only have 8 flex points left for the week. YIKES! I ate that much extra food in TWO days!
Exercise-I made my 60 miles...with about 3 miles to spare! So I didn't cut deeply into the deficit, but I didn't go in the hole any further!
So for this week. Basically more of the same
1. water consumption
2. Healthy foods
3. Eradicate the mileage deficit that I have!!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Oh the weather outside is.....blah
I know that the lack or bright sunshine has really affected my mental outlook. It's dark and dreary most of the time. Yeah, the sun is out today....but it's not a brilliant warm filled with goodness sun that just drives away the blahs.
I as doing some serious thinking in the shower this morning (isn't it the best place to think?) and I as thinking about how things in my world seem to be spiraling out of control...and I reminded myself that there is one thing that only I am in control of and that is my eating and exercise. I need to take control and maintain a consistent control! And quite honestly, regaining a long lasting control and getting my weight under control will help my confidence and all that jazz...which will also help other areas of my life!
I woke up this morning and knocked out 1 hour of exercise on the stationary bike. I looked at my mileage for the week (today is the last day of week four). I've got just about 3 miles to complete in order to complete the mileage for this week. So I figure I can jump on the bike for as little as 15 minutes when I get off work and I'll have it done! I didn't make up any miles this week (well, if I ride for more than the 3 miles tonight I'll make up a mile or two) but I as long as I ride tonight, I will not have lost any!!!
We went to dinner last night. Whew...in the last two days I've pretty much blown my flex points for the week. (most of them at least. haa haa haa). I stepped onto the scales this morning. I'm holding steady at pretty much where I've been the last few weeks. Surprising though! I do know that I'm retaining some water (my rings are SOOO tight this morning!)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Recap
I still don't really know why I felt compelled to write the last post....I guess it was just for me. To finally say out loud in one sitting just a bit of my experience. I have friends and family that still have never heard some of it, and how bad it really was. My husband was dating me at the time though....and if a guy can stand beside you during a time like that....he's a keeper. :-)
I guess there are a couple things
1. Failure. I believe that the fear of failure keeps me 'down.' (I'm petrified of failure since my experience) I know that when I had reached my doctor approved weight I started to self sabotage my weight loss and weight maintain (I was actually still trying to lose as I was at the upper limit of where he wanted me). Why? Fear of the unknown? Fear of failure? I had stalled with my weight loss. Stalled at 180. I went to the doctor and he told me that he wanted me between 160 and 180...so he was happy where I was. I wanted to lose more....I "tried" but I never really gave it my all. Why? Because I was afraid of failing at something, again. If I never tried to push forward, I wouldn't be failing. And my doctor gave me an out. I was within his goal weight' prescription. I need to stop worrying about failure...because to worry about it is only going to cause me to stop doing something, which is failure in itself. I heard a quote once that struck a chord. "The biggest failure is to never try". I've set up my mileage goal for this year. Honestly, I'm behind in my riding. I am so tempted to give it up, because if I give it up I'm not failing right? But I'm determined to see this through to the end AND succeed!
2. I'm sick of being a victim of obesity. I know that there have been opportunities that I have either lost because of my weight or that I have let slip by because of how my weight makes me feel on the inside. I do believe that there have been job opportunities that I have been passed over simply because I was an obese person and this employer wanted to portray a certain image...and a fat girl just wasn't it. But I will be honest with myself and say that I'm sure that my mental view of myself has at times seeped to the surface becoming visible for all those around me to see. Negative self thoughts, while we think that they are buried deep within us are in reality on display each and every day simply in the way we act, dress, talk and live our daily lives. I read on someones blog (so sorry, can't remember whom) that this person was going to take 15 minutes each day to pamper themselves. How profound!
3. I need to stop caring what a few nincompoops said to me and about me, especially those things that I have no control over. Who cares. If I like me, and my husband likes me and my family likes me and friends...well you get the point. Who cares. Live my life for ME and don't worry about those things that can not be changed! And remember that I was wonderfully made by the greatest creator!
4.Well, I'm just going to beat the hell out of this weight...make myself healthy mentally, emotionally and physicallY!
That said, I got emotional this morning and left it affect my eating at lunch. ARRGGGHHH And then of course I got ticked off at myself for doing it...what a viscious cycle! I did however ride for 35 minutes this morning!
I guess there are a couple things
1. Failure. I believe that the fear of failure keeps me 'down.' (I'm petrified of failure since my experience) I know that when I had reached my doctor approved weight I started to self sabotage my weight loss and weight maintain (I was actually still trying to lose as I was at the upper limit of where he wanted me). Why? Fear of the unknown? Fear of failure? I had stalled with my weight loss. Stalled at 180. I went to the doctor and he told me that he wanted me between 160 and 180...so he was happy where I was. I wanted to lose more....I "tried" but I never really gave it my all. Why? Because I was afraid of failing at something, again. If I never tried to push forward, I wouldn't be failing. And my doctor gave me an out. I was within his goal weight' prescription. I need to stop worrying about failure...because to worry about it is only going to cause me to stop doing something, which is failure in itself. I heard a quote once that struck a chord. "The biggest failure is to never try". I've set up my mileage goal for this year. Honestly, I'm behind in my riding. I am so tempted to give it up, because if I give it up I'm not failing right? But I'm determined to see this through to the end AND succeed!
2. I'm sick of being a victim of obesity. I know that there have been opportunities that I have either lost because of my weight or that I have let slip by because of how my weight makes me feel on the inside. I do believe that there have been job opportunities that I have been passed over simply because I was an obese person and this employer wanted to portray a certain image...and a fat girl just wasn't it. But I will be honest with myself and say that I'm sure that my mental view of myself has at times seeped to the surface becoming visible for all those around me to see. Negative self thoughts, while we think that they are buried deep within us are in reality on display each and every day simply in the way we act, dress, talk and live our daily lives. I read on someones blog (so sorry, can't remember whom) that this person was going to take 15 minutes each day to pamper themselves. How profound!
3. I need to stop caring what a few nincompoops said to me and about me, especially those things that I have no control over. Who cares. If I like me, and my husband likes me and my family likes me and friends...well you get the point. Who cares. Live my life for ME and don't worry about those things that can not be changed! And remember that I was wonderfully made by the greatest creator!
4.Well, I'm just going to beat the hell out of this weight...make myself healthy mentally, emotionally and physicallY!
That said, I got emotional this morning and left it affect my eating at lunch. ARRGGGHHH And then of course I got ticked off at myself for doing it...what a viscious cycle! I did however ride for 35 minutes this morning!
'Tis a lot of baggage
A deep look at things that have been terribly emotional....I'll get to my weigh in later in the post...I promise! I know it's a bit long....but it's something that I think I need to write for me. So if you read it, I will feel honored....if you don't no skin off my back.
I was talking to a friend last night about what we would do differently with/in our lives if given a second chance. My biggie....I would have stopped being apathetic about my weight years...decades actually earlier and lost the weight. I feel that my excess weight has had a hand in most major decisions of my life. I know in friendships and jobs it has. Maybe not because of the actual weight, but from the baggage that I carry internally because of the weight. With how the weight has made me feel. So with this conversation in my mind coupled with the knowledge that I really need to find another job, I started to think......
I knew two things as I was growing up. I wanted to be a mother and I wanted to be a teacher. I had the most loved and well cared for baby dolls while playing house. And those dolls were highly educated as when I wasn't playing house, I was playing school and teaching them. So it was with no deliberation at all on my part nor any surprise to my family when I declared myself as an elementary education major in college (actually before I even took my first college class I had declared my major). I was full of ideas and promise for my future as a teacher. I graduated from college, with honors and my future looked bright. I moved home from college and commenced with the job search and got no-where. Why didn't I get a job? I don't rightly know. I know that after I had subbed a few years, I was actually told that my record as a substitute teacher was actually hurting me. Not because I was doing a poor job, but because I was actually doing too good of a job. I was told that a good sub is hard to find so when they have one that can keep a class under control and actually still teach them something AND one that is reliable that they don't want to hire them for a full time position because that leaves a hole in their substitute ranks. I was told over and over that I was 'a good one'. I was in high demand. After the first year (half year actually) I worked EVERY day of the school year. From the very first day to the bitter end. I did it all. But yet I wasn't hired full time. Could it have been because I was to valuable as a sub or could it have been my weight compressing me to the point that I had made myself un-employable simply because how my weight was making me feel was showing on the outside? I don't know. But the end result was that I couldn't buy, beg or steal a teaching job locally.
A few years after I graduated from college I applied for a teaching position in a county that was known for it's low socio-economic areas. It was a whim, I didn't expect anything to come of it. But the fire to teach was still burning deeply inside of me. So it was with much surprise when I came home one evening in late July and picked up my mail. There was an envelope from the school system that I had applied to. I laughingly told Todd (who was at my house for the evening...as we were dating at the time) "oh look, another rejection letter." Only it wasn't a rejection letter. It was actually a teaching contract....with the board of Ed's appropriate signatures already affixed at the bottom. The only thing left was my signature. I hadn't interviewed! I hadn't even talked to the school system. I had simply sent my resume and references to them. They hired me site unseen! That should have been my first clue. But that fire to teach was burning, so I went to the 'interview' process. It was not a normal interview in that the administrators were asking "MaryFran, what are your qualifications." It was a room full of administrators begging the applicants (who from what I gathered had all received signed contracts in the mail.....similar to my story) to accept the position/assignment at their school! I think of it as the human/teacher meat-market. Clue number two.......this is not a normal practice,but I went ahead with it and signed the contract and moved....all within 2 weeks. I was officially a 4th grade teacher.
The first month or two of the school year were fabulous. The students were responding to me, I was in my glory. There were some issues though. Supplies. Every time I asked for something....even something as simple as a stapler, I was told that they were working on getting it for me...although in retrospect they never arrived. So I ended up going out and buying my own supplies. The other major issue those first two months? I had no teachers manuals. Yes, you read that correctly. I had none! (didn't get them until the beginning of January). These things were just a minor annoyance though. I was capable of developing lesson plans without the teachers manuals. It just took a bit more time. The supplies....it really didn't get to me, I had waited so long to teach that I didn't care. Nothing I ever did was good enough for the administrators. I wrote on the chalkboard to large.....the next day it was to small. I would actually measure other teachers chalkboard writing and compare it to mine....it would be exactly the same, but mine was never good enough. One administrator told me that my voice was a problem...it grated against her senses. (no-one ever told me that before...in fact when I worked in a call center, I frequently got compliments on my voice). It was just anything and everything, attacking me in any way that they could. I can see it looking back, but when it was happening it was utterly confusing and devastating to be told that you were the worlds worst teacher and person.
After about a month or two though, I started noticing a shift in the students behavior. It was subtle at first with the class being a bit more unruly. But it escalated. It wasn't until I was picking my class up from one of their specials that I figured out the problem. I was being undermined by the administration. I stood outside of the door and heard an administrator saying, "These little notebooks are for you to keep in your desk. We want you to write down everything that Miss Clingan does so that we can find a reason to fire her because we don't want a white person in our school." My students very quickly realized that they could do ANYTHING in my room and there would be no repercussions. It quickly became sheer bedlam! There was no support from the admin staff. I had a student threaten to "bring my dad's gun to school so I can shoot you". The admin refused to do anything or even put it on the records "He's a young black man...if we put that on his records he has no chance in society" What about me? If I'm dead I have no chance either, I wanted to scream! I broke up a fight in my classroom at one point. The students were not reprimanded (remember very low socio-economic area...the parents were young and really didn't care either) and when I talked to my vice-principal about the injury I sustained while breaking up the fight I was told that he was not going to fill out or sign the paperwork because it was my fault that there was a fight in the first place. The injury? Muscle problems in my back. Yeah, the same problem I STILL struggle with today, ten years later.
I remember sobbing at one point over the Christmas break because the situation was so awful. In January, it got worse. My health was being affected. I spent some time in the ER because I couldn't breathe or swallow without pain....they couldn't find any cause...other than stress. Finally, one day (it was a Friday) I was on the beltway driving home and I saw a dump truck and my first thought was "if I swerve in front of it I would die and that would end this misery". NOT cool. So very not cool. But it made it startingly clear that something had to change, and quickly. By the following Monday, I had written my letter of resignation, made up a week (maybe two, I can't remember) of lesson plans for the substitute, cleaned out my personal belongings from my room and I was done with teaching.
The union jumped on the case hot and heavy after I left (wasn't much they could do earlier..even though I had been in contact with them). Turns out it was well documented to keep certain students separated....I had three of these documented pairings in the same room. (the only three on file for that grade level.) I had 36 students....I was supposed to have an aide....no one EVER walked into my room to assist...or help....or even give advice. The union started a lawsuit, but within a month or two , I put a stop to it. My mental health was much more important and continually talking about it every time they had questions was not allowing me to heal.
The experience left me with some huge emotional scars.
*It's been 10 years...but as I've written this today I've had to stop at least once each paragraph to look away and calm myself down. You see, the breathing swallowing difficulty comes right back, even after 10 years. People always say, try teaching somewhere else. But come on now....if after 10 years I still struggle with stress related physical difficulties I think that's our answer. After 10 years I will no longer say NEVER teach. But I think I can still safely say NEVER teach in a public school setting.
* I have felt like a failure. All I ever wanted to do was be a teacher, and I failed. (I struggle with saying, through no fault of my own, but I didn't have any control over the situation).
*I have allowed all those comments about my personality and even my personal and physical traits (things that I have no control over) to affect how I have felt about myself. My first mistake was believing them....my second mistake was taking them to heart!
I can't blame my weight all on this situation, but I will say when I left teaching I weighed 210 pounds....somehow I ballooned up to 300 within 2 years. But I can look back and I can see how my weight and the baggage that I have carried because of my weight has affected the decisions that I've made that brought me to that point and even further. I can also see how the situation has totally affected my weight. The situation made me feel worthless and unworthy of anything. To lose weight and be healthy you have to feel like you are worth the effort, for months I was continually told me that I was not worth it.
I don't know what writing this post will do. I know that writing this and even somewhat 'grudgingly' (because I still struggle with saying that I was innocent) admitting that I was an innocent party in this saga is not going to make it better over night. But I hope that by actually admitting it that I can move forward. While I desperately need to find another job...one that isn't so mind-numbingly boring and just...well......brain dead I know that it will not be in the public school system (so don't even bring it up in a conversation) but what does a person with a degree in Education do? hmmmmm
I'm worth it! All the stuff that they spouted at me for those months I need to take at face value....which means I need to pitch it ALL out the door.
*********************************************
I went to a weight watchers center other than the one that I normally go to last night. I was happy to go because according to my home scales I was showing a 1.2 pound loss. My home scales have always been dead on with the weight watcher scales so I was looking forward to the weigh in. A loss is a loss. So imagine my surprise when I get off the scale and look at the paperwork. They showed me a 1.6 pound GAIN! So that's 2.8 pounds different from my home scale. My only consolation and hope is that I was on a different scale.....maybe the scales at this center were off. Hmmmm. Not sure! Oh well, nothing to do other than plod onward!
Already hit the bike for 30 minutes this morning. I plan on riding more tonight during TBL, so I'll be doing good for today!
I was talking to a friend last night about what we would do differently with/in our lives if given a second chance. My biggie....I would have stopped being apathetic about my weight years...decades actually earlier and lost the weight. I feel that my excess weight has had a hand in most major decisions of my life. I know in friendships and jobs it has. Maybe not because of the actual weight, but from the baggage that I carry internally because of the weight. With how the weight has made me feel. So with this conversation in my mind coupled with the knowledge that I really need to find another job, I started to think......
I knew two things as I was growing up. I wanted to be a mother and I wanted to be a teacher. I had the most loved and well cared for baby dolls while playing house. And those dolls were highly educated as when I wasn't playing house, I was playing school and teaching them. So it was with no deliberation at all on my part nor any surprise to my family when I declared myself as an elementary education major in college (actually before I even took my first college class I had declared my major). I was full of ideas and promise for my future as a teacher. I graduated from college, with honors and my future looked bright. I moved home from college and commenced with the job search and got no-where. Why didn't I get a job? I don't rightly know. I know that after I had subbed a few years, I was actually told that my record as a substitute teacher was actually hurting me. Not because I was doing a poor job, but because I was actually doing too good of a job. I was told that a good sub is hard to find so when they have one that can keep a class under control and actually still teach them something AND one that is reliable that they don't want to hire them for a full time position because that leaves a hole in their substitute ranks. I was told over and over that I was 'a good one'. I was in high demand. After the first year (half year actually) I worked EVERY day of the school year. From the very first day to the bitter end. I did it all. But yet I wasn't hired full time. Could it have been because I was to valuable as a sub or could it have been my weight compressing me to the point that I had made myself un-employable simply because how my weight was making me feel was showing on the outside? I don't know. But the end result was that I couldn't buy, beg or steal a teaching job locally.
A few years after I graduated from college I applied for a teaching position in a county that was known for it's low socio-economic areas. It was a whim, I didn't expect anything to come of it. But the fire to teach was still burning deeply inside of me. So it was with much surprise when I came home one evening in late July and picked up my mail. There was an envelope from the school system that I had applied to. I laughingly told Todd (who was at my house for the evening...as we were dating at the time) "oh look, another rejection letter." Only it wasn't a rejection letter. It was actually a teaching contract....with the board of Ed's appropriate signatures already affixed at the bottom. The only thing left was my signature. I hadn't interviewed! I hadn't even talked to the school system. I had simply sent my resume and references to them. They hired me site unseen! That should have been my first clue. But that fire to teach was burning, so I went to the 'interview' process. It was not a normal interview in that the administrators were asking "MaryFran, what are your qualifications." It was a room full of administrators begging the applicants (who from what I gathered had all received signed contracts in the mail.....similar to my story) to accept the position/assignment at their school! I think of it as the human/teacher meat-market. Clue number two.......this is not a normal practice,but I went ahead with it and signed the contract and moved....all within 2 weeks. I was officially a 4th grade teacher.
The first month or two of the school year were fabulous. The students were responding to me, I was in my glory. There were some issues though. Supplies. Every time I asked for something....even something as simple as a stapler, I was told that they were working on getting it for me...although in retrospect they never arrived. So I ended up going out and buying my own supplies. The other major issue those first two months? I had no teachers manuals. Yes, you read that correctly. I had none! (didn't get them until the beginning of January). These things were just a minor annoyance though. I was capable of developing lesson plans without the teachers manuals. It just took a bit more time. The supplies....it really didn't get to me, I had waited so long to teach that I didn't care. Nothing I ever did was good enough for the administrators. I wrote on the chalkboard to large.....the next day it was to small. I would actually measure other teachers chalkboard writing and compare it to mine....it would be exactly the same, but mine was never good enough. One administrator told me that my voice was a problem...it grated against her senses. (no-one ever told me that before...in fact when I worked in a call center, I frequently got compliments on my voice). It was just anything and everything, attacking me in any way that they could. I can see it looking back, but when it was happening it was utterly confusing and devastating to be told that you were the worlds worst teacher and person.
After about a month or two though, I started noticing a shift in the students behavior. It was subtle at first with the class being a bit more unruly. But it escalated. It wasn't until I was picking my class up from one of their specials that I figured out the problem. I was being undermined by the administration. I stood outside of the door and heard an administrator saying, "These little notebooks are for you to keep in your desk. We want you to write down everything that Miss Clingan does so that we can find a reason to fire her because we don't want a white person in our school." My students very quickly realized that they could do ANYTHING in my room and there would be no repercussions. It quickly became sheer bedlam! There was no support from the admin staff. I had a student threaten to "bring my dad's gun to school so I can shoot you". The admin refused to do anything or even put it on the records "He's a young black man...if we put that on his records he has no chance in society" What about me? If I'm dead I have no chance either, I wanted to scream! I broke up a fight in my classroom at one point. The students were not reprimanded (remember very low socio-economic area...the parents were young and really didn't care either) and when I talked to my vice-principal about the injury I sustained while breaking up the fight I was told that he was not going to fill out or sign the paperwork because it was my fault that there was a fight in the first place. The injury? Muscle problems in my back. Yeah, the same problem I STILL struggle with today, ten years later.
I remember sobbing at one point over the Christmas break because the situation was so awful. In January, it got worse. My health was being affected. I spent some time in the ER because I couldn't breathe or swallow without pain....they couldn't find any cause...other than stress. Finally, one day (it was a Friday) I was on the beltway driving home and I saw a dump truck and my first thought was "if I swerve in front of it I would die and that would end this misery". NOT cool. So very not cool. But it made it startingly clear that something had to change, and quickly. By the following Monday, I had written my letter of resignation, made up a week (maybe two, I can't remember) of lesson plans for the substitute, cleaned out my personal belongings from my room and I was done with teaching.
The union jumped on the case hot and heavy after I left (wasn't much they could do earlier..even though I had been in contact with them). Turns out it was well documented to keep certain students separated....I had three of these documented pairings in the same room. (the only three on file for that grade level.) I had 36 students....I was supposed to have an aide....no one EVER walked into my room to assist...or help....or even give advice. The union started a lawsuit, but within a month or two , I put a stop to it. My mental health was much more important and continually talking about it every time they had questions was not allowing me to heal.
The experience left me with some huge emotional scars.
*It's been 10 years...but as I've written this today I've had to stop at least once each paragraph to look away and calm myself down. You see, the breathing swallowing difficulty comes right back, even after 10 years. People always say, try teaching somewhere else. But come on now....if after 10 years I still struggle with stress related physical difficulties I think that's our answer. After 10 years I will no longer say NEVER teach. But I think I can still safely say NEVER teach in a public school setting.
* I have felt like a failure. All I ever wanted to do was be a teacher, and I failed. (I struggle with saying, through no fault of my own, but I didn't have any control over the situation).
*I have allowed all those comments about my personality and even my personal and physical traits (things that I have no control over) to affect how I have felt about myself. My first mistake was believing them....my second mistake was taking them to heart!
I can't blame my weight all on this situation, but I will say when I left teaching I weighed 210 pounds....somehow I ballooned up to 300 within 2 years. But I can look back and I can see how my weight and the baggage that I have carried because of my weight has affected the decisions that I've made that brought me to that point and even further. I can also see how the situation has totally affected my weight. The situation made me feel worthless and unworthy of anything. To lose weight and be healthy you have to feel like you are worth the effort, for months I was continually told me that I was not worth it.
I don't know what writing this post will do. I know that writing this and even somewhat 'grudgingly' (because I still struggle with saying that I was innocent) admitting that I was an innocent party in this saga is not going to make it better over night. But I hope that by actually admitting it that I can move forward. While I desperately need to find another job...one that isn't so mind-numbingly boring and just...well......brain dead I know that it will not be in the public school system (so don't even bring it up in a conversation) but what does a person with a degree in Education do? hmmmmm
I'm worth it! All the stuff that they spouted at me for those months I need to take at face value....which means I need to pitch it ALL out the door.
*********************************************
I went to a weight watchers center other than the one that I normally go to last night. I was happy to go because according to my home scales I was showing a 1.2 pound loss. My home scales have always been dead on with the weight watcher scales so I was looking forward to the weigh in. A loss is a loss. So imagine my surprise when I get off the scale and look at the paperwork. They showed me a 1.6 pound GAIN! So that's 2.8 pounds different from my home scale. My only consolation and hope is that I was on a different scale.....maybe the scales at this center were off. Hmmmm. Not sure! Oh well, nothing to do other than plod onward!
Already hit the bike for 30 minutes this morning. I plan on riding more tonight during TBL, so I'll be doing good for today!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Bits of nothing
Yesterday was a good day with my eating and exercise. I got 1.5 hours of cardio in. (sadly no strength training) and I stayed within my points allotment for the day. Most of those points were also healthy! I did eat the heck out of the strawberries! I love love love strawberries!
After beautiful weather on Saturday and pretty decent (a bit drizzly) weather on Sunday, I was saddened this morning when I awoke to.....POURING rain. A literal deluge of water descending from the sky. I had to drive to work in it...there was water pooled in places I've NEVER seen water pooled! It just makes me long for summer even more!!!
After beautiful weather on Saturday and pretty decent (a bit drizzly) weather on Sunday, I was saddened this morning when I awoke to.....POURING rain. A literal deluge of water descending from the sky. I had to drive to work in it...there was water pooled in places I've NEVER seen water pooled! It just makes me long for summer even more!!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A day in the life of abnormal me.
I have written lately about how I feel depressed sometimes because I want to be normal. I don't want to have to watch every stinkin' bite of food that goes into my mouth. I don't want to have to push myself to exercise because I NEED to. How I want to be able to eat anything I want and not have to worry about it. I want to be normal. Sooooo this morning when I woke up, I was like...ohh my actions last night were so abnormal. And it just once again proves how abnormal and screwed up my thought processes are when it comes to all things related to food. Let me start for the beginning.
Yesterday while still at work I planned out my meal for the evening. I was to be home alone, which is almost always a huge huge issue with me because with my addiction to food, I have a tendency to keep eating and with no-one there to help keep me in check it sometimes isn't pretty when I write down what I have eaten. So I planned my evening out. I was going to use the leftover tomato sauce, put it on a flour tortilla and top it with 1/4 cup fat free mozzarella...i would cleanse my palate with a serving of grapes. That would actually give me a nice dinner and it would actually put me with 3 points to spare for the evening, in case I wanted to make popcorn or grab a 1/2 cup serving (pre-measured of course) of ice cream (2 points for what I currently have in the freezer). All was good. I've learned, if I have a plan and I can and will stick to the plan and not just eat what my addiction directs me to eat. SOOOO, I went home and made my little pizza. The first problem was the cheese. I think I should pre-measure my cheese for these things too...because of course I dumped WAY more than the 1/4 cup that I had planned. But no worries, I had those extra points to take care of it. I decided to spice up my pizza by adding some more garlic powder and other spices. Great idea right? I don't know what overcame me but I went happy with the garlic powder. And garlic powder is a good thing.....in small amounts. In large amounts...not so good! My dinner tasted, 'ok' but not the greatest. But after dinner, I found that I just wanted more and more food. Why? Because the taste of garlic was so strong that i was still tasting it a few hours later. I had a 1/2 cup serving of ice cream and I also had a jello pudding cup. So it could have been worse. But why did I eat them? Oh, I knew why I ate them......I was trying to cleanse my palate. I was trying to remove the overpowering taste of the garlic powder. I drank a diet soda...that didn't help! I wanted to eat more, but somehow managed to keep from tearing the cupboard doors off the hinges.
So this morning I woke up and before I even moved out of the bed I realized how abnormal I was. A NORMAL person would have simply gone to the bathroom and brushed their teeth...used some mouthwash. But no, I immediately turned to food to fix my problem. What an easy fix it would have been. Yes, I eventually figured it out and fixed the problem. But come on now....is my thinking so screwed up that even something as simple as that is tied with food. Is anything in my life not directly tied to food????
Yesterday while still at work I planned out my meal for the evening. I was to be home alone, which is almost always a huge huge issue with me because with my addiction to food, I have a tendency to keep eating and with no-one there to help keep me in check it sometimes isn't pretty when I write down what I have eaten. So I planned my evening out. I was going to use the leftover tomato sauce, put it on a flour tortilla and top it with 1/4 cup fat free mozzarella...i would cleanse my palate with a serving of grapes. That would actually give me a nice dinner and it would actually put me with 3 points to spare for the evening, in case I wanted to make popcorn or grab a 1/2 cup serving (pre-measured of course) of ice cream (2 points for what I currently have in the freezer). All was good. I've learned, if I have a plan and I can and will stick to the plan and not just eat what my addiction directs me to eat. SOOOO, I went home and made my little pizza. The first problem was the cheese. I think I should pre-measure my cheese for these things too...because of course I dumped WAY more than the 1/4 cup that I had planned. But no worries, I had those extra points to take care of it. I decided to spice up my pizza by adding some more garlic powder and other spices. Great idea right? I don't know what overcame me but I went happy with the garlic powder. And garlic powder is a good thing.....in small amounts. In large amounts...not so good! My dinner tasted, 'ok' but not the greatest. But after dinner, I found that I just wanted more and more food. Why? Because the taste of garlic was so strong that i was still tasting it a few hours later. I had a 1/2 cup serving of ice cream and I also had a jello pudding cup. So it could have been worse. But why did I eat them? Oh, I knew why I ate them......I was trying to cleanse my palate. I was trying to remove the overpowering taste of the garlic powder. I drank a diet soda...that didn't help! I wanted to eat more, but somehow managed to keep from tearing the cupboard doors off the hinges.
So this morning I woke up and before I even moved out of the bed I realized how abnormal I was. A NORMAL person would have simply gone to the bathroom and brushed their teeth...used some mouthwash. But no, I immediately turned to food to fix my problem. What an easy fix it would have been. Yes, I eventually figured it out and fixed the problem. But come on now....is my thinking so screwed up that even something as simple as that is tied with food. Is anything in my life not directly tied to food????
Friday, January 22, 2010
Weekly Check in
Week three of the new year has passed us by and it's time for me to fess up and face the music in regards to my goals. Soooo lets pull out the list and check it twice.
Lets look at my year goals first.
1. The mileage. I did 28.9 miles this past week. Only half of what I should have done. Not too bad when I add in that I was sick for most of that time frame. I am now at 129.91 for the year...I should be at 180 miles. So I've got some makeup mileage to do.
2. Weekly goals....I set them...worked on them to some extent...we'll get to that later
3. Strength training...nada (hey, I was sick!)
4. New recipes...yes, 1 I made Berry Banana Bread
Ok, as for my weekly goals there were as follows:
1. Water Consumption...especially on the long weekend. I actually did really good with this!!!
2. Stick to my points....religiously! I stuck to my points...but I didn't make them HEALTHY points
3. Make the food that goes into my mouth nutritious and healthy Failed on this one...it was carb city
4. Hop back onto the exercise....catch up with the mileage that I'm behind! Ok, so I was a bit sick and failed on this....Having this as my weekly goal pushed me and I got 1/2 of my goal for the week at least!
So this week....new weekly goals:
1. Water consumption again.
2. Exercise...I WILL do at least my 60 miles....but I want to start cutting into my 'debt' of where I'm behind....that means I have 40 extra miles to make up...above and beyond my 60 miles for the week. I may not make it all up this week, but I am to at least make a dent in my deficit.
3. Stay within my food budget...and make my points HEALTHY ones!
So there we have it!
I did ride the exercise bike this morning. I laid in bed and thought about ditching it....or 'waiting for this evening' (waiting never works because by the time I've worked all day I just don't want to worry with it) but I thought about my goal/motivator and it pulled me out of bed!
On a good note.......Lil' Mertz seems to be recovering well. How do I know? Well, I saw this last night.....
Lets look at my year goals first.
1. The mileage. I did 28.9 miles this past week. Only half of what I should have done. Not too bad when I add in that I was sick for most of that time frame. I am now at 129.91 for the year...I should be at 180 miles. So I've got some makeup mileage to do.
2. Weekly goals....I set them...worked on them to some extent...we'll get to that later
3. Strength training...nada (hey, I was sick!)
4. New recipes...yes, 1 I made Berry Banana Bread
Ok, as for my weekly goals there were as follows:
1. Water Consumption...especially on the long weekend. I actually did really good with this!!!
2. Stick to my points....religiously! I stuck to my points...but I didn't make them HEALTHY points
3. Make the food that goes into my mouth nutritious and healthy Failed on this one...it was carb city
4. Hop back onto the exercise....catch up with the mileage that I'm behind! Ok, so I was a bit sick and failed on this....Having this as my weekly goal pushed me and I got 1/2 of my goal for the week at least!
So this week....new weekly goals:
1. Water consumption again.
2. Exercise...I WILL do at least my 60 miles....but I want to start cutting into my 'debt' of where I'm behind....that means I have 40 extra miles to make up...above and beyond my 60 miles for the week. I may not make it all up this week, but I am to at least make a dent in my deficit.
3. Stay within my food budget...and make my points HEALTHY ones!
So there we have it!
I did ride the exercise bike this morning. I laid in bed and thought about ditching it....or 'waiting for this evening' (waiting never works because by the time I've worked all day I just don't want to worry with it) but I thought about my goal/motivator and it pulled me out of bed!
On a good note.......Lil' Mertz seems to be recovering well. How do I know? Well, I saw this last night.....
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Empty calories
Well, I stepped onto the scales today. I hadn't been on the scales since Tuesday morning. I was appalled to see that my weight had gone up by 1 pound. YIKES! Ok, I'll be honest. It could be water...or something like that. I mean, I didn't blow my points. On one day I used a flex point or two...but I stayed well within my budget. But, lets be honest here. While I stayed in my points range...it wasn't the healthiest of points. I did get my servings of fruits and veggies in...but everything else was CARB CITY!
Oh yes, I had bread (those berry banana muffins are really good...but they are a bread...carbs) for breakfast. I had sandwiches for lunch along with my potato soup (carbs and more carbs). I ate pasta for dinner and wiped my plate clean with homemade french bread
I tell you, it was a total carb fest!
No more! Today I'm watching my carbs more carefully. I'm making sure that most of my points are HEALTHY for me points. AND, I woke up early and rode my bike today.
I have a very clear goal...and a very good reason to lose this weight. I'm a woman on a mission!
Oh yes, I had bread (those berry banana muffins are really good...but they are a bread...carbs) for breakfast. I had sandwiches for lunch along with my potato soup (carbs and more carbs). I ate pasta for dinner and wiped my plate clean with homemade french bread
I tell you, it was a total carb fest!
No more! Today I'm watching my carbs more carefully. I'm making sure that most of my points are HEALTHY for me points. AND, I woke up early and rode my bike today.
I have a very clear goal...and a very good reason to lose this weight. I'm a woman on a mission!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Happiness...focusing on happiness
As I've been rather depressed lately, I think it's quite fitting that I do the little activity (or whatever the heck it's called) that's going around blog-land. Thanks to those of you who have asked me to do this!!!! I need to focus on these 'happy things' versus the depressing things!
10 things that make me happy.
1. My kitty cats! (oh wait, can I break that down and call it 1, Lucy; 2. Ethel 3. Mertz....so on and so forth. But that's cheating)
2. Spending time with my husband (ooops, that should have been first shouldn't it have been?)
3. Baking. I love to bake and it makes me happy to do so
4. Spending time with my parents
5. Family-brother and his family in particular
6. Warm summer days..spent outdoors...the scent of honeysuckle or lilac heavy in the air
7. Big snow storms when I'm warm and cozy in my house...snowed in with the love of my life
8. A good meal....deliciously prepared...with top of the line ingredients
9. A good book and a nice comfy couch with warm toasty blanket to cuddle under.
10. Good friends
This is a superb recipe that I made, yup, they were baked. Berry-Banana Muffins I did muffins...and each muffin is only 2 WW points. They are VERY tasty too!
Well well well. I actually got on the exercise bike during TBL last night and rode. One hour, so hopefully this will put me back on the proper track for exercise! My eating....Tuesdays are usually my 'cheat day'. Well, not really cheat, but they are my 'have a big heavy meal' day. Hey, we have to get that stuff out of our system. It would not be healthy for me to give up foods that I honestly love...so my Tuesday heavy meal is my way of getting those foods...but in moderation! One day...one meal. (not the every day every meal that we used to eat like that). But my plan is made for my eating today and I'm on track!
10 things that make me happy.
1. My kitty cats! (oh wait, can I break that down and call it 1, Lucy; 2. Ethel 3. Mertz....so on and so forth. But that's cheating)
2. Spending time with my husband (ooops, that should have been first shouldn't it have been?)
3. Baking. I love to bake and it makes me happy to do so
4. Spending time with my parents
5. Family-brother and his family in particular
6. Warm summer days..spent outdoors...the scent of honeysuckle or lilac heavy in the air
7. Big snow storms when I'm warm and cozy in my house...snowed in with the love of my life
8. A good meal....deliciously prepared...with top of the line ingredients
9. A good book and a nice comfy couch with warm toasty blanket to cuddle under.
10. Good friends
This is a superb recipe that I made, yup, they were baked. Berry-Banana Muffins I did muffins...and each muffin is only 2 WW points. They are VERY tasty too!
Well well well. I actually got on the exercise bike during TBL last night and rode. One hour, so hopefully this will put me back on the proper track for exercise! My eating....Tuesdays are usually my 'cheat day'. Well, not really cheat, but they are my 'have a big heavy meal' day. Hey, we have to get that stuff out of our system. It would not be healthy for me to give up foods that I honestly love...so my Tuesday heavy meal is my way of getting those foods...but in moderation! One day...one meal. (not the every day every meal that we used to eat like that). But my plan is made for my eating today and I'm on track!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
I'm still here....I was sick all weekend. It was a long weekend...and beautiful weather (well, except for the one rain day), but I spent most of it on the sofa. Exercise for the weeekend....zilch! Eating...not toooo bad though.
I had an epiphany this morning. I'm not going to talk about it online...but it's pretty deep. And it should really spark me to really work on my goals! Sooooooo, I'm fully motivated and ready to lose this weight!!!!
I had an epiphany this morning. I'm not going to talk about it online...but it's pretty deep. And it should really spark me to really work on my goals! Sooooooo, I'm fully motivated and ready to lose this weight!!!!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Weekly report
Well, the second week of 2010 has come and gone. Where do I sit in my goals?
1. I rode just about 30 miles this week...96 for the year...so I'm off pace to complete my 3000 miles for the year. I'm about 24 miles behind pace. No problem, I can catch up!
2. Weight loss. My official loss for the first week (instead of doing two losses a week...one at my weight watchers and then another on fridays, I'm just going to go by my weight watcher loss...keep it more simple). So my official loss for the week...4 pounds!
3. Recipes....I did good. This one is proving to be a lot of fun. I did 4 new recipes this week. Last week was 5......so I'm at 9 for the year! WAY above the target of 1 a week!
This week I tried a fresh Broccoli Salad. It was very good. It could be altered to suit your needs and tastes.
Then I tried a Chicken Dorito Bake. I admit to having misgivings while making this recipe becuase in all honesty it sounded gross on paper. But it was DELICIOUS!
The next thing I made was a Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfait. TOTALLY scrumptious!
The fourth new recipe/food for the week was Spinach n' Broccoli Enchiladas. Packed with healthy nutrients!
4. Strength training....well........we're going to work on that this week!
5. I set my weekly goals.....I struggled some.
*water drinking...I did really good!
*multi-vitamin......it was hit or miss. I got it down about 1/2 of the time...the other times I just plain forgot!
Soooo weekly goals. I have a LONG weekend (starts today at 1 and doesn't end until Tuesday at noon)...which can mean struggles...especially since I'll be home alone during much of it...so my goals are very 'survive the long weekend intact' oriented.
1. Water consumption....get it in...EVEN and especially on the weekend
2. Stick to my points....religiously!
3. Make the food that goes into my mouth nutrtious and healthy
4. Hop back onto the exercise....catch up with the mileage that I'm behind!
1. I rode just about 30 miles this week...96 for the year...so I'm off pace to complete my 3000 miles for the year. I'm about 24 miles behind pace. No problem, I can catch up!
2. Weight loss. My official loss for the first week (instead of doing two losses a week...one at my weight watchers and then another on fridays, I'm just going to go by my weight watcher loss...keep it more simple). So my official loss for the week...4 pounds!
3. Recipes....I did good. This one is proving to be a lot of fun. I did 4 new recipes this week. Last week was 5......so I'm at 9 for the year! WAY above the target of 1 a week!
This week I tried a fresh Broccoli Salad. It was very good. It could be altered to suit your needs and tastes.
Then I tried a Chicken Dorito Bake. I admit to having misgivings while making this recipe becuase in all honesty it sounded gross on paper. But it was DELICIOUS!
The next thing I made was a Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfait. TOTALLY scrumptious!
The fourth new recipe/food for the week was Spinach n' Broccoli Enchiladas. Packed with healthy nutrients!
4. Strength training....well........we're going to work on that this week!
5. I set my weekly goals.....I struggled some.
*water drinking...I did really good!
*multi-vitamin......it was hit or miss. I got it down about 1/2 of the time...the other times I just plain forgot!
Soooo weekly goals. I have a LONG weekend (starts today at 1 and doesn't end until Tuesday at noon)...which can mean struggles...especially since I'll be home alone during much of it...so my goals are very 'survive the long weekend intact' oriented.
1. Water consumption....get it in...EVEN and especially on the weekend
2. Stick to my points....religiously!
3. Make the food that goes into my mouth nutrtious and healthy
4. Hop back onto the exercise....catch up with the mileage that I'm behind!
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