No Excuses

 There is a reason that I made my Youtube channel's name No Excuses.  I wanted to stop allowing excuses to rule my existence and to allow myself to have success.  Because Success only comes when we give up the excuses!!!

I did it...but

We had a great weekend....but.    

I started out my weekend on Friday morning.  I had the day off so I spent it with my mom.  We had some random errands to run and we got everything on  

mount list completed so I was happy!   One of the items to do was for me to get a pair of slip on (backless) tennis shoes to wear around the house.   I am hoping that wearing a shoe every time I am on my feet will help eliminate some of this plantar fasciitis mess!  If it helps  I will feel embarrassed that I went a year with pain to only find that wearing shoes 24-7 fixed it...but after 2.5 days I am cautiously optimistic.  My foot does still hurt but it hasn’t been too bad this weekend!  I had some pictures from the day.....but.......

On Saturday we headed out in the morning to one of our mushroom locations!  We were out hiking for about two hours, but that spot was just a dry mushroomless barren ground for us!  I took pictures of the nice scenery though!  BUT........

Since mushroom hunting was a bust, we headed home and grabbed our bikes!  We just went to the canal but we got a nice ride in!  Boy....switching bike seats sure does make my keister hurt!  But it will toughen up!   We enjoyed the fabulous weather, the time in on our  bikes, some light mushroom hunting and the day together!  I took pictures....but!

On Sunday we headed out to our mushroom spot that has been generous with us this year.   We knew that due to the projected weather that this would most likely be the last of the morel mushroom hunting for this year!  Our spot was very generous with us again!  We were out for a few hours...crisscrossing and circling trees....following animal trails...tromping through brush and briars!   I even stopped to take a picture....but.....

About three hours into our successful mushroom hunting expedition I reached down to grab my phone to take a picture!  It was going to be a beauty!  Only....my phone was not there!!  My phone had somehow become dislodged from my possession!   We used the find my phone feature on my watch and Jason kept calling my phone so that I would know should we be close to my phone and we headed back into the woods.  But we had walked and roamed aimlessly (well not really aimlessly...we covered the woods like a blanket) for three hours prior to me noticing the absence of my phone.  Were we at this tree?  Or was it the tree over there?  Let me see if my phone is close to us.  Nope....we aren’t close enough to the phone...let’s walk a bit further. We never got any reaction from my phone. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.  A needle that we never found. After an hour of searching I admitted defeat.

My only consolation was that my phone was old and was going to have to be replaced within the next year anyway.  Ok, that’s not much of a consolation is it.   I was also consoled that I did have the money to buy another phone outright....but once again...not much of a consolation because that purchase was taking away from my quest to save money for a down payment for a house!

We left the woods and we headed to the store....yup...I am now the owner of a new phone.  And a good chunk of money poorer!  I will say though....the newest iPhone cameras are amazing!   (IPhone 12 Pro Max).   Zoom is crystal clear...even in lower light!  I will be enjoying grabbing pictures!    I just need to figure out how to superglue it to my fingers whilst hiking and mushroom hunting!!

Random facts:

**Luckily I am pretty good about backing up my photos from my phone.  So I only lost about a week or so of pictures!  (Including all the pictures from this weekend)

**I am not planning on downloading the scores of mindless games that I had on my previous phone....they are a mindless waste of time and I feel I would do much better with things that are enriching to my mind.

**I almost caved with the games last night in the middle of the night while I laid in bed wide awake!!  But I held firm and downloaded them NOT!

**An app to post on my this blog was one of the very first things I downloaded.

**Kiwi was the subject that I used to test the camera the most.   (The picture below is zoomed in...I was sitting about 10 -15 feet away!)

**I managed to grab one or two of Jason whilst he was being silly also. But I swore I would not post them on Facebook....bit wait...this isn’t Facebook is it?? Hmmmmm

**This was the first phone I ever lost or broke!!   May it be the last!

**I have been with iPhone since my very first smart phone....which I got so the in a year or so of them coming on the market.  It is what I know and am comfortable with.  Jason loves his Android/galaxy phones.  But I still love him anyway!  Hahaha 

So you get a mostly pictures blog post today!

As for my weight....I showed a maintain but I ate like a starving pig all weekend long...crazy foods...not much healthy about my food intake this weekend!  

A resurgence of passion

I used to......that was one of those phrases that I have used heavily in the last 6.5 years since I said goodbye to my marriage.  When I left the marriage I said goodbye to a lot of my habits, hobbies and thoughts.  Ok I also said goodby to some toxic people also!  But today we are talking about the so called passions it life that I walked away from.

Before the end of my marriage I was very interested in photography.  I was rarely without my camera gear.  Honestly, photography saved my soul. It made me look at the world as a beautiful place... and that was important for someone who’s world was a very dark, lonely and depressed place.  But as soon as I was free from that dark place it was like a switch had flipped off.  I couldn’t even bear to pick up the cameras.  It was as if all those years of sadness had been soaked up by the cameras and whenever I held the camera it was as if the sadness came pouring back outward.  I honestly contemplated selling my camera gear.  It never happened, simply because I couldn’t find a buyer (not that I looked too hard).  The gear sat mostly unused for months and even years.  That was the first thing that came back.   It was about a year or so ago that I felt the itch.  I pulled out the camera and while I don’t carry it with me constantly as before, I am happy to have it back in my life.

This past weekend I had another resurgence of a passion.  Years ago I found some old bottles and found that they interest me greatly.   For years I slowly built  a collection and actively searched for bottles.   I diligently packed them up and put them in storage when the marriage ended.   I talked about selling the bottles.  I once again couldn’t find a seller and didn’t take the time to sell them one piece at a time.   Those boxes sit in storage.    But this past weekend we were out hiking and looking for mushrooms (morel season). One of our spots must have at one time been a dump...at least that’s my guess...based on the old appliances ....laying higher and yon.   There are bottles scattered over the area also.  The first time we hunted there this year I just looked at them and laughed about ‘would have been a day when I was all excited about these bottles’ and just walked onward.  But this past weekend....Something snapped and I couldn’t pass them by.  By the time we got back to the car my backpack was full of bottles.  I revived the website on which I had them listed (that was a journey as I have no access to the email that the website was registered under...and didn’t have the password.).  I am excited to dig into the research of some of these bottles and to continue the research on all of my bottles.   Resurgence.

I have been trying to figure out how to revamp and utilize my websites.  I have way to many sites and blogs.  I have the bottles and some recipes on one site. I have a site with pictures of various neon signs.  (They are just fun to find and they are disappearing!). I have this site, my YouTube channel and I also have at blog for my dollhouse adventures.   It’s crazy!   I need to streamline!!!  Lol

Meanwhile...the plantars fasciitis is kicking up a storm!  By the end of the weekend and lots of hiking (two full days) my could barely walk!   I have had flare ups before but this one has been going on too long!  This one is by far the worst pain.   This one is driving me to near insanity!   I bought a new boot...I’ve taped..I’ve rolled...I’ve iced.  I have good days and think something is working and then it flaws up to horrible pain.   I have been noticing that it seems worse after working in the kitchen...barefoot.   So I have started wearing a pair of shoes (slip ons) whilst in the kitchen.  Oh yes I look a sight as I am usually wearing black exercise pants...Capri length...white socks and black dress shoes.   But I think it may be getting a bit better...  so I plan on buying a pair of slip on tennis shoes this weekend to wear around the house.  Why skip ons?  Because I hate shoes and I know when I am lounging on the couch I want my shoes OFF...but if I have to constantly tie and untie shoes I won’t wear them.  So slip ons!   This is my second to last option before the nuclear option.  Unless someone else has any suggestions). My next route is to try the ‘Good Feet Store’.  They apparently sell inserts for shoes...from what I understand quite pricy.  (I’ve hear a couple hundred for a pair of inserts).   But if it fixes the issue it would be worth it!  After that is medical intervention.....and I know that could include surgery.   So here goes nothing!!!

Impossible vs Diffcult

 

Giving up

 This past week was incredibly difficult for me.  I really struggled with emotions and direction.  I'm......well..... Ok, lets just dive in with no fancy intro.  I apologize for my more bullet style entry...but somedays it is just like that.

I felt like giving up most of this week.  I wondered if the pressure of being so transparent on this blog and on my youtube channel is too much.  Is the pressure of responding and commenting and creating wearing me down or helping me?    I had visions of packing up the youtube channel and calling it quits. 

 I honestly never had a full fledged idea of giving up my blog.  I like writing in it too much.  But seriously...how many times will I write about my amazing new start, my colossal failures to lose weight, my scattering moments of success........well you get the point.

Admittedly, it was mostly the youtube that was dragging me down.  I love doing it...but lately I feel that I am just slapping videos together to 'get them done'.  I feel like I am doing things halfway.  And that bothers me. 

Coupled with these feelings of being totally bogged down with my self imposed outlets and accountability is the fact that while my calories are perfectly in line, my water consumption is spot on, I'm an exercising demon....the scales are not cooperating.   

I'm telling you, the struggle was real!  I never gave up on myself.  But I stepped back from almost everything related to this blog and my channel.  I still don't know what I am doing.  I want them to be fun.   I don't know if that will mean that I simply write when the mood strikes and post videos when the mood strikes versus on a more set schedule or what. 

All  I know is that I desperately needed the break this past week.  I needed the time to not worry about responding to comments on the youtube channel (and when I reply to a comment I will always go to the other persons channel and watch a video....it takes time) and I didn't want to worry about making videos either!         

Finally on Friday I went back and watched some videos and read some blogs and I felt a small spark of excitement....and the desire to complete a video.....so we shall see!   But right now, I'm taking it one day at a time.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Impossible today Can be Easy tomorrow!

 Sometimes we have to take a step back to see where we have come from.  Because what once seemed impossible can very well now be your warmup...your every day easy routine!!!!!!!

What in the world???

How does time pass by so quickly???   It seems as if the older I get the faster time flies!   It’s absolutely insane!  But hey, I’m just hanging on for the ride!!!

I actually had a really good week in terms of my healthy habits!   I maintained my 5 servings of fruits and veggies each and every day!   I also quite nicely managed to drink no less than 64 ounces each day and most days I was much closer to 100 ounces.

Work was ....work.

Exercise was spot on again.   I rode the exercise bike daily and we walked after work each weekday.  Nailed the daily stuff!

Over Easter Weekend we managed to get in a hike! And we also got out on our bikes for the first outdoor ride!

The work week brought the normal stuff.... but this last weekend brought lost more time outside!!!

We hiked on Saturday. 

We hiked again on Sunday!

And we were on the go the whole time!  I have been icing my heel religiously and that seems to be making a difference....after the fact.   When I’m don’t hiking my foot feels like....hell!

I even went ‘gangster’ during our one hike.  Ok ok ok, my glasses were fogging up and the ball cap was restricting air flow behind the glasses...so I had to turn it around and wear it as a gangster!  

Now the weekend is over and it’s time to get this work week done.   It will be a busy week.   There will be rides on the exercise bike, after work walks, an evening eye appointment to get my eyes checked (Yup....I am 99.9% sure I’ll be reporting the switch to bifocals/progressives).   There will be lots of water drinking and many many fruits and veggies.  The weigh will hopefully come off....but if it doesn’t, I’m not concerned...because I know that I will have taken steps to BE healthy.

Friday Ramblings

 As I sit down to write today I am not sure what I am going to write about.  My mind has a gazillion things flying through it, but I just don't know what I want to say.  So this will probably be a rambling post about a lot of different things.

Easter Weekend

We had a good Easter Weekend.  We spent Saturday outside.  The morning was spent hiking in the woods.  I was hiking, Jason was intent on mushroom hunting...but alas it was still too early for mushrooms, at least in our area.  It feels good to be outside.  There is something mentally cleansing about being in the woods.  We finished our hike, ran into a one or two stores and did some errands before heading home to pick up our bikes. Our bikes had been in the shop getting tune ups, so this would be the first outdoor bike ride of the year!  Yay!   It was later by the time we got on our bikes, so we knew it was going to be a short ride, but we were excited nonetheless.  

On Sunday we headed to my mom's house in the morning and spent some time there and had lunch with the family.  But around 2:30 or so we headed to Jason's parents house to spend a bit of the holiday with them.  We left there at around 5 and headed home....just in time to hang out with our bird and cat and relax a bit before starting the work week again    

Another great weekend.....but way too short

Death in the Family

About a week or so Jason and I experienced a death in the family.  Our pretty Betta fish passed away and is no more.   All of the other pets are doing well...so that's good. 

The second death was my water bottle. The top broke!!!!!!  BOOOO  Luckily I was able to order a new one from Amazon and it arrived this week......and it's quite 'purty'.  

Healthy Pursuits

I have been actually doing great with my habit/goal of making sure that I eat at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day.  It has been somewhat easy.  I admit to eating a lot of my servings at lunch.  It works well for me though because they are bulk.......and it fills me up and lessens the temptation to go for less healthy food items.  I am not fussy about how my veggies are prepared at this point.  I've had broccoli casserole (think cream of chicken soup as one of the ingredients and topped with crushed cheezits) and cole slaw and broccoli salad all with their creamy mayo  based dressings.   But I'm still getting the nutritional value of those veggies.

I have been doing great with my calories also. The fruits and veggies keeps my calorie count lower than it would be if I were eating all sorts of other foods.    I did have one less than stellar day.......Easter Sunday.  I tried to pick my food carefully at lunch.  I tried to fill up on the veggies.  I did have a slice of ham some mashed potatoes and a roll.  But I counted for each bite!   The problem came when we were heading for home and knew we needed to find dinner.  We tried a few places but they were all closed for the holiday.  We ended up eating fast food.  Yes, I know...fast food!  I ordered chicken tenders.......and french fries...because why not!  But then I saw the onion rings.   I couldn't resist.  I topped it all off with a diet soda! (My first in about 2 or 3 weeks).    Dinner was good  But it threw my daily calories well over 2K.  Ohhhh and let us not forget the homeade peanut butter eggs that were sent home with us!  I had a bite of one! 

So I wasn't too shocked to see the numbers on the scale go up on Monday morning.  I mean...I ate fast food!  BUT  I was absolutely appalled to see the numbers jump by 5 pounds.  5 stinkin' pounds overnight!    Yeah, you can say 'it's water' or whatever.  But let me tell you...it's not just dropping off.  I"m drinking water like a made woman.....but the pounds are just slowly inching off.  Frustrating!  We shall see how my 'official weigh in' goes....but I am not feeling too hopeful!

Life in general

I’m trying to focus on things that make me happy.  So I have been working on my dollhouses.  I’ve had a blast making radiators...and doing lots of those little touches that makes a house a home.  

But I just can’t help but think there is more to life than working all day...being beaten down by managers that seem to feel that negativity is the way to get more work from employees....and just coming home so tired that I’m useless each evening.  Yes, I literally live for the weekends.

I pray for a change...but I’m not sure where to go to find the change.  I (we to some extent...because Jason and I discuss this a lot) grasp at straws.  Could candle making be the answer......wait tables.....open a bird supply store........stripper.....go back to school.....soap, I’ll make soap to sell......bum on the corner holding a sign?   Ok so I’m not seriously thinking about some of those options...but I do tend to grasp at straws.  

All I know is that there  has to be more to life than working myself to the point of being mentally exhausted each day!

Soooo. That’s my rambling thoughts.  Not much happening here...just rolling through the week and counting down until the weekend while I eat my fruits and veggies!  

Belief in Yourself

 I absolutely love this saying!   Of course I would ......especially when you remember what my website is named!!!!!!

My week

This weekly weigh in is going to be a bit different.   Normally I would come on and tell you how much weight I lost and either celebrate or commiserate.  But that’s not what I’m going to do this week.   Ok...maybe I will do it a bit!   But seriously. This post is more about the discussion of my changes and how I am doing!!!

Ok...so I don’t have an official weigh in today.  Because I was so very vague the last few weeks with my numbers.  But let me tell you, it was bad!   It sparked me to really step back and take stock  of where I am, what I’m doing, where I want to be.  All sorts of things like that.   When I say it was bad...it was really bad.   As in it was so bad that I was back at 247 pounds!  That was my all time covid high that made me realize that I have to stop the covid gain!   I started to make the changes in my eating and switched to my plan of simply 5 fruits and veggies at bare minimum about two weeks ago! Immediately I started to see the drop in my weight.  What a relief!!!   I am so happy to announce that I managed to end the month of March at almost the same weight that I started the month.  I actually ended 0.4 pounds lower.  I’ll take that half pound loss!  My plan was working!!

Eating the higher quantity of fruits and veggies has been pretty easy.  I typically eat a banana mid morning (one I share with kiwi). And admittedly I many times have some peanut butter with that banana.

Then at lunch I have been trying to have at least two to three servings of vegetables and then one more fruit (usually grapes which I nibble on whilst at my compete at work!).  I am not concerned about making sure that my vegetables are raw and prepared in the healthiest natural way.   I have had broccoli salad, (Mayo and sugar in the dressing) and broccoli casserole, Harvard beets.   The emphasis is that I am eating vegetables....fueling my body correctly!

For dinner I prepare normal food.  I don’t try to shy away from any food group, use diet substitutes (fat free or low cal). or plan low calorie meals.  We have pasta...red meat...whatever we want.  

I do try to make sure that my calories are between 1400-1500 calories...but honestly it’s not taking any real work.  The veggies keep my calories low naturally!

I have indulged in something sweet each and every day though!    Each night maybe a half hour after dinner, I head to the candy jar and I have ONE piece of hard candy.  It’s working for me!!!!  And yes, I can it my dessert!  

It is working for me...and working well!  I honestly don’t feel deprived and I’m actually eating more food and the veggies fill me up so I’m not even remotely tempted to eat the pretzels...chips...etc that are in the house (I refuse to make Jason give up his snacks just because I have a weight issue....although he has told me that he would if I want!). I need to learn to manage life with the temptations!   And surprisingly I have not been tempted.  I think it’s because my body is getting the nutrients it needs ...I’m properly fueled!!!

So I am doing well.  I nailed last weekend...and while I wrote this it is Saturday morning....but I’m determined to nail this weekend also...even Easter Sunday lunch!  I got this!!!

Don't be Stale

 I have been struggling for a while with my weight loss journey.  It's no secret!  But I have developed a five pronged strategy to make sure that I stay as fresh and new!   This is incredibly important because stale many times equals stagnation and a lack of weight loss while on a weight loss journey and that is NOT what I want!!!!  

These five steps are so simple and basic that it's ridiculous!  I started to sit back and think about my next steps and I was shocked at how basic it is!  But seriously....these 5 tips (with a wee bonus tiphave made my  journey fresh and new!!! It has totally rejuvenated me!

Go Back to the basics

 Seriously, how simple is that?  Go back to the basics!  Yes, we all know the basic rules of living a healthy life.   It was pounded into our heads in health classes in school.  Am  right?    You know that good old fashioned food pyramid?   We all have seen it at one time or another!   In case you don't remember it, I'll pop a version of one in here right now!

Our bodies need to be fed nutritional food in order for them to work optimally.  And working optimally is important if you want to lose weight and be healthy!  Some of the guidelines have changed a bit over the years...but the basic premise is the same.   

Water is another basic principle.  Drink water.  The most commonly recommended amount is 64 ounces!  So aim for that!  It's a basic recommendation...it aids in every bodily function.  It's super important.  It's a basic principle.

Back to the basics!

Remember the Excitement

I remember when I first joined weight watchers.  I was so excited.  I couldn't wait to get home with my bag of papers, books and phamplets!  I wanted to read everything I could!  I wanted to soak in every ounce of knowledge.  I purchased extra books.  I scoured the internet.  I was excited about what I was doing and my efforts showed that excitement!  We need to remember that current of excitement and bring it back!

Think about your Why

The journey gets long and hard.  Sometimes we have to sit back and really think about why we want to lose weight.  What made you decide to start a weight loss journey.  Is that reason still valid and pertinent?   What is your reason for continuing on this journey?  Remember the reasons why you are doing this!   For me my why has changed drastically over the years.  It went from trying to satisfy an (now ex) husband, to trying to focus on the one thing that I had control of and now it is the desire to live a long healthy life with Jason.  My why has changed over the years...but it doesn't matter.  I just need to remember my why so that my focus on this journey doesn't waver!

Research

I already touched on this when I talked about the excitement.  Read everything you can get your hands on!  Research the topics and aspects of this journey.  For me, I stopped researching.  I stopped gathering new information.  I felt like I was an old hat and I stopped soaking in the knowledge.  And I became stagnant.  I started reading and the excitement and energy poured through me.  I wrote recently about a book review.  read the book Atomic Habits (affiliate link) and my word, I was chomping at the bit to get started and to change my habits and change my life!  I am reading a book by Suzanne Summers (affiliate link)  and I'm so ready to focus even more on Organic foods (which we already mostly eat).   I'm excited and refreshed due to my research.

Inspiration

Where do you draw inspiration?  I get inspiration by so many things.  I love to look at before and after pictures and read before and after stories.  I have had goal weight clothes hanging on closet doors as inspiration.  I watch YouTube videos.  I read blogs.  There are so many places to go looking for inspiration.  Sometimes the inspiration will come to you out of the blue....but don't count on it.  Make sure you are surrounding yourself with inspiration each and every day!

And my Bonus tip.......I have to each day remember that I am worth every ounce of energy that this journey takes. I am worth every second of time that I spend on myself.  I am worth this process!!!!!!

SO there are the tip and tricks that I have implemented into my life to make sure that I am healthy and happy and keeping my weight loss journey from getting stale and stagnant!!!!

A New Plan of Attack

 Ok, here we go again.  A new plan!  I know, I know I know....this a repeat of how many different times that I have restarted.  But this time.....I think it's different!  I feel refreshed and renewed and ready to do this journey!  I feel as if I finally have my focus where it needs to be!   I'm ready!

Last week I talked about the eye opening book that I read, Atomic Habits. (affiliate link)  This book was a huge eye opener for me and totally changed the way that I have been thinking in regards to my weight loss journey.  In that post I talked about how creating habits were important and how little habits would inflict HUGE responses. 

Somehow over the past few months (years) I have begun to focus on the number on the scales. That in itself isn't a bad thing.  It is however my main goal and I should be keeping my eye on the prize so to speak.  HOWEVER, in my single minded focus on that number I forgot to focus on the habits that will get me to that overall goal!  I have not been focused on making the routines that are healthy my daily habits!  

You can see the difference when you look at my monthly reports.  They used to be full of habits.  Sure I always said I wanted to weigh less at the end of the month...but my main goals were all habit and action based.  But somehow , somewhere in some way my monthly reports became all about numbers. 

I will still be reporting numbers on my weekly weigh ins.  I will still be striving to show a loss each month at my monthly report.  But the focus is now on meeting some simple daily habits each and every day!  I know that if I change these habits right now that I will reap rewards further down the line!   So without further ado, I give you the habits that I will currently be  focusing on. 

1.  Water -  it is a well known fact that we need water.  Yet I consistently have struggled with this!  No more.....a healthy habit that I'm focusing on is at least 64 ounces of water each day!

2.  Fruits and Veggies -  When I was losing weight the first time around, I was eating a TON of vegetables and fruits!   I was consistently eating 6-8 or more servings a day.  Somehow that number whittled down until in recent months I would be lucky to get 2 servings a day.  That is changing!  I will be eating at least 5 servings a day! (and not all fruit.....veggies too!)

3.  Track my food -  This one is a good old standby.  I am not saying that it matters what I eat...it just has to be tracked for this habit to be successful.

4.  Only one sweet treat per week (on the weekends).  This is more along the lines of eliminating a BAD habit but still allowing myself the freedom to 'live'.   So I am eliminating the bad habit by restricting it.

5.  I need to be active at least 20 minutes each day....at least 6 days a week! (Preferably more)

6.  My calorie count needs to be under 1500 calories 6 out of the 7 days of each week.

7.  Aim for at least 5,000 steps each day.  NO averages this time around.....(this one I waffle on including....simply because I am riding most of my miles which means less steps).  But for now I"m including it!  Maybe I will keep it but keep it that average!!!!!!   We will see....stay tuned!

So there you have it.  My plan.  I'm focusing on small habits that I can change and incorporate that will turn into fantastic results.  I know that I will be adding more healthy habits as time goes on.....but for now...this is what I'm focusing on!  I think it's enough for now!!!

Habits versus goals

I read a book.  That alone is not the amazing thing because I read quite a few books.  What is amazing is that this book opened my eyes and really helped me see where I was going wrong with my weight loss journey!

The book that I read was Atomic Habits by James Clear.   This book from the introduction had me shaking my head in agreement.  I knew the content of the book!   Seriously.  We all know the importance of good habits and bad habits! But this book made it all clear!  It talked about how small habits may seem small and inconsequential but those small habits have a way of gathering speed.  These habits then have a way of building upon themselves and the end result is astronomical!   The author gave clear examples of situations that seemed hopeless or insurmountable but someone enacted small changes that seemed inconsequential but when all added together over time produced amazing results!

Just what I needed to hear!

The author talked about how to make good habits more appealing.  He talked about how to make the bad habits less tempting!   Things just as simple as having the fruit bowl on the counter in plain sight can make eating fruit more tempting!   Removing the obstacles in the way helps!   Likewise removing temptation.  Making the process of carrying out the bad habits more difficult will impede our success to completing those bad habits!   

Yes!!!  This makes sense to me!!

The book discusses ways to build more and more habits.  And this book is quite realistic.  It clearly reads in more than one place that perfection and never indulging in a bad habit is an unattainable goal.  But the good habits should put weight the bad habits!

Isn’t this what I have been saying?

For me though...it was in the early stages of the pint hat I had the most eye opening moment.  It was when the author talked about how having goals is great.  But it’s the habits that we need to be focusing on...because the habits will be what brings the success.  

I have been focusing on that goal and not the habits!!!!

So lots of change in my way of thinking is upcoming!  I’m actually excited!!!!   So stay tuned!!!!

Funeral Potatoes

 Seriously, they are called funeral potatoes.  What a morbid name for something so delicious!   Upon reading about this recipe, the name came from the tradition of taking a dish to a funeral or to the family of the deceased.  This is one that many people used for that tradition as it is tasty, reheats well and is a crowd pleaser.

It is not exactly healthy...but it is good!  And as we know....all things can be had in moderation!

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 cups sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

24 ounces frozen diced potatoes (thawed.....use cubed or diced, not shredded)

3 cups cornflakes, slightly crushed

1/2 cup butter, melted

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 35o degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1/3 cup melted butter, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt and garlic powder.

3.  POur the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.  

4.  IN a medium mixing bowl, combine the 1/2 cup melted butter and crushed cornflakes.  Stir until the corn flakes are coated in butter.

5.  Spoon the cornflake mixture over the potatoes.

6.  Bake for 45 minutes.

For a printable version of this recipe  https://www.kulinarian.com/recipes/funeral-potatoes/

Pondering and thinking

I am on a bad course.  It’s not going well, this weight loss thing.  The scales seem to have a mind of their ow the last two weeks.  

I was so proud of myself this past Friday when I had my official weigh in.  And my pride took a beating when I actually weighed on and showed a two pound gain.  (Maybe that is it’s own lesson to heed the  the biblical verse  ‘pride goeth before fall’)

Whatever happened I wanted to give up.  Why am I doing this to myself?   Am in insane?  This is pure torture!

But I’m NOT giving up!   I’m not out for the count.   But I am taking a step back and reevaluating!

After my vow to throw in the towel and give up passed I jumped at the thought of this and that ‘diet’.   Maybe if I ate only grapefruit for the next two weeks.  You know...I once knew someone that only drank Pepsi for 6 days a week and on the seventh day she ate.  I kid you not...that was her weight loss plan.  Maybe I could do that!!!!    Yes. I’m ashamed to admit that I thought about those crazy ideas! 

  I thought about no so crazy ideas. What about the intermittent fasting..and only eating one meal a day?  (OMAD).  Keto?   Atkins? South beach?   My mind swirled with ideas.

I don’t have an answer yet.   I know something has to change. A change in me personally?  Maybe.    A change in my weight loss plan?   Maybe.  A change in my exercise plan?  Who knows.  

I’m not jumping into anything right away.  I’m stepping back to reevaluate.  I’m stepping back to think.  And I’m stepping back to give myself time to research my options...some different ideas...some different thoughts.   

I’m still here.  I’m still in the game. But I’m pulling out the playbook and figuring out my next move.  And who knows...my next move might be a totally different plan, so stay tuned!!!!

I leave you with a picture of Mertz and she helps me research my next move in this weight loss journey!

Fabulous week...kinda

I had a fabulous week!   I was so spot on with my eating it was ridiculous!

Ok I was spot on with my plan for the week!  As you know, I don’t strive for perfection in my weight loss journey.  I aim for sustainability.  That means that I allow myself a sweet treat here and there. Most recently I allow myself one!   And that’s ok.   Because I want this to be for life!

So yes!  I followed my plan.  Lots of fruits and veggies for lunch and a healthy balanced dinner.  One sweet treat for the whole week!   I was spot on with my plan!  My calories were in check.  I was doing great!

My exercise was spot on!  I rode the bike almost every day!   I did take my first test day for the year 2021!  Yes my first test day!   I’m not pushing myself overly hard.  20 minutes on the bike each day.  But my legs were feeling heavy.  So I took a rest day.  But I got back on that bike the next day and started back with my riding and my routine.   We walked on the weekend and enjoyed seeing how spring is blossoming.

And I watched my weight steadily climb. I gained two whole pounds this week!   What is wrong with me?????  

I’m so frustrated I could scream!

Chasing the Pounds

Each week I chase the weight.   I have my official weigh in on Friday.  I am stoked about it....then the weekend comes and boom...I gain 1-2 pounds (sadly sometimes 3) and then I spend the rest of my weigh in week (my work week) chasing down those pounds.

It’s a vicious cycle!  Absolute insanity!  I cut back to one sweet treat for the whole week...and yes it does happen on the weekend.  (It was one a day on the weekend...and I included Friday night into the weekend..so three!). That didn’t seem to make a difference.  I watch my calories.   They are not insanely high!  I mean, even with the sweet treats they were in the 1600 to 1800 range.  According to the ‘numbers’ that should still be a loss!    But each week I gain!

It’s disheartening!  It’s infuriating.  It is what it is...apparently.

So last week while I was chasing down my weight gain during the course of my work week, I thought of a few things and I have a new plan of attack...or maybe it’s an old plan of attack...depending on how you look at it!  

I have been doing a more intermittent fasting method for a while.  I’m just not hungry first thing in the morning.  I never have been.  So I naturally fell into a 16:8 intermittent fasting plan.   I have been hearing so many people talk about doing the intermittent fasting plan of one meal a day, or OMAD.  I have honestly been interested. It would eliminate so much temptation.   But I hesitate for various reasons.  Honestly I worry about going on a long hike or an intense mountain bike ride with no food in me.  We need food as fuel!    Sooooo...this last week I combined the two...kinda...sorta.     

I eat my dinner normally.  Whatever I want, I don’t particularly choose low calorie foods.  This last week we had chicken and sweet potatoes one night,  cheeseburgers and Mac and cheese another night, spagetti, a broccoli cheddar quiche.......well balanced and not what I would call ‘diet food’.  Normal foods for normal people.  (Honestly the broccoli cheddar quiche may have been the only recipe I may have possibly found in a healthy cookbook).  

  But when I break my fast  I am working to stick to eating fruits and veggies only.  Not even just plain fruits and veggies.   I ate left over broccoli casserole and also some broccoli salad (yes we had a lot of broccoli this week...go figure) and I did smear my banana with peanut butter!    But the basis of my lunch was fruits and veggies.

As I ate and entered my food into myfitnesspal I started to think about the Maryfran of old.  When I was in weight watchers and losing weight steadily...and reaching my goal weight, I remember being in a meeting where they were talking about fruits and veggies and that we have to really work to get those 5 servings a day....as hard as it is...we need to get those 5 recommended servings.   I remember listening to people moan and bellyache about how it was ‘so difficult’ to eat that many and how ‘five a day?  That’s just impossible’.  I was dumbfounded and when they asked if anyone consistently ate 5 servings I was able to honestly raise my hand.  They asked how many I actually ate and I remember being able to honestly say ‘I eat at least 8 servings a day’.   It sparked a whole long conversation where I talked about how I just made those foods the basis of my diet.  I think I may have mentioned that my lunch was primarily fruits and veggies.   Every day...I packed 4-5 (sometimes more) fruits and veggies for lunch.  I always had a fruit serving after each meal for my pop of sweetness...so breakfast and dinner also included a fruit...and then whatever veggies I served with dinner.   

I finally remembered how I managed things before.  ‘Normal dinner’ but fruit and veggie laden through out the day!   I can do that again!   No problem!

The other thing that I did with my figures in myfitnesspal...I pulled out my total calorie count for each day and listed them in a piece of paper.  I then listed my weight for that day beside the number. 

1600-1700 is not a good number for me.  But I am happy to say that 1300-1400 is a good number.  At least from this weeks statistics.   I have long said that I can’t lose at a higher caloric intake...even if the numbers say I should.  It just doesn’t happen for me!  I think this shows that also.  But I was happy to see that I didn’t need to be down at the 1200 range.  I was losing just fine at the 1400 mark!    I don’t know how 200 calories a day could make such a huge difference....but they did (true the quality of calories consumed too plays a factor!)

As you can see on the stats picture...I managed to chase that weight gain and even lose a pound!  Yes, I was happy!!

So I learned and remembered some basic things about myself this past weigh in week while I chased down the weekend weight gain!    I am diligently putting them to use!  And I’m determined!!!  

Running again????

This week has been somewhat uneventful.  Not much has been happening in terms of my weight loss.  It’s just been there.

I stayed the course over the weekend.  Stayed with my ‘one sweet treat indulgence’ rule.  I was so disgusted to see my weight pop up.   Irregardless of my seemingly good behavior my weight is determined to pop every weekend.  So I’ve been chasing down the ‘recoup’ all week long.  

On Sunday I was so thoroughly disgusted that I allowed the weight of it all (pun intended) to get to me.  I was actually depressed and feeling defeated about it all!    There were some other emotions at play also...some things that I am working through.   And I was an emotional wreck.   Jason had his hands full for sure!   He is a trooper and did everything he could to help me through the emotions!  

I did come to a conclusion on Monday....that conclusion was the reminder that I can’t help what other people do...how they treat me..how things play out in my life. I have no control over it.  The ONLY thing I have control over is my reaction to these stimuli.    And that includes how I stress eat..or not stress eat as the case may be.

I have continued on with my consistency with my exercise bike to get my miles.  I even got out for another run outside on my lunch break!!!!  Go me!  It was slow. It wasn’t pretty.  But I did it!!!

Ohhh and the weather was fabulous!  I was in a tee shirt!  That made it even better!  Spring is very welcome to arrive!

After my emotions on Sunday I feel more settled about my weight loss efforts.  I know I’m making overall good choices for health.   I just need to figure out why my weight is popping each weekend.  Calorically I’m not our of control.  (Even with the day that I had a sweet treat.). I’m not eating mad carbs all day long.  I’m not going off the rails at all.  It’s very controlled eating but something is off kilter.

I will figure this out!!!!  No if’s ands or buts!!!

I caved

I have been wanting one!  I have looked at peoples blogs.  I have watched videos.  I have been so wanting to get an air fryer!   I have heard that they are fabulous for cooking healthy meals! 

 My I have drooled over air fryers!  I wanted one bad!   I kept revisiting the idea in my mind!   But I kept resisting.   One main reason actually,  my kitchen is small! Where would I put it.  I already am constantly moving small appliances on a daily basis!! I can deal with the shuffling of small appliances...but my shelves that hold those small appliances are full.  What would I do?  Where would I put it!

Yet I kept getting inundated with air fryer praise!  Everyone talks about them!   I wanted!  But I kept resisting.  In my mind though I worked to come up with some ideas of how to magically create more storage in an already cramped apartment (story of my life!).

And then.....yes something happened.   We spent some time last weekend with Jason’s son and his fiancé (and his adorable granddaughter) and us girls started talking about cooking and kitchen gadgets.  She mentioned that she an air fryer!  My heart lurched as that desire to buy one roared back to life!  Of course I asked her what her thoughts were.  And she sang her praises!   She talked about cooking in it but she also talked about reheating food in it.  Really?  Hmmmm

Jason overheard the conversation!  He was hooked when he heard that  restaurant  french fries that you get through delivery/take out can be popped into the air fryer and they taste good!  Really?    Of course we started talking about it...and the pendulum swayed toward getting one.   

We talked all week long. And we did it!!!

We shopped around a bit.  We immediately discarded the cheapie $40 ones.  They felt flimsy and if I was really strapped for money I am sure they would be fine...but while I am watching my money (for my financial goals) I am ok spending a bit of money here and there.  I try to buy good quality when I can.  So it ended up being between the Ninja and the Power.  Jason had researched these a while back because I apparently almost got one as a gift a while back!  (He knows me well and knows that kitchen gadgets are a sure fire winner for a gift!!!)   We finally settled on the PowerXL.  We liked the fact racks versus the basket.  We also liked the rotisserie option.  So we did it!

It was $189.00 at Bed Bath and Beyond  but a 20% off coupon made it right around $120.     We were so excited to bring it home!

We quickly set it up and we were so excited to try to reheat some Cajun wings that we had picked up at a farmers market!  Ohhh they turned out well!  But what about fries???

On Sunday we grabbed dinner and uncharacteristically ordered French fries.   We had to try them!   And oh my word...it worked!!!  They reheated well!   They were not soggy!  They were crispy on the outside.  They were soft inside.  They were excellent!

This is going to be a fun new gadget!!!    I will be accounting out recipes and working on finding new healthy ways to use this air fryer.  But this weekend we learned that reheating in the air fryer is superior to anything else!!!

I gained a pound!!!!

I gained a pound overnight!

I had a pretty good week.   Not stellar but pretty good. I held steady on Friday and Saturday with my edict of only one sweet treat for the week.  I was doing great!  But then came Sunday.   I indulged at a family event and then that evening I was stressed and ate another sweet treat.  So I totally messed up on Sunday!

Luckily my weight only went up one pound!  So the damage was minimal!  I worked all week long staying on target and worked to get that pound off.  By Wednesday it was starting to drop!   I was hopeful for a loss!

Thursday morning I weighed in and it was looking promising!  A maintain/small loss!    But I had one more day...I was going to do it!!  I knew I could!

Now let me stop and say that I weigh every morning religiously.  I strip my clothes...turn on the shower water to let it get warm....step on the scales...get in the shower!  It’s a routine.  So occasionally when I shower in the evening I just follow that habit without thought. (Although I don’t like to weigh more than once a day...once is enough.). Last night was one of those days where I just stepped on without thinking.  I was so excited!  The scales showed me down 1.5 pounds!  Yes!   1.5 pounds down!   I was so excited!

So I stepped on those scales with confidence this morning!  I was going to slay those scales!   I was the ruler!  I was........

I officially lost a half of a pound (technically 0.4).   Where did that pound go?  Last night it was 1.4!   Ohhhh those scales are so fickle!!!!

So even though I apparently ‘gained’ a pound overnight....(yes I know it is normal fluctuations throughout the day and that’s why I don’t weigh more than once a day usually)   I still lost!  It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to lose...but a loss is a loss!!!!!!!