A new plan to Lose weight

Things with my weight loss journey have been full of ups and downs and more recently lots of downs.  I have been totally discouraged.  I do the exact same thing I have done in the past and there is no progress....or rather progress is in fits and starts.  It is totally a two steps forward two steps back type of deal.  I knew that something has to change!

Looking for a change in my weight loss plan

I knew that I had to make a change in my weight loss plan and efforts.  So I started to research.  I started to look at various plans.  I checked out the whole 30 and the possibility of eating pretty much ONLY whole foods and nothing processed.  I looked into Keto and the thought of pretty much totally eliminating carbohydrates.  I thought about tweaking my existing calorie in versus calories out routine.   I seriously started to look at fasting on a larger scale than my 16:8 plan that I typically follow.   There were so many options!  I knew I had to research more because I know that I don't want an 'all or nothing plan'.  I don't want a plan that is so restrictive that I can't sustain it for life.   I kept digging into research and eventually I stumbled upon the book, The Obesity Code by Jason Fung.  This book has been out for a while, it was published in 2016, but for some reason it hadn't come across my radar as something I wanted to read until just now.

I started to read and almost immediately the guilt and self hatred toward myself started to fall away.  What am I talking about?  The feelings of being a total failure due to my dismal weight loss progress.  It is hard to not beat yourself up on this journey when you are not losing and instead gaining or at the least maintaining.  BUT, the author talks about how weight is regulated by our bodies.  It would be foolish to not think that our bodies don't regulate it.  Our bodies regulate everything and usually via the hormones that course through our body.  Therefore, weight problems may have been caused by myself (which I do accept full responsibility) but my prolonged issue with obesity and my struggles to get this weight off is most likely due to a hormonal imbalance within my body.  The relief I felt was intense.  I have been beating myself up over what I have perceived as my own personal failure.  Encouraged, I read on.

The author contends that the hormone responsible for weight regulation is insulin. He sited numerous studies that indicate this fact.  Furthermore, the more insulin we make in our body, the more insulin resistant we become, which just causes our bodies to create more since we need more due to the fact that we are resistant (or immune).  The more we produce the greater the changes of weight gain!

Pretty simple right? Just fix your insulin levels right?  Not quite, this is where the author states we as a society has gone wrong.  We get fixated on one facet of this equation....and we forget that there are many facets for getting this hormone under control 

He talks about the keto plan which lowers carbs by strict restrictions. He agrees that it works but what about the other facets that cause our insulin levels to rise?   Intermittent fasting works also because it gives our bodies prolonged periods without food and food is what stimulates our bodies to produce insulin.  So fasting works too!  But what about the other pieces of the puzzle.   Calorie counting?  What about that?  Well yes, that works to reduce the insulin levels.....remember everything we eat causes our bodies to make insulin in response.  So reducing the amount of food through calorie counting and caloric restriction works great also.   But it doesn't account for the whole picture!

The all encompassing plan to lose weight

So I have gleaned 7 different tips and ideas that I will be incorporating into my weight loss plan:

1.  Reducing sugar, including artificial sweeteners.  This is pretty simple...cut back on my sugar intake.  NO more candy at my desk while I'm working! I have been indulging and it fits in my caloric budget but do I really need that little square of pure sugar?  Probably not!  In a perfect world it should be reduced to none, but I am aiming for sustainable, not perfection.  Artificial sweeteners are better in some regards, but they still cause our bodies to produce more insulin.  So they are going away also.  My biggest offender for that is the flavored drink packs.  I drink at least two of those a day!  I plan on reducing that for now and getting back to NONE and drinking just plain straight water for most of my day (right now I'm about 50/50).  I guess this means that the starbursts days are over!

2.  Reduce Refined and Processed foods -  Food that is processed needs to be eliminated.  When food is processed it loses so many nutrients and adds a variety of other things (sugar for one) and it's just not good!  Flour is a great example.  White flour is so highly processed that it contains almost NO nutritional value.  Wheat flour is only marginally better.   Cutting everything out may be not feasible for me and my lifestyle, but I can certainly reduce! 

3.  Moderate My Protein Intake:    I am going to be aiming for 20-30% of my daily food to be protein based.  

4.  Increase Natural Fats - Natural fats (from nuts for example) are good for us.  They do NOT promote insulin production and they have other benefits in our body.   Eat the GOOD fats!

5.  Increase Consumption of fiber!   The author talks about fiber as the 'antidote' to sugar.  He talks about how many processed foods have removed the fiber...so we have taken away the antidote!   Not good!   But that isn't what made me sit back and say "aha!"   I was brought back to my days in weight watchers.  Back to the old days when we didn't just put the information in an app.  We used a physical slider and we could clearly see that the FIBER was a big component (at least it was when I had great success with weight watchers!).   I was eating a very high fiber diet and I lost a LOT of weight.  But somewhere along the way I got away from watching my fiber consumption!   It's time to bring that back!  I"m not sure I am ready to add in a fiber supplement, but it is definitely something I am looking at.

6.  Fasting. I already do  intermittent fasting but the author talks about breaking that insulin resistance.  We need to break  the cycle of your body needing more and more and more insulin.  He claims that the way to break that cycle is to fast.  He actually recommends a 24-36 hour fast.  That will give your body a prolonged time without food...and by having no food your body will not be stimulated to produce insulin....which should help break that cycle.   I will not be doing very long fasts.  But I am going to be trying to OMAD method of fasting to get a bit more time between my meals.  OMAD is better known as One Meal A day.   I will be eating only one time a day....and I'm aiming to do this on my week days while I am at work.   We shall see how it goes and either increase or decrease after I try it.

7.  I know that quantity of food is a big issue for me, so I will continue my calorie counting.  I know that I could still do a LOT of damage in that one meal a day.  I know that I will always need to keep a handle on how much food I eat.  So I will continue calorie counting.   I know my weak spot and calorie counting helps me combat that weakness!

SO there you have it.  My new plan.  It is very similar to what I have already done in the past.  I have already switched to more natural whole foods and tried to lower my carbohydrates.  That has been happening all along.  But it is time to get serious about it and REALLY work on these items!  I'm excited to see how this will work for me!!!!! Wish me luck!

Victorious Failure

 Have you ever had a time where you were victorious but still a failure?   That is where I am at right now!   while back I threw down the gauntlet!  I was determined to lose weight. I was going to embark upon a 12 week challenge/plan.  I vowed to use the upcoming 12 weeks to slay the pounds from my body.  I came out swinging and I was going to take no prisoners!   

I actually started the challenge out so strong. I was smashing my goals.  I had set a overall goal to lose 2 pounds a week and I was meeting my weekly requirements.  I was on fire!  Nothing could stop me! And then I hit the 3rd week and I hit a bit of a road block.   Yes, week three was not as successful!   I was determined to not let one rough week get me down.  So I kept pushing forward.  And I recovered and lost nicely the following week or two.  Then I hit another rough patch. And so the challenge went through the first six weeks.  Two steps forward one step back.  I was still progressing so I didn't worry about it!

But then the second half of the challenge came....the last 6 weeks.   And oh my, the rough patch started to settle in like a burr on the back of a donkey!   I would have momentary glimpses of loss but then I would settle into weeks of maintenance.  My weeks played out with mostly maintains but an occasional loss and even an occasional gain.   It was frustrating.  It was infuriating.  It was disheartening!  I felt like an absolute failure!   I wanted to crawl under a rock  and hide, because you know that chronicling a weight loss journey on a website and on youtube is embarrassing when you are not being totally successful! I was such a failure! 

And then one day in the shower whilst in the midst of my pity party had an epiphany!  This thought was profound.    I started this journey and vowed to lose 24-25 pounds.  I knew at that point that there was no way that I was going to reach that goal, short of developing some made sickness that caused me to lose an overabundance of weight or without cutting off my arm or leg!   Neither option of course is or was desirable.  So I knew that I was doomed for failure.  But then I realized.  I may not reach the 25 pounds, but how much DID I lose?    Sure, I failed at my attempt to lose 25 pounds....but did I succeed at losing ANY weight?   Did I lose anything?

At that point I realized that I was not a failure.  My body just chose to lose it in a different time frame than my mind wanted me to lose.   I was actually victorious because at the end of the challenge I am able to say that I did lose weight!  I lost more than 12 pounds!    

I could have continued to dwell on the fact that I didn't meet my goal and thus was a failure.  But I am choosing to dwell on the fact that I am down more than 12 pounds! That is more weight than most people lose in a year!  That is more weight than I would have lost had I give up and not even tried.   Those pounds lost make me victorious indeed!!!!

Foodie Friday : Taco Bake

 Sometimes in life we need a quick and easy dinner and there is nothing like the Taco Bake Casserole.  This is an easy alternative to the typical tacos.  It is the crunch, the flavor and the cheese all baked into one easy to make dish.   It really is a tasty treat!

Taco Bake Ingredients

Chili Cheese Fritos

1 lb hamburger

1 pckg taco seasoning

1 can cheddar Cheese soup

1/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions: 

1. 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x9 pan with a nonstick cooking spray. 
2. 2 Brown hamburger in a skillet over medium heat. When meat is cooked thoroughly, add the taco seasoning and water. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. 3  Spread Chili cheese Fritos in a layer over the prepared 9x9 pan. 
4. 4 Pour hamburger over the fritos and spread evenly. 
5. 5 In a small saucepan, mix cheddar cheese soup and milk. Heat over medium heat until warm. 6 Pour the cheese soup over the hamburger mixture. 
6. 7 Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over the Cheddar cheese soup. 
7. 8 Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. 9  Serve immediately. Can be served with your favorite taco toppings.

This is truly a tasty dish.  It is a bit high in sodium and you can actually taste the saltiness, but it is still delicious!

To find a printable version of this recipe, click here. 

2021 is over....kinda

I am through with 2021!   Done!  No more!

What in the world am I talking about?  I am talking about the 2021 challenge that I embarked upon this year!   Yes, at the beginning of the year I decided that I would be trying to tackle the task of completing 2021 miles in 2021!  Any type of miles counted.  Swimming....hiking...walking...running...biking!  The challenge amounted to 5.5 miles per day!  I was stoked and ready to rumble with my miles!

It didn't take long for me to hit that wall!  I hit the wall of impossibility within 2 weeks!  I was feeling completed daunted by the miles.  Seriously, I was feeling like I was going to fail by the thirteenth of January!  My gut instinct at that time was telling me to quit.  I was literally thinking "MaryFran, you are going to fail so you may as well stop now and not waste your time even trying."    But something clicked within me.  Something made me sit back and say.  "NO....keep going and do NOT look at the full mileage you need.  Instead focus on the 5.5 miles you need EACH DAY!"   Only focus on one day at a time.  5.5 miles is doable....easily doable on that exercise bike!

So that is what I did. Each day I focused on only what I needed to achieve that day!  5.5 miles, 5.5 miles, 5.5 miles.  Wash, rinse and repeat!  I missed very few weekdays but weekends were a bit sporadic, so I started to up my mileage on the week days to account for any miles that I may miss due to life or sickness.  I started to work up a bank of overage miles.  But I didn't let up.   After a month or two I began to focus on getting 7 miles a day...then 8 miles a day. ....then 10 miles a day.  I was racking up the miles and my end goal of 2021 miles was spinning toward me on that exercise bike! 

I am so very proud to announce that this past week I reached the 2021 mile mark!  I have propelled myself 2021 miles this year!  I did it in less than 9 months!  I totally rocked out this goal!

That means that I have FINALLY earned the right to wear the tee shirt that I got when I signed up for the challenge!  

So what is in the future?  I am concerned about the fact that without the 2021 challenge that I will just fade back into an existence of no exercise.  I don't want that.  I can tell how much the biking has helped me along.  Hiking is no longer painful and has actually turned fun! 

So I am announcing the desire to actually make it to 2500 miles in the year 2021!  (but I'm wearing my shirt now because I earned that puppy!)

Do You : Make Peace with Your Pace

I have been really struggling of late with my weight loss journey.  This weight loss journey has been incredibly difficult.  It has been full of ups and downs and It is so difficult to not compare myself to others and to lament in the fact that I am still on this seesaw of emotions and weight.  But this week in the midst of my despair, I realized that I have to be my own person and make peace with my own pace for this weight loss Journey.  This is so true not just for weight loss…but for some other things in life that have been getting to me.

 

Do You

I have been on this weight loss journey for a very long time.  To say that I have kept blinders on and only focused on my own journey would be a complete lie.  It is human nature to look outward to other people that are on similar journeys.   In fact, looking outward is great because it affords us the opportunity to gather inspiration in other peoples successes and it allows us to learn from the mistakes that other people make.   Looking outward allows us to find accountability in places that we may never have known.    But looking outward also opens the door to comparisons.

Comparisons in a weight loss journey can be a landmine.  When we begin to compare ourselves we will begin to fall short.  Because someone will always be doing it better at some point.  Sure, you may be on top of the world and being successful this week….this month…this year. But what happens when that day comes and you are struggling and someone else is doing better.  Will it derail you?  Will it cause you to stumble off of the path that your journey is taking you on?  If it does, then you need the reminder to DO YOU!  Weight loss is an individual journey.  What works for one person won’t work for another.   What is a great plan for my lifestyle and happiness would totally not work for someone else.  And due to over abundant variety of differences within each person, we will all complete this journey at a different pace. 

Make Peace with Your Pace

I am on this weight loss journey and I am incredibly frustrated at the pace in which I am losing.  I totally want to snap my fingers and have all of this weight disappear!  I want to lose the weight overnight.  I know that isn’t realistic….so how about 2 pounds a week and be done with the losing aspect of our weight loss journey.   But that is not how my body and my sustainable plan is working for me.  My body is choosing to lose the weight much more slowly.  My body is choosing to cling to every ounce of weight and is determined to make me have to wrangle each pound away from my frame.  And while it is frustrating, I have to accept that this is my pace.  I can be frustrated all the time or I can accept it and keep wrangling that weight.    I am tired of being frustrated!   I need peace

 

This Do you is not just for weight loss.  I am having some situations at work.  It has been difficult for me to sit back and say “well so and so is doing this and had this happen.”  It is easy to be frustrated with the events that are happening.   But I need to sit back and say “I am doing me.  I am being the best person, worker and employee that I know how to be.  If that is not enough, then I can sleep at night knowing that I ‘DID ME” to the best of my ability.”   I need to make peace with the pace of my employment.  I would LOVE to be promoted and have tried and put my best foot forward.  I  DID ME to the best of my ability and for some reason, it isn’t meant to be at this time.  It is time to make peace with my pace.  Sitting, dwelling and comparing myself to other people is not helping me any.  I need to make peace. 

 

It’s not easy.  I am overwhelmed with emotions about my work and the events happening.  I am overwhelmed with frustration about my weight loss journey.   But I will accept it as what it is.  I will keep putting my best foot forward and continue to “do you” because ultimately, it’s not what the scales say.  It’s not what some random person says about a promotion (even though everyone that knows me at my job is shocked that I don’t get…considering I’ve already done a lot of the work for that position).  It’s not about anything other than the fact that I have been true to myself!

Time for change

 It is time for change!  Big or little, I don't know yet!   But this weight loss journey has been full of ups and downs and lots of changes along the way and I think that another change is imminent! But what changes are coming?  

Weekly Weigh In

Let me start with my weekly weigh in.  I officially weigh in on Fridays and I weighed in at the same weight that I was last week.  To the ounce.  I have been maintaining for the last few weeks.  It is NOT for lack of trying.  I am eating within a caloric range that should have me losing mad weight in a healthy manner.  But it is just not working.   Furthermore, it is seriously depressing and disheartening!  I can't tell you how many tears I've cried recently over this journey.   Sure, I know; a maintain is a victory.  Still being here and present is a victory.  But it's a shallow victory and not one that is bolstering me for the journey still ahead of me!

Changes

So what changes am I going to make?  I'm not exactly sure.  I simply know that what I am doing right now is NOT working.  Sure, I'm losing weight here and there.  But it is in fits and starts.  I will have a week where my calories intake is not that bad and I gain.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason.   It is making me look deeper and I came up with a few different thoughts.

**  I am cheating on my plan and have no willpower.  Even as I write this, I know that that is not the case.  I am quite honest with myself and the food that I put into my daily food/calorie tracker.   My calories that I report are what I am eating!

** My calories in versus calories out plan is no longer a plan that is working for me.  This made me wonder if I should go back to trying Weight Watchers.  I lost a heck of a lot of weight years ago on WW.  In fact, I made it to lifetime status with the program.  However, I regained and while I tried to lose with the program I needed a change so I stepped away.   More recently, in early 2020 I rejoined WW...it was right before the pandemic and I stopped shortly after the pandemic reared it's ugly head and went back to calorie counting.   

**I have learned valuable things.  Complex carbs are my enemy.....where my body needs to be in terms of calories for optimal weight loss.....etc.  Shouldn't I be able to come up with a plan that is satisfying to my soul and my body??

** Exercise is good for my fitness levels.  My body needs exercise.  But I know that weight is lost in the kitchen and not the gym.

So where does my thoughts lead me?  It is leading me to reading books and researching.  It is leading me to look for a happy medium and a long term solution to my problems.  I will not.....NEVER.....do any fad or crazy diet plan.  That is not sustainable.  My goal is health and that is my first priority.  BUt I'm looking....I am searching....I am reading.   

I am currently reading a book that has made me feel better about where I am and my frustration levels.  It is in the opening chapters but it makes a lot of sense and I am hopeful that it will give me lots of amazing insight for getting back on track in a way that works for my life and my body!   I'm still reading though!  

Stay tuned....change is coming.  It has to.  For me to continue to do the same thing in this weight loss journey is sheer madness.  It's not working...which means that SOMETHING has to change if I want to change!

Foodie Frugal Friday: Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Is this a frugal Friday?  Or is this a Foodie Friday?  Or is it just a random post on a Friday?   There is just too many decisions!   I can’t handle the pressure!  Haha.  But one thing for sure, there is no pressure or stress when making this recipe!  It’s super easy and delicious!  Oh and did I mention that it is healthy?

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

This recipe is light and tasty.  We enjoy this meal as a lighter fare.  The filling is very easy to make and I use a frozen pie shell which further reduces the cost!  But you know what, I hate having to scroll through tons of paragraphs to get to the recipe…so here goes!

Ingredients:

1 9 inch frozen pie shell

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1 1/4 ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbs  Dijon mustard

3 eggs (to save calories you can do one egg and two egg whites)

10 oz frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped

1 tap oregano

dash salt and pepper.

1.  Preheat oven to 360°

2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the chopped onions until translucent 

3. In a large bowl combine; ricotta cheese, eggs, Dijon mustard, cheddar cheese and spices.  Mia until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

4.  Food in onions and broccoli.

5.  Pour ricotta/broccoli mixture into pie shell.

6.  Bake at 375° for 35-45 minutes.  The quiche should be golden brown

7.  Let the quiche set for 10 minutes until set up.   Cut and serve.

 To get a printable version of this recipe you can follow this link.  

The frugal aspect of Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

So you can see that this recipe is easy , tasty and won’t break the calorie bank!  That alone is a win, but let me also say that this recipe is frugal also!  I added up the ingredients..using Aldi prices. 

Ricotta cheese $1.89

Dijon mustard $0.95 …but since we only use Amal portion of the bottle I counted it was 10 cents.

Cheddar cheese $2.85…but I used less than half of the bag….so counted it as $1.20

Frozen Broccoli $0.95

pie crist 1.75  (I think that package that I found when pricing it out may have included 2 crusts, but I wasn’t sure so I am counting the whole price!)

Eggs $0.95 for a dozen…but I used three.  I counted it as 25 cents

Onions, spices and olive oil I counted as 40 cents as the cost of those staples on the kitchen is negligible!

That brings the total cost of this dish to $6.54.  This dish serves 4   Typically we each eat 1/4 of the recipe, That makes the total cost per person to be between $1.64.   Tell me where anyone can eat for that?   That is frugal for sure!!!   Even if you are super hungry and eat two servings (which still won’t be horrible for your calorie count) you are still only just over three dollars!   Frugal I tell ya!!

This recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Quiche is a winner on so many fronts.  The tastiness of the recipe is the first win.  But when you realize how easy it is to prepare and the fact that it is such a low budget option, you can’t help but get excited!   We have been eating this recipe for a few years and I am sure we will continue for many more!  To see more recipes,  check our my Recipe page

Frustration…again

 My weight loss journey really seems to have a mind of its own.  It’s like some monster in my life and quite frankly, I’m sick of it!

I try…. I make healthy choices most of the time.  I remain cognizant of my calorie intake.  I track my food. I am active.  I am working this plan and I KNOW that for the average person that they would be losing weight like crazy.   

Seriously…this last work week I kept my calorie count right at 1400-1500 calories.  I spent time on the bike every day, we walked every evening, I hiked and I was active!  I put at least 10-12 miles on my body each and every day.   I track my food and I chose options that are healthy and nutritious!  So to see my weight hovering at the higher numbers form last weekend is infuriating!

I felt guilty when we were out and about and I was wearing my new ‘10 pound reward’ teeshirt.  I earned it!  The scales dropped below that 10 pound range…but then it popped back up!  This is not a pressure that I like in my life!  I’ve got to figure out this weight loss thing!

I know…I know…I know.  I have figured out that 1400 is pretty much the limit of calories that I can eat.  I’ve figured this out a long time ago.   So for me to be eating above that limit is fooling myself from the start.   I know…under 1400 seems too low.   By strictly numbers I’ve been told it’s too low.  But my body just seems to demand it.  And yes, my doctor is aware of my calorie intake and is 100% behind me with my mission and my plan and my goal calorie count. 

So back to 1200 calories I go.   It is honestly so incredibly difficult to keep my calories at that level day in and day out.  But I know I can do it!  If I want to have a long healthy life into my old age, I have no other choice.   Wish me luck!

Frugal Friday: Entertainment

 It is time for another installment of my very own Frugal Friday!   I am enjoying looking at ways in which we spend frivolous money and ways that are really frugal and cheap!   Now don't get me wrong, there are times when I spend money like it's going out of style.  BUT, there are also times where I want to be frugal!   And today we are going to talk about entertainment and how to be frugal as we strive to entertain ourselves. So today I give a list of free or cheap ways to spend a day of fun without breaking the bank!

A day that was quite costly

Entertainment and days of fun can rack up quite a price tag.  It happens really quick.    A few years back I  received a call from a friend asking me to spend the day with her.  I was quick to answer affirmatively.  However, I advised her that due to an unforeseen bill that I was low on cash and didn't want to spend a lot of money that day.  "NO problem she told me,  just want to go to the National Harbor and I'll drive."   Off we went.  My friend was true to her word.  She drove and paid for the gas and the parking garage fee.....my funds quickly dwindled and diminished right before my eyes!  You see......she wanted to go to a circus!    I don't remember the exact price of the ticket that I paid but I looked online and the price of that ticket...same circus and same exact location for this year and that ticket would cost between $85 and $119.  For the sake of argument I will say $85....even though we of course had great seats and probably would have paid more than the base price).

I purchased nothing at the circus....but it was well past lunch.  We went to lunch.  I looked up the menu for that place and I will say that there was NO WAY that I got out of there for less than $20...and that is if I just bought a sandwich!  I was now at an estimate of $105 for a day that I didn't want to spend money.

We walked around and through some stores.   No problem.  I bought nothing.  But then my friend, the same one that had promised to keep costs low decided that we had to ride the Capital Wheel.....we had to conquer her fear of heights.  "Please Maryfran"   Add on $15 plus tax,,,,and let me say that was the most expensive Ferris wheel I've been on!   Total cost for day to this point $120.

We drove home.  But the hemorrhage of money was not done yet.  "Dessert, we need something sweet"  my friend declared.  SO we stopped for dessert.....another $10.   

The total for the day was over $130 dollars.  And I know that I could have said no at any point...but you do sometimes get swept into the moment and then struggle with stopping the train wreck from happening.    But that was a lesson that I was still learning at that point! Luckily I DID have the money.  I had to pull it out of my savings account, so it wasn't like I went into debt.  But what if I didn't have that money?  What kind of entertainment could I have chosen!   

Frugal Entertainment:  Go for a Hike

Going for a hike is almost always absolutely free!  It will cost you nothing but the gas to get to a trailhead (if there are none within walking distance).  Sure you may ante up a few dollars for an entrance to a park if you chose to go to an area that has an entrance fee, but there are MANY places that are free!  A recent hike that we were on was to the Catoctin Mountain Park (managed by the NPS).  It is 18 miles away.  My car gets about 33-35 mpg.  I used one gallon of gas.  Estimate cost $3.00!   That is a frugal day and it is GREAT fun and was FREE!!  Look online to find local trails.  I use All trails quite a bit!    Hiking is great for the body, the mind and the spirit.

Frugal Entertainment:  Explore

We will occasionally find an a abandoned building to explore.  It is something that gets us outside.  It allows our minds to actively imagine and think.  It is history at our fingertips and it is a history that due to being abandoned is slowly decaying back into the ground!   It costs nothing except the gas you need for your car to get there!  We have explored a few abandoned places all within 15-30 miles of where we live......Estimate cost $3!     I will put out the disclaimer to explore abandoned places at your own risk due to dangers and tresspassing!

Frugal Entertainment:   Ride a Bike

Go ride your bike!  If you own a bike, it will cost you absolutely nothing and give you time outside. You will see amazing things that you would otherwise not be able to encounter.  The wind in your face is freeing.   If you are wiling to ante up a few dollars for the gas to get there, you can take you bike to any number of trails!  I use the app Trail forks to find neat trails to ride!  

Frugal Entertainment:  Geocaching

A few years ago I picked up a hobby called Geocaching.  It is where you go onto a website and chase down 'caches'.  The caches are hidden and you will be given the GPS coordinates.  You simply traverse to the coordinates and find the secret little hide.  When you find the hide, you put your user name on the logbook/log paper that is inside the cache and revel in the victory of the hunt!  Some of these are TRICKY to find. The GPS will only get you close......where they put it is the fun part!  It really is simply a scavenger hunt.  There are no great rewards other than a smiley on your map when you find one!  YOu can have a basic membership and find some for free at Geocaching.com.   I have spent full days out searching for geocaches.  It costs me a little bit of gas for my car and it opens my eyes to new places.  I have found parks and monuments that I was not aware of.  I have had people ask about the safety and I have never felt at all risky about going to a geocache.  They are all posted and can go for weeks without anyone visiting a cache, so to worry about someone 'laying in wait' for you to arrive, is not a valid concern as they could be waiting for weeks and months!     I still enjoy doing this and we frequently go out and grab a few geocaches when we need something to do!  Cheap entertainment! IN the picture below check out the wee little cache that I was hunting for and obviously found!

Frugal Entertainment:  A local Zoo

We invest yearly in our local zoo and preserve.  A season/yearly pass is $60 for each person at our local zoo.  Sure, it is an outlay of money, but don't you want to go to the zoo every once in a while anyway?  A single day ticket at our zoo is $20.   We opt for the season pass.  First of all it helps the zoo in their efforts but it also offers us a place to go where we can walk.  It is an easy walk on graded paths and the one that we go to is heavily shaded.   We can enjoy the animals and a variety of programs.   I believe we have stopped in at least 6 times this year....that reduces the cost of our visits down to $10 a piece.  That sounds like a good deal to me!  Quite frugal!

Frugal Entertainment:  Free or Cheap Museums

Frequently, I will research locally or in places that we will be traveling to looking for various museums to visit.  I do it primarily because I love to learn.  Museums are a great way for me to expand my knowledge.  Sometimes, I will find a musuem that I want to visit and decide that the entrance fee is well worth it.  On a recent weekend trip to Harrisburg I did just that.  We spent money to go through the National Civil War Museum and the Fort Hunter Mansion.  It was well worth it and I don't  begrudge a penny of that money!  However, many times when I am looking, I will find museums that are free!   Just the other week we went to the Catoctin Furnace Museum.  It was totally free.  Sure it was small, but it was well done and absolutely free! Time and time again I have found the most absolutely fantastic FREE museums!  I went to quite a fee Free museums during a trip to Philadelphia a few years ago! Do your research!  There are tons of museums that are free or practically free!

Having fun and living your life to the fullest does not have to mean that you are spending a ton of money!  Sure, I have spent my share of money on outings and days of entertainment but having fun does not have to cost you money!  Sure, I had fun during that day at the National Harbor that I talked about at the beginning of this post but I have had just as much fun hiking to a vista or overlook.  I have been just as enamored with an abandoned building and I have been tickled pink to tour a museum.  Swimming in a stream in the woods while out on a bike ride is good cheap fun.  Look around you...the world is filled with frugal entertainment.  You just have to open your eyes to see the opportunity!

Weekend Recap

 Ahhh Labor Day weekend, it came and went with an alarming speed!  How does a three day weekend go by just as speedily as a two day weekend?   I'm really confused at how that can happen!!!  NO matter the speed that the long weekend flew by, we had a great weekend!

Saturday Shopping and a New Travel Carrier for our Bird

We started out Saturday bright and early.  We knew that we had to get up to Hagerstown to pick up a package that I had mistakenly had shipped to my billing address and not my shipping address.  OOPS.  We also knew that it was grocery and errand day, so we set off to get that stuff done.  UP to Hagerstown, Aldi, The Organic supermarket, Petsmart, Target, Sierra (just because you never know what you might find) and downtown to the Trail house (Jason needs new tail shoes).  The list went on.   We did manage to get outside a wee little bit!  We went to the Gambrill Mill area of the Monocacy Battlefield and walked a wee little bit.   It had flooded badly when we got the rains from hurricane Ida....so we were a bit restricted on where we could go....but hey, It got us outside!

We finally headed for home and ripped open the package that we had picked up early in the morning in Hagerstown.   We bought a new travel cage for Kiwi!   We had a cheapie $40 cage...which he seemed to HATE  and we wanted a backpack carrier!  SO we went with the Celltei Pack-o-bird.  (which was anything but frugal...so it will NOT appear on any of my frugal Fridays)   We couldn't wait to put it together!  It is very well constructed!  Of course Kiwi had to try it out right away!  He hung out in there for a bit...and we let him that night, just so he could get used to the bag.

Sunday Hiking

We knew that Sunday was our day to hike!  So we got a move on!   We were ready and just had to decide where to hike!   We talked about it and decided that we wanted to hike one of our favorite trails....the Thurston Griggs Trail up to the Appalachian Trail and over to Black Rock and Annapolis Rock......then back.  It's a pretty good hike.  A good workout and neat things to see and encounter.  Off we headed, out of our apartment and into........drizzling rain!

We hiked the other week in rain so we were not deterred, besides, it was only supposed to be sporadic light rain. We did momentarily talk about switching trails because the Thurston Griggs trail is somewhat steep and washes out.  (You can check out a video about the trail and a bit of history about that area here....)   IT. RAINED. THE. WHOLE. HIKE.   

Ok, hiking in the summertime woods (thinkin lots of leaves and trees overhead) in the rain is not that bad!    We got about 8-10 miles of hiking in and we loved every minute of it!  (My legs are still doing GREAT and I enjoyed this hike, just like the hike from a few weeks back!

Lazy day Sunday

On Sunday we took a lazy day.  We put Kiwi into his carrier and we headed out for a practive 'desensitization' trip.  We stopped to visit my mom for a few minutes (Only a short visit since I'm off work on Friday and plan on spending the day with her.)  And we stopped by Jason's parents for a visit.  Nice and relaxing!  

But then the weekend was over!  BOOOOOOOOOOO  So back to the weekday grind we went!

It's a see saw weigh in!

 I gained.  I gained weight on my official Friday weigh in!  And no, I'm not happy about it!

Ok, I got that right out there didn't I!  No beating around the bushes.  I just had to say it!  I gained about 1.5 pounds in that week stretch.  I sit back and I want to say HOW.....I'm not eating horribly!   On my indulgent days, I am eating about 1600-1800 calories.  And I gain!  What is wrong with me!

OK, so enough about the whining!  This  is a chapter that repeats time and time again for me.  I KNOW that I can't eat 1600 calories...yet I continue to try!  I want my body to be 'normal'.  I want my body to lose weight at that range that should allow me to lose a pound a week ...if I am going strictly by the numbers.  BUT, my body is not like that.  My body has it's own unique sense of how weight should be lost.  Unfortunately for me, that means that I need to keep my calories closer to the 1200 range.  I can sneak it up to 1400  but that is my range.  1200-1400.  When I eat within that range, I lose.  Plain and simple!

Now, I HAVE talked to my doctor about my calorie range.  She knows that I don't lose at 1600....but I do at 1300.  And she simply said "well you know what you need to do and what your caloric goal needs to be".  So eating at that calorie range is doctor approved for me!

But why???  Why do I have to eat like a bird?   (which honestly...birds eat CONSTANTLY, so I don't get that saying).   Why do I have to watch every bite knowing that if I eat an extra piece of bread that the weight will pile on overnight?  Why do I have to restrict to 1200 calories, and existing on nibbling on raw carrots? (Not really, simply because I hate raw carrots...but that's what this journey feels like sometimes!) Why do I try so hard and not lose weight?   WHY WHY WHY!

Yes, I'm having a pity party!   I'm not giving up.  I know that I am worth every ounce of effort that I make!  BUT, dang if it isn't a difficult journey!

Frugal Friday: Frugal or Gluttony

 I recently made a purchase. The purchase was made at a really good bargain! But t wasn't something that I really needed. It will eventually come in handy, but it wasn't something that I needed. It brought to mind the question, when is it frugal and when is it gluttony?

The Catalyst for the Frugal vs Gluttony Question

A few weeks ago, I purchased a vintage style dress. I had been wanting one for quite some time and Jason has talked about me wearing a dress, so I went out looking. I stumbled upon this dress. Dresses are expensive, but I stumbled on this one while on facebook and it was only $30! I fell in love and bought it. I tried it on and once I found out that it would fit and be perfect for what I needed it for, I was done. No more dresses. No more purchases. I was happy with my dress and I was tickled with the bargain that I had found.

But you know how the internet and Facebook work! If you even have a thought about something, it seems as if you are immediately inundated with ads for that item or something similar! I usually have no problem ignoring these ads. I am after all on a money saving mission, so buying these things is not something I want to do too often. But one day, a second dress caught my eye. Can I just say how adorable this dress is??

This dress was also $30 on Amazon. I honestly debated paying the thirty dollars for this dress, I find it that appealing. However, I knew that I didn't REALLY have a place to wear it. When it came down to it, I didn't want to spend another $30. I was super proud of myself for resisting! However, as I was drooling over the multitude of colors I came across the same dress in black with yellow trim. Oh yeah, absolutely adorable and then my eyes widened. THIS dress was only $12.99. That was indeed a frugal find!

Frugal Find turns into Gluttony

Yes, I purchased the dress for $12.99. It was an incredible deal and I knew that it wouldn't break the bank for me. HOWEVER, I honestly didn't need the dress and I immediately began to wonder if it was gluttonous for me to purchase the dress. That didn't stop me from ripping the package open when I got home. I couldn't wait to try it on. It was going to be perfect!

Only, it wasn't perfect. It was a little bit too tight.

I was disappointed and briefly thought about returning it to get my $12.99 back. Afterall, that would have been the frugal option right? But no, I decided to keep this dress. I am using it as a motivational/inspirational tool to keep me on track with my weight loss plan (Which I blog about here.) The added bonus is that when I CAN wear the dress, I will have a new dress to sport around.....one that I absolutely adore!

So you tell me, was this dress purchase frugal in nature or was it gluttony that spurred me to make this purchase???

A fun weekend

 We had a fabulous time this past weekend.  Ok, we always do!   But this weekend we went to visit some places and just got out and spent time together (ok, that's the normal for our weekends also) and we had a great time.  So what did we do???

Bird Store

On Saturday we were looking for something to do.  It was so super hot and the humidity was sky high.   We wimped out and decided to not go hiking or biking.  Instead we hopped in the car and headed to a bird store about an hour and a half away.  We were looking for one or two things for Kiwi.  I was looking for extra bowls for his food and Jason was looking for Hemp seed (still in the shells).   We set off ready for a grand adventure!

On the way down, we stopped at an REI and both made a few purchases but we were soon parking at the bird store.  We walked in and WOW....it was loud!  Much louder than I remembered.  This store has birds everywhere.  On this visit a Military Mccaw greeted us at the door with a cheery Hello. 

We visited with this pretty boy.....who also said Hello, but not until I was not looking as he apparently does not like women (he was owned by a woman for 22 years and apparently she didn't treat him well)

We saw cockatoos, green cheek conures, budgies, lovebirds, miniature mccaws, cockatoos and so many more!  I even got to pet the scarlet mccaw babies!  (soooo cute)

We did some shopping at this bird store that is the closest bird store to us (a store that actually specializes in birds).  Ironically enough, we got nothing that we went looking for.  But no worries, Kiwi still got some goodies!!!

Sunday Afternoon and more Heat

On Sunday we decided to brave the heat with a little bit of outdoor activity.  We drove up to Thurmont, MD and visited the Catoctin Furnace.   It was rather fitting after we hiked the Charcoal trail last week.   We had stumbled upon this furnace a few months back but the museum was closed at that point.  This time, the museum was open!  

The museum is small but it was quite informative and neat.  It is housed in a beautifully restored ironworkers house.  The Ironworks in this area was in operation from about the time of the Revolutionary War (this iron works supplied munitions to George Washington and his troops) and operated until 1903.

There are multiple buildings and ruins in the area to explore along with a few trails that are marked with waysides to give more history!

When we had finished our exploration of the Catoctin Iron Furnace and surrounding area, we headed a short distance up the road to the Catoctin Zoo.  We have an annual membership and find that it is a nice place to go for an easy walk...especially on hot days. 

And seriously......baby sloths!  

We had a fabulous time, even though it was so super hot and humid!  It got us out and moving and that is just what we needed!

Weigh in Report

 This weeks weigh in was not all that great.   Ok, maybe it wasn't all that horrible, but it was definitely disappointing!   All I'm going to say is that this weight loss thing is not for the faint at heart!

Weekly Weigh IN

I weighed in on Friday and I pretty much knew that it was going to be just an 'ok' weigh in. I was right.  It was a maintain. And don't get me wrong, I am tickled with a maintain.  But seriously, if I am doing the work and avoiding lots of sweets and limiting my food and whatnot, then by golly, I want to be losing weight!   

That is correct.  I didn't indulge and lose control over the week.  I didn't eat like a crazy loon.  I didn't skip my exercise and activity.  I didn't do any of that.  Instead, I continued to eat my limited caloric intake.  I continued to ride the exercise bike on a daily basis.  I walked after work.  I did everything I should have been doing!   And those pesky scales didn't move!  

The Weekend Fall Out

On Friday after my weigh in, I went to my mom's to spend the day with her.  It was a great day off of work and it is always good to spend time with mom.  BUT.....we went to  Olive Garden for Lunch. I got the soup and salad combo.  Yes, I had breadsticks and yes I had more than one bowl of soup.   I tried to counter act and negate my heavier lunch by eating mostly fruits and veggies for dinner....but on Saturday my weight went up.   All week long I saw the numbers on the scales and I just wanted to cry!  

Luckily, I never once gave up this last week.  I made my decisions and my plans and I did what I set out to do.  The scales may not show my results and I may be totally discouraged by the results but I am still here and I am still trucking along!

Reward Time

 It is time for a weight loss reward!  When I got serious about losing weight (again), I knew that I wanted to set up a reward system to reward my accomplishments.   I even know what the first reward was going to be.   I waited patiently (or not so patiently) until I had actually earned that reward.  Finally, the time has arrived, I have earned my reward. 

Rewarding yourself in a Weight Loss Journey

I am a firm believer in setting up a reward system during a weight loss journey.  Over the years of my journey, I have done this and it has been great for me. The first and most important reason that rewards are good for me is that it gives me a goal to work toward.  It is not contingent upon time.  It is strictly focused on my results.  It allows me to break down this seemingly huge amount of weight to lose into smaller more manageable sections.    For me, I chose to do that in 10 pound increments.  In the past, I have spent months losing 10 pounds but then the next 10 pounds seem to melt off overnight.  No matter, they all deserve a reward.   

Now with that said, I also decided to reward those extra big milestones also.  My general 10 pound rewards are smaller, but I go a bit more grandiose when I am celebrating a milestone.  What am I talking about when I say a milestone?  100 pounds lost.  50 pounds lost.  Weighing less than 300 pounds.  Weighing less than 200 pounds.  Your Goal weight.  Those big milestones in your weight loss journey.  Reward them!!!

There is another fabulous benefit for rewarding yourself for your weight loss efforts.  You will have either a tangible item or a fabulous memory that will serve as an anchor for you as you continue on your journey.  When I reached my goal weight the first time, years ago; I bought a nice camera for myself.  Every time I picked up that camera I knew that I had accomplished an amazing goal.  It reminded me of my efforts and helped constantly remind me of my habits and goals and journey.

Choosing Good rewards in a Weight Loss Journey

When I first started to lose weight I really struggled with setting up rewards.  My overweight mind constantly wanted to reward myself with a dinner out, an ice cream cone, a cake.  I really struggled with a reward system because all of my ideas were unhealthy and not encouraging a good healthy life.   I really struggled.   Eventually I settled upon a reward that I loved.    It wasn't food centered and it was something that I would have with me all the time.  Something that would constantly remind me of my journey and how far I had come.   I settled on a charm bracelet.    The idea worked out really well.  I bought a bracelet and each time I lost 10 pounds, I bought a new charm.  The charm was picked out to show something about the ten pounds.  One was a turtle because the ten pounds had taken so long to lose.  Another charm was a tennis shoe because I had started to run during that 10 pound period.  Each charm reminded me of that specific stage of the journey.   

Another important aspect is to base your planned rewards on something that is feasible for your budget.  I had grand plans for all sorts of rewards at one point in my journey.  But when I would get to that milestone, I didn't have the funds to attain the reward, so I would shelve it.  I was still losing but the reward system didn't work for me.  Plan rewards accordingly!

My newest Weight Loss Reward

The time has come.  When I started seriously losing again I was only 1.6 pounds away from the nice even number of 250. Yes, I was 251.6 pounds.  I knew I was going to be rewarding myself for every ten pounds, but I made a decision to make my first reward when I crossed below 240 pounds.  It took me about 9 weeks, but I finally reached that goal!   

My reward was picked out long before I got serious about losing weight again.  I saw this teeshirt online months ago and knew I wanted it.  But I had decided that it was going to be my first weight loss reward.  So I waited....and waited  and waited for myself to start getting serious and lose the weight!    I've been thinking about it for quite some time!  So without further ado.....here it is!  A tee shirt about my Green Cheek Conure. 

This teeshirt is perfect for me as Kiwi has been a bit nippy toward me.  He is getting better, but this shirt TOTALLY shows how he is with me.  (Jason doesn't get bit near as much as I do!)  I've been waiting for months to get it and it arrived on Monday.  I have washed it and I am SOO excited to wear my 10 pounds lost teeshirt!

Stay tuned.....I'm determined that there will be more 10 pound rewards earned!  I've got this!!!!!!

Of course I had to include a picture of Kiwi...the bird that inspired my reward!

Hiking in Catoctin Mountain Park

Hiking and biking outside in this weather is just miserable!   You see, I am sooooo ready for the heat of this summer to be over!   The older I get the less extreme I want the temperature to be!   I know, I complain in the summer because it’s too hot.  I complain in the winter because it’s too cold….or more correctly, I complain in the winter because of the infernal darkness!  I’m just not happy.  But this past weekend we didn’t let the heat of summer deter us from getting outside.  We decided to go hiking In the Catoctin Mountain Park. And I’m so glad that I did because I realized something very important! 

Long Break From Hiking

The weather was supposed to be a bit cooler (high 80’s as opposed to the 90’s) and we decided to go hiking!   After all, we will be going on vacation soon and whilst on vacation we will be hiking…a lot! We knew we had to get our hiking legs underneath us.   We wanted to get back out and be as ready for our vacation as possible and that means hiking as much as possible as we get closer to our trip.  This is especially important as we have been woefully lacking in hikes!

We have walked on the canal a lot…some long walks.  We have walked at the zoo.  We haven’t been just sitting on the couch. But a real hike…mountains and rocky terrain and all that turns a walk into a hike has not happened.   That fact was brought home to us when we pulled our our dirt encrusted hiking boots.  ‘Wow we were in some mud last time we went hiking’ I declared.  But neither of us could easily remember the occasion in which we ended up mud encrusted.   Shame on us!

Catoctin Mountain Park

We decided to head to Catoctin Mountain Park for our first hike after an indeterminate amount of time.  The Catoctin Mountain Park is part of the properties managed by the NPS and is chock full of beauty.  It is in the mountains so I knew to expect the hills and grades to ascend and descend but I also knew that the views would be a great reward.

We started out our hike at the Thurmond  Vista Parking lot. We chuckled as we thought about our run in with the secret service/park police during a recent visit when we were so enthralled with the wildlife that we totally forgot about our proximity to Camp David.  But this visit we clearly remembered our proximity and followed all ‘edicts’. 

The first trial we decided to traverse was the Charcoal Trail.  This is a half mile loop trail that is pretty scenery but shows how charcoal was generated.   The lessons are learned by historical markers and exhibits along the trail.   It was neat but didn’t take us long.  Soon we were back at the parking lot and ready to head to a longer trail.

We decided to hike to the Thurmond Vista.  The National Park Service had done a great job at Catoctin National Park in making it possible to hike most of the parks trails in a series of loops.  The Thurmond vista loop would be about 3 miles.  That sounded perfect for a first hike (in a long time).  Off we went.

It was about this time that it started to rain.  But no worries.  It was hot and a little rain could only be refreshing, right? 

It’s only a bit further, let’s hike further

After reaching the Thurmond Vista we came to the turn off for us to make the loop back to the parking lot.  The signage was very clear.  But it was also very clear that Wolf Rock was only 0.3 miles further.  My legs were feeling strong…we decided to check out Wolf Rock as a spur trail for our loop. 

We made it there no problem….and the signs from there indicated that Chimney rock was only 0.5 miles further!  Why yes!  Let’s!

It was so stinking hot!  The humidity was super high!  But we were both having so much fun!

It was while we were hiking back to the car that I realized….my legs were absolutely fine and in fact it had been ME that suggested adding the extra almost two miles do hike to Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock.  That is a huge turn around because in the last year or two I have dragged my feet about getting out and when I am out hiking all I can usually think about is getting the torture over with…and never would I willingly add more torture by suggesting adding more hiking onto our planned trip.  (The exception is if I am busy exploring…and buried in the excitement of that…such as our hikes on  vacation last year.)

I did hike using my trekking poles . (Amazon Link)  I know that they saved me a few times as my foot got caught on a rock causing me to stumble!  (Why do I stumble so much?). They also kept my fingers from swelling up like sausages so I was happy.   It’s all about doing what it takes to make my hiking experience favorable and fun!

We had a blast hiking in the Catoctin Mountain Park!  Sure it was hot and humid.  It even rained on us a few times.  But we were so happy to be back in the woods.  I was encouraged by the way my body handled the hike. My workouts through the past few months and my trekking poles made this hike painless and enjoyable!   We can’t wait to get out  and hike again!!!

First Friday Weigh In

Yeah yeah yeah, I know that this is posting on Monday and it is about my Friday weigh in.  But that is just how it’s going to be.  I will explain the change and everything today and I will also share my weigh in results!

No Stress Weigh In Day

I recently changed my official weigh in day back to Friday.  I had weighed in on Friday's before…but months ago, I had decided to change my weigh day to after the weekend in an effort to keep myself on the straight and narrow over the weekend.  Yes, my weekends are always the tough time for me!  In theory it would work!  I mean, it worked when I was on weight watchers and weighed in on Tuesday (which due to my whacky schedule was the first day of my work week).  But this time around it was working but only to an extent.  It was also filling me with anxiety and stress.  I do indulge a bit on the weekends (the typical rule is ONE sweet treat for the week and I indulge on a weekend). Plus, we eat out on the weekends….yup the kitchen is closed on the weekends!     So the stress came naturally.  Each time I ate my sweet treat I panicked about what it would do to my weight.  If I ate something that was a night higher carbs I stressed.  Out and about and drinking a bit less water on a weekend day….stressed and anxious about what that would mean for my weigh in.  

That is not living!  I want to be thin and healthy, there is no doubt about that. But I also want to live a happy life. If I’m stressed and anxious about every bite I eat, then that is not living!  There has to be a happy medium.  So back to Friday Weigh days.   I can have my tiny indulgence and I can eat at a restaurant where I may not have as much control.  If I slack a bit on water, It’s ok, as long as I pick the reigns back up on Monday.   There isn’t a ‘day of reckoning’ immediately following my rough days!  That said, I don’t want to play catch up all week long and have to lose what I gained over the weekend.  So I’m not allowing my weekends to be a free for all.  (Jason’s  birthday weekend was an anomaly and something special…so we won’t count that!)  

Stress free Posting

Changing my weigh in day back to Friday but continuing to post the results on Monday also helps me in actually being able to post and think about what I am saying and doing.  Work had been crazy recently.  It was difficult for me to actually weigh in on Monday morning and find time to post about it that same day.   Thus,  some of my delayed posts and missed posts over the last few months. With Friday weigh days, I have the time over the weekend to actually formulate my thoughts and post!  That is a plus also!!!  (Thanks for putting up with me during my less than stellar posting habits of late!)

Weigh In Time

So the moment we have all he waiting for.  How did I do on the scales?

I lost 3.0 pounds this week!  I am over the top happy!  That is a blessing that I was NOT expecting!

I am moving in the right direction!   I am still a bit behind in my quest to get to the weight that I was when I met Jason by our vacation, but not by much.  It is still attainable. The average I would need to lose each week would be 2.3 pounds.   Tough…but totally doable.  I’m still aiming for it (even though over two poutines a week is not sustainable…I do have a fair amount of weight to lose so it is possible).   But even though I am aiming for it, I am NOT going to be upset if I don’t make it.  Not at all.  If I get close….that’s a win.   The fact that since I started my 12 Week Challenge I have lost about 13 pounds is a win!  If I am losing (or have lost) then it is a win!

I am over the top happy with my progress and I can’t wait to see where this new improved weight loss journey takes me!  I am in the process of obtaining my next reward.  I am rewarding myself every 10 pounds loss…and this three pounds took me over that 10 mark and into a new weight decade.  I am also in the home stretch to get my 2021 miles in the year 2021 completed.  So stay tuned!

A Wash

This last week was a wash…kinda!

Last week was fabulous in some ways!  Jason and I were both off work on Thursday and Friday (happy birthday to Jason).   That was absolutely wonderful!   We spent Thursday running some errands and getting some things done.  It was a productive day…maybe not exciting but necessary in life.   I had my normal weekly sweet treat that evening. One a week…that’s the plan….right?

On Friday we packed up the bird and ourselves and headed out for a short trip away.  (Mertz the cat stayed home by herself).  We dropped Kiwi off at Jason’s parents who agreed to bird sit and we headed onward. We ended up in Harrisburg, pa.   We visited the National Covil War museum, roamed around downtown a bit and also visited the Fort Hunter Mansion and park.  On Friday I caved and got some cookies and indulged at the hotel.   Ok, two nights of sweet treats isn’t too bad right?

As we headed to pick up Kiwi (the bird) we decided to stop to look at a grocery store  and that store that has donuts that Jason loves. (Ok Jason decided) They didn’t have the donuts…yay!  But the did have this apple caramel cake that he loves.  Uhhh ohh!  Yes we bought some and I had cake on Saturday night.  Yes yes yes..I did!

I actually felt sweet overload after the cake and vowed that Sunday would be different!   And you know what?  It was!  I did much better on Sunday.  No sweet treat for me!  We visited the local zoo on Sunday just to get out and move a bit.  We were laughing at a Scarlett macaw who was very interested in us and crept down the perch to as close as it could get to us.  Yup we offered our arms for it to jump to us. He didn’t take the offer!

I did NOT track a single item during the four day weekend!  Not a darn single thing!  I didn’t eat all that differently than normal…except for the sweet treats….but I can’t be sure of the calories because I didn’t track.  And honestly, I don’t feel one iota of guilt!

Monday rolled around and I started to track my food.  Right back on the bandwagon!

So what is my weight doing?  On Friday…my official weigh in day i weight in before we left for our mini trip.  (I have switched it back to Friday from mondays…I’ll talk about that some day soon)  my weight was actually doing week.  I was about a half pound down!   But Monday morning…I was up by about two pounds!  Luckily, by Tuesday my weight had dropped again….and even a bit lower than my Friday weigh in!  Whew…now just to keep that momentum going!!!

I’m ok with everything and with having a wash…a maintain (or just a wee tiny loss)  we had a great time celebrating Jason’s birthday and spending time together.  Memories were made and that is called living life to the fullest.  I made some decisions but vowed to make those decisions temporary and to get back to the grind as soon as our weekend was over.  And that is just what I did!!  I call that a success!