21 Day Challenge

Starting Monday I will embark on a new adventure.  It will be challenging and exciting and hopefully life changing.  Okay, not that dramatic.  I'm going to cut out junk food.

It's just 21 days, right?

What do I hope to accomplish?  Several things.

1. Weight loss
2. Less bloat
3. More energy
4. Save $$
5. Healthier lifestyle

Question:  Is peanut butter a "naughty spread"?

My habits now are atrocious.  I would bet money that 75% of my diet consists numerous items from the list above.  Ice cream just about every night.  Fast food about twice a week.  Stretches of weeks where chocolate and other candy is consumed daily.

I have to put on a swimsuit in 40 days...

Oh how I love chocolate.

My tweezer may go bad.

I spend far too many minutes everyday in front of my magnified mirror tweezing those suckahs.

It's just not right.

It's just not fair.

It comes with age, genetics and that pesky thyroid disease that annoys my life.

I finally made the plunge and bought laser hair removal treatments - thanks to Groupon.

$199 will get me six sessions (chump change when you have the ol' plastic magical money).

The logic is that this will save my sanity and maybe a bit o' self esteem.

The hair on my chinny-chin-chin will be history in less than a year.

This is a life changing event.

This could be my birthday gift to myself...

Wait, that's what this was:

I will mention that I forgot to have the halo added...

Deaf and dumb

The past two weekends I have slept at least 15 hours each night.
The past three months I have come home after work and sat on the couch, barely moving, only getting up to use the bathroom.
The past two months I have been having mild anxiety attacks.
The past six months I have not been able to fall asleep before midnight.
The past three months I have been irritable.
The past month I have been highly irritable.
The past 10 days I haven't shaved my legs.
The past six months I have had no desire to pick up my house.
The past year I have gained and lost the same ten pounds.

I do this every year.  I wait until I am in dire need to go to the doctor.  Ten years with thyroid disease and I still don't respond to my body's needs.

mmmm - meds.

Don't worry, here I am.
Got my thyroid checked.  Normal range is 0.5 - 4.5.
Mine was 9.49
No wonder I've been so fatigued and sleeping so much.
No wonder my anxiety has been lingering.
No wonder my depression has been at an increase and also lingering.

A week ago I got my med dosage adjusted and I'm already starting to feel the difference.

I cleaned today after work!  We're talking the clutter that has piled up on the kitchen counter for two months.  Gone!

I vacuumed!

I sorted and filed!

I can't wait to go to bed!

What kind of person does something cruel to themselves like this?

I made a doctor appointment for 7:30 a.m.
Me.
Me who hits the snooze until 7:30 when I have to be to work at 8:00.

Somehow I made it out of bed at 6:50.
It was horrible, terrible, no good, very bad...
I like to sleep and sleep and sleep.
Worm or no, this bird likes to sleep in.

I went to a new doctor, new office, the whole shebang.
Had blood drawn from some snot who maybe felt like it was too early to be drawing blood.
I have a bump where the needle went in and it bled saturating the cotton ball that was covered with a Band-aid. (sorry if you're squeamish)
Wench.
I'll find out test results and hopefully understand why my energy levels are in the toilet.
Also, why I'm crabby, fatigued, anxious, depressed, irritated, carb-binging, and can't sleep at night.

After my appointment I had Mickey D's for breakfast.
...and I probably won't have it again for another five years.

Run, Fat Girl, Run

Starting today I'm going to attempt to run again.
In the spring of 2004, I ran for three months, challenging myself every step of the way.  I lost weight and felt good.  Then one day I ran and I just became thoroughly exhausted only five minutes in.  I was horribly fatigued for several weeks.  I stopped - for good.  Turns out it was my thyroid levels that were out of whack.  By the time I got them back to where they should be I lost interest in running.  I was afraid of getting that intense fatigued feeling again.
All these years I've talked about starting again but, well, I was lazy.  Now that I've been working out consistently for the past six weeks or so, I'm feeling stronger and motivated.  I'm ready to add to my workout.
Thanks to Laurie's blog I'm determined to start again.  Also on her blog I found a link to another blog and according to this schedule, I'm going to work my butt off - quite literally.
Tonight I started on the treadmill at the gym.  Booooring!  I knew I didn't like running on a treadmill but it was late and dark out and it was my only option (other than putting it off another day).  So, I will definitely be taking this to the great outdoors.
After my run/walk, I stopped at Kohl's and bought a new sports bra, socks and workout shorts.  I will need to buy new running shoes but what I have now will due for a couple weeks.
Wish me luck!
Now I have to work on my playlist...

I'm a hooper

Hula hooper that is.

About a week and a half ago I bought a weighted hula hoop. A friend of mine ordered one and I had to get one for myself. A coworker of hers has been using one for about three weeks and has already lost about two inches off her waist.

I tried hooping a few years ago and couldn't keep the hoop up. And before that it had been since high school at least.

I bought the four pound Acu hoop, started last Tuesday at one minute and have worked my way up to about three and a half minutes.



Directions say to only do one to three minutes the first week. The second week three to five. Eventually working your way up to two ten minute sessions a day, never doing more than 20 minutes a day.

I took measurements before starting and will wait until four weeks to take them again.

Stay tuned...

OMG You're so skinny!

Someone at work thought I look skinny today.

The scale doesn't say anything different and I'm far from skinny but I'll take the compliment to keep moving foward.

I donated all my "fat" jeans.

One things for sure, I have to get into the gym again. I've been busy and L-A-Z-Y!

Buncha losers

Well, that was short lived.

There was so much "confusion" and whining and "too many changes" that we are
postponing the Biggest Loser contest at work.

Ultimately it came down to a bunch of lazies and those with zero will power.

"A lot of us are too busy to workout right now with the holidays".
"There are so many treats coming into the office from vendors".
"It will be easier to start after the first of the year".

I will continue what I'm doing. I lost almost two lbs. last week. Of course it's the same two that I've been losing and gaining for the past several months...

Game on

Monday a group of us at work started the "Biggest Loser" competition. We all chip in $20 and will go until the end of January. From there we decide if we do another round.

Day two and there is already much confusion. I mean, really, how would you expect to participate in this challenge? Weigh in once a week, calculate the percentage of loss, at the end of January the greatest percentage would win.

Emails were flying this afternoon:
"I thought we weren't going to weigh in again until the end". Where's the challenge in that?? How will you keep motivated??
"Who's going to figure out the percentage"? Gah!
"We have to figure out the rules". It isn't that complicated. You lose weight.
"I don't have much money". This I understand but...

I would love to have everyone put in their $20 and then, each week the person who comes in losing the least ("under the yellow line") would put in another $10. There is potential to win nearly $200 for the biggest loser.

Meanwhile one of the guys was eating candy and cashews in the break room, one of the girls goes out drinking regularly and another is one who isn't greatly motivated. This leaves competition really between myself and another girl.

Game on!

Working out seems to be working out

A month ago I joined a gym. I will be reimbursed $20 if I go at least 12 times in a month. I made it by the skin of my teeth having to go five days in a row at the end.

I've tried several of the classes and I love Yoga. I've tried a step class which I found out was advanced 3/4 of the way in. No wonder I couldn't lift my legs or arms anymore by that point! I took a Pilates class that I would like to continue taking as well.

I took my measurements at the beginning and took them again at the end. I plan on doing this every month.

So far I've lost:

Chest: 1/2"
Waist: 2"
Hips: 1/2"
Thigh: gained 1/2"
Arm: gained 1/2"

I'm assuming (hoping) the gain is muscle forming. Or inconsistancies in the measurements. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Time to get tough with the fat

About two weeks about I and three of my coworkers joined LA Fitness. We chose LA because there is no lengthy contract to sign - it's month to month. Also, our health insurance will reimburse $20 a month if we go twelve times each month. That makes membership $10.

So far I've only gone five times this month.

I've tried three classes: Pilates, Step, and Yoga. I love Yoga! I will do Pilates at least once a month and Step I could take or leave. I have to get in there and do some weights though.

I've still maintained my 25 lb loss. It was just over a year ago that I started my weight loss. Most of it was due to being more active while I was unemployed and then starting a job where I was more active as well. Now I've hit a plateau and need to start with the diet and exercise. The fun stuff.

Home Pilates

A couple (few?) weeks ago I hit my 25 lbs lost mark. (YAY!) Since then I have gone up and down a couple lbs. So, I have to add in more exercise.

I put in my Windsor Pilates DVD last night. A quick 20 minute workout. Most "moves" were simple enough and I could tell I could gain strength from them. However, a few were a bit more challenging...

Doing back rolls: basically I'm curled into a ball balancing on my butt. Fairly easy enough. Then we roll back and then up again without letting your feet touch the floor. This is to "massage the spine". Back and up, back and up. When I was done doing the six rolls I found that I had completely turned around and was facing away from the TV. Hmmm... gotta work on the control part.

Then there's this "scissor kick" move where you're laying on your side, and you lift both legs about six inches off the floor and kick them back and forth. 1-2-3-4-5-... but wait I'm still on 1!

All this while breathing in and out of your nose for five counts each. Mostly I just held my breath until the instructor said, "Breathe in..."

I've got a lot of work to do...

How to gain 2.8 lbs in seven days

Eat like a little piggy.

I had pizza twice this past week.
I ate out twice for lunch.
I went out to dinner three times.
I had Dairy Queen once.
I had two Hershey candy bars.

Put it all together and what have you got? PMS.

Weighing the need for a scale

The holidays are over and now I can get back on track with the whole weight loss thing. I managed to loose 8.4 lbs but the week of Christmas I gained 1.6 - shucks, I was hungry, okay? It happens but my mind is back in the game.

I was just writing an e-mail with a friend about doing Weight Watchers online. I'm trying to justify spending $40 a month to have someone weigh me, hand me a little brochure with not much value, and sit in a meeting and listen to the same things I've heard before or already know by some girl who wants to always bring everything back to her c-section. Or the one that holds her picture of herself through the meeting from when she was a "weight lifter". Or the one who lists everything she's eaten for the past week followed by the points.

Anyway, I know how to do this. I've just always needed a support system. Friends that can check in on me and I can check in on them. Now I've got four I can hopefully do that with!

I feel badly that I'm ditching my meeting friend but I gotta do what I gotta do, right? Plus, I'd rather save the $40 a month and put down $60 for a full year access to the high school fitness facilities that are right across the street from me.

Also, I need a new scale. This is an example on how I make due with what I have. My "If it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude. My guilty feelings of spending money on something that I don't really NEED, just want.

So, my scale is a hand-me-down from my mom and I know for a fact it is at least 16 years old - at least. It's digital, it's powder blue, the topping is peeling off... but it works and that's what holds me back.

DAMMIT! I deserve a new scale!

Progress & goals

I haven't updated my WW progress for some time. I am down 5.4 lbs. Slow and steady. I told myself I'd take a walk a few times a week after work to move things along but it's so cold out. All I want to do is come home, change clothes and snuggle up with a blanket and my boys.


I hope to be 10 lbs less by the end of the year.


I hope to be 30 lbs less by this spring.


I hope to be 40 lbs less by the end of summer.

Long holiday weekend

This holiday weekend was a busy one.

Thursday was spent at my brothers waiting for dinner. He was almost two hours late in serving. Then onto my dad's for dessert. My favorite - pumpkin apricot cake with cream cheese frosting!

Friday was spent shopping... six hours of shopping. I usually go with my sister but she was in Europe this past week (lucky!). I went with a friend and her two kids. The 15 month old wasn't having any of the shopping business but she did well overall. I got a couple gifts purchased and a couple things for myself... of course.

Saturday I met an old friend for lunch and we ended up hanging out all day. We went on all the rides at Nickelodeon Universe. I've never been on any of the rides at the Mall of America so this was all new to me. I've always gone for the bars (way back when), the restaurants, the movie theater and some shopping. It was fun!

Unfortunately I got a cold somewhere around Thanksgiving morning and it hit me hard Sunday. I slept most of the day and then went to the airport to greet my sister - finally home from Paris and Barcelona.

I've got a lot to learn

I had my second weigh in last night. This past week I lost 4 lbs. While I'm very excited, I am also reluctant to celebrate too much. I know the first week can be a big loss and I know it's a big loss because I was quite the piggy the couple weeks leading up to the first week.

I didn't follow to the book but I did fairly well staying within my points. This time around, I did discover some habits that I will try to break in the coming weeks.

I binge. I'm a secret eater. The first paragraph rang too true for me:

From the time I was a little girl, I was a sneaky eater. I can remember tiptoeing into the kitchen, gently opening the cupboard where my mom kept old mayonnaise jars full of cookies and crackers, slipping some out and eating them as quickly as I could. I've always had a sweet tooth, and I craved foods that weren't good for me. Then when I was a teenager and became heavy, I got into the mind-set of, "It's not okay for me to eat this so I have to sneak it."

I eat well and little in front of others but when I'm home by myself, I turn into a human vacuum.

I'm a sugaraholic. I crave cookies, cake, ice cream, candy...

I have a habit of having a dessert immediately after I've eaten. It's automatic and I don't even think about it. It's usually ice cream.

I eat when I'm not hungry. I'm trying to figure out the exact reason for this. Obviously I'm an emotional eater but what emotion triggers it, I'm not sure.

So, this time around, I feel like I'm going to finally make that lifestyle change that Weight Watchers is always raving about. I need to put my childish eating habits away.

Back on the wagon - take 6

I'm going back to Weight Watchers tonight. I've done it before and lost 31 lbs. That was also thanks to an overactive thyroid. Now, with medication, I have an underactive thyroid and I've gained a million lbs. back. So, back to meetings since I need the structure, support and accountabilty that they bring.

I'm not setting any goals other than to lose. I'll go every Monday, wearing the same outfit so the material I have one doesn't cause even a 10th of a pound gain. I'm wearing my tightest pair of jeans that will fit perfectly by the end of the year (ie. no muffin top)... right?

Let's talk nonsense

Since about Sunday, I’ve had increasingly gotten more and more uncomfortable in my skin. I’m sure some of it is lack of some nutrient and physical exercise but it’s also stress. I don’t stress much on a day-to-day basis. It’s usually something that triggers it and it sits and stews in my mind and spreads throughout my body. I carry stress in my neck and shoulders and face and right now I can’t relieve the pain. It’s tight. My shoulders, my arms, my legs, even my forehead are in constant need of being stretched and massaged, like I’m constricting in on myself. I can think about the oddest things and dwell on them. Of course there is the country’s financial state. I don’t concern myself with the details because I don’t understand them. I do concern myself with the tone of the news and how it’s affecting those around me. I absorb others’ stress. I’m sleeping hard but waking exhausted. My eye is twitching.

This weekend I watched The Savages and had the sudden desire to call my mom and ask her to clarify what she wants me to do if she were to become ill and/or die. How morbid is that? What terrible thoughts. Especially since I plan on my mom living forever. I can’t and won’t imagine my life without her. Probably the only reason I didn’t call her was because I didn’t want to bother her with such an insane question while she was enjoying her road trip through South Dakota, Utah, Colorado and wherever else. I know she’s already got her wishes expressed in her will but I suddenly felt completely overwhelmed with the ifs and whens. I held back the dialing and just tucked the thoughts away. I’ll ask her at a more appropriate time (which translates to: when I’m sobbing uncontrollably and my back has gone out from the tension).

Let’s add to that the daily thoughts of having a significant other and children – and whether I will have (or want) either (this is for another day). And I’m starting that whole stressing about aging thing. I keep telling myself, when I’m 50 I’ll wish I was 36 again.

So, I continue stretching and trying to rub away the knots, cracking my neck, back and fingers and sleeping and thinking.

Does Calgon really work?