WOOT!

Found my palm pilot. I'm SOOOOO happy! I've been lost without it. We've had some other excitement I could've done without. That story is listed on my family blog.

Fitness myths - according to one guy

Here are Top 9 Fitness Myths - Busted! according to Eric Harr.

And here are some tips for getting motivated to get fit by Michael Gerrish

How about 6 tips to get flat abs

Wednesday weigh in

Oh-oh-oh-kay! Let's just say that the Christmas indulgences are showing on the scale and leave it at that, shall we? ;-) Even though it was just the four of us, we made a big Christmas dinner with turkey, ham, mashed taters, sweet taters, corn, dinner rolls, stuffing, gravy (I don't care for that, so no temptation there, but I made an awesome gravy from scratch!) and 3 pies! Only one piece before bed, but they are still sitting there! I'm going to the chiropractor this afternoon. Hopefully they can help my neck get sorted out after my fall on the ice Sunday.

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

I really avoided all stress. My health kept me from racing around doing a bunch of stuff. I made a few goodies over the weekend for the parties we went to. But I had a pretty relaxed month, mostly due to resting according to doctor's orders.

Brutal season

Sunday night I slipped on a patch of ice. My hiney hurts, as does my neck and shoulders. My feet went out, I landed on one butt cheek (thankfully not a tailbone hit!) and then the back of my head bounced off the concrete. Oy. I'm calling the chiropractor tomorrow to see if anyone is working this week. I probably should go back and see my doctor again, too. Still have that cough bugging me once in a while. Not nearly as much, but still there.

We had a lovely Christmas though. Family photos are posted on my family blog.

Saturday

Weight today - 191.0 Not by a good way. Yesterday my headache turned into a raging migraine so I threw up my breakfast and spent the day in bed fighting the nausea. It finally calmed down a bit around 8 or 9pm and I was able to have some soup.

Friday update

All went well with my son's surgery and we came home last night! God is good and I appreciate all of you who were praying! This morning I have another killer headache and I think it might be due to the yummy peanut brittle I indulged in last night, a gift from my brother-in-law and family. Best I've EVER eaten, but I don't think my body liked the sugar that late at night. :-P

Wednesday weigh in

Another new shirt. :-)

Down .6 to 192.4. Haven't started back exercising yet. I was going to on Monday, but ended up coughing more and I had a killer headache.

Will be busy today getting ready for my son's trip to the hospital tomorrow for surgery. His medi-port is being switched to the other side of his chest. We're hoping that the most it will be is an overnight stay. I'll have time there to log on and check in with everyone if I don't get to it today.

Another new evil

Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark.........ooooooh. Found it yesterday at Bed Bath & Beyond when getting some last Christmas gifts.

But today - still 193.0 AND I started my period. I'll take it. :-D

Feeling better physically, but emotionally am a wreck. Our cat is in renal failure. We've had her for SEVENTEEN years. We're treating her with antibiotics and subcutaneous fluids for 10 days and if she doesn't feel better by next week we'll have to put her down.

Current progress

One of my new shirts. And I did a little figuring - I've lost 16% of my original starting weight. And I'm almost halfway to my ultimate goal. Woot!

Wednesday weigh in 193.0

Holding steady at 193.0 - down 1.6 since last week. Still not exercising and still coughing. But definitely feeling a little better than I did. Just wish the tight band around my chest would go away. Stocked up on good Progresso soups, gradually adding in a bit of dairy.

No more baggy briefs!

I treated myself to some new French-cut Jockeys today. It's the only brand I've ever found that fits me well. And it's the first time in many, many years that I'm comfortable in anything besides granny briefs. :-D

I also used my Lane Bryant dollars since I will soon be out of their sizes, figured I should use them now. Got some cute shirts.

Today's weight - 193.0

Yesterday was 194.2 and today is 193.0 - yay! So the secret is to sit on your butt for a week, feeling totally wiped out. I also cut out most dairy for a while since it's supposed to create mucus. Drinking lots of yummy herbal teas, too. I felt a lot better yesterday during the day. Did a little work and picked up a few groceries and that completely wiped me out and had me coughing all evening. That resting thing is so hard and our NRA trainer class continues tonight so I expect another setback. Pooh.

And since I start coughing so hard at night, I put off going to bed because I don't want to keep my husband up. It's a dang vicious circle. :-P

Got a light dusting of snow and our mountain is hidden by the low clouds. More snow expected over the weekend.

Update at noon - the clouds are now down among us. Visibility is less than one block! Love this weather!

AMAZING SALE on children's books

Check out my Usborne Books website. Starting TODAY, Dec 7 and running through Monday, Dec 10, they are offering WONDERFUL bargains for your holiday shopping. You can order books for children who are long-distance from you and get them shipped directly to the recipient. No standing in long lines at the Post Office!

Visit here to order the titles and sets that are offered.

Wednesday Weigh in

Today's weight is 194.6. Down 2.4 since last week. Still pretty sick and miserable. Really wish the chest tightness would stop. Really hard to sit and not do anything this time of year. Hopefully my daughter can run some errands for me this week.

Making the TSO concert tonight is questionable. I know I shouldn't go, but oh, I hate to miss it!!!!

UPDATE: I've made the decision NOT to go to the concert. I am SOOO disappointed, but I want to get better. And I know going out in the cold, walking and sitting in the fog and pyrotechnics would get me coughing worse and set me back. Just walking to the bathroom gets me out of breath. I'm going to follow doctor's orders and REST. Much as I hate it.

Tuesday weigh in - 194.8

Drumroll, please! 194.8! Woot! Only .4 above my all time low. Can you count it when you're sick, though? Yeah, I will. LOL The doctor called to check on me at 7:30. I thought you wanted me to REST, doc! Sheesh. Went back to sleep for a little while, then the phone rang again. Sigh. Might as well get up. It's really hard not to do stuff when I'm home. I want to vacuum, clean my bathrooms, put the Christmas boxes away, etc. etc. Making myself sit.

Health - not good!

Saw the doctor today and over the weekend my cough was really kicking it into gear. I've been exhausted. The doctor told me I'm a "very sick girl." Yeah, I figured that, doc. He said I have sinusitis, fluid behind my ear, mucus dripping down into my throat and broncho-spasms (said my lungs were squeaky.) Woohoo. Not. So I got Advair, Albuterol, Zithromax and Prednisone. Plus he told me to get mucinex and do nasal washes twice a day. Also to get my flu shot, which they were doing in the lobby of the hospital today. Oh, and no exercise for a while - doctor's orders! I'm supposed to get lots of rest. Bleah. I asked him about weight loss and told him what I've been doing. He said that it's a healthy diet, but to lose weight I'd have to give up carbs. Yeah, ain't gonna happen. I don't think that's healthy. I'm going to continue using the Abs Diet and just cope with the slower loss. Maybe I'll find a nutritionist I can consult.

Friday night, Saturday night and all day Sunday, my husband and I were attending training to become NRA Basic Pistol Trainers. We had to do a few presentations and that was so not fun with this cough. It continues next weekend. It's been fun, but a lot to cope with when feeling crappy. Hopefully by the weekend I'll be a lot healthier.

Wednesday Weigh In

Well, I'm back to 197, the weight from a few weeks ago after being up quite a bit. So I lost 5 pounds this WEEK, but am only down 4 for the whole challenge. My weight and measurements are the same as they were on Oct 17th and that bugs me. But I'm maintaining good habits and still not feeling well. And it is that time of the month, so I guess it's good that I'm still in Onderland! I did make an app't to see the doctor on Monday. So hopefully I can ask him some questions about my "slow to lose weight" body. I've lost about 15 pounds in one YEAR. I know that's a healthy way to do it, but I really want to reach my goal before I turn 50 in 2010! ;-)

Woke up to a white world this morning. About 2 inches of snow. LOVE IT! Last night I was out in the hot tub and it was so clear, I was surprised to see snow this morning. And today is my son's 18th birthday! We no longer have any children in the home, it's all adults. Wow, does that feel WEIRD! If you want to see a pictorial history of him, go to my family blog.

Tuesday results - 197.6

Going in the right direction. 197.6 today. Up .6 from weigh in two weeks ago, but down 4 pounds since Saturday! Yay! Still feeling pretty rough with a bad cough.

I may have lost my Palm Pilot on our trip. AUGH!!!! When I was sitting in the back seat, my purse tipped over a couple times, once when I was getting out of the van so maybe it fell out and I didn't notice it. It's like my whole LIFE! Fortunately there's a backup file on my laptop. Sigh. I guess I will have to buy another one on ebay. As long as I get the same model, I can upload the data from my computer.

Monday Weigh In

Whew! I'm back in Onderland. Texas took a toll on me. I did NOT like seeing that 2 on the scale again. :-P Back into good habits. But I've found a new evil. Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha. Mmmmmmmmmm. Even a tall nonfat probably has 400 calories!

But here's a list of 11 Superfoods for Weight Loss.

And a Nutritionist's Shopping List.

Last day at Sea World

We've had so much fun! Go to my family blog to see more photos. Link is on the right.

Wednesday weigh in

Or is it WAY OFF!? :-P (I flurbert you, scale!) Not just the 90% humidity, lack of bms, but it's Marie Callender's cheddar potato soup, Carino's Apple Skilletini, Sea World popcorn, etc. etc. I ain't checking in until I get back to my mountain. I'm on vacation! ;-)

Gotta love it!

This is one of my all time favorite activities. My daughter and I tend to spend a lot of time here when we go to Sea World San Antonio. Today, for the first time EVER in all the times we've gone here, they had a buy one get one free special for the fish trays to feed the dolphins. (They now cost $5 per tray. 4 or 5 fish per tray.) They've never before even had a coupon for a discount, so we were pretty thrilled. Since it's been so long since we've been here, they didn't remember us like they always have in the past. But this guy still enjoyed a good rub.

I haven't done the treadmill the past couple of days, but I have walked my legs off at Sea World! ;-)

Wednesday weigh in - 197

Up a little to 197. But we're in Texas and I used the fitness room scale. I was not happy I forgot my scale, but remembered far down the road. :-P So I don't know if it's the scale difference, weight from traveling, water weight due to higher humidity or what. But I did 40 minutes on the treadmill this morning, had my protein shake, and then did the Gym Bar workout. So I'll try to keep eating healthy, too. Always a challenge when traveling! Fortunately, we are in a suite with a full kitchen, so we can get stuff to fix in the room. Don't have time to visit everyone this week. Hope you all are doing great!

What's the REASON????

With my frustrations over slow or no weight loss, I've been thinking about it quite a bit. I've been following the Abs Diet pretty closely and working out EVERY day. Doing the treadmill every day except Sunday and lifting weights 3 days a week. I really don't eat much AT ALL, so I've been trying to figure out why I couldn't lose 20lbs in 6 weeks as the author of the Abs Diet swore you could do. Well, if I'd have started out with bad eating habits, drinking sodas, not working out, etc, then I probably WOULD have seen that drastic of a change in 6 weeks. But I was ALREADY drinking tons of water, absolutely no sodas, eating healthy and working out regularly. So maybe that's part of it.

I'm also wondering about physiological reasons and/or the medication I take. I also had some breakthrough bleeding, so maybe perimenopause is a factor? I'm considering going to the doctor and consulting with him about it. We're leaving Sunday for Texas and will be gone through Thanksgiving, so I'll look into that when we get back.

Bathroom Scales

Bathroom Scales

Two youngsters were closely examining bathroom scales on
display at the department store.

"Have you ever seen one of these before?" one asked.

"Yeah, my mom and dad have one," the other replied.

"What's it for?" asked the first boy.

"I don't know," the second boy answered. "I think you stand
on it and it makes you mad."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

Today's weight is up again. 196.4 I so don't get it! :-P

Thursday weight

Today it's 195.0. Yay.

Denise Austin's Three Keys to Fitness

Three Keys to Fitness!

If you're not sure how often, hard, or long your aerobic workout should be, let the F.I.T. system be your guide:

F = Frequency: Remember that the more times you work out each week, the better and faster your results will be. Once a week is a good start, two is better, three is terrific, and four is stupendous!

I = Intensity: If you work out too hard, you'll burn muscle instead of fat. If you don't work out hard enough, you won't get results. Aim to exercise in your optimum fat-burning zone. Find it by subtracting your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate. Multiply that number by .60 for your best fat-burning zone, and by .85 to find the point at which your body will stop burning fat and start burning muscle. Your range will likely be somewhere between 100 and 135 beats per minute.

T = Time: Aim for a minimum of 20 minutes to start, even if you break your workout into two 10-minute sessions. Add minutes as you gain strength. Eventually, you'll be able to sustain a longer workout, which will rev up those fat-burning engines!

Wednesday weigh-in

A little disappointed today after Sunday's low of 194.4. I'm counting yesterday's 195.4 for my official weigh-in. So that is down 1.6 since last week, total 5.6 for the challenge. So I get my 5 lb button. Yay. Measurements are all THE SAME! As hard as I've been working and eating well, that ticks me off a LOT. Changing my workout to bands.

Doin the yo-yo thang

Well, weight has been creeping up, then down. 196.0 yesterday, 195.4 today. Might be because of my irregularity. :-P Still walking every day and did my weight lifting yesterday. I drink tons of water and have been eating the fiber wafers - yuk. Also eating lots of fresh fruit. So it's not like I'm not trying!

Sunday weight

194.4 WHOOOHOOOO! :-D

Saturday weigh in

Down to a new low - 196.2. Woot! So glad the goodies and indulgences in Estes Park didn't sabotage me too much. ;-)

Weekly weigh in

I'm late posting because we were having too much fun at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park! Tuesday morning before we left home, I weighed 197, which is up .2 from last week, but since I've had my period all week, I'm happy with that!

The kids had a weird event happen in their room, but we didn't see anything out of the ordinary. It seems to be a popular place on Halloween. There were quite a few people staying there and roaming the halls at night. Too much noise for the ghosts to come out! ;-)

We walked downtown Estes Park last night and all of the merchants were at the doors of their shops handing out candy and the cops blocked off the street. So everyone was just walking up and down the main street in their costumes and it was a lot of fun. Most people had their dogs in costumes, too. As many shops as there were, the kids didn't need to go anywhere else. We thought it was a pretty good way to do it. (Actually, we never have done the trick or treat thing, but my kids enjoy handing out candy to the kids in our neighborhood when we're home.)

Friday weigh in

OK, this morning's weight is 197.0 and I STARTED MY PERIOD! HOORAY! :-D That's because at this TOM, I'm BELOW 200, so I'm totally psyched, even though I feel rotten and have a blistering headache. But I'm going to drink some water and do my treadmill anyway.

Wednesday Weigh In

It's been a weird week. I've been bouncing around between 197-197.8. I haven't felt great, so I haven't eaten much at all, but continued with my treadmill and weight lifting according to schedule. Yesterday I was up to 199.6. What the......? Today, though I'm at 196.8 - totally weird. But I'll take it. Just a .2 loss. I'm assuming it's bloating. My ankles were swollen last night when we went to our ballroom dance lesson.

Next Tuesday, we're going to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park for a couple nights to do some ghost hunting over Halloween. ;-) For those of you not familiar with this particular place, it's where Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining. The TV mini-series was filmed there because he was ticked off they didn't film the movie there. Lots of cool ghost stories about the place. Anyway, I'll weigh myself before we leave and count that.

My baby sister is doing a weight challenge at her children's school with other parents and teachers and the one who loses most by body weight percentage wins around $200. She's in the lead so far with SEVENTEEN pounds gone in 5 or 6 weeks. Her big advantage was giving up SODAS! (Diet sodas!) Way to go, Sarah! We're about 2 pounds apart right now, so she's thrown down the gauntlet!

My goals for this week:
1. get in bed by 10:30pm. I've been staying up way too late
2. walk on the treadmill AS SOON as I get up. I've been sitting around first, so by the time I have my breakfast shake, it's after noon.

Friday weigh in

Today's weight - 197.2 Starting to feel a tad yucky. Head filling up, feels like someone is sitting on my chest, so coughing has started, and skin feels like pins and needles pricking it all over. Bleah.

Habits

I can't remember which website I got this from, but the "spirit, body and soul" was linked to Christian Women Online.

This month, begin by creating a list anywhere from 5 – 10 items long, listing changes or habits that you would like to make in your life everyday. These changes should be ones that you feel would be a benefit to your spirit, body and soul.
Habits may include tasks such as:

* Set aside a time for Bible reading daily
* Eat smaller portions at mealtime
* Stop snacking in front of the television
* Drink 8 glasses (8 oz. each) of water each day
* Increase intake of vegetables
* Find small ways to move more
* Have a daily exercise routine
* Take time to kneel in prayer each morning
* Cut down on soft drinks
* Smile more often
* Etc...

I'm doing OK with the health stuff, but definitely need to get better with the spiritual habits!

Today's weight - 197.6 Creeping up a bit, but since it's less than a pound, I'm not going to panic. ;-)
No snow today - it's sunny and 48 degrees. You get to the point where you never trust the weather guys around here. They never know what's going to happen!

Wednesday Weigh In

OK, will stick with yesterday's weight of 197.0, which is a 4.2 loss since last week's weigh in and 4lb loss for the challenge. :-)

I was going to go outside to drink my protein shake, but it started raining and turned into snow briefly. It's 50 degrees, so definitely brief, but snow showers are forecast for tomorrow morning, too. Yay! I love snow. :-)

I've got housework to get done plus my weight lift workout, so I'll check in with everyone else later.

Oh, and I did take measurements, too. I haven't changed at all since Sept 20th.

Tuesday weigh in

Today's weight - 197.0. LOVING THIS! :-D Would love to be far enough below 200 to stay there when that time of the month comes around! :-)

Have lost 4.2 lbs since last week's weigh in. Let's see if tomorrow I can get it to an even FIVE!

Monday weigh in

Today's weight - 198.0 WOOT!

Saturday weigh in

This morning's weight - 198.6. Woot! Trying to do the treadmill every morning and weight training 3 times a week.

Friday weigh in

Yesterday, weight was 200.4. This morning - 199.2! Hooray! Glad to be back in ONDERLAND! :-) My goal is to get down to the point where even in the evenings and that time of the month I will STAY in Onderland!

My smoothie recipe
1 c low-fat milk
2 Tbsp flax seed powder
1 scoop protein/whey powder
Several frozen strawberries (favorite brand is Dole, they are nice and big so I use 8-9. With generic brand and smaller strawberries, I use 12-14)
1 tsp Fibersure

0-200 IN 6 SEC

Ed was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His
wife was really mad. She told him "Tomorrow morning, I
expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to
200 in 6 seconds, AND IT BETTER BE THERE."

The next morning, Ed got up early and left for work. When
his wife woke up, she looked out the window, and sure
enough, there was a medium-sized gift-wrapped box in the
middle of the driveway.

Confused, the wife put on her robe, ran out to the driveway,
and brought the box back into the house. She opened it and
found a brand-new bathroom scale.

Funeral services for Ed have been scheduled for Friday.

Received from Tony Pickar.

--
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List
A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a)
Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA

Wednesday weigh in

Oh, bad, bad, bad! I miscalculated yesterday. It is more than 2 lbs up. 201.2 is today's weight (down .2 from yesterday.) :-P Back to good habits, though. I have continued to be active and lifting weights regularly so maybe the increase is muscle weight.

Quite the weekend!

Oh, it was a fun weekend with lots of good food. I didn't do too much extra snacking, but the meals were considerable and tasty. :-) But there was also LOTS of activity! We hiked at least 5 miles on Sunday. Monday we did a little bit of hiking, too. But the weight is up a bit this morning. (Less than a 2 pound gain, so not too terrible!) But time to get back on track with weight lifting, walking, and very healthy, Abs Diet eating.

If you would like to view the stunning photographs of the weekend, go to my family blog.

Wednesday weigh in - Look Great in 2008

Today's weight - 199.0, a loss of .6 which I'm totally thrilled with since I had my period this past week! WOOT! So a total of 2lbs lost for the challenge so far. I'm hoping to really kick it into gear now, but this weekend will be a bit of a battle. Friends have invited us to stay with them at Estes Park and her parents are coming for Iowa and she said they "Love to cook for others." That makes me a little afraid! LOL But we'll be hiking in the COLD weather, so maybe it will even things out.

Down with a migraine yesterday and one is threatening this morning, too. Ugh. Need to up my water intake and maybe take my migraine med before it's full blown!

Feeling the burn!

Oh, ouch. Definitely an effective workout! The muscles are feeling it BIG TIME! I'm OK as long as I don't have to stand up! LOL The butt and the thighs are the ones really screamin'!

Beating PMS

Well, following the advice I listed, I have noticed some differences from last month. Yesterday morning, I was running my son around on errands and started feeling crampy. So once we got home I loaded up on fresh fruits and some almonds. I also had some yogurt. Not feeling great the rest of the day, but not nearly as bad as I did last month. And this morning, I had a gain of .6lb where last month at this time, I'd gained THREE pounds. Woot!

Doing my weight lifting workout this morning after sitting outside for a bit to soak up some Vitamin D. :-D

Being Nice

One of my Tales from the Scales friends, Guinevere was sweet and gave me the Nice Matters award.

I get to pass it on now. I feel like all of the gals from TFTS who visit me and the others with encouraging comments deserve it, too. So at the risk of forgetting someone, I'll nominate everyone who has commented on my weigh-in days!

I would also nominate my friend Jennifer, but she's closed her blog for a while. I miss your musings, girl!

My sister's friend Jan has always been a true friend who steps up when help is needed.

Thanks, again, Guinevere!

Beat PMS from the Abs Diet for Women - Part 2

A yoga pose that opens up the pelvic area can relieve bloating and cramps. Try a pose called Reclining Bound Angle. To do it, sit on the floor with a long pillow behind you. The bottom should touch your sacrum, and a folded blanket should cover the top. Lie back into the pillow, resting your head on the blanket. Put the soles of your feet together and let your knees and thighs fall to the sides. Stay in the pose for 5 to 10 minutes and breathe deeply.

>A recent study found that taking 200 IU of vitamin E twice daily 2 days before -and 3 days during -menstruation can ease cramps. Those in the study who took the vitamin E experienced fewer than 2 hours of cramps per cycle, down from 17 on average. And only 4 percent of the women needed a pain reliever for cramp relief. The theory is that vitamin E hinders the formation of prostaglandins, the hormonelike chemicals that cause uterine contractions. But take E only for those 5 prescribed days each month; high doses taken over years at a time have been linked to heart trouble.

>Ask your doctor about tweaking your birth control regimen. In a Yale study, oral contraceptives reduced PMS symptoms by 50 percent in half the participants using 24 hormone pills and 4 sugar pills.

>Acupressure may also help ease symptoms. Research suggests that acupressure stimulates blood flow and releases endorphins--the body's natural painkillers. In one study, those who had acupressure had 72 percent less pain (the same as those who took ibuprofen), while those who had a false acupressure treatment (not performed on the correct spots) had a 58 percent decrease.

The Abs Diet for Women by David Zinczenko also has advice on managing menopause and workouts and eating plans for pregnant and post-partum women, too. There's also a chapter on The Stress-Busting Workout. I can't recommend it highly enough! :-D

Beat PMS from the Abs Diet for Women - Part 1

I figured people would be interested in what exactly is in this book that is recommended for that time of the month. So I'll add a whole post with the info.

Beat PMS
Popping OTC medication isn't the only thing you can do ot help alleviate the cramps, foul moods, and hunger that come with the fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone you experience before your period. Try these easy lifestyle changes that can ease some of the cyclical burden.

>Even more than you usually do on the Abs Diet, focu on eating protein and fiber to keep your blood sugar even, slow your rate of digestion, and resist the urge to overeat. The best foods include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

>A University of Massachusetts at Amherst study found that a high intake of calcium and vitamin D decreases the severity of PMS symptoms, plus it prevents PMS from initially developing. The study concluded that women who ate or drank about 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D daily had significantly lower risk of developing PMS. That's the equivalent of four servings a day of fat-free or low-fat milk, other low-fat dairy producst like yohurt, or fortified orange juice.

>Have the perfect breakfast. It combines vitamin B6 with magnesium (both found in salmon and avocados), two nutrients that have been shown to relieve monthly mood swings. This magical meal also includes cheese, which helps replenish the vitamin D and calcium your period can deplete. And it features fiber: A high-fiber diet has been shown to ease PMS symptoms by expelling excess estrogen. Best, it includes three Powerfoods! Here's the secret recipe.
2 slices 100 percent whole-grain bread, toasted
1 tablespoon low-fat cream cheese
1/4 avocado
1 ounce smoked salmon
Freshly ground pepper
Small handful of alfalfa sprouts or fresh spinach
On one slice of toast, spread the cheese and layer the avocado and fish. Top with the pepper, sprouts, and second slice of toast.
(Note from June - I don't eat fish so I haven't tried this personally)

>You can cut down on period-related migraines and headaches associated with drops in estrogen levels by eliminating foods that tend to trigger them. The most common foods include aged cheeses, processed meats with nitrates, chocolate, excessive caffeine, alcohol (especially red wine), citrus foods, bananas, aspartame, and MSG. Exercise and meditation also seem to help reduce the risk of developing migraines, partly because they reduce stress (a migraine trigger).

Wednesday Weigh In - Look Great in 2008!

Well, I'm down a tad from yesterday so official weight is 199.6. Down 1.4 from last week's start. So I'm loving it in ONDERLAND! :-)

Go here and Everybody Dance Now

My period is coming on if the sore breasts and chocolate cravings are any indication! Bleah. So I'm going to follow some of the recommendations in the Abs Diet for Women book for this time of the month.

Just sat outside in the sunshine to drink my protein smoothie. I LOVE fall on my mountain. It's 60 degrees and a light breeze is making the aspen leaves rustle and the pine trees whisper. Life doesn't get any better! :-D

Tuesday weigh in

Same weight today, 199.8. I had an interesting night last night. I'll post about it on my family blog.

Monday Weigh in - ONDERLAND! WOOT!

Over the week, I've been holding steady at 201 and I was beginning to think my body wouldn't let me go below 200. It was a busy weekend and I didn't eat as often as I should have. But this morning, for the first time in over TEN YEARS, I am below 200 pounds. YAY! Just by .2, but I WILL TAKE IT! That ONE looks awfully good to me. ;-)

Off to do my Abs Diet workout.

Friday, Sept 21

Today's weight - 200.4 I weighed myself last night and I was 201.4, the lowest I've ever been at night, so I was SURE I was gonna hit ONDERLAND today. Pooh. I loved the Abs Diet workout I did yesterday with weights, but oh, my thighs are SCREAMING! I'm going to use lighter weights until my body adjusts. We even went for ballroom dance last night. Not sure who was in more pain, me or my husband with the arthritic hip, but we did have fun. Tango and Cha-Cha this month! :-)

Great info for today from the Abs Diet for Women book by David Zinczenko.

"DIET IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD
In all honesty, I hated to even call this book a "diet" book. That's because the word diet has been twisted around to mean something you follow temporarily - you "go on" a diet, you eventually have to "go off" it. And that's why most diets are really, really bad for you.

Most diets are about eating less food or about restricting you to certain kinds of food. Most of them work in the short term because if you reduce your calorie intake, your body starts to burn itself off in order to keep itself alive. Presto, you lose weight. But here's the problem: The first thing your body does when it's short of calories is to dump the body tissue that takes the most calories to maintain.

That's muscle. So on a low-calorie diet, your body burns away muscle and tries to store fat. Sure, you'll lose weight, and you'll eventually start losing fat as well. But when you "go off" your diet, you'll start to put weight back on. And guess what kind of weight you'll gain? Pure fat. Because you've taught your body a harsh lesson: It has to be on the lookout for potential low-calorie periods in the future, so it had better store fat just in case. You've also used up valuable calorie-burning muscle, so you're likely to end up fatter than you were before your diet. That's why people who try diet after diet not only don't lose weight but also gain it.

The Abs Diet isn't a shotgun, irresponsible approach to weight management. Oh, you'll lose weight, and you'll lose it fast. But you'll lose fat, not muscle. And you'll keep that weight off for life. You'll follow the tenets of the Abs Diet for life, too, because it's about eating lots and lots of great food in smart ways. So enjoy the Abs Diet. But let's keep that little four-letter word between us, okay?"

So doesn't this sound like a sensible plan? The Eating Guide and now the book for women is the best money I've ever spent. Total - $26 for both!

The Abs Diet for Women

I left my "Abs Diet Eating Right Every Time Guide" with my dad, so when I saw "the Abs Diet for Women" at Walmart, I snatched it up. It's even more wonderful than the Eating Guide, plus it has photos of the suggested workout. He says you can lose 20 pounds in 6 weeks following the plan, so I'm GOING FOR IT! And I decided to try and share some gems from the book every day. I have already posted the Abs Diet Power Foods in this post.

"A University of Tennessee study found that people who added three servings of yogurt a day to their diets lost 61 percent more body fat and 81 percent more stomach fat over 12 weeks than those who didn't eat yogurt. WOW! Researchers speculated that the calcium helps the body burn fat and limit the amount of new fat your body can make."

Oh, and favorite quote of the day "But almonds are like Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: They're the king of the nuts." Healthy information and HUMOR, too! ;-)

A big recommendation he makes is smoothies. And some of the recipes he gives include yogurt in the smoothie. These can be such a treat and I've made them a staple by having one for breakfast every day. This high protein start to my day gives me LOTS more energy than I've ever had in the past.

I did the week one workout today (took about 20 minutes) and my thighs are REALLY feeling it. And that's one main area I need to lose, so I'm liking this already. I just hope I can walk tomorrow. ;-)

If you really think my scale is broken, just compare the current picture to my goal weight picture. Especially compare the hips and thighs. Oh, yeah, my scale is working just fine. ;-) Take my word for it or I'll inflict on you a photo of me in spandex. LOL

Last Tuesday Weigh In - NEW CHALLENGE

OK, still at 201.0 this morning. So my total lost for the May Day Weight Loss Challenge is a whopping 8 pounds. Before I went to my folks', walking on the treadmill with varying intensity was really working for me, so I will continue that. I will also continue the eating guide from the Abs Diet. I never feel hungry and it's tasty food. He gives grocery lists, recipes and recommendations for restaurant eating. Just bought the Abs Diet for Women today and need to get another copy of the Abs Diet Eating Right Every Time Guide since I gave my copy to my dad. :-D

With the new challenge, Look Great in 2008, I plan to kick it up a notch and lose the entire 46 pounds I have to go to my goal weight. I want to be in a size 12 by my husband's company's next gala (held in February or March.)

I'll consider this photo of me and my husband as my before photo for the new Look Great in 2008 Challenge!


To see the post on my whole journey, go read
this post.

My disappearing husband

OK, I may have to kill him. Today he said, "I need to do something to STOP losing weight." WHATEVER!!! :-P

Home again

I was very relieved this morning to get on the scale and see 201.0. So that's only a .2 gain from being at Mom's. I was doing fairly well with my eating, but my only exercise was the housework and grocery shopping. Back to my normal routine!

Today's weight

OK, I'm back down to 200.8 after all of the monthly bloating. Yay! So that's up .6 from last week when I counted my low, but down almost 4 pounds from last week's bloating. ;-) And a total of 8.2 lost since the beginning of the challenge. About 1/2 a pound a week. Not great, but you can see how much progress I've made overall by looking at the photos of my husband and me below!

I am going to my folks' in Arkansas, because my dad's in the hospital. Mom has Muscular Dystrophy and tends to do more than she should and I think I could be of some help around the house. So I'm not sure if I'll be checking in very often. And I'm going to try to do the grocery shopping for them and get lots of healthy foods. Dad has diabetes, too and when he went to the ER, his blood sugar was way high.

My goal weight

I was so thrilled when Tales from the Scales chose me for their "Loser of the Week." Though I haven't lost much during this 18 week challenge, I have enjoyed the support and encouragement of the other ladies doing the May Day Challenge. When I sent my story, I included a photo of me at what I consider my ultimate healthy weight. So I figured I would put that photo here, too since some of you don't visit the TFTS site. If you are interested in this kind of challenge, do visit them because they are starting a new challenge to run through January.

Check it out - an elastic waistband, with the shirt TUCKED IN! This was early in 1997, right after Kendall had been diagnosed with CF. Doncha love the big glasses? ;-)

The incredible shrinking Burnetts

We planted this tree in our backyard on our anniversary in 2003, the year we moved to Colorado. We were supposed to take our picture by it every year, but we never remember - until this year! Now the tree is way above our heads, which you can see on my family blog (link is on the right). I wanted to crop the photos to just show our weight loss on this blog. :-) (Yes, he's waaaay ahead of me. I've lost about 30 pounds and he's lost about 90!)

Tuesday weigh-in

I'm counting my weight BEFORE my period started. I'm ignoring the scale until it's over! :-D I got down to 200.2 on Friday before all the bloating started, so that's 1.6 down from last Tuesday. Yay!

(I moved my chart to the other end of my blog.)

Sabotage!

Well, last night kind of messed up my body. At around 4pm, I had yogurt and some fruit. At 5 we left for our gun cleaning class to follow-up our training last weekend. We didn't get out of there until 11:30!!! Starving, so we got something to eat on the way home. So this morning I was up a pound. Pooh. So it's back to my good habits.

Eh. That time of the month, too. Bleah. And on my anniversary! :-(

Friday Weigh-In

Today's weight - 200.2, - so close, I can taste it!!!!

Thursday Weigh-In

Today's weight - 200.6! WOOHOO!!!!!!

Why weigh every day?

This was from another challenger's blog and I had posted it toward the beginning of the May Day Weight Loss Challenge:

"There was a study done on it, and researchers tracked hundreds of dieters in three groups. Group one weighed themselves every day for I think it was a year, group two weighed themselves weekly, and group three never/hardly ever weighed themselves. Well, almost everyone in group one lost and kept weight off. Group two lost weight or maintained weight. Group three actually gained a few pounds on average! And these were all "dieters""

Wednesday weigh-in

Today's weight - 201.2. A measly 1.3 away from that weight beginning with a ONE! I really, really, really want to make that by my 20th anniversary, which is SATURDAY! Pray for me! :-)

Tuesday weigh-in

I need to start doing my weigh-ins on Thursday or Friday. Those seem to be the days when I weigh the least! :-)

I'm counting Sunday's weight this time - 201.8, down 1.4lb since last Tuesday's weigh-in, up .8 since Thursday. It's weird because I ate VERY little this weekend as we were attending a pistol shooting class and I had so little TIME to eat! Could be I'm just retaining water since I drank TONS as the classroom was not air-conditioned and we spent all day Sunday out in the sun at the range. Check my family blog if you want to see how well I shoot! ;-) Not quite as good as my husband, but considering it was only my 2nd time to EVER shoot a pistol, I'm quite pleased with myself.
Family Blog

Got this in my email today:

Mmmm...what you wouldn't give for a creamy, decadent milk shake, so thick you can barely sip it through a straw. Well, we've got some shakes that might satisfy your craving. These fruit shakes are creamy, thick, and decadent, too. But they're also low in calories and rich in essential vitamins and nutrients. So go ahead and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Get 3 low-calorie shake recipes for your diet.

One more note - decided to change my ticker marker to a turtle since I've been slow and steady with loss. ;-)

Butter arms?

Got this in my daily email from LHJ

When you think of push-ups, images of bellowing drill sergeants and groaning army privates may cross your mind. But this old-fashioned exercise shouldn't be intimidating at all -- it's an excellent way to build your upper body strength and tone your arms and shoulders, too. Imagine how great you'll look in tank tops! Now, give me 10!

How to do a push-up for maximum benefit.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!

Weight was 201.0 this morning. WOOHOO!!!! Lowest weight in quite a few years.

We're having a whopper of a thunderstorm right now, so I may shut my laptop down!

Oh, I had a black bear IN MY YARD yesterday afternoon - broad daylight! It was quite exciting! First bear I've seen in our neighborhood since we moved here 4 years ago.

Tuesday Weigh-In

Well, I'm up 1.2lb. WAIT! Scratch that, I'm only up .6 since last Tuesday's weigh in! 203.2 I have not been moving this past week, so it's my own fault. And I'm totally stopped up, too. Ugh. Yeah, it's all related and no one to blame but ME. Onward and DOWNWARD! :-)

Tuesday Weigh in! :-D

I'm so happy! Today's weight is 202.6 - down 3.2 from last week. WOOT! I've FINALLY started journaling what I'm eating. Yeah, I'm slow sometimes. LOL Seems to be helping. "Do I really want to write down these chocolates in my journal?" Even though no one else sees it, it stops me!

WEDNESDAY WEIGH-IN - 202.0 WOOT! Doing the happy feet dance! (Anyone seen the LaQuinta ad with the dorky guy in 50's dress dancing? That's ME today!) ;-)

Weight going in right direction

Big sigh of relief. Weight back down to 203.4 this morning. (Tuesday was 205.8) One weird thing I have discovered. If I wake up early and need to go to the bathroom, I weigh myself. Go back to sleep and then when I wake up again, weigh again. (I know, I'm pretty obsessed!) ;-) I will weigh up to two pounds LESS at the later time. If I get at least 8 hours of sleep, I will weigh less than if I have to get up earlier and not get the full 8 hours. Weird, huh? I don't understand it, but I will go by the later weight, of course. LOL Took measurements today, too and I've lost an inch off my waist. Hooray! I feel energized and ready to get back on track.

My husband left yesterday for 10 days in Korea. We've been married almost 20 years and I just HATE it when he's gone. I've been getting to bed earlier lately so I can get up with him in the morning. We so enjoyed having breakfasts together in England every morning and I told him I wished he didn't get up so early for work, so he has been getting up a bit later so I can get up with him. (I just couldn't do the 5:30 thing every day!) Last night, I went to bed late - it's like I just can't bear to go to bed when he's not there beside me. It doesn't feel right! So I slept in until 11am. Tonight I'll try to get to bed sooner so I don't get out of my good habits. I have noticed a difference in my health with the more regular hours. Much improved!

God has blessed me with such a wonderful hubby. I'm incredibly grateful to Him. I guess that's a big part of my health. :-) Now if we can just get back to our ballroom dancing - I enjoy that kind of exercise and have missed it due to our crazy summer with travels and such!

Tuesday Weigh-In

Yuck. I'm up a pound (205.8) and have not been feeling well. So bleah, bleah, bleah.

Tuesday weigh-in

I'm still maintaining with that 0.2 gain (204.2) and I'm OK with that. My knee has really been sore so I've been holding off on cardio, but doing stretching and the Shapely Secrets and Gym Bar workouts. Only having occasional chocolate treats I brought home from England. ;-) I learned NOT to have any before bed, though. One night I did and the next morning woke up with a KILLER chocolate hangover headache. Not good. If I have a few things in the morning, I'm OK. ;-)

Oh, and a treat recommendation: I bought the Smart Ones Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream sundae. One is 3 points for WW and just 170 calories. They are YUMMY!

Another: the 100 calorie packs of cookies. The Oreo ones are OK, the best ones are the Keebler Fudge Shoppe Grasshoppers. Taste almost exactly like GS Thin Mints!

Weight today

Weight the day before I left for London: 204
Weight this morning: 204.2
Yay! :-)

Feeling even better

OK, this morning I was only TWO pounds above where I started before leaving for my trip to England. So I know this can be a temporary thing. Hooray! And now my hubby is home, too so all is right with the world. ;-)

Tuesday weigh-in

Oh, I just refuse! I'm still stopped up and bloated from traveling. The scale was not kind this morning. (I think it's pouting and paying me back for leaving it behind while I traveled!) My ankles did go down to almost normal on Sunday, then I was on my feet all day at the county fair with my Heritage Makers business. So I'm going to wait until I'm back in my routine and I'll report in with numbers next week. Surely this isn't permanent sabotage. But ya know what, it was TOTALLY worth it. I had a ball in England. ;-)
Had my protein shake and sat outside in the sun for 15 minutes. Getting back in the saddle!

Oh, considering how very MUCH I walked every day while in England, I really think it's unfair that I didn't lose 5 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!! ;-D

Home again!

Oh, dear. I got on the scale after flying all day from England. Now, I did drink a LOT of water the entire week, at least 3 liters a day. And now, it has all accumulated in my ANKLES! Not pretty! And I'm not even going to pay attention to that number on the scale. I'm going to give myself a couple of days to adjust back to altitude. Spent some time in the hot tub until the lightning chased me in. Now, I'm nodding off. So I need to get to bed! So goodnight for now!

No weigh in!

Skipping this week since I'm still in England. No scale, and if I found one, it would tell me how many stone I am and it would mean NOTHING! LOL Did a whole LOT of walking around London yesterday and drinking lots and lots of water. Not too bad on the eating plan, but not perfect. Went to Harrod's and we were a little dazed in the Chocolate and coffee room. ;-) Click on my family blog on the right to see some London photos.

Diet Tips When Eating Out

I'm getting weight loss tips in my email every day from Ladies Home Journal after checking out the Fight Fat Over 40 section. Today's has a whole lot of helpful tips and although it's called Diet Tips When Dining Out, it has hints for shopping, holidays and other temptations, too.

Tuesday weigh-in

Ugh. Hit with a killer headache this morning and I know it was something I ate last night. Went to a Homemade Gourmet party and the food was yummy. I just sampled stuff, didn't overeat or anything. But I'm up about a pound this week - bleah. Guess it was the extra weight I was expecting last week.

Need to start figuring out what to pack for my trip to England this weekend. I think the worst part will be on the plane since they don't let you carry on water. I drink so much and get soooo dehydrated when flying. The little cups the flight attendants give you last me all of 10 seconds. :-P

Fighting Fat Over 40

Over 40 tips on the Ladies Home Journal website.

Make walking a "super fat blaster"

From an article in August Prevention

If it's an indoor treadmill, warm up walk at 3 to 3.5mph pace at a 2 degree incline. (My treadmill has an incline, but it doesn't show how much!) After a 2 minute warm-up, look at your watch and change the incline by the second hand. Every time it hits :00, raise incline 4 to 7 degrees. Every time your watch hits :20, lower to 2 degrees. After 18 minutes, cool down, easy pace at 1 degree incline. Finish at 20 minutes.

For outdoor walks, warm up at easy pace for 2 minutes. Then every time your watch hits :00, power walk with arms bent. Every time your watch hits :20, walk at a moderate pace. At 18 minutes, cool down with an easy pace for 2 minutes.

The Workout at a glance
Weeks 1+2 Three or four times a week, do either the indoor or outdoor interval for a total of 20 minutes. Each routine burns about 150 calories
Weeks 3+4 Walk 7 days a week. Continue your interval workouts; on alternate days, do a 30- to 45-minute walk at a moderate speed.
Keep it up: To continue losing weight, challenge yourself: Speed up the pace of your fast intervals, raise your treadmill incline higher, or add another 10 minutes to your workout.

I guess a study found that people who exercised for 20 minutes alternating between a high intensity for 8 seconds and a low intensity for 12 seconds LOST 3 TIMES MORE FAT than those who worked out at a constant pace for 40 minutes. I'm going to try this out.

My Declaration of Independence

What's important to you and why? Have you ever sat down and figured out exactly WHY losing weight is important to you and HOW you are going to do it and WHAT benefits you'll receive by losing weight?

Today we are declaring our personal independence on our blogs and sharing to inspire and motivate and remind us why this journey is so important. So, go...declare and share! (This challenge was put forth on the Tales from the Scales blog.)

When, in the course of my life, it becomes necessary for me to change how I handle certain aspects of my life, I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I will rely on His strength, not my own.

After all, I am a daughter of the King and it is my responsibility to be a good steward of this life/earthly vessel with which He has blessed me.

I shouldn't have to feel tired, depressed and unattractive, and I refuse to feel that way anymore. My identity is not determined by a number on the scale.

I know losing weight is hard. When it comes to food, I have an especially hard time with chocolate, but it does not make all trials go away. I will do my best to eat healthy foods that nourish my body.

But it's worth it to me to dedicate myself to the task of being healthy, and I will do what it takes to meet my weight goal of 155 pounds.

I am dedicated to my plan for healthy living, and to get there, I will keep moving every day. And I will make time for myself without feeling guilty about it.

Now is my time, and I WILL make it happen with the Lord's help. This is my Declaration of Independence from the obstacles I struggle with daily. Let the fireworks begin!

Tuesday weigh-in

WOOHOO!!!! Today's weight is 202.4 - Down just .6, but I seriously expected a gain. My weight was inching up a bit, but I've been eating really well and exercising every day. Alternating strength training with cardio. I'm pretty sure I've been pms'ing, so that was going to be my excuse, but no, I LOST! I'm so happy! I'm really hoping my period starts today or tomorrow so I'll be done with it by the time I leave for England. I'm getting really excited about that trip. Got a couple of books to plan walks around London.

Getting back cramps so I may spend the rest of the day curled up in the fetal position. :-)

Once again, I have to mention the Abs Diet. I really think that is helping me a LOT in this mission. :-D Check out the book "The Abs Diet Eat Right Every Time Guide."

The 13 most powerful superfoods

Another confirmation of the basic principles in the Abs Diet.
Everyday Health

Win a book!

Overwhelmed with Joy is giving away a book that sounds like a very good read. Go check it out.

Tuesday weigh-in

Finally, I broke the 5 pound barrier! :-D Lost 1.6 since last recorded weigh-in and am down to 203 - 6 pound total loss since the Challenge began. Hooray!

I looked back at my recorded measurements when I started the Bodyflex program in March of 06. I've lost a total of 15 inches and 14 pounds since then. Imagine if I was doing it FAITHFULLY! ;-)

(Note to readers. I did not realize my blog was set to allow comments only from other members of blogspot. I have changed that so even if you don't have a blogspot account, you CAN comment. Sorry about that!)

SNAP!

That's the sound my Thighmaster made today as it gave up the ghost. Wah. I've had it for many years and like to do it every morning to help that inner thigh jiggle. :-P I'll try to find a cheap one on ebay. Bet it's available. ;-)

Hmmmm, now I'm not sure what to do. It looks like some versions might not be as well made as mine was that lasted for many years. :-/

Today is much better

OK, my weight was back down a bit - to 205 today so I'm less than one pound up from last week. (It was over 207 yesterday morning.) :-P I definitely feel better today, too. Headache is gone and I did my workout this morning. Went to the grocery store and stocked up on good foods, too.

Brutal

Ugh, I'm not even going to count this week. Just got home last night and I'm going to wait until my body adjusts to the altitude and I'm back in my routine before an official weigh in. :-P

It doesn't help that I have a splitting headache this morning. That could be due to the altitude change. Feeling it in the sinuses, too. Tomorrow will be better.

Scales!!!!!!!!!!

I've decided my scale is a little neurotic. It can change up to four or five pounds during one day! This morning, I was excited to see my weight. Stepped off and on again to make sure. Hooray! Confirmation. Went to get dressed and realized I hadn't hit the save button on the scale so went back to it. I was .6lb heavier! Got off and on again - same thing! Pooh! A little bit later I thought I'd try it again. Down four pounds! OK, I know that's not right. Get back on, up 3 pounds! What the ????? I have a neurotic scale that likes to play with my mind. It's probably a good thing that I'll be away from it for five days! :-D

But you know, something someone said on their weight loss blog today (I'm sorry, I can't remember who it was) made me realize something. I've already lost more than 10% of my total weight! That's quite good! Hanging in there. :-D

The Abs Diet

OK, this guy is NOT paying me to push this book, I swear! ;-) I just hate hearing people say they are starving and feeling deprived. If nothing else, check this book out of the library and read it. It makes SO MUCH SENSE! He'll tell you WHY your weight will yo-yo if you've been trying different fad diets. The Eating Guide was only $8 at Borders. You can get by with just that book. I am!

Another good book "Flip the Switch" by Robert Cooper. He talks about different EASY ways to kick-start your metabolism. There are several small things you can do every day that don't take a huge amount of time or require hours at the gym.

DON'T SUFFER! There's no need!

Tuesday Weigh-In -2.4

Today's weight - 204.6 Which means I'm down 2.4 from last week. I've been yo-yoing due to that time of the month, but total lost for challenge is 4.4. SOOOO close to the 5lb button I can taste it! ;-)

Definitely have made healthier choices with only a few petite brownies! LOL

Weight down a bit

OK, down to 205.6 today. Need to lose a bit more since I'm heading to Mom's on Thursday. :-) I'm going to pack lots of my healthy snacks and meals that will handle a 12 hour drive. I just need to make sure to keep active and get my exercise while there. I may walk with my dad at the mall but he kicks my butt and I get shin splints if I try to keep up with him!

Then later in the month I'm going to England with hubby on his business trip. We're using his miles to fly me over. I can't wait! We'll be near London and I'm hoping to take the train and be a typical photog tourist! Anyone have any must see suggestions?

Men!

Don't be surprised if you read about me in the newspaper or see me on Fox News.
"Colorado woman snaps after husband loses 100 pounds and her weight wouldn't budge."

He made the mistake of saying, "I think I need to get my pants altered again - for the 3rd time. Pretty soon the pockets in the rear are going to be touching." And then "Someone at work told me I've lost too much weight." And I just happened to have an axe handy.

So I'll just say it again. Men suck.

Except my Spurs - they won game one of the NBA finals tonight. Woot!

OK - success!!

Since my period DID start, and I didn't gain 5 pounds like I usually do, I figure what I've been doing is working. So - YAY! Now I need to get to bed. :-)

Tuesday weigh in

Ugh. Judging by my crabby mood and craving for anything chocolate, I'm going to assume my maintenance of last week's number is water weight because of hormones. Bleah. But keeping up the water intake and workouts. Eating habits aren't too terribly bad. Got the "allowed chocoate" of the Abs Diet, York peppermint patties and Dove dark chocolate minis. Made a grocery run and added recommended foods to my pantry. Trying to follow the pattern of eating every three hours, but sometimes I forget because I'm NEVER hungry! I really like this plan. Thinking about ordering the book for women to see if it has some extra tips.

the diet list

So, how many of you have seen the diet list on line? It lists a lot of the promised "Miracle pills" and diet plans and critiques them all. It gave a VERY good review of the Abs Diet. Check it out. Diet List

Got a new book

The article in Woman's Health I was talking about was based on excerpts from the book "The Abs Diet." Today at the bookstore I saw that book and then saw "the Abs Diet: Eat Right Every Time Guide" for just $8 so I bought it. It has "789 Best On-the-Go Food Choices, Complete Supermarket Survival Guide, and 60 Minute Meals for a Six-Pack." (Taken directly from the front of the book.) Sally, maybe there's something in this list you like! ;-)

Almonds and other nuts
Beans and legumes
Spinach and other green vegetables

Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
Eggs
Turkey and other lean eats

Peanut butter
Olive oil
Whole-grain breads and cereals
Extra-protein (whey) powder
Raspberries and other berries

Everything I keep reading lately is pretty much saying the same thing. Eat often and healthy. And they pretty much recommend the same kinds of foods. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet (even though he does use that word.) I like having the restaurant survival guide in this book, too. So here's another thing I'm recommending. Go out and get this book! :-D

BMI vs Body fat

OK, what's the difference? My digital scale measures body fat and says mine is fortysomething. (I won't post the words I say to it!) But my BMI calculates at 28.6. Anyone know the deal with that? Guess it's time to google. ;-)

Another weigh in - beginning numbers 205.4

Can I count today's weigh in instead???? According to the scale today, I've dropped TWO pounds since last week! Woohoo! One thing I struggle with is getting "stopped up" due to some meds I take. Even the 100oz or more of water I drink every day doesn't seem to help. So I like weighing myself after getting "cleaned out." Hope that wasn't TMI! LOL

OK, I'm going to go ahead and post numbers. Mostly because I weigh every day so I can't always remember what my weight was at the last check in! ;-)

Today's weight is 205.4 - yesterday was 207. Starting weight for the challenge was 209. So I'm down a total of 3.6. (The first week my math was off. I'd lost 1.8, NOT 2.8 - see why I need to post numbers? :-P) Last year I was over 230, but I don't think I stepped on the scale much until I started losing. I'm sure it was at least 235 or 240, but I'm counting 230 as the official starting weight. My goal is 155. At 5'11", I was pleased with how I looked at that weight and the size of clothes I was wearing. Due to my bone size, I MAY be able to get into a 10, but I'll be happy with a 12. I was up to 20-22 and am now at a 16. OK, there, I bared all. That wasn't too painful. LOL I think I'll go ahead and keep 207 as this week's weigh-in and then I've got a great head start on next week's loss!

I'm pretty faithfully following the high protein thing eating every 3 hours or so and it sure seems to be working. And I never feel hungry! I also get sunshine in the morning, drink tons of water and try to keep moving throughout the day. (Mostly tips from Flip the Switch by Robert Cooper - one of my favorite books.)

Prevention - June 2007

OK, I was going to post about the 40 fat-fighting meals article in this mag, but there's just SO MUCH information that I'll just recommend buying this issue of Prevention. I really do like this magazine. It has wonderful tips throughout its pages. The 40 meals article has 30 meals and 10 snacks that "deliver a healthy 1800 calories a day." They include fiber and protein, which really help you fill up. There's also a great pull-out for an exercise program.

OK, one other magazine recommendation. The June 5 issue of Woman's World also has an article about getting rid of belly fat. Foods and workouts. And it's only $1.49.

Fighting Fat

This is from the May 2007 issue of Prevention. It's got workouts and eating plans to drop 2 sizes in 8 weeks.

5 proven strategies that shrink your most stubborn fat by Elizabeth Somer, RD
1. Cue your portion (We all know that one!)
2. Graze don't gorge: 3 small meals and two or three snacks no more than 4 hours apart
3. Cut 100 calories per meal: skip croutons on the salad, use 1 less tablespoon of butter on bread
4. Choose extra filling foods; A study of 150 overweight people found that those who ate soup every day for a year lost 50% more weight. Munching on a salad before your meal may cut your calorie intake by 12%.
5. Pass on processed junk

Foods that fight fat
Oatmeal
Vegetable juice
Nuts (a few small servings)
Fat-free milk - as calcium intake increases, body fat decreases
Green tea - compounds in this tea may help boost metabolism and fat-burning abilities

Late weigh in

We were out of town, so I haven't had a scale available.

This morning, I got on the scale with dread in my heart. We spent 6 days in Estes Park with some family. Can you say Molly B's Cafe, Poppy's Restaurant, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and freshly made saltwater taffy??? I did keep up my water intake and ate high protein breakfasts and snacks and I am down .4 lb! OK, less than a pound loss, but I am SOOOO excited that I didn't gain! LOL I got a Prevention Magazine and Woman's Health mag and I've got some stuff I'll be sharing here later. For now, I want to go out in the hot tub. I've missed it! :-D

Oh, and I think I'm pms'ing so not gaining 4 or 5 pounds is really exciting!

If you want to get a view of paradise, check out the photos on my family blog. We had a blast in Estes. Saw elk, marmot, bighorn sheep and moose. WOOT! Family Blog

Water Weight - what is it?

Did a google on water weight. This is what I found:

Water retention

Many average healthy adults experience some water retention and the accompanying weight gain that occurs. The day to day body weight fluctuations are commonly caused by the loss and gain in body fluid.

Its possible to retain up to five pounds of water weight retention and can easily be hidden within the natural fluid that surrounds cells ( extra-cellular fluid ). Heavier people may experience more water retention especially if their intake of processed, convenient food is high. For some it can be as much as eight to ten pounds of fluid retention if weight gain is quick say over the Christmas season.

There are a few causes of water retention but for many an increase in sodium through the diet ( mainly salt intake ) is a common cause and research suggests it may contribute to high blood pressure and other health complications. Sodium is present in virtually all food products so when a person consumes more food its inevitable they also consume more sodium. Weight gains are very often a combination of fat stores and water retention.

Water regain & weight loss

People who lose weight quickly usually experience some weight regain within a few weeks and very often this is due to some water replenishment.

When we restrict energy intake too much too soon in order to lose weight quickly the body is forced to use up stores of carbohydrates and breakdown protein in the muscles. As both carbohydrates and protein hold water in the cells a loss of these macronutrients also results in a net loss of water. As a result rapid weight loss can often be made up of 75% water loss. After the energy systems stabilize water is regained because some of the protein and carbohydrate stores initially lost are replenished. The water is drawn back into the cells thus gaining back a little weight.

It can be very confusing when one week you lose 4 pounds, the next week nothing. However remember that gaining protein in muscles increases lean body weight. More lean body weight increases our metabolism and help burn fat faster!

OK, found another really good website with great info on weight. It's called Why the Scale Lies (Hmmm, it doesn't show up until you put your cursor over it.)

To weigh or not to weigh

I "stole" this from Briana's weight loss blog. So I guess I'm NOT crazy for weighing myself every day. :-D Thanks, Briana!

.........I was reading in Cooking Light magazine sometime last year, I think, that you should weigh more often than all the diet gurus and companies tell you to. ??? Yeah, that's right, more often, not less often. Forget all that "Obsessed with your weight is not good for you" stuff. It's not true.

There was a study done on it, and researchers tracked hundreds of dieters in three groups. Group one weighed themselves every day for I think it was a year, group two weighed themselves weekly, and group three never/hardly ever weighed themselves. Well, almost everyone in group one lost and kept weight off. Group two lost weight or maintained weight. Group three actually gained a few pounds on average! And these were all "dieters"

The study suggests that by keeping a close watch on your weight while you are dieting is good for your overall results. You can see what that binge last night does to your body when you weigh in the next morning. I agree with these findings. It happens to me constantly. I weigh in the mornings, every day. I have seen dramatic results from a day to day basis. A good day where I have worked out and eaten light will shave a pound or two by the next morning, and when I have had too much food/drink the day before ... I have seen a pound or four the very next morning!

It lets me know right then and there what I have done wrong, and reinforces why everyday counts on this diet.............

I'll just say one more thing, it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change! :-)

One more thing

My 6'2" husband who "doesn't get on the scale because I don't care about the numbers" decided he would go ahead and try out the new toy since it was just sitting there. The beast weighs less than me now. {Non-family-friendly words inserted here.} :-P

Time to check in!

OK, I am thrilled to report that I have lost 2.8lbs this week! I've been checking my weight a lot due to my fun new scale and it really fluctuates wildly, so I need to do it just one day a week, I think. :-) I've been doing the Shapely Secrets workout at least twice a day since Friday. It's an easy, quick workout, but you definitely feel it in the muscles! Now I need to go reward myself and get a pedicure and manicure. Actually, my husband told me I could do that for my mother's day present. Woot!

New digital scale

I picked up a VERY cool digital scale today at Walmart. You can have 4 different users programmed in and it keeps the weight in the memory and your goal weight. It also measures body fat and hydration. I'm excited to report that the scale I was using was almost 2 pounds heavy! Woot! Not so exciting - my body fat is way higher than the little ticker shows it. :-P That's OK, I've been very good with my eating the past couple of days and I'm working out quite a bit. Started the Shapely Secrets 7 minute workout, did some exercises on the shaper ball and did 20 minutes on the bicycle today. Wrote down my goals in my little SS book and recorded starting measurements, weight and dress size.

Working out

Yesterday I did a new workout on my shaper ball. It's from a book I got from the discount table at B&N. Definitely worked a lot of muscles. They are screaming all over my body today. In the mail today, I got the Shapely Secrets pack I ordered. Will be trying out Greer Childers newest method tomorrow.

Tips for turning on the metabolism

Here are some of my favorite ideas from "Flip the Switch" by Robert Cooper.

Drinking ice water: it can be confusing when different people say opposite things for weight loss. One book I read said ice water slows down digestion. Cooper says it makes your body burn more calories. I've been doing better since drinking the ice water.

Getting lots of oxygen: we tend to breathe too shallowly. Breathing deeply can also kickstart metabolism.

Keep moving: avoid the sedentary life. If you are watching TV, go do the stairs at every commercial. Get an exercise ball and sit on that while watching TV or movies. There are lots of exercises you can do while sitting on that and rolling around.

Getting plenty of light: putting on plenty of lights when you get up in the morning and getting a few minutes of sunshine is also a good way to get your metabolism going.

The book also has some great recipes.

OH - and take your measurements. If you are working out regularly, you could be losing inches, but the scale might not budge if you are gaining muscle.

Weigh in day!

OK, no progress. Still the same weight. But I have been moving more the past few days and having lots of fresh fruit and veggies.

OH, and the past two days, I was in bed before 11pm. That's major progress for me! :-D

Another blog

OK, I figured I would also do a blog solely dedicated to my May Day Weight Loss Challenge. I'm not going to post my starting weight. Not that brave.

The Challenge - 209 Starting Weight

I'm moving the original post from my family blog into this one so I can track my history!

I consider this one of the worst pics of me ever. It was the 2005 gala put on by my hubby's company. I think it was this picture that made me get serious about weight loss. :-P (I've changed the photos from the original post)

I'm joining the May Day Weight Loss Challenge put out by Tales from the Scales.

I would like to lose 53 pounds. I am 5'11" so it's easy to disguise the extra pounds, but I don't want to hide them, I want to obliterate them. :-)

Several years ago I went vegetarian and completely cut out coffee and coke and started drinking lots of water. My skin cleared up, I lost a ton of weight and probably looked the best I ever did as an adult. Then with some stressful stuff in our family, I put on more and more pounds. I finally started exercising regularly again and eating more healthy foods. So far I've lost 22 pounds and 3 sizes, but have hit a plateau lately. (Starting weight for challenge in May '07 - 209.) Weakness: chocolate. (I am FEMALE, after all!) ;-)

Here's a photo of us at the 2007 gala. (The James Bond theme was lots of fun.)



Special challenge - I have two UNDERweight teenagers who need high fat, high cal stuff. One of them has a serious medical condition, so he HAS to have the fattening stuff. So it's not like I can clear all of the cupboards of all sweet, fattening stuff.

My husband just started cutting out snacks and is doing portion control. Has a bad hip so he never exercises. The pounds are just MELTING off of him. Since September he's lost SIXTY TWO POUNDS! (He went to the doctor this week and it was the first time he'd been weighed in almost a year.) I hate him. OK, not really, but why can men do that so easily? I have been working out pretty regularly for the last two years and have only lost 22! It's not fair!

Other things I will be doing - treadmill at least 3 times a week. Bodyflex workout 2-3 times a week. I've also ordered Shapely Secrets since the Gym Bar from Greer works VERY well in taking off inches! Keep moving!!

OK, I keep adding more stuff as I think about it. This week being at the hospital I will take the stairs up to our room on the 4th floor, use my gym bar and every morning take a brisk walk to Starbucks to get a nonfat latte. I brought lots of 100 calorie snack packs and will get the healthy meals at the cafeteria. (I don't count points, but they do post those on the stuff in the fridges.)