Foods and Exercises

Well, even my best intentions went haywire the last couple days. I mean to post my meals here and then somehow the last couple days I just haven't made the time to even do a blog entry. What the heck happened?!

So Thursday was NS pancake mix (entree) with applesauce and apples (two fruit servings) sliced in it, with a dash of vanilla and cinnamon and Splenda to taste baked for about 20-30 mins in 350 degree oven. It was a yummy cake. With that I had a vegetable breakfast sausage patty (protein). Lunch was a pizza burger made with NS vegetable sloppy joe (entree) 1/2 cup boca crumbles (protein) mixed together with a little onion and garlic powder served on an English muffin (carb for 100+ for breakfast and lunch) and a 5 ounce can of low sodium V-8 (salad). Dinner was 4 ounces of grilled chicken breast (entree) served over a bed of lettuce (salad), with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers (vegetables) and 2 Tbsp low fat wild ranch dressing (fat). Snack was a slice of 2% cheese (protein) and a small apple(fruit). I drank only 9 eight ounce glasses of water.

Today breakfast was NS 'cheerios' with 1/4 cup milk (entree), two vegetable sausage links (protein), 1/2 cup natural applesauce (fruit), and 1/2 whole wheat bagle (carb for 100+). Lunch was NS broccoli soup (entree), 1 ounce of grilled chicken (protein), 1/2 cup broccoli (salad), and an apple (fruit for 100+). Dinner was NS cheeseburger (entree) with grilled onions (veggie) served on two slices low cal whole wheat bread (carb for 100+) sprayed with ICBINB spray and grilled like a patty melt. Served with a salad (salad) with mushrooms (veggie). Snack was a slice of 2% cheese (protein) and an apple (fruit). No NS dessert/snack today. I had twelve 8 ounce glasses of water today.

Yesterday I did my 25 minute workout with Richard and today I did 20 minutes of my other video. I am still only doing ten minutes standing and the other 10 sitting on the second video but I am still moving and breathing hard so I know I'm still getting the benefits. I know with time I'll build up the muscles to stand longer and longer.

I feel the week has been pretty productive. I'm pleased with my progress and today the scale seemed to be on the move again in the downward direction. I'll have to wait to see what happens on my official weigh-in on Sunday but I'm pretty sure I'll be below the 445 mark. Woo hoo! Just keeping it up and seeing where it all takes me.

On the road

Took Tim to the retina specialist and we've just returned. The specialist appt was at least productive. The vision is worst in Tim's left eye. The doctor said there would be no benefit to having surgery on that eye. The retina is detached and there is a tear, also, but the damage has been done. The right eye also has a partial detachment which has been caused by scar tissue from the numerous laser surgeries Tim has had to stop bleedin and to kill blood vessels that shouldn't be where they were growing. He can wait for six weeks and see if there is any more deterioration or he can go ahead and have the surgery. Again, this is not going to improve his vision at all and the chances that it can make it worse are pretty much 50/50. Tim has decided to wait six weeks and see what happens. The doctor took pictures of Tim's eyes so he'll have something to compare when we return. The good news is this doctor was very patient, explaining things, answering questions ... and Tim really likes him. The two hour drive to see him was definitely worth it!


The eating wasn't horrible but I did end up missing lunch altogether and dinner was out. I had a grilled tenderloin (equivalent to entree) with two slices of tomato and a slice of onion (two veggies). I also had a nice salad with fat free french dressing(salad). I think I did okay but we'll see how it measures up on the scale. I did miss a fruit serving in addition to the entire lunch. Hopefully it won't hurt anything.

I thought I was going to get no exercise today but that wasn't the case. I ended up walking for a total of 30 minutes! Woo hoo! I'd also like to state a couple NSVs (non-scale victories) I observed. I made it into and out of the doctor office without sitting down to rest! I also wasn't breathing as hard as I normally would have, but was huffing and puffing enough I couldn't carry on a conversation with Tim. Lastly, I actually fit into the chairs in the waiting room and wasn't in pain from them cutting the circulation off in my legs as they used to do due to my weight. All great NSVs in my book!

About yesterday and today

I didn't get around to posting here yesterday. The day just kind of got away from me, then in the evening I settled in front of the tv to watch "The Biggest Loser" and "House". Shortly after "House" I fell asleep.

I had a good day yesterday. Had my granddaughter for part of the day and boy that little gal makes me move! Up and down for most of the day getting her out of things. First she went for my piggy bank collection on the bottom shelf of a stand. I won't put them up high because I think she needs to learn everything does not belong to her or is a toy and when someone says "no-no" she is to listen. She moved on from there to under an end table almost yanking the lamp off on her head by jerking on the cord. Rescued her from there and then she was off to the DISH box, pounding on it. Okay ... moved her away from there and what does she spy next but the dog water and food dishes. She loves to swish her hand in the water bowl and then dump it. ARGH! You'd think with a floor of toys she'd be happy but NO! She did amuse herself with beating on my scale for a short while and then an empty box. Like I say ... I was up and down most of the day so I did no exercise video yesterday.

I did manage to drink just under 128 ounces of water. And I stuck to the food program. Breakfast was NS cereal with 1/4 cup milk (entree), vegetable sausage patty (protein), an apple (fruit) and two slices of whole grain 40 calorie bread (extra carb for 100+) with ICBINB spread (fat). Snack was a single 2% string cheese stick (dairy) and 1/2 cup of natural applesauce (fruit). Lunch was NS minestrone soup (entree), 1 ounce of ham sandwich meat (protein), 5 ounce can of low-sodim V-8 juice (salad), and a La Tortilla Factory tortilla wrap-50 cal, 2g fat, 8g protein (extra carb for 100+). Made a ham wrap with the ham and the tortilla and a little bit of mustard. Dinner was the sloppy joe mix (entree--and yes I know it's a lunch but it was what I wanted), 15 grapes (fruit), lettuce, tomato, onion (vegetables), tortilla (carb for 100+) baked over an inverted bowl spritzed with ICBINB like a taco salad shell. Served all of it in a the shell and it was yummy! Almost as good as a taco salad out. I used a little bit of salsa and fat free ranch dressing for topping (free foods under 40 calories total). I didn't have an NS dessert/snack yesterday.

Today will be a bit of a challenge. Tim has his appointment with the retinal specialist. We will likely be eating dinner out. Breakfast will be before we go ... NS eggs (entree), 1 ounce low fat cheddar (dairy), 1/2 cup orange juice (fruit), 2 slices whole wheat 40 calorie toast (carb for 100+) with ICBINB spray. I'll edit or do a new post for the other meals later.

Don't know if a procedure will be done to fix one of the detached retinas today or not. So other than the fact that we have four hours of driving today, I don't know what else the day may hold. I hope all who are reading here have a great Wednesday. It's the middle of the week so keep on eating, drinking, and moving those bodies!

Happy Monday

It's still raining here in Illinois so no walk for Fancy and I. I can't tell you how disappointed I've been in not being able to walk. Guess I came to actually look forward to it. Not that I am enjoying it, not yet, but it was a part of my routine. Gosh I hate change!

Had a great NS breakfast this morning ... Southwestern scrambled burritoes... made with NS eggs with peppers and mushrooms (NS entree) ... 2 veggie sausage links (protein serving) ... 1/2 cup no sugar natural applesauce (fruit) ... and two low fat whole grain tortilla (extra carb for 100+ pounds to lose). The tortillas are 50 calories with less than 2 grams of fat each so used two as my carb serving. I cooked the eggs and the links. Chopped the links up and stirred them into the eggs. Spread a little bit of salsa on the tortillas, divided the eggs between the two tortillas and rolled them up. They were very Yummy! I also had one 32 ounce glass of water with my food.

After breakfast, I put in my other exercise video. I managed to do the first ten minutes standing up and on my feet doing all the movements. Then my legs felt weak so I sat down and for the next ten minutes did the arm movements. Woo boy! They were burning and after moving them for 20 minutes pretty much non-stop and piled on top of the Richard video yesterday, I had to quit. It's okay ... I did 20 minutes! And I know in time I'll build up to doing the whole video. As I sat and watched a little more (I think in total with warm-up, work-out, and cool down the tape is almost 60 minutes of moving) I remember just why I liked this particular work-out tape. The transitions from one exercise to the next is smooth and she gives you cues that the movements are going to change unlike Richard who just changes and then tells you!

The important thing is I'm moving and I'm also getting some strength training in. Woo hoo! Who'd have though? Surely not me!

I eat my snack mid-morning because I get hungry between breakfast and lunch instead of between lunch and dinner. For my snack today I had 1 ounce of low-fat string cheese (dairy) and 1/2 cup carb clever fruit cocktail sweetened with Splenda. Finished my second 32 ounce glass of water just before lunch and refilled the cup.

I also had the munchies before lunch, so had a bag of NS White Cheddar soy chips. I don't particularly care for them but I wanted something and they were 'legal' so I figured they'd work. They at least gave me something crunchy to munch on.

For lunch I had the NS black beans and rice (NS entree), an ounce of chicken (protein), 5 oz can of low sodium V-8 (salad), and no carbohydrate (extra for 100+). I stirred the chicken into the rice and beans and it was good. I felt very full afterwards. Still working on my third 32 ounce glass of water. I'm still not sure if I should try to back off the water a bit or drink what has been my minimum since I started NS of four 32 ounce glasses. I am so torn. The main problem is I really like water and don't feel I'm pushing to get all the water in. Anyone out there care to share your thoughts on this?

For dinner I will be having the green pepper steak with rice (NS entree), 1/2 cup natural applesauce (fruit), 1 cup of green peppers, mushroom, and onions (2 vegetables), cooked in a tsp of canola oil (fat), and 1/3 cup of brown rice (extra carb for 100+). I will probably finish my third glass of water just before or with dinner and may have 12 ounces of caffeine free diet Pepsi with dinner.

So that's my day! I'm going to try to share my meals here for a while and appreciate any feedback y'all want to give. I have to get back to losing and will hold myself accountable here for now.

Disappointing Sunday Turns Around

So I weigh in this morning and am up 1.5 pounds making my current weight 447. I think it's water retention, but no matter. The scale went up instead of down. Darn it all!

I got up this morning all excited and ready to take the dog for our walk in my new shoes. We go outside and it was raining! ICK! No walk for us. So back in we go and boy was I disappointed.

Then I figured okay, I'll just do my Richard Simmons Sit Tight video but my oldest daughter called and asked me to keep the baby for a while. ::sigh:: Okay. The baby comes and I got a bit of a workout getting up and down to move her away from temptations like the dog dishes. Now that she's crawling, she can be quite the little handful! She finally went home mid-afternoon so I popped the video in the VCR.

I made it all the way through the video. I got lost a couple times, but managed to get back at it. I didn't do much of the leg movements (lifting the legs up and down) but figure that will give me something to work towards. The important thing was I did it! And I managed to make it all the way through.

Consuelo .... Girlfriend if you're reading this that means I did 25 minutes of moving my body today! Woo hoo!

Hopefully I'll be able to walk in the morning and then do my other exercise video. It is longer so I'm really going to have to watch the clock to track how long I manage to do it. Though I was disappointed with the weigh-in, I am very proud of myself for moving the body.

Onward and downward I am going to go this week! I AM!

What Planet Are You From?

You Are From Saturn

You're steady, organizes, and determined to achieve your dreams.You tend to play it conservative, going by the rules (at least the practical ones).You'll likely reach the top. And when you do, you'll be honorable and responsible.Focus on happiness. Don't let your goals distract you from fun!Don't be too set in your ways, and you'll be more of a success than you ever dreamed of.

What Planet Are You From?

A good day

Today was a good day. I managed to do some walking at Walmart tonight. I got a new pair of shoes so I'll be able to walk better. I've been wearing a pair of BASS shoes I got four years ago! They are kind of like clogs and I love them, but they aren't really practical for walking or working out. So ... though we really don't have the extra money right now, Tim insisted I get them.

Major accomplishment for me today ... I found my VCR and got it hooked up. I've been going to do that since April when I purchased the Richard Simmons Sit Tight video tape. Today, I finally got off my butt, found the VCR, and got it all hooked up. I'm ready to start using it first thing in the morning. I also looked for and found a video I got several years ago that is an aerobic workout for sedentary people. I loved it when I used it before so figure I can vary my workout every day by using the tapes every other day.

I remember the older video was pretty challenging back when I did it the first time way back when. I only managed about ten minutes and pooped out. After a while I was able to do more and more so I know when I start it I'll be tired but it gives me something to work toward. It will also come in handy on days when I can't walk because of the weather or don't walk for whatever reason. I have no reason other than weather, really, now though. Got my new gym shoes and I'm ready for action!

Ate on the NS food plan and decreased my water to 12 glasses today. Gonna try drinking 12 for a week and see if it makes a difference at all. It has been suggested to me that I'm drinking too much water, though I know the recent standard is 1/2 of your weight in ounces. NS says eight 8 ounce glasses minimum so I'm going to do 12 and just see. I'm not expecting a loss this week, so if I wake up to a smaller number I'll be thrilled. I just hope it isn't a larger number. Guess I'll find out in the morning!

Now to check out the blogs of my friends and then to bed I go. Got to be ready to wake up and walk then do my Richard tape in the morning. Woo hoo! I'm actually looking forward to this!

What a Waste!

Grrrrrrrr! I am so very angry right now. We got up very early (for us and especially for Tim) and drove almost two hours to see the specialist who ended up not being a retinal specialist at all! He could not do anything for Tim and said he had no idea why we had been referred to him. We are back at square one!

This has me really ticked off. That was a four hour round trip and gas we don't really have to get there for nothing. NOTHING! So we get home and I call the PCP and speak with the gal who set this all up. She was angry because she said she called this doctor's office yesterday and was assured that the doctor was a retinal specialist. Now she is working on it once again. The office did give me the names of three retinal specialists that I did pass on to the PCP office so hopefully they will get it together and get this taken care of. Every doctor Tim sees tells us how important it is to take care of this right away, however, none of them have been able to help him. ARGHHHH!

I ate breakfast before we left. I took a 12 ounce bottle of caffeine free diet Pepsi with me and had that on the way. We stopped for lunch on the way home. I did okay but know that anger is a HUGE eating trigger for me. I ate my grilled chicken on a pita with lettuce and grilled onions and a side of steamed broccoli. I had a tossed salad with fat free ranch dressing and two 16 oz glasses of water with lemon. Okay so far, so good. I really wanted to order appetizers, but didn't. I really wanted to order dessert, but didn't. What I did do is eat about four bites of Tim's hamburger that he didn't eat. It was a reflex and a terrible habit and I had it before I realized what I was doing. About the time I realized it, so did Tim and he whisked the plate out of reach. I've no doubt that I would have eaten everything on his plate if he hadn't! Why did I do that?! I'm trying not to beat myself up over this but doggone it, I know better.

Ah well ... lesson learned. No matter how hungry I am, don't eat out if I am angry. It is BAD NEWS!

Wish me luck

Tim's doctor found us a retina specialist ... two hours away. And they made the appointment for 8:45 AM tomorrow. That means we have to be out of the house by 6:45 and that is going to be ugly. Tim is slow to wake up on a good day. And he doesn't do schedules very well! =D

This is going to throw off my whole day. :O It means I'll be eating breakfast a LOT earlier than I normally would. It also means I won't be able to eat every two hours or so like I usually do. Lastly, I likely won't get all my water in (or at least the extra water like I've had today) because I can't afford the time to stop for bathroom breaks.

Another concern is we will probably eat lunch while we're out. Normally that thought would not cause me to stress but my loss has been so sporadic lately and I've really been working on counting calories and trying to figure out if I should increase calories, decrease calories, add protein, etc. Oh well ... it's one day, right? I know I can eat a salad and some broiled, grilled, or baked chicken and be okay.

Wish me luck, please! I think I'm going to need it on more than one count.

A good day

Spoke to Tim's health insurance today and she said that his A1C is FANTASTIC at 5.5. She said that is what a person without diabetes would likely register so he is doing something right! Woo hoo! It's only taken him 18 years to get his act together!

They are now in the process of finding us a retinal specialist. He has detached retinas in both eyes and it needs to be taken care of. Unfortunately, there is only one specialist in our area and he is the one doctor that Tim refuses to go to. He did a laser surgery on Tim's left eye a few years back and it totally ruined Tim's vision. He had other surgeries before that one and after that one, with no problems. I understand but if he doesn't get this detached retina repaired, he will go blind. That is a fact. The insurance company is working with his primary care physician to find another specialist but we may have to travel to Chicago or St. Louis. Tim doesn't care as long as he doesn't have to go that one doctor.

Now ... enough about Tim ... I've had a pretty good week so far. Rain thwarted my walking for a couple days but I did some at the grocery store. This morning I was able to be back at my usual walking and it felt good. I am drinking all my water and eating on program. Today I made a pot of vegetable beef soup in my crockpot. It smells heavenly and I can't wait to have some later. Lots of veggies and just enough beef to season. Mmmmm ....

Rainy Days and Mondays

Well ... yesterday was a rainy day. We had rain all night long and into yesterday. No walking in the morning because of the rain and then the grandbaby (Ceci) came to play. She was here most of the day and soon after she left, the storms started up again. We had some wicked thunderstorms with lots of lightning, 70 mph winds, and even some hail! It wasn't pretty. The storm raged into and through most of the night. This morning it is drizzling still so no walking this morning either. I may go to the mall later and do some walking around just to get the exercise in.

Tim's doctor office called yesterday. His A1C (for his blood glucose) is down to 5.5. Now I don't know what a normal A1C range is but I can tell you this is the lowest I've heard his being so he is doing pretty well with the blood sugars despite all the peaks and valleys. Woo hoo! Today he has an appointment with an eye surgeon. His retinas are detached in both eyes. This is causing him to have some distorted vision and of course doesn't help his overall vision either! The surgeon will hopefully be able to tell us if the retinas can be re-attached or not. He should also be able to tell us if it will maybe improve Tim's vision or just help him to hold onto the vision he has. The whole thing makes me sad. And lately, I'm realizing I probably need bifocals and definitely am in need of new glasses so that is yet another issue to deal with. It never ends, huh?

So, I've been sticking to the program. I've been drinking all my water. The moving isn't going so well so have to step that up the rest of the week to get my 120 minutes in. I know I can do it!

WEEK 34

Weigh in this morning did not go as I had anticipated. No loss and no gain. I just don't get it! I've been logging my calories in the NS diary ... getting an average of 1500-1600 calories. I'm drinking a minimum of 128 ounces of water per day and some days I'm drinking 160 ounces! I followed the program and used NS food. I don't know ... I guess I missed a fruit or two this week so maybe that's the issue. I'm walking ... logged 105 minutes this past week ... and able to stand for longer periods of time. I was fifteen minuets shy of my goal to walk 120 minutes, but I didn't walk last Sunday or one other day this past week.

I refuse to let it get me down though. I am still headed in the right direction. I am walking consistently. I am able to do more things than I was doing even a few weeks ago. I cannot forget the progress I've made this far. It's just that sometimes, the darn road for this journey seems to take a huge detour and I don't want detours. I don't want to "stop and smell the roses" right now. I want to lose weight steadily and at the rate of 1-2 pounds per week. It should be happening and it isn't and I don't understand why. (Actually using the formula Paul shared a week or so ago, I should be losing at a rate of three pounds per week!)

This week I will continue to stick to program. I will eat every last morsel NS says to eat and I'll log it into the NS diary to continue monitoring my calorie count. I will continue to drink my water. I will walk every day and make my goal of 120 minutes minimum walking time this week. I will not let the lack of progress showing on the scale deter me or get me down.

I CAN do this!

Beautiful Saturday

I tried to post this post last night but kept getting an error message. I ended up logging off and letting it wait until this morning. I never did figure out the problem.

The weather was absolutely beautiful here in Illinois today. I thought I was going to need a sweater on my walk this morning. I could see my breath, it was that cool here. It warmed up to about 74 today and the sun was shining in a gorgeous blue sky spotted with fluffy white clouds.

I walked for fifteen minutes this morning with Fancy. Well, she tried to drag me for part of it. She wanted to walk faster than I did for some reason this morning. Needless to say, she was at my mercy... heh heh. I also did fifteen minutes of walking this evening at Blockbuster. I was tuckered out and bet I sleep pretty well tonight! We rented XXX with Ice Cube ... if you like action flicks with lots of shooting and blowing things up, this would be right up your alley. It wasn't bad, actually.

I'm kind of glad this week is over. It's been an emotional week for me for some reason. Maybe because my mom would have been 70 on the 14th. She really was my best friend and I still miss her though she's been gone for eleven years. I still hear her voice telling me to "keep my chin up" on those days that I'm really struggling. The kids have hurt my feelings and Tim has gotten on my last nerve. So this week can gladly go away now.

Weigh in tomorrow and we'll see if I lost again or stayed the same. Those seem to pretty much be the only options lately. I'm hoping for at least a two pound loss which would give me eight for the month and meet my goal in the Yahoo! NS100 support group challenge. I guess I'll find out in the morning!

Nearing the end of the week

Today has been pretty uneventful. I didn't walk today. I went to bed early last night (about 8:30) and I didn't sleep very well. I was up and down pretty much all night and just made the decision not to walk today. The day isn't over, so maybe I'll walk later, but as of right now I have no plans to walk.

Took Tim to his eye appt. His vision has gotten worse (no duh) but not significantly that he needs new glasses. The retinas in both eyes are slightly detached and now he has go back on Tuesday to consult with an eye surgeon. Basically, his vision is going to continue to worsen and there isn't much they can do about it. He is almost blind now, and hasn't driven in two years. I feel so badly for him. I know this is a major struggle for him and a big part of his depression.

My headache has hung in for most of the day. It has lessened a bit. I think that is the result of the humidity level dropping a bit. It has been a cool day today. In town, the temp gauges said 67 for the high today. A cool breeze is blowing through the windows and it feels like fall. I love this time of year!

Nothing else to tell. No real plans for the weekend. Maybe a get together with my brother on Sunday for his wife's birthday. If so, I'll make good choices and enjoy spending time with them.

Blah kind of day

Rain here in Illinois today. The gloom certainly matched my mood. I did manage to go for my walk this morning before the rain started. Another 15 mins for a weekly total of 75 mins this week. I believe I set my goal at 90-120 mins so I will likely meet at least my minimum. The rain causes my arthritis to flare up and knees to ache. Yes, it's an excuse but hard for me to force myself to walk when I hurt so much. As I lose the weight, it is only going to get better, though.

Had the grandbaby for a while today. She is crawling and when she isn't crawling she does what my daughter laughingly called her "army maneuvers". Let me tell you, that's exactly what it looks like she's doing, too! It is pretty darn cute! She was into things she should not have been (the dog's water for one) so was in trouble off and on but she just grinned and would crawl back toward it again. She is persistent!

She went home and I have a headache now. I think it's more stress and sinuses than anything. Ibuprofen has not helped. I may end up going to bed early because I'm just not myself.

That's about it for today. Like I said, a pretty boring day here. Sure hope the sun shines tomorrow. Two days of gloom in a row is more than enough for me!

Stepping it up

I woke up to the aftermath of thunderstorms with lots of angry looking clouds in the sky. I sat down at the computer and thought ... "I can't go for my morning walk. I have no umbrella, no raincoat, no way to protect myself if it starts to rain and walking faster is just NOT an option." I wasn't going to do it. Not even the sight of my precious Fancy Pants looking pitifully at me motivated me this morning.

Then I went online and started reading my e-mail. I came to one from a friend in a Yahoo! women's support group I belong to, which was a response to my own e-mail to said group last night about not pushing myself hard enough. I started to feel like I was letting those who believe in me down. More importantly, I felt like I was letting myself down!

So, with a big sigh ... off I went. I was going to do two laps around my small block to increase time and distance. When I rounded the last corner, on the first lap, to head for home I was huffing and puffing. I was having a hard time breathing because of the humidity level and my sinuses. My knees were aching. I knew if I made it to my house, that one time around would be it.

So ... I did a 180 and headed back the way I came. More than one way to increase distance and time and ensure I didn't cheat myself by giving up after the first round! It was hard. Man, my knees were really throbbing and screaming in pain when I turned the final corner toward home. I wasn't even sure I could make it home! I had no choice. No place to sit down, so I had to push on. The entire walk took me 25 minutes ... I increased the distance (almost doubling it) and the time (ten minutes more than I had been doing up until yesterday when I made my usual walk last 20 minutes). Goal accomplished because I read that one e-mail and knew if I didn't walk today I was only hurting myself.

Thank you, Mary, for the inspiration to get me moving this morning. I was so pumped after watching "The Biggest Loser" last night but my enthusiasm had waned overnight. You managed to remind of how pumped I had been and that was enough to get me out the door. And the rain held off. I made the entire walk dry (if sweat doesn't count)! Maybe I should watch the show in the mornings to motivate myself. I did DVR it so I have it in case I want to watch again. I may just do that when I feel like sitting on my butt instead of walking. It will at least get me up and moving!

I stepped up today? How did you do?

Inspired

Just finished watching "The Biggest Loser". All I can say is WOW! Those first week weigh-ins were amazing. Two of the men lost 28 pounds and one woman lost 20. How in the heck did they do that?!

One thing I did realize is that I certainly could be pushing myself more than I do. I vowed to myself, and will publicly vow it here, that I will increase the distance I am walking and thus increase my total walking time per day starting tomorrow morning. I have to do this and I know I CAN do it!

On a side note, took Tim to the doctor today. He was quite pleased with his average blood glucose levels. I was upset that the doctor didn't address the high peaks and low dips and was only concerned with the average. He did an A1c test and we should have those results back shortly. Back in three months for a follow up.

And I went to the public aid office and applied for a state medical card so I can go to the doctor. I filled out the application, ran home for proof of income (such that it is!) and took it all back. According to info on the application, I should know within 45 days of applying if I qualify or not. I hated having to do this but in all honesty I have medical issues (thyroid problems and this thing on my left thigh are the most pressing issues) that need to be taken care of. I have worked and paid taxes and need the help right now. So I swallowed my pride and went and applied. Now we wait!

I am inspired, though, so starting tomorrow I will be walking farther and longer. I will not overdo but I need to push myself a bit more. No pain no gain, right?

A rough day

I started out the morning with my usual struggle ... to walk or not to walk. I'm pleased to say that walking won and off Fancy and I went. I had hoped to increase the time to 20 minutes today but just couldn't commit myself to the extra area I'd be covering and not sure it would only be a 20 minute walk. I sure do have a hang-up about walking! =-P

Our daughter's car crapped out last night on her way to town to return movies. Thankfully, no one was hurt and a city cop came along and helped her and her boyfriend push the car around the corner and up to a curb, parked legally overnight. Nothing we could do about it last night and I know next to squat about cars. Called my brother and he agreed to come this morning and go check it out with us.

So we go to town and he takes a look. He came prepared with an extra battery. Said she had a serpentine belt break and evidentally that belt is crucial to the car running. He switched out the batteries and was able to get the car started. He drove it back to our house. He'll take her battery home and put it on the charger. Tomorrow or Weds he will come drive the car to his house to work on it. She should have it back by Sunday evening...I hope.

So ... the day goes on and Tim decides he wants to go to McDonald's for lunch. Okay, no biggie. I usually have some apple dippers without the caramel while he eats. But ... we get home and he takes his insulin shot. He didn't eat all that much, just a chicken ranch blt sandwich and he took his usual dose of insulin. So a little later I'm talking with him, or trying to and he cannot focus on the conversation. He sits there with this puzzled look on his face like I'm speaking in a foreign language. I knew instantly from experience what was going on. His blood glucose level had dropped. Checked it and it was down to 34! That is way too low!

I call Mandi, our daughter to sit with him while I run to the local convenient mart for oj and a candy bar. I try to keep that stuff in the house but when he is in a crisis it never seems to still be here! Needless to say that whole thing stressed me out! I really wanted a Reese's Cup but did not give in. I've been in a depressed and crappy mood ever since. I think part of it was the stress of the day and some of it is my Mom's 70th birthday would have been Wednesday but instead I'll have to honor her memory and celebrate her life without her. This time of year is rough for me.

Tim has a doctor appt in the morning. I'll be mentioning the low sugar incidents and see what the doc has to say. I also will be making my way to the public aid dept to apply for medicaid. It kills me to do it but I have a medical issue that needed attention a year ago and I've put it off and put it off. It is starting to take on scary proportions so now is the time. Hope it all goes as planned.

Anyway ... enough of my whining for one day. I wish all who read a great day!

Week 33 Begins

I stepped on the scale this morning and was very happy with the results! I managed to drop 5.5 pounds this past week. I met my goals ... as much as I can remember them anyway. I ate NS foods pretty much 100%, I drank at least 128 ounces of water every day, I walked every day but one for a total of 90 minutes. And it all paid off on the scale this week.

In 32 weeks I've managed to shed 64.5 pounds for an average loss of two pounds per week. I'm quite comfortable with that pace since it is what most doctors, dietician, programs, etc suggest. I know that I have an established pattern going on. I lose for about three weeks then I plateau for two to three weeks. I figure in the end, it is all averaging out so no reason to freak out about the pauses my body seems to take.

Goals for the coming week are to eat 100% NS once again. Drink at least 128 ounces of water per day. Walk for a total of 120 minutes this week with a minimum of 15-20 minutes per day. I need to keep the scale going downward. I really want to be below 400 by the first of the year ... actually January 9 is the target date set by my dear friend Consuelo. She says it's gonna happen and I believe her!

One other side note I noticed in updating my weight tracker at the NS site this morning. I now have 250 pounds to go to reach goal. When I started NS, I had over 300 lbs to lose. It's great to have the number going down!

Onward I go!

End of the week

This has been a GREAT week for me! I believe the scale is going to show good news come morning. I am proud of my accomplishments this week.

I drank all of my water this week and a couple days drank 160 oz instead of the usual 128 oz. I also finished up the week with 90 minutes of walking. That is a major NSV (non-scale victory) for me! I stuck pretty much to NS foods and the NS program. I really can't wait for weigh-in come morning. I am really feeling good about it this week.

As for the walking ... tonight Tim and I went to Blockbuster. The last time we went there I walked from the truck to the store and had to sit down just inside the door. I then made it thru about half the store and had to go outside and sit, waiting while Tim picked a movie. Well ... tonight I walked to the store and managed to walk through the entire store before my legs started to feel rubbery. We were just about ready to check out when I told Tim I needed to sit down. So I went outside and sat on a bench while he paid for the movies. It was a good feeling to know I did the extra walking!

I'll be back in the morning to report my weigh in and post my goals for the coming week. Thanks for stopping in to check on me!

Messed up day

Well, my day did not start out as planned and thus I feel the whole day was messed up. My oldest daughter called to ask if I could watch the baby for a few hours. Seems her best friend started having seizures last evening (she has epilepsy) and ended up in the hospital. Crys wanted to visit her but didn't want to take the baby. It wasn't even 7:00 am when she called and they were here at about 7:30. Needless to say, Fancy Pants and I did not get our early morning walk in. I intended to walk later in the day but darn it all ... it was 91 degrees here today. Way too hot for me to walk outside. Tim was supposed to get me to go to the mall to walk but he begged off. Bottom line is no walk for me today. Total for the week remains at 45 minutes!

The day passed, but my rhythm was off all day. I think the scale may move downward this week. It looked like it might, when I peeked today. I tried to stay off the darn thing, but before I knew what was happening there I was stepping on it and looking to see what it said! ::sigh:: Bad habits die hard!

Anyway, I will get my walk in tomorrow morning. I am even going to add half a block which will not only increase my distance but will add to the time I walk. I know my faithful companion will be more than ready to go with me!

Fancy Pants

This is my faithful walking companion, Fancy Pants. She is a four year old Pomeranian that we've had for three years. She is very protective of the family. She is also very jealous of the baby, though she also protects her. She is extremely smart and has a personality that is all her own. Sometimes I think she actually understands what I'm saying and talks back to me! I know that she will walk with me every day, if that's what I want. That is very important for me right now as I feel like I'm letting her down if I don't go.

Reflections and moving on

August was a disappointing month for me in the weight loss department, but after that awesome loss in July, I guess I kind of expected it. Now that my body has had time to rest I am continuing onward and downward. Time for me to step it up a notch. I'll be doing the next two weeks totally on NS foods and the NS program. Then I will evaluate and make sure I'm ready to be off the entrees but still sticking to the program. I think I may have been eating too many calories when off the NS entrees so I'm working on recipes and such to make sure I'm back in line when the time comes.

I am still walking. I take the dog and go every day as soon as I get up. I figure I may as well get it in early and at least it's not too hot. I don't seem to be quite as out of breath as I had been when I started but still not comfortable with the walking. I did up the time to 15 minutes per day this week and Tim and I may even head out to the mall a couple times this week just to get out of the house and walk. Anything to get me moving and keep me moving!

Tim (the hubby) commented yesterday at the grocery store that I seemed to be doing better. I still rely on that electric cart for part of the trip but at the end I stand up for about 10-15 minutes as I box all the groceries and load them back into the cart. He put his hand on my back as we left the store yesterday to ask if I was okay and said "Hey, you aren't all wet with sweat!" A funny comment, and one I considered to be a bit of an NSV because usually by then the perspiration is pouring off. He put the boxes of groceries in the truck and told me to get in and he'd return the cart. It wasn't a huge walk, but a good distance and I surprised him by saying "No, you get in and start the truck. I'll return the cart!" That was a first from me.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with my progress. I wish I had lost more weight like some of my friends I've made when I started but I have to realize that there are just too many factors in losing weight for any of us to compare. I am me and I'll lose at the rate that my body is comfortable with. At least I'm not gaining weight and maintaining what I've lost so it's all going to come out where I want in the end!

Went to a family barbecue

... today and did pretty well. I took my own Healthy Choice hotdogs and ate them on one bun. I also took a healthy salad and my own salad dressing. I had a little bit of chili with my hotdogs. The one thing I had that I should not have was a tablespoon of homemade baked mac and cheese. It smelled and looked so good, so I gave in to my own temptation and had a little bit.

I really want to move on down to the next ten pounds coming off so I'll really be watching things this coming week. Weigh-in is in the morning. Whatever the scale shows, I'll have to report it and move on. At least I'll have my monthly visitor behind me and that should allow me to move downward again for a few weeks.

So my agenda this week is:

1. weigh in,
2. eat on program and only what's on program,
3. drink all my water,
4. and walk every day for a minimum of ten minutes and a total this week of 70-100 minutes.

Onward and downward I must continue.

A new month begins

I am going to envision myself 'sailing thru September' this month. I have my anchors (friends and family who support me and those I've met online) in place. I will not allow any storm to detour me from my goal.

Since it is the beginning of the month, I am setting some goals for myself. They are as follows:

• Stick to the program and not eat anything off program for the month of September.
• Shoot for a loss of eight pounds this month, minimum.
• Walk every week day for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
• Start using my Richard Simmons 'Sit Tight' video a minimum of three times per week.
• Really explore and uncover my eating triggers this month and come up with strategies to overcome each of them.

I know that I am going to get to where I want to be. The journey will be as long as I make it be. I understand that I am the one in control and I will not allow others to take that control from me. I am really looking forward to a successful month. So ... "I'm sailing away ...." (Think Styx)