Sheesh

Wow, I am sure glad this week is over. I was so stressed this week and gained 1 pound back.  I could feel that one pound too.  I barely exercised and snacked on a couple candy bars that I shouldn't have.  What in the past brought me comfort made me feel awful. On Saturday, I was back on track. I was craving the healthier food which was a nice surprise.
What is more frustrating is what stresses me out is really trivial. There are people who really struggle and I need to put things in perspective and calm down.

I was also getting frustrated because with work and picking my daughter up at the practice field I don't know when I have 30 min to get in some cardio.  I do walk at work but I want to get the kind of workout where I am really sweating.   Also, I need to clean, do laundry, etc. x1000.  Well after my pity party I came up with a plan. I will post next week if it works.

Lesson learned is to deal with the stress instead of pushing it away.  Pushing my issues away is exactly what drives me into the arms of food. Also, tracking my food is crucial. I didn't track all week because I temporarily lost my mind.

This week will be better, I believe it!

Trying to Keep Up the Momentum

Hello Friends,

This week I am down another pound.  Six pounds and counting.  I feel my mind and body getting comfortable with eating healthier.  I made cupcakes for a cupcake challenge we are having and I ate half of one to taste the finished product.  I really didn't want any more.  I didn't have talk myself out of eating more this time. My mind truly was satisfied with the couple bites I had.  Six months ago, I would have licked the bowl of the remaining batter (still is the best part), then continue on to eat 6, or 10, or a dozen during the course of the weekend.  Wow, I really must have hated myself.
The weekends activities were normal activities but added more exercise in it.  Instead of watching TV my daughter and I danced to DISCO music.  Disco I my absolute favorite music.  Oh and when "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire is on...Forget about it.... I am in a zone and dancing my heart out.  In reality I must look like Elaine from Seinfeld when I dance but I wish I looked like one of the dancers Saturday Night Fever.  Ha Ha..  Since it has cooled down we planted some mums for fall, pulled out an old dying tree, and ran around the back yard with my daughter.  Picking up bags of dirt, potting the plants, lifting pots and moving them was a workout but well worth it.  We have some color to look at now.  Also, some other extras were walking up and down the stairs to put the laundry away.  I would carry smaller loads up and down so I would have more stair climbs.  While dinner was cooking I did push-ups.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week.  We are so busy at work, thank goodness.  It makes the days go by fast.

A picture of my foot and Chloe's foot in the sand.  

Finally

Weighed in at Weight Watchers on Friday and I am down five pounds.. I am legitimately loosing weight.   That is a great feeling but I have so much to go.  A friend at work and I are going to attempt a half marathon in February.  I printed the training schedule and it is doable.  However, the training starts in five weeks and by then I have to be able to run/jog for 30 minutes, so the training guide says.  I jumped up this morning, went to the track and began running the straightaways and walking the curves.        Thighs burning, stomach and butt jiggling, nothing about this was enjoyable.  I wanted to just walk to my car and give up.  The run/walking lasted two laps but I completed my other six laps only walking.  I will credit myself that I did continue to walk as fast as a could.  OH GOODNESS, this girl has a long long way to go.  As I closed in on my eighth lap I was so happy.  I imaged how it would feel as my friend and I crossed the finish line of the half marathon together.

After that I came home and was hungry all day.  Anyone that has any eating tips for working out while trying to loose weight is appreciated here.  I want to be careful not to gain weight for obvious reasons.

On an extremely exciting note a good friend gave birth to her first baby and she's perfect in every way.  What a joy!

AHHHHHHHHH!

Okay, I have made it home from work to pick up my daughter from practice and I walk in the house and my daughter is going 100 miles an hour.... "Mom, Mom, Mom"  In my head I am thinking "shut up".  All I can do is take deep breath and whisper to her "Yes?"  She asked me about six questions in the matter of 10 seconds then before I can answer it is back to "Mom, Mom,  Mom".  By this point I want to scream like a two year old  throwing a tantrum.  Like roll around on the floor like a woman possessed, slobber all over the place, screaming and crying, have to take a nap afterward, kind  of tantrum..  My patience is gone.   It left some time around 3 p.m. today, I think.  I suggested to my darling daughter to take a bath and she took the bait.  My strategy was to get her into the bathtub and I can have five minutes without  anyone  asking me  for something.  I was wrong.  Just when I went to sit on the chair I hear "momma, can you help me with the shampoo bottle?"  Her voice sounds like one of those cartoon chipmunks, real high  pitched.  How could I resist  that cute voice..  How could I be irritated with her?

Things I noticed were that I had only eaten half my Weight Watcher points, so I was hungry and I hadn't exercised all  day. The exercise really relieves alot of stress.  I must not do these two things again.

Eye Opening

In 2009, it was estimated that over 100,000 new cases of  cancer  in the US could be attributed to obesity.  At  the same time, it is projected that 14% of all cancer deaths in men and 20% in women are caused by  excess weight.  Source: The Weight Watcher Research Department

I read this article and at the same time I was craving a Western Bacon Cheeseburger.   What the heck is wrong with me, I thought to myself.  My eating habits could cause me to get cancer.  I do have an extensive family history of cancer but wow, today this hit me.  My  own mother died of cancer.   She was healthy  though.  She wasn't obese, wasn't a smoker, had the occasional glass of wine and she was killed by cancer. I saw cancer steal her life away before  my eyes over eight tragic months. Today it hit me, this too could happen to  me all because of food.  I don't want my kids not  having their mother around when they are getting ready for prom, going off to college, marrying the love of their life.  Everytime I want to eat something that is unhealthy I need to remember this so I don't guarantee an early departure from this life I have.

Thick Skull

Okay, last week  just sucked  to be honest. I didn't "cheat" as far as going out to eat fast food but I didn't track my food intake like Weight Watchers teaches you.  My thoughts were "I got this, this is easy".  However 2 point or 3 point snacks here and there along with meals will put  you over your points before dinner.  So on my weigh in day I only lost .8 lbs.  That is ridiculous considering how much have to lose and if I had tracked my points more carefully I would have been down at least 2 more pounds.  UG.. Me and my stubborness, thinking I can do things my way.  Today was a new day. I tracked everything I ate and when I weighed myself this evening I was 3 pounds less than I was in the morning.  Now if it would just cool down a bit I could get out after work and do some real cardio.  This heat literally zaps me.  Thank goodness for a friend at work we do walk early in the morning before the heat sets in.

My other endenovor is to save money.  We only use cash to buy anything.  Nothing on credit.  I will  be 40 in two years and I don't want to be working 50 hours a week until I am 65.  I want to pay our house off to be free of our largest financial obligation.  I am terrified that my husband and I could lose our job at any time and then we could lose everything.  :-(  Working everyday, missing my kids, would all be for nothing if we lost our house because one of us lost our jobs.

I would like to mention that my husband is a real source of support in my weight  loss journey.  He has been working out hard everyday for eight weeks never giving up.  It is so nice to have my husband on the same path as me.