2008 in review

Hi everyone. I hope you had a great 2008 and have started planning for 2009.

What was great about 08?

Well, I spent the first part of the year focusing on physical phitness. I learned a lot about what my body is capable of and leared to plan menus. I struggles with this in the next few months, but was still exercising and planning until mid-summer. Since then...not so much. What have I learned? Maintenance is a continuation of skills you have learned, not abandonment of them. My commitment to exercise in the coming months will be to commit to movement every day - unless I am sick and can't move out of bed. Other than that, there is no reason I cannot get on the elliptical or go for a half hour walk daily. Ideally, I would like to participate in a couple of 5Ks and maybe even a triathalon, but we'll see how 'tings go first.
So, even though I fell off the phitness wagon mid-summer, I got through vacation with minimum damage food-wise and continued to maintain my weight throughout the year. Woohoo.
In case some of you missed it, I began training as a WW receptionist last summer. I worked at 2 meetings/week for my training then took Basic Leader Skills training in September. I moved directly into my own meeting on Monday nights as Terry, my mentor, was looking to move on. It's been a great learning experience for me. One lady made lifetime in November and I have 2 more making lifetime next week. What a great way to start the first meeting of 2009!!

What's on the plan for 2009?

I'm recommiting to strength training in January. Apparently, Corinne has a great running/ST routine that would fit with me for the first part of January. I'm commiting to movement every day and strength training twice a week for 3 months, when I'll re-commit.
As for food, I am going back to my excel spreadsheet each week and pulling my grocery list from that. It was the easiest thing I've done yet for journaling - and very effective.
I will attend other meetings for a few months. I have 4 leaders I would like to watch and will be attending 1 meeting per week to watch and learn for the first while. Unfortunately, I have my meeting on Mondays, so I'll be watching after-the-fact. That's OK though. I would also like to take on another meeting, but I'm not sure when just yet. I may post-pone this for a few months.

Financially - I need to clean up a small balance on hubby's MC, but it's been cancelled. I need to consolidate holiday spending on the Visa and Sears card to the LOC. We are not using these anymore. I'm paying monthly on the LOC and would like to cut it in half by the end of summer.

De-clutter - We've done a lot but have alot left to do. I'm giving us 3 months to fast-track any remaining decluttering, such as building supplies, etc. In 3 months I will be hiring a lady to come in and help organize. We'll also be renovating the kitchen this summer.

I will be reviewing my goals over the next couple of days and doing a SWOT analysis on each of them to pull out the top 3 to work on over the first quarter of 2009. I'll try to get a story board up for Q1 09 as well. I haven't updated it since last spring and it's time to do so.

So, not into planning or goal setting? Let's get ready and make 2009 a year for the record books. Many of us have a vague idea about what we want. Honestly, it's not enough. Fail to plan and you plan to fail. If you have a vision you are ahead of the majority of the population. Write it down and BAM! Your chances of reaching your goal have just sky-rocketed. Next, document what you need to do to reach that goal. Think this is the tough part? Really, it is. Because all you need to do after that is follow your action plan. Hmmm, tougher than it sounds, huh. Remember, "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success." - Alexander Graham Bell

What do you want to accomplish in 2009?

Merry Christmas

Frency's vs. Bib & Tucker

So when the 10 year old 'needs' new pants or tops, where do I head? Frenchy's! She's a sweat-pant kid and likes her tops long. Women's Small tops that are a tad too short in the arm for me fit her perfectly. These are the filler items we all need in our wardrobe.

What to do when she wants 1 'good' outfit to feel pretty in though? Good luck finding that at Frenchy's (although you may luck out on occassion, without child in tow you're pushing your luck). I have scoured the Wal-Mart's, Zellers, Sears, Winners and any other store I've been in looking for a suitable outfit. Last night I decided, 'frig it'. I've likely saved hundreds on the kid shopping Frenchy's for so many of her clothes that it was time to bite the bullet. I headed to Bib & Tucker and walked out with a 'dress' or 'long shirt' depending on whether she matches it with the pants or leggings - the outfit I chose was not near in the price-line of some of these items, but for someone who isn't used to spending more than $50 at a time on the kids, the almost $150 receipt threw me a bit. To tell the truth, the pants look awesome with the dress and give it a funky look. I got a squeal, jump and hand clap after she paired these up - and that made the price tag worth it, even though hubby chastised slightly. Christmas Eve outfit down. The 5 year-old's was ordered from Sears at a much smaller cost. And mine - came from Frenchy's.

And now she wants nice shoes to go with it. I should have known - if you give a moose a muffin, they'll want raspberry jam to go with it.

MWAH - Have a great Christmas.

What goes up MUST come down:)

Well, let me fill you in on sommin. After last weeks 4 lb gain I experienced a 3.2 lb loss this week. I'm going to tell you this - that gain was a much-needed kick in the caboose.

Without the gain I likely would have gone through the next couple of weeks blissfully thinking I could 'cheat' the system. One cracker with brie would have turned into 2 and a couple shortbread cookies. And next thing you know, I'd be butting 150 and looking for some size 12's. But no - instead I have renewed vigour.

I have documented my not-so-stellar week and watched my daily eating habits improve a bit each day as I made adjustments based on the previous days results. Most importantly, I am eating enough in the mornings now. No more 3-4 pt breakfasts and skipping snack. Not for this 'lil 'ole Weight Watcher. Yesterday and today I ate a huge breakfast and made sure I had my morning snack. Wanna know what my breakfast was?

Into a microwavable safe dish add:
1/3 C oatmeal
a little less than 2/3C water
a whole egg

Microwave for 2 minutes or less. Stir. Mic until egg finished cooking.

Add some frozen berries or fruit

Mic until fruit defrosted

Enjoy with a cup of coffee made with splenda and 2Tbsp whole milk (1/8C, btw)

OK - This may be on the high side for a lot of you, but let me tell you something really important that I've learned during 2008. Ready?

If you eat more in the morning, you'll be less tempted to eat in the evening. Sounds crazy, but it's so true. At my best, I ate at least 6 pts each morning, 2-3 pts mid-morning, 5-6 pts at lunch and 2 - count them - 2 afternoon snacks before landing home at supper. This turns out to be 7 pts, but that could easily be reduced by using 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg (I'm just uber lazy).

Commitments for this week:
1) Track all food eaten in my handy-dandy WW tracker which is kept in my sexy new pocket guide.
2) Walk for 150 minutes (back to basics here, too).

Tonight at Weigh-In

I do not expect a loss over last week. In fact, I expect that gain to solidify or grow slightly. Why do I not feel badly about that?

1) I've been tracking all week in e-tools and my handy-dandy new tracker.
2) My food choices and evening slurge choices have significantly improved over the course of the week.
3) I have been faithfully reporting into Phit-n-Phat and doing some reflection of the past year.
4) I turned down chocolate today.
5) I turned down chocolate today.

The chocolate was worth mentioning twice because it signifies a chance in thought process from"one piece won't hurt" to "it really isn't worth it".

Oh, and did I mention that I turned chocolate down today?

+4 - Say Wah?

OK Folks...I know I haven't been stellar, but 4 lbs in 2 weeks after maintaining within a pound for 4 months is a little nutty. And likely erroneous. Why do I say that?

Well, I weigh in EVERY Monday night when I give my meetings - very informal thing because our floors are tilty and we have to check the balance and make sure we're on a flat surface so people don't tip (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Well, because of my weekend habits - I wouldn't say unhealthy, but this is when I indulge a bit - the scale is a wee bit higher. Now, in the grand scheme of things, it is also fairly steady one Monday to the next - just to reassure Monday weighers that it's about consistency.

I will digress right now and say that the scale number is NOT the reason I still officially weigh on Wednesdays. I like to check out Fiona's meetings - she's awesome and I focus on different things like how I could improve my own meetings. Also, I love the feedback and group talks in these meetings. So, it makes sense to weigh-in and attend monthly meetings there. I also have plans of attending other meetings in the New Year with some of the other leaders. Call it training.

Now, the scale on Monday night was a little higher than it has been, but not significantly so.

Also, Tuesday nights meal consisted of grabbing some cold chicken breasts and apple pie and stuffing my face while standing at the fridge. Oh, don't give me that look like you've never done it. In fact, I was being rushed out the door to get to the Christmas Concert. After the concert, there was also an incident with J's gingerbread house. It's too painful to talk about right now, but I think it contributed to Wednesdays number.

Pick up some Momentum this Holiday season

Most of you who follow Weight Watchers have, by now, heard of the new Weight loss plan. Those who haven't will soon enough. Can I just say...YESSS!!! This plan combines the best of both Flex and Core in a nice little package. It's also the plan that many successful members have been using without knowing it. We've been calling it Flore, for the most part.

For Flex members, you continue to experience the benefits associated with the points system, portion control and the accountability of tracking. Did you know that those who track lose 50% more weight than those who don't. What a great motivator to make this second nature.

For Core members, you continue to experience the benefits of eating a wide variety of high energy-density foods and continue to benefit from understanding your own hunger signals.

Now all members get to experience all of the benefits. Oh, and there's now a focus on lean proteins and activity. Not that these weren't there before, but it's nice to see them front and centre with everything else. What else is new...subtle wording change in your 6 glasses of liquids, but please keep in mind that water is still the best way to hydrate your little 'ole self.

Have fun learning the 'new' plan. Or re-learning old lessons in new ways. Either way, there's now one plan for all, and to all a good lifestyle change.

Holiday Plan - 2008 version

My Holiday plan from last year helped and provided amazing results. I began a resistance training regime with Phit-n-Phat late November and focused on a lot of other things. I was in charge of Christmas dinner, which I found helpful. BUT...it's not the DAY that can cause problems, but the weeks beforehand and the week or so afterwards before we all crawl back to Weight Watchers or begin the latest in a long line of diets.

Like everyone else, I want to have fun throughout the holiday season. Food can be a big part of that. I don't plan on going into 2009 with extra pounds gained this month, though. So, I've developed another Holiday eating plan to be used to maintain my weight for December (and hopefully shed an inch or so in the process).

I'll use the same categories as last year for those interested in reading that one. I really did a copy and paste, then made my changes - and really, what works stays. Changes reflect the changes I've made this year.

Gatherings - Get a small plate and choose healthy options (i.e. 1 sandwich wedge, some veggies and fruit, limit of 1 small sweet). Why the sweet - because I'm not on a diet. You heard me - I'm a weight watcher but not on a diet. This is my life and we all need a sweet now and then or one of these parties we're gonna stuff sweets down our throat until we're sick of them - at least I would. Deprivation is not pretty. I strongly encourage my meeting members to use their weekly points allowance for indulgenges, and I usually relax for Saturday evenings. If you have multiple events during the week you may find the need to practice some restraint. Having a plan for the evening is always helpful.

Dinners - I load up on veggies before they're mashed, make cranberry sauce with splenda and used it on my 3-4 oz of turkey breast instead of gravy. If I really want some gravy, I'll be sure to ensure it is made with drippings instead of fat - This can be accomplished by letting it cool for while - there will be a nice separation. And who eats desert right after the meal, so when it's time, again limit to 1 small piece of whatever looks the best - if you can come up with a low point option, go for it. Just add 'healthy' in your google search.

Fast food during busy days decorating and shopping - Subway, McDonalds grilled chicken salads, Tim Horton's broth soup, Chinese with steamed rice vs. fried, grilled fish instead of fried. There are actually many options for eating on the run. An of course, nothing beats packing a cooler. This simple lunch-box is the best friend of someone watching their waist-line.

Quick meals at home - Stock up on some easy supplies, like pre-cooked chicken breasts, low fat meatballs, shrimp and frozen veggies for stir-fry's. Take an hour and make some frozen dinners that can be easily grabbed - I use the dinners in the frozen food section as guidelines (rice, shrimp, veggies and sauce) or (pasta, cooked chicken breast, veggies and pasta sauce). The choices are endless, but I do tend to use frozen, pre-cooked meat - but you can also throw in a few casserole dishes with various cuts while the rice is cooking. Pork, Steak, Chicken. For pasta don't cook until done as it will continue to finish cooking when being mic'd. Measure, put in container, and freeze. I love the 2C ziploc containers and usually make 6pt meals.

Sweets at home - Last year I was determined not to buy them, but I have become somewhat lax on this venue. If you have problems with food item control, honestly, you don't need them and neither does your family. Gifting or tossing baked goods is all in the cards for some and can leave them feeling extremely empowered. I'm not a big baker anyway, so any sweets we get can be frozen and used for recess or after-school snacks. My husband refuses to give up on these carb and sugar based items, but if I have healthy alternatives in the house (salad foods, protein bars, or other snack items) I tend to go for those. Do what you need to do, though. For me, the goal will be to ensure healthy items at hand.

Sweets at work - specifically chocolates or truffles, as that's my downfall. Last year I actually allowed myself 1 chocolate twice a week, but only if it was something 'good'. It worked great and I think I'll do that again. It saves me from over-indulging when we do have chocolate.

Exercise - Having taken a major hiatus from resistance training with Corinne, I really miss my bicep definition. And, I've gained a couple of inches in the waist and hips in spite of maintaining my weight. My plan is simple and I am going to own it. I will be working out using the beginner program I used last year. I am commiting to 2 cardio sessions per week and 2 strength training sessions. I do need to sub some items for my knees, but I am excited for this. All my weights have been moved upstairs, including the eliptical and bench. I'm taking over the computer room.

For the scale, I do not obsess. I am well below my WW goal and I know that the introduction of any exercise regime may cause an increase on the scale. I suspect my weight will remain the same through December and will begin to drop in January. I am going to go back to using my excel spreadsheets for menu planning and posting them on the fridge. AND, I'll be focusing on filling foods.

A lot of this really is the same as last year, with some improvements. I hope you get some ideas from some of these Holiday survival plans and if you post one of your own, please let me know so I can link to it. Have a great December.

Weight Loss, Exercise and Goals

I haven't been around in a while. Life's been crazy, but I really want to commit to maintaining my blog. I have determined to reduce posting to once a week as I was finding the internet process very time-consuming. I have been busy enough that I actually haven't had a chance to catch up on reading blogs, and I do miss everyone. I will be popping in to say Hi to everyone shortly and hope everyone is doing well.

December looks like it's going to be equally busy. Most WW members know that there are some program changes in store. I'm very excited about these and looking forward to introducing the changes in a couple of weeks. All of the leaders and receptionists who have tried this are really psyched.

Well, in spite of not giving this month my best efforts I have succeeded in losing 0.2lbs in 6 weeks (my last weigh-in). I have not exercised one ioto (is that a word?) and, as a result, have puffed back up into size 10's. Yeah, I know, terrible stuff. Well, last year I actually developed a Holiday Eating plan (which I've moved to the top of the blog again) and will update it for this year. Also, last year I began with Phit-n-Phat. I'm ready to give 'er a go again. So, I expect to maintain through the holidays and then would like to get to that ellusive 140 by the end of March. Something new to look forward to.

So, back to year-end preparation. I have 2 weeks and 3 weekends to pull a lot of stuff together - wish me luck if you're reading. The life of a corporate accountant - ugh.

And, to leave you with todays inspirational quote:

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
- Helen Keller

Plan. And Plan to succeed. That is something you can definately do.

It's Officially Cold. Need Soup?

The 10 year old loves this. I whipped up a batch on Sunday. Personally, I thought it could have used more veggies and had decided to take half the recipe and add another can of tomatoes with some carrots, cauliflower and cabbage. Unfortunately, there's not enough left...

Mexican Bean and Lentil Soup

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 17
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Course: soups

This makes approximately 17 - 1C servings. If preparing ahead, do not add the final 4 ingredients and freeze in portions. When ready to serve, simply re-heat desired portion and add coriander, lemon juice, s&p prior to serving

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion(s), chopped
2 garlic clove(s), minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
28 oz canned tomatoes
3/4 cup dry pink lentils
6 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 cup water
19 oz canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
19 oz canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
19 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp cilantro, fresh
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions
1. Heat oil over med. heat; cook onions, garlic, chili powder, stirring occ. until softened.
2. Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, water and lentils. Bring to a boil
3. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until lentils are soft (approx 20 mins.)
4. Add beans and cook (approx. 15 min) - This is the bake ahead stage where you can freeze portions.
5. Stir in Cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Dance, Dance, Wherever You May Be!

Oh, the things I could talk about with this title...

First, I get to go to dance again this week after having to miss the past two. Hubby is back on days, so YAY!!! Looks like he'll be laid off this week for sure - not bad though, since we were expecting it as early as early September. The run has been pretty good this fall.

Secondly, the 10 yo is in a dance competition this coming weekend. We're looking forward to the trip - it's around 5 hours away. The 5 yo is staying with my mother, so we'll really get to spend some quality time and also get to enjoy watching a lot of dancing from other groups. More on that next week:)

Finally, how can this song not make you happy? It is completely filled with happiness and hope for the future. I LOVE it! And being happy inside and out goes a long way in this journey.

Get out there and dance. Have fun and smile. It does you more good than you can imagine.

Have a great week.

Success!!!

I did a double-take this morning when I opened my weekly email from Weight Watchers. Marie was smiling up at me and I hadn't even signed into Blogger yet. Now, I've already read Marie's success story, but if you haven't you should. Then check out her blog - this chick rocks the maintenance world.

The article excerpt:

BEFORE & AFTER

When Marie looked at her younger brother John, who she always admired athletically, she thought, “Why can’t that be me?” Her transformation has been gradual but full-blown. Since losing weight, she’s run three 5ks, a 10k, a 10-mile and two half-marathons.

The Gain/The Small Loss

It's the week after Thanksgiving. A few things have been bopping around in my head today. Colette is upset because she only lost 0.4 lbs. I do feel badly for her, and she's had stresses I don't want to even think about. I've also been thinking about those who will show up at meeting tonight and will have gained or not lost what they would expect to. The fact that they'll be there is huge - it's always those who don't press the re-start button who need worrying about.

I've been thinking about 'Failure' and how it's such a vital part of overall success. I'm participating in a Goals Challenge right now and 'failure' was todays topic. Failure is an important part of overall success. Think Thomas Edison, who was called stupid by his teachers. Fred Astaire who was rejected because he was balding, couldn't act, and could only dance a little. Lucille Ball who was told she was too shy to act. What gives you the right to think you can't lose weight? The program works if you work the program.

As for small losses or gains - I've had my share. The difference? I view 'failures' as opportunities for growth. I always evaluated my small losses or gains and tried to be as honest with myself as I could. Problems in life? They don't define you. It's what you do to over-come them that matters most.

Small loss? Small gain? This is a little something acquired from Weight Watchers written by one pound of fat. I hope you enjoy.

Hello, do you know me?
If you don’t, you should.
I’m a pound of fat,
And I’m the HAPPIEST
pound of fat that you
would ever want to meet.
Want to know why?
It’s because no one ever wants to lose me;
I’m ONLY ONE POUND, just a pound!
Everyone wants to lose
three pounds, five pounds, or fifteen pounds,

but never only one.
So I just stick around
and happily keep you fat.
Then I add to myself,

ever so slyly, so that you
never seem to notice it.
That is, until I’ve grown to
ten, twenty, thirty or
even more pounds in weight.
Yes, it’s fun being ONLY
ONE POUND OF FAT,

left to do as I please.
So, when you weigh in
keep right on saying,
“Oh, I only lost one Pound.”

(As if that were such a terrible thing.)
For you see, if you do this,

you encourage others to keep me around
because they’ll think I’m not worth losing.
And, I love being around you –
your arms, your legs, your chin, your hips

and every part of you.
Happy Days!!
After all, I’m
ONLY ONE POUND OF FAT!!!

The Holiday Weekend

Yes, I forgot to say Happy Columbus Day to my American counterparts. Well, it's been an interesting Thanksgiving. And boy, am I glad to be a Weight Watcher today!

Last year I thought I was prepared for Thanksgiving only to record a stellar gain that week. It took me a few weeks to get back on track. It was frustrating and I felt out of control.

This year, I planned. This year I did some things differently.

We still went to the in-laws and no, I wasn't able to get at the vegetables before cheese, butter and milk were added. Oh well, you can't win them all. I also indulged in desert food - but don't worry, it was Pumpkin Angel Food Cake. I also left some behind for others. I bought a box of biscotti's. These babies are sinfully awesome - and check out that NI.

Walking - my 10 year old and I went for a few walks this weekend, plus one before dinner and one after.

Veggie tray - They were on sale on Sunday, so I bought a small veggie tray for supper that night, a large fruit tray for breakfast in the morning and a large veggie tray to take to sil's. I ate some veggie's before dinner was served and felt quite full after only 1 plate.

Drinks - no wine this year. I had to work the next day anyway, so I brought some Live Active Crystal Lite and sipped on that while others were having beer and white wine.

Desert - My niece turned 19, so we didn't serve traditional Thanksgiving desert. Instead they brought out a DQ Ice Cream cake. I did have a small piece. After all, I'd already had a fair bit of yummy pumpkin angel food cake.

Other exciting weekend stuff. I'm still plugging away on decluttering my home. All 4 of us participated in a 27 fling boogie. The 5 yo was having some issues, but did part with a few toys and some clothes. We ended up with a full bag for donation, a full bag for the garbage and a partly filled recycle bag for paper. We're doing it again this weekend.

Oh, and results. I did weigh-in last week and this week and stayed the same. Exactly. The. Same.

Calling Debbie Out

I think Debbie is getting a little frustrated with the long haul of weight loss. She hasn't even reached maintenance yet and is getting tired of the trudge. Ummm, Debbie - let's put the scale away for a while and focus on what was, is and always will be important. YOU!

And this goes for anyone else reading this post.

What do YOU need to do to live the life you want? Do you need to journal food or watch that comfort zone? That'll never change. Do you need to get out and walk 2-3 times a week? That'll never change. Will reaching that magic number on the scale suddenly make all of life's problems disappear? Sorry - ain't gonna happen.

I don't know exactly what YOU need to do to be happy, but I know you're the only one that can do it. I do know that storyboarding your future, making goals and doing those repetitive tasks that we all hate to do can help get you there. This works for weight or anything else your little heart desires. Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve - W. Clement Stone

Debbie - YOU have lost 70 lbs. THAT is amazing. YOU are amazing.

3 Cheers and a Shout Out to Debbie

Candian Turkey Day

So, next weekend is Thanksgiving and www.weightwatchers.ca sent out a loverly email with lots of tips and such. What do I consider the most important thing about getting through the weekend without gaining (umm, last year was a record gain for sure). This year I plan to use some Weight Watcher tools, like proper planning and some mental rehearsing. I'm eating at my sister-in-laws, and will bring with some cranberry sauce made with splenda and maybe a low fat desert, such as this angel food cake or the pie custard on the bottom of this page.

My plan:

• Make my own cranberry sauce with splenda (it works – did it last Christmas)
• Get my veggies before they add the butter and milk.
• Put 1/4C gravy on my ‘naked’ potatoes
• Put cranberry sauce on my 3-4 oz of turkey
• 1C turnip is ‘free’ in pts
• Carrot and broccoli and turnip to take up half of plate
• Limit the other veggies to a bit of each and skip the stuffing (she does it right in the turkey)
• If we get there early I’m taking the kids outside for a walk or something. Hopefully the weather will be nice. Will try to get in some good APs over the weekend as well.

Furthermore, I will:

• Pencil in my food plan for the next day in my journal. I won't promise there won't be deviations, but it will be a guide for me so that the holiDAY doesn't turn into a holiWEEK. Also, planning to weigh in on Wednesday of next week to stop any residual poor behaviour short in its tracks.

Those not celebrating, have a great weekend anyway. Take Monday off just for laughs next week. Take care.

Take your time

I was checking out some information on the net and found this thought quite interesting.

- Give yourself time to lose. This isn't a race and time-line goals are often difficult to obtain. I am always amazed at those who are disappointed because the ONLY lost 1 lb this week. Gee, I've been happy at ONLY gaining 1 lb some weeks:)

- Give yourself time to learn. Learn the program, the lifestyle, new habits and such

- Give yourself time to heal. Heal from years of self-abuse to your body and self-esteem.

The longer it takes the better the chances you have of long term success. You may also discover that other areas of your life are improving along with your weight as the lessons learned in WW are transferable to all areas of our lives. Goal setting is such an exciting **new** discovery for me.

Remember, you didn't gain all that weight in weeks or even months, so relax and enjoy the journey. Give yourself time.

Learning From Our Mistakes:)

Well, after last week I was a little tentative about doing another WW meeting. BUT, like a good WW I evaluated the situation and examined ways to do things differently to get me to my ultimate goal. I kept what worked, asked for help from other leaders, and used some ideas from my past meetings that I attended.

Ironically, this weeks traditional meeting message is learning from our past (good and bad) and how this helps with our weight loss efforts. This Healthy Habit was/is key for me in both weight loss and my current maintenance efforts. A bad night on the scales is NEVER failure, only the opportunity to learn something new about ourselves (feedback) so we can move forward stronger than before.

Don't you love how the lessons learned in weight loss can help in other areas of our lives? Hmmm, maybe this is a lifestyle afterall:)

What are some of the things you have learned during your weight loss efforts (past and present) and how are these lessons helping you now?

Have a great week and remember, the only failure is giving up.

Busy Days are Here Again

Yup, life is getting busy. I had thought I would have time to help with Sparks, but I've decided this is not the year. So far my weekly schedule is:

Monday: WW meeting after work, then pick up Ci at dance. Get home after 9pm
Tuesday: Go home on time and enjoy family
Wednesday: At least once a month make my traditional WW meeting (not a huge time commitment)
Thursday: 7.45pm dance class (yup, I joined again this year)
Friday: meet with Peggy. We've set some ground rules for these meetings - goal reporting and plan to-do for coming 2 weeks, then we can chat for a while.

I met with Peggy last night, but next week we're back on the Friday schedule. I need to make my goals SMART. I also need to prioritize those items I want to work on until Dec 31. A lot of my goals may need to be put on hold, or are long-term, and so will be moved to the inactive file. I will review the goals to focus on quarterly. I want to make a list of several SMART goals to be completed before the end of the year, and really a lot of them are sub-goals of my big ones.

I'm pretty excited about my checklist. I did it up and had it laminated with the hard laminate. I'll review the checklist every six weeks - for $3 I think it's a good investment. I also picked up some wet erase markers in 4 colours to use for circles (scheduled items), checks (completed), and weekly additions (time-specific to-do's). The items on the checklist are goals, but the checklist itself is also a goal as I want to complete 80% of my scheduled checks each week. I will use a permanent marker and dates to record this ratio on the back cover.

Planning is great. Now follow-through. Meanwhile - have a great weekend. I plan to:)

Oh, My Nerves

With regards to doing the WW meetings, last week I only did the intro. I introduced myself and gave out the celebration stickers then turned the meeting over to my mentor.

This week she stayed in the reception area. I called her up on one question, but other than that she let me do the meeting. A couple of points to note:

1. I have to learn to engage the group more. They aren't so eager to respond to questions.
2. I need to have a sense of humour and joke with them more. It doesn't matter if they like me - it's me liking them that is important.
3. We have a lot of new members, but that doesn't mean they're new to WW or dieting. They have history, so feed on that.
4. I really need to learn who the talkers are. That will help in the coming weeks.

I prepared a 2-page presentation. It did take me the whole 30 minutes, but I'd like to get it down to a page or two of points. I'll get the flow down in a couple of weeks.

My mentor is there again next week and then I am solo. Meanwhile, I've been asked to cover for MY leader tonight. In front of MY meeting members. Am I up for it? I think so. I have a couple of things in my favour. First, I've already given this meeting once and second, I know who the talkers are.

Tomorrow night I am meeting with my 'life coach' partner. We're not really life coaches, but she keeps me focused and helps me with my goals. Then it's off to Dance class. It's been a busy week.

PS, I ordered a new suite and a dress. The dress is going back. I also bought 3 'new' dresses at a 2nd hand shop last week; although at least 1 will have to be packed in the next couple of weeks with my other summer stuff. I LOVE retail therapy:)

Weekly Post

Hi there. It's been a pretty good week. I had a bit of an epiphany on Monday morning about my exercise when I realized my internal dialogue was using words such as "need to, ought to, must, should". What about the 'want to'. That really is what this is all about, isn't it? What do you WANT.

So:
Want it
Envision it
Plan it
Follow through

The keys to success are there. How bad do YOU want it?

Weekend planning and weekly update

The leadership training was fun. We did got all of our manuals and fancy briefcases with the Weight Watchers logo on it. I really enjoyed meeting a few new people and began to 'see' a lot of things my leader had done. The trainer had only good things to say about Fiona and when referring to the cream of the crop commented 'like the Fiona's of the WW world'. I new she was a good leader while I was going through.

Anyway, I guess I'll be planning a meeting for Monday night. I haven't gotten hold of Terri yet to work out the details, but had left a message for her yesterday. She's currently leading at the meeting I'll be taking over. Fun, huh.

This week will be filled with cleaning the house, beading with the kids and planning for next week. I have some reading to do for Monday's meeting and also need to plan my eats for next week and get the spreadsheet posted in the kitchen. I think we'll try to get a dozer in for the yard next week too.

That's all for today. Have a great weekend. I'm planning to get back into my st routine - I've been a bit of a slacker lately.

Training

Hi - Just a quick post. I'm going for WW leadership training tonight. I'm excited, but it's going to be a long week. I've got our menus all planned and am geared up. We'll be training in Halifax until 10pm, then home (about 45 minutes away) and up at 5:20 tomorrow to start a new day. By Friday I fully expect to be a blabbering sleep-deprived idiot, so may post some ramble about the week for your reading confusion.

Cheers,

First Day of School

So, what would you say. Indifferent, nervous, anxious? Ci was like, my friends are on the bus and it's HE-YAR - you're embarassing me. She didn't actually say anything, but looks speak volumes. J had some anxiety issues going on, but was fine and very excited to give me my 'homework' last night. This morning she hopped right on that bus like an old pro.

Needed: New indoor sneakers for Ci (apparently, the ones I bought in May were worn just enough that they've been banned to outdoor status as soon as she can secure a new pair). New outdoor sneakers for J. We just didn't get around to learning how to tie yet and the ones she's wearing were hand-me-downs. I don't feel too bad, though.

Oh - and the matching skorts - they did that on their own. Ci really surprises me sometimes:)

Planning and Lunches

Yup, I'm a believer in planning. I think we can generally be wayyy more productive, successful with less effort with proper planning. What?

OK, so for the past month I have gained a tad. Not a lot, but continuing down this road of 'winging it' would eventually lead to not-so-good habits. What does lead to success is a half hour of half-ass penmanship while half watching 'Doctor Who' and half talking to my mother. What I did get was a meal plan for the week, a grocery list of items needed to get through the week, and lunch ideas for the girls.

How does this help:
1) I buy from my grocery list and don't have 'temptations' in the house.
2) I save money by not buying more than I need for the week.
3) I have the food I need to eat healthy.
4) I have everything I need to quickly prep meals, snacks and lunches quickly - saving time and energy throughout the week.

Just think what could be accomplished by planning in other areas of life. If you're not a planner (I never was) I highly recommend trying this out for a week or so. I don't plan cumbersome meals - I work and have small children. Today my lunch is 6pts, consisting of low fat chicken meatballs, rice, frozen vegetables and barbeque sauce.

As prep work, I tend to cook my rice in bulk - 2 days worth in the fridge and freeze the rest in serving sizes. Keep in mind that the frozen food manufacturers freeze cooked meat - so can you. It's easier to toss a 3oz cut of frozen chicken or steak into your lunch bag if it's been cooked within the past week or so than if it hasn't been cooked at all. I also tend to have a couple of frozen dinners on hand, but use them for emergencies vs. a staple.

For non-microwavable options, there's always sandwiches - yum. And a thermos of...just about anything you want to keep warm. Also, tuna (or other canned meat) mixed with mustard and/or mayo in a small container pops nicely on top of a rice cake. Amonds and an apple, whole wheat crackers with cheese and a bit of jelly, or a container of frozen fruit.

In order to facilitate all of this, I invest in 1/2C and 1C plastic containers and also pack a resealable baggie with plastic utensils and splenda packets and anything else I may need. I've also boughten good thermoses for my girls and sugar packets for their lunch boxes. A great lunch desert for them is a small container of strawberries that have spent the morning thawing topped with some sugar.

Do you believe?

In prayer of any kind?

Say some for Jamaica, Louisianna and all others in the way of Gustav today. It is currently reduced to a tropical storm and I'll be praying that it stays one or slows down as it moves towards my friends south of the Canadian Border.

Last year was a sad remembrance for Colette of Katrina after she'd spent 2 years re-building after her home was flooded. This year will definately be more anxiety with Gustav moving closer. Pray as well for her and her beautiful children as they deal with whatever comes through New Orleans.

Have a blessed, safe weekend.

My Tuesday

After eating whatever struck my fancy for what feels like 3 weeks, I stood on the scales on Monday night. OK, I'm ready to fess up. I did have my shoes on and hadn't done my usual potty trip, but it read 151.4lbs. WOW! Well, it had said the same thing the week before. Keep in mind, these are unofficial weighs taken directly after the weekend without concern for accuracy. Call it a weigher-inner perk. After I got home at ate supper on Monday my own scale was in the high 150's.

So, yesterday I have calculated eating around 20 pts of pretty good choices. Mostly f&v, but also coffee with whole milk, some WW multi-grain bread. I ate at Tim Horton's for supper and chose a bowl of chili and only ate half the bun. All told, the scale move down for this morning to around the 146/147 mark. I tend to find my home scale first morning weigh relatively representative of my before supper evening weigh at WW. I think a week of eating clean foods will help. I'll be moving to more of a 20% protein intake and working on around 60% carbs, mostly complex. I need to move away from sugary, fatty foods entirely for a while.

Forgot the school supply list yesterday, so Ci and I went shopping. She bought some beading supplies and then we went to the mall. She found a great sweater at The Childrens Place and I also picked up some lunch bags there as well as a 3-ring binder (for myself). We also bought some gym slippers for dance for the girls and window-shopped elsewhere. I resisted Cinnabons coming in and out of the mall - I think I'm going to have to boycott that entrance.

Have a great week.

August Pictorial Review:)

After a few days of playing and shopping in Amherst, my old hometown, we headed for PEI. After getting over Confederation Bridge (I've never seen it before) we discovered lots to do right there. One of the highlights was paying $2 each to dress-up as Anne with an 'e' as she was depicted upon arriving in Avonlea to be greeted by Matthew. You knew I had to do it:)



When we got to the cabins, we discovered a pool, playground, and boats. Plus the fire pits. I'm thinking of booking for a whole week here next year:)

J with Chestnut and Ci with Tina. This was right next door to the cabins. We actually canoed right under the bridge in the background and could see the paddocks from our cabin.

This is just a pretty picture I took while driving from MillsBrook to Cavendish. This area was full of beauty and the pictures just don't do it justice.




We visited Santa's Wood, where J took full advantage of the ride-on vehicles she doesn't have at home, while Ci discovered the bunnies and rock-climbing wall. This was a great place, with lots of stuff to do. We even met Santa - I think he's joined WW too.




The only museum we visited was Green Gables. There were lots of photo opportunities, since this isn't technically a historical site, but rather the location were LM Montgomeries relatives lived - and the location that the book was based on.

We walked the Haunted Wood trail at Green Gables. And the girls took a little break along the way.

My girls kicking back at Heather Beach. I used to walk from the cottage to this beach along the shore when the tide was out while I was growing up. The little one wouldn't go in the water past her knees and the older one kept wanting company out further so she could swim.

And of course she rolled in the sand...

Cottage poses of the vacationing girls and another with the hub.

Mom and I in the front yard at the cottage. She's sporting the bead necklace Ci made for her. Hubby and I in the sunroom while getting ready to leave on Sunday.

My baby graduated from preschool this week. A wonderful ceremony, which included 'The Alphabet Song' and many others, was held behind the Daycare.

Quick Hi

Well, I've left the blog in darkness for a few weeks now. Sorry for the ansence, but I've been having fun.

Update on the dirt: not sure if someone kicked up a stink or offered to pay, but our supply ran out. We would have like a few more loads, but as I said before - I'm anxious to just finish the back yard, so this will have to do.

We've been on vacation. It was great. Unfortunately, Mark could not come with us as he had to work, but I got to spend lots of time with my Mom and the girls. We headed up to Mom's place on the first Monday and kicked back there. I hit an awesome sale at Marks Work Wearhouse and bought a couple of tops, 2 work capris, 1 jean capri and a pair of kahki's (sp?). Then I picked up my first ever Croc's on sale for half of what I normally see them for. We also spent time at the YMCA pool for twoonie swim a couple of times and at a local playground:)

Then it was off to Prince Edward Island. Woohoo!! I haven't been there in years. Unfortunately, Woodly Replicas, one of my favourite places, shut down this year. We stayed in a cabin on the North end of the island. I took my eldest for a trail ride and returned the next morning to left the little one enjoy a pony ride. They had cedar boats at the site and I took the girls out for a trip around the little lake, plus, for the first time ever, I started a fire. The other cabins were chopping up the wood into timber to get 'r going, but I guess I learned a thing or two from my Dad growing up.

We visited Green Gables and walked the Haunted Woods and visited the site where the old school used to be. We also went to Santa's Wood, a perfect entertainment grounds for the girls. Cavendish was so beautiful - I wish I could post a picture of the dunes, but my battery died just then. No plays, not too many touristy things, but lots of fun.

I tried to take the girls to Magnetic Hill and Magic Mtn, a water park, after returning to the mainland, but mother nature would not comply. We went shopping for school clothes instead. Then it cleared enough that I took them on Magnetic Hill (the 10 year old has dubbed this Optical Illusion Hill, lol).

Finally, the renters were gone from the cottage and we settled in. We were over at Heather's Beach every day. I love it there and it's life-guarded, plus the beach at the cottage is rocky and mucky - although beautiful to look at. I did so many Sudoku's I was dreaming in 9's. I totally relaxed. We thouroughly enjoyed Mom - she came to PEI with us and spent the week at the cottage, heading home on Friday as Mark was on his way up. I didn't get home until 8pm Sunday night, although I had planned to be home earlier to prepare for the work-week. Oh well. Then last night I worked at WW meeting as the weigher-inner. It'll be good to actually clear out the fridge and re-stock tonight.

Oh, I did hop on the scale for an unofficial weigh last night. I even left my shoes on because I knew it wasn't good. Well, I didn't reach the 2lbs over my goal, and that's all I'll say about that, except that I totally ate what I wanted and how much I wanted for 2 weeks. Funny, Mom thought what I ate was quite healthy, so I guess I've still come a long way. Water should shed a few lbs by Wednesday's official weigh-in.

Take care and have a great week.

Dirt, Work, and Weight

Hello - I know I haven't posted in a while. It's been so busy getting ready for vacation I haven't had a lot of time.

We got loads of dirt for the backyard. I'm so stinkin' excited about it too. It's ditch dirt and free - gotta love it. We're going to wait until mid-October and get it levelled, add some topsoild, and call it done. After 8 years, I'll be glad to be done with it, too. Right now we have about 20% of what we'd like and will settle for whatever we get. It was still coming as of yesterday.

Weighed in last night and am back to 143.8 lbs. I seem to be playing with this particular number often and have seen it several times over the past couple of months. We'll see how things go on vacay. I bought 2 boxes of WW pretzels and 3 boxes of WW bars as snacks for the next 2 weeks.

Take care.

Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit

Well, the lower body workout got trashed because you can only let navy beans soak for so long (gee, thanks Mark) before having to feed them to the composter or cook. So, I spent time getting a pot clean and boiling the beans and putting together the necessary ingredients. I went with this recipe last night since I couldn't find mine. We're not fans of ketchup in the beans, but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to look for a good molasses only recipe.

Then it was off to read to the 10 year old. She's into 'Elf Defense'. I'm not sure about this book, and I'm hoping she get bored with it. Anyone else read it?

So, tonight I'm working around 1 hour late to get in some processing whereby I need everyone off the system. Then home to get in my lower body workout. The weather has been suck and my consumption of baked goods has been up. My home scale is up several lbs - like 7 or 8. After the wine, heat, humidity and chocolate chip oat cookies it's not a surprise. So, here's to drinking some water - Cheers.

Weekend Wipe-Outs

Wow, I'm exhausted. I've been exhausted all weekend. I was out Friday night (no booze, just visiting) and got in around 1 or a little later. Now, I got to sleep in on Saturday so that should have been enough. I was falling asleep by 7pm and struggled to function until I could get to bed. Sunday was no better. Hubby got up with the kids and I slept until 8:30, but was beat mid-afternoon. Today my eyes feel like they're popping out of their sockets.

What else did we do? Kids went for a play date and we visited a friend, who just happens to be 4 lbs from his WW goal. We haven't seen each other in a year, so we were trapsing off to see his exercise equipment and chat about the different leaders. He attends an at-work program, and I attended one of his leaders meetings. He's also been to my meetings - but we always missed each other. While there I had 3 glasses of wine. These exceeded the 2oz serving, but what the hey. Hubby planted some bushes for them and the missus picked me some greens. Yummy.

I finally made it to church on Sunday. The kids had friends over, so hubby stayed behind. I felt a little bad about leaving after having slept in, but he was good with it. Also, menu planning and the grocery list on Sunday. I went by myself - quicker that way.

And, the back yard got re-mowed. It's starting to look normal again. We need a couple more lengths of extension cord so hubby can finish clearing the back end. We worked so hard to re-claim our yard, it's discouraging to watch it grow up again. Finally, I took the 10 yo to the pool. The water was warm, but I didn't go in. She took the thermometer out of the pool and watched it drop almost 10 degrees farenheit. Crazy stuff.

Also, got in an upper body workout Saturday. I am doing reception training tonight and would like to get in a lower body session before bed, but it will be after 8:30 before I get home, so if I'm still feeling this tired, I'll be going to bed.

Take care and have a great week.

Water Retention? Clothes?

Not sure why, but the scale is way down at this weeks WI. 141.6lbs - A new number. I'll take it.

I've been the weigher-inner at 2 meetings this week. It went well. I also reviewed how to do the tally. I did a 'remote' location on Monday night (trunks, tear-down) and the base location on Wednesday night. Good stuff.

After today - there's only 2 more weeks before vacation. So MUCH to do at work before then. We're going to PEI over-night during the first week and spending the second week at the cottage. Can you say Relax. I'm looking very much forward to it.

Good-Bye Sears and 28%

Last week Sears had on their Warehouse Sale. Interestingly enough, we needed a new lawn mower. We bit the bullet and went to buy one. Mark wanted self-propelled with side and rear-bag discharges and big back wheels. I mean, he really wanted a ride-on, but this was the second choice. I had cashed in my Sears Club points for $35 in gift certificates and used them towards the purchase. The rest went on the card and then...I paid the card off. Woohoo. Thank you Sears.

Left to do: Cancel whatever insurance policy is going through that card and reduce the limit to $500. I do like this card for on-line purchases from Sears, but the 28% interest has GOT to go. I lurve Sears and can't bring myself to cancel the card - at least not yet.

The Mouths of Babes

So, last night I was telling my daughter that I lost 0.6lbs this week and would like to lose another 3.8. She asked if I was still under my goal weight, to which I told her 'Yes'. "Hmmm, It would be amazing if you lost 10 more lbs (from goal)". "Really, you think it would be amazing?" "Pfft- the way you've been eating, Yes"

OK - I've been kicked and checked. Got it. So, my food yesterday did NOT include: ice cream cake from DQ, hazelnut vanilla spread, cheeze whiz sandwich, pours of oil for frying, or donuts.

It DID include oatmeal, eggs, berries, cottage cheese, frozen lf chicken meatballs, frozen veggies, brown rice, almonds, rice cake with a skim of peanut butter, sushi, and LOTS of water.

The Goings On

This week is kind of crazy with planning a combo birthday party on Saturday. So, I have my supper meals planned out and posted by the stove top. Mark usually prepares the suppers, so I've included the meat, carb choice and veggies. Tonight is steak and I've put the meat in the fridge for him. I have my general lay-out for the days:

Meals:
Breakfasts: 5 pts oatmeal/egg mixes (berries, pb, pp, or cheese)
Morning snack: 3 pts dairy/fruit mix (cottage cheese or lf plain yogurt)
Lunches: 5 pts Meat source and green veggies (left-overs or chicken/beef stir-fry cuts, asparagus, green beans, lettuce and spinach, or snap peas)
Afternoon snack: 2 pts snack of rice cake and tuna
Way home snack: 2 pts almonds
Supper: 5 pts meat, carb and veggies (list is made for family for week)
Evening: 2 pts soy drink (or combo with pts of milk in coffee's for day)
Post-cardio/st: grapefruit/pro shake (no value assigned to activity or associated foods - it's a wash)
24 pt days. My daily points allowance is 19 + 4 for maintenance + weekly (I still have 10 left). On Thursday, the meals won't change substantially, except that I may switch out the rice cake for a Core option - especially since I've moved my carb to dinner with the family.

For my breakfast, I boil the water, add the oatmeal and egg together and stir. I later add the extra. Yesterday was blueberries and today was strawberries. Add a bit of splenda and a splash of soy drink (or not) and voila. I use 1/2C egg whites or 1 egg, depending on the day. With the egg white, it's less points (more for coffee milk and that splash of soy drink) and is a smoother texture. Hubby says he still tastes the egg, but I don't - or maybe I'm just getting used to it. I've been doing it this way almost every day for a couple of months now.

A few other things on my to do list:
Today: Get paper and do up invitations for hand out tonight and tomorrow.
Shop for party favours and prizes
Order cakes
Call Visa to get more low interest cheques
Pay off my student loan, Sears, my MasterCard and Mark's MasterCard

'Tis true, we came into a bit of funds with which I put on my Visa and will use low interest (3.99%) cheques to pay off my higher interest debts in full. The student loan is almost paid off (only a couple of months left), but has the largest cash flow effect. This will only leave the Visa - which will be a substantial amount - but over half will be at the low interest rate, so I can't complain. Kudos to planning - funny how things happen.

Happy Birthday, Little Ones

Maintenance and Core

This week was, amazingly, a 'stays the same'. Since I AM in WW maintenance, I'll take it. Yet, I would still like to lose another 4.4 lbs and get to my personal goal of 140 lbs.

SO, last night I took all my little books down to my meeting and went through them to make sure I have everything I need. I picked up a new week 1 package, since I'm missing the Getting Started book. Got a new slider and everything. I wanted to make sure I had everything, especially the Getting Started book because I've decided to try out Core. For today I'm documenting and counting.

Breakfast: 6 almonds, oatmeal, 1 egg, slice of processed cheese (6)
!st thing at work: Tims coffee (1)
10:45 am: 1/2C cottage cheese with approx. 1/2C mixed fruit (3)

Total so far is 10 pts. For lunch I have salmon, 1/2C rice and frozen veggies. Later this afternoon I have some baby carrots and 15 almonds. For supper I don't know what we're having.

Why the switch? I was following some menus I was getting from PnP. They were good and I learned a lot of new ways to eat healthfully; however, they were also extremely high in protein and, although I am working out, I don't feel I am working out to support that menu. And the bottom line - the menu was very expensive. For the summer, I have 2 kids in daycare and will be running at a deficit each month - this was adding to that deficit. I don't want to scrimp on food, and think that Core will fit into my budget and my life much easier.

Why Core? Mainly because I'm not a fan of journalling. It's been my nemisis. I've also been eating mostly Core foods anyway. I'll still be planning the weekly meals out and using that to create my weekly shopping list - so there's still the element of journalling to some extent. Also, I find I have started (the past 2 weeks) for some crazy reason, to dip into non-Core, fatty and carby items such as donuts, hazelnut vanilla spread, ice cream. My daughters have their birthdays tomorrow and their party next weekend, so this seemed as good a time as any to start a new program.

It's exciting to start a new program. You feel all energized and eager to succeed. Life is good.

I won't likely be posting again until next week. Everyone have a great weekend, and to my American readers, Happy 4th of July.

Eats and Treats

I'm trying to post my food in Sparks again this week. They have some neat new features, such as adding extra meals, copying a meal from another day, and exporting your report to excel. They also still have all of the great tools I remember, such as my 'favourites' list, where I added many of my favourite foods or specific items we buy that are not on the general list, such as my PC foods from Superstore.

For anyone starting an exercise regime, this site is also a great resource on how to properly do certain moves. They'll even design a program for you. And it's all free! That's right - Free! Well, what are you waiting for? Go sign up.

Ditchin' The Clothes

I think I'm going to have to start working out in the mornings. The thought of waking up early certainly does not appeal to me, but with summer such as it is I may not have a choice soon.

I started my lower body workout on the deck last night, with alternating lunges, dumbell squats and bunny hops. Then I made my way down to the basement. It's nice and cool down there. I proceeded with the next superset and, before too long, I decided I didn't reeeeaaally need a t-shirt on. In my last superset I also ditched the shorts 'cause they were sticking to me. My dd laughed and told me that she couldn't believe how sweaty I was. I guess I never really appreciated how much those clothes absorbed. On a related side-note, I also need to vacuum that area before lying down on the carpet again. And another nice thing - I was half way getting ready to jump in the shower afterwards.

So - before all that, I went to meeting last night. I did weigh in - up 1.8lbs. I'm figuring it could be just about anything and am not getting upset. 144.4 is still well within my comfort zone for now. I've been picking up the pace with this new schedule, but not focusing on cardio. I've also been slightly off with my eating for weight loss, and I jogged 15-20 minutes to the meeting. Any or all of that was likely a supporting factor. I am back on an eating plan - by that I mean I actually have my daily eats written out and will stick to that until Sunday when I switch it up. Subbing my protein pancake this afternoon for a grapefruit and 2pts of almonds though, since I ran out of time this morning. So, I expect to be smoothed out a bit again next week.

Take care and have a great Thursday - today is a great day to plan your menu for the weekend so you can make sure you've got the food you need in the house. I call it simple logic - you write what you are going to eat and then just eat it. It works for me.

GARBAGE!!!

A little vent here. I'm a liberal gal - I can lift, lug, and mow a lawn. I don't mind helping move furniture, etc. But, I still like to have the door held open for me by a gentleman AND I like to have the garbage, compost and recycling taken care of for me. So WHY am I the one and only who lugs these things to the curb?

Yes, today was compost and recycling day. Never mind the recycling that hasn't made it out of the basement yet. Is it not enough that I actually put the recycling bags on the deck when they're full for ease the morning of? Is it not enough that I request regularly to take the compost out to the composter? Do I have to drag both out to the curb every other week?

What's good about this arrangement? There are certain things I can get to the curb on garbage day that good 'ole hubby would contest. Yes - I can be evil.

Temptation, etc

Can anyone tell me why, oh why, people want to bring Timbits into work? Oh, and not the yucky plain ones, but chocolate glaze. Gee thanks. Not that I would normally have any - then again, yesterday wasn't 'normal'.

Last night I didn't have a workout planned, but...umm...Burger King wasn't on the plan either. Why is it we just say OK when we're tired. In all fairness, I did get the new Walnut, Cranberry Chicken salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and a water. Then I had some french fries. Anyhoo - I'm extremely over-tired, so will be doing lower body workout tonight. I'm going to cut down the reps on my lunges and squats and attempt 3 sets tonight. My hamstrings hurt for 4 days last week and I don't think they need to hurt that long. Then I think we ALL need to be in bed early tonight. Being this tired on a Tuesday is bad.

Pictures - Like ya'll need more

Hi - This just in: pictures of the suites. Hubby was kind enough to take them today before my workout. I'm using them as my 'before' pictures and am hoping to be more comfortable in the 2-piece by vacation, which is August 4-17. Meanwhile, Mark loves the 1-piece and I guess I don't mind it. Tried to take the pictures on the deck, but the teenage boy neighbour came checking things out, so I abandoned that.

And of the size 8 jeans. Gotta go - family is waiting for some outside adventure.

It's the Attitude

I've been doing some listening (and reading) lately and this is my conclusion: We are more likely to succeed when we focus on the good. I'm hearing in meeting that "It's so hard." Yesterday I mentioned about people not changing their lifestyle. I know slips happen, but I'm thinking I never struggled this way with food because I embrased the changes wholeheartedly. Sure, I can still scarf down a days worth of points on a Saturday night in potatoe chips - and sometimes we do that. The difference is, I don't do it regularly AND when I realize what I'm doing I try to remove temptation. Really, a stir-fry is SO much more satisfying and those spices, like cajun or 5-spice, have a perfect flavour.

Exercise I DO struggle with. It's about getting into the head-space for it. I REALLY want to get out and enjoy walks, looking forward to the pool opening up in - yikes - 1 week. Overall, I don't think I have a problem with activity. It's my workouts. I admittedly struggle. SO, I have re-focused my attention to some extent. I am committed to 2 strength sessions a week - 1 for lower body and 1 for upper. With the lower body I am only focusing on 2 sets of my routine and with the upper body I will do 3 sets. Last night I did lower body and after my first superset (20 walking lunges with pulse, 20 side squats and 30 calf pulses, repeat) I was wobbly walking down the stairs. I have a long way to go, but I'm still here - 7 months after joining PnP.

Just a weigh

Went to meeting last night. Subject was on the path to success - and all those lovely detours along the way. Bored much? Not changing lifestyle? Anyhoo - scale says I'm down 0.4lbs. And that's the mid-month update.

On-The-Fly

Eating and working out on-the-fly don't usually work for me. It generally turns out badly, actually, with my feeling guilty. So far this week I have done very little planning, so I'm going to do a bit now.

To re-cap, Monday I worked late. Groceries are whatever is in the house. I have a list, but that's it. Tuesday I went home for supper and sent Mark to the grocery store. The girls were whiney, so we cuddled and read - 2 chapters of Scooby Doo to 1 chapter of The Worst Halloween Ever. We got through 4 rounds of that before I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

So - to plan. Food - I think I'm going to keep flying on this one. I had intended to journal this week, but...well...I guess I better start. Plus side - the scale is down a bit today, so I think I'm not doing too badly - BUT, journalling or planning is very important for me as I have a tendency to over-do things.

Exercise:
Wednesday: Strength - lower body followed by 20 minutes on elliptical.
Thursday: Cardio session - I haven't decided yet, but if it's nice I'd like to try a jog - maybe 5K. I know where my 2.5K marker is, so I'll just do a return trip.
Saturday: Strenth - upper body followed by, hopefully, a long walk - pending weather. Otherwise I'll do the lwr body 16 minute workout from h-e-ll that involves my getting sick of looking at my stairs.

Other:
Clear the Clutter: I got rid of 3 bikes and a dresser so far this week. I'm thinking a box of books for Friday.
Meet Peggy Friday night - Her turn to be accountable this week.
Church on Sunday morning. We haven't been going and I think this is a good time to start again.

Weekend Fun

I guess I had lots of weekend fun. Some highlights:

Used clothing: I took the 9yo to Frenchy's and she picked up some tops. I also needed summer clothes - some for work, but I haven't boughten much for kickin' back either. I picked up 3 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of capris, a dress and several tops.

ALSO, I bought a 2-piece bathing suite on Friday night. I'll try to post the suite pictures this week sometime.

Meat: I went shopping at the wholesalers on Friday night and picked up a chunk of pork and a huge chunk of beef tip. I spent some time with the pork on Saturday morning and ended up with 3 pork loin and some other cuts. The beef took me around 1 hour on Sunday and I ended up with 2 roast, some nice steak cuts and a bunch of fast-fry cuts, some beef tips for stir-fry and some stew meat. I decided if I'm going to do this again, I need a better knife. I figure I saved around $15-20 - not great when you're considering the time factor, but it's a learning curve. Also, I decided I'll need a glass cutting board instead of the hunk of wood I use.

Friends: Had friends over Saturday night for a few drinks and chatting. The kids had some fun. Sunday, next door the 4 or 5 yo twins were visiting their aunt. They're always good for some fun - my girls are crazy about them and love it when they visit. Later in the afternoon we went visiting ourselves for a BBQ and swimming. I didn't go swimming, but the kids were in - well, the LO sat on the edge and managed to set down the ladder until under her arms before coming back up - repeatedly. Good times.

Cuddles: Got some great cuddles in last night as we snuggled down and watched Water Horse. Good movie - the 4yo took off near the end and brought back a kleenex box for the tears (hers and others).

Well, it's getting late. Gotta throw on some 'new' clothes and get to work. Have a great day.

TAXES - Ahhhhh!!!

OK, in Canada taxes are due to be filed by April 30th. Umm...yeah. Did I mention that I worked in public accounting for 5 years worth of my career? Hmm. You'd think I'd be organized and psyched to file KNOWing that I get a return every year (childcare fees may be a killer on the budget, but they help on the taxes).

So, I did them late - sometime in May - and made my list of outstanding items. Still waiting on my interest papers from RBC federal student loan, but I can file a T1 adjustment for that. I asked the daycare for receipts, the dance school, etc. OK - all set, right?

Gonna complete them last Tuesday. Duh - have the child fitness stuff, but seem to have lost the daycare receipt. Called the daycare. Got the receipt Wednesday and updated the taxes. Where the heck is our access codes?

Found them this morning. Phew! Filed them today. Not bad - only 1.5 months late. No interest or penalties - both of us are getting refunds. Now to decide if I should do the debt reduction thing or go shopping... Just joking - I think there's room for a bit of shopping. Duh - I still need a 2-piece bathing suite.

Progress and comparison photos

Ohhhh, Ahhhh, I know EVERYone is SOOO excited about this post. Ya'll have been on the edge of your little 'ole seats. I'll try not to disappoint.

No - I wasn't sitting on her. She actually crawled up there and was squeezing in behind me and I was becoming annoyed at being shoved off the couch. Hubby snapped the photo and I'm not a fan, but it's a rare shot of my big butt and how I could fit on the couch with company.

Interestingly, all the pictures I could find of myself I was sitting and had some form of child or other camouflaging my front. Most of my weight was carried in my stomach - this crazy illusion of being flat chested - ahem, anyway...and my butt.

Then here I am able to button up my 14's. Very happy day, indeed.

Gotcha!

I'm just kickin' back enjoying some fun on the weekends. Totally loving the new bod.

Better get my feet off mil's couch before she catches me, though.

Clear the Clutter

I am taking this one to heart. I read a book a few years back - now long since donated to the library or sold to a second-hand bookstore - about clearing clutter with Feng Shui. I was moved, not by the prospect of living in a wider vs. longer home, or having rounded corners for energy to move, but rather by the prospect of digging myself out of the clutter we have.

Have you noticed that those with clutter in the homes also tend to have clutter on their bodies? Or maybe it's just me. Why is that? Is it our desire to hang onto things - or not caring about things - or not having the determination to do something about it? Maybe it's one or more, but what I do know is that I have a lot of crap in my home.

So, I have been able to get rid of some clutter from my body and now I am tackling other stuff (mine and theirs). Yup, you heard me. Mark, if you're reading this, we ALL need to comply. OK, how long does it take to find your keys each morning. I seem to have lost mine last weekend - Mark has them, they're in an article of clothing I was wearing, or I left them at mil's or sil's. Regardless, if they're in my kitchen I've wasted numerous minutes looking for them already this week. HELLO??? Time is either money or time away from my family. What about the bank cards Mark mis-placed. Again, they're either in Truro or 'lost' in our home. This has negatively affected our ability to take the 9yo to Frenchy's and she NEEDS some shorts for Friday. Time's a tickin'. Then there's the 10 minutes I spend every morning looking for various things I need to make breakfasts and lunches for the day. Really? I'd rather sleep, thank you very much.

OK, there's my ramble. Clutter - Be Gone. Need some help? Pick up 'Clutters Last Stand' and get started.

Roller Blading my worries away

The 9yo wanted to head out and do SOMEthing last night, so off we went. In all fairness, I planned to go roller blading with her last night anyway, but hadn't mentioned it. 2.5km with the mild to moderate inclines. This is the third time I've done this route. It's a pretty good one since the hubby can take the 4yo in the car to the playground and we meet him there. It's definately a nice change from walking and left me feeling invigorated. I could have kept going.

Black flies are making a seasonal come-back and MY time in the playground was cut short. On the grocery list this weekend: bug spray and sun screen. Also, the 9yo and I are heading to Frenchy's on Saturday for some much needed summer clothes shopping. She's grown and I've shrunk - neither of us has much that fits well enough, and it's important to look good while you're stumbling over gravel crossing driveways while rolling down the sidewalk.

Cheers, ya'll

Menu planning and Goal updates

Well, I wasn't going to follow Corinne's menu next week, but guess what? I looked at it and am psyched. Wasn't crazy about the chicken again (it was in 2 meals last week and 1 this week and what with egg whites I've started to grow feathers), but she said I could substitute white fish or sirloin for variety if I wanted to. So now I really need to decide when I want to sub what and that means...this won't impact my eating with the family for suppers. They can eat what I eat and everyone is happy.

Well, we're on the third week with asparagus on the menu. I'm enjoying it, too. So is the 9yo. She told me it was the best part of my menu - but she's also putting away her share of chicken breast, too.

I'd say the only thing I'm missing is my soy drinks, so I'm going to work it in. I guess, with subbing stuff, I can kind of still make this menu my own quite easily. I'll stick to the 'as written' version for during the day and just switch up suppers for variety.

My goals are going well. I don’t have my notes with me today, so I’m going by memory here.

28 Inches: I am doing good with my food lately, as you can see from above. I’m really focused and am trying to get energized for ST. This week I am only focusing on my ST sessions, and I’m only concentrating on getting 2 in. Any cardio I do is bonus for this week and next – I am just enjoying life right now, but do want to begin incorporating more cardio in. It’s such a great time of year for it. I am inspired by the ‘Hood’ routine – check out PnP today for a blog post by Becca via Corinne on the subject of incorporating cardio and plyo into your daily walks. Corinne also did a video for this on YouTube.

Debt-Down: I was doing a bit of research for opening debt balances and finally broke down and called the student loan centres. I had guessed around $2K on the federal portion and $500 on the provincial portion. Well, the provincial in now paid off and the federal is just over $600. I felt like I won the lottery. I’ve decided to pay off the federal portion with the tax refund since it has the biggest impact on cash-flow, even though it is the lowest interest and the only interest I pay that is tax deductible. Cost vs. benefit – I’d rather re-direct that monthly payment elsewhere.

Positivity: 1) Find them right; 2) Thank them; 3) Ask them to do something easy. I have really been focused on thanking people lately. It is getting easier. Oh, BTW, thanks for reading meJ

Family time: This involves 1) weekly 1-on-1 time between each member of the family, 2) inexpensive or free family outings each week, 3) monthly family dates. We’ve been doing good on this one. Mark and I need to find time for more 1-on-1, but hey, we’re trying.

Learn to swim: I have done absolutely nothing with this. I mean, I learned to swim in the ocean growing up, but I’ve always wanted to learn proper technique. The 9yo taught me some stuff last summer, so I’m looking forward to learning more this year.

Have a great weekend ya'll