Goal Updates

It's been a crazy week I tells ya. The 4yo broke a fever again Sunday night, so I've been with her the past 2 days. Daddy took off work today to stay with her as Mommy needs to get caught up at work. But first:

The 9yo was in a dance festival last weekend. Her group took gold for their jazz routine and silver for their hip/hop routine. GO Sissy! This week she is at a Music festival with her school. I've never actually been able to see her at the music festivals, but will get to see them sing at their school soon. She's packing for the trips with brownies, pro bars, almonds and water. Not able to eat on the trip the say - ha! She hides the foods in her jacket citing that she just can't go that long without eating. And I agree. I couldn't either.

J is going on day 3 with this fever. I just called Mark to make sure her contacts the doctors office today. Hopefully he's there now. She's starting to get lethargic and has had very little to eat since Sunday mid-day.

GOAL#1: Project Manipulation.
Updates on this: I have really been focusing on asking the family to do simple tasks and making sure I thank them. I must admit though, that I've gotten grumbly a few times and let them know that the requests did not have optional answers. Gotta focus on NOT doing that. However, they have helped a few times with getting ready for dinner and putting some things away. The 9yo drew up a schedule for brushing the dog. Mark put my bench together. I've been focusing on being grateful to them. It's a work-in-progress.

GOAL#2: Operation Debt-Down.
GROCERY BUDGET: This is always a trouble spot for us with several small trips at $20-40 per trip plus the weekly trips. I managed to stick to my grocery budget. We did a really good menu plan last weekend involving treats, awesome suppers, etc. I'm testing the waters of batch cooking. I made lasagna Sunday night (serves 8) so there were left-overs - with a salad. A large chicken cooked in the crock Monday had enough meat for a couple sandwiches, lunches, and soup. Ground chicken was on sale so I bought that and did up a large batch which later was divided in 2. I mixed half in a small casserole dish as the base for sheppherds pie and the other was drained and returned to the pot and I added most of what I need for chili. When we want chili it's just add the beans and adjust the spices. Honestly, I think the only thing I'm running out of is milk for coffee. I even cautioned the 9yo that I made/bought her 12 snacks and when they're gone, that's it until Saturday. She's been a little more careful about eating them all up and is saving them for school snacks when she needs them, rather than wants them - hoping this kills 2 birds with 1 stone.

BUDGET PLAN: I drew up a base budget with all my monthly payments and monthly income. I called most of the credit card companies to get balances, due dates and minimum payments due and documented everything and made sure they were up-to-date. This is still in its infancy and I will need to work on this for a while. For now the student loans are just fixed monthly payments even though the balances are quite low. I think they're paid off next winter but don't want to check on that just yet.

EMERGENCY FUND: This is where I'm starting to waver. I put my money in the emergency fund last week, but realize that there is enough there to eliminate the HBC card (28%). Also, I have $1,000 room on the Visa if I need it. I guess the idea is that, as long as I have access to my emergency fund, does it matter if it's cash saved? Or am I running with the mindset that got me here in the first place?

GOAL#3: 28 inches.
Ab routine: I have not focused on that this week.
Strength training: I am thinking about dropping out of the Fast and Furious challenge at PnP for now and focusing on doing 2 ST/week plus 2-3 cardio session/week. I think that, right now, expecting myself to do more leaves me feeling guilty for not doing it. I may mean that the results won't come as quickly - or maybe it'll mean that I will actually stick with my routine and get there more quickly.
Menu planning and journaling: As mentioned in the budget message this is going very well. I know they grumble when I want to sit for a half hour and document meals for the week with their input, but this is such an important part. I need to know that I can stick to budgets and provide healthy, well-rounded meals that everyone will EAT. So, with the roasted chicken we also needed to provide canned gravy for the 9yo for dipping. Important information. I haven't been doing as well journaling - or measuring. Call it an emotional break. Will re-focus after weigh-in tonight.

Measurements

Seems like a good month overall. Kind of mucking around with a lot of quarter inches, which are subjective (did you measure the same spot as last month, pulling the tape slightly harder one time over another, etc.). I am pleased with the fat reduction in my upper body - arms and shoulders. The loose skin, etc in my arms is reducing nicely.

My thighs aren't overly large in my opinion, so I'm not really concerned at this time. I'm also please with the waist reduction, as you can imagine. Below 30 - WOW!
As an NSV, I donated one of my bathing suits from last summer. It was a blue 1-piece and, although it still fit through the body (I could still get away with it because it wasn't stretched out) it was loose and I felt the chest wasn't supportive and the style left much to be desired. My black one, the top still looks good, but it was designed to hide the flab, so I'll likely get rid of it, too. The bottoms? I wore them so much the past 2 years that the arse was stretched out. The elastic in the waist and tummy still work, but there's loose, stretched material in the arse. So, I'll need to pick up a couple of new bathing suites. I'm very pleased that these are 'required' purchases so I don't need to justify them to my new budget. Hubby and kids all need a new suite too so we'll hit Wally-World when the stock comes in. The current selection leaves much to be desired.

I've been lurking and will try to get some comments out in the near future. Oh, and if you haven't been yet - go congratulate Barbie. She's having a baby (or babies) and I've never been happier for anyone to spend 3 months feeling lackluster, tired and yucky - then another 6 months getting big an uncomfortable. Steph - you so deserve this and all of the happiness it brings. While you're at it, pop by and see Amanda and her new baby - ahh, it just seems like yesterday that I popped on and her meeze was preggers. And I can't be talking babies without mentioning Mandy who is now in 2nd trimester. Check out her belly - there's 2 in there. Babies, babies everywhere. I must make sure that no other members of the Barbie Brigade are pregnant.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Weigh and Measure

This is what keeps us accountable everyone. You don't have to post it, but do it for yourself.

Isn't it loverly that at first the scale loves to co-operate, and then we become complacent and can't figure out why the scale isn't moving anymore. Yeah! Measure your food. Weigh your food. The scale will then co-operate. Hey - so will the tape measure. I love the tape measure when the scale stops showing me some lovin'. I regret not having taken more measurements and pictures when I first started this. I mean, at the time I just didn't want to know - I could see my reflection as I walked by windows. Wasn't that enough? I was the woman that swallowed a beach ball.

Anyway, since meeting goal my weight has been dropping regularly. I struggled for so long - since October - with the last 11-12 lbs and now I'm dropping and am down 6.4 from goal weight. Granted, I haven't returned to maintenance mode since week 1 of maintenance, but since Easter I've had a real mental struggle to stay on track and I'm surprised at the scale and its continued downward movement. I knew I had a good week, and maybe April 16ths 0.2 lb gain was an illegal gain (ALL my gains were illegal since I started this, you know).

SO - MINI GOAL ACHIEVED>>>>>>LESS THAN 145>>>>>>>143.6

Slept in this morning, but pinky promise to post measurements tomorrow.