Happy New Year!

Hi all, Stacy here. I just got the email from Marie about the site being back up.

Exercising at the recreation center at work feels like work. I see other faculty, other students. It just wasn't working out for me.

I have joined the local YMCA. I've been to two step aerobic classes. I also am seeing a dietitian. She's put me on a 1500 calorie diet.

Don't get too excited it's only been 4 days.

How is everyone else doing?

Stacy

I did it!!!

5K done!

Regrets

Whoops

Boy... what happened to July and August? So - life pretty much ran away with itself over the last two months. I didn't make much progress but I can happily say that I have added hiking to one of my favorite things to do on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Sunset on the hike through the Benicia Wetlands



Watching the clouds


Let's get back on track shall we?

• Use it up – More stuff to eat out of the pantry just waiting for me.
• 5K – September 27th!!!
• Bento 4 times a week
• Hit the gym or hike 4 times a week
• Take the latest massive closet clean up stuff to Goodwill.

Ok everyone else. We are 2/3 of the way through the year. How are you doing on your goals?

Been Awhile...

WOW it has been a while since I posted. Lots of things going on, mostly good, some less, but overall I'm pleased.

Good news is that while unemployed I worked- a lot. I learned a bunch about myself working as a server and in retail. Now I have a real 9-5 job and kept the retail job, so I'm meeting new people and working hard- and reaping the benefits. My relationship with Brian has also improved. Nothing is harder than feeling like you are not contributing because you don't have a job. Not for lack of trying, I had no job or a crappy job (SERVING SUCKS!!! Fun job, but hard, and you make nothing!!!) I felt guilty buying lunch for myself. And I NEVER got to see him. So being able to make a fair contribution with money, and still spend time with Brian, makes our relationship so much better. We got through the hard time together and it made me even more secure in our future.

Speaking of which, wedding stuff has taken up a notch! I have been honored in being asked to moderate the Indiana board on www.theknot.com. Basically, it's a discussion board and I monitor it for vendors or snotty biotches :-D. It was really an honor to be asked and while it's just a random volunteer thing- not even resume worthy- it made me feel good about myself.

I also have started a wedding blog. Please visit and comment (I don't get very many!!!!!!) The site is http://misspug.blogspot.com. I am working hard on it in hopes that I will be given another honor- becoming a "bee." Weddingbee.com is another wedding site, this one focused on specific, hand-chosen bloggers called "bees." They announced the next open "bees" and one is Miss Pug. CLEARLY I applied and hopefully my blog will be chosen. That would be one of the biggest honors I could receive, since my writing is important to me.

While working 2 jobs isn't easy by any means, I am busy but HAPPY. And I have been making more friends here. Many of Brian's friends have been in transition, some couples broke up but many single friends now have girlfriends, and I finally have girls around to hang out with who are open to making a new friend. I can't tell you how good that feels!

The only negative has been my weight. I've been on and off doing well but have only lost about 10-15 pounds. Which seems like a lot but when I need to lose like 50 it's not enough yet. That is my next thing to be working on motivation for. I know when I put my mind to things I can get them to happen so I just have to keep truckin!

Remove FAIL From Your Vocabulary

“The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.”
- Thomas Edison

Remove FAIL From Your Vocabulary

Do you ever wonder why some people succeed at almost every challenge they take on, while others never seem to be able to get out of the starting blocks?

There are four major reasons why people FAIL - and they very neatly spell out the word itself.

• The F in FAIL stands for lacking Focus.

Your chances of success are magnified exponentially if you have the ability to focus.

It’s like watching a movie on TV. If you give it your undivided attention, you’ll be able to follow the plot, understand the characters, and ultimately enjoy the film. If, on the other hand, you keep jumping up to talk to your pals on the phone, cook a meal, or clean the room, you’re likely to miss some important things that are happening on screen. And it is highly likely that once you’ve lost track of what’s going on, you’ll reach for the remote and watch something else instead.

It’s not that the film wasn’t good. It might have been a real blockbuster. But if you don’t focus, one of two things - or both - will happen. You’ll lose the plot and/or you’ll simply lose interest.

• The A in FAIL stands for not taking Action.
You may have dreams of success, but unless you take action it is unlikely that anything will ever come of those dreams.

• The I in FAIL stands for not seeking out Ideas.
Without ideas, you’re at a creative standstill. This is particularly true when it comes to making Practice fun.

But remember the A in FAIL. Because even with the best ideas, nothing happens if you don’t act on them.

• Finally, we come to the L in FAIL - which stands for not having Longevity.

You need to be willing to pursue your good ideas over the long term, and not just give up when you hit the first hurdle. This is true whether your goal is to earn a Black Belt, get fit, or make any other meaningful changes in your life. If you don’t have staying power, your dreams are likely to fall by the wayside before they come to fruition.

So whenever you feel like failure is staring you in the face, think of the word FAIL itself, and remember what each of those four letters represents: lacking Focus, not taking Action, not seeking out great Ideas, and not having Longevity.

Here’s to completely eliminating FAIL from your vocabulary so you can succeed at almost anything you set your mind to.


You Must Never Allow Yesterday's Victories To Cloud Today's Priorities.

Long time no post

Hi all, been a while since I've posted but I do have good news.

I saved a bunch of $ by switching to.....

In Feb my cholesterol was 220. Got it measured mid June it's down to 180! I also lost 5 lbs based on the Dr.s office scale. I was so excited!

I tend to crave fruits and some veggies now. This didn't happen overnight by any means but slowly as I ate better, foods such as brownies, cookies, etc just weren't as appetizing. I also tackled a very very big milestone in therapy. Some revelations that have been over 10 years in the getting to. I so understand myself much better.

Today someone brought Doughnuts and I didn't eat one! I didn't obsess over it or anything!

As far as working out its hit and miss. I just got back to work this week from traveling so I've worked out 2 days in a row.

So here are my goals:

No binge eating
Eat more fruits
Eat more veggies
workout 3-4 times a week

I want to thank you again for this blog. I know I haven't posted or commented in a while but it was here and I was reading it. I think I thought some of this was too good to be true. Yes yes I know there will be days where I eat more than I should but I think I've finally made a paradigm/lifestyle change.

On with July

Ok - last month's goals were:

• Do another use it up month – I made a very tiny dent...
• Walk across the Bridge – Since I actually took a vacation this month - I hiked Spooner Lake rather than the Bridge. See pictures below
• Bento 4 times a week – Um... yeah...
• Drink 1.5 liters of water a day – Whoops...

So July will look very similar:

• Do another use it up month – More stuff to eat out of the pantry just waiting for me.
• Walk across the Bridge – I'll be hiking across this month - although I'd really love to head up to Tahoe & hike Spooner Lake again.
• Bento 4 times a week AND take pictures! You can visit me on flickr or facebook to guilt me if I don't post the pictures.
• Drink 1.5 liters of water a day – the ever elusive water goal.
• No more Diet Coke - I love it... but I need to stop loving it so.

Heading down the trail to Spooner Lake

Spooner Lake

Mom's Big Goal

This is the letter I received from my instructor.

Congratulations Black Belts,

For getting this far in your training. The goal of 2^nd degree Black Belt is right within your grasp, now it’s time to dig in and work hard. I’m proud of each of you for making it this far in your training and showing you do have Black Belt Excellence. Starting Saturday June 27th you’ll be attending the Saturday Candidate class and starting your exam process for 2^nd Degree Black Belt . Over this 15 week cycle you’ll be reviewing the Forms 1-3, both sets, 24 techniques and all standard basics. These classes are considered part of your exam and you’ll be judged on performance of material, energy, focus, spirit, attitude, commitment and physical fitness through this time. Each week 5 candidate class will be a progress check and you will need to pass these in order to continue in the exam. Once you have passed all required material there is an additional 5 week cycle used to prepare for your Black Belt Promotion.

In order to make sure you are prepared and stay motivated for this exam cycle here is what you will need to do during these 15 weeks.

1. Attend Candidate Exam Class Each Saturday at 8:30am

a. This is your 2^nd Black Belt exam.

b. Get to the Studio at 8:20am so you can start your 20min jog at 8:30am

2. Attend 2 Black Belt Classes Each Week

a. This will help you prepare for the next Step Exam.

b. Work hard each class, do not allow yourself to give up or go easy. Always perform to the best of your and never train to be mediocre.

3. Exercise 3 times a week.

a. 50 Push-ups with in 90 seconds. Back straight! Hands under the shoulders! All the way down nose to the ground! Push Yourself

b. 70 Sit-ups in 90 seconds. Full sit ups.

c. Run 3miles with-in 30 min. Work on a nice steady pace, focusing on your breathing. Log into website to get 9 week jogging routine if needed

4. Read your Etiquette Exam daily. (you may be called upon to do a written exam)

a. If there are words you do not understand look them up in a dictionary.

b. If you are unsure of what a particular etiquette may mean just ask.

c. Study the first 24 pages of the Etiquette Exam.

5. Practice at home 3 times a week.

a. Practice for 30minutes solid running techniques/forms/basics/Spontaneity Drills on a partner.

b. Plan out ahead of time of what you will be practice.

c. Practice as if that is your Exam. Push Yourself.

6. Always bring a notebook to class.

a. Any material that is corrected/fixed write it down then work on it at home.

b. Use the notebook to keep a training log to track your own progress.

When you look at it, it may seem a lot but if you schedule it out it works out well. Here is an example of a Weekly Routine, I created to give you an idea how easy it can be if mapped out.

Monday: Exercise Push-Up/Sit-ups, Practice, Read 15 min

Tuesday: Run 3 miles, Read 15 min, BB Class

Wednesday: Exercise Push-Up/Sit-ups, Practice, Read 15 min

Thursday: Run 3 miles, Read 15 min, BB Class

Friday: Practice, Exercise Push-Ups/ Sit-ups, Read 15 min

Saturday: Candidate Class, Run 3 miles, Read 15 min

Sunday: Day of Rest. Mapping out practice routine for the week.

Through this process the change to 2^nd Black Belt will happen as long as you push yourself and work hard. Don’t look for excuses, find solutions. I look forward to watching your progress over this 15 week cycle.

I am down twelve pounds. I ran this morning for 14 minutes, walked for 1, then ran 10 minutes. I am halfway there on the sit ups. I had an MRI on my shoulder Thursday, and am awaiting the results. Consequently, the push ups are not an option right now, but my instructor knows that.

I worked out with two other black belts today for about 75 minutes, maybe 80.

This is my big goal. I am also looking to lose 5 more pounds, then I will be at the weight I was when I got pregnant. I figure the running ought to help tighten up those leg muscles.

How are we all doing? I know how some of you are doing, but I want to hear from everyone!

5 month wrap up

Wow – has it already been 5 months. I have to thank everyone for keeping me motivated. I took the opportunity of this blog to get myself active again after my meniscus tear.

• When I started in January I had a prominent limp and could walk on the treadmill for 10 min at 1.4 miles per hour. Now, I have no limp and walk 60 min at 3.5 miles an hour
• I’ve dropped over 40 pounds (that’s the 20 I gained after injuring my knee and more)
• Cut my food spending bill by not eating out as much - I'm hoping to cut it in half by the end of the year
• I can swim a mile
• I’m now drinking at least a liter of water a day
• Wearing clothing that I’ve not worn in 12 years
• Went for a hike for the first time in 15+ years
• I signed up to walk a 5K
• Donated over 150 pieces of clothing & linens to the women’s shelter
• Donated 200 books and CD to my grandmother’s assisted living facility
• Gutted and cleaned two rooms of my house from top to bottom getting rid of everything and anything that I’ve not used in the past year. It was a lot of shit – and now it’s helping others. I love freecycle.com

So – what does the rest of the year have in store for me? No clue. I’m going to keep making monthly goals and by the end of the year – feel like I really accomplished something and hopefully helped others.

Now on to June Goals!

I’m going to really focus on eating this month. I’ve gotten lax and my dietary bad habits have come back.

• Do another use it up month – I still have way too much stuff in my pantry.
• Walk across the Bridge – The Carquinez Bridge has a pathway over to Crockett. I plan to take over a picnic and enjoy the view. I promise to take pictures!
• Bento 4 times a week – Part of my focusing on my diet is planning what I will eat for the week.
• Drink 1.5 liters of water a day – upping my water & trying to get to 2 liters a day by the end of the year.
  
  

update

Hi! I have been reading your posts but I have not been able to comment due to computer problems. I have been feeling really good with the fact that I have achieved some of my goals. I have organized the room that I was using as a storage. My husband was very proud of me for doing so, because we both thought that there was no solution. I found a way to re-arrange everything and move some things to other rooms, so now I have a decent guest room and my clothes, purses and shoes are not in the way anymore. We also started eating more healthy during weekdays, lots of veggies and little or no meat at all. I think both of us are feeling that this is a good decision, and I am sleeping good now. I still need to buy a scale to measure my weight loss - if any. I substituted cookies and chocolate with grapes and other fruits for dessert at lunchtime. I have been going to the doctor - a mission for me - for check ups as I am trying to be more responsible with myself. Now I have to find a way to convice my husband to do the same - his allergies are so severe he can't breath at night. I also started sewing. Sometimes I feel frustrated because some projects take a little time and I tend to leave things unfinished... and it is funny because I really enjoy doing them, so i am trying to focus on finishing things instead of moving on to another type of hobby.
I hope everyone is doing fine!

Almost there!

well, after taking two weeks off from weighing in, I finally bit the bullet this past Sunday and jumped on the scale. To my complete amazement.....135.6!!! I have lost 9.4 lbs!! My goal was to have lost 10 lbs by the summer, so I think I can pull off the .6 lbs over the next week or so.
My overall goal is still 15lbs, so I have ways to go with that, but I'm amazed that I've gotten this far this quickly. I know it has a lot to do with keeping track of my progress on this blog and for all the feedback and support I get from you all, so thank you all so much.

I had taken a few weeks off from the counting calories and going to the gym because life has just gotten crazy hectic, I was teaching a class for the Navy that was taking up all my time and my supervisor is leaving our office, and now I've been left in charge of...well...everything! So it's been hard to keep to my regular schedule, but last week I prevailed! I went to the gym three times and actually went to yoga! It felt so great, and I'm glad I did because it paid off.

I picked up my first CSA share this week, which you can read about here. I'm eating part of it right now! And I think it's going to help me a lot with my goal to eat vegetarian at least once a week and just to eat healthier and fresher over all. If you have the opportunity to do this in your area, I highly recommend it. Knowing where your food comes from, and even knowing the very people who grow it is not such a novel concept. It wasn't that long ago that people either grew their own food or bought their food from farmers right in their town. I really think it's time to get back to this and return ourselves to the idea of supporting our communities, our farm lands, and learning to love what is here and now, rather than demanding whatever we feel like we want that particular day.

I'll be doing a special Foodie Friday post this week about a recipe I made with my CSA share and talking a little bit about it, so tune in if you're interested in trying it yourself. (http://ladypugmugs.blogspot.com)

I hope everyone else is doing well with their goals - I'm eager to see some more posts from others to see how they're doing!! What are you struggling with? What kind of information or posts would you like to see? What goals have worked and what goals have you had to put on the back burner? I've certainly had to drop my work goals to the bottom of my priorities. What have you had to change around or re-evaluate?

April Wrap Up and May Goals

Ok April... not my best month

• Swim 2 miles a week - ARG! I hit a few weeks but not all. I'm taking this one off for a month and then coming back to it.
• Drink 1.5 liters of water a day - I didn't quite hit1.5 but I didn't drop below 1 liter. So I'll call this one mostly done!
• Stay off of the Diet Coke after lent and Easter are complete - Oops
• Go somewhere for a hike - Done! My niece and I went for a long trek on the Sacramento River

So May goals! I'm going to focus this month on getting some 'me' things done.

• Sign up for the Korman 5K walk in September
• Clean out the linen & yarn closets - I have a huge mess in there and really need to send a bunch of stuff on to charity
• Do a use it up month - which means no purchasing of any groceries with the exception of veggies and dairy. I need to use up stuff in my pantry before it goes bad.
• Go somewhere for a hike - I'm keeping this one on because I want to head out into the wilderness... but come back for a rest in the spa afterwards... you know
• Bento 4 times a week - I slacked a bit so I'm tossing this one back on.

Roll Call

Okay everybody, we gotta get cracking on our goals. How is everyone doing? We need to have a role call. So if you're here, leave a comment and let me know you're alive!

This is one of my goals. It's getting closer to being finished. It's a light in the breezeway, heading out to the garage. At night it is dark and I can't see to get the key in the lock. So I am wiring this up so I will be able to have light. It will have switches at both doors, so the wiring was a bit tricky, but with help, mom is getting it done. :)

Shoot For The Moon

Back on Track

I just got back from a very needed vacation and I am starting to feel the need to go back to my normal life. I still have lots of work to do in the house, specially in the "disaster room" but since I still have not found the solution to organize everything in there, I have decided to not let THAT disturb all the other things I want to do each day. I have spent more than a month moving things back and forth and now I prefer to ignore the fact that it is still a disaster.

I would like to go back to my first list of goals from January:

- Take care of myself. I am doing this already. I feel better but I still need to learn how to manage my hair.

- Eat healthier. Working on this, too. My portions have been reduced a lot and I am trying to add a wide variety of things on my lunch box: yogurt, fruit, milk, veggies... a little bit of everything and I am drinking a lot of water also.

- Exercise. I walked a lot during my vacation and it is always sad to realize I am not in shape at all. On monday I went to the gym with my husband, its the first time we go together and I was very enthusiastic but on tuesday I woke up with a very bad cold so we haven't gone back. But we intend to do so, as soon as I feel better. I am trying to get to like the gym and since I go with him, it is much more fun. I am not walking Coco as much as I used to before, but I think that the fact that he climbs the stairs of the house many times throughout the day have helped him slim down.

- Hobbies. I was feeling bad of doing something else than working on the house but as I mentioned above, I will take my time to do things that I like also. I will focus on a few projects I have going on, one of them involving the sewing machine. I am so excited!

Yikes!

I think it's been a few weeks since I last updated - Sorry!! I was out of town in DC for a while, and then I started teaching a class for the Navy last week, so I've been swamped with stuff.
So here's the real quick run down:

-I'm down about 8 lbs. Two more and I'll be at my "summer goal" weight and half way to my over all goal. Yay!!

-Back on the Slim Fast lunch plan. This may have contributed to my weight loss over the past two weeks or so. I had kind of stalled out last month and have finally gotten back into dropping pounds.

-Have been awful about the gym for the aforementioned reasons. Will be back on again with this soon, I hope.

-Winston's training....almost completely out the window. Where did I fall off with this one? I just feel like even if I get through the training, I don't have the time to do the therapy work with him that I'd be getting him certified for. You know, if you can't find the time to do the classes and training, then you probably don't have the time to do the real work with it. Sigh. This needs more thought on my part.

How is everyone else doing??? I want updates. I feel like some people have fallen off the map, and I want to know what's up.

Bento Goal

Hi all, a few have asked what my bento goals mean. My bento goal is packing and bringing my lunch, via bento, on a daily basis to work. Here's a bento sample.

If you want to see my daily bentos you can check out my flickr page, visit the blog or friend me on Facebook. I'm going to start taking pictures again now that I've 're-found' my camera.

Magnify the Positives – Shrink the Negatives!

Everyday we are all likely to experience positive things and people, as well as negative things and people. What we focus on, is a choice we all get to make.

You can choose to magnify the negatives and allow yourself to get stressed out by your problems and challenges. When you choose this route, you will attract more negatives.

It will seem as if you have a black cloud over your head.

Whenever you magnify the negatives in your life, you also shrink the positives.

You become blind to the good stuff, simply because you are focusing on all the crap!

Or, you can choose the opposite...to magnify the positives and feed your spirit with great optimism and an energy force that will attract more of the good stuff into your life.

It’s a choice we all get to make every moment of everyday.

Have you ever noticed how lucky some people seem to be?”

The harder you work, the luckier you will become!”

Experience tells me there is a lot of truth to that statement.

People that work hard at achieving pre-determined worthwhile goals and objectives, tend to focus on what they want in their lives.

And are generally happier because of their excitement toward their goals.

They soon begin to attract the people, situations and opportunities that bring the luck they need to become successful achievers.

A good exercise for you to improve on this area, for the next seven days, is to focus only on the positives in your life.

Positive people, events, activities, language and positive actions.

Like everything…Practice makes Permanent!

3 Days

Thank you for the comments on my last post.

Ok Folks I have followed the Nutrisystem diet for 3 days now. Not going over 1200 cals and also eating all of the salad, fruits, veggies. As long as I don't get physically hungry I am fine. Nights are the hardest so I've been waiting till close to bedtime to eat the "dessert" which has worked out well so far.

I also have kept my goal of working out! I did the crosstrainer Mon and Today.

I've been telling myself "It can wait" It meaning other stuff in general.

Hope you all are having a great Wed!

Working Hard

The color of my stripe has changed from orange to purple. I will be testing next Tuesday to change it to green. Once that happens, I will be eligible to test for my 2nd Degree Black Belt.

I have been doing shoulder exercises with weights, sit ups, and running, as well as a lot of practicing. Today I decided to see what I was made of. I got on the treadmill and ran for 5 minutes, fast walked for 2, ran for 5, fast walked for 2, ran for 5 and then cooled down.

Yes, I can run for twenty minutes. I have until June 26th to get there, but after today, I know I can. Then every Saturday morning I will be running twenty uninterrupted minutes. Oh joy! But hey, I want that second degree, so what can I say.

If you can't you must, if you must you will!

Update

I have been doing so so. 80% of the time I do ok. My problem is that I end up eating something every day that prevents me from losing any weight. Chocolate, chips, brownies or someone asks me to dinner. Something each day. I did manage to stick to the Nutrisystem diet except for that. I have probably eaten more fruit and veggies in the past month than in the past few years.

As far as exercise goes I get in 10,000 steps a day but I have been slacking on the ellipitcal. I have it in my mind that I will eat more or be more hungry if I workout so I don't.

So with all that said, here are my goals for April.

1. No binging
2. Elliptical or treadmill 30 mins a day
3. Stick to the nutrisystem eating plan
4. Take this eating thing moment by moment and not think if it as days

What happens is I have this whole philosophical argument with myself about food. On the one hand I am not hugely overweight and am in good health. So why deprive myself of food? On the other hand I have wanted to lose about 30 lbs for over a year now. So when I get hungry or crave chocolate or have repetitive thoughts about food, I think, is this mental anguish worth it? Sometimes I say yes and sometimes I say no. My goal is to start saying yes more.

The good thing is that I can't eat as much as I use to. So when I do eat breakfast or lunch I am usually full. Teh problem is afternoon and dinner. I get hungry and it's a real hungry in that my blood sugar is low. So by the time I get to eat the food doesn't get into my system quick enough and I am still hungry.

So I haven't lost any weight but eating wise I am making progress but it's slow. I basically do something every day or so to blow it just enough.

Tomorrow is a new day. Persistence.

Thanks for letting me share.

March Wrap up & April goals

Ok - wrapping up March

• Bento 4 days a week - Done (well except for those weeks when I had business lunches)
• Keep my Daily Plate updated everyday - mostly done. I missed a few days here and there
• Swim 2 miles a week - argh, just argh
• Drink 1 liter of water a day - DONE! Finally!

Ok now on to April

• Swim 2 miles a week - I WILL do this
• Drink 1.5 liters of water a day
• Stay off of the Diet Coke after lent and Easter are complete
• Go somewhere for a hike

Hope everyone is doing well!

Which Way Do I Go To Find Success?

When you reach for success and can't quite get there…it's both a lesson and an adventure - not a failure. If you consider it a failed attempt, FIRST look at your attitude.

Let me give you my formula for success -- at no charge:

1. Find something to do that you believe in, and that you love.

2. Dedicate the time that it takes to become a world-class expert at it.
NOTE: I was taught long ago that there are three kinds of experts: an expert, a world-class expert, and THE world-class expert. In order to get what you want, in order to become successful, you have to be at least a world-class expert.

3. Believe in yourself, and let no one around you shake that belief.

4. Wake up every morning with an attitude of YES! And, have it be strong enough to shake off the NOs. And, if you have all of those elements...

4.5 You must then be willing to work hard. Not just "do whatever it takes," but actually see the vision of completion and fulfillment, and work hard towards that with all your heart, every day.

SUCCESS FORMULA RECAP: If you love it, if you believe in it, if you believe in yourself, and you're willing to work your butt off, you can march to success.

by: Jeffrey Gitomer

Personal Responsibility

"There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them." -- Denis Waitley

"Errant assumptions lie at the root of every failure. What are yours? What if they are wrong?" -- Brian Tracy

"It is not what happens that determines the major part of your future. What happens, happens to us all. It is what you do about what happens that counts." -- Jim Rohn

"A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying." -- John Burroughs

Still Going Strong

I've been cycling to work, but I'm still going to my classes and training. I even jogged five miles! Working out before the ride, 3 days a week has been tough. 5 days was impossible. This week was fine with only two (I simply forgot on Friday morning!)

But I'm still pushing forward. Cheering on my fellow candidates. And putting down nearly 70 miles a week, just commuting!

Perfection

Have a Fabulous Friday!

update

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I wanted to write once I had something new, but with the moving it was hard to focus in other things. I did organize the house and still have a few boxes and things out of place but all of them are in the extra room that will remain as a storage for a while. I try to bring a box or two downstairs on weekdays to continue clearing the room. We will start painting the house this weekend. Other than that, I have not done much.
I worked really hard the first two weeks after I moved in - way beyond what I thought I was able to do - and maybe that "extra effort" made me feel more hungry. I have gained weight and I am starting to feel really bad about it. My belly bothers me when I am sitting down or driving. My clothes don't fit anymore and I get tired too quickly. I started this week with my "diet" again. I feel hungry throughout the day at work, so I got some mango yogurt, cereal and apples to eat as a snack, instead of cookies or chocolate. I am also trying to eat less and lighter at night. I cook and save my plate for lunch next day. Instead, I am eating only soup at night. I am also drinking infusions after dinner. I don't know why, but I've been having trouble sleeping and the infusions have helped a lot.
I still need to buy a scale. I need to see progress with my weight loss!

Bleh

I've sort of hit a stumbling block. No weight loss this week, and only .5'' down. I only went to the gym three times this past week. I've also slacked a lot on my eating. I just need to get back in my January mode with this. My goal was to be down 6 lbs by the end of March. Maybe if I'm really good this week I can make it, but it will be really hard.
I was productive in other fronts though: working on pay it forward gifts, applied for a summer teaching job (ack!), and filled out the non-degree application for the graduate certificate I plan on starting in the fall.
Some weeks you just have to choose your battles, you know?

Happy Monday!!
(oxymoron, anyone?)

Another Week Almost Done

Checking in

Thought I'd check in on the goals I made for March. Going home to IL messed somethings up. Now I have NO traveling or speaking until June. I am super excited.

1. No binge eating - have been successful at this! * I did eat too much chocolate for a day or two but nothing compared to the past.
2. Elliptical 3-4x a week (I did this for the first time this week!)
3. 10,000 steps a day. *been doing fine.....

Congrats Rachel.

I have been pretty frustrated the past few days. I think I gained back a pound or two. I'm afraid to weigh myself for now. In the past week I have definitely realized how eating is a stress reliever for me. I have eaten more chocolate and some brownies but didn't get any ice cream. I find it fascinating that when I am super stressed that my thoughts go to ......I need to eat .....

Thanks for reading. I am thankful for this blog. There have been a few times when I have wanted to give up and thinking of this blog has stopped me.

Ok - Week #11

1. Bento 4 days a week - nope three days. I had two lunch dates this week


2. Keep my Daily Plate updated everyday - yep


3. Swim 2 miles a week - nope. I'm oh so close!


4. Drink 1 liter of water a day - Yep!

Progress Report # Who knows??

Well, I finally broke the 140 barrier. Sunday's weigh in was 139.2 - I realize it's not much below the line, but it seems like a miracle to me none the less.
This week I will be keeping this up and making sure I stay below that line by focusing on cardio/calorie burning rather than weight lifting. I can do that this week since I won't have yoga on Thursday since it's my mom's birthday.

This weather over here is making it hard to do anything but sit around the house and eat (which is, by the way, exactly what I did all day yesterday) - it is rainy and gray and foggy and there is no reason to be outside or doing anything other than schleping.

BUT - I will try to get to the gym at least 3 times this week, will shoot for 4, but .... eh.... you know.

That's about the only progress I've had this week in regards to my initial goals.
I did get started on another thing altogether that I didn't see coming, but I think might be a big deal for me this year ...... I learned about a graduate certificate in Professional Writing that my Alma Mater - Old Dominion University. I started my masters there over a year ago, but found it boring and dropped out after a semester.
This graduate certificate would only take me 3 classes to complete because of my previous graduate level work, it would give me the professional writing certificate, which would be useful in my job hunting, and would also give me the 18 credit hours of graduate level work I need to be able to teach college level courses at the school I work for - so it kills quite a few birds with one stone.
Anyways, I've emailed a lady at the school about when I can get started on it - I'd only take one class at a time, and I'd be done in about a year. I'm kind of excited about it! Professional writing is definitely a different route than the one I was on (I was getting my Master of Fine Arts in poetry and my BA is in Creative Writing), but I really think I would enjoy it.

For the past year I've sort of felt like I didn't know what I was doing with myself - I had dropped out of grad school, I still have the same job I had through college doing stuff that isn't particularly related to my degree, and I just didn't really have any plans. This certificate and classes make me feel like I do have a plan or at least a road to a plan, I guess.
SO, it's been a good week.

What have you been up to???

Failure & Success

The Following is a List of Failures & Successes of one particular individual, whom you ALL know. Check it out. Then look in the mirror and tell yourself if he can succeed after all those failures, so can YOU!

1832
Lost job
Defeated for state legislature
Elected company captain of Illinois militia in Black Hawk War

1833
Failed in business
Appointed postmaster of New Salem, Illinois
Appointed deputy surveyor of Sangamon County

1834
Elected to Illinois state legislature

1835
Sweetheart died

1836
Had nervous breakdown
Re-elected to Illinois state legislature (running first in his district)
Received license to practice law in Illinois state courts

1837
Led Whig delegation in moving Illinois state capital from Vandalia to Springfield
Became law partner of John T. Stuart

1838
Defeated for Speaker
Nominated for Illinois House Speaker by Whig caucus
Re-elected to Illinois House (running first in his district)
Served as Whig floor leader

1839
Chosen presidential elector by first Whig convention
Admitted to practice law in U.S. Circuit Court

1840
Argues first case before Illinois Supreme Court
Re-elected to Illinois state legislature

1841
Established new law practice with Stephen T. Logan

1842
Admitted to practice law in U.S. District Court

1843
Defeated for nomination for Congress

1844
Established own law practice with William H. Herndon as junior partner

1846
Elected to Congress

1848
Lost renomination
(Chose not to run for Congress, abiding by rule of rotation among Whigs.)

1849
Rejected for land officer
Admitted to practice law in U.S. Supreme Court
Declined appointment as secretary and then as governor of Oregon Territory

1854
Defeated for U.S. Senate
Elected to Illinois state legislature (but declined seat to run for U.S. Senate)

1856
Defeated for nomination for Vice President

1858
Again defeated for U.S. Senate

1860
Elected President - Yes, this is Abraham Lincoln, arguably one of the BEST Presidents of The United States of America.

Wow, huh!


"Success is moving from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill

One worthwhile task

Weekly Check Up

I got back on the treadmill yesterday. I haven't run since I fell and smacked the whole body around (in a bad way). I ran 16 of the 24 minutes. I need to run twenty solid minutes for my class starting in 16 weeks. I am on track, that is good.

I am doing 40 sit-ups each night. I have to increase it this week to 44. I will need to do 60, so I am on pace with those as well.

I am not doing any push-ups, though I did ten in class Saturday. The arm ached, so I am targeting the muscles that need to get stronger for me to do 50 push ups. I believe it is my delts that need work, so I am doing those exercises every night after the sit ups. I may get a pass on the push-ups, (because my instructor knows the problems I have with my shoulder) but I don't want a pass. I want to be able to do them, without pain or aching.

I am still working on my weight. I am losing inches, the butt is getting smaller, hips too. Just need to get those thighs down. Of course running doesn't exactly make slim thighs, so that's why I do the step exercises.

I am also working on my Intermediate Level Instructor's Certification. If I get this, I will outrank Mr. Karate again. hahahaha. He told me to give him a year of outranking me before I pass it in. I said no. :)

I want my Intermediate Certification for two reasons. The first is because I like to figure things out, and I like knowing the whys of all our techniques and forms. The second is because I will never have the strength of the 14-21 yr olds I work out with. So I have to KNOW more than them. If you can't beat them with strength, then baffle them with bullpoop.

:)

I've been seeing that a lot of people everywhere are fighting the winter blahs and the economic "recession depression". I think that if we all are there for each other, we will get through this tough time and come out shining like stars. I am glad you are all in this with me. Thanks for all your posts, comments and efforts.

Goals for March

I am setting the same goals for March that I had for Feb.

1. No binge eating - have been successful at this!
2. Elliptical 3-4x a week (I did this for the first time this week!)
3. 10,000 steps a day.

I am on spring break this week and want to cry at the amount of work I have to get done. I am hoping to be very productive tomorrow (Monday) and not push it off to Tues and Wed. On thurs I have to go out of town again and present. I don't want to but professionally and for promotion and tenure I have to.

I had a great visit with my parents this weekend. It's very tough seeing my Dad on oxygen. He has fibroid tumors in his lungs.

I know I keep saying I am busy. I don't mean that others aren't. I just feel bad that I haven't gotten to write much or comment much on others blogs. Work wise I should not have gone home this weekend but I needed to see my folks.

Here is a picture that might make you smile. These are my parents cats Dutch and Ruthie (inside the ice cooler thing).

Catching up

Sorry I've been out of it lately - just a lot of stuff going on keeping me busy, out of town, away from the computer, etc.
Unfortunately, all of those things are not helping me get to my goals either. I have continued to lose weight (down to 140.4 this morning) but I was hoping by now I'd be down into the 30's - that's OK - next week, I'm sure of it.
I have also officially lost over 5 inches over all. I'm amazed at how much easier it is for me to tone than it is to lose weight. Size 4s are actually fitting again - the 6s I'm wearing now are falling off.


NO progress on CGC stuff with Winston, but I have a lot of motivation now as I was told this past week that if you have a certified therapy dog you can put all of their expenses as deductions on your tax return. Yup - I guess because you're utilizing them for 'charitable work' etc they are considered a deduction. I had kind of guessed this before, but it has been confirmed, so that's really some incentive, considering the amount of money I spend on these dogs every year.

I have been keeping up with everyone else's progress and I'm so proud and impressed with everyone! Even if you haven't seen me post or comment, I am keeping up - I swear!

Focusing on your goals through January is tough, through February is amazing and now if we all make it through March together it will be nothing short of a miracle - so keep it up!

Ok Week #10

1. Bento 4 days a week - yep
2. Keep my Daily Plate updated everyday - yep
3. Swim 2 miles a week - nope, didn't make it this week. I will next week!
4. Drink 1 liter of water a day - Yep! I finally just got a brita pitcher and put it on my desk.

Opportunity

Where there is an open window, there exists limitless opportunity

Respect

The Most Important Measure of Success

Being respected by others is very important to each of us. A survey done by the Gallup organization found that the most prominent living Americans rated the respect of others as the most important measure of success in life. They worked very hard to earn the respect of their parents, the respect of their spouses and children, the respect of their peers and colleagues, and the respect of mankind at large.

Why You Respect Yourself

It seems that we truly respect ourselves only when we feel that we are respected by others, and we will go to great lengths to earn and keep that respect. When we feel that someone respects us for who we are and what we have accomplished, we tend to be more open to that person's influence.

Two Things You Can Do

We can do two things to put ourselves in a position to be respected by others. The first is to develop our knowledge of our field. The more people perceive you know about your subject, the more they will respect you. The highest-paid people in almost every field are those who know more than the average people. They are recognized as experts, and they develop what is called "expert power." Because of their superior knowledge, they are looked up to and listened to, and they are much more capable of influencing others to act in a particular way than they would be if their knowledge level were just average.

Develop Your Expertise

Another way to put ourselves in a position of being respected by others is to develop your expertise. Expertise is closely tied to knowledge, but it is a little different. Expertise is the ability to do, the ability to perform well in your chosen field. Men and women with expertise are those who practice over and over in whatever they do until they become known far and wide as the very best in their field.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:First, study your field in detail. Dedicate at least one hour per day to reading, listening to audio programs, studying to become more and more knowledgeable about what you do. Second, continually upgrade your knowledge and skills in your field. Identify your weakest important skill and go to work on that.

Knowledge and know-how are the keys to the 21st century

Weekly Update

I was so excited this morning I forgot to update!

Another two pounds down. Last week I had my great weight loss treat. This week the next looks a little closer! YEAH.

I hope to get down to my set point weight, which is only twenty pounds above my ideal weight (did I say only twenty?) by June. I am doing well on this diet but it is harder with my husband because he loves carbs so much and really doesn't much like veggies.

I have been working on a book from the idea that my cat gave me: Why do you think Sickness is Wrong. I am still working on what I want to say and how I want to say it. I might end up tossing everything as I refine the audience for whom I am writing. I am meeting with a coach about this on Friday but I find that I am very motivated.

Getting There

Before

After

After

Before

Confession

I took the week off from working out. I didn't work out in the mornings, I still haven't managed to wake up early. Whenever something like this happens, I get really hard on myself.

I think it's time to start cycling to work.

Here's where my plan is failing. Yes, I want to be doing 100 pushups every morning, but there's no motivation. My test will only require 40. I can do 50 no problem. Still, it's been a lazy week.

My first test is Saturday. I'm not worried about passing the physical parts, but I know when I have a routine I feel better throughout the day. Here's my goal:

Make lunch, get to bed at 10pm.
Wake up at 5am: 75 pushups, 100-200 crunches, 10 pullups.
Bike to work.
--
Bike home.
Arm/shoulder workout with weights.
Practice karate?

Wish me luck.

[EDIT] In an attempt to adjust my coat, 1.5 miles into my planned 20 mile ride today, I fell off my bike and banged my hip. Pain is a really excellent demotivator. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow, but today I'm limping. guh

DKM's Feb wrap-up and March goals

January rocked... February sucked. Sick bunny, sick cat, dreadful deadlines at work - let's just scratch February off of the record shall we...

I did hit 2 goals but missed on the other two

• Bento 3 days a week - Done
• Swim 2 miles a week - Didn't quite make it but I did get up to 1.75 one week.
• Drop 5 pounds - Done, dropped 8
• Drink 1 liter of water a day - Totally blew this one.

So let's look forward to March - which will be a better month.

• Bento 4 days a week
• Keep my Daily Plate updated everyday
• Swim 2 miles a week
• Drink 1 liter of water a day.

Minor Goal Done!

I got all my tax stuff ready to send to the accountant. Yippie! One down, several more to go!

This is for your amusement. Mom thought it was pretty funny.

Checking in

Hi all. I was out of town in Washington DC from thursday to sunday for a professional conference. I am just now catching up.

I did great with food. I haven't worked out since last wed. Monday I was just too tired. I also needed to pick up Brutus.

I am sorry I haven't posted/commented lately on anyone elses posts. I just need another day or so. I have been reading posts.

This Week's Goals

YEAH! Week one of South Beach and I am down two pounds. Now if I could do that again, Iwould be ecstatic!

I haven't been working out any more but I have stayed with it. I have had some left leg/hip problems that are probably all related--it's just figuring out what it is.

I have written a lot this last week. I wrote five new posts to be set to publish each day on my blog Wed Cents. My goal on this blog is 100 visits a day by the end of June. I am working mostly on promoting it through twitter and facebook. I have 10 times more people visiting a day now than I did at the beginning of January.

I am seeking out some assistance for promotion of a book a I want to write. I mean, I am writing it but I am looking into some ways of promoting it. I hope to work with a coach. We'll see!

This two pounds means I get my first 10 pound loss reward: a trip to the Olympus Day spa. I plan to go soak up some heat and relax!

Progress Report #7

Bleh.

That's right, for the first week since I've been updating, I'm really disappointed with myself. I worked out every single day last week except for Saturday and I GAINED over a pound. There is no excuse for this. I did cardio every single day. I'd like to pass it off and say "oh, it must be muscle" but it's just not possible.
I did lose over an inch at my waistline, but it does not make up for over a one pound gain.
I know I wasn't as good about my food last week. I stopped doing my food log a week or so ago because I thought I really had it under control, but I may have to go back to that tedious writing every single thing down thing again.
I was really hoping to be in the 130's by this week, and it was really so icky to see that number yesterday.
And even worse - I am going to be at a work conference for three days this week. This means staying in a hotel, eating whatever kind of food is provided and just getting off my regular schedule in general. I do plan on using the hotel's fitness center and will try to keep my eating in check, but I know how these things go - they put out snacks for you all day long and you don't have time to sit down and eat a real meal so you just gorge on doritos or something.

so bleh to all of that. Trying to stay up beat, but it's hard when you feel like you're working really hard and not seeing results. Jeremy keeps telling me that he can see my gym results, but we're all so much more critical of ourselves than others are, aren't we?
I'm not going to let it get me down - I'm going to keep up my work out routine, continue with my yoga (Which I LOVE and is quickly becoming my favorite part of the week) and will start paying more attention to my food and caloric intake.

I do feel toned. And I'm glad the inch came off my waistline because I've been KILLING my abs at the gym every day. I'm also feeling so much improvement in my yoga - last week's class was much more challenging and I stuck all the poses with very little strain. (trying to stay positive!)

Well, here's to a more successful week. Hope everyone is enjoying their MONDAY. Hah - yeah, right.

Silly Me

Well, silly me! I finally figured out that I really ought to put a number to my goal of weight loss. I know what I want to lose, but I never defined it by a specific time frame. I think that is why I am not doing as well as I want. So now, I am publicly saying I want to lose 6 pounds by the end of March.

I have to admit that I was really happy to NOT do karate yesterday. My chest/ribs have stopped aching, but the shoulder area is still tender and I was really happy to have an "out". Everyone was asking me what happened and they were all stunned when they heard about my little "trip" down the ice. I mean really, folks, it could only happen to me.

Luckily, my mom gave me an hour long massage for my birthday and I plan on redeeming it this week. That's goal number one.

Goal number two is to get the taxes to the accountant and clean up the house. And that bookcase I showed you a photo of a couple of weeks ago.

Sandra's Progress

This week I packed a lot of stuff and feel much better about moving into the townhouse. I walked a lot more, specially in the afternoons. I need to put a lot of more effort in my diet, I think I gained weight and I am feeling very bad about it. I will buy a scale once I move into the new house, that way I can control better my progress or lack of it.

Good and Bad News

Good news: It's been two weeks, and we've worked out for an hour five days both weeks. I am proud of us!

Bad news: Found out today I'm being let go from my job, with my last day March 6th. I'm stressing bad about trying to find a job. Any help in the Indianapolis area?!?!?! It's weighing on me heavily, but I'm kind of glad, it was a horrible job for me, but I was not willing to quit without a job lined up. I've been looking on and off for a year, but not too intensely. Now, they made the decision for me. Which is a blessing in disguise. I think this will lead me on the right path- I just need insurance! :-D

Tuesday weekly update

Last week someone asked about my acupuncture cards. I sell cards for acupuncturists to use in their practice (like you get reminder cards from the dentist or whatever) that are acupuncture themed. I have them on zazzle right now. I had hoped to get them on send out cards but they really only allow you to sell the images to each person and then that person gets to use the images as much as they want. I'd do this except that it would cost me a lot to upload the images ($10/image) and then they are planning to start charging per month too which means that the amount you'd have to sell the images for would be cost prohibitive--particularly when you have a niche market like I do.

That was kind of a bummer. As I go through this year and really focus on those things that I want most, I realize that the thing I want most is to be a writer so I am working along those lines.

Weight loss: was a full pound gain. However, I am not as down as I could be as I am changing my diet. My husband and I were doing the alternate day diet (which he continues to love). However I just felt horrible on it so I changed yesterday to South Beach (which I have always done well on). South Beach forces me to eat real food regularly and my body does well with that. I think because we were weighing in the day after fasting (before eating) that that was partially some water weight gain so I will worry next week if I don't loose that pound again!

Progress Report #6

Well, it was a tough week with Valentine's Day and other things I had going on. I think I was OK with my week day eating, but didn't work out as much as I'd have liked. I did do Yoga again last Thursday - I have found that it is the perfect way for me to figure out what I need to work on strength wise. Last week I was struggling with some leg stuff, so yesterday I pumped up my leg exercises at the gym. The week before that it was my arms.
But all in all, after chocolate covered strawberries, cup cakes, baklava and cheesecake (oh, and truffles, of course) I still managed to lose .6 lbs, bringing my total up to 3.8 lbs over all, and 4.5''
I'm now at an even 141 and by my next weigh-in, I want to see the 4 disappear from that number. I only need to lose .2 lbs to reach my 2 lbs/month goal for February, but I'd like to give myself a boost and lose another whole pound. I would really just love to see 130-something on the scale again.

Also, I finished my taxes !!!!!! I have to mail the original documents and the bill to my CPA this afternoon and then it's just a matter of sitting around and waiting for that return!! With that big thing out of the way, I can start researching some other CGC trainers again for Winston. I feel like I am consistent enough with my weight loss goals that I can start focusing some energy and attention on other things now.

My ankle is starting to feel much better and so now that it is warming up a bit down here, I might try to start walking the dogs more often. Not sure if I'll be able to do it every day, but I can try.

Now, what to do with this big box of chocolates sitting on my desk????

Ok - Week #6

* Bento 3 days a week - I did 4 bentos again this week.
* Swim 2 miles a week - I did 1.75
* Drop 5 pounds - Check this one off of the list. I've dropped 6 so far this month.
* Drink 1 liter of water a day - Argh! I think I need to take a pitcher and glass to work. I do only have one more week of Diet Coke until lent begins and I give it up till Easter. But ARGH.

Down Time

Mom saw this and just had to post it. She thought it was so funny. Think about it, guys, we've been doing this almost two months, so a little down time is okay.

Checking in and it's that time of year for my arch nemesis

I did pretty good too until friday. I LOVE these candies. Thank goodness they only come out once a year! I ate a whole bag of them but at 3 different times, not all at once. I love to put them in the microwave and make the inside gooey while the outside is still crunchy. YUM.

I've overall lost about 7 lbs, I'm down to about 176. I think I've lost some inches too.

I didn't do the elliptical but one time this week. I let work get in the way. This week will be hard to do too since I am only at work 2 days and then head to DC for a conference. I did however, walk 10,000 every day! So that's good.

I did have something else interesting happen this week. I am using NutriSystem. It's 299 a month. For me it's great. I don't like to cook and the meals are easy to prepare. The first month was hard but now my stomach has shrunk and it's much easier. So during the fall I was working out with a friend. On thursday I told her I was doing NS and she kinda laughed. I told her not to. Then her next piece of unsolicited feedback was something about you need to be prepared when you don't do NS anymore. Geez. What a buzz kill.

Happy Sunday Everyone.

Sunday Check In

Well, I am sure we were all doing great until Saturday. Valentine's Day. Chocolate Day. The day my husband made me a big juicy hamburger on a bun (I usually only eat it with one piece of bread) and french fries. And mini eclairs for dessert. Need I say more?

I worked out on Sunday, ran Monday and Friday, and did karate on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Friday night we sparred. Sweat was dripping in my face when I was done. Today I will work out again.

Haven't cleaned the bookcase yet, but I started doing laundry early, and I am working on another BIG goal. My Intermediate Lever Instructor's Certification. Twenty Four techniques, two forms and one set. I might be half done. I want it done before August.

I will keep you posted.

ooops!

This week was not very good for my goals... I am not controlling what I eat and I am not walking as I intended to do. I am feeling very tired and sleepy and I know it's stress. I am moving at the end of the month and the fact that I am not certain if I will be able to keep the house where I will be moving in is affecting me a lot. It's a long story... let's just say that I am one the millions of people dealing with problems due to the housing crash.
I hope to be able to be back in track by next month. Right now it seems easier to focus on the moving. I still haven't done much about it either, so I am going to devote most of my time now to pack, at least 2 boxes per day on weekdays. Even that, believe it or not, requires lots of effort on my part. I hate to feel that "down"... so other than packing, I will try to spend time doing things that will help me feel a little better. I still need to "think carefully" before I eat something, that goal just can't wait!!! (well, it can wait right after valentine's day...)
The good news is that my husband is giving me lots of support, he keeps telling me that "everything is going to be alright", and he is more positive than concerned. I always have problems dealing with stress - I get sick a lot -so I am very thankful for his words and his attitude.

TGIF

My taxes are DONE!!!
No small feat, I assure you.

Everyone have a very happy Valentine's Day. You've all earned yourself a tall glass of champagne and even a truffle or two ;)

Friday!!!

And quitters never win. Remember that!

Weekly Check In

I got some odds and ends done this week. I did some checking into a place to sell my acupuncture cards but they want to charge me for everything and I'd get very little back so I don' t think it's the best way to market my cards--not unless I come up with another set of images for them.

AND!!! YEAH!!! I'm down a pound and half.

This is my last week on this alternate day diet that my husband loves and seems to work for him. However I feel too deficient on it. I'm cold, headachy and tired all the time. I think it's a great diet for removing some food stagnation but I don't think it's very good for me in the long term. After Valentine's Day I am going back to South Beach which has worked for me quite well in the past. I lost about 5 pounds a month and didn't feel as if I were on a diet.

While I'd like to loose more per month, I am thinking that perhaps in a few months if I did the fast day one day a week for a month that might actually be good for my body! We'll see.

Getting over the Blahs

It sounds like many of us had a 'blah' week last week. I used to beat myself up for the mistakes I'd made like the inability to reach unreachable goals... but now - I look to my small victories and embrace them. It's those little steps we take every day that will eventually get us to our goals.

Great things are not done by impulse,
but by a series of small things brought together.

~Vincent Van Gogh

Finally...

Ok, so I have finally gotten started. It may be just a small step but I went to the gym today. We hold each other back a lot- we are enablers. All it takes is one of us saying "eh, do you really want to go to the gym?" or "we could just order a pizza" and it's all over. So we've made a huge commitment to doing this. Day one is always the hardest for me. We're also eating smaller meals and trying to plan them out. Small step but still a step. Today I was on one of those stepper/elliptical things for an hour without stopping! Woohoo!

Additionally, I have been working on working out some of my own issues to get myself more centered and be a better person. Wedding planning was turning me into an evil person, because we are on a budget, my dad isn't alive and that makes me sad, and my mom is HOURS away and can't help... I was resenting EVERYONE'S opinion and snapping a lot. Brian and I have done a lot of talking, and we are on the right track. We're making it more HIM & ME and consulting with each other about everything, and when we're not talking about it- I'm not worrying about it constantly. AND I made our wedding website!! Email me (pugandbugg at yahoo dot com) if you want to see it! I'm proud that we're such a unified front now.

Only failure- I don't know if I have mentioned this (since I try not to on my blog because coworkers see it) but I HATE my job and have a lot of issues from it. Unfortunately I had a great interview last week but was their SECOND choice so I didn't get it. Isn't that always how it is? They probably tell everyone they were the second choice. Either way, no new job. BUT- my outlook is improving since I am lucky to have any job at all.

Overall I feel better and am really looking forward to taking lots more tiny, healthy steps that will add up to huge changes!

Very Short Update

Last week was miserable, I think I only worked out in the morning twice. After some serious napping this weekend I'm back! Today I added some weight work for my arms, and did some weighted squats.

My cello recital yesterday provided me with a lesson in humility, and a fresh perspective of how demotivated a beginner feels when they make a public mistake. Opportunity doesn't always feel good.

Ok - Week #5

I had a blah week.

• Bento 3 days a week - Check. I actually had 4 bentos this week


• Swim 2 miles a week - I did 1.66


• Drop 5 pounds - 2 down


• Drink 1 liter of water a day - totally blew it on this one. I need to focus on this throughout the week.
  

Progress Report #5

So I wasn't able to weigh in on Sunday morning as usual because I was out of town. Instead I did my weigh and measure ins on Friday, which I really didn't want to do, but I felt like I had to. I figured I wouldn't see any difference from this past week because my ankle was acting up so bad I didn't work out as much as I'd have liked. BUT, I still managed to lose another 1.2 lbs, bringing my total up to 3.2 lbs overall!! I also lost another .5'' bringing my total up to 4'' over all.
I can definitely tell a difference - the jeans I took to my sister-in-laws this weekend were literally falling off.

Unfortunately, my ankle has been hurting so bad and swelling up so much that walking the dogs on a daily basis is completely out of the picture and working out everyday is nearly impossible. I did go to Yoga class last Thursday, which is my new goal, and it was awesome. I could tell during the class that my strength and weight training is paying off - I could stay in most poses without hardly any struggle. But even getting on the elliptical right now is aggravating my ankle. It's really frustrating that most calorie burning cardio stuff requires you to be on your feet.

I have also noticed that since I've started scaling back my portions and being more conscious of calories....I really am not hungry much anymore. I used to feel like I was hungry all. the. time.
Again, I am pretty sure this was a side affect of the prescription I recently came off of (I read that 'insatiable appetite' is actually listed as a side affect on the Rx's website. whaaaa??) but I also know that scaling back on my food in take every day has finally started to have an affect on the point that my stomach feels full. Your stomach is capable of stretching and shrinking....and I think it has finally "shrunk" down to a normal size. If that makes any sense at all.....

I'm not introducing any new goals this week - I'm just going to try to stick with and perfect some I've already set. So this week I'll be focusing on.....

-drinking at least 2 liters of water a day
-substituting breakfast or lunch with a slim fast meal
-going to Yoga class on Thursdays
-eating one vegetarian meal/week
-working out 3 times during the week at the very least, not to include yoga class

Doesn't it feel fantastic to have control over your life, body, weight, strength, FUTURE again??? That is one of the biggest things I've noticed. I may not have lost a huge amount of weight, but I finally feel like I am making the decisions now. Not my appetite, not my cravings, not my inactivity or laziness - ME! I am in control, and I AM capable of making good decisions.

Checking in with some new goals

Ok I have made it through a month and a half with the goal of not binging.

My new goal is to doing the elliptical 30 mins a 2-3 times a week and/or 10,000 steps a day.

Ok so that new goal is set in stone. Now I have to live up to it.

1. Continue on with no binge eating.
2. elliptical 30 mins 2-3 times a week and/0r 10,000 steps a day.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Check In

Okay! This week was rough for me. It's "that time" and lately I have been getting a headache every Tuesday night of "that time". This week, other than my weight going up and down like a ping pong ball, needing extra sleep and sleeping right through the alarm Wednesday (so I didn't get up and run) and wanting to eat everything in sight, I got the lovely nasty headache that woke me up Thursday morning. Getting through Thursday was tough as my neck and back were as tight as muscles could be. Luckily, a friend stopped by and gave me a mini massage and then, when I got home, I jumped in my bubble jet tub and let that work on the rest of me.

Needless to say, I did not get up and run Friday morning. But I felt much better. In karate, I have FINALLY got my form (Form Five) down in my head, so I can run it more confidently. My next test is in 9 weeks, so I am in good shape for that.

Tomorrow morning I will work out, and then go to my son's cello recital. With "that time" over, I can easily get back into my morning walk/run and concentrate on losing 8 more pounds.

How are we doing, everyone? Check in and tell me how you feel!

Dr Oz Says Forgive Yourself!

There is a really good article on ABC News.Com about women and why we need to get in shape and stay in shape. It is by Dr. Oz. (Who's that? The Wizard's Uncle?) But seriously, read it. It's good. You can find it here!

Be A Good Finder

Sandra's Progress

This past week I have tried to work harder on my goals. I came to understand that certain things will have to wait, since I am moving out of my apartment by the end of the month and I am going through a lot of changes now.
So I adjusted my goals a little bit. I am still walking longer distances twice a day (my pug and I both look skinnier!). I am also trying to eat better. I make better choices at the supermarket, based in the quality of the food and not the price. Since I am eating smaller portions my expenses are almost the same. I started organizing my weekly meals a little bit and I started cooking again. That way I make sure I get a balanced diet.
I plan to move out of the apartment and into the new house in one day. I will make sure everything is in boxes and ready for the moving date. This is the first time I actually use boxes to move out before the moving day (I am trying to be an organized person!).
I am not working on my hobbies. I need to start puting things inside boxes and not on top of my desk. That goal will have to wait until I settle down in the new house.
I tried to make a doctor and a dentist appointment but I got frustrated calling different offices and not getting somebody to answer. I will try again today because I really need to see a doctor, I am constantly getting cramps in my hands, legs and feet all day and night and that doesn't sound very normal. After I went to the eye doctor I followed his instructions and my eyes actually feel a lot better.

I like to read how everybody else is doing, it helps me to get going!

MASSIVE ACTION=>MASSIVE RESULTS!

MASSIVE ACTION=>MASSIVE RESULTS!

It’s been said that a goal is created three times…

First, as a mental picture, an idea or thought in your mind.

Second, is when you write it down to add clarity and dimension.

Third, is when you take action toward its achievement.Your journey toward success begins the moment you take action toward a worthwhile goal.

The achievement of meaningful goals will always bring you greater levels of happiness and success in life.

MASSIVE ACTION=>MASSIVE RESULTS!

Most goals that are worthwhile require a laser beam focus and consistent, aggressive action to see through to success and achievement.

Once you’ve decided on exactly what goals you are working towards, and you’ve designed your M.A.P.}>Massive Action Plan.

Then, it’s time for action and lot’s of it.

People with goals succeed more often than most people, simply because they know what they want and where they are going in life.

Once you’ve created clarity with your goals and designed your M.A.P., it’s time for Massive Action Today-Not-Tomorrow.

The more action you take, the more results you create.

NOTE: Take one goal that you’ve set for the New Year. Review your progress so far, no matter where you are at thus far, think about what else can you do to pick up the pace. Then…DO IT!

snag

Hi all, I weighed a few days ago and had shed 1 pound. I got a bit frustrated about that. So Sat and Sun weren't the best eating days for me. I didn't binge but I didn't eat healthy. I had a couple days where I felt like giving up. But today I feel better. I liked the post about failure.

I've been sick with a cold since friday with today being the worst day so far.

I just wanted to check in. I am proud of everyone.

LOL I just read this I sound like Debbie Downer That link has to be one of my favs where they are at Disney World.

Weigh In

One pound for this week. 6 pounds for one month. UGH! I am looking at six pounds better than none...and as Marie says....think about a pound of butter? UGH! I have only walked 3 times all darn month! Hopefully I will start to get out more and am thinking of doing a routine in the morning at home. Just SO busy!

I have decided to make monthly goals and am thinking about Feb. .....more later

Weigh In

I am down another pound.

It's frustrating for me as this diet STARVES me. We do get to eat what we want on certain days (all of it). However, my husband wanted to increase his weight loss so we ate a bit lighter than I wanted over the off days. He lost 2 and a half pounds. I lost my usual one and am ready to eat anything.

I am so frustrated. I mean I eat less on the off days and I work out, two to three times a day five days a week and one or two the other two days a week! I will ski all day today and come home to do my cardio.

My muscles are no longer sore and I've always done this type of routine so I should have a fairly high metabolism, yet I don't loose any weight. I also shouldn't be gaining that much more muscle either. Well, a pound. Which I realize is good but I am frustrated that he looses it so much easier than I do when all he does is cut back on his food a bit. He's not exercising at all.

Failure & Tweaking

ABC News had an interesting article about Failure yesterday. "Doctors Say the Most Successful People Fail Several Times Before Reaching a Goal"

They also said that the most successful dieters look at breaking a New Year's resolution not as a failure, but as a time to realistically tweak the original goal. (Hey, tweaking the goal? I remember a talk about that.)

So go read it, and don't feel bad if you are not getting to perfection on the first try.
:)

And remember to tweak your goals!

January Run down

As of my weigh and measure ins yesterday, I have lost a solid, even 2 lbs and 3.5'' for January(!!!)
My goal is 2 lbs a month so I'll have lost the 10 by swimsuit season (June 1). So I'm on my way there.
I was super good about the gym this past week going every single day (and even twice a day on one occassion). I was not so good about walking the dogs every day, but I realized that this is not going to happen because of my ankle. It's just too painful to walk on for that long, so I've got to be realistic.
My new goal for February is to start going to yoga once a week - my gym just scheduled a Thursday 7:30pm class, which will work fabulously. I really think this will help me towards my strength goals and I notice when I do yoga I am able to see the progress I am making in other areas. It will help me mix up my regular work out routine and will keep me in the gym a little longer.
I also need to get back in touch with someone to help me get Winston started on some training.
I also need to get my taxes finished. And of course, lose another 2 lbs, at least.

PRIORITIES:

-Get taxes done
-Start going to yoga 1/week
-2 lbs
-Contact someone about CGC training

There ya have it.

Alright, everyone - February is the month that people give up on their goals because they feel like they haven't seen the results they wanted. Well, it doesn't happen over night!!! So keep the faith, keep posting - ask for help, rejoice in small accomplishments - we are here for you!! Every single one of us has the ability to reach our goals - it's just a matter of whether or not we give ourselves the opportunities to succeed.