WMWW and a period from hell…

Well today is Watch My Weight Wednesday hosted by Angie. I have nothing new to report since Monday. I’m in a pretty foul mood. Not really crabby but so tired and this period is going to kill me off. I am pretty sure it’s time for this thing to just go away but between the Lord and my body they have other things to say about it. YUCK!!!

I did go play tennis with Brenda last night and then went for a nice long walk around town. We had a blast too. We decided to make Tuesdays our day out. Nothing that costs anything or very little. She can get me into her health club for $5.00 a visit so come this winter I think we’ll do that at least the once a week as long as I can afford to go. Otherwise we’ll go swimming, play tennis, go for bike rides and if we really just want to play, we can go shopping or at least window shopping.

I am suppose to weigh in on Friday. I think that I’m going to wait until Monday. You know what periods do to your weight and since I really need that scale to have moved in a good direction I’m not going to step on it until this damn thing from hell is gone. Sorry to swear but I am so tired of this. I hate the tired, the cramping, the mess, the laundry, the big fat ugly feelings. So right now just won’t be the time to do it. I’m sorry if you’re waiting for me, please be patient and wait another couple of days and on Monday I promise to do all the good stuff and share.

But go to Angie's and check out all the cool people doing so well with their weight loss journey’s and life style changes. I am so proud to be apart of this group of people that are working so hard to be healthy.

Take care my friends. Thanks for being so patient with me. Thanks for your kind words. I’ll be back on Monday after the 4th. We have a huge family/friend reunion my mama and daddy put on each 4th. So lots of work and planning and then lots of fun, fellowship and food.

God Bless you all.

A new week, another chance….

Well this life style change has it’s ups and downs. Now the weight loss part is slow, very slow but I am liking how I’m beginning to have a shape other then round. I went shopping with Brenda last Tuesday and bought two new bras and a pair of shorts. A 42C bra and size 16 shorts.  I’m being a bit bold here sharing the size but I have too, you know why? I haven’t worn either size for at least 20 years and maybe even a bit longer. My weigh in comes this Friday. I’m looking for 200 or just a tiny bit less, at least I’m really hoping.

Now I’d like to know who is the one that decides on the sizes for clothes. You see, I also bought another pair of size 16 shorts and they miss the button by at least a good inch and I’ve also bought a few pairs of shorts at garage sales, all 16 and some fit and some are to big and others are to small. Oh well, it is what it is.

I have donated all my size 20’s, never going to ever wear that size again, my 18’s are still in use but with a belt.

I have got to exercise more, I mean the weights and fish flopping. I’ve been biking riding, playing tennis, picking weeds, walking, pushing the lawn mower and more but I’m sure if I’d get back into the rest it would help more.

It’s summer time and fixing a decent meal is hard. We are out until 8-9 o’clock each night. I have got to use the crock pot or make cold salads or something. Ideas anyone? I’ve been eat a decent breakfast and a hardy lunch so that supper time it isn’t a big deal but I know it’s not the real way it should be.

Did you know that sex is so much better when you weigh a bit less? Did you now it’s not quite as scary in the day light? Did you know …. well I bet you do.

So this week I have to be super good. Exercise just a bit harder, watch my calories just a bit more and drink all the water possible. I’ll be back on Friday with my weight and measurements losses.

Thank you all for your support, kindness and words of wisdom. Please keep them coming, I so love you teaching me something new, a way to think about something, a way to fix something. I need all the help I can get.

Take care my friends. God Bless you all!!!

Watch My Weight Wednesday….

Angie is the wonderful host of Watch My Weight Wednesday and if you have a story to tell, an idea to share, some weight loss, gain or anything else to do with your life style change then head on over there and link up.

This past week or so hasn’t been the greatest when it comes to eating. I am hungry and we have a shortage of groceries here, not the fast cooking kind, but the it’s better for you kind. With a daycare and a hubby and son that all need to eat and not always just fruits and veggies there’s always the wrong kind of eats around here. Try as I might when I get like this it’s darn near impossible to be good. So I have been slightly bad. I don’t over indulge, I don’t eat until I’m so full I can’t move and I don’t not keep track of the screw ups so I’m starting to see a bit of a pattern. Is it possible to blame all badness on PMS? How about if PMS is two weeks early? I’m at the age where my period is fairly irregular, sometimes two weeks apart, sometimes 5 weeks apart. Sometimes I’m lucky …yeah right, lucky…NOT… to have my period twice a month and that means a day or 3 or being bad. Tomorrows a new day and I promise I’ll eat better. I do…:o)

As for exercise I’ve been good. There’s been the bike riding, the strength training and last night swimming. Mike’s Scout Master and I gave 10 scouts and 4 adults their BSA swim tests. I even passed mine. But I followed all 14, 75 yards each up and down the length of the swimming pool. Not at any type of fast pace mind you but still 1050 yards of swimming. That’s 3150 feet of front strokes, side strokes and back strokes. According to my calorie guide it was worth about 540 calories and over an hour of up metabolism. Today, after work, Brenda and I will hit the trails and I need to get a day of fish exercises (that’s the flopping on the floor ones) and another day of strength. At least I’m working off some of that stuff heading for my mouth.

My weigh in is the 2nd of July. I am really hoping for 199 lbs or less. That would be 6 lbs this month. It’s a bit high for me but I’m hoping. If I can keep that crap from running into my mouth that is. I have a physical near the 12th of July and the doctors scale has to say 200 or less otherwise I will not meet the guide lines for the BSA and I need to meet them. It’s so very important to do that.

So it’s onward and upwards. Still learning the ins and outs of this new life style change. So many years of not doing the right thing is hard to break. I thought this wasn’t going to be this hard, it’s been 6 months I thought, heck I can do this, I can keep off what I’ve lost but I see that this will never end, even when I hit the goal I’m shooting for. So I better get it in the rear and get to getting and keep learning.

Take care my friends. Good luck with your life style changes. I am so proud of each and everyone of you that has shared with me, asked me for something, taught me something and more. Keep up the great work. God bless you all!!!

Featured blog…and an award…

I have the honors of being the featured blog over at Julee's blog Mommy’s Memorandum. You’ve got to go and check out her blog. Not just my little feature part, the whole thing. You will be so happy you did. I have to say being a featured blog is a great feeling. You realize that there is someone out there interested in hearing what you have to say. Someone that is excited to come see your blog and to leave a comment. Oh you know how much I love comments. Julee says I’m an inspiration, I’m not sure how at times but I do just show you how it is for me. The ups and downs, the opps and successes, the worries' and scared, the happiness and smiles. It is amazing this life style change. I always thought to some extent I was eating pretty good, NOT!!! I always thought I was fair mobile, NOT!!! I thought I was at least pretty healthy, another NOT!!! But that’s okay, I’m not dead and that means I still have a life time to get healthy, eat right and exercise so that’s what my life style change is all about. That and losing a bunch of weight but not tons since I’m a farm girl and I have no intentions of becoming a skinny mini, just a normal every day girl.

Now for my award. Me an award. I’ve gotten a couple on my main blog but never anything here. Traci thought I deserved an award it’s called The Stylish Blogger Award. Pretty cool, HUH?!

The criteria in accepting this, is to list 5 random things about yourself and pass this award onto 5 other bloggers!!!

So here is my 5 Random Things not sure how random they are but:

1. No matter how much I like this life style change, I hate it too. Habits are so hard to break and chocolate still calls my name daily.

2. I hate bra shopping. I can not find one that I like. I wear a sports bra 90% of the time, not because I like the…I hate the uniboob…but because they are comfortable.

3. Which is worse, crunches or leg lifts? Hate them both, do them both often.

4. Bat wings, why do my arms have to look like they will fly away every time I lift them up to wash windows, carry kids, water plants… you get the idea. Hate them too!!!

5. I LOVE YOU ALL. I love blogging, I love reading your blogs, I love getting and leaving comments. I am addicted to this blogging business and I don’t regret a single second of it.

Now for my 5 bloggers to pass this on too. I find this part very, very hard because I haven’t met a blog I don’t like. I have never met a blogger I don’t like. And I have made so many new friends though this blogging. But here it goes….

1. Julee

2. Angie

3. Bringing Pretty Back

4. Caution Flag

5. Mari

So there you have it guys. Thank you again Traci for this wonderful award and thank you Julee for having me be your featured blogger.

Take care my friends. I will be having some words of wisdom, errors and more probably tomorrow. It’s Weight Loss Wednesday and Welcome Wednesday tomorrow. It’s also the day that my best buddy and I are going to take the afternoon and ride bike and go swimming. Brenda and I haven’t done anything together for a while other then the normal visits and all so we are going to get out and play. The play that is good for us.

Have a great day and God Bless you all!!!

Monday Madness….

So guess what I found? Another blog hop goodie. How I found it….?…I haven’t a clue. I was just jumping from blog to blog this morning just reading and enjoying and came across Home Sweet Farm.  I am so in love with this blogging and blog hopping and finding new people and sharing and getting comments. So today I will spend a little time just playing. I didn’t have morning daycare today and this afternoon just have two big girls and right now no one wants to do anything but watch Myth Busters which usually I don’t let the TV be on but it’s yucky outside and Mike is home so…go for it kids, enjoy the TV and I’ll play a bit here.

So it’s like this…

So go to Home Sweet Farm and add your blog, facebook, twitter or all three and see who you can find to follow. If you follow me, I follow you back and I think that goes for most of the bloggers out there.

Take care my friends and have a very blessed afternoon.

6.6 miles….

That is what I rode today on my bike. The furthest I have ever ridden in my life except possible while vacation in Michigan but then that would be shopping and lots of stops. According to my diet tracker it was worth about 1000 calories burned. Not bad at all if you ask me. Plus I laid carpet for 4 hours and then rototilled the garden which took me a full hour. So today I am over exercised and very, very tired now. I have been keeping my calories under 1300 so I’m hoping if I keep all this up I can weigh less then 200 the next time I weigh in.

Here are a few pictures of our trail ride today. I just had to share how beautiful the trail was.

 

I hope you are getting a good start on your weekend. Enjoy, relax and rejuvenate. I didn’t work today but I do tomorrow so have a split weekend but with days like today, I don’t mind any day of the week.

Take care and God Bless!!!

The sausages I told you about….

 

One sausage is 120 calories, 6 grams of fat, 490 mg sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein. They are fat so one is filling. They are spicy but spicy is good for a diet.

So not terrible, of course not great but you can still have a BBQ and enjoy a sausage. They are a bit chewier then the normal brats but for me I just think it makes it last longer.

So there you have it, told you when I found them I’d share.

Enjoy my friends. Take care and God Bless!!!!

Welcome Wednesday…

                         and

Are the hosts of this neat Welcome Wednesday....Such a great way to meet and greet new friends. It’s been awhile since I’ve done this, just so busy with this and that.

So here I am, reaching out to new friends. Friends to teach me new things, friends to support me on my life style change. Friends that are fun to read about, be part of and encourage in their lives.

So hop on over to Take it from me... and join in on the fun.

Take care my friends. Have a very blessed day today.

Watch My Weight Wednesday

Last week I was out and about reading some of my followers blogs (I try to keep up on you all but that’s much easier said then done), anyways,

Angie

hosts a Watch my Weight Wednesday where you share your ups and downs and meet others that are working as hard as you are on your life style change. This week I am planning on joining her and checking on everyone from last week.

It’s hard this week, getting back into the swing of things. It is not easy exercising in the summer. For me the only time I have free is after supper and by time that rolls around I am out of poof. I get up at 5:00 each morning to 3 little ones and when I use to exercise at nap times I now have two not so little girls that neither rest or relax at that time and by time they are all gone it’s after 5:00, my guys come home and want dinner, then chores and soon it’s 7:00 and I don’t want to go for a walk or bike ride or flop around on the floor like a fish. Yesterday was easy, Mike was off and we worked out together, today, nada, nothing zilch. I have got to figure out something. I am doing good on my eating though, I’ve stayed with-in the 1000-1300 calorie range except my veggie intake has suffered. I have to get better at that too especially since it’s summer time and there’s lots of fresh stuff out there.

I love the oven roasted potatoes Kim taught me. No added calories, little salt so good for you. I did it with carrots and they turned out as great too. I think the next time will add green and red peppers and see how that goes. Did you know that there is a chicken polish sausage that is low in fat and calories that tastes wonderful? It’s in the hot dog section and I would tell you what brand it is but I don’t have it right now. It’s easy to find though, it’s in the hot dog section and is in a bright orange wrap with 6 sausages in the package. I made muffins the other day and instead of the oil I used rhubarb sauce and egg whites instead of the full egg (the cat loved that part). They came out moist and tasty and the kids loved them.

Well my friends, good luck on your weight loss journey. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes here. Not easy at all but I’ll keep working hard and sharing it all with you. Thank you for all your love and support.

Good night and God Bless!!

Restart….

So it’s the 14th and that means time to get myself back into my life style change. I didn’t go off of it to badly but I did eat things I shouldn’t of but in moderation, not like before when I would eat until it was gone. I did think yesterday and had a chicken salad from Burger King for lunch and didn’t use the cheese and only 1/4th of the dressing package. So I’m still learning and reading.

I did weigh in and I did measure myself. Both I was very afraid of. Even though I didn’t work hard the past two weeks I didn’t know what to expect. I was up 3 lbs when I snuck in a peek just before Sally came but I didn’t count that because I knew I was relaxing a bit at that time. But I’m back to the 205 and have lost another 4”, just off my arms, hips and calves, nothing off of the middle where I really need it. So that means 20 lbs and 36 1/2” of me is gone.

So for my new goals. I’m still shooting for 180 lbs by 1st of the year. It took me 6 months to lose 20 lbs and I have 25 more to go so think that’s a fair goal and time line. I am still shooting for a comfortable size 16. One where I can go shopping in the clothing department and not look for the xxl or more.

It’s time to get back into an exercise routine. 3-4 days a week at least a strong 30 minutes time. I learned about heart rates so know that I need to get mine up to 132 for 20 minutes each time I work out in order to get a solid work out. I’m going to get on my bike this week too. Right now they are working on our road and the trucks are in a hurry back and forth so won’t go out until after they are done for the day. But I was figuring working out T,T,S and then M,W,F going for a walk or a bike ride. Or maybe a jog since I’ve been dreaming about jogging (I can’t say running because I’m sure what I do isn’t running but it’s faster then walking and when Wilbur comes he’s not just walking fast he’s trotting).

I have to go back to my food journal. I have to, I know that since I wasn’t keeping track that I was over everything I was suppose to be doing. So today is that day. I found a new Free Calorie counter and diet help that I’m going to try. It seems a tad bit easier and friendlier then the other one I was trying but then again I know how to use the other one.

Goals:

1. Drink lots more water. I am a water drinker and I know I drink plenty of it but I need to keep track to make sure.

2. No more snacking other then the good stuff. I had found out if I eat well from 8-1 then the rest of the day it’s not hard at all. So a good breakfast, a snack, a decent lunch and supper can be something small since I’m not dying by then.

3. EXERCISE. These bat arms have got to go and so does the tummy. I’ll target these areas but just add some extra to my routine because they say targeting just a certain area isn’t good for you. Even my chiropractor said that.

4. Have fun, because if I don’t think will become a chore and we all know what happens when we have to do chores. It’s time for me to find a new exercise disc. I’m going to see what netflix has, that way I can keep it for a month or so and then trade it off for something else.

5. Keep asking you guys for help. Your support means so much to me. Having you here to help me stay strong, to keep me motivated, to give me words of wisdom and advice, it all means the world to me. Thank you!

So there you have it. The restart. Time to get my butt moving again. I’m glad I didn’t take off any more time then I did because I’m not sure if there’s enough dynamite to move this fat behind again.

Take care my friends, please keep your support coming. Thank you and have a blessed day today.

Questions…..

I have ten questions I have to ask you guys. You can either post the questions and answers on your blogs and leave me a link or just answer them in a comment but I need some help and I am sure there are others out there too that need some answers too. You don’t have to answer them all either, what ever makes you happy. They are a mixture of question, life, work, kids, family….

So here they are….

1. How did you, do you, going to..handle your son/daughter graduating and moving on with their lives?

2. Are you a close knit family or one that everyone does their own thing and once in awhile meet and chatter?

3. Do you take one day a week or more or something to meet and chatter or spend time together?

4. Do you ever think about going back to college? Any certain profession?

5. Coupons or not?

6. Do you still, no matter your age, try and please your parents?

7. How green are you?

8. How much organic do you buy?

9. How’s you life style change going?

10. What is your most favorite activity in the whole wide world?

My answers for these question are like this:

1. I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking. I’m at a loss right now. I have the advantage that Mike is staying home for another year working towards going to college.

2. We are a very close knit family though we do lots on our own also.

3. Sunday is family day, always has been and I’m hoping always will be.

4. I think about it but am not sure at all what I’d like to study. I love being my own boss and having my own business.

5. I do the coupon thing most shopping trips. I get tired at times clipping, looking and organizing but I don’t get tired of the saving.

6. With my parents living so close I am always trying to please them. The same as I was at 10 but am now over 40. My mama will tell me, don’t wear shorts today, it’s cold. Mama will say, you need to dust. Daddy will suggest and really a suggestion is often more a you better do it thing. It’s good to have happy parents then ones that think you don’t listen to them.

7. I try but I’m not to good at it. Since we use our garbage to heat the house or hot water in the summer we burn 90% of our garbage. We do recycle our aluminum and glass. We drive very large gas eaters though we do combine all our shopping into one day instead of running all the time. We have planted more trees then we’ll ever use heating out house and garage. So we try.

8. I do not buy organic unless I can afford it and right now affording it is way out of the question. We grow most of our supplies and then can, freeze and dry and are able to have enough from growing season to growing season.

9. Mine has been on hold for a couple of weeks but it’s back to business Monday morning. Really I haven’t screwed up so bad I hope but work will begin again shortly.

10. Camping. I love it and we just haven’t been doing like we use to but life isn’t as easy as it was before either. I’m hoping soon though.

 

So my friends help me if you will. Teach me more about you and your life. Show me ways I can learn and expand my knowledge. Thank you!!

Take care and have a blessed Sunday!

Not the 14th but….

I thought I’d check in anyways but not with numbers today. I have to tell you that the break was good for my mind but not for my body. I’m a bit worried to stand on the scale. Oh I didn’t screw up horrible but I also know I did not exercise, I did not watch my portions and I did eat at least two candy bars and jelly beans but I know from the last time I slipped up, sugar is the hardest to let go of so I didn’t go overboard to much. At least I hope not.

I need to get back into the routine of exercising too. I keep dreaming about it so I know that part won’t be hard. In fact I’m thinking about starting a jogging routine. Oh nothing huge though, just a good start. I read the other night that my target heart rate is suppose to be 132. Do you know how to figure it out? You take 220 minus your age and times it by 80% and that will give you your target heart rate for exercising. And you need to keep that heart rate up there between 20-30 minutes 5 days a week during exercise. I also read that to lose weight you need to take in 500-1000 calories a day less then before you started.

Since the is a life style change for me, not a diet I am more into learning the right ways to eat, exercise and get healthy but along the way I want to lose weight too. So far 20 lbs and 35” of fat gone but I have another bunch to go. I’m going to figure that out on Monday and have some kind of routine or something like that and I’ll be sharing and asking for your support when I start over again.

So that’s life here right now. I do want to share a picture with you. This picture was taken at Mike’s Open House (for his graduation from high school). I have to say that I look and feel good in this picture, so much better then his Eagle Court of Honor in the same clothes. I was a stuff sausage then when I wore these clothes, in this pictures I look so much better, so much healthier. So with those thoughts, take care and have a terrific Friday and a very blessed weekend.

Until the 14th…..

I am taking time off of my life style change because there are so many things happening from now until then that there is no way I can promise to do all that’s good, all that’s right plus I don’t want to have to think about exercising, eating everything just right.

We have company coming, Mike’s high school graduation, his open house, a daycare huge birthday party, camping and two big scouting events. I just can’t do it all so something has to give and though I don’t plan of over eating, eating just sugar or any of that I just know that I can’t promise to be good.

So I’ll be back on the 14th with some new goals, new weights and new measurements. I didn’t exactly mean the goals I first set up but I’m also not disappointed either. I did lose 20 lbs, 35 inches and dropped a size and a half. So I know that I can get back on the band wagon and do it all over again. I do plan on walking and biking and even swimming while I’m off so I won’t be starting from ground zero.

Thank you everyone for your support, kind words and wisdom. Please don’t go anywhere, just be patient with me.

Take care my friends, God Bless you all.