I did it again!!

Yup, I made it through another weekend on plan.  Worked out both days and did some shopping for some great meals all next week.  It is a big deal for me to make it through the weekend because I have always blown it on the weekends in the past.  My weekdays are very structured but weekends were always my downfall.  If I can just get through them w/o slipping up then losing weight will be so much easier for me. Here's to another great week to all of us!!!!

"Good, better, best; never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best."

Got that under my belt!!

Yeah, all my exercise is complete for the day. Had a lovely 30 min walk with my dear neighbor friend, thanks for joining me Pam!!! Then did 45 mins on the treadmill while watching American Idol. Got my 5K done for another Saturday. Then did the bowflex for 15 mins. Gotta work on those "bat wings" LOL

I feel so great right now!...!! Love it when those endorphins kick in!!!
Now off to make myself a huge delicious salad for lunch...Fillet Minon for supper!!! 

(Yes... All the points are  accounted for.) 

The hours are ticking away till my weigh in on Tuesday.  Gotta be good!!

Oh Weekend How I Love Thee So!!

The weekend is here...my favorite time of the week!! I really have to watch myself though as I don't want to spoil all my great efforts during the week on mindless eating these 2 days. They are just days like the rest of the week and I still have to plan my meals, write every point down, drink lots of water and get some great exercise in. I will keep in mind that my weigh in is only 3 days away. (Tuesday)
How about you all...do you have a plan to get through the weekend? 
Please share.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!
Kathy-Lifetime Member

                                                           

          Quote for the weekend:
"Say yes to the skinny jeans
by saying NO to the donuts"

I did my research!!!

 You asked for it!!  Here are some excerpt from an article I found..I told you I was gonna research this.  (See my blog from a couple days ago titled "I'll Have What She's Having")
The pubbococcygeus muscle is surrounded by four other pelvic muscles but they work as a system. A healthy PC muscle, the kind a woman who does a lot of ab exercises or hanging leg presses probably has, is very rigid while a weak one is not.  A strong PC muscle makes these orgasms much easier.

Specifically, hanging leg raises can bring on this "Coregasm" they called it, because some women can, apparently, have an orgasm while doing these exercises.

That means a woman with a strong PC muscle can have an orgasm almost any time this muscle is stimulated. Abdominal exercises, friction from clothing, etc. etc. you get the idea. 

So that clears that up...I'm off to work on my abs now!!!   tee hee heee!

Going Grey

I am in a transition period in my life as I am letting my hair go grey.  I've colored it for years trying to keep my youthful look but I just don't want to do it anymore.  I always hated coloring it...the smell, the time, the cost.  But I hated looking grey also.  I've decided that at almost 51 years old ( in March) it was time to embrace my greys.  I am trying to live a healthier life and that is gonna include my hair.  No more stinky, messy chemicals in my hair not to mention how dried out it gets.  I think I will like the salt and pepper look once it has all grown out but the transitional period sucks.  I'm gonna have to get a nice big hat to wear until then.  Maybe I'll join the Red Hat Society...their hats are beautiful!!!  Oh well with a little perserverance in about 6 months I will have a beautiful head of healthy grey hair.  Can't wait to embrace the greys!!

"I'll Have What She's Having"

I was watching a program on TV today, it was a panel of Drs. and they were talking about the benefits of exercise.  They actually said that some woman can achieve the big "O" while exercising.  That's right I said it...orgasm. Come on now!!  REALLY???!!!  They said it was all the movement and friction. OK my question is what equipment were they using and where can I get it!!!  They left out those important details!!!!! LOL  Has any one else ever heard of that?  I mean I get that natural high feeling when the endorphins kick in but nothing like what they are talking about.  Now when I see other woman at the gym I will question their real motives for being there...tee hee hee!  If I were to be so lucky I would definately be an exerciseaholic. 
Sorry, but I just had to share this,  it was too good to keep to myself.   LOLOLOL  (I hope I didn't offend any one.)     :-)

Weigh in results.

Drum roll Please............................... I lost.  2.2 lbs!!!  That's 5 lbs this month for me. Since Sept. it is 13.2 lbs. I was really hoping for more this week cause I worked so hard but I'll take it. Also that is a total for 2 weeks b/c I didn't weigh in last week. They talked in W/W today about not eating enough and how sometimes your body holds on to the calories cause it thinks its starving.   I usually don't use my 49 extra points throughout the week and just use about half of them on the weekend.  This week I'm gonna do a little experiment and use 5 extra points on top of my daily 29 each day which will still leave me 14 extra points to play with on the weekend.  Now I know that 2.2 isn't terrible but it was so much easier to lose weigh when I was in my 20s and 30s  I would have easily lost 4 to 5 lbs with all the work I put in these past 2 weeks.  Damn you menapause and slow metabolism!!!  But I'm still happy that the scale is still going in the right direction!!  Just a little slower than I hoped.

Quote for the day: 
"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go".

Weigh in tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow is my weigh in day and it doesn't look like the weather will be a factor this week.  I had a really good week and I made it through the weekend on plan.  I had a tiny binge on Saturday night but all totaled I didn't go over my extra points for the week. So it should go well on the scale.  I know my scale shows that I lost some but that is first thing in the morning with only my nightgown on.  Wish it was Summer so I could wear shorts and a tank top!!   LOL

Workout Music?

What does everyone listen to for workout music???
Here are some of my favorite choices: 

These are all great for walking, running, biking, nordictrack or eliptical or any other cardio activity:
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
The Very Best of Stars on 45
Cardio Pulse-Pumped up Workout Grooves (songs from Mama Mia or ABBA's greatest hits)
The Biggest Loser Workout Mix Top 40 Hits volume 1

I like this one for the bow flex has a good beat for the strength training reps.
Simply the Best-Tina Turner

And my personal favorite:



It's full of songs about the weight loss journey.  Some of the titles are:
Skinny Jeans
Thin
I'm a Hottie Now!
Use It To Lose It
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
You Da Boss
and others too

You can check out the lyrics or order it at:   http://www.skinnysongs.com/

I stumbled across it reading a weight loss magazine about 2 years ago and just had to have it after listening to them on the site. It is still one of my favorites.  I especially love "I think I'll Go to Saks"

Really great upbeat music and fun lyrics too!!   Check it out.

What do you like to listen to?  What motivates you and gets your body moving and your heart pumping??  Please share  :-)

PS. Thanks for the help with the posting of pictures....I did it!!!

Motivational Song - You're Unstoppable

No weigh in this week

I've decided I'm gonna wait till next week to weigh in.  I missed it this week on Tuesday due to the weather but being a lifetime member at Weight Watchers I don't really have to weigh in every week.  I like to because it keeps me on my toes and the meeting gives me that burst of motivation to get through the week.  This week I feel like I'm really motivated and have been on plan all week.  So I'm gonna wait for Tuesday.  I just gotta get through the weekend.  On that note I have to tell myself that it's not OK to eat unplanned food of any kind.  I'm just fooling myself if I think otherwise.  Every BLT (Bite, Lick or Taste) as we call it in W/W has to be accounted for. "if you bite it you write it...if you drink it you ink it"  another W/W saying.  LOL
     Whenever I plan my meals and write down everthing I've eaten everyday I have been very successful at weight loss.  It is an essential tool to get me to my goal. 
   Today I commit to planning my meals, keeping track of every point and sticking to that plan especially on the weekends!!

Quote for the day:
"Those who fail to plan....plan to fail"!!

Random thoughts!!

First of all I picked up a magazine this week that is excellent for us dieters.  It's called My Weight Loss and is a special interest magazine by Better Homes and Gardens.  It is bursting with all kinds of diet tips, recipes, motivational stories and quickie workouts for a fast calorie blast.  I especially love the before and after photos of people who have been successful in the "battle of the bulge".  Those really inspire me!  It has some really great info on the latest diet trends,  what works, what doesn't.  I recommend it as a must read for all of us.

on another note:  I taped the Biggest Loser on Tuesday and watched it while I did the treadmill.  I was only going to do 30 mins but ended up doing 45 without even realzing it.  Usually when I do the treadmill I listen to really upbeat music while watching the timer and can't wait for the 30 mins to be up. This made the time really fly for me.  My treadmill is in our garage and we have a TV in there (but not hooked up to cable).  So the VCR is the only input.  Last night I taped American Idol...so that will be for my weekend workout as I still have to finish the Biggest Loser.  Something too make my workouts less boring....yeah!!!

Something the Dr. said on the Biggest Loser today that really made me think:  He said that "Obesity is as much of a disease as Cancer is.  It can be just as aggressive and deadly to us if not treated.  Just as we would seek treatment to cure ourselves of Cancer we should also seek treatment to cure ourselves of obesity".
It is that serious... It really is soooo true!!

OK gotta go!  Have a great day.  Thanks for visiting!!!

No weigh in.

I didn't get to weigh in yesterday because the meeting was canceled due to the snow storm we had.  Will have to look up and see when the other meetings are this week where I go.  I just gotta weigh in!!!  I think I did really well too!!  I will let you know!!

Who inspires you?

Is there someone in your life that has been in inspiration to you as far as losing weight and living healthy?

For me it is a husband and wife who I have seen walking together since I was a first grader going to school on the bus.  I would see them every morning in the sunshine and rain.  Cold and hot.  Snow or not.  They were walking every day together.  I saw them faithfully every morning for years and years.  After a few years my bus route changed and I did not see them anymore but as the years went by in my travels through town   I have seen them out together doing their daily ritual. I am almost 51 years old now and I saw them the other day, STILL out together walking. They were walking to the local super market here in town which is about 1 1/2 miles from their home. 3 miles round trip. (I knew where they lived because their son's were a friend of my brother in highschool ). This couple is now in their early 80s and doing almost a 5K nearly every day.  They made a lifetime commitment to taking care of themselves and just look at the results!  They are mobile, they are thin, they are healthy, they look great, they are enjoying there senior years and they will probably live well into their 100s.  What an inspiration to us all!!  That is where I want to be when I'm 80.
Now that's commitement, that's perseverance and they are living proof of it's rewards!!!  Just look at them go!!

I've been walking and biking in my neighborhood for nearly 20 years now and I hope that someday someone will think of me as I think of  that couple.  You never know who is watching you!!!

Weekly wrap up.

Well it was my first week back to work since Dec. 23rd.  Our company shut down for 2 weeks.  It has been hard getting back into the swing of things and I was tired all week. I guess I got too used to having so much time on my hands.  I Did manage to get in all my exercise and meal planning but felt rushed all the time.  (I work 2nd shift)  Now I hit the ground running as soon as I get up in the morning.  After a great breakfast each morning I try and get all my house work done so I can get some exercise in.  As soon as I finish the exercise I have to start getting my lunch made then prepare a dinner for work.  By then it's time to get ready for work.  It's rush rush rush all week.  The only relaxing time I have is when I get home from work at midnightish and come on here and check all my "stuff"  This has really helped me get through my week though and kept me motivated.  I love checking every one's blogs and hearing from like minded people who are all battling the bulge like me.  It keeps me from binging which is a bad habit I got into over the years.  This week not one binge!!!   A huge accomplishment for me!   Yeah me!!!   (I'd paste a picture of a gold star right here but I haven't figured out how to do it yet...but I will...LOL)

On another Note:  I just finished watching the Biggest Loser (on Demand).  This is another thing that is a great motivator for me.  To see those people overcome so much and watch them push themselves to the limits they never knew they had is a true inspiration to me.  If they can overcome those obstacles then I know I certainly can.  No excuse I have can ever be justified after seeing them triumph when there is so much against them.

 Which brings me to my quote for the day:

"The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!"

Get your umph on!!!!

Weekends

Weekends are a big challenge for me. But I've always loved a challenge!  I must keep in mind that Saturday and Sunday are just days like Monday - Friday. I still have to plan my meals and get in some exercise even if I don't feel like it. It would be a shame to spoil all the good I've done all week for 2 days of mindless eating.  I don't want to see that scale go up on Monday morning and feel that disapointment! Once I learn to get through weekends on plan dieting will be alot easier for me.

HappyWeekend!!  Stick with it!!!

Quote for the day:
Today's choices.......ARE-------> tomorrow's reality!

Food is a fuel for our body.. PERIOD!!

My Dr. told me this years ago:  We all must stop thinking of food as a comfort or pleasure.  Food is a fuel for our body that keeps us full of energy and health PERIOD!!.  We must make healthy choices that will keep our bodies strong and full of vitality. We must not waste our daily intake of "fuel" on useless calories that have no nutritional value and can "gunk up our engine" LOL
We can find pleasure and comfort in other activities.  
I like:  crafting, reading, gardening, biking, long walks, camping, bowling, blogging and spending quality time with my family and friends.  The possibilties are endless and don't have to include food!

What are some activities that you can turn to when you are not hungry but the food is calling? 

Quote for the day:

"The groundwork of all happiness is health."

My Top 10...

My top 10 reason for losing weight.

1. To live a long and healthy life.
2. To be able to enjoy my grandchildren (if and when I get some..LOL)
3. To be able to wear more stylish clothes and look marvelous in them daaaaling.
4. To keep my cholesterol under control.
5. To be an example to my kids.
6. To know that I have accomplished something very important!!
7. To feel sexier!!!
8. To have more energy.
9. To love how I look in the mirror. (with or without clothes...tee hee hee)
10. To lessen the pain of Fibromyalgia
11. To have my skinny jeans fit again.
12. To feel in control of myself.
13. To feel great pride in myself.
14. To inspire others to lose weight

Oops, Sorry,  I know I said top 10 but I got on a roll...LOL

Now let's hear your top 10 reasons. 

Today's Quote: 
 "Cut the "im" out of impossible, leaving that dynamic word standing out free and clear-possible."

Now, let's make our top 10 possible!!!!!!!!!!!   We can do it!!

WEIGH IN DAY!!!!

I'm doing my happy dance!!!   I went to my W/W meeting this morning and I lost 2.8 lbs.  Oh ya...Oh ya!!!  Who is a happy, happy lady today...that would be me!!!!!  I also reached my 5% goal.  I totally was in the zone the past week.  I tracked my points everyday, even on the weekends which is usually a problem for me. I got in 30 mins of cardio every day and did some strengh training at least 4 days.  It really does work if you are determined and persevere!!!

My Quote for the day:  "Be bold. Be confident. Be alive. A gallery of possibilities awaits you when you make change your friend."

Give yourself lots of credit!!

The process of losing weight is hard!!!  We need to give ourselves credit each time we engage in a helpful behavior of think about something in a helpful way.  This will protect us from feelings of despair and help to build our confidence so that we can realize our weight loss goals!!! 

"Did I drink all my water today..YES!!!   Did I track everything I ate today..Yes!!!  Did I stay within my daily points today...YES!!!   Did I get in some healthy activity today...Yes!!  Did I avoid a binge today...YES YES YES!!!   I had a great day today!!"

This is how we need to think EVERY DAY!!!  Give yourself credit for even the littlest things you achieved towards your new healthy lifestyle!

(TIP: pick up some little motivational stickers to put on your calendar.  Each time you engage in an activity that will get you to your goals, give yourself a GOLD STAR!!!)

Quote for the day..."What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals".

It's freezing out!!!

I was itching to ride my bike today.  I live in New Hampshire and it was just above freezing out.  The roads were clear and I just wanted to ride.  I bundled up and headed out and 10 mins. in I couldn't feel my face!! I was warm everywhere else.  If it hadn't been for the wind it would have been ok.  I ended up doing a half hour on the Nordic track then 15 mins with the bowflex indoors.  I can't wait for Spring!!!   I hate being stuck inside.

On another note my husband did the groceries last night and brought home some store brand jelly donuts for breakfast.  I had no intention of eating one but they did smell soooo good!! Just for kicks I decided to calculate how many Weight Watchers points one was.  One jelly donut was 11 points....OMG   It had 400 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 66 carbs.  For one stupid donut!!!!   I was very happy with my 2 egg white omelet, 3 slices of candian bacon Lt, whole wheat english muffin with 1 TBS jelly, banana, and coffee ....all for 7 points.  I think I shamed my husband when I told him all that cause the rest of the day after having one for breakfast he ate really light and did an hour on the nordic track.  I wonder if he will ever bring those home again.  My point here is to always check the nurtrtional values on foods and make a conscience decision on if it is worth it to you.

Want to eat everything right now!!!!!!!!!

I feel a binge coming on....I'm definitely not hungry.  I hate it when I feel so out of control.  Haven't had anything yet so I think I will just go to bed and read a good book till I fall asleep. ( But really want to raid the snack cabinet!!)  What to do...what to do???  The cookies are calling and there goes the peanut butter and crackers.....Stop calling me!!!! 

Going to bed now cause I am the boss of me not you, you silly cookies and you too crackers. Hush now, I'm reading my book..........shhhhhh!!!  That's better!  Night!!!

 I'm so proud of me!!!!  (this time anyway)

Do any of you have problems with binges?  What do you do to stop it in its tracks?

My Thoughts on Exercise...

Sometimes I don't feel like exercising but EVERY TIME I have pushed myself to just do it I am always happy that I did.  The great feelings I get from exercise far out weigh any sabotaging thoughts I had before hand.  Keeping this in mind is always a great motivator to help me accomplish my weight loss goals. Also, Research shows that exercise is essential for most people to lose weight and maintain their weight loss.  If I want the benefits of being thinner...I know I have to exercise often!
I strive for 30 mins or more of  cardio 5-6 days a week and strength training 3 to 4 days a week.  I also throw some yoga in a few times a week.  I also suffer from Fibromyalgia and exercise is my "drug".  As long as I exercise on a regular basis my symptoms are almost nil.  If I go for more that 2 days with no activity I start to feel the fibro creeping back in.  Exercise is also a great deterrent for depression.  I suffer from seasonal depression or SAD and it is not nearly as bad as long as I keep moving all winter.  So you see there are many benefits from exercise.  Can you name some benefits you have noticed because of exercise?
You've got to use it to lose it!!!!  It won't burn if you don't heat it up!!!!!  
JUST DO IT!!!!

A Quote to ponder...

"More die in the United States of too much food than of too little." 

What does this mean to you?

Sometimes I look around and see others eating whatever they want and wish I could do that too.  Then I remind myself of the health problems these people have...Diabetes, heart disease, mobility problems, sick all the time etc.  They are not healthy people because of the choices they made and not enjoying life to the fullest.  I must remind myself that I have chosen to live a healthy life by eating well and exercising often so that I won't have to suffer those inflictions.  They are slowly killing themselves because they can't control their eating.  I want to be different,  I want to be in control, I want to live a long and disease free life!!!

Here goes...

This is a first for me. I apologize now for any goof ups I do as this is my first time ever blogging.

I became  a life time member of  Weight Watchers in 1984 but over the past 28ish years of marriage and 3 kids I have lost and gained the same 20 to 30 lbs over and over again. I call mself a repeated offender. I would like to be able to inspire others with my stories and hear yours too.