No Title for today's post.

So, Fatmom wondered how much weight I had lost between my Mexico picture and my getting ready for Jamaica picture. Or was I just toned? She guessed it. Only around 3 or 4 lbs difference. This go around I have the personal trainer once a week. If anyone is even toying with getting a personal trainer, it is $$ well spent. When I think of all the dough I've spent over the years on diet related stuff, I could have had a trainer twice a week!



Now, I know that a trainer can be a drain on the family finances, and that is why I have added the weight training program from the Kim Lyon's book to my fitness regime. My trainer looked it over, and she thought it was quite sound. Book is only $18. I'm not trying to sell more of her books, but I can't believe how empowered I feel doing weights on my own. Those of you who have been reading for a while know how much I hate weight training. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Kim's program only takes around 1/2 hour. If I can sit in a dentist's chair for 1/2 hour, I can do this. And I do. Adding weights to my routine has really re-shaped my body. I still have much work to do, but I really feel like I'm on my way.



So, Biggest Loser talk. We watched this week's episode, and husband wondered why Mark was still trying to loose weight. He is a man, 5'10, and weighs 185. Husband thought it was nuts that someone on the show hadn't told him he was done. I wondered about Ali. She is 5'5 and now 150. I guess neither of them is down at the bottom of the weight scale, but it made for some fun conversation. I wonder if the show prepares the contestants for maintenance? We've all lost and gained the same weight, and so we all know that maintenance is really the larger challenge.



Hmm, not much on the agenda today. Last minute running around, personal trainer, tanning and waxing (ow!), panic about flying should set in pretty quick. Especially since my friend's tire blew on takeoff last week! Oh, and I have to figure out what to make for supper, using what little bit go groceries I have. I don't want to buy too much. And I need to make it healthy. Yikes. Maybe I should just pull a million dollars out of my butt while I'm at it.

Well bloggers - today is the first day of Spring - be sure to get out and enjoy it!

Wednesday Madness - NOT!

Well bloggers, pretty humdrum day today. Went for three coffees today. My regular Tim's with husband. Then the friend that I'm going away with on Saturday called for me to meet her at Starbucks. Then my bathing suit challenge friend called for me to meet HER at Starbucks. By that time, I had ingested way too much caffeine, so I had a green tea. Basically, all I did all morning was talk and drink coffee. Tsk, tsk.

Directly after my green tea, I went to the Club and did the elliptical. Then tanning. I'm getting used to the bed - I no longer hyperventilate. Most of this afternoon I spent manipulating pictures for my picture blog. I posted my first pictures.

I bought the nicest little sandals today. After the green tea, on the way to the car we stopped quickly to look in a shop that was having a sale, and I found these shoes. Perfect for what I need.

Hmm, not much else to report. Sorry to be such a snoozer today. Have a healthy day bloggers!

PS: Oh, ya! I booked my plane tickets to go to my high school reunion in May. Wooo-freakin-hoooo!!!!! I used airmiles.

Picture Journal - by invite only

Gals & Guy:

I have decided to journal my journey with pictures, which I have set up a private page for. If you're interested in viewing - leave your e-mail address in the comments and I will add to you the permissions for my new page. My intention is for the new page to compliment this blog. I really want to see if having the visual aid helps and also, I would like to have a record of my hard work.

And don't worry - if you're not at all interested in seeing my new page - I won't be hurt! ;-)

Holy noodle - long time no post!

Yikes - I can't believe it has been that long since I posted!

Been doing the gym, journaling, yada yada. I'm expecting a good weigh in tomorrow.

Not long till I post my pictures of me in my bathing suit.

On the agenda today - tanning, gym, shopping for suntan lotion.

Ended up with a last minute free ticket to Martina McBride last night. I actually don't like very many of her songs, and for her encore, she sang a Journey song and Pat Benetar (I'm sad to say it was the song that is on Guitar Hero). Who does someone else's song for an encore? Odd. And not one costume change. The opening act, Johny Reid, was surprisingly good. Turned out I knew quite a few of his songs. The other opener, Big Little Town, or something like that was ok too.

Well, I suppose I should get about my day. Have a healthy one bloggers!!

Spring Fever

We have been having such nice weather that I have spring fever REALLY bad! It was so warm on Monday, I decided, instead of going to the Club for elliptical/treadmill butt kick, I'd take the dog on a run around our neighbourhood loop. We ran 5.7 k in good time (44 minutes, 4 x 10:1's) I haven't slowed down at all from my times in the fall. The dog did great on the run - he still had energy when we got home! I, on the other hand, needed a nap!

My mom & her husband came over for supper for my birthday Monday night. We bbq'd the pork chops as planned, and man were they good!! Mmmm, just thinking about them makes me want them again!

Yesterday I went up to the Club and did the 2nd circuit of weights from the Kim Lyons book. There were a couple of exercises that I found really hard, but I did them.

Today is a run day again. It is REALLY windy out, so I'm sure it will be hard. I have to remember to cover my ears.

My two girlfriends left for London England last night for a girl's trip. Apparently their plane blew a tire on takeoff and they had to have an emergency landing in Toronto. I haven't talked to them though. One of these gals was the one that had to be taken to emergency for the allergic reaction! What a week they are having!

Well, I'd better get going on my day. Have a healthy day bloggers!!

In the Zone

I had a great weekend. Tried my new bathing suit on for my friend to see. She said it looked awesome. Yay me! Had a lovely dinner at my brother in law's yesterday. Had a treat for dinner tonight - curry. Daughter was out so husband & I indulged. It was so good.

Guess what else I did? Give up?????

I went to the gym and did weights on my own!! This is going to sound weird, but I swear that I heard a click in my head when I hit the zone. Everything fell into place for me. I was ready. I photocopied the pages of Circuit I from the Kim Lyons book I bought, stapled them in the order I was supposed to do the exercises and away I went. I am going to do Circuit II the same way on Tuesday. For anyone counting, this means I will be doing weights 3 times a freakin week! I'm going to build a freakin muscle yet!!!!!

Tomorrow is my birthday and husband offered to order in chinese. One of my fav's. However, I indulged tonight with the curry, so I am going to pick up pork chops, potatoes and salad and husband will cook us dinner instead. And then I can count it. Plus, I love bbq'd pork chops.

I'm going to go tanning after my cardio tomorrow morning. I think I will give myself a birthday butt kicking. Elliptical followed by large hill program on treadmill. Gotta burn off that butter chicken! HAHA!!

We had such nice weather today. So warm, and no wind. Just lovely. Hard to be in a bad mood when the weather is so nice. I guess Fox Hollow (one of the local golf courses) was open with temp greens. Crazy. People are golfing and I'm not even done curling yet!! Dog was so crazy excited that we took him for a walk (to pick up the curry) that he tired himself out! Silly puppy!

Well, that is all for today. Have a healthy day bloggers!!!!

Bathing Suit Shopping Recap

Oh, what a night!

I hate shopping at the best of times. What I hate most is bathing suit shopping.

Last night however....not so much! I tried on one suit (well, one bottom and 3 tops) and walked out with one bottom and 2 tops! And you know what? I feel ok in it. I think it makes the most of what I have. Believe it or not, it got me back on track. My head is back into the game. Weird, eh?????

Daughter got a suit that looks great on her and is very age appropriate. I was very proud of her choice.

We ended up finding a store that was having a big sale and I ended up with five new tops and a new dress. Daughter got three tops and a new dress.

Hmmmm, having a good day today. Had to curl, which was hard because it is so nice outside. Took dog for a walk. He was enjoying the nice weather. Now he's flaked out on the couch. Oh, what a life!

Well, bloggers, have a healthy day!!

Got Nothing

I don't really have anything to talk about today. Going to meet with personal trainer. Having a healthy lunch with husband after. Family going swimsuit shopping tonight. I want husband's opinion on suits before I go shopping with the girls for the challenge prize. I figure he's the one who has to look at me in it, and I never think any of them look good, so.....plus, he likes shopping way more than me. Daughter of course is very excited to get a new bathing suit. The battle will be to get one with enough coverage to make all 3 of us happy! My 15 year old spent so many years performing in front of people in a swimsuit with competitive synchro that she is quite comfortable with her body. And it shows in her choices of suits. I am so glad that she has her dad's confidence and not mine!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!

Bye, Bye Bernie!

I was sad to see Bernie leave Biggest Loser last night. I enjoyed watching him, and I find Kelly a bit of a pill. Smile already!

Husband & I played hookie from Salsa last night. He wanted to watch the hockey game, and I didn't argue. I had 7 activity points yesterday without the class anyhow.

I did my first tanning session today. Man, I am claustrophobic! Seriously. I was so glad to hear the machine turn off, although I had trouble getting the lid open - which brought on a whole other panic attack. What a goof!

Remember how I let go of all my anxiety and discouragement from my measurement fiasco? Well, this morning it all came back. E-mails started about making the final arrangements for the final weigh in. The tears wouldn't stop. Then I realized that I started my period. Those were just hormone tears. Not tears because I was defeated. At least that is the theory I am proceeding with - so, officially, I'm back to being over it.

I wish that mind games counted for activity points. I'd be able to eat an extra 50 pts a day!

Well, I have a ton of housework to do. Gosh, I sure hate housework. I have a million grocery bags to fold. Kitchen to tidy. Dinning room table to clear off. 3 bathrooms to clean and floors to vacuums. Hmmmmmmmmmm. I think it would just be easier to go back to work!

Have a HEALTHY day bloggers!

Biggest Loser Tuesday!

OK friends. I'm over my tantrum. I've mopped, pouted, stamped, whined, complained and let it go.

I'm so excited about Biggest Loser tonight. I'm enjoying this installment. Even though they call it couples when it is really pairs....ok, that still bugs me!!

I have salsa tonight. Husband & I have missed a few weeks, but not to worry - he assures me that his mouth and eye movements are ready to go!!

Today I had an extra session with personal trainer because I missed last Thursday. It was hard but fun. Then I did 30 minutes on the elliptical. Fun times. I'm still glowing!!

Did I tell you guys my elliptical story from when I was watching "Taking It Off" on the Slice channel? The trainer Paul something or other said that ellipticals were exercise machines for fat people? Apparently all they do is burn calories.....I still don't know why that is wrong!

What else....oh, I'm making black bean soup right now in my slow cooker. New recipe. It is smelling pretty good.

I have a guilty pleasure to tell you all about. Now, I KNOW that this isn't good for me, BUT...in an effort to get over the whole .5 inch thing......

I purchased tanning minutes to get ready for my trip coming up.

Yes, that's right. Daughter & I are going tanning. Just this once. I needed a pick me up. Plus, when I put my picture up of me in my new suit, you guys won't be scared by the bleached white gal!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Ugh!

I am at the end of my rope. The challenge that I was in for my Club is done. When I went in for my final weigh in and measurement (they measured us around the waist at our belly button), I was down 5 lbs (had been 10 before my time away last week) and my waist measurement was up .5. Seriously. The gal said "don't get discouraged, someone likely made an error on your original measure". I figure if they can't measure properly they shouldn't be doing a competition. Also, how can anyone NOT be discouraged if they have worked, and tracked and stayed on plan most of the time for two months and then measure bigger?

I left crying. I had trouble sleeping last night. I was so discouraged. I just felt completely defeated. Like I had wasted my time for the past two months. Why should I put all this thought into weight management if this is the result I get? The worst part was that I had been feeling really good about things and had even gone out and purchased two new pairs of low rise funky jeans. Before this incident I felt good in them. Yesterday I felt like a cow. I had been feeling smaller. Crap.

Well, in spite of all of this going on in my head, yesterday was on plan. The only extra points I ate were my activity points. I plan for today to be the same way.

My weigh in and measurements for the bathing suit competition is next Monday. I still have hope for that one, although my girlfriend yesterday told me not to bother because she always knew that suit was hers. I'm going to give it my all - at least give her a run for her money. She actually ended up making me feel a bit worse, because she implied that I hadn't worked hard. What pisses me off is that I know I exercised more than her, because she has been injured. But, regardless, I'm buying a new bathing suit and I think I found a cute one. It has a small skirt on the bottom. The part of my body that I am most self conscious of is the very top of my thighs, so that helps me feel better. In any case, the competition isn't over with the suit, because we have have a "get to goal" goal next. I will keep plugging along.

So, want to hear something positive? While I was away, I worked out twice (out of a possible 4). While I was on the elliptical, I looked in the mirror behind me and I saw that I have nice calves. I had previously been unable to find one thing on my body that I liked.

OK. Thanks for letting me vent. I'm not giving up. I'm not going to stop trying. I will be healthy!!!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

PS: Meanwhile - I had the very best time away with my husband. It was some much needed couple time!!

Kharma is a bitch....

This morning, I went to the Club and ran into some of the gals. One I hadn't see in a while. She was (or is) doing the Dr. Bernstein diet. She is so slim. I can't believe how much weight she has lost. Now, I know that she has been eating right around 1000 calories a day. It was supposed to be around 800, but she added a piece of chicken every day. Or a like protein. Anyhow, I saw her, thought she looked great and was quite jealous. I was jealous because she was able to stick to the program she chose. And I was jealous because I felt like she cheated. Did a quick fix. Don't get me wrong - I know that I could never stick to that program long enough for it to work. But, that is what went through my head.

So, off I toodle to meet with the personal trainer. I workout. Hard. Like always. Then I drive to Chili's to meet husband for lunch. I then make a choice that I thought I knew the point count for, only to get home and find out it was an entire day's worth of points more than I thought. It is a new WW week for me, so I have the points, but I hadn't been prepared to spend them. Honestly, I would have chosen differently. I can't help but think though that this was kharma coming back to bite me in the ass. Payback for my bad thoughts and jealousy. Shame on me. There is no quick fix. That woman, regardless of what program she followed, FOLLOWED her program to completion. That shouldn't evoke feelings of jealousy. It should inspire.

Do any of you ever experience this? Sheesh.

Other than that, it has been a pretty uneventful day. We have been experiencing some nice weather. Today I tried to play catch with the puppy in the backyard after picking up all his droppings, but he hasn't quite got the whole bringing back thing. He still managed to expend some energy though. And I got to enjoy the sunshine. Win win.

Well bloggers, happy kharma to you all!

Is that your oven on fire, or are you just happy to see me?

It is my mom's husband's birthday and he has a real sweet tooth. I thought I would make him the sweetest desert I know - Pudding au Chaumeur. I have never made this before but, really, how wrong could it go?

Well, the 4 cups of sugar water that the recipe calls for spilled over. Of course, I thought this MIGHT happen, but didn't think far enough ahead to put a pan under the dish. So, it spilled, big time. I finished cooking the pudding, turned the oven off, and didn't really give it much more thought, until I put the oven on to cook the garlic toast. When I did that, the stuff on the bottom of the over caught fire and I had open flames in the bottom of my oven! What a panic!! Once I got the fire out, I had to run out to buy special oven cleaner for self clean ovens so that I could get as much debris off the bottom as I could so that I could run the self clean option (I had to spray the oven 3 times!). What a schmozel. Thankfully my mom's husband enjoyed the effort and the desert!!

Today I went for a walk with my girlfriends. 465 calories worth of a walk. I feel like I'm on top of the world! We have decided that we are going to register for Melisa's in the fall and spend the night in Banff. Fun times! Some of the gals are going to walk, but at least two of us are going to run.

Hope my fellow Albertans are enjoying their family day. I haven't seen mine that much today because I was walking and now daughter is at the mall.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

$630

That is how much the new garage door opener was. $630. Ugh.

Went to the gym yesterday and did the eliptical program BEFORE meeting with my personal trainer. As I predicted, that made my session with the trainer very hard. I would have much perferred to do it the other way around, but....I had that lunch with the ladies.

Lunch was fun. I had wonton soup. Not typical chinese wonton, but fancy wonton with tons of veggies. I also had two diet cokes. I think some of the ladies were ready to drink, but I had gotten there first and ordered the diet pop. It sort of set the tone for the table, which is good because we all have the same goal. Besides, I had to drive and I can't have even one drink and then drive. Anyhow - the lunch was fun and easy on the points, so I was pretty happy.

I'm just watching Survivor now on my pvr. I really get stressed out watching the competition. They all try so hard. Right now I like the "fav" team the best, although they are all from episodes that I didn't watch, except for the grave digger guy. I watched that year till he was booted because he is just so friggen pretty!!

Daughter is home today on a PED day. I will go to the gym later to do the eliptical, and maybe the treadmill. I will see how busy it is. I'm going to register for a 5K run that runs the with the Police Half. At least two of my three bathingsuit competitors are going to register for it also. Fun times....I like having a race to train for - gets me running.

Well, that's about it. I have a birthday dinner to prepare for my mom's husband. Still don't know what I'm going to make. Don't have much grocery $ left, so that will be a factor in my decision....

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

The damage this week.....

2lbs. I've never been so happy to start a new WW week in my life! Fresh start. Phew!

So, my freakin garage door broke AGAIN last night. This time it was the motor or gears or transmission on the actual door opener. Thankfully my husband was home to help me close the door manually (it is shockingly heavy since it is an old wood door). I'm glad that I was able to get an appt for this afternoon. Of course, that will be a $500 bill. Crap. Sure didn't need that.

Today I have personal trainer and I will do the eliptical BEFORE my workout. I know that may bite me in the ass, but I have lunch after personal trainer with the girls (healthy choices, OF COURSE) and then I have to race home to meet the garage door dude.

Hmm, I guess that is all. I still haven't watched any Big Brother...hope to get to that today after all the workouts.

Have a healthy day bloggers!

This week was a bust

I didn't have a good on program week this week. It kinda has me bummed.

Who watched Biggest Loser last night? I was sure someone was going to throw a weigh in when the promo showed Bob walking away. I guess he was just frustrated? I was pretty sad to see Trent go home - he sure came across as a stand up guy. I like the football player team. Next to Bernie & Britney, they were my favs. I fast forwarded through the therapy session. I really think that stuff should be private. Not to mention nothing of any significance can be fixed with an hour of talking. I'd have been climbing the mountain with the blue team.

I taped Big Brother, but have to wait for daughter to have time to watch it with me.

I did the eliptical weight loss program again yesterday. I'm surprised that the time goes so quickly. Maybe that is because it is new to me. I have to stay home today because I have someone coming to pick up some furniture we are donating. I hate feeling stuck in the house. They will be here ANY time between 9:30 and 4:30. It also means I have to find a way to get some cardio in at the house. Looks like the stationary bike will be the winner. I don't mind the bike, except that I go numb below the waist after 10 minutes.

So, plan to go forward.....make smart low point choices today.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

My leg hurts from banging it while falling off the wagon!

I had a good weekend, but managed to slip up all 3 days. Friday after curling we went for drinks. Sticking to my plan: I had 3 diet cokes - not even one glass of wine. Slipping from my plan: 6 chicken wings and picked at the nachos. Saturday had a date with husband. Sticking to my plan: ordered the half order of ravioli - the plate came with 7 raviolis on it (husband ate one). It was the perfect amount and SO, SO good. Slipping from my plan: had two glasses of wine which is what made the small bottle of bailey's seem like a good idea! Sunday watched a lot of tv & went to the gym. Sticking to my plan - had a perfect day until...Slipping from my plan: landed face first into a bag of Mrs. Vicki's Sweet Chili chips. Of course, today after all those chips - my stomach is killing me!

Today is a new day. My next 3 days have to be minimum points. I got my period this weekend, so my weigh in will likely be a gain, but I would like it to be as small a gain as possible. I have my weight training class today and I will do some time on the eliptical after. I did the eliptical yesterday, which I don't really like, but I used the pre-programmed button for weight loss, and it was actually quite good. Figured I'd give it another try. My heart rate certainly got up there.

I have to sit and make a grocery list this morning so I can make some nice suppers this week. Ugh. I hate making grocery lists. I would love to use that cookbook with the grocery list, but I don't have the grocery $$ this week for that. I have to try to use what's in my cupboard and fill in with fresh stuff. Fun times.

I have two lunch dates this week that I'm really looking forward to. I'm happy because I am meeting with lovely ladies AND at restaurants that I can control the points count AND cost. Does life get any better??

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Not Much Friday

Not much going on today. Curling this morning. Half my team will be missing, so I'm curling with two people I don't know. I don't like that. I may or may not be curling tonight. We have no social plans this weekend. Blah.

So, trainer was there yesterday and totally kicked my butt. What a hard workout. It was fun though. Reason she missed last week? Her building flooded and her car floated away. Total write off. Actually, they were lucky that no one died in this situation - I can't believe all the stuff that went on. I guess that is a pretty good reason to miss an hour with me, eh??????

Anyone out there going to watch this round of survivor? I taped it. I haven't watched in quite a few years, but now that I can record.....I thought I'd give it another try. Plus, I like the idea of fans against favs. The show I can't wait for is Big Brother. I know it is tacky - but I can't get enough of it!! Plus, with the writer's strike.....

Well bloggers - have a healthy day!!

Puppy News

Forgot to tell you guys - puppy will be ok. Vet thinks lump is just a reaction from his last set of shots. We just have to watch to see that the characteristics of the lump don't change, or that we don't see a change in puppy's moods over the next month. I think that was another reason why I was so giggly on Tuesday. The emotional release from going to the vet.

So, this week I'm switching things up in my journal - hot pink is the colour of the week. I'm feeling spicy!!

Off to meet with my trainer. I sure hope she is there today. I want to tell her that since I've been working with her, I'm down 13lbs!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!

Salsa Class - should be called laughing class

Yesterday turned into a giggle fest. If activity points could be awarded for laughing - I'd have filled up my week's alotment!

It started with the family watching The New Adventures of Old Christine. All 3 of us were just about crying we were laughing so much. I thought my daughter would wet her pants at the part when they were talking about the vibrator on the Christmas tree, calling it a pickle Santa.

The fun continued when husband & I went to salsa class. At one point I was laughing so hard I lost my breath. Husband has added mouth signals to his eye signal arsenal. He can be so very funny. It isn't a side he shows often, but man, when he does....makes my knees weak.

So, today is my last day of my ww week. I followed Wendie this week. People in my SparkePeople Challenge already know this, but I really enjoyed it. I found that eating 24 points in a day (for example) was easier on my psyche than eating 20 points and going "over" by 4 and using flex points. Now, I know that either way I'm eating 24 points. But there is something about "going over" that makes me crazy. In any case, I'm going to try it again this week.

Water continues to be a problem for me. I'm going to have to buy some Crystal Light to help choke it down.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Easy Cabbage Rolls

I totally forgot to tell you all about my Easy Cabbage Rolls that I made for dinner Super Bowl night in my crockpot.....The recipe called for 750g of ground beef, but I substituted 495g ground chicken breast and a can of mixed beans. It was SO good. Even daughter loved it, and she typically will NOT eat beans. Yay me - I got her to eat some and enjoy them! We had some fat free sour cream mixed in and oh, boy. Yum, yum, yum. I will make it that way again.

Re my last post, I don't have anything mean to say to anyone. Just making conversation. To be honest, when I find a blog where someone has a weight loss philosophy that I think is nuts, I simply stop reading it. Well, I do have one blog that I read but don't comment on and I think that blog writer is a complete nutball when it comes to weight loss. That is my entertainment. I wonder if my blog is someone else's entertainment.

That brings me to another question. When do you guys cut a blog loose? I go through mine every couple of months to see how long it has been since people updated. Usually after 6 months or so, I unsubscribe. Or, when the gals get pregnant. Not that I'm not interested or happy for them - I'm just way past that part of my life. And our goals then are completely different.

So, I had my weight training class yesterday and then I did a run on the treadmill. Good times. I can hardly move my arms and legs today. Tonight I have Salsa with husband. It is supposed to be nice out today, so I think I will take dog on a 5.4k walk around the loop in my neighbourhood. It won't be a power walk - because Indiana is a nightmare on walks. He is a barker. But, 5.4k is 5.4k. Still better than sitting on the couch, right?

Speaking of the puppy - he goes to vet today - he has a lump on his shoulder. Wish me luck. If this little muffin ends up dying on me I don't think I could bear it.

I have The New Adventures of Old Christine taped from last night. I am so freakin excited that the show is back on. I think it is one of the funniest on tv. And hello - Blair Underwood? YUM!!

Ok bloggers, have a healthy day!

Question for the Blogverse

Bloggers, I have a question for you all. What are your general rules for commenting on someones blog? Do you ever tell them if you think they may be thinking of doing something wrong, or do you just find something positive in the post to comment on, or do you just not comment on that particular post?

There is a strange sense of intimacy in blogging, and yet, we don't really know anyone. Sometimes people are just clearing their head.

Anyhow - just wondering what your thoughts are.

The morning after

Phew, that was one sports filled day! We watched Tiger win (yay), Phil lose (yay), and then the football game. I'm so happy that we were able to get all the big $ commercials. I'm not really into sports - but I must say - football at least goes fast. Gotta love a clock that just keeps running. Some of the commercials were quite funny.

So, that half time show. Gotta say, since the wardrobe malfunction - they have sucked worse than the Grey Cup half time shows. Seriously - can't they find someone from THIS century to perform that won't get naked?

Had a good weekend program wise, except that my only exercise was a 20 minute walk with dog.

Today I have the weight training class. It will likely hurt. Can't wait - NOT!!

Off to make some tea and an egg. Have a healthy day bloggers!!

PS: Totegirl - I bought the almonds at a local grocery chain called Co-Op.

What a difference a year makes....

I had another one of those days today. I woke up feeling small again. Of course, I had to step on the scale. It showed me down. Here's the thing. One year ago, I was this weight. This weight was, at that time, my heaviest ever. I felt awful. All the time. Fast forward a year, I'm still the same weight, except now I've just lost over 11 lbs and I feel small at this weight. It is all so weird. Just another indication about how weight is in your head. Well, not your weight, but how you feel about it. Mind games.....to bad you can't earn activity points playing those!

I skipped yoga this morning. Want to hear my excuse? Here we go: We woke up late this morning, and so we only got our coffee at 9:30. Yoga starts at 10:30, and I had only had half my coffee. I'm a slow drinker - I only drink the one cup a day, and I really like to savour it. Had we gone to yoga, I wouldn't have been able to finish it. I just couldn't bare the idea of not drinking the 2nd half of my coffee. Husband has promised me that next week we will go for coffee earlier. I know that more than a couple of you are likely shaking your head at me right now. But it was my Tim's!!!!!

Mmmm, I had avocado salad rolls for lunch again today. My addiction to those is still going strong. So yummy and filling.

Oh, guess what? I found some 100 calorie packages of almonds today at the grocerie store. This is perfect for me! I have almost no self control if I have an open bag of almonds. This takes away my need for self control. Each package is 2 pts, and I found that I was completely satisfied being able to eat the ENTIRE package. Again with the mind games. But it worked, it gave me a protein packed snack. As you recall, I am trying to watch my non-veggie carbs. This really helps. Today I have had my coffee (with cream & sugar - my weekend treat), an egg, a yogurt, the avocado salad rolls and the almonds. Of course, there have been carbs in some of that, but still way less than I had been consuming previously. Typically on the weekend I have a bagel, and then I'm starving by mid morning, but can't afford the pts for a snack.

Well, time for a nap/tv watching. Daughter & I are watching "Three Men and a Baby" on tv. I'm sorry - but that movie is STILL funny.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Feeling strong going into the weekend

Sometimes it scares me to be feeling good going into the weekend. It is like a set up for a big fall. And yet, I am feeling good about going into the weekend. I'm quite pleased with myself because I have been journalling since the beginning of the year, and it is now February. For those who are on the edge of their seats - I'm using the green marker again this week. I'm a wild and wacky gal!!

I curled this morning. We were a gal short, so there was much sweeping to be done. We lost, but it was a fun game. I really like the gals I curl with.

I was surfing the net last night, and I came across Julian Michael's page. I filled out the form and the page sent me a quick and dirty plan. I found two things very interesting. 1) It recommended that, because I am drawn to salty meaty snacks that I should be sure to have lots of protein with each meal and 2) That I should either walk at 4.0 mph, or run at 5.0 mph.

#1 interested me because I have noticed lately that I have been very heavy in choosing carbs. And by carbs, I don't mean lovely veggies. I mean breads & rice. I wonder if that is why I have been eating all of my flex AND activity points. Perhaps if I concentrate on proteins and veggies if I will find greater satisfaction. I'm already concentrating on veggies this week anyhow - guess now I will eat them with a piece of meat or legume instead of a bowl of rice.

#2 interested me because I was wondering how fast I needed to go on the treadmill. I already run at 5.0 at an incline of 1%, but I walk at 3.8. I now know to make the most of my workouts, I need to walk that much faster. It is doable. Also interesting was the fact that it implied I should be doing it for an hour. Also doable, but I will admit - I feel tired thinking about it! HA!!

Of course, to get the whole program, you need to sign up. I'll admit - I'm very tempted, just out of curiosity, but I don't have the $$ to spend on that. Plus, I'm having good success with WW.

Not much on the go this weekend. Just yoga. And healthy eating. ;-)

Have a healthy day!!

Seeing Red

This is a week of colours for me. I just got back from my session with my personal trainer. Unfortunately, she wasn't there. I don't know if she had the day off, or is sick, but the club didn't call me to tell me not to come in. I am not amused. Drove all the way there for friggen nothing. PLUS, I was really looking forward to it. Urgh.

Ok, letting it go. Fly away frustration, fly away. Called husband to complain. I was feeling sorry for myself because husband & daughter do scuba tonight, which means I won't see them until well after 10:00 tonight. Even the dog is away today, being groomed. All I had to look forward to was this stupid session. Husband called me back and is going to meet me for lunch. How nice. Of course, I have a million house work type things to do, but who the heck wants to do that? ;-)

My feet hurt today from belly dance. We spent a lot of time up on our toes. Hard on my old feet.

Mmmm, not much else on the go. Just sulking. (hee, hee).

Have a healthy day bloggers.

Feeling Purple....;-)

I'm feeling much better today. Phew! Salsa did help in the end. Class was quite hard actually. Lots of turns. Husband was immediately frustrated. He expects to be able to do something right away. We have very different methods of learning. You learn a lot about yourself and your partner when you take a dance lesson!!

Today is my last WW day before I give Wendi a try. I'm excited just because it will be something different. I had a good week this week. Since I've been participating with the SparkPeople Challenges (the ones that I have been involved in running since October) I'm down over 11 lbs. I figured out today I'm down over 8 lbs for my bathing suit challenge. Time to step thing up though. Gee, if only I could loose a pound every time I typed that!

So, Poppy did a great video blog (you're looking SO good Poppy!) and she was discussing managing her points more efficiently. She kinda made me think. I likely would have an easier time sticking to my daily points if I included more veggies in my day. She is a wise, wise woman that Poppy. This week, as well as doing Wendi, I will be making sure that I check off all my veggie boxes in my journal.

Poppy also posted a spaghetti squash extravaganza recipe that looked delish. I'm going to be purchasing a spaghetti squash promptly. I love them, and I had forgotten about them again.

What else. Oh, I have two belly dance classes today. I can't wait. One is my regular class, and the other is part of the club challenge. Fun times.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Feeling Blue.... :-(

You might think I'm talking about my toes, which are blue with cold because it is -43 here with the wind chill again today, but I'm not. I'm feeling REALLY down today. Seriously down. Maybe it is post-Christmas blues. Maybe it is the HUGE fight I had with husband last night. Maybe I'm PMS'ing. All I know is, I'm feeling blue.

We have salsa lessons tonight. Eh, maybe that will get me out of my funk.

Not much else to report. Still tracking, still on plan. My exercise has suffered a bit here, but ..... ugh. Oh, next week (my week starts on Thursday) I'm going to try Wendi with my WW points. I've never done it before. We'll see how it goes.

Have a healthy day bloggers!

The Two Day Hangover :-(

I went to a wine tasting on Saturday. Tried to stay within my points - so I didn't eat very much. Can you see where this story is going? I didn't stop throwing up until 1:30 pm the NEXT day. Today I was unable to exercise because I am still SO nauseous!!!

Not good. Not good at all. I'm sure there is a lesson in there for me somewhere! It can't be drink less - it must be eat more! HAHAHA!

It is -44 here today. There is an awful draft in my TV room - my feet have been so cold all day.

Mmm, not much else - since even typing makes me nauseous. You know, when I was younger I'd have popped up the next day and just kept on drinking! Sheesh. At least I'm still OP!! HAHAHAHA!!

Friday Already???

How can it be Friday already? This week just flew. I curled this morning - we lost so bad. I pulled a muscle in my leg with the first rock I curled. Man, does it hurt. I'm pretty sure I will live though.

Don't really have much to blog about today.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Week in review and other...

I just finished my WW week. Review of the fun facts are as follows:

Points used everyday: 20
Flex points eaten: 31 (I rarely have any left over - yay me! I'm getting full on less!)
Activity points earned: 32
Activity points eaten: 30

I gained 0.5 this week BUT I'm quite happy - I noticed a real change in my body this week. It has been a long, long time since I've stayed OP this long. That bathing suit is getting closer to my grasp each week!!

Other exciting news: I'm using a green marker for my food journal instead of pink this week. Will the madness never stop?

Yesterday did not go as planned. My garage door broke with my vehicle stuck inside! I had a moment of panic since I was on my way to drive daughter to an exam when I noticed I couldn't get my vehicle out. I was able to get it fixed so I didn't have to miss belly dance. Good thing - we worked hard learning combos. Anyhow, I'm $183 poorer today. :-(

My puppy was such a monkey at puppy class last night that he got a time out. Husband, who goes with him, was not happy. I think it is because of the full moon. Ha!

Time to get ready for personal trainer. I wonder what torture she has planned today?

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Picture problems

I've been trying to upload a couple of pictures, but there is a problem with blogger right now. I will try later.

So, Biggest Loser last night. What a crock. I think that was fixed by the producers. The teams I like are the blue team, the gray team, and the orange team. I'm mad at people for throwing the weigh ins though. I work my ass off everyday so that I can MAYBE loose a pound a week. These people have the opportunity of a lifetime for workouts that would cost thousands of dollars on the outside and they are drinking water before the weigh in. Dumbasses.

Salsa class again last night. We were moving the whole hour and lots more laughs to be had. Good times. I didn't run yesterday because I had a dental appt. Today I will be on the treadmill just a-given-er! I'm looking forward to belly dance tonight. And I have a stretch class for 30 minutes before that.

I finally got one picture to work. This is an avocado salad roll that I purchase at my local grocery store. I cannot believe how much I love them. Mmm, so yummy. And so low in points. And filling. And now I really want one!!!

Heath Ledger Dead??? WTF???

I am stunned. How can this talented actor be dead?

Meanwhile - I'm watching Biggest Loser right now. This show has to be fixed with them giving the biggest loser of the week immunity. Crap - I hate the black team. Shit, shit, shit.

More tomorrow.

I'm jumping on the band wagon also!!

Check out Roni’s new contest! I can win a Nutrition Smart Scale from Eat Smart and so can you! Click here for details!

Where did that weekend go?

Goodness - we had no plans this weekend and STILL it flew by! And - I didn't even get around to making bread (well, trying to anyhow) or salsa. What a lazy gal!! Tsk, tsk, tsk.

I recorded Gridiron Gang off the TV the other day. With The Rock. We watched it last night. I really enjoyed the movie. My only complaint would be that The Rock didn't get naked. He is one yummy dude. And not a bad actor in the end!

Today I'm going to do 20 minutes of running on the treadmill and my weight training class. I'm not going to the water jogging part, because it is more water aerobics, and I don't like it. I figure the treadmill work will make up for it. I will walk on the treadmill till 45 minutes which is how long the water portion of the class is.

So, I mentioned that I'm going to work on my speed for running. Here is my plan. This week I will do 5.0 miles per hour (yes, I know I'm Canadian, but our machines are from the States, and they have miles....I'm too lazy to convert) at an elevation of 1.0. Next week, I will go up by 0.1 - my goal is to get to 7.0 and an elevation of 2.0. I realize this will take me a long time, but since I have to have exercise as part of my life forever, I have lots of time! HAHAHA!!

I should go eat my breakfast since I have to workout soon. Have a healthy day bloggers!!

PS: The tomato/avocado salad is: 4 Roma tomatoes, 2 avocados, 1 tbs olive oil, 2 green onions, 1/2 tsp chopped garlic. Cut them all up in chunks, mix and refrigerate for a bit to let the flavours mix. 3 pts per serving - 6 servings. I didn't have green onions, so I used some spanish onions. To be honest, I liked that better - it had more punch!!

confession is good for the soul?

I totally did NOT do the bike yesterday. Yoga, as predicted, just about killed me. I was seriously out of energy after the class. The teacher thought all of my moaning was funny. I didn't share her opinion. Also, as predicted, today I can walk pain free because I did go to yoga. To make up for my laziness, lack of energy, whatever you want to call it, yesterday, I went to the club with daughter today and did 30 minutes on the treadmill (20 of which were running minutes). Sunday is normally my day of rest (I like to keep God company). But, I kinda rested yesterday.....earned enough points for 2 x 2 oz white wine and 1 cup of grapes. Good times. All I'm missing are raisins!

I made a yummy supper tonight. Turkey, fried peppers/onions/ spinach (with MINIMAL oil, OF COURSE), potatoes & a tomato/avocado salad. I didn't have the potatoes, cause I had one for lunch. It was screaming good and I am pleasantly full right now. Daughter was happy 'cause she really likes the tomato/avocado salad. I should make it more often, since it is both tasty AND easy. An excellent combination.

Well, I guess I should go read or something. Husband is watching stinking football. He keeps commenting on the game like I care. I seriously couldn't care less. Even if I tried. At least he isn't watching hockey.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

I'm scared....

Seriously - I am afraid to go to yoga. I'm SO very sore from all that curling and my personal trainer that I can hardly move. I'm going to yoga because in the long term, it will help me feel better, but man, oh man, is it going to hurt in the short term. There's a good chance I will cry. HA!

We had to sweep like pigs at curling last night. And we played right until the bitter end (and no, we didn't even win - tied). My arms were like jello by the end of the night. I earned enough activity points though for a nice glass (ok, 3) of red wine. I'm all about looking out for my heart!!

Today I plan to do 20 minutes on the bike in the afternoon. We actually have nothing planned for this weekend. I might try to make bread. My friend was going to show me, but she got too busy, so I looked for instructions on the Internet. Eh, I guess the worst case scenario is that it just doesn't work. I think I will pick up stuff for salsa also - husband is on his last jar of the last batch. I will do a double batch this time though. A single batch only makes just shy of 4 litres. Who can survive on only 4 litres of salsa? That's crazy!!

Well, I suppose I've bored you all enough. Get out there and move!!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

F*ck - why did I take it to the next level??

Why, why, why did I have to push it yesterday? My ass is KILLING me!!!! I curled last night and again this morning. I can hardly walk and I still have to curl tonight.

Next week I resume running. I haven't run for around two weeks - it is time to put it back in the routine. I'm going to work on my speed - so I'm only going to run 20 minutes per session. Isn't this exciting news?? The reason I am putting it back in is because one of Big Bet competitors is looking like she is loosing weight. And while I've lost 6.2 - she looks like she may have lost more. Time to turn up the heat. I am winning that freakin swim suit!

Alright - I'm off to do the roller to stretch out my aching legs before I have to curl again in an hour.

Have a healthy rest of the day bloggers!!

Taking it to the next level

I met with my personal trainer today. For the first time EVER, I used 12.5lb weights for an exercise!! I'm so excited!!!! I'm sure I made a muscle today, I worked so hard. And do you know what made me do it? You would think it is my deep desire to find the real me but no, it wasn't. It was stinky Neill from BL last night. I didn't want to be him. The give up guy (gal). The person who could do one more but doesn't. The person who could lift more but doesn't. And so, I wasn't. Sneaky personal trainer added time on the treadmill to my workout. I always warm up, but she had me on there walking really fast up a good incline for 3 minutes twice during my workout. I was drenched by the time I was done my workout. IT FELT GREAT!!!!!

Other fun on the agenda today....I was supposed to do a beginner ball class tonight, but our friends need us to curl, so I will be doing that. It will workout to the same amount of activity points. I'm quite afraid that I won't be able to crouch down to push the rock though. Personal trainer worked my legs good and hard.

What else....eh, I guess nothing.

Have a healthy day bloggers! Drink lots of water.....

Panic

People participating in the SparkPeople Challenge already know this, but this week, after my splurge at Chili's I had a real moment of panic, weight loss head games, you name it.

I went to Chili's, ate what I had planned. Drank two drinks more than I had planned, but I had the points. Wrote it all down, counted it all up. Woke up the next day feeling seriously good about myself. I actually thought - this is why WW isn't a "diet". I CAN DO THIS FOREVER. Why did I ever have a problem staying on plan? Sounds great, right?

The NEXT day (the day after the day after the splurge) I hop on the scale. I decided a while ago that I am one of those people who needs to only weigh once per week. The ups and downs in the middle of the week play games with my mind and I can't stick to the program. Anyhow - of course, the scale shows me up. So immediately I'm mad, disappointed, and angry for my night out. Why did I think I could do that? I wallowed in it for a while and then shook my head. Went through my journal, which I have been filling out faithfully. I was on program. Had been very active, stuck to the points I was allowed. Crap. I am not falling into the trap again. So, I stayed with the program. Pushed those nasty thoughts away. And I'm down this week.

One thing that really helped me was that I sent out a message to the SparkPeople Challengers. JARLYNN made me feel much better about everything. It really helps sometimes to just even write stuff down. Once I saw it all right there in front of me, I was able to realize I was just playing the same old game with myself.

We had Salsa lessons again last night. I just about peed myself laughing we had so much fun. I was having trouble telling when husband was changing directions so he made up some eye movements that I should be following. Well, I was laughing so hard at that that I could hardly even see his eyes cause mine were tearing up. While he was stressed last week, this week he was right into it. Most fun activity points I've collected so far this week.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

"I Lost it at the Club" Challenge details and much more!

I went to the meet & greet last night for the challenge at my club. It was basically just a quick meeting to let us know how it was going to work. Over the next few months we have to collect points. Prizes will be given out at the end. Once again, we are collecting stickers, like so:



1 sticker for 60 minute workout to a max of 3 stickers. A workout can be formal, up in the gym, or a day on the hill skiing, or an hour walk with the dog, or curling...you get the idea.

1 sticker for each week of a nutrition log you keep. If you journal already for WW, then you can just use that. Which I do, and will.

1 sticker for pounds lost. I think you just get a sticker if you loose weight whether it be 1 pound or 20, but I'm not sure.

2 stickers for attending a class. This is exciting to me, because I am signed up for 4 classes per week!

2 stickers for a workout with a trainer - oh, wait - I do that to!

3 stickers for inches off your waist - again, I think it is 3 stickers for whatever your # is - but again, not sure

3 stickers for attending a nutritional seminar



I don't expect to win a prize doing this, but I have to be honest, I love collecting stickers! I can't wait! They have all the names up (only 71 people signed up) but no stickers were available yet. It is run on an honour system. As FatMom would say - cool beans!!



I went to the gym right away today to workout because my scheduled ladies curling game was cancelled. I had to get it in because I am going for drinks tonight. I am so excited. You want to know why? Because I looked up on Dietfacts.com what I normally eat at this restaurant and I'm planning for the point splurge. Not only am I going to have my regular fare, but I won't have to have any guilt! The restaurant we are going to is Chili's and I normally start with the chips and salsa (12pts for the entire basket) and then friend & I split the monteray jack fajita (9pts for the 1/2). Then 2 - 3 glasses of wine. Ya baby!!

Have a healthy day!

Is that a Shimmy, or are you just happy to see me??

I had my first belly dance class of the session last night. Holy tough class Batman! Seriously, BD Teacher worked us like pigs. I had to leave to get water 3 times. Next week I HAVE to remember my water bottle. This session we are learning combinations of moves and I think we will be expected to make up our own dance. Insert panic here please. Typically we only have 4 girls in the class - but I guess a lot of last terms gals moved up, so we have 9 or 10 people. They all seem nice, although they are young. So, no new friends to find in that class, but it should be a hoot.

So, can I tell you all about the final tally of my last week? I finished with 8 flex points left and I earned 29 activity points, all of which I ate except for 10.5. What I'm particularly happy about is that I didn't feel deprived. Don't get me wrong, I had the munchies, but they were boredom munchies, not hungry munchies.

I met with my personal trainer today. I think she may have been on a mission to kill me!

I had my massage yesterday - my shoulders are so sore today it hurts to wear a sports bra!!

I have the meet & greet tonight for the "I Lost It At The Club" challenge I've signed up for - so I will be riviting you all with the details tomorrow - lucky bloggers!!

And this picture is posted for TigerLilly - me dressed for the belly dance show I did....(I'm the one with the black top on the left)

Salsa Anyone????

Husband & I had our first Salsa lesson last night. What a hoot. It was a pretty full class. Lots of people had taken lessons previously. This stressed husband out. I finally just told him that I'm really just there to spend time with him - I don't care if we aren't the best salsa dancers in the class. We were moving the whole class, so I didn't feel guilty taking my activity points for it. I am going to practice my moves. To be honest, I thought it would be easier. Husband said next week he is going to the bar first to have a drink. Silly boy!

I finally went for a massage this morning. Massage dude said "OMG" when he felt how tight my hips were. I told him he needed to get me loose as a friggen goose, cause I have lots of classes to do for my "I Lost It at the Gym" Challenge! Even though he almost killed me, I feel way better. I did a quick 30 minute hill program on the treadmill after my massage since I was at the club anyhow.

Tonight I start Belly Dance again. I'm excited since I never went to any of my classes last term - I can't wait to get back.

Not much else on the go for today. Just working on staying on program. I have 6 activity points available to eat today (or I will have after belly dance). Today is my last day of my WW week, and I will finish with flex points! I find this exciting because I haven't felt deprived. Yay me!!

Have a healthy day bloggers, and remember, no buts!!

Reps and Run Post Mortem

Post Mortem are the operative words in the title. I feel like that is what I've been through. Had my new class. Starts with weight training. We used just about every apparatus known to the fitness world. Steps, mats, tubes, round tubes that attach to ankles, 2 sets of weights, slidy disky things, and the ball. Good Lord. It is quite similar to the weight training class I did last year, but the big difference is the pace at which we do it. Everything is sped up. She expects us to take no more than 5 seconds to change weights or tubes. Crazy. At one point I thought I would be sick. The nice thing is the class is only 45 minutes, warm up & down incl. So, we put our stuff away and we now have less than 10 minutes to get changed and out to the pool.

Well, this was WAY different than I thought it would be. For some reason I expected to be "running" lengths of the pool. I didn't realize that you never move. I actually had a lot of trouble in this class - I found it hard to move my limbs like the instructors was asking. Except for one 30 second burst, I wasn't able to get my heart rate up to more than 18. I was working too hard to make my legs AND arms work at the same time to put a lot of effort into it! Oh, well. It was still a fun workout, and the ladies in the class seem ok.

Tonight we start Salsa lessons. I need to do something else though. Either a walk with the dog or 20 minutes on the bike. We'll see. It is supposed to get nice out today. I could use a blast of sunshine. I know the dog will like the walk. He is such a barker though. Ugh.

I'm so pleased that everyone seems to be starting the year off with a bang. Could this be the year that we make these changes for the last time?

Had to take daughter to doctor last night. 2.5 hours wait. Even though the clinic closed at 9 they started turning people away at 6:30. One lady got really mad. I would have felt bad for the two receptionists, but they were the most unprofessional twits I have come across in a while. What is it with that next generation? Anyhow, all that and the doctor prescribed Advil Cold & Sinus! Oddly, I had a bottle in my purse. Since daughter gets many ear infections, especially when we have been on a plane, this is good to know. I will be sure to take some on our trip in the spring - may prevent her ears getting to the point of infection.

Ok, stop reading. Go move! And have a healthy day!!

No buts about it....

I've been noticing a trend that we are all doing. "I had a great loss, BUT....." Let's all decide right now. The only time we need a but is when we are telling blogland about what we did WELL in the week. For ex: "I gained 0.5 this week BUT I ate way more veggies and fruit than in the past" When we have a loss, we should just bask in the joy of a job well done. For ex: "I lost 0.5 this week!!!" We are never really taking credit for our hard work. There always seems to be a qualifier. Maybe we will have success for longer into the year if we pat ourselves on the back once in a while - you know, those pats will add up to an activity point sooner or later!

I have my new class today called Land meets Water. I'm excited. 45 minutes of weight training followed by 45 minutes of water jogging. I have never water jogged, so I'm quite excited to try it. This week all my classes start up - so be prepared for lots of class reviews! This class today is supposed to be a good cross training class for runners. Time will tell, I guess.

Good day yesterday. I didn't exercise. I have activities planned for every day of the week, so Sunday may turn into my rest day. My old bones need a break some days!!

I made daughter a nice lunch today. Turns out the reason she hasn't been taking lunch is just cause she doesn't like making it in the morning. I told her - well, no problem - I will do it. I really would like to see her eating more regularly. This will help. Sheesh. In any case, I made her a nice salad with chicken and zesty italian dressing. Non-fat, of course.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

Inquiring Minds Want to know

Well, after curling I.....didn't go up to the bar. I hid. In a couple of weeks I may be ready to join the real world again, but for right now, I really think I need to hit the ground running. I worry that this makes me a coward, but then I think, heck, if I'm a slim coward, I can live with that! ;-)

Some of you asked what is in the basket? Mmmm, so many goodies. There is: Stone Pit Olives, Sea Salt, Bread Sticks, Olive Oil, Cookies (2 kinds), a decorative jar and some pasta. All the makings for a lovely evening meal.

Everyone be sure to visit Kate's blog (http://fromflabtofit.blogspot.com/). She had a STUNNING loss this week and deserves many high fives. Way to go Kate! (I just hope she hasn't used up all the loss mojo - HAHAHA)

In other news, yesterday husband & I took dog for a walk up the hill near our house. I'm sad to report that when we got to the top, there was a guy peeing. Didn't even bother to walk over to where there was some bushes. Yuk.

I'm still on program, and for the 2nd day the only extra points I ate were my activity points, and not all of them. I woke up feeling skinny today. Does that ever happen to you guys? You have a day where you just notice a bone or two that you didn't before? Today it is my ribs. They aren't showing, but I feel them. Sometimes it is my collarbones. Or, maybe this is just me, and I need help. In any case, I feel like I can take on the world!!

Off to make breakfast - have a healthy day bloggers!!

I'm a Winner!!!!!!!!!

OK. So, you know how I've been yammering on about my 12 days of Christmas challenge at my club? I found out this morning - I won a prize!!! Seriously!!!! I'm so excited. Even though it was a draw for the prizes, you still had to get your 12 stickers to get your name in the draw. Woohooooo!!!! I am including a picture, so you can all ooo and ahhhhh over it!

Yesterday was a rough day food wise, but everything is written down and counted. On to today. We start curling again tonight. Big test for me, since we always go for drinks and munchies after. I'm tempted to tell husband that I just don't want to up to the bar. When in doubt hide, right? HA!

I'm too excited about my big win to type too much, so....

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

The Big Bet Meeting

Yesterday we met to go over our bet. We had a WW approved lunch (so yummy), then we weighed in, took our measurements, figured out our BMI's, figured out healthy BMI's, set our goals and figured out the prizes. Are you curious???

1st leg: 10 weeks (Mar) - goal: 10% weight loss. The person with the greatest percentage weight loss will be the winner of the 1st leg. We have a date to ALL buy new bathing suits, with the losers paying for the winner's suit.

2nd leg: 15 weeks (Jun) - goal: be at or as close to goal as possible. The person with the greatest percentage weight loss will be the winner of the 2nd leg. We have a date to go shopping - the losers give the winner $200 and we all shop for some summer clothes.

3rd leg: 20 weeks (Oct) - goal: maintenance. The person who has maintained to within 2lbs (WW standard) is the winner of the 3rd leg. We have a date to go to the spa. If we've all maintained, then we will all just pay for our own day.

This bet will bring us to October. Each leg happens to coincide with each of our birthdays, which will be great because we are going to do lunch with our shopping. It should be a lot of fun.

I went to the gym yesterday to do the treadmill. Ugh. I got the treadmill that gives me shocks when I touch it. I think I had a supper dooper workout for my heart just from the stress of knowing a shock was coming every time I adjusted the speed. It was so full in there. I guess I will have to suck it up and run outside. Just go to the gym for classes. Which start Monday - I can't wait!!

I had an OP day yesterday. One day down, the rest of my life to go! HA!! Meeting husband for lunch today. Daughter has one exchange to make for Christmas present so we are going to a place where you put your food in a bowl and they stir fry it up. I love that place, because you are in complete control of every ingredient in your meal. Genius. And oh, so tasty.

My SparkPeople group is growing, ever so slightly.

Well, I guess that's it. I have to go have breakfast. Being OP the day before makes me wake up feeling peckish. I need to nosh.

Have a healthy day bloggers!!

New Year, New Plan.....

I met my friends for coffee on Monday. One is my belly dance partner, the other my running partner. They are two coffee gals. Which means we were there for a long time. We were talking about the changes we need to make, and we came up with the following bet.

We are meeting today for lunch, during which time we are going to weigh ourselves and do measurements. We are then going to come up with our goals. At the end of the bet, all 3 of us (a 4th gal may join, I don't know) are buying a new swim suit, and the winner of the bet gets hers paid for by the other two girls! Should be fun times. We're also all weight watchers gals, so....should be good. My one friend exercises like a pig, but hasn't been watching what she eats. I think if she can get into this - she will see some results fast. And if she does, it will be worth it to buy her a suit. Having said that - I really want to kick their asses! HA!!

I'm going up to the gym today to do the treadmill. I'm not going to win this if I don't do some serious cardio. I wonder how crowded the gym will be. Oh, well. I guess waiting for a machine isn't the end of the world. If I have to, I can always just run outside....in the cold......what a whimp!

Have a healthy day bloggers!!