Happy Halloween

                                              

                                                 A Reminder,

Don't eat the halloween candy least it come back to haunt yooooouuuuuuuu!

  This time of year is difficult as I try to avoid all the diet pitfalls at work and elsewhere.  I very nice friend at work passed out halloween treats at work, candy, to everyone in little bags, very cute.  No brocolli in that little bag.  My husband was happy to get it.  He has a real sweet tooth.  Harder to pass up was the potluck with cheese dips, chips, taverns, cakes and cupcakes and one lone bag of brocolli, califlower and carrots.  I did have a small peice of cake and almost ate the whole bag of califlower and brocolli myself.  Difficult time of year.  What was weird was I wanted it.  I have been so good for so long that I thought it would be easy to resist and I have turned down pizza and treats for months but for some reason I couldn't this weekend as easily.  I have to chop those cravings in half.  I found myself eating a small peice of candy here and there and know I will reqret it.  Once upon a time I would have blamed it on that time of month but I have no excuses.  I think it was stress.  I had a patient come in last night and take a turn for the worse.  I called the family in when the son arrived realized it was a friend of mine I haven't seen in a couple of years.  His father is probably not going to make it so it was very sad.  I have seen alot of people die and it is always hard when I know the family but I think I make it easier for them.  He was still alive when I left but I was surprised.  Anyway I think that is why the nervous eating thing happened.  We have candy and donuts here all the time and I am never tempted so I will chalk it up to the stress and sorrow I felt for my friend.

   I found out what is wrong with my wrist.  One of our pulled nurses worked for a ortho doctor for years and she knew right away what was wrong and how to treat my wrist.  It is called deQuervain's Tendinitis.  It is simular to trigger fingers like I had on my other wrist.  Instead of putting heat on it like I have been doing I was suppose to ice it 4 times a day,  I have to get a splint that immobolizes my thumb and wear it 24 hours a day, and motrin 800mg which I was doing.  They also recommend cortozone shots but I will try this first.  Women are more prone to this and I seem to be as I have had surgery on my other hand for trigger fingers and carpel tunnel.

                                             

   I am going to the gym shortly and then out to Curves to officially quit.  I also am going to look for a brace for my hand.  I have no idea what to have for supper tonight.  I think the only thing I have around is ground turkey and salmon flanks so it will be along those lines.  I also want to get to the library to check out the GI book.  Ediets has mixed reviews about it so I will see.

Glad that is over

   What a night.  To top it off the computers were down.  My wrist is still killing me.  One of the doctors looked at it last night and thinks I might have broken it.  That would explain why it hurts so much.  I am still wearing the brace and if it doesn't get better by my next stretch off I suppose I should have it xrayed.  

  My insurance company is trying to mess me around again for my surgery.  They want all this extra information which they know no one would have so they can deny me.  I sure wish we would get another insurance company.  This one is terrible.

   Ate on plan last night but Rick is making hamburgers for supper.  I eat mine plain and he got me some spinach salad and Annie's.

  I am off tomorrow and am going to go to the library and see if they have the GI diet books there.  I have been reading quite abit about it on the web and it sounds healthy, not trendy.  I will have to give up my beloved rice cakes but I need to jump start my weight loss again or I will never get my new charm.

13 hours tonight

Since the clocks are changing I will be working 13 hours tonight. It is amazing how one more hour just exhausts you. It has been very busy at work. We seem to be having a blue light special on open heart surgery this week. I got some croc's and it is wonderful how good my feet feel. They are very ugly, but I'll take that for comfort anyday. I haven't done much in the way of exercising all weekend. It is hard when I work and I am hoping a very busy weekend at work counts for something. It seem also that the week I work and don't work out is the week I lose. It is either because I have trouble getting all my calories in or my muscles start shrinking already.

Ate at my MIL last night. The meal was as predicted. My husband says eating there is like eating at McDonalds. You always know exactly what the food is going to taste like. Since we have been trying so many new recipes lately we never know what our meal will taste like. He likes that and I do also. I wonder how in the world my MIL gets her meat so dry? But at 83 I am not about to say anything and she wanted to make her baby boy supper for his birthday, he's 54 this year. I thought it was funny. We had her usual iceburg lettuce salad but she had bought some spinach leaves and put about 9 in with the rest of the salad. She is trying but she is so cheap with everything. She used to make califlower or broccoli and would add maybe 10 pieces of grated cheese to the whole head. Why even bother. Now of course I don't usually put cheese on top, parmesian when I do, but it was funny back then. Chocolate chip cookies would have 1 or 2 chocolates in it. A bag of chips would last her 3 years! That is what happens when you live through a depression. Since she has a fair amount of money and is getting up there I keep asking her, what are you saving it for, live alittle.

My son is sick and I am not feeling well either. My husband is making low fat chicken and noodles. The longer I am up the worse I feel. I hope I make it through work tonight. Flu season is upon us.

13 hours of work tonight

 Since the clocks are changing I will be working 13 hours tonight. It is amazing how one more hour just exhausts you. It has been very busy at work We seem to be having a blue light special on open heart surgery this week. I got some croc's and it is wonderful how good my feet feel. They are very ugly, but I'll take that for comfort anyday.  I haven't done much in the way of exercising all weekend. It is hard when I work and I am hoping a very busy weekend at work counts for something.  It seem also that the week I work and don't work out is the week I lose.  It is either because I have trouble getting all my calories in or my muscles start shrinking already.

 Ate at my MIL last night.  The meal was as predicted. My husband says eating there is like eating at McDonalds. You always know exactly what the food is going to taste like. Since we have been trying so many new recipes lately we never know what our meal will taste like. He likes that and I do also. I wonder how in the world my MIL gets her meat so dry? But at 83 I am not about to say anything and she wanted to make her baby boy supper for his birthday, he's 54 this year. I thought it was funny. We had her usual iceburg lettuce salad but she had bought some spinach leaves and put about 9 in with the rest of the salad. She is trying but she is so cheap with everything. She used to make califlower or broccoli and would add maybe 10 pieces of grated cheese to the whole head. Why even bother. Now of course I don't usually put cheese on top, parmesian when I do, but it was funny back then. Chocolate chip cookies would have 1 or 2 chocolates in it. A bag of chips would last her 3 years! That is what happens when you live through a depression. Since she has a fair amount of money and is getting up there I keep asking her, what are you saving it for, live alittle.

     My son is sick and I am not feeling well either. My husband is making low fat chicken and noodles. The longer I am up the worse I feel. I hope I make it through work.

pics

now                                    before     

   I have trying to get some good before and after pictures but I think I will need to get some new clothes for it to really show.  The shirt I have on is so baggy but you can kind of see the new shape emerging under it as I strike my yoga pose.  I am not as wide also.  I need a new card for my camera also.  The pictures are coming out so blurry with spots in front of them.  I just got back from the gym in the first and my hair is still sweaty.

   Today I will go to water aerobics and then I have to run to curves this afternoon and let them know for sure I am quitting.

   

Beautiful Fall day

 It is lovely out today.  We went to the gym this morning and worked out for 2 hours.  The trainer actually showed us how to work the machines and it makes a huge differance doing it correctly.  I did some ab work also which I really need.  I had a slim fast for breakfast and a half of a lite english muffin with low fat peanut butter.  When we got back I had left over chicken and some brown rice.  Around 2 we are going to Adams homestead for a 10 mile bike ride.  I wonder how many more of them we will get in. 

   No weight loss this week.  I was down alittle Sunday but am back at where I was today.  But I am not up so that is good.

   We did go for the bike ride and did 2 hours at the gym.  The ride was wonderful.  We saw a beautiful dear leaping across the field in front of us and there were lots of pheasants flying low across the corn fields.  The air was heavy with the spicy scent of drying leaves.  It was so nice.

   At home we made pork and cooked it simular to the chicken last night but I added sliced apples and parsley.  I made wild rice and brocoli with lemon juice and crushed walnuts.  What a great meal.  What a nice day.

Wonderful Supper

  It is hard to tell but under the mushrooms is a nice 4 ounce piece of chicken.  The chicken is called Chicken Marsala and has the most wonderful flavor.  The green is stir-fried Asparagus and mushrooms with dried tomatoe.  Brown rice that I added a hint of chicken broth and spinach and herb seasoning finishes  the plate and I had a glass of chardonney to complete this wonderful healthy meal.  The asparagus was tender crisp just the way I like it.  The total calories were 420!  Unbelievable.  I  had 2 glass of chardoney which added 170 calories but dark red wine is good for you occasionally.  See, you can eat well, gourmet even and stay on your plan.

Another day Better

                                           

 Tuesdays are water aerobics and we had a new instuctor today.  She kicked up the pace  quite abit and I realized I have been slacking in class.  I am still in the senior class but now that I am a member I could take the regular class and I think I will do that and see if it is a harder workout.  I take this class and drag my MIL who is 83 along kicking and screaming so she can stay active.  She is noticing some improvement so it is easier to get her to go but she still comes up with excuses to only make it once a week.  At 83 I think that is OK.  I might do the water aerobics tomorrow for 1 hour and work out on the machines for a hour or 2 depending on how this other class goes.

   I got some great stuff yesterday.  I went on this site,  http://www.aicr.org/publications/nap/  which has great information about portion control and different foods.  You can order the brochures which I did.  They have great recipes and are very informative.  I sent them some money to cover it, but they are free.  They request a donation if you can afford it.  I also bought a cook book of light cooking at Barnes and Noble.  They have some excellent recipes with all the nutritional information in it.  There is a great one for asparagus and mushrooms I might make tonight along with a chicken recipe that makes my mouth water just looking at the pictures.  Anyone who says you can't eat well while losing weight just isn't trying.  There are wonderful recipes and ways to cook that make the food both delicious and eye appealing.  My family seems to have no problem scarffing it up.

    I am so lucky I never had much of a sweet tooth.  I listen to some of the struggles some of the ladies are having and I think a sweet tooth makes this journey much harder.  While I would be content with a piece of dark chocolate for some peoples it seems to trigger a binge.  I like to blame my husband for my weight problem.  He did alot of the cooking and everything was way to much.  A huge steak, 4 slices of french toast.  Massive hamburgers. 2 brats.  I used to tell him I couldn't eat that much but with practice you get so you can.  He didn't force it down me though.  Having been very poor growing up you simply did not waste food.  I am doing more of the cooking now and teaching him portion control and he can use the cook books just like me.  He needs to start cooking more.  It is so expensive to eat well.  A huge amount of my check goes toward fresh fruit, vegetables and meats.  I go through so much lettuce, spinach, dressing etc...  It is cheaper to eat processed foods that is for sure.  The meats in them are so funky though and I would rather know exactly what the meat is I am eating and get all the fat off of it as I have a real horror of fat on my chicken or meat.   My brother used to trim the fat off his meat before he grilled and fry it up and eat it.  Yikes.  Now he is wondering why his cholestrol is high as is his blood pressure.

                                                 

   I had slim fast for breakfast because of swim and was going to have a wrap for lunch but when I saw the left overs in the fridge I ended up eating them.  I had some left over steamed vegetables, brocollie and califlower and I heated up the last sweet potatoe.  I mashed it with low fat butter and sprinkled crushed walnuts in it and is was really good.  I then had a fruit cup.  We are terrible about using left overs and I try really hard not to have any.

   I also did my Tai Chi tape while Rick was gone.  He did it with me the other day and we started giggling so much it wasn't much of a workout.

The Workout

                                         

    We went to the gym early this morning and had a terrific workout.  I got up at 6:30 and did my meditations for the complete workout, breathing, relaxing, visual imagery, pain reduction, the works and I feel better, more focused again.  I spent yesterday with my hands wrapped up in a heating pad most of the day and they feel better.  I am also taking 800 mg of Motrin 3 times a day which is starting to reduce the inflamation I think. 

   We started out with the treadmill and I did a half hour with the rate at 3.7 and the incline at 4.5.  My average HR was 131.  Then we did the circuit for a good hour.  I worked more on repetition and not so much on increasing my weights.  Took it easy with the hand ones and I wore my wrist brace.  It went pretty good.  My husband also took it a little easier on the weights.  He was really sore last time and pulled a muscle.  I told him we weren't training to for body building, so to take it a little lighter and go for more reps and I think we will both feel better for it. 

  I had some oatmeal for breakfast with some diced apples and cinnamon in it.  Yummy.  Maybe a little heavy before working out, but I ate about 1 1/2 hours before we went to the gym.  Then I made a really yummy salad for lunch.  I plan on a turkey loaf tonight but that might change as my husband seem less then enthused.   The scale is just sitting there not budging again.  Sigh.  I seem to only be losing 1 or 2 pounds every 2 weeks.  I know that is better then gaining but it seems like I am doing so much to get it to move.  It has to be muscle. 

    One sad thing about losing.  I got my favorite sweater out of the closet and it is hanging on me.  I really liked this sweater also.  It is so warm and cozy when it is cold like this.  I will have to find another I like as well in a smaller size.  I keep putting off buying more clothes because when I tried them on I am so close to dropping another size.  I would rather walk around in my clown clothes for awhile longer.  From a 24 to a soon to be 18.  Not bad.

Better Today

Righteous Recipe ~ Warm Up on Cold Nights Stew (Black Bean and Turkey) - Our Lady rates this a 4 Star Stew! 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (15 oz) cans black beans
1 (15 oz) can corn
1 (15 oz) can Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes
4 or 5 whole cloves fresh garlic
1 medium sweet onion
3/4 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon chiptle hot sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup shredded lite cheddar cheese

Instructions:

In big pot, saute onions, garlic and ground turkey in olive oil.
When onions are soft and turkey is brown,
add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer for an hour or so.
The longer the better.
Sprinkle with cheese and serve up this Heavenly Stew.  

Approx. 8 - 10 (1/2 cup) servings at approx.
250 calories each (non-scientific calorie count)

I got this recipe from the kick in the tush club and it looks wonderful.  I will have to try it soon.  I am going to the gym shortly to work out.  I took some motrin and am going to wear my wrist brace for support. For some reason I am back on track today.  Not sure what yesterday was about.  Felt bummed and defeated all day, cold weather blues and no sunshine I guess.

Faltering

  For the first time since I started my journey, I am having doubts as to if I will be able to do this.  I am not sure why it is hitting me right now.  Maybe because of the pain I am in.  I have to keep telling myself it is worth it but my joints keep screaming, NO IT ISN'T!  I haven't even writen my food down at the slim fast site for 3 days.  Yesterday I had an oatmeal cookie!  I have got to get over this.  I told my husband to keep all temptation out of the house for awhile.  It never used to bother me if he had doughnuts or cookies in the house.  I never wanted them.  Why would I want that when I could have a delicious apple dipped in butter or a fresh pear or grapes.  I love celery with peanut butter also.  I actually like that stuff more then the cookie I ate yesterday which was store bought and dry. The woman at work that was going to get lap band surgery the same time I was trying for it was approved and is down 50 pounds.  That could have been me.  She isn't exercising and is losing.  I know I am doing what is right for me but it is hard sometimes.

 I want to do the circuit tomorrow,but am not sure if I will be able.  I am having trouble even lifting my purse right now much less weights.  I have tried heat, ice, motrin, biofreeze, braces, darvocet, stretching exercises on my hands and nothing is helping.  In fact they are worse.  I wonder what in world is causing this flare-up?  I have never had this much pain in my hands and wrists before.  Knees, back, neck, yes, hands... not like this.  Anyway it is wearing me down.  I tried to meditate it into the back of my mind.  That worked pretty good with my stomach, but it isn't helping much with the hands.  I am typing this with one finger.  I think since I know I am in trouble I will be able to control this urge to give up.  I keep reading the board but find it too hard to type.  I am tempted to call the doctor and get a dose pak of steroids as that worked so great with my ankle. Sigh,

   Food.  Ok for breakfast I had special K.  For lunch I had a cup of the vegetable beef soup I made last night.   I just ate an apple with melted peanut butter.  Supper, Rick is grilling steaks as his mom is coming over for dinner.  We will have sweet potatoes and I think I will get some fresh green beans out and cook them.  I am planning on a large spinach salad with the meal even though his mother perfers iceburg lettuce.  My house, my salad, LOL.  I am going to add some walnuts and cranberries like I like it and see what she says.  She is a pretty boring cook and most of the time overcooked everything so it is hard and leathery if it is a roast or mushy if a vegetable.  She salts everything, I think she would salt salt.  I had to go buy some to keep here for when she eats here.  She always calls my cooking Gourmet as if that were a bad thing!  I tell her, not gourmet, healthy.  Lord help me to get past this slump and help me to again cope with this pain.

Cold Day

  It is possibly going to snow tonight.  I have a crockpot full of  vegetable beef soup cooking and will talk Rick into making some sour dough bread in the the bread machine for supper.  It will be a challenge to get through the up coming winter without gaining weight.  I think it is a natural body function for people who live in cold weather to protect them from the cold.  I hope that since I joined the gym and am working out I will excape that this year.  I hate putting away my loose flowing blouses and getting out bulky sweaters and coats.  It instantly puts 10 pounds on me by the time I am ready to go outside. 

   My arthritis is kicking up big time after laying dorment for awhile.  I am taking Motrin 800 mg and slept with both my hand braces on last night and my knee brace so I would be in good enough shape to work out.  That is the challenge.  I hurt so bad and as a nurse I know the best thing for arthritis is to keep moving and keep exercising but as the person who is hurting I want  to take a pain pill and not move at all so I don't hurt.  My wrist is so painful this morning it feels broken.  The weird thing about arthritis is when it isn't flaring up you can be completely pain free!  My knee can go from feeling like bone on bone where every step is a killer and stairs are impossible to completely pain free where I can run up steps and not feel a thing.  Obviously the latter is the best.  It is 60% better with the weight off that I have lost already and can only get better the more I take off.  This is my biggest reason to lose weight.

Friday

  I am still having an incredible amount of pain in my left wrist and right hand.    I think I have tendonitis on the left, but the right looks like that stupid growth is coming back.  I sure hope not.  I do not want surgery on that again.

  Today I am doing water aerobics at 10.  Friday is the best class because it is small.  The rest of the classes in the 2nd hour are to large and there are too many women there who go just to have a social hour and talk the entire class.  They pay no attention to the instructor and are always in your way.  Wish they would find a different way to socialize.  On my water aerobic days I usually just have a slim fast as I don't want a large meal sitting on my stomach.  For lunch I had a apple cut up with low fat peanut butter to dip it in and another slim fast.  Not very hungry today for some reason.  I was going to have beef soup but am making a low fat chicken Lasagna.  I found a recipe I want to try out.
  They are talking snow in the morning so I have been digging out my soup recipes looking for soups to cut down the calories on.

My week off

       

        

  The pretty pillow above is done by a local artist.  He first carves the image on limolium and then burns it onto the material.  He also makes the pillow.  I love it when a man sews.  I had a couch just like that at one time and the picture reminds me of a Maxfield Parrish so I really liked this pillow.

  I made it through another week on and am now off until Thursday.  I have to switch my eating back to normal.  I had a bad night of eating last night.  Started off with a lean cuisine and spinach salad which was good.  Ate my apple about a hour later or 2 am, good.  Someone made kettle corn about a hour after that and I had some, not good and I ate some rice cakes around 5:30. I then had a raisen oatmeal cookie.  I have to add up my calories but it doesn't seem like  I have many left and I have the rest of the day to get through.  Rick made chicken and red potatoes in the crock pot with the recipe from the low fat crock pot site.  It smells delicious.  Once again I am out of spinach because I have been eating salads for every meal lately.  We bought some  great looking 9 grain bread, real chunky looking so I will have a slice with supper with low fat butter.

   I have been feeling so unfocused lately and realized I have been neglecting my meditation.  Trying to get in my exercising and working and cooking and cleaning and all the other things one must do everyday, I have neglected my long meditation routine and just done the small breathing exercises.  So today it was quiet when I got up and I did the whole breathing, relaxation, and visual imagining series.  I am now so relaxed and am ready for my week off.  I am not sure if it was a good thing to go work out after my meditation but I was nice and loose and my workout went well.  It was pretty crowded when I got there but I still got in a hours of weight training.  I was thinking about what they said at curves.  They only recommend 3 day of exercising and say anything over that is really overkill.  I wonder if that is true.  I pretty much exercise at the least 5 days and usually 6 days a week.  Are 2 of the days wasted days?  I wonder where I would get a correct answer?  A trainer would of course say you needed to do it everyday.  Doctors are really clueless.  Have I noticed any added benifits to increasing my exercise to almost daily?  I know I hate it when I have a day I can't work out.  I can't help but feel like I am slacking on my routine.  If I give up one day whats to stop me from 2 or 3 or 4.  By now you would think I would have more confidence in myself.  Anyway, I like to workout so will probably keep it up unless I start to look like Arnold.

Weigh in.

           

         I weighed in this afternoon at a solid 207.  I guess I am happy with that because I woke up feeling so fat and bloated today.  Since I no longer have reason to be feeling like that every month I thought I might be retaining fluid.  It is up slightly from the other day.  Also it is only 2:30 and I have been trying to sleep since about 1:30.  It is going to be a tough night at work with only 5 hours sleep.   I hate it when I can't sleep.  I am taking a day off from exercising.  Might do some stretches but that is it.  Yawn.

Standard Serving Sizes

 

Standard Serving Sizes

Food Serving Looks Like Chopped Vegetables ½ cup ½ baseball or rounded handful for average adult

 Raw Leafy Vegetables (such as lettuce) 1 cup 1 baseball or fist of an average adult

Fresh Fruit 1 medium piece ½ cup chopped 1 baseball
½ baseball or rounded handful for average adult

Dried Fruit ¼ cup 1 golf ball or scant handful for average adult

 Pasta, Rice, Cooked Cereal ½ cup ½ baseball or rounded handful for average adult

Ready-to-Eat Cereal 1 oz., which varies from ½ cup to 1 ¼ cups (check label) 

  Meat, Poultry, Seafood 3 oz. (boneless cooked weight from 4 oz. raw) Deck of Cards

 Dried beans ½ cup cooked ½ baseball or rounded handful for average adult

Nuts 1/3 cup Level handful for average adult

Cheese 1 ½ oz. (2 oz. if processed cheese) 1 oz. looks like 4 dice

Going Down

                               

                                     My future body, yah right!

 I weighed in right after water aerobics and it was 206.5  I expect it will be up alittle in the morning because I seem to weigh the least amount right after my water class.  It must really burn the calories.  I really felt dehydrated in class today.  The water was to warm and we did a pretty good workout.  I had to get out twice to drink some water as I felt fuzzy headed .  I soaked in the hot tub between classes and then the water felt cooler.  I try not to drink much before the class or during it because it is a pain in the butt to get out and go and then to struggle into your wet suit.  That is why a two peice would be nicer.

  I started out with some oatmeal today and threw in some of the cranberries I have been putting in my salad and a few crushed walnuts.  Yummy.  For lunch I was out of lettuce and really had nothing on hand so I made a lean Cuinine.  I like them as far as a fast food because they are lower in sodium then most and they taste OK.  I have to go to the store as soon as my hair dries and get some groceries.  I would like to get some fruits for smoothies but have to wait until payday.  Lots of bills this check.  I need lettuce and some low fat peanut butter and I would like a couple more pears while they are still so good.  The last kiwi I got didn't taste so hot so I will skip them until payday.  We are having a bratswurst for supper.  I told Rick we should make our own.  I could use turkey and lean it down quite  abit.  We make our own sausage for  Christmas and have the right grinder to make it.  The ones from the store have to much fat and salt.  So we are planning on buying some casing and experimenting until we come up with a recipe that is tastyand low fat.

 Work tonight and I am taking the day off from the gym tomorrow to let my hands settle down.  My fingers are killing me and my wrist is swollen up.  It must be the weights.  Darn.  I have a ganglion cyst in my left wrist which has doubled in size since I started using the weights and is very painful.  I might have to give them up for awhile.  It is hard to get in shape when your arthritis keeps getting in the way.

Great workout

   I got home at 7:15 am and slept until 1 then off to workout with Rick.  We really pushed it today.  Started out on the treadmill to loosen up and then to the circuit.  I increased my weight on most of the machines and really pushed it.  I did some I hadn't done before.  This time I remembered to stretch afterward as at Curves they said if you didn't stretch after you lose 15% of your workout.  I also tried a cross country ski machine and almost fell on my amble behind.  Couldn't get the swing of it.  We ended up working out about 1 hour and  45 minutes.  I think this is going to be a very good weigh in this week.  My hands though are killing me.  It is really aggrevating my arthritis.  I see some of the women wear gloves and maybe I'll have to even though I will feel silly.  I don't want to be crippled up.

  Way low on calories today so will make up for it at supper.  I can't wait until I get rid of this fat around my middle.  It is going but soooooooooooo slow.

Home exercises

   I got up this afternoon and did the yoga exercises I printed off.  All except one page I just found in the printer so will have to add them.  Then I did my Tai Chi to seniors in my sons room.  That is difficult because I don't have enough room to move freely.  I guess I will get the TV he gave me hooked up and go buy a dvd/vcr player so I can do it in the livingroom.  I wish the gym offered a class of this as I would love to have my form checked.  I hate working out at home.  The dog always thinks I'm ready to play and gets in my way and I get interupted all the time.  I did work up a sweat though and need to shower before work and then get supper ready.  

Done with my shower and the scale is moving down again.  Yippie. 207.6.  Hope it keeps going down by weigh in.  Decreasing my meals for a few days seems to have helped.  Or the increase in exercise.  I just never know for sure.  I don't want to stay this low calorie wise for long though or my body will start only burning that many and I will be stuck at only 1000 calories a day.  Tomorrow I will increase to 1500 and then Tuesday down to 1000 again until weigh in Wed.  then I will bounce between 1200 and 1600 the rest of the week.  I'll see if that works. 

    Work tonight, but I will be able to go to the gym tomorrow around 1 and tuesday water aerobics and weight circuits.  Wed. yoga and Tai Chi at home, Thursday weight circuit, Friday water aerobics. saturday weight circuit.  I forgot to mention the other machines, treadmill and bike and machine from hell, but I do those on the day I do the circuit.  I am now up to exercising everyday or I feel like I am blowing it.  It gets addicting. I am still having trouble with that pain in my right side and my stomach is starting to look like people have been punching me with all the bruises.  I hand is still swollen also.

  I got an email from one of my favorite authors yesterday, Christopher Moore and he won the award we all voted him in for.  He has 2 new books out I haven't read so I can't wait to get them.  He has such funny dark humor and the people in his books are so believable.  I also really like Tim Dorsey & Carl Hiaasen.  They all have a way of showing the worse and best of people in a sick twisted funny way.  Now thatwinter is coming I will have to start going to the library every week because nothing is nicer on a cold winter day then a great book snuggled under your lap blanket.

Extra Day to work out

  From striving comes wisdom;
from not, wisdom's end.
Knowing these two courses
--to development
decline--
conduct yourself
so that wisdom will grow.

-Dhammapada, 20, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

                      

 I was given the day off last night because our census is low.  That means I can go to the gym this morning and work out.  I downloaded some yoga moves last night and did them at home.  It was a good workout and I was able to save my hands and concentrate on my low back and abdominal exercises.  I will see if working out on the machines hurts my hands today.

  I had special K for breakfast and am going to just have a slim fast for lunch.  For supper my husband wants grilled chicken breast with mushrooms and melted swiss cheese on a burger.  I will have him melt a low fat pepperjack cheese on mine and of course no bun.  Then I will have some fresh green beans and a large salad.

  My scale continues to refuse to move.  It is so frustrating.  I try not to let it get to me.  I look at my progress and it is creeping along.  I am much stronger, my legs are unbelievably muscular right now, but I want a SV.  I analize everything I eat these days again.  Whats good about it, whats bad.  I realize I eat prepared foods on my working days and they can have all kinds of hidden bad things.  I carefully read the nutrition information on them and I think the Lean Crusines are pretty good as they don't have alot of sodium and rarely any saturated fats.  I try to have a good salad with them and fruit. Sigh.  I want to lose 9 pounds by the end of this month.  I should be able to eating the way I am and lose, but its stuck.  I may have to drop down to 1000 calories for a while and then back up to 1500.  It used to work for me to go from 1500 to 1800 everyonce in awhile to jump start.  Ican't wait until this isn't such an obsession.

   Well I went to the gym and worked out.  I did 28:38 minutes on the treadmill adveraging 3.5 for speed with the incline at 4.  My heart rate stayed around 137.  Then I did the circuit for 1 hour and finished up with 10 more minutes on the treadmill.  It is really busy on saturday and most of the posers are there in full force.  There was on man there with the nicest butt I have seen in a long time.  Yikes gramma get a hold on yourself.  The rest of the day I spent listing items in my ebay store so alot of sitting on my butt in front of this computer.  I work tonight so hopefully will burn more calories.  I am waiting now to see if my other half is going to cook supper or if I have to again.

Kindness

                                               

 World Kindness week, November 7 - 13. World Kindness Day is Sunday, November 13

    A good thing to remember.  I am a member of the acts of kindness site.  You can't go wrong being kind to someone and it doesn't cost anything but a smile.  Pass it on.

   I have been having trouble with my hands all week.  I had surgery on my right hand last year for carpel tunnel and trigger fingers and had a growth removed from my middle finger joint and it took me a long time to work the stiffness out.  I have carpel tunnel in my left hand also and was going to have surgery on that one but am not happy with the results on my right so decided to live with it.  Anyway my hands have been swollen and painful since last Monday.  I think it may have been the yoga since I spend so much time holding myself up with my hands.  That is what one of the Doctors at work thinks may have happened also.  Either that or gripping the weights when I work out.  He suggested holding off on the yoga or just doing the exercises that don't involve holding my body off the floor.  That is quite a few of the exercises.  I don't know what to do.  I may hold off on the yoga and increase my water aerobics during that hour until I am down another 40 pounds.  I don't want to mess my hands up permanently.  Also where they removed the growth it is really swelling and it possible it is coming back.  It was a giant cell tumor and they can recur.

  I have been really watching what I am eating and am cutting down some non-essential things I got into the habit of eating like Special K bars.  They pack on the calories.  Replacing them with grapes or a can of V8 is much better for me.  For supper tonight I am making chicken fajitas.  They are fairly low in calories and very filling.  I love, love, love, refried black beans and they aren't bad in the nutrition scale.  Anyway.  Off to make supper. 

    Here is an excellent link to download if you want.  I found it while looking for some yoga moves to download.  I am going to do the yoga here where I can pick and choose the ones that save my hands.

                     http://www.health.com/health/pdf/goodlivingtips.pdf

Need to get more aggressive

   I am unhappy with my loss and am going to have to be more aggressive.  I am going to give up the occasional beer that I have and last night we had pizza because we were running late.  I ate a large salad and  less pizza, but at this point I can't do that.  I am also going to give up my popcorn at night.  I was doing better before I had those things.   This next 4 days at work I am going to really cut down and see if that helps.  I won't be able to workout now until Monday.  I thought about going right after work and then coming home and sleeping but I am afraid it might make me to hyper. and I won't sleep well.  The more I exercise the more I hate this 4 day stretch because I miss working out.  I have to rethink what I have been doing.  In trying to make sure I get my fruit in did I add to many?  Are my portions getting to large again, I will start measuring them again.  I love a nice porter in the winter but will give that up if it means the scales will go down faster.  If I get approved for my surgery I will be unable to do alot of the exercises I am doing now for 6 weeks.  That will put me way behind.  I need to get lower so I can handle that.  I should find out soon what they decide is my fate.

   I did 2 hours of water aerobics and it was a great workout today.  We had a new instructor and she made us really work out.  I love it.  I have to go to the store and get meals on hand for when I work.  They need to be easy and fast to prepare as my husband hasn't been cooking like he used to.  Thats sucks because if I didn't have to wake up and make dinner I could get in a workout at the gym while he fixed dinner.  He wants spagetti tonight so I will have a very small amount since he refuses to have it anyway but the way we have always hate it, loaded with calories.  It would be so much easier if I just cooked for myself.  Anyway that is my plan for today and then work at 7p.

4 whole ounces lost

  Well I suppose I should be happy because the gain I saw a few days ago is gone.  I weighed in this morning at 209 even.  Can I even count 4 ounces?  You bet chah.  Because by this time next week it will be lower.  The doctor thought my weight loss was really good, but I think it is so slow.  It was 5 months on the 8th.  33 pounds gone.  Don't get me wrong.  I am really happy with it but I really did think I could lose 10 pounds a month and that I would be down at least 50 pounds by now.  If I hadn't started this though I could possibly be 33 pounds heavier.  It is way easier packing it on then taking it off.  The rewards are zero though for packing it on and immense for taking it off.  Patience is needed here.

  I am going to the gym shortly to work out.  I am still sore but am looking foward to it.

  Well we are back from the gym, yes we, he went.  I thought it was so much fun to do it with someone but I think I had more fun then he did.  It made the time go so much faster.  I wish there was someway I could get him to really, really, really. want to go. I know one of the reasons he doesn't like gyms.  He doesn't care much for jocks.  He never was one for watching sports on tv and hates football.  If he had really liked that stuff, I wouldn't have liked him.  He likes the kind of stuff I like, hiking, biking, walking, camping, anything outdoors.   But neither of us like winter activities outside.  I hate being cold and he came from california so he is in a funk all winter long.  This will give me a way to stay fit all winter so we can just easily move our activity outside next spring.  I have mentioned that I would love to do RAGBRAI and I want to start doing the bike and setting it more on a incline so by next spring I can take my bike out from my house and ride.  My house is all uphill so if I go down, I have to go uphill, a steep hill at that.  In 2 years I want to go on RAGBRAI and am hoping my board friend Robin will go with me. 

  A weird thing!  I saw my cardiologist at the gym last week.  He was upset with me for not checking it out with them before I started this increased program.  So much for support there.  I just didn't feel like spending a few hundred dollars for them to tell me it was OK.  I told him I was taking it slow and knew enough, I am a cardiology nurse for petes sake, to be doing it safely and he backed off.  He did say I was looking good.

Another sore muscle day!

    I wonder if there will ever be a day when I don't get that hit by a truck feeling after doing a new workout.  Boy am I sore today.  I did 2 hours of water aerobics and then some yoga moves trying to keep stretching since I don't have a class again until Monday.  It helped doing the water aerobics today or I would have really stiffened up. 

    I had slim fast for breakfast again.  It works out best for me on the days I do my water aerobics.  Then I had another wonderful great salad.  We are grilling hamburgers tonight.  I eat mine plain with melted low fat pepperjack cheese.  Today we are doing the brussel sprouts.  I have them ready and also blanched some fresh green beans to freeze.  I have been hungry for acorn squash lately but have never had it without the brown sugar and butter.  I will have to find a new way to make it.  My husband wants spagetti and won't budge.  He wants it the way we always make it.  The sauce is way to fattening.  Italian sausage, pepperoni, hamburger.  I suppose I will make it that way and just have a very small serving and a massive salad.

  Something I noticed today.  My shoulder no longer is killing me.  Slowly but surely the pain I have been living with is getting better.  My side is still hurting but that will get better also.  My plan is working.  I am getting healthier and off pain medications.  I feel good.

Joy of Salads and Yoga

                   

 Above is my wonderful lunch.  Start out with fresh baby spinach and red lettuce, add around 8 to 9 dried cranberries and about a tbsp crushed walnut. Add smoked deli turkey, around 3 slices torn in small peices and don't forget the shredded parmesian and fresh ground pepper.  I love Anne's Organic low fat Raspberry Vinegarette on top.  Anyone who says they can't stand to diet because they hate eating rabbit food is doing it wrong.  This is hands down better tasting then any junk food I can think of right now.  I never did eat fast food though.  I always ate good food, just to much and didn't exercise.  The ones who hate it and get bored probably eat iceburg lettuce with some carrots on the side and low fat italian dressing.  Pretty boring day in and day out.  Your salad should be a masterpiece.  Like something you would get served in a high end restarant.  Things I put in my salads.... Salmon, mandarine orange slices, mushrooms, red onion, peppers,( all colors), water packed tuna, pine nuts, grilled chicken breast, sprinkle in blue cheese in moderation.  Remember to count everything you add to your salad.  I never use croutons, any cheese but parmesian, iceburg lettuce, sunflower seeds, bacon bits and all the other items that turn your healthy meal into a high calorie fat packed bad meal.  Anyway the above salad was wonderful and very filling and look at the eye appeal.  I finished up with a pear because they are so wonderful right now.

  Yoga.  It looks so peaceful and relaxing when you see it in magazines.  I meditate everyday and thought it would be perfect for it.  The Truth!  It HURTS, it's HARD, I sweat.  I wanted to run when I got to the class and saw that nobody there had any body fat.  None.  Yikes what had I gotten myself into.  I think the instructor wears a size 2.  Some of the moves are impossible for someone of my size, my stomach is in the way.  However,  I did it and could see how it would help with my flexibility and strength.  No one made fun of me for not being able to do all the moves and by this time next year I will have alot less stomach so I am going to spend the rest of week practicing at home and talking myself into going next week.  Why don't they have Yoga for fat middle-aged women classes.  Sigh.  This too will get easier.  I did the treadmill for 15 minutes before my class and had planned on doing the weight circuit after the class but I was done in. 

   This is a very good site with so much information.  I visit it often to stay focased and to see what I have missed.  Weighed in today back at 209.6.  I am not expecting a loss this week as it seems everytime I add more exercise I stall for awhile.  The benifits out weight the temporary stall though.

http://www.nutritiondata.com/dieting-weight-loss.html

Pictures from the ride

   We had a lovely ride.  The trees seemed to have gone from green to brown, no fall colors but it was a lovely ride.  We only did 10 miles as we got a late start and had to get supper ready before Dan went to work. As you can see I don't wear the regular biker shorts and head gear.  I do wear half gloves though as I get blisters for the grips.  I tried to get some pictures in an album but it never works on this site.

.

   One thing we think is very amusing on our ride out there is one of the lookouts.  They have them over looking the lake and another at an area where dear and wild turkey hang around.  Then our favorite, the yuppie lookout.  You go to it and if your lucky you can see yuppies in their natural enviroment.  It looks out over some expensive big blocky yuppie houses.

  The yuppie outlook

  You have to be quiet not to scare them away. Shuuuuuuuu

  You occasionally see them on the trails.  They have matching riding outfits if it is a pair and they always wear a helmet with the little mirror on the side.  The female is usually as bright as the male.  Sometimes we see them when we go camping and it is always a treat to see the matching backpacks and the hand carved walking sticks they use.  Of course they are very easy to spot at the gym, cute little outfits and pulse watches to tell them when to stop before they sweat.  We aren't as populated as the bigger towns so it is a treat to have this outlook.  It is extremely rare though to see them out in the elements as the air isn't as clean and pure as it is inside their box houses.

  Anyway after our lovely ride we raced back to make supper.  No brussel sprouts tonight as I didn't have time so will make them tomorrow.  I ate 1620 calories today and had around 10 12 ounces glasses of water and tea to drink.  I am floating.

Meditation

  I woke up this morning and meditated.  I concentrated on putting the pain in my stomach someplace deep inside where it wouldn't bother me anymore.  I have done that with my back pain at times so I can cope with it.  Of course now since I have been exercising so much it isn't bothering me as much.  Much better then drugs.  I visualized the painful area getting smaller and smaller until it was smaller then a pea.  That size pain I can deal with.  Followed it up with some mindful breathing and am feeling much more relaxed.  My bedroom is a very comforting room for me to meditate in.  The colors are calming and I like all the things in there.  They please my eye.  The dresser I dragged home from an auction in terrible shape.  I stripped it and bleached it and stained it and it is beautiful now.  The picture my brother painted for me.  The beautiful tapestry I bought at an auction by a talented local artist after 9-11.  All the proceed were for the victims family's and I love it.   The colors aren't quite true in the pictures, the room is softer.

   I had a slim fast for breakfast, a low fat wrap for lunch with a red pear.  We are going for a bike ride as my muscles are screaming for it.  I need to exercise and we have only a few days left to ride the bikes.  I am bringing, besides the water, some figs to much on during the ride.  Gives me energy and will be my midday snack.

 

 

 

My sore Tummy

   I have been having pain in my lower right side since in the middle of the night monday at work.  It is off and on and kind of nagging.  It bothered me while I was working out but sometimes it doesn't hurt at all.  Today it is bothering me worse and I am feeling sick to my stomach.  I am afraid I will have to be making a trip to OPD and hope and pray it isn't my appendix.  I think it might be more adhesions which isn't good also.  It is starting to affect my sleep so I think I should get it looked at.  Guess I'll call the doc and she what she thinks.

  Well, back from urgent care with good news, bad news,  The good news, not appendix so no surgery.  I was worried about how that would affect my exercising.  The bad news is it is probably adhessions.  Not much they can do about it.  If the pain get real bad they can go in and cut some out but they eventually will come back.  I also found out something that really upset me.  I am not sure why but I think because it is my body and no one bothered to tell me.  The Doc said my xrays show around 6 staples in my belly.  He asked is I had ever had abdominal surgery.  Oh Yah.  Interestingly they are located right of my belly button where ever since my exploratory lap I have been having this tearing pain.  I even made my doctor xray me a few weeks after surgery to make sure they hadn't left something in accidently.  Don't laugh, it happened to my husbands aunt.  They said there was nothing there at that time and then now I find out there are staples there,  What for?  I had my ovaries removed and a hernia repair, why staples there.  I decided to call Iowa City and ask for a copy of my operative report.  I guess I want to know why they are there so I can come to terms with the pain I have always had there for the last 3 years since surgery.  Don't you think they would mention that?  I only found out they repaired a hernia during that surgery by reading my bill, the doctor never mentioned it.

  Anyway I took some Motrin and will just have to live with this new pain.  The good news is he said to rest a few days and then I can take my yoga class Monday.

                                               

My new Charm

“I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind.” One practices like this.

-The Sutra on Full Awareness of Breathing, translated by Thich Nhat Hanh

  I  finally got my charm for quitting smoking today.  It turned out pretty nice.  I checked out their bike charms.  For the next 10 pounds I am getting a bike.  I was stuck on what to get but my friend Robin suggested the bike because of how much I enjoy riding it and how it has helped in my weight loss.  It's perfect.  They have a couple I can choose from when the blessed event decides to happen.  Still sitting a 211 today.  Drives me nuts.  209 for 3 days and then this.  This happened the last time I increased my exercises and then fell off rapidly so I won't get upset.  If if warms up enough today I would love going for a ride on my bike.  If not I will go down to the gym to work out even though Saturdays are a zoo.

I am really starting to like the Treadmill

                                         

  Started out the day with water aerobics for one hour and then I used the treadmill for 30 minutes.  I slowly increased the time and the incline and really did well.  My heart rate maxed out at 137 and I burned a ton of calories.  Yippy.  It saddens me to see how few overweight women are there working out.  Lots of overweight men but few women.  I know why, its embarressing to workout in front of these tiny hard bodied young women but we are the ones who really need it.  I am proud of myself for doing it inspite of being uncomfortable.  I couldn't do the ciruit because they were having a class and I am not ready to join a class yet.  I want to build up before I do that.  I did find out about when the yoga classes are and monday at 10:15 I will take the beginners class to see how I like it.

   I am up today to 211.  I am attributing it to the increased exercise and know it will drop again shortly.  Turning all that fat into muscle!  I have doubled my exercise and am pretty darn proud of myself.  I can see being under 200 in the not to far future and I want it so bad I can taste it.  I will do whatever it takes.

  I am back on plan for my days off,  hot oatmeal on this cold morning,  low fat wrap for lunch, V8 for snacks and I am making something out of the turkey breast I have thawing for supper.  I am also going to make some cookies either today or tomorrow.  Low fat coconut macaroons.  Low fat, low salt, and low carb.  I hope they are good.  Then tonight we are going to listen to live jazz.  I think we will share a bottle of wine and I am going to just listen to the music and relax to my core.  I love my days off.

Something to think about.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed
each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coiffed and
shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing
home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move
necessary.  After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the
nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a  visual
description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had
been
hung on his window.

"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having
just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my
room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's
how
I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it  "It's a decision I
make
every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in
bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no
longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new
day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in
my life.

Old age is like a bank account.  You withdraw from what you've put in.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the
bank
account of memories! . Thank you for your part in filling my Memory
bank. I am still depositing."  Remember the five simple rules to be
happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Pumping it up

                                        

                                             

My workout is getting smoother at the gym.  I ran across the man who I signed up with and when he asked how it was going I told him how disappointed I was in how hard it was to find trainers to help.  I suggested they should be wearing something to make them stand out and they should be looking for us new people and helping us out, not make us look around for them.  How hard would it be to since they take our pictures when we join the gym, to show it to all the trainers and let them know who is new.  It though that was a good idea and then introduced me to a trainer.  She had been working out everytime I was there.  How nice for her, gym membership for no cost!  I got the impression she was put off that I was interupting her workout.  Well excuse me.

  One of the girls at work is thinking of joining the gym  She has lost over 100 pounds and still has about 40 to go.  I hope she does so I have someone to workout with as my husband has still not gone.  All of a sudden all the chores that have been needing to be done are getting done.  I just need to stay motivated to go even if it is alone.

    I am still feeling under the weather today and still having that pain in my lower right side.  It really hasn't gotten worse, just nagging.  I wonder if it is adhessions again.  I notice my stomach has bruises all over from the adhessons ripping away from my abdominal wall.  The first few time that happened that is what the doctor said is happening because I have such bad adhessions.  Its painful also.  It does make it hard to keep going when I have such a sore tummy but hopefully it will stop eventually.

  I haven't eaten since 2 in the morning and it is 5:13 now so I am way behind plan.  I have drank a ton of water.  From now on I am off until Thursday so can get back in the daytime eating mode.  I eat healthier on my days off.

   OK, supper is over and I feel better,  I had one hot dog, minus the bun with a tsp of chili on it, a huge pile of steamed brocolli, 2 baby red potatoes with low fat margarine,  red lettuce with spinach salad with dried cranberries, walnuts and low fat raspberry vinegaratte dressing and for desert a carb freedom black raspberry bar.  I now am indulging myself for my long work week and having a Summit Great Northern Porter.  Heavenly and warmed to room temp to bring out the flavor.  Love porters and stouts in the cold fall and winter months.

  I just read this most amazing journal about this man walk across america to lose weight.  Check this out and send him your support. 

http://www.thefatmanwalking.com/

Biofreeze is my Friend

                                                            

 I really thought I had been careful at the gym and not overdone it, in fact felt pretty whimpy quitting as soon as I did, but boy are my muscles sore today.  Especially my shoulder muscles and inner thighs.  Yikes.  I have been accused before by my doctors of doing to much after surgery, but really really thought I was being good.  How can I be this sore after all these months of exercising?  I am still having that lower right stomach pain and it is being more persistant.  I feel like I am coming down with a cold also today.  I will probably end up having to have my appendix out and getting a bad cold and have to start all over from square one, LOL.  I did not give up my sleep and go work out today.  I was just so tired at 2:30 so I kept sleeping.  That is important also.  I did meditate today and found a short little meditation piece which hits home for me.  I can my weight loss plan my journey and this short meditation is called the journey. Guided imagery and meditation for relaxation and self discovery by Susan M. Ca

     I weighed in today at 209.4. Pretty happy with that. I will be starting my long stretch off after tonight and working out everyday at the gym. I wonder if I will get a gain. I also am going to go to curves because I get measured on the 8th.

Gym day 2

                                             

 They don't have determined listed as a mood, but that is what I am.  I am going to do my usual 2 hour water aerobics, go home and have lunch, and then around 2 go back and work out on the machines.  I am hoping that will be a good time because most people who have to work at 3 will be leaving and the ones who get off at 3 won't be there yet.  The nice thing about not going to work until 7. 

  I got back from my water aerobics.  What a great workout today.  The first hour is very intense and really works your upper body.  The 2nd hour is slower and works the lower part of your body.  I remember how hard it was to get through the 2 hours at first using the lightest weights, now I use the heaviest and it is easy. At 2 I am going back to work out on the machines. I am going to start slow and with the weights low and work my way up.  I have 2 more days to do in my stretch and don't want to be so sore I can't move.

                                              

  I can't wait to weigh in tomorrow.  I feel like I might be down more.  Maybe it is just inches though.  I really need to get some new cloths.  My uniforms really look ridiculous these day, but I am a little short until payday so it will have to wait.  I need to get some pottery pictured and sold in my ebay shop so I have some extra cash.  It also looks like my furnace is on its last legs.  I have 2 boxes of costume jewelry to get pictures of and listed.  I hate writing descriptions but these are so nice they should sell easily.  I love big bold brooches.

  Well I just got back from my 2nd trip to the gym.  I worked out on the machines today and it was fun.  I used to do the weight machines at my old gym and I like it so much more then the bikes or stairsteppers and things.  They have around 26 stations but I didn't do them all.  Some would have put more stain on my back and knees then I thought I could take.  I talked to someone about how to get started and then did 3 reps of 10 with 4 second rest periods in between.  I started low on the weights, 3 to 6 as I don't want to be extremely sore when I work tonight.  I felt like I could have gone higher on some of them but still want to start slow.  I finished up with that machine from hell and still could only do 5 minutes but this is on top of 2 hours of water aerobics and 1 hour on the circuit.  Not to bad.  I am thinking of giving up a hour of sleep and maybe going for 1 hour tomorrow between 3 and 4 then quick shower, supper and work.  I feel good, da da da da da da. like I knew that I would yah.

  OK it is now 2 hours later and I feel sore waa waa waa waa waa waa like I hope that I wouldn't.  Work should be fun

The Gym

     I am getting ready to go to the gym for the first time to work out on the machines, alone as my DH says he has to fix the furnace but I don't see him down there working.  I am nervous.  I hope there is someone there to show me how to use them the first time.  I will post more when I get home.

    Well I am back from the gym.  Just when you thought you were getting in pretty good shape you start a new exercise program and whammo, back to being in terrible shape.  I was first off upset that I couldn't find a trainer and I picked a busy time to go.  I thought it would be quiet around 1 but it wasn't.  I didn't know what they would recommend starting off on so I started with the recumbent bike for 10 minutes.  Not much I know but I wanted to try various machines.  Next I did the treadmill for 10 minutes.  I had to ask the person next to me how to turn it on, duh.  That went pretty good but I was surprised when I got off I had trouble with my balance.  I had to grab hold so I didn't make a fool of myself and fall.  From there I tried the epilitcal (sp) thing I had heard about.  The older then me lady who was using it before I got on had just done about 20 minutes.  In 5 minutes I was pretty miserable.  My heart started getting pretty irregular again so I quit after 5 and did a walk around until my heart slowed down.  Then I did the regular bike for 15 minutes.  They were doing a class on the circuit and you can't use them while they have class so I decided to call it a day.  I am upset not to have found anyone to tell me if I was starting out the right way or doing to much, to little etc... but I will try a different time tomorrow and be more aggressive about finding help.  I must admit to being a bit put off my some young hard bodies there and felt uncomfortable.  Darn my husband for not going with me.

 I collect art pottery and here are 2 nice little items I picked up.  Aren't they neat.

 This is a McCoy Acorn and leaves Jardiniere from 1920.  Looks great with my jade tree.

  Here is a Roseville Vase from 1942 in the Foxglove pattern.

   It is now after supper and the lower right abdominal pain I have been having off and on all day is getting more insistent.  I sure hope it isn't my appendix?  If it gets worse I will have to go to OPD.  The last time I had pain like this they told me I had a large mass in my abd.  Pretty scary.  I hope I don't get news like that again.

 

Reasons why I will stay on Plan

  I was reading a thread on the 100+  board about staying focused and it has me thinking, dangerous I know, but I though I would list all the reasons I want to get healthy.

1) Walking in my woods on a fall day with the crunch of leaves under my feet.  If  I were to get heavier I might not be able to do it.

2) Riding my bike.  I love it and might not be able to do it if I got heavier.  It will be easier when I get thinner.

3) Playing hide and seek with my grandchildren and running after them to play tag.  Running is out if I get heavier.

4) I can take care of all my needs.  As a nurse this is so important to me.  Severely obese people need help to do the most simple things.  Tie their shoes, wipe themselves after they use the restroom, pick things up off the floor.  I was starting to have problems with some of these.

5) So I can sit in a movie without being embarressed, eat out without people wondering why I was eating, look in a mirror without cringing.  Whoops, more then one thing.

6) So I hopefully don't become a diabetic like my parents, have heart disease, skin ulcers, and all the other things that being overweight make you prone for.

7) For my family, my husband and sons, my grandchildren.  I want them to be proud to be seen with me, not secretly ashamed.

8) To live life fully, not stuck in a room because I can't walk far enough to get out.

9) To work out at the gym and not be self-concious.  I realize this is my problem but I can't help it.

   I think I will keep adding to this as I think of more reasons.  It is important to remember why I started this journey.  It is the reason why I will be successful this time.

Gym tomorrow

   Tomorrow when I wake up we are going to go work out for the first time at the gym.  I am excited but unfortunately my husband seems less then enthused.  I hope he doesn't wig out on me.  If I can get him going I think he will get into it.  I tried to get him to buy a swimsuit but he doesn't sound like he has any intention of ever going into the pool.  I thought it would be great to workout for a hour then go cool off in the pool and hot tub.  We shall see.  He can be such a mule sometimes.  If it is something he likes then it's easy to motivate him, like bike riding, but if it is something I like................. well not so easy.

  He is making a egg pie tonight for supper. I had a very healthy supper planned but he is hungry for his famous egg pie.   Loaded big time with calories.  Ham, eggs, cheeses, peppers mushrooms and corn.  I can't even imagine how many calories are in it.  I am going to have a massive salad and a thin slice of it.  I know he is hungry for it and it is delicious but at this point in my weight loss it is not in my plan.  That is the trouble with the week I work and he cooks.  He doesn't always try to go light for me.  He makes what he is hungry for.  He can eat all day and not gain weight.  Oh well.

Smaller size

                                          

 I was getting ready for work yesterday and thought I would try on an old uniform top that was to small for me.  It fit great, it was even loose.  The front snaps and I didn't use to be able to snap it around my stomach but no problem now.  I have to keep remembering the inches and not worring so much about the pounds.  With the exercising I am loosing inches.  It is almost time to get measured again at Curves.  I wonder how different it will be? 

   For eating at work last night I had a low fat wrap, fruit cup and 2 rice cakes.  I had popcorn later.  Remember I work 12 hours.  I won't eat now until supper when we will have brats.  I have mine plain.  I can have 7 steak fries and want to use up my salad.  Fresh greens seem to get bad so much quicker then iceburg lettuce but I like it better and it is alot better for you.

  Later in the same day..........Woke up and weighed myself....Ta Da 209.8  Yippy!  In a little over 9 pounds I will be under 200.  I must admit to being  very proud of myself.