Sweet & Sour

Ahhh love me some sweet & sour... yes, I'm talking about GRAPEFRUIT, not red-dyed Chinese food! LOL

I just ate a grapefruit at my desk and it was so delish! Sure wish they aren't $1 each! I also got some grapefruit juice and it's a little cheaper.. so after my last grapefruit is gone (one more to eat), I think I'll just stick with the 50 calorie juice. It makes me happy also and it isn't nearly as messy!

YUM!!!

Wahoo, break thru

Wahoo, broke thru today... 225.4, so my ten pound loss is real! Yeah

Breakfast today at mj's and yeaterday at taco bell... so not helping.

Hubby got paid finally... makes up for no money since mid - september

I can do this

And so it goes...

... in order to grow things a little rain must fall.

YES... we got rain, literally :) but also I am experiencing the ebb and flow of life. I was on a good high from my new "taking care of myself" plan... but of course, as life goes, I have hit a snag or several... nothing big, just a little financial hit here and there and I haven't seen any weight fall off this week YET, insert grumble here!

Anyway... I'm trying not to get stuck in the muck and keep my chin up, and whatever other phrases come to mind, but it isn't easy... but I will continue to brush it off and keep moving toward my goals and I know I'll get there. Setbacks make us stronger, right?!?!?!

Ahhh, it's ALWAYS something, that's how we know we're still alive! LOL

NEXT -
Looking forward to a nice fall weekend here in sunny California. No rest for the wicked. Up early tomorrow morning for a massage for hubby, ya, I could use one too... but not in the cards. Then we might go out for breakfast, a treat we probably shouldn't indulge in, but one that we likely will. Then some cleaning, laundry, etc. and a dance tomorrow evening - back at the school where we first met. Sunday I'm working in the nursery and that is usually a bright spot to my month - need a baby fix, before we head north to see our new grandbaby, our first, that we haven't "met" yet.

18 Days In

So here I am... 18 days into my new "taking care of me plan"... and how is it going???

I think great! I have drastically cut my sugar intake. The only sweets I have consumed in the last 18 days has been a little fake sugar, some wine, fruit and some fruit juice. I have totally rediscovered grapefruit and it's cheaper and easier to just drink the 50 calorie version, but I have eaten a few whole grapefruits also.

I've been back at the gym for the whole time also... the first week, I went MTWThS, and the second week I went MTWThF :) so improvement!!!

I've been eating veggies and trying to eat less carbs, and that plan always works for me, but I'm not avoiding them totally, just eating less... trying to eat only one helping, but if I go back for more it's protein and/or veggies.

I've lost a firm 7 pounds, but my daily weight changes... by about 3 pounds, which makes me crazy!

Grief share - Day 306

I signed up for this email list after my son's suicide last December. I don't read them everyday and overall I think I'm doing great dealing with his tragic death. I know he is saved and I look forward to seeing him again someday.

This message seemed worthy to share today. I'm thinking of joining the choir :)


Making Music unto God Day 306

Every person walks to the rhythm of different tunes. The music of your life can be a source of praise to God.

“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1).
You may be a singer, a hummer, an instrumentalist, a dancer, or an avid listener. God made you musically unique.

“Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp” (Psalm 149:3).

“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him” (Psalm 33:1).
Put on some praise music or take an early-morning walk and sing with the birds! Do this again and again and experience healing through music.

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:2).
Lord, I sing my own song to You today. I will sing to You when I rise up in the morning, as I go about my day, and when I retire at night. Jesus, keep this song in my heart and change my life. Amen.

www.griefshare.org

Happy saturday

Happy Saturday everyone,  great news on the scale today. .. 225.6, so that is truly  10 pound loss! Yeah me!!!

I got to the gym 6 of 7 days,  it wasn't easy but each sacrifice is worth it.

Have a great weekend all.  Peace out!

More progress

One step at a time :)

Today I got on the scale and saw 226.8 - nice... that's 10 pounds GONE since 10/26! I can do this!

Worked out the last two mornings... elliptical (20 minutes) both days... weights yesterday (adductors, abductors, crunch, chest press and quads) and bike today (5 minutes).

Tracking ALL calories consumed, feel like I'm eating too much, but so far I really haven't. It's tough with leftovers because they seem to never end and it is difficult to waste food, especially when it was cooked just for me :)

Got a new 75cm exercise ball also... I really need to use it! Maybe tonight I will sit on it for a bit and try to remember how to use it!

Wonder what my weight will be when I go to the parents for Thanksgiving?!?!? That's three weeks away, so if I slow to 2 pounds per week... I'll be 6 pounds smaller... so that will be 220# yeouch, that still seems like such a BIG number.

My goal on SparkPeople is 173 - which puts me in the "normal" BMI category... the lowest weight I can remember with a date is 190 and that was achieved in 2000 before my breast reduction (in 2001) and I remember it was tough to get there. I can't even imagine how my body will look and feel at 190, 180 or 173! LOL but I think I'll be able to tell you in a few months!

Wellness check

So much for getting here more often...

My employer is under new management and the new company has a new wellness program... whee! The wellness program for the old company was weak to say the least and the role I was asked to play was difficult, so I'm down with the new plan... anyway, Saturday, October 25th I went to get my blood work done, and before I got out of bed on Sunday, I had the results available online. Wow, that is crazy fast.

It was a lot of good numbers, but some important numbers that aren't so good. They have determined, that I have metabolic syndrome. *insert huge groan here* What is metabolic syndrome? From what I've determined online, it is a group of results/symptoms that now have a name. I guess for a while it was called syndrome x.

I was told I might be pre-diabetic a few years ago, but I didn't take action soon enough. I did have gestational diabetes when I was pregnant the 3rd time (out of 5) but had hoped to avoid a diabetes diagnosis for the rest of my life.

Anyway, time to get my butt into gear and get gazelle intense about taking care of ME. No one can do it for me and time is a wasting!

Here are my stats as of 10/25/14
Glucose, serum: 117 (normal is 65-99) I had been just over 100 in a couple previous tests
LDL Cholesterol Calc: 125 (normal is 0-99)
Hemoglobin A1c: 6.2 (normal is 4.8-5.6) [Diabetes is diagnosed at 6.4]
Taking Bystolic (5mg/day) for high blood pressure
Weight: 236
Height: 5'10"

So I hit the ground running on Sunday and did some research and started my plan. I'm using a SparkPeople app to track my food, exercise, and weight.

Today my weight was 228.0 :) [that's 8 pounds in a week] and I feel SO much more healthy and in control. I have been at the gym 6 days of the last 9 and haven't eaten a single piece of Halloween candy. I had been getting VERY lazy and hadn't worked out since mid-September, that just can't happen anymore... I need to keep moving, so I can keep moving! I have cut my sugar intake to almost none.

I ate a couple grapefruits, supposed to help with blood sugar and metabolism and I have also taken 5mg of Melatonin before bed, which is also said to help with metabolism.

I decided to start back blogging to add another layer of accountability to my toolbox and to help encourage anyone out there, who actually reads my blog, and keep track of what works for me.

I used to drink coffee, I don't think I've really given it up, but I need sugar or something super sweet in my coffee... and since sugar isn't an option, I've switched to green tea. I found a new sweetener, to me, and it is very sweet, so one packet goes far. It's Pure Via Stevia. I know it's processed and not a good as nothing, and maybe someday I can drink unsweet tea, but that day isn't here yet.

I have a power breakfast... non-fat greek yogurt, triple berry mix from Costco (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries), quinoa, chia seeds, peanut butter, a touch molasses (for iron and sweetness), a little PureVia, and a little Vit C powder. I make a weeks' worth at time and it has been a great time saver!

Lunch is usually leftovers from a recent dinner or a salad of some sort, even plain spinach works for me for a salad, I love the apple cider vinegar dressing from Burger King, but it isn't available anywhere else and I do think, now that I'm sugar conscious, that it is probably NOT the best choice for me!

Dinner is usually prepared by my husband, since he is currently off on disability and it is always a protein, carb and veggie. I just have to watch my portions and otherwise enjoy the privilege of someone else cooking!

That's about it for now...