2008... it'll be great!

I can't belive it's New Years eve... again... and another year is gone... again. Where does the time go?

Thinking about where I am now compared to last year... I'm a few pounds lighter, an inch or two smaller around, have decluttered people out of my life that were toxic, brought other great people in, have a wedding that's in the midst of planning... yeah, all in all not so bad.

Technorati : life, sparkpeople, thoughts, weight

interesting Friday

I've taken the last 2 days off work and it's been interesting... been able to do stuff around the house, get some shopping done, spend time with my honey, but I've been seriously unmotivated to do anything. I finally decided to walk down to the store (a few blocks away) to get a couple things, but really wanting to just curl up on the couch with the kittens and the honey and watch tv.

The good news is that I cleared out the fridge, cleaned it and am getting my shopping list ready to get myself prepped for the new year and a new me. Also getting some stuff tossed from the house - good to start with the decluttering for the New year as well. otherwise, life is pretty boring right now... we're debating about going to aparty tonight, but my honey has been going through stuff from his parents so not sure he's going to be in a social mood.

Technorati : health, orion, projects, weight

Happy Boxing Day

Yay! I survived Christmas... for the most part. Did ok on my eating, but ooh, the nummy mimosa's. Curse them and their alcoholic goodness. Mmm... and the Bailey's in the coffee.

But my honey was very good to me, got me some sparkles (no, Mar, he didn't go to Jared's... LOL!) and also got me a new scale. This one measures body fat content and hydration level. While I like the old one for just stepping on it and getting my weight, this will be nice to see the body fat % go down cuz right now... Oy! So didn't need that to make me feel like any work I do is for naught... but it *will* be nice to track my progress.

Ooh, and the happy thing is that I get to spend more time with my honey - kinda stinks he's not going to be working (ie not making money) this weekend, but glad I get to spend a little more time with him.

Technorati : health, sparkpeople, weight

Twas the day before Christmas...

And all trough the office, not a manager was stirring, not even an admin...

yeah, ok, not quite the case here, but close. I think about 10% of the population is actually working today, and I'm one of them... even one of my favorite places to have lunch is closed today, darn it... and I was going to treat my honey, too. But we went somewhere else, and while it wasn't the nummy pizza I'd wanted, we got to drown our sorrows with fallafel & hummus. Garlic is good, no matter what form. :)

So I was having a convo with a co-worker who was in the whole "I have to do *something* becuase I've gained too much weight so I joined Weight Watchers this weekend"

I just sat there quietly thinking 'hmmm..I've dumped 2# this holiday season, and I didn't have to pay anything. I owe it all to my Firecracker sisters.'

What's really interesting is that I got about 5 gifts of chocolate this year, and I haven't opened one of them - they're all being re-gifted for our white elephant exchange tomorrow.

One thing that has really helped me is really *thinking* about the various holiday treats that are all around. I have to stop myself and think "can I have this any time of the year or is it truly a holiday 'treat'?" if it's the former, I can pass. If it's the latter, I allow myself to have some. I also always have people asking me how I can have chocolate out on my desk all the time without eating it. Well, it's like over-exposure. You just don't notice it anymore. Once in a while, yes, I *have* to have something chocolatey and nummy, but not all the time.

For tonight's party and tomorrow's brunch we're going to, I have to keep in check my 2 big issues: 1) if I just randomly snack, I WILL eat too much and feel miserable. And 2) if there's a seemingly unending supply of alcohol/someone else is filling my glass & I don't pay attention, I WILL drink too much.

To avoid those traps,1) I have to make sure I have a plate of food and sit somewhere to eat it. There's something psychological about eating off a plate that makes my brain connect that it's actually having food. If I just grab something - the straight hand to mouth action - there's a disconnect that I've eaten something. But if my brain *sees* that I have a plate with a certain portion of food, it's ok. 2) I have make up my mind that I'm only going to have a certain amount of wine/beer/drinks ahead of time and be sure that *I* am the only one filling my glass. It's easy when going out for drinks that I'm buying - If I limit my drinks, I don't spend a lot of money.

These 2 traps are things I have to pay attention to throughout the year - whether it's parties at friends, or just out and about... they're things that have caused me problems along the way.

Technorati : food, goals, health, motivation, sparkpeople, weight

Tis the season

To make the resolutions... or rather the affirmations and the goal setting for the next year.

Yeah, whatever.

Ok, maybe the goal for the next month... so for January I will:

1) Do 1,000 min of exercise for the month
2) Do strength training 2 times a week
3) Be consistant with my meal planning and eating with in my ranges
4) Go to bed by 10:00 to rest my body and be energized in the morning for exercise and taking on the day
5) be 185 by the January 31st, 2008.

Yeah, those are good.

Technorati : Exercise, goals, motivation, sparkpeople, weight

What I did right...

It's getting to that time where I"ve been all gung ho and working it, and now I'm tired and not seeing the fast results I want... so in an effort to not get discouraged, Here's what I've done good so far today:

1) did my Firecracker 'circuit' - lunges, pushups & crunches and then some more crunches
2) measured my cereal & milk this morning
3) wore my pedometer
4) From this weekend I had a hideous craving for fries 1that I gave into... I ordered a small instead of medium, and only ate about 1/2 the order, and only had 1/2 a soda instead of the whole can.

I'm wearing my high boots that my are about 1/2" too small at the top, and despite my working out and all, my calfs have gotten more muscular so they're still snug. erg... but thank heavens for long skirts! LOL!

Technorati : Exercise, health, motivation, sparkpeople, weight

It's a good thing when...

...The first thing your honey says after being gone two weeks is "you've lost a bunch of weight!" (ok, it's only a pound or two but it's nice for him to notice)

... you put on a pair of jeans fresh out of the dryer and they zip with minimal effort.

Gotta look at little things that keep you going, cuz this week has been really difficult. Been a particularly difficult TOM - to the point of bringing my heating pack in to put on my back & belly. It's completely zapped my energy and it really sucks. :(

Technorati : health, motivation, sparkpeople, weight

It's the little things

So it's been about a month of being in this challenge and also upping my activity level and I've discovered a few things.

my clothes are fitting better
my engagement ring fit today with no effort
it's a little easier to say no to 'junk'
When I do indulge, it's easier to limit it

I've also found out my bathroom is just the right size... the distance from the vanity to the wall behind it is just right for keeping my feet stabilized for doing lunges, wall pushups and also for stretching my arms out. :)

Technorati : health, motivation, sparkpeople, weight

That was quick

After writing about different ways to 'measure' how things are going, I realized I had an interesting, albeit TMI signal that I was on the right track.

I have a pair of undies that are just a bit *too* small - they don't like to stay up (hates the rolling down the belly feeling! I don't think guys ever get that. ;) so I have to be sure to wear them with close fitting pants to keep them in place.

Well, I realized today as I was changing out of work clothes that I had no undie issues today, even though I was wearing *that* pair, and semi-loose pants. Doode! Guess that means that my waist & belly are finally fitting into those undies! LOL!

Technorati : health, random, sparkpeople, weight

Hate that...

I've been getting too many flicks in the head from the PTB, and today's "healthy reflection" kept it coming...

"If you met yourself, would you want to stick around and talk? Are you the kind of person others can be proud of?"

There's lots of times I think I'm not someone I would want to hang out with, or be proud of... especially if I let some of the snarky people influence my thinking... I figure if they think I'm not worthy of being around, then I must not be...

Granted other times I *know* it's their loss, not mine. :)

With stuff like this week where the scale and energy level have been all over the place, it's hard to not get down on myself. But I'm working on my attitude, as always, and measuring my babysteps and successess. If I can't see progress in pounds and inches, then I look for it in ounces and centemeters.

Technorati : health, ptb, sparkpeople, weight

Not that day

Ever have one of those days where you're all gung ho on getting going with stuff and doing things? Maybe all excited about working out, getting healthy, etc.

Yeah, well. today's just not one of those days. After not sleeping much, I woke up with a snuffy head and feeling all sneezy. not a good thing.

Technorati : Exercise, health, motivation, sparkpeople, weight

Thanks for sharing...

So I get into work to find this giant box-o-cookies on my desk... I love the people I work for. The leave me pressies like this all the time. And I *really* Love the people I work *with* since I share all the pressies with them... it's almost noon and I haven't touched a cookie.

"dear God. if you can't make me skinny, make all my friends fat." LOL!

Technorati : food, sparkpeople, weight

Monday again...

Was a pretty good weekend all around. Went grocery shopping & got some food stuffs prepped for the next week or so. Ended up going fighter practice in Sierra Vista & learned a little bit. I'm sure from other people's perspective it looked like me standing there being poked with a sword *then* I'd react, but think it was pretty beneficial. And went for a nice long walk when I got home (driving an hour each way will do that)

Didn't get much done around the house so Iv'e gotta work on that this week - My honey gets home a week from today and I wanna decorate more than having the tree up so gotta do some serious cleaning/decluttering this week. Whee.

Technorati : health, sparkpeople, weight