Amy's Journal: Comments Welcome!

[CACruisin']

Just catching up...

Add me to the incredibly jealous crowd of your upcoming cruise!!! Have an absolutely Magical time and RELAX!

It is wonderful that the teachers are being so accomodating about missing school. Family time really is so very important.

DD12 starts middle school next week. She is very nervous, but I think she will be ok. She will be using her swim team as Independent Study PE (hopefully!). She, DH and I went back and forth on this most of the summer. She is also shy, but easy with friends. Swimming gives her another group of friends from multiple towns, not just our local neighborhood, which is a good thing. Without ISPE, she would likely cut way back on swimming as homework pressures build. (With ISPE, she doesn't take PE at school and gets an extra hour each day for homework.) I would also like her to get more involved in our church youth group. I think she would really enjoy some of the neat activities they do.

In an earlier post, you answered a question I've always had, why do I call them "Hello Dolly" bars? I never knew, that's just what we always called them. Now I know! Dad was born in Texas and I spent the better part of my first seven years there. Of course, I can't make them now since I would eat the whole pan myself I am VERY impressed that you only had one.

Have a great week. Your exercise and eating are great considering all the busy stuff you have going with school starting, your mom, and getting ready for that wonderful, magical cruise!!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Anna, its good to hear from you! Yep, Hello Dolly is definitely a southern thing. I lived in Maine for a year and they called them seven layer Yankee Bars. They'll always be Hello Dollies to me and they have got to be about the most fattening things on the planet!

I am updating my food. For dinner I had:
Lean Cuisine: 5
2 cups greens w/ 1 tb ff dressing (0)
1 tangerine (1)
Weight Watchers ice cream bar (2)

That puts me at 2 points over for the day. Not good to do the day before weigh in and I think I probably used up my flex points earlier in the week. I need to go to my meeting tomorrow. Right now I am extremely motivated with the exercise but diligence with my food is not where it should be. Seems I just cannot do both areas like I should!

Also, I posted my exercise earlier before I had actually done my routine (I was just on my way down to do it right after I posted). Instead of 30 minutes on the treadmill, I did 20 and then added 10 minutes of arm work and 10 minutes of core stretch, so 70 minutes total today. So my August total is now at 675/900.

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Amy
It must have been awful taking your dog to the vets & on your own too, i couldnt have done it either!!! Sounds like the new medication might be working a little bit though I lost my german shepard many years ago & still get upset when i think about her. Sorry proberbly not helping to cheer you up am i??!!
Dont let your 'friend' get you down about your weight loss,
you have done AMAZING & 25lbs is a lot to loose, so WELL DONE YOU

Not many people have noticed my loss either, but i think the people who see you everyday dont notice as much anyway!!
Just remember those who loose quickly tend not to stick to a healthy lifestyle & end up gaining all the weight loss back eventually, so hang in there & keep up the good work

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy,

It must have been so hard for you at the vet's office! I couldn't have done it either. I'm glad to hear that the medication seems to be working for your furbaby.

Congratulations on your exercise minutes this month! You are doing a great job!

Hope weigh-in goes well for you today. Have a great day!

 

[lovinaz]

I've only had Buckley for 10 months and I can't imagine losing him. It must be really hard after 13 years! At least he is not suffering and hopefully the meds will give him a better quality of life. If you want, I can send you my hibiscus/plastic/sunscreen/sock eating dog to visit...

How did your weigh-in go? And stop poo-pooing your 25lb loss!!!!! That is HUGE! Who cares how much you have to lose, 25lbs is A LOT. You just remember that and don't compare yourself to anyone. Every body is different. And if you are getting toned and feel better, that is what matters the most. KEEP IT UP!!!!

It could be worse, you can be in food boot camp like me. At least you still get to enjoy stuff as long as you count the points. I have had all my comfort foods removed for the next few weeks! I'll make a deal with you. For the next 2 weeks, I will suffer with the strictest of strict diets and you stay within your points from now until you step foot on the airplane. Deal?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Amy, you've got a deal! We will both be very good girls for the next 7 days. If one of us cheats the other will send the food police to her door!

I weighed in and was at 28 pounds (lost almost three this past week). This is great since I am now at my lowest since I started. I was at 27 in June before Disneyland and its taken me two months to lose the few pounds I gained on that trip plus get lower. I really think I can lose two pounds this week if I am EXTREMELY disciplined and don't have some TOM trauma to mess me up. I decided at my meeting to go shop for nothing but really healthy food. $99 worth of organic, natural, good stuff. I must say, eating crap is so much more economical. I slipped on a pair of pants today that fit so much nicer than just a week ago. This working out is starting to tone me up a bit.

Food so far:

Breakfast: 9 triscuits, fat free pudding (4)
Lunch: 99% fat free turkey/black bean chile (4)
Snack: Weight Watchers ice cream bar (2)
I have 16 points left for the day. I am planning dinner at CiCi's Pizza for Friday (my mom loves buffets so off we will go) to use up some of my flex points. The rest of the week I am really going to try to stay right on points range each day. I leave one week from today!

And Amy you are right, 25 (now 28 pounds), is a lot. Its taken me 7 months but thats about a 1 pound per week average. So a box of butter (thats what my WW weigh in lady calls a pound) per week is not shabby I suppose. And actually I took off 2-3 pounds myself before I started WW. So really its 30 since January 8 when I weighed myself for the first time in months. Considering I have taken three trips, had so much stress with my family, including the dogs thats not bad. I have fallen off the wagon several times for weeks on end and still gotten back on track each time to continue losing. And even when I have fallen off the wagon, its been pretty good by my old standards. As for my "friend", I decided to be the bigger person (since I literally am so what the heck). She's about 50 and going through a hard time. I sent her an email saying, "nice to see you, you look great". And she does and I am happy for her. But I can't compare her to me or I'm doomed. I have to be in this for the long haul, she had about 25 pounds total to lose, I have four times that total and my weight has been on for basically about 13 years now. Its not going to happen overnight given my long history of weight problems. Since I was 10, I have been overweight in varying amounts.

Thanks for reading. I'll update food and exercise totals later.

 

[lovinaz]

Congrats on the loss!!!!!! I know you can get those 2 lbs off by the time you leave, especially since you will be on the boot camp plan like me!

You have come a long way, and you are 25% of the way there. You are going to go all the way this time and make it stick. Just the fact that your bad days are nothing compared to what they used to be shows that you have learned from the past and are determined to change the future. Yay for you!!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Amy! I feel pretty good, and strangely I am almost excited to be back home and hit things hard for my health when the cruise is over. I am really starting to believe its happening for real this time.

Dinner tonight was grilled chicken breast with 2 cups sauteed veggies and a half a cup of pasta (8)

So my total points for the day: 18. 8 points under, very unusual for me. I sort of felt icky today. I didn't work out, just no energy. I am hoping to get a good workout in tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

 

[CACruisin']

Congrats on the 3 lb loss!!!

You can stay on track for the next week and those next two lbs will come off too! I know you can do it!

 

[lovinaz]

You are doing great! Hopefully you are feeling more energetic today and can get that workout in.

And that is a really good attitude about the cruise. Just mentally plan on gaining a couple lbs so you aren't upset if you do (but will be ecstatic if you don't!). And when you come back, really concentrate on making every day count. You will look awesome by Christmas!

 

[traceycooper]

Congratulations on another loss
i am going away & wont be back till Wednesday so just wanted to say have a fantastic trip
I know you will, there are lots of healthy options on the cruise & they do sugar free desserts - if you ask
BUT you are on holiday & if your like me, great (usually unhealthy) food is part of that holiday, so enjoy & get back on track afterwards

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thank you everyone! I was not up to par again yesterday, I think I picked up this viral thing my daughter and husband had over the weekend. Today, I feel much better. I had to take my mom shopping yesterday, she needed some new shoes and also needed to get something for my daughter for her birthday. I was so dragging walking through that mall that no way was I getting on the treadmill. Of course I felt well enough to have a Mrs. Field's cookie darn myself anyway! Food yesterday:

Breakfast: skipped, felt lousy so I had some tea
Lunch: 1 cup hamburger helper (made with 96% ground beef) and some fat free, sugar free pudding (7)
Dinner: 3 cups salad greens with one grilled chicken breast, 2 tb low fat cheese, 1 tb dressing (8)
Snack: Mrs. Fields Cookie (8)
Total points: 23, 3 points under. No fruit, no exercise.

Thanks Tracey, hope you have a nice trip. And I am thinking I will do my best on the cruise but know that lots of drinks and Creme Brulee await me!

Amy: I am hoping to hit it hard when I get back. My 42nd birthday is on Christmas Day so I am hoping to be at 42 pounds in honor of the occasion. That shoud be roughly 12 pounds in three and half months which I think is doable and gives me time to take off the pounds I know I will put on during the cruise.

Anna: I think I can do it too, thanks for the cheers and good wishes!

 

[CACruisin']

I am sorry to hear you were feeling under the weather. Hopefullly you will feel better soon - you have a cruise to go on!!

Darn that Mrs. Fields! I have to walk around the other side of the mall so I don't get uncontrollably drawn to the counter.

I love your idea of 42 at 42! That is a very acheivable goal and will help get you through the holidays too! I will be 43 on March 1. That is 27 weeks away. I have lost 15, so I need to lose another 28 (or about 1lb/wk). That would put me at 142. How awesome would that be? Tough, but doable, I hope, if I really stay focused. I think you may have just given me a great new goal! Thanks Amy!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy~

I hope you are feeling better soon, sweetie. We went to a birthday party last Saturday and I just found out that 4/15 people that were there have been sick in bed for the past week! I guess that's where my girls (and now me ) picked up this fun, little bug.

I like your idea of 42 at 42! I bet that goal will help guide you through your cruise and the holidays as well. It is totally attainable and I know you CAN do it, Amy!

I hope you have a great weekend, WISH sis!

 

[lovinaz]

I am glad to hear you are finally feeling better today. I don't blame you for indulging in Mrs. Fields, but you counted it and stayed within your points! That is awesome!

I love your goal. I think that is completely doable! I thought my b-day (12/18) was crappy, but yours is worse. I'm sure you've had your share of combo Christmas/b-day gifts too!

How is Benjamin doing? Hopefully the meds are helping a little.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Glad you're feeling better, and bet you're looking forward to your cruise. Keep up the good work!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thank you everyone. I took yesterday as a bit of free day. Or rather a scheduled opportunity to use up my flex points. So I overindulged during dinner last night as I had planned, now we shall see if that gets it out of my system for the remainder of the week. Gotta get that 30 pound star at WW on Wednesday!

Breakfast: Slim Fast (4)
snack: egg beaters, 1 t. peanut butter (2)
Lunch: Lean Cuisine (4), tangerine (1)
Snack: WW ice cream bar (2)
Dinner: Went to CiCi's Pizza, can't believe I have to post this for the whole world to see but here goes:
1 piece combo pizza: (4)
1 piece BBQ pizza: (4)
1 piece pepperoni: (4)
1 piece Mexican Pizza: (3)
breadstick: (3)
pasta: (4)
Salad w/ 2 t. dressing (1)
Total for the day:36
Flex points use: 10
I have 35 flex points for the week, so actually even that diet disaster dinner is legal and leaves me 25 points left to play with. But I definitely had lots and lots of refined, crappy carbs yesterday! I also must say, I like CiCi's because their pizza slices are much lower in points than other places and they do have a nice salad bar. So if I do it right, I can blow it, feel like I got a really good illegal meal in, yet still be okay if I get back on track.

I didn't exercise yesterday, I cleaned, organized and packed for the cruise all day. So today I HAVE to get back on track with my activity. I was also still feeling lightheaded yesterday which was weird. But today I feel normal so I think I am over whatever it was that I picked up. Just in time to cruise!

 

[CACruisin']

Great job with keeping your planned indulgence within your points.

That 30 lb star goal is very doable for you. Stay on track and exercise and of course drink lotsa water so you can "flush" away your excess lbs! You can do it!!

 

[CJK]

What an AMAZING feeling it will be when you get that 30lb star!! You've been doinng so well! Glad to hear you're feeling better too - you'll want to be up to par for that cruise!! Hope you're having a great weekend!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy~

How are you feeling today? I hope that you are feeling much better! How many more days till your cruise?

Hope you have a great week!