Amy's Journal: Comments Welcome!

[Amy&Dan]

Hey Tracey, welcome home! Umm, didn't I mention you were supposed to have about ten mai tai's for me? I promise I'll have at least one for you in October! I actually have good health insurance, it only costs us $20 per office visit and our insurance is almost all paid for through dh's work. But orthodontic care isn't part of the plan unfortunately! I am bummed Leanne had to go to the dr., while you guys were gone, I need to go catch up on your journal!

Tracy: I am happy to at least have a plan in place for the first time in a long time. Now the hard part: sticking to it!

Amy: I have to say its beyond me why the district didn't wait until after Labor Day either? I think my kids would have been fine with that!

Denise: I had to have my husband talk me through the process of posting the pictures!


Yesterday was very good on the food front. I did extremely well, I didn't exercise. But again, for now, I am okay with that. I won't make my 3 times this week, I'll make only two. But the food is so much better, I am not going to beat myself up. I did try all week to really get more steps in. Parking far away, running up and down my stairs three or four times, and just trying to be more active. I plan to walk at the rec center today for an hour.

The kids started school yesterday, dd was nervous but she made it. She really likes her teachers and so does ds. I have to say, the difference between this middle school and our home middle school its beyond belief. Thank goodness for open enrollment! Dd didn't really talk to any other girls, she ate lunch by herself but since that doesnt' bother her I am not going to let it bother me. I know her, she'll make a friend in her own due time. She likes to sit back and observe first then take the plunge. Ds hooked up with the boys he met last year, one of whom started going to our church over the summer. So that was good. Poor dd, had a tardy, she couldn't get her locker open and was late to science. I dropped them off a bit early so her big brother can help her get it open today. The joys of middle school!

Food yesterday:
Breakfast: Slim Fast
Snack: tangerine
Lunch: lowfat hot dog on whole wheat bun (no idea where that came from, I don't even like hot dogs but yesterday I apparently did).
Dinner: 6 oz of talipia in lowfat cheese sauce, steamed broccoli(2 cups) and one cup of rice.
Snack: plum
I didn't figure the points but know I was okay, in fact I was probably under.

I weigh tomorrow, so today needs to be perfect with food.

Food today:

Breakfast: Slim Fast: 3
Snack: Fiber One Bar: 2
Snack: WW snack: 1
Lunch: Lean Cuisine: 7, 1 teaspoon peanut butter: 1, yogurt: 2
Snack: Mr. Crispers and salsa: 4
Dinner: Glazed chicken breast: 4, roll w butter: 4, pasta: 4, Salad 1 (huge salad with lowfat dressing)
Total for the day: 33
Five points over (uh oh) I should have been keeping better track. I had written everything down but not really bothered to add up the points. Clearly, three snacks and a high point Lean Cuisine were killer and that roll was even more so. I am happy that I got in 4 vegetable servings and drank my water.

Was really hoping for a better day, but I was starving all day long. I had to really fight to stop eating dinner, I could have eaten another plate full. And I am starving as I type.

I also didn't get to the rec center which is very aggravating. I simply need to get those three times per week in of exercise. I am giving myself some slack with just the three times per week, but I didn't even manage to make that. Oh well, we'll see what the scale says tomorrow. At the very least, its a new week a coming!

 

[lovinaz]

So, how did WI go? Hopefully all your hard work and dedication paid off this week!

Don't worry about working out right now, you said yourself that you were going to spend the next couple weeks focusing on food. Once you feel more comfortable there, the desire to exercise will follow. I did the same thing you did (got my eating back under control) and took 2 whole weeks off from working out. But twice this week I dragged myself out of bed at 5am to get to the gym. And was glad I did. You'll get back there. You might try to schedule it in like any other appointment, it's a lot easier to stick to it that way.

Glad the kids like the new school. DS12 is in Jr High this year (7-9th grade in our district) and that is a whole new level of stress, isn't it!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy,

How did your weigh in go? I think you are doing a great job with your food! I hope the scale cooperated for you this morning.

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Amy, I did decide to not beat myself up about working out, I had some real successes this week and one time is better than no times!

Tracy: Thanks for reading, weigh in was good!

Weigh in went well, I was down exactly two pounds. I was pretty happy, clearly journaling my food and keeping more diligent with what I ate paid off. I was thrilled, I think that was the first loss I have had in weeks, maybe months!

I left WW, went to Sams Club to load up on healthy food and then came home and organized my pantry and frig, cleaned things out and made up some menu ideas for the week.

However, I was not very good with food today:

Breakfast: Slim Fast: 3
Snack: Fiber One bar: 2
Lunch: Bean burrito: 9 and diet coke (first diet coke I have had in over a week)
Snack: Cheese It's: 8 (this was the killer of the day, I actually had two, four point servings but at least I measured and weighed them).
Two Coors Lights: 4
Dinner: Hamburger patty (no bun, no cheese), 4, crinkle cut fries: 6, salad: 1
Snack: WW snack: 1
Total for the day: 37

Dh came home a bit early tonight, he was home by 7:00, his hours have been insane so it was nice to have him home and it was such a pleasant evening. We ended up sitting outside on the deck and I had a couple of drinks and more cheese its! I had planned to make the kids some pasta and myself some fish and veggies but instead we made the burgers. I did skip the bun ahd cheese but had some baked fries to go with it. So while the food wasn't exactly stellar, it was nice to spend some time outside with dh and the kids.

So I used 9 flex points. I need to make some good choices over the next few days, we have a three day weekend coming up. Although I have no set plans, which is good, that should give me the ability to be structured.

I did drink all my water, but again, no exericse.

Really happy and motivated with that two pound loss. I also think my plan of going back down to 28 points paid off.

 

[lovinaz]

WOOHOO!!! Congrats on the 2lb loss!!!!! Now you know what it takes to see results, keep it up! Hopefully seeing that number has given you the motivation that you need to make it through the weekend without blowing it.

I Cheez-Its. You showed a lot of restraint by counting them out and keeping track of how many you ate, that's great!

 

[CACruisin']

great job on the 2lbs You have done a great job paying attention to what you are eating and it showed up on the scale and exercising will follow. Like you said, 1 time is better than not at all.

I had hamburger, crinkle fries, and salad last night for dinner too. Clearly we had dinner together last night, just a couple of states away!
Maybe it is good that you have used flex points prior to the weekend. That way you know that you have to make good choices over the holiday - not a lot of wiggle room! It does help to have healthy food choices and preplanned menu ideas.

Have a great weekend. Make good choices and go for a walk with DH and the kids .

 

[toystoryduo]

Congratulations on the 2 pounds, Amy! You're doing a great job!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Amy, Tracy and Anna. I am sorry I haven't been around, it was a busy week.

I sort of blew it last night. A friend called me to invite us over to her house for an impromptu pizza/block party. I knew Dan and the kids wanted to go, I was sort of beat and after eaing flex points on Wednesday, McDonald's and more flex points on Thursday, didn't really feel the love of going for pizza! But we went, I tried to do well, but I was hungry, there was a lot of junk and I have no idea at this point how many more flex points I plowed through. I used another 8 on Thursday with my McD's fest, and that left me with something like 18 for yesterday. I am going to assume I used them all!

Today is better. I still haven't exericsed which is ridiculous. I deep cleaned the whole house yesterday so at least I was literally on my feet or knees all day, scrubbing and cleaning so I had some activity. But I need to walk. We are taking the kids to the pool today, I plan to make sure I get home in time to treadmill for 30 minutes before church.

I did go online and fill out an application for Sam's Club today. No idea why, being a Sams Club greeter might just ax my self confidence when I see all my career fulfilled friends and neighbors coming in to shop! I don't even know if I"ll get an interview but I passed their little online test (which was so easy it was a joke) and filled out an application for the first time in over 15 years. My work history consists of school volunteering and my last real job was for a temp agency that no longer exists! I don't anticpate Sams Club foaming at the mouth to call me in for an interview! I have just been feeling like I need to make some sort of an effort on that front. Get the old feet wet or something like that!

I will post my food later and get caught up with journals later, I am just crunched for time.

 

[traceycooper]

wow Amy thats a big hurdle - you've applied, even if a job doesnt come out of it hopefully you will find it easier to ''taker the plunge'' next time
Congrats on the weight loss

 

[toystoryduo]

I still haven't exericsed which is ridiculous. I deep cleaned the whole house yesterday so at least I was literally on my feet or knees all day, scrubbing and cleaning so I had some activity.

Hi Amy,

When you deep cleaned the whole house, you did exercise! Cleaning is a lot of work and you definitely burned some major calories there!

That's great that you put in an application at Sam's Club. That's a huge step forward!

I hope that you have had a great weekend and that you have a wonderful week ahead!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Tracy and Tracey. I do feel at least I made a small step towards getting myself back in the work force. I think this week I may go to our nearby shopping center, its a an outdoor mall, and I may just walk up the strip and apply. At places where a discount would be good! I got in contact with a couple of teachers and a minister at my old church, all people I have volunteered literally hundreds of hours for. I haven't volunteered much in the past two years, I sort of had to let that go to give my mom the time she needed. So even my volunteering is out of practice and rusty!

I did walk for an hour at the rec center yesterday. I am pretty happy about that, it felt great. I really pushed myself, I was a bit sore today but nothing bad. Pretty pathetic when a brisk walk on an even surface makes your old, out of shape body, sore! I also plan to walk tomorrow after I drop off the kids. Not the three times per week I planned on but two is better than none. And I did do my big cleaning gig on Friday but I am still not going to count that as formal exerise even though WW says it counts. But I do feel that I worked some muscles and a sweat!

Food yesterday was good until I sent dh to the store for a few things and he came home with a bag of chips. I had already had way too many chips at the pool (my friend showed up with a couple of bags) so I didn't need more. Its rare for dh to interfere with my efforts and he certainly should be entitled to eat some chips now and again but since we had already had some that day, I was a bit put out with him! Ds took care of the problem by eating most of them and I just sat there and let him. I also told dh no more chips! He did say he was sorry.

Food today should be easy to do well on, we have no plans and no junk left so that helps! Ds is going to the local amusement park with a friend and dd and I both have colds so we may just lay low. I'd like to walk but I may not. If do, it will be 30 minutes on the treadmill and I"ll do a longer walk tomorrow.

Thanks for reading, hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend!

 

[lovinaz]

Hmm, must be something in the air, my DH brought home snack mix AND trail mix from his guy's camping trip... I hope he takes them both to work tomorrow so I don't have to be tempted by them!

I think it's great that you are applying for jobs. And I don't think they necessarily are looking for experience to be a greeter at Sam's, they just need someone with a friendly disposition and a smile, which you clearly have! I think you'll find something, it's not like you are applying for a stockbroker or attorney position! And working somewhere that would give you an employee discount would be GREAT!

Awesome job getting that walk in, you have motivated me to get to the gym today! I'd normally go on Monday morning, but I keep making excuses...

 

[traceycooper]

Hey Amy
sounds like you had a great walk at the Rec
It must be hard going out applying for jobs when you have had such a good break (lucky you) I'm glad your making those 1st steps - hopefully it will get easier now & someone will realise what a great asset you will be

 

[Amy&Dan]

I did well yesterday, stayed right on points (actually came in about three points under, I have such a delicate appetite ). And I walked last night with dh (it was cold I had to put my jacket on, fall is here ). So yesterday was very good.

And today's big news: I lost 2.4 this week. I was pretty happy, I wasn't sure what the scale would say given the chips and beer I partook of over the weekend!

Thanks Tracey and Amy for your support! I will update today's food later as well as visit journals. I am going to walk today to get a heads up on my 3x per week!

 

[lovinaz]

AWESOME on the loss!!!!!!!!! So, you didn't make the best use out of your points with beer and chips, but at least you tracked everything and stayed within them! And it paid off with a great loss!!!

I hope you had fun on your walk, you are doing great, keep that momentum going!

 

[toystoryduo]

Way to go, Amy!!!! You are doing an awesome job, WISH sis!! Keep up the good work!

Did you say fall has arrived already in CO? It is almost 88 degrees here today! I love fall and am really looking forward to it...It is my favorite season!

I hope you have a great evening!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Tracy and Amy. It was a good weigh in!

I was all set to feel bad about my week since I took virtually all of my flex points in the form of beer and chips, but when I fessed up to my leader, she said "um, that's what flex points are for!" So I decided she's right and hey, I lost so I must have done something right! And it was sort of funny, there was a lady in that meeting who lost over 50 pounds and has been at goal for over a year and she shared that she uses her flex points for beer and french fries every week when she goes bowling with her friends. It it works for her why not for me too?

Fall is here, very unusual for this time of year in Colorado. Today we are cloudy, damp and its only going to hit 58. Tormorrow looks better, we should be in the mid 70's, perfect by my book.

Dh left this morning to go camping this weekend with the guys, first time in 16 years he has ever done this so that's good. He really needs to destress from work and have some fun. They'll probably freeze, I think they are at 10,000 feet at this place and its going to be in the high 30's at night. Better him than me! I am having "the girls" over for pizza with all the kids tonight so I have saved up some flex points for that. And dd's family birthday party is Sunday and I want to save enough points for a piece of cake. Her "real" birthday is Wednesday, the start of my new WW week so way to go with that one, I'll have a whole new weeks worth of flex points for that one!


I walked yesterday and plan to walk today as well. I didn't get a walk in on Wednesday as I got on a long winded phone call with my sister. But after today, I will be at 2/3 towards my 3x goal. I am thinking that next week I will bump that up to 4x per week for a few weeks then try for five. Small steps!

 

[toystoryduo]

You are doing such a great job, WISH sis! I am so proud of you!

Have a great time with the girls this weekend! Sending some for your DH and the guys as they camp out.....

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Tracy, the guys had a very fun weekend camping. Dan came home and was very happy to take a hot shower!

I had a very fun night with the "girls" on Friday, I blew it with food but was very good yesterday and did well today too. I was babysitting a friend's kids last night, over night, and I got the kids Wendy's but ate a Lean Cuisne myself. And today, I just ate light all day, then at dinner, I had some chips and salsa, then had one hot dog, one deviled egg, a big helping of strawberries and then one small piece of cake with the icing scraped off (nephew obliged my diet by eating my frosting ). I skipped: potato salad, cheese and crackers, baked beans, a brat, chili and beer. So I feel like I made out of this celebration pretty well. I am very happy with the weekend.

Today was sort of hard, having a family gathering for dd's birthday without my mom. I found a really sweet picture of her holding dd the day she was born and put that out on the mantle with a candle burning next to it. And we watched home videos of the time around when dd was born that included ds' 2nd birthday as well as Christmas that year. Stepdad really enjoyed it although he cried at the end. It was really bitersweet to see her looking so young and healthy. I could sit and listen to my mother's voice all day long. I miss that voice. I still crack up, she hadn't lived in Texas the last 28 years she was alive but you would have never known it.

Only downside to the weekend was that I didn't exercise. I was so darn busy all weekend long I just ran out of time. I did take dd shopping all day yesterday and got her and her brother new clothes. I had really wanted to walk today but with getting ready for the birthday party (with no dh who didn't get home until a half hour before everyone arrived) I just ran out of time. No biggie, I have tomorrow and Tuesday to get walks in and make my 3x for the week. I am going to concentrate more on doing very well with food all days but Friday (which I allowed and am okay with).

I hope everyone had a nice weekend!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Amy: Good for you for not letting a slip up sidetrack you. Sometimes the hardest part is getting bckonthe wagon after you fall off. Don't beat yourself up over not being able to exercise, I'm sure that as busy as you were you did a lot more walking than normal.