Amy's New Start : Comments Welcome!

[Amy&Dan]

Happy New Year ladies!! Can I just say I am so glad 2009 is over? I don't know when I have been more anxious to get a year over like I was these past few weeks.

Sorry I haven't been on in a few days. I decided on Wednesday I couldn't stand having the Christmas stuff up one more minute and I started taking it down. Normally Dan and I do this together, with seven trees up, its sort of a two person job. Since he was busy working, we had decided this weekend was the soonest he'd have time to help but I decided I couldn't wait that long. So I got down the big tree in the living room, all the various decorations and just have the smaller trees left today and tomorrow. This way its down, and we can have a much more relaxing weekend before everyone heads back to school and work.

I also have been hard pressed to get on my computer. Dd has been playing Club Penguin and ds is pretty much facebooking with his friends every opportunity he gets. We need another computer! Its been too cold to do much of anything but stay inside for the kids.

We had a quiet New Year's Eve. We normally go to a friend's house or have friends over, but this year Dan and I decided we just wanted a quiet evening at home. He had to lay off his office manager who is a valued friend and someone who became a friend to the whole family. It absolutely broke his heart and just sort of finished off an already bad year on an even more sour note. They have worked together for six years, through layoffs, a buy out and she was someone he could always count on. So between that and what I think was the reality dose of losing his dad (its been so easy to be immersed in the holidays since my fil died that I think he just didn't have time until this week to completely process that) Dan just decided he wanted nothing to do with another celebration so we sat this one out. It was actually really nice. We took the kids out for an early dinner and then went to bed by 10:00. Although dd and I did get up at midnight. Even though I am miles and miles from downtown Denver, we are up pretty high out here and from my bedroom window we can see the whole front range and downtown off in the distance and all the NYE fireworks celebrations were so pretty.

I made three of my four workout goals. When I decided to start my Christmas takedown I didn't make it to the gym. Although I did get plenty of exercise with all the climbing, lifting and packing I did. Here is what I got in this week:
Monday: Walking for one hour
Tuesday: Water walking for 20 minutes and 60 minutes of aquasize
Wednesday: Skipped
Thursday: 50 minutes of water walking

My rec center has a lazy river and if you walk against that current you get quite the workout. There is a very toned, in shape lady who does a lot of water walking and aquasize, I sort of follow what she does. Maybe if I keep that up, I can look like her someday!

I sort of began the process of toning down my food. Threw out some stuff, laid off the sugar (haven't had one cookie since Monday) and thanks to Daisy, the cheeseball is gone! I still ate too much but compared to the week before, it was vast improvement. Now starting tomorrow its time to get both my workouts and my food into a disciplined mode. I have less than three months before WDW and I also feel like crap. I go to Weight Watchers tomorrow, we'll see how much weight I put on this month. Whatever it is, its a starting point, not the end of the world.

Amy: Beagles do the same naughty things over and over and always look so contrite and sorry when they get caught! I know when I walk in the door if Daisy's been up to no good. Whereas Shelby our mutt, has a much better poker face!

Lisa: Its so good to see you again, its a busy time of year and with getting back from WDW so close to Christmas and training for the 1/2, I knew you were busy and you'd be back!

Tracey: Our trip falls during holiday pricing so that makes the already expensive buffets about $20 more per meal. Even the DDP is holiday priced for our week. When I add that extra onto the highest rack rate that exists, well lets just say this will likely be the last holiday week we ever take to WDW until things improve with our finances!

Barb: I thought of you last night, Melting Pot is one of my favorite restaurants. And the cheese and chocolate are what I like the best!

Tracy: I liked how I planned my week out a lot. Even though I didn't quite make my goal, had I not set it, I am not sure I would have gone yesterday. But I didn't want to post I missed two goals so I went and I was so glad I did!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I forgot to post that I got proactive and emailed our group coordinator at church about starting up a weight loss group. I have a cousin in Texas who is doing Weigh Down at her church and she's lost some serious weight. My friend and I had talked to one of the pastors back in the fall but never followed through, so I got smart and emailed the WOMAN who is charge of groups and probably about 100 times more organized and I am betting I get some response back. If it doesn't pan out, my friend and I may just purchase the Weigh Down thing ourselves and do it together. But I am hoping for the group thing, as I think that would be better for us both.

I looked into another group type thing, there is one close by the night does not work. I just know that I want something spiritual to sort of cover the bases that I know work and matter to me: Nutrirional (Weight Watchers) Exercise (Wii Fit and Rec Center) and if I can get some sort of spiritual thing whether its a class, book or whatever, well maybe that will fill in the gaps that always seem to keep me from being successful in the long term.

My biggest goal this year is no more yo yo dieting! If it takes very small, very gradual and very realistic goals to keep that from happening, well then that's what I need to focus on. Because I am sick of losing the same 20-30 pounds, getting to about the one third mark and then gaining it back! I'd rather be only five pounds lighter six months from now but have kept that off then be 30 pounds lighter and already starting to gain it back!

 

[toystoryduo]

Happy New Year, Amy!

I'm glad that you and your family had a nice evening at home last night. We stayed home too. It was nice to ring in the New Year with a quiet evening at home.

We'll probably start taking down our Christmas stuff this weekend too. I always get sad when it's time to take it down.

I'm going to get started on my goals next week. 2010 CAN be our year, Amy!!!! Let's give it all we've got!

I hope you have a great day, WISH sis!

 

[lovinaz]

I think you're onto something! That might be the missing piece of the puzzle - the spiritual part. And GOOD FOR YOU taking the initiative to e-mail and see about getting it set up at church. Did you see the movie (or read) The Shawshank Redemption? The part where the prisoner keeps sending letters to the mayor/congressman (can't remember who!) for YEARS and finally gets the books for the library? Sometimes that is what you have to do.

Great job getting those workouts in. And I hear you on the computer thing - usually I am limited to using it at work!

 

[goldcupmom]

I feel the same way you do about 2009....let's get on with a better 2010!!

Your goals sound perfectly wonderful...we need to STOP having to re-lose the weight!

Hope you have a wonderfully calm day!

 

[inkkognito]

Smart move to look for that spiritual component. I think Weigh Down also focuses on just eating when you are hungry too...it's so easy to get out of touch with your body that way. I've been working very hard on not eating when I'm not really hungry.

You may want to consider some meditation CDs too. That really helps me get in touch with my spiritual side and helps with stress management (which helps with eating).

 

[toystoryduo]

Amy,

That's a great idea to get your church on board with a weight loss program! I hope the person that you e-mailed gets back to you soon. If that doesn't work out, please let me know. Maybe we could do a weight loss Bible study online together.

Have a great afternoon!

 

[eyor44]

Already taking down Christmas? I just can't bare to yet. I still enjoy sitting on the couch just looking at the tree. (and I know my power company loves me.)

How is Dan doing? My DH was really missing his DM even though she was in a home for 4 years and bedridden for the last two and unable to participate in anything.

Sounds like you have a wonderful view from your house. I lived in Denver in 1984/85 just outside of the Airforce base. I remember the decorations in Downtown. They were beautiful. New Year's Eve there was a blizzard, so one of the neighbor's in the apartment complex organized a party.

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Amy, it must have been so hard for DH to lay off the office manager especially when you have become such good friends

We stayed home for new year too, seems to have been the norm for most this year!

well done for getting all that exercise done

 

[Amy&Dan]

Good morning Wishers.

I am just sort of waiting for my Weight Watchers meeting to start. I have to say, I am a bit dreading this. I know I am really up, I just hope I am not above my all time highest weight of 250ish.

I did some research on Weigh Down and have pretty much decided that is not the program for me. Its basically eat what you want, stop when you are full (not too bad so far) but no emphasis on healthy nutrition and no emphasis on exercise. I also think that author is kooky. So I poked around and found some other things that look good, I'll wait to hear what my group leader at church says and if nothing comes up with that, I'll do something on my own. I love the internet, researching that Weigh Down thing saved me from something that wouldn't have worked for me and therefore saved me more wasted money on another thing to give to Good Will!


I'll post my weight later or tomorrow. By the time I get back from WW, ds will probably be on my computer finishing his homework or facebooking and Dan and I didn't get to the final stages of Christmas un-decorating yet. I do plan to go to the gym today and walk for at least 45 minutes.

And I plan to go to the store today and stock up on healthy foods. For the past week we have done nothing but eat leftovers from the holidays or eat out. Not a good combo and the scale will likely reinforce that!

Tracy: I'll keep looking around for something that is online, if you find something that looks good, let me know. I did a search on the Weigh Down author and your old journal came up! Out of curiousity what did you think of it?

Lisa: I am keeping up my white dining room tree up until next weekend. I still really enjoy it and I like to sit on my couch and enjoy it like you do! I just had to get down the other stuff early for some reason.

Barb: What meditation cd's do you use/recommend? I like the idea of that. I did a weight loss hypnosis thing years ago but the woman's voice was so grating and she kept doing this gross swallowing thing! Needless to say, I never found her too soothing or inspiring let alone hypnotic! I would love something to listen to that is soothing and helps me sort of decompress.

Julie: Yeah I am done losing the same pounds over and over. I can't even begin to imagine what this yo yo'ing has done to my metabolism!

Amy: I did just decide that waiting for the other pastor who in all liklihood forgot our conversation was just a lazy way of me not following through and being responsible for my own health. I mean its been months since my friend and I casually mentioned that to him so its now up to me to find the person who can help me. Or just do something on my own which in some ways is better. I have no idea how I can fit one more thing into an evening given the kids' schedules and commitments.

 

[lovinaz]

Great job doing your research before purchasing that product! It's always helpful to read reviews, etc, even though there are ALWAYS some negative nelly reviews! But I think if the majority are positive, it's pretty good.

Don't worry about WW. It is what it is, right? It's your new starting point and that's it. I know you will do great this year.

 

[inkkognito]

My meditation CDs are all oldies that I bought through Amazon years ago. I got them all used, but if they are listed as both new and used you can often listen to a little sample. All of mine are stress management, relaxation or re-centering meditations.

You can always incorporate the good parts of Weigh Down and spirituality on your own. Exercise is so vital to a good program and just so good for you in general.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Did not make it to Weight Watchers. I doubled checked the meeting time and in that process found out my old leader no longer does the meeting I normally attend (Friday but since yesterday was a holiday I was going to go today). I saw another leader I like has a meeting on Tuesday's and I think that is the one I will go to. I am really bummed my leader left, probably needed something that has more hours (she told me once she was hoping to get a full time job). Oh well, as I recall the Tuesday leader was very good and in some ways that is a better day for me anyway.

So that is the new plan.

Didn't go to the gym either but dh is installing and figuring out the wii fit as we speak and I am going to do that later today. They have a step thing and I really want to try that out.

Plan for the day is to get dd into the bank so she can open her first savings account, clean up the house, take down the last few decorations, figure out the wii and we got an Old Chicago gift card for Christmas so we'll eat a late lunch there.

Amy: I got online and read some things the author of Weigh Down had written. It was pretty weird, she says you need to defer to your husband that he is in charge (yeah right lady) and her ideas on Christianity were sort of bizarre. So I'll keep looking!

Barb: I may poke around on Amazon and see if I can find some good motivational and stress management cd's. Since stress eating is my biggest problem, I think that would really help.

No Old Chicago, we all realized we just didn't feel like going out, so I'll either make something here or we'll get subway. And this is all good because Old Chicago has the most unhealthy menu on the planet!

 

[toystoryduo]

Tracy: I'll keep looking around for something that is online, if you find something that looks good, let me know. I did a search on the Weigh Down author and your old journal came up! Out of curiousity what did you think of it?

My old journal came up? That's funny because I only vaguely remember reading that book. Usually if I really like a book, I'll buy a used copy on eBay. I looked through the house yesterday and couldn't find it. I must have donated it to Goodwill or maybe I just got a copy from the library. Honestly, I don't remember much about it. I did read some reviews about it this morning and was kind of shocked by what I found.

I heard about a book the other day that I may look into. I can't remember the title right now. I'll have to do some research to find it. When I do, I'll let you know.

Did you get a chance to try out the Wii fit last night? It sounds like there are a lot of fun fitness activities for the Wii.

Hope you have a great Sunday!

 

[traceycooper]

ahhh the step on wii fit! i have terrible co-ordination... say no more was lots of fun trying though The hula hoop feels like a really good work out & boxing. Have fun

 

[inkkognito]

How did you like the Wii Fit? The first level step isn't too intense but you get to do a faster one once you put in a certain amount of time (it's grayed out on the menu initially but eventually you can choose it). I like to do a few rounds of that on off days from Sports Active.

I think there are weight loss aimed meditation CDs too although I have never tried one. But if stress eating is a problem, they can really help with that. Be careful if you buy them used; most of mine are just fine, but one would hang up on one of the tracks. Hubby copied it to a blank CD on his computer and thankfully the copy works.

 

[lovinaz]

Having a good WW leader is important to you, so I think you made the right choice by switching your days to Tue. Plus then you will be more motivated to behave on the weekends!

Really?? Defer to the husband? Was this book written in the Middle East in 1846?? That would have turned me off the book immediately!

Did you get the Wii figured out? I hope you like it!

 

[eyor44]

Hi Amy.
Anxious to hear how WW went today. and if you still like the new leader you chose.
How was the WII Fit? I too like the step program. I am completely un-coordinated, (I trip barefoot on concrete) but the great thing with this is you can keep trying 'til you get it and no one laughs at you for messing up. I finally got to level 2.

Defer to your husband?!?! Yes, the husband is the head of the household, but I had the word "Obey" taken out of the marriage ceremony.

 

[toystoryduo]

Sent you a PM..... Hope you're having a great day today!

 

[eyor44]

Hi Amy