Lulu201's Back In Action Journal

[toystoryduo]

Good morning Erin!

I hope you have a wonderful day today. I'm glad to hear that your DH is feeling fine.

I shared with Doe a new book that I started reading today and I wanted to come over and share it with you too. The book is called, Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen. Joel is the senior pastor at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas and his services are broadcast around the world.( DH and I watch on Sunday mornings.) This is an excellent book! It is very encouraging and hopeful and it is a fast read. I just thought I would share it with you in case you are looking for a new book to read.

I hope you have a fabulous day today. Stay warm!

Tracy

 

[lulu201]

This is a test post. Yesterday I couldn't post for some reason.

 

[geetey]

Just stopping by to wish you a Merry Christmas, Erin!!

May your days be filled with joy, laughter, love, family and friends!

 

[lulu201]

I'm still trying this. . .it seems I'm able to post, but not use smilies. What the heck is going on?

 

[toystoryduo]

Merry Christmas, Erin!

I hope that your holiday is filled with laughter, love, and lots of fun!

Maybe in the additional options section, the "disable smilies in text" is checked???? Pretend that you're going to type in a message and scroll down and it should be there.

Take care,
Tracy

 

[septbride2002]

Hello my dear friend! My thoughts have been with you! Merry Christmas a little late but none the less - full of love!

~Amanda

 

[lulu201]

This is a quickie test post.

 

[lulu201]

This is another quick test.

 

[lulu201]

12/27/04 I am way fat. That's all I'm going to say about that!

Today marks a new week and I'm regaining my focus.

1. Devotions: 27/31 God is helping me back onto the track.
2. Vitamins: 22/31
3. Water: 16/31
4. Exercise: 2 miles, 31 minutes 8/31
5. Food: oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch, nonfat s.f. latte (2.5), and part of DH's Cinnabon (he insisted! ). Dinner was blue pear turkey sandwich and bag of chips at Saladworks. No evening snacks. While this doesn't sound all that great, it was a true triumph compared to how I've been eating lately. 12/31
6. Scale: 22/31

Thanks to all who stopped by with Christmas greetings. We had a nice Christmas, but I really ate my way through it. I'm happy, though, that I've kept up with my 6 Step plan and have tracked my progress all month. I'm thinking about some new fitness challenges and goals for myself. More on that later.

DH and I are headed out to run a few errands; DD's happy as a clam at her friend's house. I'm going to post around later. I've been having such problems lately--all tracked to our new firewall.

to all my WISH friends,
Erin

 

[Princess Michelle]

12/27/04 I am way fat

Erin! Are you my twin sister???? LOL

I love seeing all those smilies!!! Woo Hoo!

We might have enjoyed the holidays a little too much but hey, they're gone for another year and today it's back to business as usual!

Glad to see that you and DH are signing up for the National Body Challenge! I'm definitely gonna sign up just don't know if I'll make it to Bally's or not. I'd like to I just wish I had someone to go with me. I'm scared of the big, bad gym!

 

[DoeWDW]

Merry Belated Christmas and warm wishes for the most wonderful year ahead!

I'll be joining you in the National Body Challenge! I'm so excited! Thanks for mentioning it - I hadn't heard of it but it sounds like exactly what I need to help me refocus. The timing is perfect too, starting just a few days after the half! Count me in! I think we should do the weigh-out on March 12 at KofP and celebrate at the Cheesecake Factory!!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your week off!

 

[lulu201]

I always like it when you stop by, Michelle. I'm scared of the big, bad gym, too, and though DH thinks he'll be able to go with me 2x a week, I know I'll have to go it alone at least once a week. The trouble with Bally's is that it looks so enormous and forbidding! And they always show it on TV with all those size 2 women in their leotards! I get scared just thinking about it. Maybe we could face our fear of going alone on the same day?

Yeah, so this Body Challenge is one of my resolutions for the new year. I'm still thinking through the others. I watched that movie, "Super Size Me," tonight and I think I'm going to have fast food nightmares for a week! It was a great movie to watch as an aid to regaining focus and made me think a lot about all the fast food I consume when I'm working. McDonald salads are a particular favorite of mine.

I liked reading through Amanda's resolutions in her journal. I liked how they are goals that relate to her as a "whole person" and are not just fitness and weight related. I want to be focused on growth and positive change in the New Year. . .there are so many areas in which I'd like to grow. Most of them are spiritual and involve my personal relationship with Christ--I think growth in this area will overflow into all other areas of my life: personal, professional, physical. I have my WISH buddies to thank for helping me to explore and to seek understanding. . .you guys are just plain wonderful.

One of the things I've learned about myself in the last year is that I'm emotionally driven. Now this, in and of itself, is nothing new, but I've seen how it relates to my eating disorder and my tendency to use food as a sedative . I also have seen how I often put too much value on what I'm feeling at any given time: I spend a lot of time asking myself if I FEEL like exercising or if I FEEL like eating right when I should just DO IT! When I've looked at other people on the WISH--particularly you, Beth--and see how strong and steadfast they can be (Beth, you just say you're going to do something and you follow through 99% of the time), I'm inspired to develop this quality in myself. I know there are a lot of pluses to being a sensitive, emotional person, but there is a side that's not always positive, and this year I'd like to work on "following through."

I've got to think about getting through tomorrow, though, before I can handle 2005. I have two social obligations--a luncheon with an adult student (she's 80 ) and a dinner out with DH and another couple. I'm going to see if the restaurant for dinner has a web-site; maybe I can construct a game plan for the day. I think breakfast will be yogurt and kashi. I know lunch will be soup and a sandwich; I'm going to bring gingerbread for dessert. I'll see about dinner later.

Through the grace of God, I got through today without binge eating. I made it through a day.

Off to bed,
Erin

Edit: Hey, Doreen! Thanks for coming over! I was rambling on here to myself and missed your post at first. Cheesecake Factory? Now why didn't I think of that?!

 

[lulu201]

December 28, 2004

It's a brand new Tuesday and I'm ready to go! I slept late--until 7:30 a.m.--and it felt so good! The sun is shining here in PA; it makes the cold seem bearable. . .at least from where I sit here in my cozy bathrobe. This color makes me think of the warm Caribbean waters at Castaway Cay. . .ahhh.

The plan for today:

1. Devotions: 28/31
2. Vitamins: I've had breakfast so I'll take them soon. Have to make sure DD has hers. 23/31
3. Water: Have had 5 glasses so far. 17/31
4. Exercise: I'll do 2 miles or so on the treadie after I wash the dog. This afternoon I'll take the little guy for a walk for some extra steps. I'm going to put my pedometer on. 9/31
5. Food: yogurt and kashi for breakfast, soup and sandwich and a little gingerbread for luncheon, dinner will include a glass of wine, salad, chicken cacciatore, but no bread and butter. I've got to be VERY careful today. Meals out like this sometimes set me on the road to binge eating. Edit: I made it until dinner time where I succumbed to dessert and then a few cookies and candies when I got home. Would someone please tell me WHY I have to eat everything I see?????
6. Scale: 23/31 The number was more reasonable today, probably because I almost drowned myself in water yesterday.

Extra things I have to do besides wash the dog:

*Pick up the gingerbread for lunch.
*Return movie at Blockbuster so I don't have to think about it.
*Begin big cleaning of DDs room. Today we're only doing bookcases.
*Do a couple loads of laundry.
*Dishes and bed.
*Begin thank you notes for student gifts.
*Vacuum
*Chop up some carrot sticks for snacks.

I read an article on aol about people gaining weight over the holidays. They said that a lot of people gain and KEEP their weight. We're not going to let that be us now, are we, WISH buddies? Like Michelle said in her journal, and I paraphrase: The holiday food-fest is over! It's OK to indulge, but then get back on track! In one of my favorite books, "Thin is Better" (I think that's the name of it ), the dr. suggests a technique called "blocking." You allow yourself to have those foods you don't eat at other times of the year, but then you move past it and get back into leading your healthy life. For me, that means I can't eat a lot of those foods again until next year. Abstinence is just easier than moderation in some areas of my diet.

I'm moving onward and looking Upward, hoping that I can get that scale DOWNWARD!

Erin

 

[Auntmeme]

Hello Erin, merry christmas I love that caribbean color - oh to be in castaway cay I see we all have been eating eating eating - holidays do strange things to us Have you walked outside lately? good for you doing the body challenge! wish you were heading with us to the marathon maybe next year?

You are a strong woman and I know you can do whatever you set your mind to! have a great tuesday

 

[plutosmyfav]

Hi Erin,
I like that idea-- blocking. I totally agree with you about abstinence being easier than moderation for some foods. For me its holiday cookies and chocolate!

Sundie

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Erin!

Since you asked about my envelope system, I thought I would come post the answer here in your journal. We chose this system because we were having trouble saving the money we needed. It worked quite well for us.

Here's what we do with the envelopes:

* If we are going to be in WDW for 7 days, we start with 7 envelopes for food and souvenirs. Say for example, you budget for $75/ day. Once I set aside $75, we go to the Disney Store, buy $75 worth of Disney Dollars, put it in one of the envelopes and seal it until I have the food/souvenir money for all 7 days. (The DDs work great for us because the only place we can spend them is Disney. So, if we were tempted tp break the envelope's seal and use the money, we can't. )

* I also made envelopes for the car rental, gas for our trip, parking, and miscellaneous. Once I had the money for the car rental, I put it on my credit card and charged the rental to my credit card because they provide free car rental insurance. Once I had the amount of money budgeted for the rest of the categories, I sealed the envelopes and put them away.

Let's say that we don't use all of the money we alloted for Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, we can eat at a special restaurant or have a few extra snacks. That's how we ate at Biergarten. We had $25 left from the previous day and applied it to the Biergarten's bill. Worked out great!

This time around, I will have envelopes for:

* Daily Expenses (Food/ Souvenirs)
* Car Rental
* Gas
* Parking
* Miscellaneous
* Parasailing for DH

Once I have all the envelopes done for daily expenses, then I will move on to car rental, gas, e.t.c. The people I tutor their son for owe me $75 so I almost have DH's surprise parasailing excursion paid for. (Birthday gift) Once that envelope is done, I will seal it and put it away.

I will also have the girls decorate the envelopes with stickers and drawings this time around.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I love talking about WDW and planning!

Have a great evening!

Tracy

 

[Princess Michelle]

Erin, you are so sweet. I would love to know that you're out there facing the big, bad gym the same day I am. I really think that would make me feel so much better. You're absolutely right about those commercials and to make it worse is my area is full of professional athletes, don't know if they work out at Bally's or not but just the thought of being in there with a bunch of hard bodies is enough to kill my self-esteem. I think I'm going to ask them what their slowest time is when I call to set up my first workout. Isn't it terrible that the people that need the gym the most are the ones that don't feel like they belong there?

 

[lulu201]

Today is December 29, 2004
I'm gearing up for a new day. . .yesterday was pretty good except for that darn food smilie. I earned 5 out of 6. I'm happy about that, but I'm disappointed in myself about my food.

We had a lovely dinner out with friends, but I ate too much and then continued to eat when I got home. Not too much, but non-hungry eating just the same. It's almost as if the switch gets turned on and then is hard to turn off. I'm going to be very mindful of this today and see if I can rely on God's strength more than mine. The unfortunate thing is that at the time, I don't mind the fact that I'm overeating! I rationalize it by saying, "well, tomorrow I'll be back on program," or "I've already blown it by eating that cranberry apple cake." Now I know I'm responsible for myself, but it's also hard to keep myself on task when everyone else is munching happily away. I'm such a follower! I've got to get myself some conviction and backbone. Anybody have some they want to share?

OK, so here's the plan for today:

1. Devotions: 29/31 "gratitude"
2. Vitamins: have them right in front of me. 24/31
3. Water: will drink LOTS--did it! 18/31
4. Exercise: two miles to do on the treadie. Been there, done that! 10/31
5. Food: had an english muffin w/pb and coffee for breakfast. Lunch was Applebees: I ordered right from the WW menu. I had French Onion Soup (3) and a Tango Chicken Sandwich (7). Afterwards we went to see "Phantom of the Opera" and then went to the mall for DD to get gift for a friend. While there we had dinner at the mall; for me it = one slice of pizza (9). Also had a Skinny cow (2). 13/31
6. Scale: Back up after last night's dinner. 24/31

Thanks, Tracy, for the "envelope system" details. I've heard that there have been some changes to the Disney Dollars--are they still available at the Disney Store? Check around on the boards; people have been talking about this. I don't know what's fact and what's rumor.

Michelle, we're going to set a date, do our workout, and then run back here to our computers to compare notes on Bally's. We can do this!

Sundie, I was reading your journal. You are an exercise diva, girl! Congrats on all the progress you've made.

MeMe, my next attempt at the half will be in 7 years. . .it's going to be my 50th birthday present to myself! Want to walk it with me then?

OKee, dokee, I'm going to walk this today, relying on Christ to hold my hand on the healthy living road. I'm walking onward, looking upward--

Erin

 

[Strings]

Erin,

You are doing an amazing job. I mean it. You are holding yourself accountable and being honest about your choices. You are also making positive changes in your life that scare you. That is huge. I am really proud of you.

I totally understand about abstenance being easier than moderation. I get started and just keep going. I am the Energizer Bunny of binge eating lately. knowing that, I've cleaned out my house, so things won't tempt me. Just know you are NOT alone in that struggle.

Thank you for the compliment about sticking to my plan. It was just what I needed to hear. I was already trying to come up with excuses not to exercise today. I will definately do those 2 miles today.

Have a great day Erin, and don't get lost in DD's room. Have dh send a search party, if you are missing for more than 1 hour. Dust bunnies can be dangerous when threatened.

Take care,
Beth

 

[septbride2002]

Good Morning Erin! I've been catching up on your journal and I have to tell you it is really making me . You sound so positive and full of energy - wish I could say that I felt the same.

I really wanted to work on more then just my weight this year. I've become so focused on my weight that I was letting the scale dictate to me whether I was having a good day or a bad day. Plus there really are some personal issues that I need to work on. And some are just for fun - like getting outside more often - I tend to coop myself up in the house watching pointless TV rather then getting outside and doing something productive. I'm glad you like my resolutions - they are a work in progress.

I answered your disney schedule question in my journal - hope I planned enough for us to do

~Amanda