Melissa's make it to the finish line journal

[Zoesmama03]

Yeah its not the first time I cut meat out. I was vegetarian for about 2 years in high school. For me its easy as I don't care for the taste of meat and some like steak the texture bothers me. I will check out those hot wings. I had morning star veggie burgers not long ago and liked them better than Boca's I have had in the past. I switched to Boca burgers for awhile when I was doing WW meetings long ago. I also love the hot sauce on popcorn. Weird but its good.

Yep still drumming and Zoe likes to drum too but plays the guitar a lot more, or sings with the mic. Several times a week we play her me and my brother. Its really fun. And we got a kids yoga dvd on loan from library that she enjoyed. She actually sat and did the whole 63 minute dvd. Its fun becasue the poses are set for 2 a parent and child. And we've been doing a lot of swimming but I'd like to increase the frequency but our pool in the community here is closed a lot. Most people wear the street clothes in clogging the filters and or doing physical damage to it. So it will be closed most times I want to use it. So we are going to check out a nice one at a junior high up the way a couple miles it has a nice big slide and a kiddie area but our favorite is a bit farther it has a beach entry into the kiddie playground with kiddie slide, a big slide that Zoe adores, and a short lazy river and whirlpool in the center. Its fun and $2 for adults 50 cents for the kiddos.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Okay for breakfast I am having 2 mangos. Well more like one and half as Zoe took half of one but still hasn't tried it. She hasn't had it like this. Frozen, canned, dried or already cut at a salad bar but not as a whole fruit so she is unsure. I know she will like it. I have an orange I may have in a while if I'm hungry before lunch but since its 11am I probably wont and just have my big salad and leftover pizza.

Dinner I'm still thinking what I'll make. Maybe chili maybe something else. Not sure yet but I do need to go get my other groceries. I only went to the Farmer's Market store yesterday so need beans and my almond milk. Believe it or not the health store did not have the brand I wanted.

 

[keenercam]

Melissa -- It is awesome that you have exposed Zoe to yoga. And I love that she is willing to try new foods. I hope you can find a pool that works for you. The prices seem very reasonable!

 

[Zoesmama03]

I had a salad with Italian dressing and sesame seeds 2 slices leftover homemade veggie pizza and a glass of chocolate soy milk with Zoe. hehe

Dinner was stir fry with chow mien noodles and a glass of almond milk. I added more veggies when I was nearly half done and really ate too much. Really gotta be more careful about that. For desert we had some thai toasted rolled coconut fortune cookies. I had seen them in the store before and was curious. They are FAR better than regular fortune cookies but really not worth the price of them.

 

[keenercam]

I love Asian foods!! Your dinner sounds great! I am definitely putting "stir fry" on my list of foods I am going to eat when I can stand up to cook again. For now I'll live vicariously through you. Does Zoe eat stir fry veggies?

 

[Zoesmama03]

Sorry took so long to answer I've been feeling weird about online. I had no desires to even sit at the computer. I think its all this job hunting it goes alright but I get frustrated and just loathe the computer.

Yep Zoe eats stir fry veggies. She loves bell peppers more so red ones and I add broccoli(her fav) and the baby corns she likes too. So far I just find the canned kind in the ethnic food aisle at the store. We eat a lot of bell peppers though especially in the summer I can't get enough of red bell peppers eaten raw. We usually have some sliced ones along with cucumbers several nights a week.

I'm getting back into being online more often. I just had so little interest in it for weeks. I should probably talk to my Dr but I've always wanted to avoid antidepressants. I feel fine otherwise. I'm even sleeping a lot better but just this lack of interest in doing much of anything is making me unproductive. My brother has invited Zoe and I to go along on a trip to Florida but now we are considering California so maybe going to Disneyland next month. I've been around DIS a bit more in excitement. He has a large settlement check coming and wants to go. He offered for us to go because he can't drive and wouldn't want to go to Florida alone he isn't as close to our dad as I am(having lived there) and him and my step mom don't get along at all. As much as I'd love a trip to Florida I just don't want to have him spending that kind of money to take us along. Cali is much cheaper.

 

[keenercam]

Melissa - I hope your spirits will lift with the prospect of a trip next month. I can only imagine how draining the job search is. What field are you in? It seems like around here anyone in the medical field is very, very marketable, but otherwise it is tough. Keep your chin up, my friend. I am hoping the perfect job falls into your lap.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Primarily I want medical assistant work. I've been certified since April 2008 and no luck. I had got called for 3-4 interviews after and one in Florida but otherwise nothing.

I'm looking into CNA the state is actually willing to pay for the class and state exam so I'll be working on that tomorrow. The details with the school etc. Hopefully the added option/education will help me.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Melissa, I just got caught up with you (and thank you for coming over to my journal, its nice to have a new friend ) and I can relate to some of your struggles, mainly that soda one! Its a hard habit to break and mostly I have but ever so often, I weaken and have a Dr. Pepper or Coke.

Your daughter is so beautiful, she reminds me of a little girl my dd used to be friends with to the point I thought it was her when I saw your sig!

I am so sorry you are having such a hard time finding a job. This economy is so hard. I haven't been able to find a thing at all and as you know by my journal, my husband is trying to find something as well. Maybe the CNA thing will work out. People keep telling me to go back to school, but I worry if I do, the market will change or get worse and I won't be able to find a job after all that work and expense. Your story makes me realize I might be spot on with that sad to say. Keep us posted!

I hope your trip works out! I love Disneyland.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Thanks for stopping by Amy.

I've been keeping busy with projects and wasting time with the Sims 2 game. But I got myself some shorts to wear around the house to help keep the A/C turned up where my brother can afford it. It kills me I can't help him out more. But this is what I can do to keep it up higher during the day where he would have it. But now I have something cooler to workout in at home. Before I had no shorts at all that fit(nothing athletic type wear either) and find it easy to use excuses that its too hot to work out in pants.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Yahy! I set myself up a brand new blog. I will have to remember to copy my journal over to here. I'm gaining some motivation. I missed my workout yesterday got too involved in something else. So ready to be off to do that here in a few. I just wanted to get my blog all organized and pretty looking. I will be reading the Exercise Challenge for more motivation each morning while I have my water to wake up and take my meds. August Exercise I will be ready to jump in on and make 1000 minutes. I was starting off with a reduction but I need to be honest with myself in that I need it to be daily or I will fall off track. A daily time to get it done will help. It doesn't have to be 45 minutes a day or even 30 but I need to do 10-15 minutes minimum a day to stay in the habit. I wonder if a challenge to do one 10 minute yoga video off youtube would help. It can be a warm up for the days I do longer sessions but would get me going on time. And yoga is very energizing for me which is a common excuse I give myself for not doing exercise.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Finished 15 minutes of Walk Away the Pounds. I feel better now that I did something. I am planning for a pilates workout later with my pilates for dummies dvd.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Melissa, I really like Walk Away the Pounds and I also find that doing the exercise challenge is a great motivator. In fact, I intend to join the August one. Some months I am motivated great, others (like that the last two) I am not so having that challenge really helps me out!

Good job getting workout shorts! Those ac bills are killer this time of year.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Did my baby step 15 minute Walk Away the Pounds, just did 1st mile of my 3 mile dvd. I had dd pestering me so I didn't continue though I did feel good enough that I could have. I should have asked her to wait it wasn't that important or anything. I suppose I need to learn to do that.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Melissa, well done getting that mile done! Its hard to work out at home when you have young children so boy I can relate to what you went through yesterday!

Keep up the good work.

 

[Zoesmama03]

I missed yesterday but am proud to say I completed not only 15 minutes but my entire 45 min 3 mile walk away the pounds dvd. Zoe was coaching me the last 15 minutes but I had gotten a second wind, thankfully!

 

[Zoesmama03]

I waiting on my dryer so I can get my workout clothes on and do some Walk Away the Pounds. Working on some hydration while I wait.

I weighed in switching from Mondays to Fridays for Biggest Loser Challenge. I was 289 down 3 lbs from last Thursday at the Dr and when I weighed at home on my Monday i was the same still. With some exercise I can keep this going in the right direction.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Melissa, you are doing great with the WATP! That 45 minute one is an awesome workout. Glad you have Zoe to coach you on!