Wendy's "I'm Going to SCOTLAND!!!!" Weight Loss Journey(Scotland Trip Report Pg 10)

[Shmu]

We were doing the same thing today. Cleaning out stuff in the house.

 

[racetrack18kb]

Mmmm, Jersey corn. Live close enough to the border to know what that tastes like. I love getting all the local grown fruits and veggies during the summer. Going to clean out my dressers this weekend and let DD12 keep what she wants. Quite a few things have shrunk (that's my story and I'm sticking to it) and DD thinks some of my old clothes are "cool".

 

[whgrn]

So, for the last 15 years, there's been a grey wool suit hanging in my closet. It's a size 14 from Laura Ashley. I LOVE this suit! I bought it in 1992, and it only fit for about a year. Haven't been able to wear it since, not even close! I am currently a size 18/20, so it's still not close.

BUT, last night I was going through the clothes in my closet to see what fits. Lots of stuff I thought would fit is already too big. Only a couple pair of pants are too small in the legs, although they fit in the waist. I did find several things that DO fit--a few pair of capris, 2 pair of shorts and about 5 shirts. So then I got a bit nostalgic, and started trying on old clothes. Like, 15 years old. A blazer I got in 1992--it fits perfectly! But SOOO early 90s, I'd never wear it out anywhere (can you say shoulder pads?!?) So I thought, hmmm, let's see...and the next thing you know, I'm wearing the grey suit! It does NOT fit, not even close. Can't zip the skirt at all. The jacket is a good 3-4 inches from closing. But still, I got it on my body! Now it's back in the closet. I'll try again when I reach my initial goal of 210. It won't fit, but maybe I'll know how much farther i'd need to go to wear it.

This afternoon I was working in the yard. I was dirty. I was hot and sweaty. Then it started raining, and I was wet. I finally finished (I was putting up a temporary fence to keep the dog in the yard) and went in to take a shower. Boy did that feel good!! I felt hot, and didn't want to wear anything too warm. I knew I was only going as far as my own backyard. So I put on a new/old pair of shorts and a Tshirt! So comfy. NEVER in public, but hey, it's me, my kids, mom, and BFF and her kids. Nice to be able to wear this stuff again!

Mom wanted to go to Fashion Bug this afternoon, so we all went. I saw a dress I really liked. Light, summery, pretty. So I tried it on. I really wanted a size 22--FB runs small. They had a 20 and a 24. So I tried on the 20. It fit! It looked pretty good except for one major issue. My thighs are very big and very flabby. And the flimsy fabric didn't leave much to the imagination! So I didn't get it.

I was looking though some catalogs that came to my house. Things I'd have jumped at a year ago just don't do it for me anymore. I don't want to look frumpy. Things that would look nice on my mom are NOT the things I want to see on me! Guess I'll keep looking. I hate the thought of a trip to the mall, but I may not have much choice. Eventually, I'm going to have to buy clothes for our vacation!

I've decided that clothes today are just plain ugly. I really prefer the classic styles, not this retro-mod stuff that fills the stores. I'm glad the stuff in my closet is mostly timeless classics that I CAN wear again!

 

[whgrn]

Went to NYC today. I had to have an MRI of my knee and see the ortho about having a revision of my knee replacement.

First, the MRI. I went in to get changed, and the lady looked at me and said she'd give me a bigger gown. (the regular ones were tiny, as I found out later when I saw an average size woman hanging out all over hers!) She then proceded to give me the biggest hospital gown I have ever seen! I am quite sure I have camped in a tent that was smaller! I put it on and just laughed at the sight in the mirror! A nice guy named Rick came in to get me, and helped me tie it closed a little better. I lay down on the MRI machine and put my knee in the little "house" to keep it still. He had to close the "roof" of the "house, and I wasn't sure it was going to fit. Neither was he. But it did! Just barely, but it fit! YAY! I used the "normal" sized machinery!!!!! Anyway, I chilled out with some Sweet Baby James (Taylor) and 40 minutes later I was done.

At that point, I needed the bathroom. Badly. So I changed quickly from my camping gear into my clothes, and headed into the bathroom. OK, problem #1, no toilet paper. Well, there's paper towel, that will have to do. Problem #2 is just that--#2, as in, well, you know... So I finish, and I flush, and, OH. MY. GOSH!!! I've clogged the toilet in the MRI dressing room!!!!!! And my "deposit" is right there for the world to see! I warned the girl at the front desk, and escaped as she was calling maintenance.

In the main lobby they have a little snack bar area. It was time for lunch, so I checked to see if there was anything there I could eat, or would I need to go out and hunt for something. Well, I was in luck--they had a very nice salad with a good size piece of chicken breast. I found some Newman's Own Balsamic Viniagrette dressing, and I was set. But wait, I needed some sort of a starch. Looked around and the best I could do was Lay's Potato Chips! So I took out 1 ounce (the portion size) and threw away the rest. I must say, I rather enjoyed my lunch!

After eating, I went upstairs to the doctor's office. I was early--12:40 for a 1:15 appointment. So I settled in with a book. I was finally called into the back at a little before 2. I was given a gown that was MUCH closer to the right size (OK, I could have used an extra inch or two, but it was OK) and proceded to wait until about 2:25, when the doctor came in.

So, the bad news is that the plastic parts of my knee prosthesis are pretty well shot. And there is some loosening of the rod that goes down into my lower leg bone. So that means I'll need a total revision, not a partial. Not really a surprise, but I was hoping for a miracle. Anyway, I asked all my questions and got some surprisingly good news. 1) I'll be in the hospital about 3 days, and in rehab about a week, 2) home PT for a couple weeks, then outpatient at the hospital, 3) about 3 weeks post-op, I should be OK to drive and to take care of myself and the kids, 4) after about 3 months I should be "good as new", and 5) there's a good chance that I'll have more flexibility this time around, as long as my quadriceps muscle isn't too tight. (Guess I'll see what we can do about that at the gym.)

I asked if there was anything I could do between now and surgery to prevent further decline. He said I'm already doing the best thing--losing weight. The first replacement has lasted 13.5 years. Revisions don't usually last as long as initial replacements, but considering the tonnage I'd hauled around until recently, I've done pretty well with this one. I may actually get a longer time out of the revision, given the lower weight. He's hopeful (as am I) that by January surgery I'll be in ONEderland. That would be awesome, and a big help with the rehab end of things. I asked about exercise, and he said the pool is my best option, but that the elliptical and the treadmill are both fine. He said using a cane would help keep some of the weight off the knee, but it's really not necessary unless I'm having pain (which, thankfully, I'm not!)

Why January? My current insurance won't cover the surgery or the doctor becuase it's out of network. (Gotta love those HMOs), and I can't switch until January 1. Also, my shoulder surgery used up all my PT for the year, so I have to wait until then to get a new "batch" of 30 visits. He says if I need more than 30 visits, they write a letter to the insurance company and get more. Since I have to do my other knee too, this could come in very handy if I decide to do it the same year.

Anyway, once I finished, I walked a couple blocks to a better travelled area and hailed a cab. Got there just in time to catch the 3:30 express bus home. The bus was packed, and I was seated toward the back. When we got to my stop, I got up with a good number of other people and headed towards the front. One guy had his foot in the aisle, which I couldn't see becuase of the crowd. The bus jerked as it slowed, and I stepped back--right onto his foot. He let out a big "OUCH!!", and I quickly (and sincerely) apologized. When I saw his nasty glare, I was tempted to tell him that if he'd kept his foot where it belonged, it wouldn't have gotten stepped on! But I held my tongue and got off the bus.

Anyway, I came home and plugged in my interesting lunch into SparkPeople, added my planned dinner, breakfast, and snack, and came up with a perfect day! OK, so the chips weren't the greatest source of carbs and fat, but they did the job. I'm on target for all my nutrients for the day. And tomorrow, I'm making a nice big pot of barley.

 

[Shmu]

Wow. What a busy day.
Bathroom incident.
Sorry, but I was
Hope all goes well with your knee.

 

[whgrn]

Wow. What a busy day.
Bathroom incident.
Sorry, but I was
Hope all goes well with your knee.

Glad YOU enjoyed it! (actually, it WAS sorta funny...)

 

[M&N]

It must have been that extra fiber from the mulched burger. (I've been waiting and waiting to use a toilet smilie! )

 

[whgrn]

I said goodbye to the 230s today! At 228.4, I am only 6 pounds heavier than my "skinny" sister! (OK, she's not skinny anymore, but growing up, she was ALWAYS the skinny one) So I've passed my July 1st goal of 230 about 3 weeks early! I also realized that if I lose just one pound per week for the rest of this year, I'll spend New Year's in ONEderland!!!! Now THAT would ROCK!!! Best of all, my BMI is now 39.1, so I am no longer morbidly obese!!!!

I cleaned out my closet this past weekend. I am horrified when I see the amount of clothing I had, and rarely wore. The size range was pretty big--some was too big when I started this, but most has just recently gotten too big. Now my closet is practically empty! I have only a few things in there that don't fit. A couple pair of pants that are really close, my old kilt that I've NEVER worn (it was always too small), and the grey Laura Ashley suit. Everything else in there I can wear right now. It feels good not to have any more "fat clothes"!

Today, our kilts for Scotland arrived. I was a bit nervous that it would be too big, since I've lost several inches since I ordered it 2 months ago. But it is perfect! There is also still a good bit of "shrinking' I can do and still be able to adjust it down to fit me. So maybe I'll at least get this Christmas out of it. I'm wondering if maybe I could have elastic sewn inside the waistband to make it even smaller at that point. Guess we'll see. Anyway, I looked in the mirror and I was amazed. I really look quite slim in this kilt! At least from the side. From the front I look good too. I wish it was about 2-3 inches longer, but it's OK. I hope DMom and DSis find theirs fit as well as mine. I also found a nice pair of navy slingbacks to wear with it, so I'm all set. I'm going to check out some knee high stockings--my legs have shrunk enough that there is actually some definition at the top of the calf, so I may be able to wear them and keep them up!

I saw the gastroenterologist today. Talk about a waste of time and gas! I was there an hour after my appointment time before he called me in. He spent almost 10 minutes with me in his office entering info into his computer (about another patient), returning texts from someone at the hospital, and ever so briefly looking at my chart. Less than 5 minutes in the exam room, and he did less than my primary would have done! I had to bring up the constipation (which was the entire reason for the visit) and he told me it was probably my diet. Ummmm, I get over 30 grams of fiber daily, drink plenty of water, avoid all the "bad" stuff, get lots of exercise, and I STILL have a problem! Oh yeah, and I take 4 stool softeners a day and drink Senna tea (laxative) at night. So, what gives? Well, he told me to take MiraLax, and gave me some samples. O-Kayyyy. I think I'll wait and speak to the bariatric surgeon when I see him in 2 weeks. If I get nowhere with him, it may be tiime to find a new GI guy--preferably one who is local (he's 45 minutes away) and doesn't have the bedside manner of a sand flea.

In the past few days I've seen several people who haven't seen me since I started losing again. They have been quite shocked at the change in me! And honestly, I'm enjoying hearing the "WOW, you look great!" comments. At our church picnic Sunday, several people said "hey, skinny" (and they see me every Sunday). And I was wearing SHORTS!! Hey, it's been 90+ degrees for 4 days, you bet your boots I'm wearing shorts. I found some nice ones in my closet, so I've been wearing them, and I don't think they are too bad. I also found a bathing suit. Hopefully I'll get the OK from the doctor to go in the pool.

So, I've been thinking about vacation. How is this going to work, with my eating and all? I know I won't have nearly as much control as I do here at home, and my choices will be much more limited. I'll be eating in restaurants and on a cruise (and then later in Scotland, on a train). I still plan to write down everything I eat, but I won't be entering it on SparkPeople since a)I won't have my computer and b) too many things will be stuff I can't calculate accurately. I'm not going to go crazy, but I will allow myself to relax a bit. It's a bit scary, but I really believe I will succeed. I just hope things don't get emotional with family issues and cause me to want to eat in frustration. I don't think that will happen--for starters, my family is pretty good, and also I've learned to control the emotional eating pretty well in the past 6 months. But hey, close quarters and all...I guess I'll just take things as they come. It will be a good experiment with the real world! I won't have access to my support groups here, but I can always call my BFF and vent to her! Or go exercise! The boat has a fitness center, and I'm sure there's an elliptical in there. Guess I should bring a set of gym clothes!

I started with my personal trainer yesterday. I really like her. I worked hard, did some stuff I've never done. But today I am fine--no aches and pains left over from the workout. I have a feeling she is going to be a huge help to me! I'm really looking forward to my session tomorrow.

My 12 year old said something interesting yesterday. She said "I like you better skinny like this, Mommy". I asked her why, since I'm still the same me as when I was 60 pounds heavier. But she insisted I'm better this way. I know people on the "outside", who don't really know me, treat me differently now than they did when I was heavier. And when I think about it, *I* treat me differently. I no longer look at my body with loathing. I no longer am drawn directly to my worst figure flaws. Instead, I notice what looks good. I love lying on my back and feeling my hip bones sticking up. I love to see my collarbones. Even my legs, which truly are my worst feature, are looking better these days! Maybe it's all a matter of perspective, but I am really starting to LIKE what I see!

It's amazingly freeing to actually like yourself, to feel comfortable in your own skin. It's a new feeling for me, and I'm enjoying it.

 

[M&N]

Did you notice the positive attutude here?

 

[whgrn]

Did you notice the positive attutude here?

From you M&N?? Always!!

 

[M&N]

You are the positive attitude princess...a true role model and inspiration to us.

 

[whgrn]

You are the positive attitude princess...a true role model and inspiration to us.

Thanks!

 

[whgrn]

Here are the pictures of all the fat clothes I packed up from my closet this weekend!

All piled up on my bed ready to be packed.

Packed and ready to go!

I still cannot believe all the clothes I had!

 

[whgrn]

With only 41 days until my trip to Scotland, the time has come to start getting some new clothes. I figure, if it fits now, it will fit in 6 weeks. I know I'll gain a bit on our first trip (July 3-16, if the waters go down in the Mississippi), and I'll lose that between trips, so I should pretty much be the same then as now, maybe down a few pounds, but not enough to change clothing size.

So, armed with my "wish book" from the catalogs I've been poring over since March, and knowing there was a 15% off everything sale, I headed to Talbots on Friday afternoon to meet with Esther, the Personal Shopper. Why a Personal Shopper? Well, for starters, I am CLUELESS when it comes to picking out clothes! Plus, since I needed pretty much everything for the entire trip, I knew I was gonna need help. And, since there's no charge for the service, I figured, what the heck, might as well!!

Esther had pulled lots ot things in the size I told her I needed--20W. Unfortunately, her taste and style was, shall we say, a WEE bit different from mine. She pulled lots of earth tones, warm colors, stuff I'd never wear. I'm more of a bright, bold, jewel-tones kind of girl. But I tried on some of what she put out, so at least we'd know what size I needed.

As the afternoon went on, she got very good at choosing things that were much more to my taste. And she did encourage me to step outside my comfort zone, which I did. I ended up with everything I needed (minus 2 things they didn't have in my size so we ordered online), in the colors and sizes I wanted. And I was delighted to find out that most of the tops, and even one pair of pants, were size 16W!!!! The rest were 18W. Not bad, considering I was a size 24W just 6 months ago!

I ended up spending 3 hours there, and a LOT of money (which I count as well spent, not to mention well deserved!) I got things like a navy jacket with matching pants, plus pants in taupe and grey, and several tops that will mix and match well with the pants and the jacket. I also got 2 pair of black pants--one casual, one dressier, and 2 twinsets to go with those. This was all pretty much stuff I'd picked out from the catalogs, or things we found in the store that I liked, that were "safe" and familiar. But what I did find that I NEVER expected to like, was a pair of brown pants (I NEVER wear brown!), a taupe shell, and a cardigan that has brown, taupe, ivory, black, and kind of a salmony red. Beautiful. Probably what I'll wear when we get on the train.

So off I went to home, knowing I'll be back in 10 days with Mom and Deb for another visit! Now what I needed was an outfit for the less formal dinners, that I could also use for the dressier nights on our river cruise. I searched and searched online, with minimal success. I did order one dress and one pants suit (which I cancelled today). Today, i decided it was time to give in and hit the mall. (I HATE the mall!) I printed out a 20% off coupon for Lord & Taylor, and off I went. I know my sister is wearing a black cocktail dress, so I figured I'd use that as a starting point in my search. I tried on several which were too short, too big, too "not me". Then I found it. THE dress! It's black on the bottom, sort of a pleated skirt, I think a matte taffeta. it's long enough that I can probably get away with knee highs instead of panty hose. The bodice is white with little grey dots. It comes almost off the shoulders, sort of sits on the shoulder caps. Fits great. Really really pretty. Size 18W. I hesitated about the sleeveless thing, since a) my arms are, shall we say, generously sized? and b) I don't know how warm it will be on the train. But I have a black pashmina shawl that will go fine with the dress, and will take care of both issues. I looked at a couple of other stores, just to see, but found nothing.

OK, so I have the dress, now I need shoes! I happened to walk past Easy Spirit, one of my favorite shoe stores, and there they were. A pair of black, patent leather slingbacks with a low heel. She had my size, they fit great, they are comfy comfy comfy, and they were only $39.99!! Woohooo!! The shoe search is over almost as soon as it began!

I am now totally ready. I even found a little micro-mini travel umbrella that will fit in my day bag. (it rains alot in Scotland...) Nothing left but the packing! And it's a bit early for that.

On a completely different note (the "side trip"), last night we had friends over for dinner and swimming (well, the kids swam). We BBQ'd burgers and dogs. I made a nice fruit salad, they brought potato salad and made a cesar salad right at the table--very fancy! Anyway, I put out potato chips soon after they arrived. I didn't plan on having any, since I had decided to have a baked potato with butter instead. But somehow, those chips just found their way into my mouth. And not just 1 or 2. I ended up eating at least 1.5 ounces, probably a little more. OK, so I skipped the baked potato, changed my food log, and was still only about 40 calories over for the day. But what concerned me was the almost mindless, out of control eating. I haven't done that in ages. But there they were, sitting in front of me, and I couldn't stay away.

I'm not beating myself up over this. it's not the end of the world. But I think it IS something to be aware of and to come up with a way to prevent a "next time". With 2 vacations coming up, food is gonna be an issue one way or another--less control over what I can eat, eating out all the time, etc. I know I'm going to have to pay really close attention, stay constantly on my guard.

And maybe sit far away from the potato chips.

 

[whgrn]

(from June 26th)

It was a crazy day. Had to call the cruise line to see what's up with our cruise (we leave July 3, one week from today!)

Waaaaaahhh!!! The nice lady says, Oh, yes, we called and left you a message, and sent you an email (well, no message on cell or home phone, no email, and the same is true for the rest of my family--NO ONE got any message or email!) In any event, they have TOTALLY changed our trip! We were supposed to fly to St. Louis July 3, spend 2 days there, cruise St. Louis to St. Paul, spend 2 days in St. Paul at the Mall of America. Then a train to Chicago, 2 days in Chicago, and fly home from there. WRONG!!!!!! We are now cruising round trip from Cincinnati, OH. Stopping in places I've never even heard of--Maysville OH, Pt. Pleasant, WV, Marietta, OH, Louisville, KY (OK, I HAVE heard of Lousiville!), Madison, IN, and back to Cincinnati. Nothing to do with Tom Sawyer, which I made Danny read. Nothing to do with all the research we've done on the places we were going. No fireworks at the St. Louis arch. No Mall of America, no train to Chicago, no Sears Tower for Danny to see.

So we are scrambling to get plane tickets (at triple the price since it's only a week in advance) to Cincinnati, and our trip has been shortened from 14 days to 8. NO time with my sister and her family (they were meeting us in St. Paul). My mom doesn't even want to go anymore, but it's past the point for refunds. I am just bummed.

So frustrating! But at least I'm not eating over it. In fact, the idea never occurred to me. That's just not what I do anymore. It kind of struck me how strange that was. I really HAVE changed. My priorities have shifted. Eat right. Exercise. THEN deal with the rest of life. Even eating out 3 times in 3 days didn't throw me. Even stopping for ice cream with my kids didn't mess me up--I just got a kiddie cup of vanilla and savored every bite, and stayed within my calories! The old me would have said "well, I blew it, so I might as well just kill the day." But not anymore!

OK, so there's the silver lining...

 

[whgrn]

Today marks a BIG milestone! I am FINALLY the "smallest" female in my family! I've always been the shortest--at 5'4", my mom has 3" on me, and my sister has 5". For quite some time, I've had the smallest waist, by several inches. But now I WEIGH the least! I have NEVER weighed less than my sister except for a brief period about 16 years ago when I was pretty anorexic and she was quite pregnant! Now, I'm healthy, and she weighs more than I do!! Nanny nanny boo boo!!! I called to tell her this morning and she is as thrilled for me as I am (she's such a good sport!)

I did my measurements this morning too. OMG, my hips are only 47"!!! I can't remember the last time they were under 50"! My waist is down another half inch, to 36, and my bust is slowly shrinking as well. Even my legs are significantly smaller! I ordered some thigh high stockings yesterday, and they might even fit! Which would be great, because it would mean I didn't have to wear the dreaded pantyhose under my kilt in Scotland! (I HATE pantyhose!)

The other day I went to a store in my hometown where they fit you for a bra. I've been having a tough time with bras. 38C in one style is big, in another small, in another just right. And when a 38C is small, the 40C in the same style is big. What gives? So i was measured, and it turns out I'm a 39C. Which kind of explains the problem! So, I AM wearing the right size, it's just gonna be kind of hit or miss as to what actually fits. Anyway, I asked to woman to measure my 12.5 year old daughter (the one who weighs 87 pounds soaking wet, and wears a size 0 petite...) O.M.G.!! My baby girl is a 30C!!!! Which basically doesn't exist, so I bought her a bunch of 32Cs, since she hates the tight band anyway. They fit her like a glove! Poor baby. Heaven help her in 5 or 10 years--what's she gonna be? Like a DDD?? My niece, who will be 14 next week, is a 28DD!!! Again, no such thing, so she's wearing a 32DD, which my sister paid about $50 for. I told her to shop at Fredricks of Hollywood--they have that size for under $20, and the bras are not crazy (well, not ALL of them...) This poor girl--some of her cousins on her father's side have been F and G cups, and many have had reductions. She swears she'll NEVER have surgery, but we'll see in 7 or 8 years when she's so front heavy she can't stand up straight!

The other day, I was making chocolate chip cookies to send to my BFFs kids at camp, i had an overwhelming desire to eat some batter. Thankfully, it has eggs in it, and I am SO not eating eggs this year. So i didn't do it. But the desire was really getting to me! Not a usual thing lately--no desire for the "bad stuff". I hope this won't rear it's ugly head while on vacation!

Last night I did another water aerobics class. Worked like a dirty dog and felt GREAT! Back to the gym this morning for 30 minutes on the elliptical, and an hour with my trainer, Shannon. I am really amazed at how far I've come in just a month! I am definitely stronger, and my muscles are more defined. My scale says I lost 4 pounds of muscle mass this week, which I HIGHLY dispute--if anything, I've GAINED muscle mass! But what does the scale know? (other than my weight, which is, of course, completely accurate!!)

Did you know that if you wear shorts, and you have saggy legs that look like a pair of Sharpeis in heat, no one cares? Really! I've been a bit daring lately, and worn shorts on the hotter days. And no one has said anything! Not even a look of horror! (at least, not that I've noticed...) And this is new, because last summer if I wore shorts, the stares...well, 'nuff said! But last night at WalMart, a little girl, who was just about up to my hip, was looking at me quite intensely, and it seems she was trying to show me her new shoes! She didn't even care about my thunder thighs! WOW! So I guess shorts will be a more significant part of my wardrobe this summer--even if I DO have to hold them up with a belt, since the waists are all too big!

And another FYI--it is possible to go out for dinner, or order in, and still eat healthy, even at a restaurant that doesn't seem to have anything healthy. Tonite my daughter is going to a Yankees game with her Dad, so my son and I are on our own for dinner. I had planned to make tacos, but since he isn't crazy about thim, it seemed a waste. So I asked him what he wants, and he said fish and chips. With vinegar. (Hmmm, could he be a Brit in disgise??) I looked through all our takeout menus and finally found one place that has what he wants. La Rosa Chicken and Grill. Well, I can get turkey breast, roasted red potatoes, and steamed veggies or a salad. NO PROBLEM! And I dont' have to cook! YAY!!!! Tomorrow night we will definitely eat out, since it's the night before vacation, and I don't want any food garbage hanging around while we're away. I know the kids want pizza, so we'll go to our 2nd favorite pizza place where they have a GREAT salad for me! And then, vacation, and NO COOKING for 2 WEEKS!!!! WooHoo!!! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to cook. But I also love to have a break, especially from the planning. For 14 days, all I have to worry about is what _I_ want to eat, not what the kids want. They can order for themselves! Ahhh, freedom!

I did buy a book that lists protein counts (and calories, carbs, and fats) of foods, including brand name and restaurant chains. I think it will help me keep track while I'm on vacation. I won't be logging into SparkPeople, but I WILL write down everrything I eat, and I'll try to stay close to my normal parameters. I also figured out that the day we board the cruise, since we have 10 hours between boarding and sailing, with not so much to do, I will go spend an hour in their gym on the elliptical! Make some good use of my time! We won't be sightseeing that day, so other than walking through airports, I won't be getting much exercise. So the gym seems like a good idea. Gotta keep my girlish figure!

I won't be blogging next week, since I'll be away. But in 2 weeks, I'll be back, probably with lots to tell. Hopefully with little or no weight gain. After all...

I'm the skinny sister. Now I just have to "catch up" to my Dad...

 

[whgrn]

We're off to Cincinnati, OH, for our family vacation. Not the Mississippi Riverboat cruise we expected, which was diverted due to flooding. But an Ohio Riverboat cruise instead, so we'll make the best of it!

We were up early, at 6:30 am, for our 7 am limo. Got to the airport with no problem, an checked in at a nearly empty counter. Unfortunately, they didn't give us a seat assignment--we had to wait until we got to the gate for that. So we headed through security, where I did my typical "assume the position" routine (the metal in my knees sets off the alarms every time!) It's pretty bad when I know what to do so well that I'm doing it before they tell me to! Anyway, we arrived at the gate, and there was no one there! OK, so the seat assignments can wait, let's get some breakfast.

Now, airports are NOT known for having decent food, and I'm thinking I'll be lucky with a bagel and cream cheese. WRONG! Newark Liberty Airport (which has always been my favorite) is very forward thinking and smart, and they had, right at our gate, a HEALTHY FOOD KIOSK!!! I got some yummy organic blueberry yogurt, mixed in some Cheerios, and I was good to go!

Once I'd eaten, I looked up and there was a person standing at the gate counter. So I went up to get our seat assignments, hoping we'd at least have a couple of seats together so the kids didn't have to sit alone. But we were in luck-we all got to sit together! We were 2 by 2, since the plane was a 50 passenger puddle jumper, but we were together! It was soon time to board, and when we got to the end of the jetway, we were told we'd have to gate check our carryons, because the overhead bins on our tiny little plane were, well, tiny little!! I was a bit panicky, since all of our meds and all of my dressing supplies were in one of the carryons, but it wasn't something I had any control over.

So off we went to our seats. As soon as I sat down, my first thought was, "wow, the plane may be smaller, but the seats are alot bigger!" Then I noticed that the seatbelt was quite long--I actually had a good 6 inches left over! I was about to comment to my Mom about this, when it hit me--DUH!!! The seat and belt are NOT bigger, *I* am smaller!!! Apparently quite a bit smaller! So that was a great way to start off what turned out to be a great flight, with no problems at all. At least until we landed...

And then we saw that we would have to walk down the steps from the plane to the tarmac. This is always a problem for me, especially with luggage. But wait, we gate checked our carryons! There's nothing to carry down the steps! And a small plane has small steps! So I gracefully climbed down, identified my carryons, and into the terminal we went! The trip to baggage claim seemed like it took forever, but it was probably about 20 minutes. First we rode a shuttle from the gate out to the main terminal. Then we took the train to the baggage claim terminal (like the ones at the airport in Orlando). Our bags were on the baggage carousel, all by themselves! Guess most of the bags on our flight were carryons.

We met up with the people from the cruise line, and settled in to wait for the bus to take us to the boat. We had a pretty long wait, but finally we boarded, our bags boarded, and we were off to the boat! Checkin on the boat was a piece of cake, WAY better than on the big cruise liners. We went right to the dining room and had lunch. I had a turkey sandwich--the first bread I've eaten in about 6 months, and it was good! With some sliced peppers, and a bowl of fruit, it made for a nice lunch.

After lunch, we booked a couple of shore tours, and took a tour of the boat. Small, but nice, easy to find our way around. We found our room--the Leonore K. Sullivan room--it's so pretty! So we got unpacked, and finished our tour. Then it was time for the life vest drill. We had to be outside our rooms with the lifevests on, and then we walked down one flight to our "muster station". Once we checked in there, we were done, and could return to our rooms. So I changed into my gym clothes, and headed up to the gym. YAY!! They have an elliptical!! I hopped on and did my 30 minutes. I could look out over the pool--it's quite small, and only has a ladder, no steps, so I won't be using it.

Went to look at Mom and Dad's room--they have a fridge!!! I brought a cooler for my protein boluses and water bottles. But a fridge! I can put my stuff in there! Better yet...I asked at the Purser's desk. Since the cruise is only 1/3 full (apparently ALOT of people decided to reschedule due to the itinerary change), I KNOW there are some suites that have fridges that are empty. Could I possibly get one of those? YES!!!! Gordan and Danny were next door to us, but their AC was not working, so they were moved down a couple rooms.

We went to dinner, and found that our table is right by the windows, so we have a great view! It's a table for 8, and there are only 6 of us, so we have a couple sitting with us, Ron and Jewel. They live in the Cayman Islands. They are so nice! We couldn't have found a better pair to join us than these two. Ron is into trains, almost as much as Daddy, and Jewel and I could talk for hours about food allergies! Dinner was really nice, and since I'd used very few calories so far, I splurged and had a little vanilla ice cream for dinner. YUMMY!

After dinner it was time to sail! We went out on deck to "supervise" the sailing. It was really cool to watch. The dock is right across from the stadium where the Cincinnati Reds play, and there was a game going on. When the calliope played "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", the crowd at the game went wild! I checked out the show for the evening, and left after about 5 minutes. I've heard better singing at Karaoke! So I went into the store, got some bottles of water to put in my fridge, and went up on deck to watch the river for awhile. So peaceful and relaxing!!

At 9 we all met in Mom and Dad's room for our first nightly viewing of "The Flame Trees of Thika". It's a 7 part miniseries that Dad brought on DVD, so we'll watch an episode each night. It was pretty good! Afterwards, I checked my calories and protein in the book I"d brought, and it seems I did quite well today. Hey, I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!

For some reason, we had to stop for fuel. We stopped for a long time. I gave up watching, and just went to bed, since tomorrow is an early day!

 

[racetrack18kb]

Sounds like your trip is going beautifully. It is nice to see a "trip report" without all the complaining about the little things. (Yes, I've been on the dis too long ) Have a great rest of your trip and see you when you get back.

 

[M&N]

Thanks for the update...sounds like you are having a good time.

 

[whgrn]

At some point during the night, we started moving. I woke up 3 or 4 times in the night with cramping in my left shin--probably from all the walking yesterday. Other than that, the bed was SO comfy! One of those thick, heavy, down comforters that you just snuggle up under and never want to leave. But I was up about 7 anyway. Breakfast on the "Front Porch" was bland oatmeal. The yogurt had high fructose corn syrup, so that was out. The peanut butter had partially hydrogenated oil, so THAT was out. I added some raisins and walnuts, but it was a pretty low-protein meal. We ordered box lunches, since our tour would have us missing lunch on the boat. I ordered a turkey sandwich like the one I had yesterday. Not crazy about all that bread, but I'll make do.

It was VERY foggy out. In fact, when I first got up, I couldn't see past the railing of the boat! I had NO clue where we were, or even if we were moving. A weird feeling. We were running over 2 hours behind due to the long refueling stop. I don't know why they couldn't have refueled in Cincinnati while they were between cruises, but they didn't. I made good use of the delay, going up to the gym to spend 30 minutes on the elliptical. We finally got to our destination at about 11:30, instead of 8. Our tour was cancelled because of the delay.

The regular port was being renovated, so we had to dock at a boat launch just outside of town. Talk about primitive! LOL--it was hysterical! They had to lay down a bunch of mats so we could get off without walking through the mud. But first, a guy had to rake out all the rocks and uneven parts. We stood on deck watching and laughing. Finally we were able to get off. There were a bunch of people on the landing in golf carts. One of them was all decorated with Tinkerbell stuff--it was cute! Mom, Gordan and I went into town on the shuttle bus. We asked about a taxi and were given the number but told they were not running that day. WRONG! I called, and within 10 minutes a nice guy showed up. Mom and Gordan went to a museum, and I headed for the REAL main attraction--WalMart!

Yes, WalMart. After the crummy breakfast I'd had, I decided it was time to buy some supplies. And, since I now had a fridge in my room, it was not a problem to store things. I knew I could get apples and Cheerios in the Front Porch, so I got yogurt (organic!!) and cottage cheese, and fiber powder and a sharp knife to cut up the apples, and paper bowls and plastic spoons. Also some stuff Mom had asked for. I got everything I needed! Called the taxi service and the same guy came to pick me up. Guess that's life in a tiny town!

When we got back to the boat, lunch had just ended. We asked what we could get to eat, and they said they'd send us some sandwiches to the room. We had some horrible kind of roast beef sandwiches, and potato chips. NOT my best lunch! So I ate some cottage cheese for extra protein, and had an apple.

I watched the kids in the pool for awhile, and then headed off to BINGO with Mom. They were serving popcorn, and I decided to have just a little bit--about 3/4 cup. I won the 2nd game, $45.00!!! It was the start of a winning week for our family!

I went back to the room and ironed all the things that needed it. Tonite was a "formal" dinner, meaning dressier than usual, but not truly formal. I just wore a sundress. A few people were dressy, but most were just above "smart casual". I had yummy Red Snapper, with a baked potato and green beans. Very good. I even had some fresh strawberries with a bit of whipped cream. Unfortunately, when I tallied up the info after dinner, my calories were WAY up! About 1706 for the day. Oh well, guess I'll keep my Protein book with me at dinner from now on!

After a nice, relaxing sit on the front porch, we watched Part 2 of our movie. By the time it was over, we were all pretty tired. I fell into bed and had no trouble falling asleep!