Day Two

Today was tough. After having such a "good" day eating-wise yesterday, I was scared I was gonna mess up today. I spent so much time thinking about what I would eat and when I would eat it and if I would die of hunger or if I would cave into my hunger.
Thankfully, I have a good friend at work who is doing Weight Watchers and has lost nearly 40 pounds. She is definitely a person to have on your side; so encouraging and motivating. She always has a recipe to share. I love her.
I walked on the treadmill about 40 minutes this morning and ate probably around 1200-1300 calories. Again, another day I consider successful. I just keep praying for grace and that I would have other things on my mind. I'm hoping my obsessing will only last a while longer until I get used to this.
Tomorrow is a day off of work and I'm really scared I will get bored and eat mindlessly. Again, I will be praying!!

Join Me

I, am fat. I, am tired of it but apparently not tired enough. I am almost at the highest I have been while not pregnant. About 8 years ago, I joined Jenny Craig and lost 27 pounds. It was not difficult at all. I was "in the zone". In September of 2001 I finally got pregnant with my 4th and last child. I was thrilled. My OB GYN said that the 1200 calories I was eating each day was not enough and I needed to eat more. No problem. I over did it. I have gained back nearly all of the weight I lost on JC and I could kick myself if I could lift my foot that high. In the last 5 years I have gained probably 15 pounds. ARRGGGHHH!!!
Bob and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary in April and booked a trip to Sanibel Island in Florida, leaving on April 22nd. I am excited except for the fact that I will need to wear less clothing than these comfy, well-covering clothes I have on in the winter. I am terrified. So, I figure I have 2 months from today to loose some weight. My goal is 15 pounds which is very do-able in that timeframe. Not to say I don't have more (much more) to loose but I feel that's a reasonable goal.
I will share my journey and look for accountability partners through my blog.

I don't have a problem with exercise. I exercise pretty much everyday and switch up between my treadmill and DVDS. This morning just before 5 am Bob and I did the Biggest Loser Last Chance DVD which took us about 40 minutes. Then I got on the treadmill for 30 minutes.
Eating went really well. This is usually my downfall. I just eat and eat and eat. Usually, mindlessly. I'm shooting for 1200 calories a day and I think today I landed around 1000 which is VERY VERY unusual for me. What works for me is to not write down what I ate but to write down each morning what I WILL eat. I was so busy at work today that I didn't have time to eat lunch until 2 something and then I figured it was too close to dinner to eat lunch so I snacked on some baby carrots and fresh broccoli. LOVE IT! I have been eating Healthy Choice meals for lunch and supper which make it easy to keep track of calories.
So, thanks to answered prayer, today was a success. My first step on this ride. I am thankful that God distracted me enough to not have my mind on food to much today. One day down, about 59 to go.

Another Thanksgiving

I'm looking forward to tomorrow and celebrating Thanksgiving. For the last few years we have had it at my home. As much as I LOVE entertaining, it is good to take a year off. This year my sister in town is hosting the celebration. YIPPEE!! I'm so glad not to have to deal with the stress this year. All I have to bring is my chocolate truffle cheesecake and scalloped corn casserole. My oldest sister will be traveling here from Wisconsin with her family as well. The only people missing will be my brothers. Hubby has to work this year but will be able to pop in on his lunch break and enjoy the festivities for a short time.
What a blessing of good health and precious family and friends. God is good and his love endures forever.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

Have Fun!

Ever been shopping with a teenage girl? Its NOT fun but that's what Bob is doing right now. Apparently the work pants Jenna has worn for her job ever since she was hired there 6 months ago are now suddenly not the right kind so she and Dad are out there looking for some now. He wanted me to go but I feel I've put in my time and thought he should get a chance to experience it.
Talk about different tastes! I miss those days when she had no opinion of the type of clothes she wore. Now if I find something that I think is very strange looking or something I don't like, I should buy it. Also, depending on the brand she could wear a size 1 or a size 7. Frustrating and makes for a very long trip. I think Bob got the easy job though today since there is only a certain type of pant that will do so that limits the choices. Either way I'm sure he will return home with a new appreciation of me and the shopping dates I have with Jenna.

My Untitled Post

I don't really know why I'm blogging right now. Its fairly early on a Saturday morning and my husband has given me a mental health day by going with the 2 youngest kids to his mom's overnight. The older two??? I won't see them until tomorrow sometime what with our conflicting schedules.
Do you ever feel like you are losing your mind? Is this something that happens to everyone or just peri-menopausal women? All moms or just me? I feel like I am in a whirlwind and I can hardly keep up.
I don't mean to complain. I feel like I have it all but this is getting ridiculous. I've diagnosed myself with ADD but maybe I should get a professional opinion. Whenever I attempt to do something, I cannot keep focused. Trying to read a book is like attempting to do so in a noisy football stadium. I get up very early to enjoy the peace the morning brings but in my head you'd think I was running a marathon. My thoughts flit from this to that and I feel so unsettled/anxious.
I only work 20 hours each week but I feel so inadequate at times when I compare myselves to women who work fulltime yet still manage to run their home so well.

I am over committed; involved in too many "good" things. A dear friend of mine with 4 boys of her own once challenged me to choose only the "excellent" things. I see the end to a few of my "good" things coming in the near future and I will take advantage of that to slow down but in the meantime, I'd like to share a verse that encouraged me in a church a few weeks ago.
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardship, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It's Been A While

I can't believe I haven't posted anything in 2 months!! You'd think nothing was going on. Not so.
I think the real reason is that I have discovered facebook and I can take a second or two to write a blurb without having much time or thought. With blogging you have to plan and think things out. Not much time for that lately but I feel something coming on......

Another Tragic Loss

This morning, around 7:45 am, a young man entered the weight room at Aplington Parkersburg High School, just about 20 miles from where I live, and shot the coach multiple times, at point blank range. He died later at a local hospital. This man was Coach Ed Thomas. I had never met Coach Thomas, just seen him on the news a few times, but my heart aches at his loss. The tributes that are pouring out describe him as an amazing man, a long time coach at this tiny high school, which produced, under his tutelage, numerous NFL players. One parent said he not only taught the kids how to play football but how to be men. It was every young man's wish to play football under his leadership, not so much for the love of the sport but for the love of him. He was definitely a community leader and a strong man of faith.
What makes this loss even for tragic for this tiny town of about 2000 people is that just over 1 year ago, an EF 5 tornado tore through Parkersburg, killing 5 people and completely obliterating a good section of the community. Then, just 1 week later, the floods hit, destroying another 300 homes. Even though Coach Thomas' home was destroyed by the tornado, he could be found the next morning at the high school, which had also been destroyed, leading the team in clean up efforts.
It has been fun to watch him on the news as they were ready just 3 months after these disasters to play their first home game. They had an undefeated season last fall, losing in the playoffs.
Like I said, I had never met Ed Thomas so I'm not really sure why this is hitting me so hard. Maybe its because it shows again how you just don't know what will happen minute to minute. I'm sure he had left his home thousands of times and headed to the weight room to meet his team. Today just had a different ending.