TWO WEEKS LATER AND TEN POUNDS DOWN...

Hey there,

Just checking in to give you an update.  I'm still going strong. The good news is that I'm still eating well, exercising and right now I'm down ten.  I've got ten more to go for my first goal of twenty by Thanksgiving.  

This is where I left off before, so it is kind of a small little hill to get over since I'm trying to lose the first twenty.  Once I get there, it will be pretty cool since I haven't been that weight for years.

I'm looking forward to the blog update where I tell you that I have reached the first goal.

MY CONSCIENCE GOT THE BETTER OF ME

To start off, I am happy to report that I still did not get the stomach virus that the rest of the family had to suffer through.  My oldest missed a week of school, as a matter of fact, but now, he and everyone else is back to normal. 

As for the challenge, I am now down 10 lbs, so I'm 10 away from my first 20.  To tell you the truth, I am a little disappointed, because I was hoping to be closer to that first twenty. 

This is not my birthday cake, but I wish it was.
Courtesy of Kim Brandon, pastry chef (my cousin in CA...she does not ship to NY).

  
However...I did have a birthday weekend where I did not journal what I ate, so I did take a mini-vacation from the challenge.  I did not go hog wild, because I do become full faster, causing me to stop eating when the time is right.  I confess that I did have a couple of glasses of beer.  I did not gain weight this week, but I did not lose any, either.  So, a weekend of being somewhat bad has cancelled out a week of being good.

I am back to it, though.  But that was not the reason for the title of this blog post.  The title comes from what I did today.  I went shopping at the local CVS and bought some items.  I had a cloth bag in the cart filled with my mail, which I have to pick up at the post office (PO Box).  I paid for my items, including candy and valentines for the kids,  and went to the van to unload my bags.  Once there, I realized that I had forgotten to pay for some cans of tuna that were in the cart behind the cloth bag.

My conscience got the better of me.  I walked back into the store with the 10 cans of tuna that I thought were 10 for 10 dollars.  Maybe it was because it is Ash Wednesday, I don't know.  I know that some people might think that I was stupid for doing this.  I could have left and no-one would have known that I did not pay for them (and I could have used that 10 dollars).  But, like I said, my conscience would not let me do it.

So I went back in the store. The checker was confused when I came back because I put them in a bag.  It turns out that the tuna that I wanted was not on sale, so I ended up paying 20 dollars.  Instead of saving 10 dollars, I lost 20.

I may want to kick myself, but at least my conscience is clear.

STAYING OPTIMISTIC

Okay, the results of the bathing suit weigh in are in:  

I lost another pound.  That makes me -7 overall.   

I'm a little disappointed, because I was good all week, except for that one day that I went to the movies.  I have to say that right now, it is hard to go out and be good at the same time.  I was hoping for three, but any loss is better than a gain, so I am happy with it.  I'm still going in the right direction. Thirteen until the first twenty.

The popcorn was still worth it.

AVOIDING TEMPTATION

It's Saturday, and I'm avoiding TEMPTATION.  

not this type of Temptation, LOL

No, this isn't about romantic temptation, like on another blog I used to write about a fictional character.  However, this kind of temptation would have been tough.  It was an all you can eat beer and wings party.  I'm staying home, and drinking a Melaleuca Attain GC Control shake (Creamy Chocolate Fusion).  I'll get my chocolate fix that way.

Am I sad that I am going to miss it?  Sure.  However, I know that I'm not ready to go out there and face the party without getting caught up in the fun.  Imagine me asking if the had any salad.  Imagine me drinking water and salad while everyone else eats wings and drinks beer.  This is a self-preservation move.  I'm not ready yet.

Maybe after a couple of weeks, I can attend one of these events and will be able to be good.  Maybe I will be able take a "day off", and then go right back to being good the next day.  Right now, less than a week into it, I know that this is not the right time.   I am doing well, and I want it to stay that way.

DAY THREE...STAYING ON TRACK

Hey everyone,

I do plan on blogging a great deal because it will keep me on track and I will have someone to answer to, even if no-one reads it.  I will not be blogging every day, however.

Day three and I'm still alive, and sticking to my pledge.  I haven't broken down and bought peanut m&m's (my favorite foil) because it is that time of the month.  I'm sure that my first week's weigh in will reflect a loss of water weight, so I have to take that into consideration.  

Peanut m&ms are my comfort food.  Even when the kids go down the street to the local store, they pick up some for me, just to make me happy.  I have told them that I have given them up, so they do not inadvertently send me into a relapse.

I'm sorry if this picture makes you feel uncomfortable.  It used to give me comfort.

Speaking of uncomfortable, Tiger (my oldest son) and I were looking at the ingredients of the lemonade mix that we use as a drink.  I spent the rest of the night looking for recipes for all natural lemonade.

As for the nicknames, I did ask my kids what animal they would like to be.  Big Mistake.  After much wrangling (I had to point out that they wouldn't be hunted, or eaten by a predator, etc.), took about a half hour to come up with these nicknames.  Still sticking with bear for the middle guy (I think that he wanted to be a shark, but sharks are not lovable).  My daughter does not like the nickname Bunny, and the oldest son finally came up with Tiger, after changing it several times from Elk to Cheetah.  I just wanted nicknames for this blog, and probably shouldn't have gotten them involved

much better
courtesy of Moderation Mama Holistic Health and Positive Med

I did forget to take my vitamins yesterday, but I drank all the water and logged in my food.  I weighed myself this morning, and there is some progress, but I still have the rest of the week and weekend to get through before my bathing suit weigh in on Monday.  It will be Monday next week, and then Tuesdays from then on.

As for inspiration, I have been logging into Spark People, and following Positivemed.com and Moderation Mama Holistic Health on facebook.  Both facebook sites give very informative updates and keep me thinking healthy.

DAY ONE...READY, SET...

READY, SET....

I have finally begun, weighed myself this morning, etc.  I did not gain weight over vacation, surprisingly.   I have gotten rid of (or used) all the bad stuff in my refrigerator and pantry.  There are snacks for the kids, but I will not...I repeat...will not be tempted by them.

My plan is to eat less carbs, less sugar, less dairy and more protein, fruit, and veggies.  Beer and wine are only allowed on special occasions (It's the weekend!  does not count as a special occasion).  I will take my vitamins every day, drink more water and exercise.

All in all it was a very good day.  Eggs for breakfast, soup for lunch, and dinner was one serving of pasta with tomato sauce.  I had popcorn for snack later on.  I drank water, took my vitamins and walked for about 20 minutes.  Also did some cleaning at work.

Time for bed.  I made it through day one :)

found this one on facebook

PUTTING THE 20'S TOGETHER

CALL ME STRAWBERRY

Strawberry is my name for this blog, anyway.  I'm using a fruit because is what I should be eating.  I'm using this fruit because it is my favorite.  I love strawberries.  If I ate them more frequently, I'd be a much fitter person.

I am sitting here in a bathing suit at the Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, Pa.  Maybe it seems a little unfair to wear a bathing suit right after the Christmas and holiday season, plus New Years, but actually, I should wear one more often because it has made me more aware of myself and how I look in it.  Sure, I could make the excuse that it's almost that time of month and I'm bloated.  Maybe all the body mass that floats while I bathe in the swimming pool is just water and not fat.  I could delude myself into thinking that, but deep down in my soul I know that it isn't just 10 lbs of water weight.  I've got to start again.  Ugh.

Nobody said that losing weight is easy.  If it was easy, everyone would be at their goal weight.   Gaining weight is easy.  I'm good at that.  I love my beer and chips.  I'm not big on cakes and pies, but I do like them. I know that when I'm serious, I can cut all the bad foods out of my diet and 20 lbs would drop pretty easily.  Its just hard to get past the 20.  I have lost 20 lbs numerous times, but not in a row.  Guess that's my problem.

I joined Weight Watchers and lost 20 last year doing the online thing.  I did not have the time or money for meetings, although I knew that it was extremely difficult to lose weight without the meetings.  After a year, my net weight gain was 5 lbs.  I had some good weeks and bad weeks.  I basically maintained the weight that I have been for the past 10 years.  For every week that I logged in my meals, there were 5 that I did not.  I spent 20 dollars a month to gain weight.   I don't blame them.  It's me.

Now I'm doing Spark People.  I downloaded an app for my phone for $3.99 and I can log in food for the day.  I will be blogging my progress good or bad to keep me on track.  I will weigh myself once a week in my bathing suit.  I'll call it the bathing suit weigh in.  Maybe this time I will put those 20's together and make real progress in becoming a fitter and healthier woman.

Monday will be day one.