Small Changes

I did decide to change my weigh-in day to Friday, mostly based on the fact that everyone else has decided to use that day, and I want to be on the same page.  After stepping on the scale on Monday, as usual, and then Tuesday for correction, I didn't really expect to see much today and was pleasantly surprised to note a .6 loss, which puts my overall loss at 18 lbs exactly.  That's nice.

I've always said that when you're my size, it takes about 30 to 35 lbs to start really noticing a difference.  I meant for ME to start noticing, but apparently, it's already starting to show to those around me.  Someone mentioned it this morning.  That's kinda nice, but I really wasn't expecting it, and I'm not sure I believe it....yet.  When I start noticing myself, I think I'll be more apt to believe it.

Keith hurt his knee this week, so for the time being I'm back to prepping my own food.  It really makes me appreciate how lucky I am to have someone to do that for me every day.  Tonight, we have a good friend coming into town for the weekend, and it's going to throw me a curve ball.  Probably not so much in the food department, but I've already suffered in the workout department this week, and with the bad weather continuing, I doubt that's going to improve much.  If she wasn't going to be here, I could at least get my day one and two workouts in this weekend, but I'm way too self-conscious to do them in her presence, no matter how good a friend she is. I'm hoping that mentality will change eventually, but it will be a ways down the road, I'm sure.  Baby steps.

Meanwhile back at the ranch...I doubt I'll be able to blog again before Monday, but I expect there will be lots to tell by then.

Patience is Even More Important.

It occurred to me sometime Monday evening that I had partaken of a healthy dose of pickled asparagus for dinner Sunday night, and had munched on banana pepper rings on and off throughout the day....both loaded with sodium.  And it made me wonder if perhaps that was why the scale had registered such a low loss that morning.  Since I had made sure to stay on point all day on Monday and also drink all my water, I decided to go against my own rule and weigh again on Tuesday morning.

Voila!  A 3 lb loss.

In the words of Elvis, "Thaink yah vurra much."

I stayed home both Tuesday and Wednesday, partly due to crappy weather, and partly due to illness (both Keith's and my own).  Consequently, I did not walk either day, but I worked hard cleaning the house both days, and even climbed the stairs 20 times on Monday night when I got home...a marked improvement from the last time I did it.  Yesterday, I counted how many times I climbed them, just in the course of the day, and it was just short of that much....I felt pretty good about my activity levels after that. :)

Although I did skimp just a bit on my food both days, it was pretty much on point.  Today I'm going to do my best to get my walk in, because we are having company come in town on Friday, and my options will be limited this weekend.  I'm going to try to bank up as much as I can now, while I have the chance.

Oh....and I may change my weigh-in day to Fridays.

Analysis is Important.

This was a quiet, snow-filled weekend after Friday's frenzied rush and late hours. I did manage to get my Day Two workout done on Friday night, but then nothing for the next two days, other than a bit of cleaning and boxing up, and some laundry.  But my eating was on point, and I got all my water in, so I was pretty happy with that. Historically, I tend to fudge with my food on the weekends, either making excuses to eat a bite of something I shouldn't, or more often, skipping meals I know my body needs.

So....I stepped on the scale this morning, and had only (only!) dropped .4 lbs.  My brain immediately went into overdrive:

OMG!!  How did this happen??!!!  WTF did I do wrong!!!???

Dear lord, deliver me from panic.

There was obviously NOTHING wrong with what I did....I scored a loss, for pete's sake.  But my brain is in 3lb. mode right now, so anything less feels like failure.  Realistically, I can contribute this to three things:

1. I ate too much salt this week, thanks to pickled asparagus and banana pepper rings.
2. My workouts have started the muscle-building process, which will equalize the scale reading until my body adjusts to the 'more muscle, less fat' thing.
3. I did not work out at all this weekend....the two days prior to my weigh-in.

So...how do I compensate for all this?  Well, obviously, I need to fix what needs to be fixed...what CAN be fixed, and live with what can not.  The good news is that there IS room for improvement, it's not like I was doing everything perfectly and there was just no progress. 

• Was eating banana peppers a crime?  Not in the great scheme of things (there is zero calorie content in them), but if I partake in the future, it needs to be with an understanding that the high sodium content is likely to cancel out any progress I make on the scale that week, and I need to choose which is more important to me.
• I can't change this one....it is what it is, and I just need to accept it and allow my body to adjust in peace.
• This one, I CAN change...in two different ways.  First, I need to move EVERY day, so not doing something on the weekend is totally unacceptable.  Given that most weekends, I don't go into town, that probably means that I need to shift my workout days to the weekends, at least until the weather gets nicer and I can start hiking the driveway again.  Second, I probably need to move my weigh-in days to Fridays, ahead of the workouts instead of behind them, which will also help the scale progress.

Negatives:  Too much panic, not enough action....literally.

Positives:  Getting a plan together to fix the problem immediately calmed the panic.  And I finally got the tree down! :)

The On-Target Rush

There is a huge rush to be had by knowing that you are on target.  I believe that (not unlike the flood of endorphins that you feel after a great run, a/k/a the 'runner's high') it may be one of the best feelings ever. Maybe it's just knowing that you have your shizz together that makes the difference. But there is something to be said for having every single thing you planned go off without a hitch.

I'm racing the clock right now, trying to beat some nasty weather headed this way this weekend, so yesterday, it was very important for me to get my workout in.  Since I knew that today was going to be crappy outside, I decided to put off my day two workout (which is done inside) until tonight (when I knew it would be raining/snowing), and instead get in one more day of walking.  This was important also because I actually missed half my workout the night before and only managed a half hour instead of my usual hour.

I was DETERMINED yesterday to take my lunch, and I did.  I got in a solid half hour of walking (a little over 1.5 miles), and then worked until 6:30 last night.  At that point, I was actually still debating on whether to try to walk or to stay on my schedule and go home to my workout, but I decided it would be better to hedge my bets against the weather, so I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and walked around its well-lit parking lot three and a half times....which gave me another half hour/1.5 miles.  Done for the day!  That felt really, really good.  Still had to run in the store and pick up a few things, and stop at the gas station, but I made it home by 8:15;  just in time to eat dinner, prep and hit the hay.  I got in bed before my bedtime, and lay there in the dark, high as a kite, thinking that I'd checked off everything on my list.

There was one other thing...a NSV...that really made my morning yesterday.

Our department at work has monthly staff meetings, which also include a pot-luck breakfast.  The department is split up into four teams, which means that every fourth month, you're on the docket to provide something for the breakfast spread.  And it's yummy.  I mean really, really yummy. These folks go all out.  They love to cook, they love to show off their skills, and they really love to eat! Fortunately, my team is not due to cook until March, but I was really dreading yesterday morning, knowing all that great food would be here and I'd probably get a lot of pressure/questions/nosiness from everyone when they saw I wasn't eating with everyone else.

But that's not how it happened, and I was incredibly, pleasantly surprised.  First, I was not tempted, even a little bit, by the smells coming from the kitchen...and they were awesome smells. After the meeting was over, I just sat there talking to a few of the stragglers while most everyone else lined up to dig in (the highlight of their day).  Once the line went down a little, I just slipped back into my office, and nobody even noticed I had not eaten.  My office mate did, but she knew what I was doing and why, so no pressure or awkwardness there.  And I was able to enjoy my breakfast, my NSV, and my morning in peace.

Negatives:  Only the impending weather, which is still looming over my head.

Positives:  So many! But in a nutshell, my feeling of empowerment over a well-planned and well-executed day.

Late Nights...

Working as much overtime as I do, I knew that I would eventually run into the challenge of time. It is not an issue much of the year, but in the winter when it gets so dark so early, it's really hard to make time to get my walk in before it gets too dark.

Lately, I've been working late a lot, and it's generally dark when I leave.  Working anywhere from two to three hours over, I'm already stretched to get home in enough time to eat dinner and prep for the next day before it's bedtime. Since I have to get up at 4:30 in the morning, my 9:00 bedtime is a necessity, but it sure cramps my style in the evenings.

Yesterday, I knew I was behind the 8 ball all day long, and my goal was to try to get in as much of my walk as possible during the day.  My lunch 45 minutes long, so I can get a good chunk of it in then....IF I take it, which is rare.  Normally, I eat all my meals sitting at my desk so I can keep working.  This is bad, since it means that I don't take the time allotted for myself....and that means that I'm once again putting my needs on the back burner.  I know how important it is to take breaks and just step away, but it's so hard to do that when you are constantly putting out fires and running under deadlines.

Unfortunately, my original plan never gelled, and once again I ate lunch at my desk while working furiously the whole time.  I kept justifying it, and changing my plans:

I will just walk a little later.
I will just walk after work before my overtime starts.
I will just walk after I leave work.

Yeah....none of that actually happened.  Consequently, by the time I left work at 6:30, it was pitch dark and cold as hell.  Not conducive to an hour's walk.

Then I started flirting with bad thoughts:

Do I really have to walk?  Maybe I can just workout tonight, instead.
 (Very bad....I knew it was too late to work out, it's against my plan, which has me working out tonight, and I'm fighting bad weather coming in this weekend, which is going to hamper all my efforts anyway. I know I need to get it in while I can.)

Maybe I'll just find a lighted spot on the way home.
(Dangerous. What if there are no lighted spots, or spots lighted enough? I know myself well enough to know that I'd just keep 'searching' until I got home, and wind up doing nothing.)

I actually started out with the latter, but thank God I realized half way home what I was doing, and made a U-turn back to Walmart, which has the largest, best lit parking lot in town. I parked at the far end and made three circles before throwing in the towel from the cold.  I did not complete my hour, but I did do half that, and got a mile and a half under my belt.  It wasn't what I'd hoped, but I'm glad I pushed myself to be like Nike, and just do it already.

Negatives:  Cold, dark, and time....all working against me.  And not taking time for myself.

Positives: Pushing through, despite it all.

Choking it Down

One of the hardest aspects...actually the hardest aspect....of this program is the lack of variety in the food.  Not to say it HAS to be that way, but my body seems to respond best to a very deep rut, so that's the way I choose to play it.  If it ain't broke...don't fix it.  Consequently, my day doesn't generally vary much, food-wise.  Keith has been very good at working some small bit of variety into my food this time, which keeps me interested to see what's next, and that's a good thing.  He branches out in ways I'd have probably never thought of (think pickled asparagus for dinner). 

Friday is usually his shopping day because it's pay day for us, and I can usually expect something really cool for dinner that night.  But the day before has a tendency to be a bit....shall we say....lean, as by that time we have pretty much run out of all our stores, at least in the fresh department.  This past Friday, of course, we were on the road, so that compounded the problem, since we pretty much took all the remnants with us.  Consequently, there was very little left to make my food up yesterday morning, and Keith...bless him....had to get creative.

My day consisted of two cans of tuna fish and a can of chopped spinach, divided into four meals.

Yes, you heard right.  I ate tuna fish and chopped spinach FOUR TIMES yesterday.  Needless to say, I was starting to think really dangerous thoughts by the time I headed home from work last night.  It took me off guard a bit, I have to admit, because I have really not had any cravings so far.  But it also made me think about the importance of variety in all aspects of our lives. Nobody likes to get in a rut; that's why they say that variety is the spice of life. In retrospect, I think it's probably a good thing that Keith is manning the helm this time around.  He seems to have the knack of keeping my interest, and between his amazing support, and the support of my OG girls who I'm on this journey with, this program is actually working again!  They say it takes a village to raise a child....I guess there's something to be said for it taking a village to help a childish old woman get healthy, too.

Negatives:  Having to gag my way through a thoroughly nauseating day yesterday.

Positives:It may have been nauseating, but it was still nourishing and healthy, and I ate it all.  Serious positive.....Keith went to the store, so we are now loaded for bear and I am fully stocked for another successful day today!  I also completed my workout Day 1 last night. :)

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig...

Back to work this Tuesday morning, and flying pretty high at the moment after a weekend way more successful than I'd even hoped for.

Saturday, I had a leisurely breakfast, followed by a 3 mile walk (more of a hike) with my daughter, Jessica and my dog, Luggie (who we took with us....he had to see his grandma).  My eating was on point all day, since we'd prepared well and taken with us what I needed.  Saturday night, we met Keith's cousin and his wife for dinner at Texas Roadhouse, where I 'splurged' with a dinner of grilled salmon (one of the two fish I'm supposed to stay away from because of their high fat content, the other being sea bass, which I never eat anyway), green beans, and a side salad with vinegar dressing, which I had to pick shredded cheese off of, because I'd forgotten that salads in restaurants come with cheese. Not too bad for an evening out....and I noticed that I didn't crave the delicious pre-dinner rolls or any of the appetizers...or even a bite of Keith's oh-so-juicy steak.

Sunday included another 3.25 mile hike with Jess and a fun evening at my mom's, playing cards.  While everyone else munched on the best looking pizza ever, I contented myself with a can of tuna and some steamed broccoli...probably my low point of the weekend, lol...but I got through it!

Yesterday was a day spent on the road, and I knew it would be the hardest one, since I'd have no opportunity to exercise, but I still did well with my eating.  Lunch was a business meeting for Keith at Ruby Tuesday, and I had a wonderfully tasty salad topped with salmon...no cheese, thank goodness, because I remembered this time.  Back on the road, where I ate the lunch I had packed after stopping at Wendy's for a baked potato, which I needed for my carb intake, since I'd had none all day.  And once we were back home, we stopped in town to have a bite at Beef O'Brady's before heading to the house.  While Keith downed chicken tacos, I munched on a fresh salad topped with a nice chicken filet, and arrived home feeling very smug.....but a bit concerned that due to my lack of exercise, the scale would not reflect any more of a loss this morning than it had last Friday morning when I weighed early before we left.

I was wrong!  As of this morning, I had dropped another 1.8 pounds, for a total of 3.2 pounds for the week!  Considering that it was week two, I'll take it All Day Long, and I will deem my first challenge a resounding success.

Negatives for the weekend:  I would have liked a bit more variety in the foods we did pack, but it would have been difficult, not to mention impractical to pack more than we did.  Also, my tree is still up. Just sayin'...

Positives:  I stayed the course, baby...and feel like a million bucks this morning, ready for week three!

Atlanta Bound....

Yes, even Phoenixes apparently fly south for the winter....sometimes. Yesterday's walk was cold, cold, cold...but I made it, and had an awesome sense of accomplishment on my way home. Unfortunately, the madness that was my workday yesterday caught up with me soon after dinner, and I headed for my bed an hour early.

I'm learning...by trial and error...to listen to my body, especially where rest is concerned.  Too often I've been guilty of pushing my need for rest to the back of the line, to the detriment of my health, and I'm really trying to work on improving that. So...early to bed, it was.

Just as well...I had an early morning, considering I had to pack my stuff for our weekend trip before I left for work. My biggest concern today was making sure I got my walking in, since we'll be flying largely by the seat of our pants for the next few days, so I elected to use a couple of hours of leave so I could get my walk in before Keith picked me up, and we could get on the road earlier than originally planned. This also helped with the more rest goal, since earlier arrival = more sleep time.

So...we're off on my first true test since starting this journey...can I survive the weekend intact? So far, so good. We already have a date to go hiking with our daughter, Keith packed enough food for me to last three days, and although we did stop for dinner on the road, I ate a tossed green salad topped with grilled chicken flavorful enough not to need any dressing...so I think I may just be OK.

Negatives: my tree is still up. And I'm not sorry.

Positives: Preplanning, and amazing support from my hubz has me feeling successful already, and we're not even there yet.

To Tree or Not to Tree....

Yesterday, Keith called me at work and asked me if I wanted him to bring the boxes up from the basement to take our Christmas tree down.  This is a big deal for me, as I really, really love our tree.  I never expected to, mind...the older I've gotten, the more of a chore decorating for Christmas seems to have become.  But this tree....wow.  We got it from my in-laws during their downsizing, and I only put it up last year because of the grandkids.  The problem was that once I actually put it up, it was so gorgeous, and the little white lights on it gave such a warm, cheery glow to our little cabin, I wished that I had put it up much, much earlier, rather than waiting til the last minute, which is what I had done. 

The huge bonus to me was that now that I'm coming home from work after dark on these cold, harsh winter nights, as I come up my long, winding driveway, I can see the lights far off through the woods, welcoming me home.  I am loathe to give that up.

However....there comes a point sometime shortly after the first of the year, when I'm ready to resume normal life...and sadly, that means our beautiful, warm, glowing tree has to go.  I have reached that point, and was afraid that since we're going out of town this weekend, I would have to wait until next week to take it down.  That was certainly Keith's plan, so it kinda took me off guard when he called me yesterday, and of course, I said yes!

With my current schedule, that's kinda like loading two plates at a buffet....your eyes are bigger than your stomach.

I worked two hours over last night, then had to go by the store to pick up a new hair dryer on my way home, after which I had to do my workout Day Two, and eat dinner.  When in the hell was I gonna have time to get all that done AND take the tree down by 9pm??

Sadly, despite my resolve, the tree had to wait.  I DID get my workout done....VERY proud of that....and am happy to report that I am somehow STILL perfectly on track.  Today, if I'm lucky, I'll be able to work in my walk during my breaks so that when I leave tonight (early, btw...not working over), I'll be able to go straight home, take down the tree, and pack for our weekend trip.

Packing, by the way, also will be including all my food that I will need to be successful while I'm away from home.  This will be my first real challenge, but I'm sure that with Keith's help and some pre-planning, I'll be able to overcome this hurdle too.

Negatives:  Not enough time.  NEVER enough time.

Positives:  I prioritized and got the most important stuff done FIRST....me!

Tuesday, Tuesday...

Another day, another dollar.  Yesterday was rough in terms of work.  It started out with the alarm not going off, which meant that we had to jump up and go 90 to nothing to get me out the door as quickly as possible.  The good part was that I was only an hour late.  The bad part was that I was totally stressed out as the day began, and it only went downhill from there.  But the GREAT part was that even with all the madness, I was still (thanks in part to my amazing hubby) prepared for a successful day, which I had.

I did not walk yesterday, but I did do my workout Day One.  That was a huge accomplishment for me.  For some reason, there has been a barrier there whenever I even think of that part.  Maybe it's the getting up and down from the hard floor....as I get older, it gets less and less appealing.  Maybe it's trying to figure out how to logistically do the exercises with resistance bands that require anchoring at various points in a door....in a house which has...you guessed it...no doors. 

I wound up using the back door last night, and most likely, will continue to use that space, even though it's narrow and very constraining.  Maybe I can shift some stuff to make more room.  Most likely, that will by necessity be my space for the foreseeable future, until our renovations create a better place.  Definitely will be keeping that need in mind, for sure!

Negatives:  Being rushed to the point of rediculousness ALL FREAKING DAY, from the moment my eyes opened until about ten minutes before bedtime, when I was finally able to chill.

Positives: Still able to maintain my focus and stay on track, despite all the craziness.  I'd say that was a pretty big deal.

Rain and Overtime

Yesterday, as predicted, was interesting.  I had planned to work an hour over, but wound up working two.  I kept watching the weather, hoping for a break in the rain, and never got it, but when I went to leave, it was dusk, and still misting lightly.  At that point, I had three choices: 

1) Throw in the towel (no way!)
2) Head for the gym and the Dreaded Treadmill (ugh!)
3) Suck it up and brave the elements.

Option #3 won.  Yes, I got a bit clammy, but I took my umbrella, and when the spitting rain became a heavier mist, I just cranked it up and sloshed on.  I finished up after dark....not adviseable, but even cold and damp, it was infinitely preferable to the treadmill.  There HAS to be something wrong with that logic, but I swear, I can't find it!

The important thing is that I won.  And even though it's colder and wetter outside today, I'm really looking forward to braving the elements again, and getting my workout done.  I've already made a contingency plan to do my Day One workout tonight instead, but for some reason, I'm just not feeling it.  I know I need to do it, but my body's just craving the walk instead.  Considering that we're going to be hitting the road on Friday night for a weekend trip to the ATL, I guess that's not a bad thing...get it while I can.  Still...it is easier to get a walk in while out of town than it is to get a workout in...especially when you have to pack extra equipment and you're staying in someone else's house.  Maybe I should go ahead and workout tonight, after all.

Gotta love January weather.  To quote Forest Gump, that's all I've got to say about that. 

Negatives:  Definitely the weather...double ugh!

Positives: Perseverance, baby!

Monday, Monday...

Well, week one is in the books, and I feel satisfied that I am exactly where I thought I'd be at this point....about 7 and a half pounds down.  That's good for a first week, I think.  I could have pushed a little harder this weekend, but I elected to rest, instead.  My body's going through a big change right now...from lots of holiday excess to a very strict regimen of healthy fuel, plus a lot of added activity that it's not used to.  I won't lie...there have been quite a few times this past week that I've had the shakes, but I do think it's leveling out some.

This week, being the Dreaded Week Two, I plan on trying to step it up just a wee bit.  Not in my diet...it's doing just fine...but in my exercise.  I did not exercise this past weekend, so I'm going to try to do something all seven days this week.  My goal is not to lose, necessarily (although I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a loss next Monday), it is to keep my metabolism from trying to plateau this week as it tries to adjust to my new routine.  If I can do that, I believe it will set me up for good, steady success in the weeks to come.

I will have challenges this week that I didn't face last week, namely, a lot of overtime, and a lot of rain.  My plan is to stagger out my overtime so it affects my eating as little as possible, and to work in my workouts as well as I can during the day, whenever it's not raining, so I don't have to walk after dark (since I'm going to be leaving late every day).  And on the days that I still have walking left, I'll try to utilize the treadmills in the hospital gym to finish up.  They're boring, but effective, and right now, meeting my goal is the important thing.  Time enough to not be bored when the weather turns nice again.

Negatives for the weekend:  I would have liked to have done my workouts both days, but lack of energy won.  I'm trying not to beat myself up too much about it. 

Positives:  I do feel much better after two days of good rest.  I know my body needed it after such drastic changes last week, and I feel recharged for another successful week.  I've prepared for the day, so I know it will go well.

Onward and downward! :)

Tough Days

We all have them.  Some are always going to be worse than others.  Yesterday was really tough for me, probably the toughest work day I've had since I started this job.  Tough really didn't describe it; it was brutal.  And it did not stop all day.  I had a deadline I was crunching, which meant that I could not stop to walk, to take a break, to anything but run to the bathroom...literally....and back. 

I justified not walking at lunch by telling myself that I would walk after work, and it would also help to alleviate all the stress from my day before I went home (which was true).  But quitting time came, and I had to work two hours over, which put me leaving at twilight....and it was bitter cold outside.  So I decided that I would make yesterday my workout day #1, and I headed home, exhausted.  By the time I arrived, I was so exhausted, hungry, and out of steam, I wanted to throw in the towel.  I could hardly stand up.

Enter my loving and oh, so supportive husband.

A few days ago, a facebook friend posted a picture to her wall that I thought was incredibly profound.  It mirrored exactly her own personal journal over the past couple of years (which has made her one of my personal heroes), and it really resonated with me as well. So much so, in fact, that I printed it out and took it home to put on my fridge for inspiration. Here's the pic:

How can one picture capture so much feeling?

Anyway, last night when I told Keith I was throwing in the towel, he didn't say a word.....just walked over to the fridge, took down that pic, and showed it to me.

Damn.

How could I throw in the towel after that?  No, I didn't do my workout, and no, I didn't walk....but I did climb the stairs ten times....which almost killed me.  It was something, as opposed to nothing.  And I ended my day feeling like a success instead of a failure.  I'd call that a win.

Negatives:  Considering the circumstances I was in...I can't really think of any.  That's probably a good thing.

Positives: Perseverance. And the support I'm getting from my husband is incredible...and invaluable.  Last night, I really needed it, and he really came through for me.

There's a reason Phoenixes are associated with FIRE...

It's because they do not like cold weather. It's FREEZING this week, and I mean that literally.  Yesterday, I walked in 23 degree weather, doubly insulated, but still numb. Do. Not. Like.

Although my day was successful in all points (eating on track, all my fitness goals met), I did have a few things that I could have improved on.

Negatives:  The sub-freezing temps always bring a risk of our pipes freezing at home, and last night was no exception.  I had time when I got home to do all my prep work for today before I went to bed, and logic told me that's what I needed to do.  But Keith told me he would prep my food this morning while I was doing my normal routine, so I left it all to this morning and went to bed.  I did get a really good night's sleep in a warm and toasty bed, but this morning was a huge struggle with no water. So...lesson learned.  Stop procrastinating, and just get 'er dun next time.

Positives: Despite the frigid temps, I FREAKING DID IT. I just did it! I got out there and braved the cold that makes my bones ache, and I got my walking in, and I'm so proud of myself for that! And despite the frozen pipes this morning, we still managed to get me prepped for another successful day!  I'm doubly-insulated again, so I'm just not gonna think about the cold when I go walk today. ;-)

Holding Steady

Yesterday seems to have gone rather smoothly, but then I expected that it would, since I had prepared so well for success.  But it wasn't just me it went smoothly for...it seems like everyone had a successful day...and that's what group efforts are all about.  Even the one who struggled emotionally did much better than I would have under the same circumstances, and I'm just beaming with pride for us all.

Postives:  Being PREPARED.  Having my shizz together made a HUGE difference in my day. When I got home yesterday, I showed Keith how I prep my food, so he can help pre-cook all my stuff, and help me prep it on days when I'm running short on time. The support I'm getting from my OG girls is rivalled only by the support I'm getting from my hubby.

Negatives:  Only the cold.  I didn't bring my scarf and walking was freezing cold and miserable, but I made it through by dividing it in half and shivering a lot.  Today is supposed to be even colder and snowing to boot, so I made sure to wear my long johns and brought my scarf, too. More preparation...yay, me!

Now...on to another successful day.

The Journey of a Thousand Miles...

Well, we're off and running.  Everyone seems to have done a great job on day one, despite some hiccups.  Most of those were emotional, though, and it's those kinds of things that being in such a supportive group helps with.  We were all able to rally around the affected one and boost them up.  One day, it will be me that needs boosting, and I'm so very happy that I have friends with me on my journey this time!  Even though my road is much longer than theirs in terms of pounds, it doesn't mean that it will be any more or less difficult.  We all have struggles, and those struggles are very real.

Yesterday went pretty smoothly for me, despite not really being prepared to start my program.  I just did the best I could (which turned out pretty good), then met Keith after work to go shopping for the things I really needed to buckle down and do it right.  In bits and pieces, I managed to get all my walking in, which was awesome, since it's so cold out right now...and even a bit extra.  I also lined up my old walking buddy from last summer to start walking with me again on the days that work load and weather permit.

This morning, I got up, made my food for the day, packed it up and brought it to work.  Just getting that done...just knowing that I am prepared for this day has made a HUGE difference in my outlook, and I feel a successful day in my future.  I know that my food is right today, and since every meal is already proportioned out, it's a no-brainer.  And I know that at 11:30 today, I have a walking date with my buddy, Justin, which will give me 45 minutes of my hour, and I will do the last 15 minutes after work.

My goal is to start every day being this prepared for success.  I know there will be days that are not, but when the majority of your days are planned, there's no room for failure....and that feels pretty damned good.

New Year, New Beginning....This Time, With Friends!

Well, we're all off and running, just as planned. I'm very stoked right now, but I know that I will lose a bit of steam as I go.  Right now, my plan is to focus on keeping everyone else stoked, and pray that it will carry me through, as well.

This morning, I was pleasantly surprised, I must say.  The last time I stepped on the scale was the beginning of last week, and I had gotten up to 281.6...my biggest number ever, and the one I will NEVER see again.  This morning, in preparation for my fresh start, I stepped on the scale again, but this time, I was down to 277.1!  Somehow, over the past week, I've managed to pull off a couple of pounds.  Not from trying, mind...all that I could think of this past week was "eat it now, because Monday, it's OUT".

No...I think it's more likely because my poor body is SCREAMING at me to lose weight, and it's readier than my mind is, so ready, in fact, that it's gotten a jump start on this new year.

Louisville, KY OutlanderGathering
Taken Nov. 7,  2014

That's a good omen, I think.  I'm taking it as one, anyway...because I am SO ready to do this!