10 Things Thursday

1.  Final Exam week at my work!  Lots of grading but a little break from teaching....or entertaining..... the students.

2.  Eating Chocolate PB2 in my greek yogurt right now--- apple slices dipped in it....yum

3.  My oldest turned 8 this week.  Will post seperately on that.

4.  I love, love, love the app "Stumble Upon."  You might want to check this out....I love the funny stuff.

5.  I have been trying out recipes from skinnytaste.com this week.  So far the 2 I have made were great.  I have on cooking in the crock pot as we speak...."Chicken Santa Fe."  I will have to let you know how it goes.

6.  Weight has been bouncing back and forth between 159 & 161 this week.  I was pretty excited to hit the 150s and know that I will be firmly in the 150s next week if I just keep doing what I am doing.   

7.  I am about 99% sure that I am going to try to run/walk a half-marathon on June 3rd.  My goal is to run 6.5 of the 13 miles by training with the walk 3 mins./ run 3 mins. theory.  (I have to sign up by the end of this month.  I HATE jogging but have been trying to do it a couple of times a week over the last couple of weeks.  I think this half-marathon will be a good challenge for me.)

8.  I am going to get a mani-pedi tomorrow!!!  Yipee!  (Kind of sad that I am so excited over this.)

9.  Pretty sure we have ourselves a landscape contractor who can work with our budget!  If everything goes well our yard will be started in about 3 weeks.  I have waited 11 years to get a backyard that I want to entertain in!!!

10.  It's almost Friday.

Forty Five ........

I am cheering for myself!

Yep, I am.  Throwing imaginary confetti too.

I am down 45 lbs.  I have had my moments where I NEVER thought I would get to 45.  (20-25 lbs to go.) I have now officially lost 20 lbs. since surgery (June 30)  but 45 total over the past 14 mos. of dealing with taking charge of my food addiction.  I know, slow loser but that's ok.  The slower it comes off, the easier it will be to maintain....little changes are easier to sustain.  (At least this is what I am telling myself.)

I wish I would have taken measurements.....I think the idea of seeing the inches of the "before" stats was a bit too much reality for me back when I started this journey...that's why I never did it.  I just have to be content to see my size change instead of actual inches lost.  (Maybe I will post some before/after pix to document the first 45?)

I am treating myself to a mani-pedi tomorrow to celebrate.

Just Wondering.....

1.  Has anyone eaten Sushi (after banding) and how did it go?

2.  Have you ever ordered a "riceless roll" when out for Sushi? How was it?

3.  Can you eat fried food like french fries, fried shrimp, chicken parm with out getting stuck?

4.  What is your favorite high protein food(s)?

BYOC

It’s Friiiiidddaayyy! That means it’s time for BYOC – Bring Your Own Crazy courtesy of our lovely, hilarious, and "G free lady"....the one and only Drazil!

She provides us with this "little ditty you can participate in on Fridays to get to know your fellow blogger better and to give your blogging brain a break. Copy and paste to your own blog and ENJOY!!"
 1. Do you have a favorite traditional “birthday meal”? If yes – what is it and what is the meaning behind it?

No traditional meal....I usually pick Chinese food though.

2. If you’ve lost weight, has your style changed since you lost weight? Or what's your dream purchase when you do lose weight/hit goal?

Well since I am still very much in the process of losing weight, I haven't really had a style change yet.  With the few pieces I have bought as transitional clothes, I do notice that none of them are the flowy type that I used to buy.  More structured and fitted. 

My biggest change would be my workout gear....how sad huh?!!! Before losing 40 lbs. I always wore whatever shlumpy clothes I could find to the gym.  Now I am wearing running tights, maybe with a tank or a regular sized t-shirt....not super over-sized as I did in the past.  I actually want to see my body while I am working out-- the good parts, the bad parts, and the parts that will NEVER be seen unclothed because of my stretch marks!!

3. Pick one question of the following two to answer: Who is your favorite Muppet and why? Or who is your favorite Smurf and why?

Hands down....Beaker.   Meep Meep Meep.  Also, tiny confession......
my favorite Christmas Album is John Denver and the Muppets. 

4. When you buy a lotion or after bath spray or body spray or candle (not perfume) – what’s the “flavor” you always find yourself loving the most?

Candle:  Sweet Orange Chili Pepper  or pumpkin spice  or coffee!
lotion:  cucumber melon or citrus

5. Repeat question. Summarize your week in real life and in blogland.

Real life :  oky doky.  3 day weekend on the horizon, date w/ the hubby on Sunday, get to go to the gym the next 3 days and try and get some of these damn lbs. OFF OF MY BODY!!!  (ohhhh, that sounded angry.  Not trying to be angry, just focused!)

Blogland is pretty good – wish I was posting a little more often but I sure do enjoy reading what all of you have to say

Ten Things Thursday

1.  three women at my work just told me how "skinny I look."  Clearly they need they eyes checked but I will take the complement.   I guess at a shrinking size 12 I look normal....even, dare i say, thin??-- to some.

2.  This is my first post allllllllll week.  I have been reading blogs and commenting, but not much to report or time to do it!

3.  Saw the NUT this week and nabbed a cancellation appointment to go see my dr. earlier than my scheduled visit.  Good news on both accounts.  Interesting conversation with the NUT, nothing earth shattering but we did figure out a few things about what I am eating and reaction from my band.  Can't wait to get a fill ....maybe I will finally be up to 4 cc or 4.5cc...and try out these food ideas with some actual liquid back in my band.

4.  Re-stocked my SF Coffee Syrups last night.  If you don't use them, you should.  Sma*rt & Fin*al sells Torani for $4.99 a bottle or buy six and they are $3.99 each.  I use them every single day in my protein shakes....sometimes to flavor plain Greek yogurt too.

 5.  I am measuring EVERYTHING I put in my mouth this week.  I have to be honest.  In the past I measured some things, guessed some, skipped days, etc.  I have learned that even though I log the food in my journal, IF I don't put in the accurate amount of food, I won't lose.  Funny how that works huh?

6.  My almost-six-year-old started a new dance class last week:  it's Ballet, Tap, Jazz, & Tumble.  She really wants jazz shoes but I told her she could just wear her ballet shoes....teacher agrees with this.  Anywhoo, since I said they weren't in the budget as a necessity she would have to make due.  She ended up asking if she paid for them with her OWN MONEY, could she have jazz shoes?  We got them last night.  She slept in them.

7.  We are having a landscape contractor over today to discuss his bid.  Cross your fingers and toes that he comes in at our budget.  Our "old" yard has been ripped out since JULY and we haven't been able to get work started .  Let's hope this guy is the one!

8.  I have started a doing a little running. 

I know, don't fall of the chair in shock b/c you know I hate running.  It's more of a walk 3 mins, jog 3 mins kind of torture, but I am doing it.

9.  I am considering walking or walk/jogging a marathon this spring.  If I can get Lisa to do it ..hint hint if you are reading this Lisa........I will for sure.

10.  I get a 3 day weekend starting after work tomorrow.

Hope you have a wonderful Thursday!!!

Can you notice a difference???? I need a reality check.

I am currently in a funk.

Kind of down on myself right now with the slow progress I am making on the weightloss front.

I am waiting to see the NUT on Tuesday...yipee.  Then hopefully, I can get on a cancellation list and get a fill earlier than my scheduled appointment on Feb. 2nd.

I am super hungry and eating too much.  Craving sweets too.  I am measuring my food and am surprised that (because my band is SOOOOOO loose) I can eat WAY MORE than I should.

With all that being said, I went to look at pictures from last December....just to see if I look different from a year ago.  I have gone down a couple sizes but when I look in the mirror, I just see the same me I have always seen.  I see the belly with stretch marks and jiggly thighs.... and the rest of my flaws. 

 December 2010













                                                                 December 2011

Can you see a difference??

"Rules To Make The World a Better Place"

Just a little humor to start off your Wednesday.

Rule: If there's a line, you get at the end of the line and you wait your turn. You own ONE place in the line. You do NOT have the right to invite friends to join you in the line.
Exception 1: You may invite an immediate family member such as your spouse or child to join you in the line. There are no other exceptions.
Exception 2: Halle Berry.

Rule: If you're in a supermarket checkout line, and you realize that you forgot an item, you're allowed to go get it, provided that (1) you apologize to the people behind you, (2) you know exactly where the item is and (3) you hurry. If you forgot TWO items, take your cart out of line. You are NOT allowed to leave your cart blocking the line while you wander the aisles trying to recall the ingredients for Beef Tongue Flambeau.

Rule: If you're in the express lane, and the sign says 10 ITEMS OR LESS, then you should have no more than ... Okay, we'll allow 12 items. We're not Nazis here.
Exception: Halle Berry can have as many items as she wants

Rule: Do not talk during the movie unless you have something important to say. (Example: "My water just broke.") You may talk quietly during the previews of coming attractions.
        - from "Rules To Make the World a Better Place"  by Dave Barry

I was actually glad to be back at work.

I was actually glad to be back at work today.

Well, only kind of.

I do enjoy my job but I really just needed to be back to work because it makes being in charge of my eating SO MUCH EASIER!!!!!  Here's what I mean:

point 1:  I am super busy so it's not until my stomach is growling out loud that I take some time to actually stop and eat.  (Even then I took me an hour to eat a Chobani yogurt because I could only take a bite every once in awhile due to needing my mouth empty to talk!)

point 2:  If I don't pack the food in my lunch/snack bento box, I don't eat it.  Nothing else available for me to eat.....unless I go off campus at lunch....or go to the vending machines in the teacher's lounge........or swing by the main office.  (BUT I never do those things mentioned above....at least I haven't for the last year.)  If I stay in my classroom, I am pretty safe.

point 3:  Tuesdays are my "late day" at work.  I stay after my teaching periods are over, get caught up on work, run errands, go to the gym.  I don't have to be on "mom duty" until dinner time! 

I enjoyed my vacation from work, but I know that it will be easier to stop the snacking and fight temptations of all the holiday goodies.

Hello 2012....time to focus

FOCUS. That will be my word for 2012.

Definition: the center of interest and activity.

I will focus on following all of the band rules ESPECIALLY while I have no restriction .

I will focus on my exercise goals.

I will focus on making my health and fitness a priority.

I will focus on my husband and family.

I will stay focused and lose 25 lbs. In 2012!