Week 5

It's been a week since my last post......and the main reason for that is things are not progressing anywhere close to what I want! But, I refuse to throw in the towel and give up! So today I plan to look at the reasons for this week's failure and try to come up with some ideas to help me move forward in spite of the obstacles.

The main obstacle right now is the asthma! I breath just fine when I am inside, but when I am outside more than a few minutes I feel like my lungs suddenly forget how to work and I cough like a crazy woman! I miss walking, I miss working in my flower beds, I miss having my windows open in this beautiful Spring weather! So it is not just the lack of exercise getting to me, it is the aggravation of not being able to do what I want to do....ENJOY SPRING! Tomorrow I will be trying a new allergy medicine, and hopefully it will allow me more time outdoors!

The next obstacle is the prednisone......it makes my blood sugar rise and the craving are just off the charts!!! And yes, this week I have given in....not every time.....BUT too many times!! Thankfully I am now off the prednisone and only on an inhaled steroid for the asthma. Hopefully now things can get back to normal now that the prednisone is gone!

Another obstacle is the dresses! This is very busy time of year, and I am so thankful for the orders I am getting, BUT it also makes it hard to take time to eat when and what I should. I get so wrapped up in what I am doing, suddenly I am starving and just grab anything I can find instead of a healthier "planned" meal. I also find that I am skipping breakfast often, and I am seeing the evenings that are the worst are the ones where I did not eat breakfast. I am not really hungry in the morning, but if I don't eat breakfast, then by noon I am ready to chew my arm off I'm so hungry and it seems I can never fill up.....I want to snack all evening and night!

So my plan for this coming week is.......
1. Pray the new allergy meds work!
2. Start my day with breakfast(including some protein) everyday!!
3. Have a plan for meals for the whole day before I leave the house in the morning!
4. Always have a healthy snack available when working at the store(that evil Skip's calls my name....lol)
5. Get back to exercise class! Even if I start coughing, I have to at least try!!

The scale today says I am back up to 220...that is up 4 pounds since before I got sick! Time to get it moving in the right direction again!!

Day 29

Good Saturday morning everyone. It is a rainy, yucky morning so I was spending some time checking out the ABC News online and came across an article about the "Super Size Model" for a place call Heart Attack Grill. This man was 29 yrs old and weighed over 500 pounds and was pictured smiling and holding a HUGE burger while a sexy little chick in a nurse's costume hung all over him. Well the smiles are gone.....at age 29 he died for complications of the flu!! While reading the article, I saw that doctors said anyone with a Body Mass Index(BMI) of 40 or above is at much greater risk of dieing from complications of any illness than people with lower BMIs. So just out of curiosity, I typed in "BMI calculator" into my search engine. Turns out my current BMI is 39.5. Talk about SCARY!! I am currently categorized as "obese"...only 1/2 a point from being "morbidly obese". So I decided to see how much more weight I will have to loose to get down to simply being "over weight"......my answer is 55 more pounds! At the magic number of 162 I will transform from someone who is obese into someone who is over weight!! 55 pounds is just too large a number to wrap my head around! I am afraid if I set that goal I would feel to overwhelmed and simply give up! SO I am sticking with my current goal of 199....BELOW the 200 mark! That is 18 more pounds.....MUCH more doable for my mind!

Ever scarier....for me to be of a "normal" weight, I would have to get down to 130 pounds. I did not weigh 130 pounds in high school!!! I think my chances of ever being NORMAL are almost non existent....lol!!! But I think most of you already knew that....lol!!!

So today I think I will try to keep that picture in my head of the smiling young man holding a "heart attack" burger in his hand....and his grieving family who lost him WAY too soon. It's a wake-up call!!

The scale said down one pound today.....so one more to go before I loose the "being sick and eating too much comfort food" 2 pounds I gained!

Day 27

Well folks, it's been a rough week! I did not fall off the wagon....I was shoved off the wagon, and I think I rolled a few times when I hit the ground...lol!!! The nagging cough that I have had for about a week turned into bronchitis...AGAIN! Doc has decided that I now have asthma which was brought on by my RA.. The asthma is being aggravated by seasonal allergies as well as exercise. All this junk combined has caused the bronchitis. So with the current state of coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath my exercise routine has gone out the window for now :( And feeling like poo, and taking a butt load of steroids, does not bring out the best in me....it brings out the overwhelming urge for comfort foods! And yes, I gave in!! I have eaten chicken and dumplins, spaghetti, blueberry muffins...you name it, I ate it!! And this morning it showed on the scale...up ANOTHER pound to 218....YUCK!

But I am on the mend, feeling a bit better...but still coughing and not quite ready to hit the exercise trail again. Hopefully all these new meds will kick in soon and help with the whole breathing thing...lol! But until then, I am determined to at least get back on track with the food! Wish me luck as the adventure continues again!

Day 22 and 23

I can't believe is it Sunday evening already! I started the weekend with my Friday night cheat....fried shrimp at Frey's. But even for a cheat I did fairly well....4 shrimp, baked sweet potato and salad. Saturday my daughter, Libby, came. We had a good time barbecuing and sewing Sat night. I managed to eat well and get in my walk! Sunday called for lunch at the farm with the family.....did ok(I did resist the rolls...that was ROUGH!!), but then true temptation came! I attended a party this afternoon...Mexican layer dip(It's a HUGE weakness of mine)!! I passed the other goodies, but had to have a scoop of dip and the chips to go with it. I know dip and chips is not one of those "healthy" things I am supposed to eat.....but I look at it this way....normally I would have taken a bit of everything and a BIG honken scoop of dip and dips! So compared to the days of old....I did GREAT!!! LOL!!! I did come home and get my walk in. I have noticed that I start to get a bit crazy when I miss my walk! It is great when I have a friend along, we get to talking(between the huffing and puffing) and the time flies. But it is also good to walk alone at times, just enjoy the breeze, let my mind wander and do a little praying. I think I need a little time alone with my thoughts sometimes....clears the cobwebs!

So the plan for the night is minimal.....some fruit, a little salad, maybe a bowl of cereal later. Relax and rest to prepare for the week ahead!

The scale is still at 12 pounds down...holding steady!!

Day 20 and 21

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!! It's been a busy, crazy week....but I hung in there with both food and exercise! I did make it to my exercise class yesterday....it was ROUGH! But I did the whole 30 minutes, but not with grace and flair....lol!! We were using a new video for the class, it had lots of dance moves(remember, I have no rhythm) The perky little teacher would say..."ok, new move...step to the front, back, side, together"...and I was doing pretty good, not keeping up but not falling on my face either. THEN she says...."ok, now we SPEED it up" and add the arm moves on top of that...HA! I looked like a spastic money having a seizure for the whole 60 seconds that I attempted the move....lol!! I went right back to the good ol...front, back, side, together...MUCH safer for all involved!!! But the class is very enjoyable....great goup of ladies! And if 81yr old Doris can do the class in full makeup and pearls.....I can TOO!!

Today at work I had a MAJOR tempation.....CRACKLINS!!! Oh my....I do LOVE a good cracklin! I did give in and eat one...yes I know, only one is like eating one Lays potato chip....but I did it! Of course I did have to hide the bag after lunch....it was staring at me and calling my name! It was like in the cartoons, when the little devil is on one shoulder and the angel was on the other....this time the little cracklin devil went down in flames!! I think the only reason I was able to resist is because Friday is the one evening I allow myself a "cheat". We eat out of Friday nights and I kept telling myelf "If you cheat with cracklins, then no cheat for dinner tonight, which means cooking!" I held strong...lol!

The scale is holding steady....12 pounds down!

Day 19

I had a great start to my day.....the scale said TWO pounds down today!!! WOOOHOOO!! I have now officially lost 12 pounds, that's 5% of my body weight! It really is encouraging to see the scale move down and have the clothes that have been hanging in the back of the closet move to the front......because they fit! To treat myself for my success, I had my first pedicure of the Spring done today!! Capris and flip flops are calling my name....lol!!!

On the down side, I missed my exercise class AGAIN yesterday.....Monday I had to work late at the store, and Tuesday I had a customer show up 30 minutes late for an appointment! But I did go walk! Today is a day of rest.....but I WILL be at exercise class tomorrow....NO MATTER WHAT!!!!

Dinner tonight is going to be sandwiches or salad...maybe both! No cooking tonight!

Day 17 &18

Now that the new has worn off a bit, the weaknesses are starting to show...lol!! I know that working at the store is a huge trigger....Tate bringing in boudin(I had to eat a piece).....Skip's right next door with coke and chips calling my name(I really do hear it)....then there is working at MDO.......parents bringing in goodies(this morning it was doughnuts....I did eat a half).....then there is the dreaded EIGHT PM!!! It is the worst of all triggers!! For some reason I suddenly crave EVERYTHING at 8pm....it's crazy! I want starchy, crunchy, fried, sweet, salty....it is an over whelming feeling!!! Last night was the WORST! Luckily I did not have any of the known offenders in the house....but I was still crazy craving starches. SO, finally I gave in, but my choices were limited.....I had a bowl of grits and 2 queen olives....lol!! It took care of the starch and the salty cravings and I was good after that.....lol!! I know it sounds like a weird combo...but it worked....lol!!

Other than the half a doughnut thing, it's been a good day! I started my day by trying on one of my old sets of scrubs......AND THEY FIT!!! I have never been so happy to put on a tired old set of scrubs....lol!! For dinner tonight I took out some fish. I knew Stevie was going to ask me what's for dinner, when I said "fish", his automatic question is "You gonna fry that fish?" I planned to blacken the fish, even though I know he really does not like fish any way other than fried.....but he agreed and said he would eat it no matter how I cooked it. That was a HUGE victory. SO blacked talapia it was......and it was GOOD!! Stevie even had SECONDS!!! I was very impressed! I also made corn on the cob....good home grown corn from this past summer...REALLY good stuff!! SO, here is my plan for the 8pm cravings...... I ate half my ear of corn and saved the other half for that evil 8 pm craving time....lol!! Stevie thinks I am crazy and threatened to eat my corn if I leave it out that long....lol!! The man has not seem mad till he steals the food of a woman on a diet....it won't be pretty!!!! I don't think he's that stupid....but time will tell!!

The corn saga will be continued tomorrow night......

PS....the scale did not move, holding steady at 10 pounds down!

Day 15 &16

Woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning.....10 pounds down today!! Yesterday was a good day, got in my walk, ate right and got quite a bit of sewing done! Today looks to be another uneventful day.....going to get some more sewing done, roast a chicken to our lunch/supper, and get my walk in this afternoon. I have set a goal to lengthen my walk today...say a prayer that nobody is barbecuing today! Yesterday I came across glorious smells TWICE while on my walk, that sure makes it hard to keep focused....lol!!! I am sure thankful for this beautiful weather, it makes it much easier to stay enthused about my daily walks.....come on SPRING!!

Day Fourteen

So day 14 is here....that is 2 weeks on the new eating and exercise program!! WOOHOO!!!! Today went well, the pulled muscle in my back is improving(and the drugs help...lol!) so today I was able to hit the road again for my walk. I know on Friday night I always want to eat out, but did not want to blow the day completely......so I stayed good all day, wheat toast for breakfast, salad and grapes for lunch....and supper....JOE'S!!! Love the place, and have not been there in so long! I got just what I wanted...pasta in cream sauce with shrimp, clams and mussels....awesome!!! I ate less than half my dinner(but I did have a roll.......and a half) and feel totally satisfied! The craving is gone....now it is back on track! I realize that if I build this bubble and never go out into the world and eat those "forbidden" foods I am sure to fail! SO I am trying to live with moderation, plan the times when I will splurge, and try to balance them out with healthy meals and exercise! I am also trying to learn my triggers for over eating and dreaded snack attacks! I know that working at the store in the afternoons makes me crave CHIPS!! I could hurt somebody for a tiny bag of Lays....lol!!! So now I bring a snack with me to work, makes it easier to resist the quick walk over the Skip's for junk food! I also want to eat while watching TV in the evenings, and it does not help that I love to watch Food Network...HELLOOOOO????? So if I can't pass up that snack urge, I try to reach for things that are not too bad.... like fruit. And it helps not to have things like chips and cookies in the house! I have also discovered Blue Bell Fruit Bars...the lime is oh so good, and will not do near as much damage as a big ol' bowl of Blue Bell ice cream...lol!!!

There was no movement on the scale today....holding steady at 9 pounds :)

Day Twelve.......and Thirteen

Those of you following this blog might have notice there was no entry yesterday. Well it seems I over did it a bit by ATTEMPTING to pull a few weeds in my back flower bed. I managed to pull a muscle in my upper back....ugh! So, yesterday, after a full day at the store and cooking supper, I collapsed on the sofa with the heating pad and did not move until this morning. Today I made it through Mother's Day Out and then went and picked up a muscle relaxer that my doc had called in for me. I have never taken a muscle relaxer before, so I had no idea what to expect.....but it is not that strong, it lessened the pain and I was able to get a few things done this afternoon. So after some laundry and dinner I decided it was time to soak my aching back in a nice hot bath.....little did I know that the evening was about to take a DRASTIC turn.........

So I start running some nice, steamy bath water and get ready to climb in and soak my cares away. After there were a couple of inches of water in the tub I reached in, tested the water temp, and stepped in. I began lowering myself into the water(which is a complicated task that includes several strategically place hand rails). Just as my butt was inches away from the water, the nerve impulses from my feet reached my brain.......and they were SCREAMING......."HOT HOT HOT......Get the hell out of the tub woman" But it was too late, once I have started the decent into the tub there is NO turning back.....so with a graceful splash I landed in the scalding water!!! This is where it gets UGLY!!!!! I started reaching for the hand rail to pull myself out of the water....ain't gonna happen. So I tried to flipped over and heft myself out....but landed on the knees that don't work so well, while trying to balance with my one good arm(cause of the pulled muscle in my back) At this point I know I looked like a handicapped greased pig trying to get out of the tub. Finally I was able to fling myself over the side of the tub and landed, with a thud, like a beached whale on the floor. There was so much water on the floor it looked like there had been a tsunami in my bathroom!!! And of course Stevie never heard my hollering like I was being killed!!! The whole traumatic incident only took seconds, but I learned some VERY important facts!!!

1. Muscle relaxers drastically slow the nerve impulses that reach the brain!
2. Muscle relaxers drastically decrease the coordination of an already uncoordinated woman!
3. I can never have too many handrails in the tub!
4. I still have a long way to go before I look like a fish out of water instead of a beached whale!

So I am now 2 days without exercise(unless the whole tub incident counts...lol) but I'm hoping to get the sidewalk again tomorrow! Weight is unchanged....holding steady at 9 pounds lost!
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Day Eleven

Today I went to Lake Charles to do some spring fabric shopping. But my big dilemma was not which fabric to buy.....but what to do about LUNCH! My favorite treat for lunch when I go to Lake Charles is Canes(yes I an a Caniac!!), and Cane's is not high on my list of "good for me" foods. So I was racking my brain trying to think of some place that would still be a treat for me, but not one that says "Do you want fries with that?" As I drove around aimlessly trying to think of something, I came across Izzo's.....perfect! So my answer was a whole wheat burrito with chicken, mushrooms, beans, lettuce and guacamole(love the stuff!) It was yummy, my tummy was happy and I don't think I will regret it when I step on the scale in the morning :) And for those of you who know me well.....YES, I was able to resist the chips and cheese(THIS IS MAJOR)!!!

Got home and the weather was so perfect I had to head out on the road for a walk, there is exercise class this afternoon......but I had to choose walking in this weather! Was proud of my self....I am up to 1.5 miles in 25 minutes!! I can't believe only a week and a half ago I struggled to go 3 blocks....GO ME!!!!

Tonight for dinner it's pan seared sea scallops, whole wheat pasta(with a little EVOO, garlic and cherry tomatoes) and green salad!

The scale was happy this morning.....another pound down! I made it to the TEENS!!!!!

Day Ten

Well, as days go, this one will count as one of the bad ones. My 12 year old son, Bruce has decided to move to Lafayette and live with his Dad. I am very disappointed in this decision and do not feel it is in his best interest. But I am out of ideas of what to do to help him through his issues, and he does not want to hear them anyway. So I spent my morning taking him out of school here and getting all the paper work together for him to go to school in Lafayette. This has been so emotionally draining, it makes it hard for me to remain focused on my life style change goals. But I am hanging in, doing my walking and exercise classes. The food issues are doing ok, still very rough at times, but I am holding my own.

My poor husband has been dealing with me and my wild mood swings, crying at the drop of a hat, and shrieking like a wild woman moments later....so last night I asked what he wanted for his Valentine's dinner......his answer "fried chicken". I was hoping he would say grilled fish and green salad.......but we ALL know that was not going to happen....lol!!! So I came up with a plan....
1. eat a late and filling lunch(so I would not be overly tempted)
2. fry only 2 chicken breasts!!
3. cook only 1 stuffed potato that was in the freezer
4. as soon as the food is cooked, leave and go to Walmart to get supplies for MDO!

IT WORKED!!!! I did not eat one bite!!! So if I get hungry later I can have a small salad or some yogurt and fruit.

I am also proud of myself for making it through my SECOND exercise class......not looking great doing it, but I kept moving!!!

No change on the scale today.....least of my worries at this point! I just want to survive...lol!!!

Day Nine

What a beautiful relaxing day! I got to sleep late, have some coffee with Mom and my nephew Liam this morning, and have stayed on track with the eating plan! I also had some company on my walk today...thanks Lori, it was nice to talk while walking, even if we were huffing and puffing a bit....lol!! The plan for the rest of the day is to make an angel food cake with some strawberries out of the freezer for later(Stevie is feeling deprived of dessert....lol) and maybe head out to the farm and see Liam's new chicken coop. He says it is "tall, tall, TALL....and it has a top too! But there's no chickens yet" Get out and enjoy this perfect weather....we don't get much of it in south Louisiana!

No change on the scale this morning....holding steady at 8lbs!

Day Eight

Well the first day of week 2 has started off great. After yesterday's horrible dinner, I got right back on track! And I was so happy to see this morning that the scale did not move up....it did not move down either, but no change is acceptable!! I got up early for a Saturday, had coffee, hit the sewing room and got a few projects knocked out! Then I made breakfast for the hubby(and me too)...poached eggs and toast! Then I hit the streets and walked a full 30 minutes and went several blocks more than I have done before! The weather is beautiful...perfect for a quick stroll down main street, checking out all the new spring window displays. I is great to walk through this small town and see all the local shops and merchants....some who have been here for years, some getting ready to open(the new book store) and some beautiful old buildings that have been neglected for years that are now being returned to grandeur. Just one of the simple pleasures of life in a small town.

So now it is time to think about the week ahead and get some sort of game plan together. I know if I don't have a plan it will be easy to fall back onto foods that are not the things we are striving for. Stevie told me this morning he is ready to get on board with me in the healthier eating plan. He has done pretty well so far with the meals....it's the snacks that are kicking his butt. But he can enjoy them....cause when it is gone.....IT'S GONE! Wish me luck....Walmart, here I come!

Day Seven

It always happens, the day every diet takes a nose dive....that is today! The day started good, but skipped breakfast....so had a snack mid morning, but not a bad one. Lunch was a small bowl of soup, so I was not too far off track. Then I got home from work! That son of mine is pushing just as hard as he can.....and I am pushing in the opposite direction. He is making such bad life choices and I feel helpless. I know it is hard for kids to see the big picture, and this is SO frustrating for the parent who sees the big picture slipping away. So in frustration, stress, and sadness I have turned to Rocket tonight. I know a greasy Rocket meal is not going to fix my world.....but tonight I can't say no. So Friday, day seven, is not a banner day for this life style change.....but it is one day, one meal, and I will not let it knock me completely off track. So tomorrow morning I will be marching down Cary Ave, trying to undo a little of the Rocket damage.

The scale was one more pound down this morning.....8 so far!

Day six

I am a little later checking in on the blog tonight.....and that is because it took me this long to scrape together the puddle of me that was left after my first exercise class is at least 20yrs! BUT I DID IT! I had a laugh a few times as the perky little leader, who was jumping around on the video screen, would say....."modified, watch Pam". Well "Pam" was leaving me in the dust!!! LOL! So my goal for this class is to strive to reach the "low impact, modified for the old and fat" version of the workout.....lol!!! But over all it was great, good group of ladies, and I found myself smiling through the pain! I will be back!!

I did well on the eating plan today. I knew I was going to have a potato with dinner tonight, so I really watched what I had all day. And today was the second day in a row that I had only a portion of a coke. Unsweetened iced tea is my friend!

The scale did not move this morning, but that is ok! I am 7lbs down in six days....I'll take it!

Day 5

Good news on the scale this morning.....down 2 more pounds! Had my breakfast, went to work, had a wonderful salad from the new salad bar at the cafe in Welsh......and then the day went down hill! Got a call from the school, more kid drama! STRESSSSSSSS!!!!!! My son is sure testing my ability to handle stress and stick to my new healthy life style!! So then back home to work on dresses and bows.....and my NEW glue gun died!!!!!! STRESSS!!!! So I took a break to cook a yummy supper of fried rice and stir fried chicken with veggies. Burned the rice, burned the veggies...which I never do!!! STRESSSS!!!!! So I threw the chicken in with a boxed mix of spicey garlic chicken and cooked some white rice(which I am trying not to eat). The chicken was nasty, won't eat the rice(even though I would love to eat the whole pot) so I had a piece of low fat string cheese for dinner! With all the drama, rain and cold I did not get my walk in today. So I think I am going to call it a day.....soak in the tub....put on my jammies.....wrap up in my new blankie my sweet husband got me for Valentines Day and watch some people make fools of themselves on American Idol!

Tomorrow is a new day!

Day Four

Every now and then the Lord just sends you where you need to be, when you need to be there! Yesterday the wind was blowing like crazy, so I decided to head over to the church's Family Life Center to get my walking done without freezing. After I got started on my walk, I learned that a group of ladies from the church are going to be starting an afternoon exercise group. So tomorrow I will give it a shot. I am sure I will not make a pretty picture....the mental image is making me giggle as I type....lol......but everybody has to start somewhere.

The last 24 hours have been a HUGE struggle. As any of you with teenagers knows, life can get rough at times....that time was last night and today at our house. I thought the stress would pull me toward food, but it DIDN'T! Actually it was the opposite! And this afternoon's walk was a much needed stress reliever. An elderly neighbor happened to be outside as I was walking by and actually stopped me to ask why I was walking so fast.....lol!!! That was a FIRST! Things have calmed down at home, apologies have been made, and life continues on.

And just one more little added note......one more pound down....that make FIVE!

Day 3

So it was back to work today, first day back in almost a week due to a sick Bruce and an ice storm. I started my day off on the scale and was happy to see it go DOWN one more pound. Managed to eat breakfast on the way to work, that is a biggie for me, I am not much of a breakfast person! But I know it is important for me to start my day off with more than my norm of coffee and advil......my breakfast of champions....lol!!!! And I packed a a few snacks and some yogurt to get me thru the day without heading on over to Skips for a coke and chips. And it worked! I stayed strong, ate what I brought, drank my unsweetened ice tea and had a good day!

I also packed a lunch for Stevie.....I wonder if he ate it, or did he answer the call of Sonic....lol!!!

So now I am home...and it's bright and sun shiney.....but it is cold and the wind is BLOWING like crazy! But I am determined to get my walk in today....so I am headed out! Yesterday I was so proud, I made it all the way to the library and back(5 blocks each way) and increased my time by 5 minutes! Then it's home to turn that left over chicken into some chicken soup to warm me up.

Day 2

So, I made it through one day, with so much positive support.....thanks to all of you!! One day might not seem like a lot, but believe me.....IT IS!! I went walking yesterday for the first time in a very long time. I made it 3 blocks and back in right at 20 minutes. I know this is a snails pace to some, but to me it was wonderful for a first attempt. And I was pleased that I was able to breathe when I got home, it's the old knee that did not want to go any longer....lol!! So today I am hitting the old Advil bottle BEFORE the walk and I hope to cover more ground. I want to add a block a day!

So far so good with the food.....no major carb cravings yet! I know they will come at some point, I will just have to work through them when they happen. I grew up with dear sweet Grandma Freida who thought that potato salad and mac and cheese were vegetables.....so I came by love of carbs naturally. Today we are having a lunch/supper in the mid afternoon of roasted chicken, sweet potato puree and roasted asparagus with garlic(my FAVORITE).

My next major hurdle is going to be SUGAR, giving up Coke...the real thing! I have been limiting myself to 1, sometimes 2, a day for quite some time. Coming very soon, the coke is going to have to go. To be very honest, this will be VERY hard for me......I am dreading it! Now I have to decide, to I want to try to replace it with Coke Zero....or just go cold turkey? Do I risk exchanging one addiction for another? As some of you know, I have a severe allergy to the artificial sweetener Nuta Sweet.....so most "sugar-free" things are not an option for me. I did have Truvia in my coffee this morning, and it was not bad at all, I think I can stick with that.

Now for the surprise I had on the scale this morning....225! I am not foolish enough to believe that my hard work on ONE day lead to a 3lb weight loss....but it did bring a smile to my face. I know all the "diet" people say to only weigh yourself once a week...that does not work for me....I am an every day kinda girl. I expect up and downs......but a down on day 2 was nice :)

So now I am off on my walk.....but I will leave you with my roasted asparagus and garlic recipe...it is wonderful stuff!

Trim the tough ends off of one pound of fresh asparagus and spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a small amount of Olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roll the asparagus around to even coat all with the oil and seasonings. Roast, uncovered in a hot oven(400-425) for about 5-10 minutes. Then sprinkle with 2/3 garlic cloves that have been minced VERY fine. Roast about 5 more minutes. The asparagus will have nice brown charred areas and the garlic gets toasty....it is AMAZING stuff!

Day one, Feb 5th, 2011

I think most people realize at some point in their lives that it is time to make a change. I have done it many time, changed jobs, changed homes, changed cities....even changed husbands....lol!! But this time the change that needs to come is HEALTH! And I pray that with this healthier life style, will come weight loss. I am far from my all time high, but also far from my body's optimum health. I seem to have lost and gained the same 10 pounds several times over the last year. It's time for a change, not a crazy fad diet aimed at loosing 100 pounds in 6 months, but a logical, reasonable change that targets everything, not just the food! And I am not the only one in my home that needs to find health. My husband has been slowly gaining weight over the last couple of years......we are killing ourselves with food! So the time has come....time to eat healthier, move more, and change our goals and outlook.......change is now!

So where do I begin? I began by getting on the scale this morning...and I was not happy with the number looking back at me! And I think I am going to overcome a HUGE fear right now and actually put down in writing the number......228.4! I have not told ANYONE my weight in at least 20 years, so hurdle one is done. A little history.....I was at my all time high about 6 yrs ago(268) and reached my lowest adult weight of 216, about 4 years ago. I have not seen numbers under 200 in at least 20 years!! So I think the first goal I will set for myself will be to get under that elusive 200 mark! I cannot even imagine seeing my weight starting with a "1"....lol!!

So where do I go from here? FOOD! Food is one of my biggest hurdles....I love it! I am a true foodie....love to watch the food network, love to cook and try out new recipes, love to sample new restaurants, food is the way I comfort myself, food is one of the ways I show love. So now I feel that food needs to take a step back, it is time that food becomes for me what it truly should be....fuel for the body. I will always love to cook, but now I need to move that cooking in a new direction. But I realize that if I change too much to fast that I will fail, and my family will freak! So I am going to start with little things, NO frying, more veggies, less starch....little things, but BIG for us. I refuse to make a list of BAD things, my goal is to find more healthy ways to make the things we love, and slowly introduce new things into our diet.

Where and when to MOVE? The second major hurdle is exercise, not very high on my list of enjoyable things to do. I think I am going to start with simple walking. I am so out of shape if I went to a class or the gym I would probably have a heart attack.....lol!! My goal is to MOVE more everyday. So put on the sneakers and get walking. I know it is going to be hard to keep myself motivated, and I hope to pick up some help along the way. I think if I had a walking buddy I will be more likely to keep going.

So why a blog? I need to make myself accountable to something. I need a way to track my progress...weight loss, healthy eating, and exercise. I need a community watching, cheering, helping me along this path. I need others who want similar goals to join in. I want to record the new healthy recipes I try. I want to be able to look back a year from now and see just how far I have come!

So here we are, Day 1, 228.4 lbs, and healthy shopping has been done.....time to get moving!