Pleasantly Surprised...

Well, well well... I can't quite believe it! This week was a rough one when it came to dieting. I admit it, I did not behave myself. I was exhausted from traveling and not in the least in the mood to cook this week (or ever because I hate cooking)... and so I didn't. I had leftovers several days, but only one of those meals was made at home, and welllll, that was a pizza.

So maybe it's a case of good things happening to good people (stop laughing!), but I still lost 3.6 lbs this week and am once again only 1.4 lbs away from that 30 lb goal! I'm actually NOT going to say "I've got this!" or "I can do this!" or "That's no problem!" because I've said similar at least twice, if not three times, and I still haven't reached that stupid 30 lb mark yet. The only thing I'm going to say this week, is I'm sure going to try! :)

As I've mentioned before in my blogs, I need something to look forward to, and it helps with my goals. So if you read my post last week you will know I went to the first of two weddings we are invited to this spring and I wore a dress I would never have imagined wearing before. I was quite pleased with myself, or at least I was until I saw the pictures! OMG, I was all boob and back fat... Why aren't those two areas decreasing in size? I think the fat from my arms moved over to my boobs or something! I know the weight is dropping but it more or less looks like the fat is just moving to different areas... SIGH! To be honest, I plan on wearing the same dress to the next wedding in July too (we will be the only people at both weddings so I can get away with it). Hopefully I will see a change in the pictures from this past weekend... Or maybe I need one of those spanks for the top part of me; can you even buy those? We'll see what happens, but I have a month and a half or so to make a difference.

Now not only do I have the second wedding to focus on, it looks as though we are also taking a trip in about nine months time. We have put a deposit down on a cruise... YIKES!!! Now this cruise has a 10  story slide that I'd reallllly like to try, despite being scared of heights (oh, I am most definitely crazy).... It's a tube like slide and looks like it's geared towards more of a 100 lb person than someone of my, ummm... generous porportions! :D I must check and see if there is a weight or size limit on this thing... Here is what Royal Caribbean International says about it:

"The Ultimate Abyss is more than 150 feet above sea level and offers side-by-side slides that send guests down 10 decks at a rate of 9 miles per hour.

Launching onto the ride from a glass platform, guests can take one last look at the Boardwalk 10 decks below before climbing onto a customized mat and taking the plunge into the depths of the daunting slides. Spontaneous audio effects within each tunnel create a multi-sensory thrill for daring guests willing to test their mettle while traversing 216 feet through the one-of-a-kind slide duo. The Ultimate Abyss is made up of two separate cylinders, a reflection of one-another, each with a diameter of approximately 2.6 feet and constructed of stainless steel."

Surely stainless steel will hold me... :)  i guess we'll see how much weight I can lose in nine months! 
Stay tuned... :)

Have You Ever Had A Steak & Shake Sundae?

I think in my last blog I mentioned something about trying to make healthy choices on vacation... Yeah, so that went to hell in a handbag! Well, mostly it did... I did have vegetables instead of fries a few times (I am including a baked potato fully loaded when I say a "few" though.... ). I can't deny I used our vacation as an excuse to eat whatever I pleased, it really was a free for all.... and it was SO much fun! :) 

Unfortunately "fun" can't last forever, as the scales showed me this morning.... I'm not surprised, but sad to say I gained 2.4 lbs on our trip to Florida. Although, if you've ever had a chocolate covered strawberry sundae at Steak & Shake, you would understand the gain... it's SO heavenly! Oh, and there was nothing I didn't love at Cracker Barrel (one of our favourite spots), and we really loved the Longhorn Steakhouse too! We ate at restaurants almost the entire trip and enjoyed every minute of it! Just thinking about it makes me realize I don't really regret the 2.4 lbs. I will get that back off pretty quickly with some really hard work this week (she says with a super cocky attitude... ;) )

Speaking of "cocky attitudes".... So the first leg of our trip was spent in the Hammock Bay Beach Resort on the Palm Coast of Florida. My Hubby and I declared ourselves the "hillbillies" of the resort and talked about how, if we let them, other guests at the resort would make us feel as though we were "less than".... Holy moly there was a lot of hoity toity'ness going around! On the last day when we were leaving, I realized I never saw another overweight person in the whole place. Maybe I should have known because it is, in part, a golfing resort; however, it did not occur to me. But it was definitely not the place to be to feel good about oneself if you're carrying anything around your middle, or chin, or butt, or thighs, or or or... Now carrying a stick up your arse; well now, that's a different story! ;) 

So this week (what's left of it), will be spent getting back on track! Hopefully we'll get at least one aqua session in and a bit of other exercise. Plus, it will be goodbye to high calorie foods and hello to fruits and veggies again! I don't think I had one piece of fruit the entire time I was down there.... I actually do miss my fruit. I have oranges and bananas waiting for my lunches this week. I wanted grapes because they are my favourite, but at $4.99 a lb, they could rot on the shelf!!! We passed an older couple in the grocery store today and the husband said to his wife, "Let's go look at the lettuce and see if we need to mortgage our house to buy it!" He was a spunky old fella, and not too far off either...

So let's see if I can get my crap together and get this extra weight back off, and maybe even a little extra. Reaching this 30 lb mark is being a bit of a bitch to do... GRRRR!

Stay tuned.... 

Son Of A... Pup!

Well, I have no one to blame but myself! Last night I went to a house warming party with tons of food and I didnt choose wisely. Plus, we haven't been eating as many vegetables and have been having "quick" fixes for meals lately because it seems we're always on the go. However, this always adds up to no good... and by "no good," I mean a pound, which is what I gained this week! UGH!!!! Of course this means I didn't reach my goal of a 30 lb loss... for the second week in a row! What makes it worse; it should have been fairly easy (2.2 lbs to lose), especially in two weeks! UGH!!! Frankly, I'm disgusted, and if I could, I'd kick myself right in the arse! 

I'd like to think it's muscle, but I don't think so this week. We did go to aqua fit class on Tuesday night, and did I ever work by butt off (instructor said about 4000 steps in 45 minutes), but that was really all the exercise I got in this week. Well, except part of my morning routine in the bathroom is taking my Hubby's can of shaving foam and using it as a weight to try and get rid of some of my bingo wings. I should probably switch to actual weights... I have a feeling the shaving foam is a little too light to be effective. :)

Tip for aqua fit class: Make sure you're wearing a one-piece bathing suit, or at least a bathing suit that fits snuggly with no flowing parts. I have a two-piece and I spent as much time trying to keep my bottoms up and my top down as I did exercising! I felt bad for the instructor; she had an above pool view... YIKES!

So today my Hubby and I went through totes of clothing that had been too small and packed away. Although I didn't rub it in (until now when he reads this...), I was right by not throwing all of my smaller clothing away as I grew in size. Ahhhh, I love being right! ;) 

So there I was today, going through these totes and making a massive pile of clothing I think will now fit me. Then I started trying stuff on, and I don't know what I was thinking, I must have been on glue! It was very disappointing to put quite a bit of the clothing back into a tote (not all of it, but most of it). However, that tote is now marked as, "close"... :)

Speaking of "close", I thought it was going to be a close race this week for the end of the month weigh-in between me and my better half. However, I am happy to say I ran away with the money... GO ME! I lost 5.6 lbs this month in total and he didn't do as well. I think there will be more veggies in our future... Except for maybe this week coming because we are on vacation. I'm still going to try and make smart decisions but it IS a vacation after all.

Stay tuned to see if, or how much, my vacation affects my weigh-in next Sunday. Maybe I will be extra active and will actually lose weight...  Have I mentioned I'm a dreamer? :)

The Good, The Bad, & The Droopy...

First, for those of you who enjoy and look forward to my posts on Sunday, please accept my apologies for being late. It was an extremely busy weekend. 

The Good: I lost weight this week, not a lot mind you, but I did lose .6 of a lb. The lack of weight loss could be attributed to two things:

1. Building muscles: We went to water aerobics on Tuesday night and boy oh boy was it ever high energy and full out! I used muscles I didn't even know existed. We also did a lot of house cleaning this week due to company coming on the weekend (we're those people who if it wasn't for company, our house would never get cleaned!). Then with our company we trekked around trails and showed them some places they had never been. Plus on Sunday we walked around the Saltscapes Expo for 3 hours. So you see, I think I might have gained muscle which is heavier than fat... :)
2. I was weak: Ok, not to throw everyone under the bus... but there was four of us, who are all looking to be more fit and healthy, eating really wrong this weekend; and by, "this weekend" I mean all weekend long... Donairs, nachos (twice counting leftovers), cupcakes, beer, etc... OMG it was good... and so very badddd! In my defence, it was a special occasion because we hadn't seen our friends in a long time. I don't know why that's a defence, but I'm using it anyway... 

The bad: I didn't make my goal of having lost 30 lbs :( We're going away soon so I really want to hit that goal before I go. I can't imagine anything causing me to cheat this week so I should make it! 

The Droopy: Have you heard of "bingo wings"? If not, I can show them to you because I have a nice ole' set happening now. The weird thing is they seemed to arrive overnight, and all of a sudden, there they were... I don't know what I was doing on Saturday but when I lifted my arm and saw the wings my jaw actually dropped! I started swinging them back and forth, back and forth...  I asked my husband if it was a new development and he told me it sure was. It looks like I lost 20 of the almost 30 I've lost out of my upper arms! Just in case you think I might be exaggerating... We went down to visit my Father on Sunday and I must have reached for something in the kitchen near my Dad because before I knew it he's saying, "You've got to do something about those arms!" He advised me to grab a couple cans of peas and start doing arm exercises. I do have a set of small weights so I guess I have to blow the dust off of them (more like scrub the dust off of them) and get to work. I sure hope I can get these things firmed up... YIKES! 

Speaking of droopy, I have to keep hitching my pants up all the time and it's driving me crazy. I know it's a good thing, but nothing stays up on it's own anymore. For example, we're walking through Costco tonight and my undies start going down. By the time we're at the checkout the band supposed to be around my waist is now below my cheeks and falling fast. By the time I got to the car, my drawers were actually totally upside down! I had to sneak between two vehicles and do some major adjusting... Thank God for elastic waist pants! :D

Well, that's "The Good, The Bad, & The Droopy" for this week... Be sure to stay tuned next week to see if this bingo winged wonder can finally reach that 30 lb goal. Plus, it's the end of the month weigh in... This is going to be a close month I think! 

Stay tuned...

It's Easier Said Than Done!

Why is it when I write these blogs I am bursting with eagerness to start the next week and so full of ideas; but when reality hits, it's a whole different ball game.... For instance: I had received a walking work-out video from a friend and was going to get up every morning and do it before work. Well, Monday mornings I am always an exhausted write off so that was a wash, and Monday evening is the same. Tuesday morning I decided it wasn't just Monday morning; apparently, it's an every morning thing... So of course that leaves evenings. Well, by the time we get home and have supper it's seriously almost bed time, or at least so close to it the last thing I want to do is exercise. This is tougher than I thought! I did get to finally exercise with the video this week, at 11:00pm last night (Saturday night). On a positive note, Hubby watched me do it and he was very impressed I kept up and got through it. I myself, was equally impressed... :D

Although I had trouble getting in the walking video, we did make it out to aqua fit class this week. Turns out it was actually aqua zumba class. This was lots of fun but I learned something about myself I didn't like... Despite always considering myself a smoooooth dancer, I don't think I can follow choreographed dancing...at all! I couldn't keep up to save my soul. I seemed to be either behind in movements, using the wrong foot/arm, or going in the wrong direction! I did get some enjoyment from watching my better half have the same struggles... mean of me I know! Actually, he was worse than I was, thank God! ;) 

Did any of you take on the 4 litre a day water challenge I mentioned in my last post? I started with this on Monday morning and it didn't take me long to feel as though one more drink of water would make me burst! I actually was feeling ill because I was SO full.... I didn't want to quit though so the second day I gave it another go and had a totally different reaction to it; I didn't mind it a bit! It was only the first day I found rough and every day after was better. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. If you were thinking about trying it but it seemed like too much, work up to that amount by starting with two litres. That is a totally respectable and reasonable amount of water to drink in a day. 

So thanks to the water intake, bit of exercise, and I think the lemon in my water I have for breakfast, I lost 2.4 lbs this week. I'm pretty sure I have those things to thank for it because I was a brat most of the week! I had a burger one night for supper, and chinese food two nights (counting leftovers). Plus, I've been nibbling a bit on candy because a bag has been sitting next to me all week. I really have to kill the nibbling habit after supper! 

So this week I REALLY want to do my best in every way and see how well I do on Sunday! If I can lose 2.4 lbs being bad, what can I do being extra good??? There will be no nibbling this week, I will have healthier meals, and I will try to exercise more! I am only 2.2 lbs away from losing 30 lbs!  WOOHOOO! 

Stay tuned to see if I can make that 30 lb mark! xo

He's Starting To Tick Me Off!

Okay, Hubby needs to back off! I love that he's losing weight too, because I actually want him to outlive me. However, if you have been following my blog you know that $40 cash is on the line. Therefore I want him to lose weight, but at a slightly slower pace than I do! I don't see that as being an unreasonable request, right? For example, I lost exactly two lbs this week, and he goes and loses 2.6. Now I just see my money flying right out the window! Could he not have lost 1.5 lbs... ;)

It's ok though, I've got this... I have a plan! Starting tomorrow a friend and I are doing a water challenge. Apparently on a 4 litre jug of water you mark off sections by time of day, and these sections are to be drank (drunk?)... Anyway, these sections are to be consumed by the time marked on the jug. Any of you want to join me in this challenge? It looks like a lot of water to drink, but it is throughout the whole day... :)

Also, I am very blessed to have a wonderful friend who sent me a walking fitness video. It's a 20 minute video which should be perfect for me in the morning while I'm waiting for my turn in the shower. I'm a little nervous about being awake enough for this, we shall see how it goes! Speaking of going, Hubby and I were supposed to go to the pool this past week for aquatics fitness but unfortunately we had to cancel due to an appointment. We should make it this week with no problem. 

So you see, all of this should add up to extra weight loss for me. I must say, I was shocked this week when I got weighed and lost 2 lbs. I had a couple of evenings out and I did not behave myself so I thought for sure I would pay for it dearly. I believe giving up the OJ in the morning and having lemon water instead helped me out. 

One more thing before I sign off for this week. I had another "YAY ME!" moment I'd like to share. I was out to an event last night so I had on a little extra make-up. When I got home, after I had washed my face, I looked in the mirror and could actually see some prettiness in my face. Maybe it was a trick of the light but for the first time in many many years, I actually saw my face as having potential. Now when I looked in the mirror this morning; well, let's just say that moment had passed! ;) 

Well, that's it for this week. A big thanks to each and everyone of you who have been such kind and supportive cheerleaders throughout my journey! Also a big thanks to everyone who reads my blog. I see the number of readers and it also gives me a nice feeling of support. :) 

I must say, I can't WAIT until next week's weigh in.... 

Stay tuned! 

Have A Seat...

Many of you, or I hope many of you, will never know the trials and tortures of being obese. So you may not know that something as simple as sitting in a chair, can be really difficult when you are overweight. The first thing to take into consideration is whether the chair will hold your weight. Plastic chairs at weddings, lawn furniture, plastic chairs at some eating establishments, etc... can be risky business! Now if the chair seems stable the next question is always, "Will my butt fit?". I have gone to events in stadiums where I did not fit in the seats. On our first cruise I came home with severe bruising on both of my outer thighs from the dining chairs. I was so embarrassed I would not mention it to anyone. However, on the second cruise I could not stand the pain and so I quietly and discreetly asked the waiters to get me a seat with no arms. I was extremely embarrassed! Thankfully, the waiters on cruise ships are pros and did not blink an eye. And then there is movie theatre seating, which thankfully for those of us on the larger side of life, has been improved by allowing us to lift the arms up between the seats. Now you might be wondering why I am rattling on about seating.... well, let me tell you... Last night we went to the movies, same location but different movies, and so I was on my own. I got to my seat, set down my popcorn and drink, lifted the arm of the seat next to me and sat down. After I sat there a minute I started to wonder how it would feel if I put that arm down on the seat next to me, and so I did... and I FIT!!!! Nothing was being squished, pinched, or choked off... I really fit comfortably! It was such a sweet moment! I was very likely still the largest person in that theatre, but I could sit there with both armrests down just like everyone else! It was definitely a victory and I bet my grin could have lit up the big screen, YAY ME!!! 

After the movies last night, Hubby and I went to a house party. I had an outfit planned out but had forgotten the button had come off the jeans I wanted to wear. Now they are the only jeans I have right now that don't look sloppy on me, so I really wanted to wear them. However, the top I wanted to wear was not tight but not loose either and I figured for sure the lack of button would show. So imagine my surprise when my weight loss had made the shirt loose enough to wear without a button on my jeans. Apparently losing weight doesn't make me any classier folks... ;)

Speaking of losing weight... I did! I lost 1.6 lbs this week and am happy to say I am now 295.8. I love watching the gap increase from the beginning weight of 319.2... :D

So starting this week, once a week, hubby and I will be attending an aqua fitness class. We both love the water so this should be lots of fun to do together. We'll see how it goes... stay tuned!