2013

With a flip of the calendar, we automatically proclaim that everything is new again. New you, new goals, new attitude. I am glad I started my "news" before the calendar needs its flipping. My goals aren't resolutions so much as lifestyle changers. Here is what I hope to accomplish.

1. Continue my weight loss journey. I was 172 when my Elsa weight came off which was about where I was when I got pregnant. That was last spring some time. In mid-September (when I started keeping track) I was 168.5. Today I am 157. I have not gone down a size, which pisses me off. However I've noticed my thighs are pretty muscular and maybe after the fat there is reduced, I can shimmy into my old pants. I think I'll always have thick thighs but that's ok.

2. Get rid of gluten in my diet. This one is a biggie. Originally, I scoffed the idea of wheat and gluten being a big inflammatory in our diets. I thought it was a bunch of hippie bullshit. Now I am not so sure. Everything I'm reading makes sense. I'm one of those "don't believe it until I research it myself" kind of people. So that's what I am doing and I've read enough to sway me to change. The hubs is on board and Elsa doesn't give a shit, so what the hell. It's going to be HARD but it is worth a try. It would be like a gift from God to feel better.

3. Reduce or eliminate medications. It would be nice to not have the side effects like drowsiness, crabbiness, craziness, weight gain, fatigue, dizziness to deal with daily.

4. Home improvement. This one is a year-long goal. There are a few small projects that we (i.e., my husband) can do to improve the appearance of this house. A few more areas need paint and some new stick-on linoleum would be nice in certain places. Nothing fancy, but I think a few changes here and there will help sell this place in a few years.

With the changes already made in our lives, most of these things don't seem so daunting. I am close to my goal weight and reducing medications seems plausible. The gluten thing feels like a hefty challenge but that will be easier once I learn new recipes and throw all my flour out. (sad, sad face) The home projects will be nice but expensive. That's why I am spreading this thing out over a year and more. I also have other silly resolutions like wearing sun block when I walk the dogs in the summer. (say goodbye to that farmer tan) So what are your resolutions and life changers? I hope you have some good ones, ones that are realistic and important to you. Good luck to everyone on the new calendar. Look at it this way, we've escaped how many apocalypses so far? We've GOT this!

Week 5, Day 137!@$21!!

Well Week 5 got blown to bits with all the rushing around for doctor appointments, a fussy child with two molars still breaking through her swollen gums and Christmas shopping and celebrating. I also had a batch of cookies to contend with (aka: eat.) I struggled through as best I could and begged for Week 6, but by that time, the book came out. So now that I have the book and full chapters, including recipes, I have two options: 1)I can continue on by starting over Week 5 and giving it my best; or 2)I can start over completely with Week 1. I am leaning towards starting over on Week 1.

I've lost 10 lbs but my momentum is shot and re-starting one of the harder weeks is making the lazy, make-excuses part of me take over my whole being like a robot Stepford wife. I have about 10 more pounds to go and I think it will be easier now that all the holidays are over. Plus I'm taking a long hiatus from drinking any alcohol so no empty calories to worry about. I know I can do this because I did it for 4 whole weeks. And even though I foolishly bought a bread machine half a week ago, I can do this! Even with all the carboliscious temptations in the house.

In addition, the appetite suppressant I was on came out with a new formula. I tried it out today and it felt pretty good. I am hoping it will push me on to lose the last 10 lbs. My hubs likes it a lot too so he signed up to sell it but we aren't hosting parties and forcing weight loss supplements down our friends' throats. However he is giving out samples to some friends and family who want to try it. Maybe word of mouth will lead us to a few more dollars to help chip away at our debt. If not, we aren't losing anything thankfully.

I really believe it takes a combination of things unique to each person to lose weight and feel better. I think I have a good mix of those things now. All I need is the willpower and perseverance to see it through. So I have my book, my supplements and my accountability buddy/husband to push on through to the end. But I guess it never WILL end, will it? The older you get, the harder it is, to lose weight. But my goals for 2013 are not just to lose weight, but to become stronger and healthier on the inside. I hope I can get rid of some medications in this next year. That would be one of the best side effects of all this hard work.

In closing, I would definitely recommend the Shred Revolution diet. I may not have dropped 2 sizes, or even 1 size, but I lost some inches and I dropped some weight. We'll see what the next 6 weeks bring! Off to sleep. G'night.

Week 5, Days 1-3. And, I'm Too Old For This Shit

Yesssssssssss I got Week 5 and wowsers, there are a lot more rules to follow. I'm trying really hard to abide but still feel like I am straggling behind. I swear, every time I turn around, I'm fetching something for the baby, making her food, cleaning her up, entertaining her, pleading with her to nap, etc. And when she does finally nap, I collapse on the recliner and sit there like a lump, oblivious to my needs, the time, or whatever. I can't tell you how many times I find myself in the bathroom, trying to concentrate on peeing while I listen to Elsa cry because I suddenly had to leave her alone for 5 minutes. Uffda.

Needless to say, I am doing the best I can but not doing it perfectly. This week is more of the detox plan and there is no wiggle room. I am struggling to do the required workouts because I am so tired out from the full time mom gig. There have been a few times lately that I hop on my elliptical, give it a few turns and flop back onto the couch. Yesterday I actually quit trying, lay down on the couch and slept for a half an hour, crunched up on the little couch with a giant comforter smashed around my head for cushion. I'm just so unbelievably tired. I feel like I could sleep for a week if I had no one at home to care for and a catheter bag.

But my spouse is home from his travels and done hosting work dinners for a bit so I have some "me" time. I wasted it tonight imbibing a little and then trying to make some traditional German Christmas cookies that my mom used to make. They are called Pfeffernuesse cookies and they are a bit of an acquired taste. This recipe uses cloves, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, dark coffee, sugar, honey, baking soda and flour. You then roll them into a ball and bake. Once cooled slightly, they are then rolled in confectioner's sugar. If you bake them too long, they are as hard as bricks. But baked just right, they are so good. However, after having a bit of Southern Comfort Pepper liquor and then taste-testing this spicy batter, I started having horrible back and stomach pains. Pretty soon I found myself on the floor, rolling around like I was dying. Oh heartburn, I love you so! I NEVER had heartburn until I was pregnant. (And no, I'm not pregnant.) The last time I threw up was when I was pregnant and before that was right after my mastectomy. I never puke. But this time, with the heartburn so painful, I finally made myself do it. And it was the fun kind, where you piss yourself a little from the terrible convulsions. TMI? Oh, maybe just a little. Thankfully I am married to the most amazing and wonderful person in the world. He first tried to give me milk and Zantac to help my pain. After sitting and sobbing on the floor, our dog Tobin casually walked over to my glass of milk and started slurping the contents, so Ron ran out and bought me Tums and Pepto. While he was gone I did the dreaded vomitus inductus. Granted, I was an anorexic in high school but I never stepped up to the bulimia tier of my eating disorder. (I enjoy eating too much which is why I thankfully failed at continuing the eating disorder, although I still manifest traits of it once in a while.) I absolutely hate throwing up, so for me to do that tonight just emphasizes the distress I felt. But the magical Pepto did the trick and, after a short bath, I am somewhat back to normal. The cookies, however, have not been made. I will get to them tomorrow. Just the thought of tasting the batter and smelling them right now makes me feel ill, I don't know why. Maybe they just heighten the yuck that is Southern Comfort.

Either way, I'm too old for this shit .

The good news is that I'm down 10 pounds since I started this plan. Shhhh....I weighed myself early. I look and feel a lot better, sans this evenings antics. My carb cravings are greatly reduced. I still notice them when I'm hungry and walking through the bakery aisle of the grocery store. (Oh those super thick and soft sugar cookies loaded with frosting and sprinkles? I could eat a whole thing of them. I don't care how sick it would make me. God, I love frosted sugar cookies.) But if I don't have the temptations constantly around me, I don't crave it as much. Hopefully that means some bad habits are finally broken.

Well it's way past my bedtime. I hope you all are doing better and acting smarter than I am. No more booze and baking experiments for this gal. Mein Gott, I can take a lot of pain but I cannot take the awful pain of a full blown attack of heartburn. Wowsa! Have a good night everyone. Tschus.

Back to the beginning

For whatever reason, I still haven't received Week 5 of the Shred Revolution diet. I've decided to start over with Week 1 and keep going until I receive the book, once it's published and shipped to my door. Hey, it's worked so far and why mess with success? It's been about six years since I've been in the 150's so I am definitely happy with how things are progressing.

The hubs and I woke up last night to hear the baby gate open and close. Turns out Tobin was running around the house, trying to find his way outside because he had the trots. We got up to let him out and found he wasn't able to hold it! We cleaned it up as best we could and I went back to sleep. But my husband couldn't sleep and was up every hour, letting the dog out and cleaning up after him in the basement, where he was confined. UGH! So he didn't get any sleep and I feel terrible for him. Now I'm keeping a close eye on Tobin, hoping he doesn't sneak off somewhere. Maybe we should just invest in a big ass carpet cleaner. *sigh* It's always something, right? Car repairs, doggie diarrhea (cha cha cha) and a baby cutting molars. Wheeee!

In other news, my husband got my mom's old German clock working again. It's over 100 years old and has a very loud gong that I just love. We don't have it keeping time accurately yet. You have to wind all these different things a certain way and it's so tricky to get it right. I'm glad it's working!

My sweetie is awake again so I'm off to make breakfast for both of us. Fruit and oatmeal for me this morning and she's having a nice bottle of formula and prune juice. Mmmmmm good stuff. Have a great day!

Week 4, Days 4-7 + 1

I have been terrible about keeping this up and I'm so mad at myself! But I do have a good excuse! ELSA. Haha, that kid is pretty demanding. And she's cutting two molars which SUCKS. She's pretty cranky and since she learned to throw baby tantrums (arching her back and screaming when you try to pick her up)I haven't had much time to shower, let alone blog. Blogging takes thinking and at least attempts at sentence structure and grammar. My brain cells last week were few. But at least this week the hubby isn't traveling so Week 5 will be better, blog-wise.

So anyways, about Week 4! Week 4 asks for a lot more cardio and you do see more carbs here and there to help with that. Although according to my very grumpy husband, there weren't enough carbs. Since he has a pretty packed workday, every day, he hasn't been able to eat all his snacks and wasn't eating enough. I did pretty well sticking to the plan all week, except for the days when my body hurt too much to do the workouts.

In the last four weeks I have lost 8.5 pounds! WOW! It would have been more had I not pigged out the week of Thanksgiving and gained back a pound. But who cares, this is still amazing. I've never been on a plan that: 1)I didn't quit after it got hard, and, 2)actually worked despite being on Prednisone. Normally the Prednisone cravings are so intense for carbs that I end up caving in and pigging out. Also it really does help to get all the bad stuff out of the house. I did make a small pan of brownies during Aunt Flo's regular visit and we ate them with glee and guilt. But we didn't gain any weight! And since it was a small amount, they were gone and out of the house quickly. Last night we ate raw veggies with humus with our meal and it tasted so damn good. I think when you stop eating all the crap, you start to really taste things again. You savor your food more.

So why +1 in the title? Well I think Dr. Smith is jammed with emails and I haven't received Week 5 yet, but I hope to get it today. So I'm just doing over the Week 4 meals until I receive this week's plan. I will report on my experiences as soon as I can.

Well the little BOSS is awake so I better get a bottle ready and go get her. Have a great day!

Week 4, Day 2 and 3

On Day 2 I felt like Superwoman. I was doing this and I was doing that, and then I did some more. I felt like I didn't have any illnesses and I was a normal, healthy person again! Until late afternoon. The aches and pains hit me pretty hard and I walked around like the living dead, doped on pain killers and muscle relaxers, cooking dinner for Elsa and playing with her. Luckily I got to talk to my mother in law for an hour which helped to wake me up. We always commiserate together and she's a great source of support for me. What a wonderful woman!

The menu on Day 2 felt less filling to me than Day 1. I think the diet switches things up so much so your body doesn't get used to getting the same kinds of foods every day. And let me tell you, you are not eating exotic foods. I'm talking oatmeal, fruit, vegetables, lean protein. You can drink protein shakes and I buy the generic ones from Target, Special K or the ones from Unikey Health, which are my favorite.

So if you are reading this and wondering if you can do this program, the answer is YES. You can preorder the book and it's under $20. Seriously, get on it!

I hate feeling like this but it could be worse. I just got to make sure I rest today and hopefully tomorrow I will feel better. I'm just going to go ahead and include today, Day 3, since I know I will just be following the diet, trying to drink lots of water and sitting my ass on the chair. Here's to hoping Day 4 is more exciting! Tschus!

Week 4, Day 1

Down 1.5 more pounds! So that's 7 lbs total. Wowsers! I feel so excited and proud of myself. I can actually say I've worked hard for this and I hope I can keep it going!

So Week 4 is a lot more cardio and you have to mix up your cardio in three 15 minute sessions. So 15 minutes of elliptical, 15 minutes of jogging, 15 minutes of jump rope, etc. Anything that's high intensity cardio. I can't jog and jump rope isn't really in the cards either so I'll need to get creative. With the increase in cardio you get to eat more carbs. Yippee! I love carbs. And they love me, so very, very much.

I am starting to wear out so I am calling it a night. I need to sleep while Elsa is asleep. She's been so cute, I almost can't stand it. At the store today, she was so excited at all the holiday displays. I wanted to buy every damn inflatable yard decoration they had but I resisted. Plus, those things are damned expensive! Looks like some people don't have my steely willpower...

Time for some zzzzz's. Have a good night everyone!