[weigh-in wednesday] 4/29 budgets

This week I have lost 3.6 pounds. Accumulated total is 39.8 pounds. Except for my knee pain, I am feeling good.

Counting calories is a lot like keeping a budget for you money. Now I see why I am so fat. And broke.

That wasn't always the case. I knew how to save money when I had an allowance. At the beginning of each school year, mom would take us clothes shopping. She told us we had $100 to spend on new clothes. (Shoes were part of the deal unless we wanted something special.) I shopped and shopped and found good deals. Sometimes it took me several shopping trips to spend all the money. My sister, on the other hand, used her money for big rhings like cowboys boots and a cowboy hat. She would have to use her babysitting money or wait for Christmas for anything practical.

So what happened? I dunno. College, with the freedom to have more than one soda per day if I wanted? Credit cards issued to young adults who are sure they will get great jobs that pay lots of money? I think credit cards have been my downfall. Thinking I could spend today and pay it back later. Thinking I could eat know and work it off later. It's just too much of a temptation for me and I am paying for it now.

But it's time to take responsibility and clear the debt and clear the fat. So far the iPhone app Lose It! is really helping. Of course I wish I could lose the weight faster but it is keeping me making better choices. Last Friday, the bus driver aide gave the boys little bags of Chips Ahoy! They don't like them and I don't really like them either. In the past, I would still eat them. Heck, they are chocolate chip cookies! But I looked at the back and saw each little bag was 140 calories. One bag of popcorn is 150 and is so much better. I tossed the cookies.

mommy brigade

I went to Wiregrass yesterday to take photos of architectural details. At one point, I turned around and saw the mommy brigade round the corner. Several moms walking or jogging.

I could have used this kind of incentive when the boys were little. But then again, Wiregrass wasn't around then and our neighborhood sidewalks are too narrow for 2 strollers side by side.

Our Moms Club did occasionally meet at the mall but it was a casual stroll interjected with shopping and lunch.

too much to do

Well, heck! This week looks like, well, heck!

I was starting lunch and I heard my iPod beep. I wondered what it was altering me to. I checked and saw Ryan's dentist appointment on Tuesday. OK. I tell Ryan then Andy wants to know when his appointment is. (I can't take them on the same day, it's way too draining just taking one.) I look and see it is Wednesday. Oh crud. And Thursday is Andy's IEP meeting and there is no school on Friday.

Heck.

Just thinking of all of the exhausted me and I needed a big nap this afternoon.

buh bye facebook!

I can't remember when I signed up. Some blogging friends of mine did it first. Then I saw my nephew's followed closely by their ever-watchful mother. It seemed to really explode a few months ago. Today, I noticed I had 106 friends. Really?

Facebook has changed so much since I first joined. It's now like high school and twitter combined. Now I love my twitter but high school, not so much. I don't want to go looking for easter eggs or throw some flair. I waste too much time on the computer as it is. I was hoping I could keep in contact with my family but they don't update much. I did reconnect with my first boyfriend but once the initial "How have you been?" is over, there's not much left.

So yesterday I deactivated my account.

[weigh in wednesday] 4/22 slow progress

This week I have lost .6 pounds. Yes, point-six. Six tenths of a pound. ugh. At least it is something, right? It's these moments when I find myself wanting to cheat. I could have waiting until after I walked when the scale goes down another pound due to water loss. But in my mind, I know it's not the truth.

I have been very good sticking to my allotted calories. Maybe too good. As of this week, Monday & Tuesday, I am 1000 calories under budget. (Oh! I bet I have enough to indulge in a double scoop, sans the waffle cone!) But one concern is that in eating too few calories that you slow down your metabolism. Could be why I want to take a nap, or 2, everyday.

I could whine that I had company this past weekend. My cousin from Redbank, New Jersey was visiting. And you know losing weight when Aunt Flo is here is next to impossible.

So I will continue and hope that next week's weigh in shows more progress.

he's twelve

Yesterday was Andy's 12th birthday. Oh man I feel old.

I met him at the bus. It was warm but he likes to bundle up. Normally, he runs in the house and grabs a snack and comes back out to ride his bike. It had been raining and he was actually happy since he wanted to play inside.


I got some gifts for Andy. Each year it gets harder to know what he wants. I did ask and he said "Presents." What kind of presents? "All of them." Oh that narrows it down. On Saturday, I found out that he wants the Raffi DVDs. (We had them in VHS but donated them years ago.) I checked out amazon and they have them all. And here is where I love amazon Prime, free 2-day shipping and low 1-day shipping costs. I ordered the one he talked about the most. I told him and he said, "No, all 3." He is one of those people who want it all. Otherwise a part is missing and he can't stand it. I went back and ordered the other 2. sigh.


Ryan tried to open the gifts but I caught him. Andy was happy to open the gifts. Between each one, he ran and threw away the wrapping paper. (Where was he on Christmas?) I told him that I already installed the microphone so he went directly to the playroom to make music.


He opened Garage Band and quickly added some loops to make a song. He doesn't need to listen to the loops as he has them all memorized. Within 5 minutes, he had the music ready. I asked him to sing and he made up some lyrics about lifting weights. I asked him to save the song but he wouldn't. Hopefully, it is still on his computer and I can grab it.


He sings so incredibly close to the microphone. The last one we had, the $20 Logitech special sounded like crap. The distortion was horrible. This snowball (I'll talk more about in another post) has 3 settings and one made more Andy. It sounds so much better.
He seemed OK with his gifts. You can never tell if he is disappointed. Later, he played with his new DS game and checked out his Dr Seuss traveling cards.

drive by conversations

View fullsize

Andy has drive by conversations. He will come into the room and ask me a question. He doesn't wait to get my attention, he doesn't care if I am on the phone, he just asks his question. And he expects an answer. Luckily, they are mostly yes or no questions with many have an affirmative response. As soon as he is satisfied, he walks away. It may be an hour before the drive by or 30 seconds.

Then he will ask the same question but in a different form. This must be a teacher tactic and he mimics it well. The problem is that I don't want to answer the same question 3 times. Heck, I probably didn't want to answer the question once. But this is a form of communication he uses.

My dad has problems with these questions because Andy is sometimes quiet and has a tendency to mumble. And my dad is not familiar with the topics Andy is talking about. Andy likes to talk about the videos he sees on YouTube or things that happen at school.

work out clothing

My wrap came from Terry. Actually I ordered 2, one was on sale.
I was hoping this will be the answer to working out and not having to
worry about my shorts riding up.

LOVE IT!

I can wear my regular work our shorts underneath then wrap this around. My shorts don't ride up and I am covered and feeling good about being seen in public. I wore it to the chiropractor last week and to the park. I feel like I am wearing a skirt but also no longer worry about being too exposed.

There is one small pocket on the right side. It has a patch of velcro to keep it closed. A cell phone or iPod fits well but not both. (An excuse to get an iPhone?)

The ones I got a bit large. In fact, I need to get some velcro so I can make it cinch a bit tighter. I guess my waist still does exist even in its grand size. I think they must more generous in sizing from the last time I got something from Terry. It was a few years ago and I got the Commuter Skort (the didn't have the wrappers back then). It has the bike short built in. I got the same size I got this time. (I know, I forgot I had it.) but it is too tight.

They are very comfortable. And wearing my bike shorts underneath means no panty creep. I wish they made more colors and I had more money.

i almost made it (lenten promise recap)

With only 5 days to go until Easter, I purchased 6 eBooks. I am weak.

For almost 6 weeks I have endured countless emails letting me know new books from my favorite author had arrived. I was strong, I added those books to my ever growing wish list. I could wait.

Then the email came with 25% off! And eReader just doesn't have sales like these often. And I had had a bad day. It was my just reward, right? I am weak.

But I did not let myself read any of these until Sunday. Does that count?

I did not buy any music albums all during lent. That wish list is also very long. I have kept all my iTunes Alert emails unread.

Here is it Thursday, and I still haven't purchased any albums. Hmm... It could be that I was busy catching up with my podcasts once the boys were back in school. Perhaps I forgot. Or maybe I have just been too busy trying to catch up with life.

Anyway, how did you do? Did you give up something good like chocolate and then chomp those bunny ears at 12:01 am?

[weigh in wednesday] 4/15 the beginning

This week I have lost just under 5 pounds. My total weight loss is 35 pounds.

I am hoping to make myself accountable for my actions. I know I could join Weight Watchers but public speaking is NOT for me. You can join me if you wish. We need to encourage each other.

I am happy with the weight loss. Though I wish I had to buy some new clothes. See I've been wearing knit clothes which stretched to accommodate. Now they fit properly. Pathetic.

Today I have been using Lose It! for one week. It's a bit of a game for me. I see how few calories I can eat and not feel hungry. Some days are easier than others. Which is why you should look at the week as a whole. It evens out that way. And it is recommended that you only weigh yourself once a week since the body can fluctuate from day to day. I'm working on that.