Long time no good

OK all you calorie counters out there.... How is it going for you? You know, I haven't been counting as strictly as I probably should. I kind of am just guessing right now, and judging by porportions... which isn't so great..
I have been here before. I always make my way here sooner or later. However, the difference with this time around is... I am still loosing some poundage. I am now a total of 7 pounds down. I may not look entirely different, but I feel much better. My true test was this past week. My Dad was graduating from college! YES! my Dad! he is 63 and finally got his bachelors in business management. I am so proud, and he has inspired me to go back and get my degree. Hopefully sooner rather than later. But that is not the only way he inspires me. My Dad has also accomplished the amazing feat of loosing almost 75 pounds! I was able to see him for the first time since June this past week, and I am utterly shocked at how great he looks! I joked that we have the same frame size now, which isn't entirely too far fetched. But while I was visiting my old home state of Colorful Colorado I was a little nervous about my eating. Because my Dad is on a special diet, I knew that I would be eating out a lot. I tried to do my best and selecting the lesser of the 2 evils. Grilled chicken with out the cheese over the delicious fried chicken smutherd in it. To my surprise it was just enough to keep the weight below that dreaded 150 mark. My true victory was on Tuesday morning, while getting dressed I unpacked the dreaded freshly washed jeans. Now most, if not all of us women know, that after washing and drying even our fat jeans, it takes a minuet to shimmy and jump and shake our way into the button and zip position. So as I grabbed my size 10's out of my suitcase and unfolded them, I could hear the Jaws music in my head. " Duh Duh, Duh Duh, Duh Duh!" I put my right leg in first, because that's my system. Then my left and slowly pulled the jeans to what I like to refer to as my "Bu-Dunk-A-Dunk". To my utter amazement and surprise, no Shimmy, Jump or Shake was needed. They simply slid up my "Bu-Dunk-A-Dunk" and easily buttoned! SUCCESS!
This is a small accomplishment, but it was enough of a boost, for me to eat a small salad for lunch that day and grilled chicken and veggies that night! Sometimes, its the small reminders that our trial and self discipline is totally worth it and we will only truly appreciate it in the end! So keep it up girls and guys! Don't focus on the immediate signs of progress,or the small bumps and mess ups along the way. Keep your head focused on the finish line and what you in-vision for yourself when you reach it. This is just a small tid bit of an encouraging note in my book of Dropin' Poundage.
Sharing a persoanl note, this is my Dad and Me on the night of his graduation! Congratualtions Bob Bailey!

Off the Horse

Whoops! I have missed 3 of my workouts and lets say my passed weekend eating habits were not great. Actually if I was on the biggest loser, Jillian would rip me a new one. I can't really make excuses for myself, that's how I set myself up for failure, but I am doing my best at getting back to it. I have been to scared to weigh myself, so I'm not sure how bad the damage is. I can tell a HUGE difference though in the way I feel. I'm more lethargic and I want to eat constantly. So truthfully getting back in the swing of things is harder than starting in the first place. I guess that's why the notorious statement for anyone who wants to loose the weight and be healthier is " It's a LIFESTYLE change". And why most quick trim diets set you up to fail.
I'm amazed at the difference. How I was only 2 weeks in, and I may not have looked all that different but I FELT so much better. Which in turn made my self confidence rise about 4 bars. now, I feel frumpy and chubby and I have this urge to just lay around and be lazy. My first day back on course was yesterday. I did well with my eating Monday, but I still missed the workout. It was hard at the gym, if I didn't have a friend with me, I probably would have just skipped or half-reared the workouts just to say I went in.
That's another thing. I have 2 wonderful friends who are doing this with me. They are super encouraging and its motivation to see how well they are doing, to know that I can do just as well as they are. Get a support group! My husband is a wonderful husband and father, but when it comes to motivating and encouraging me in this venture, he is a little lacking. I know when I am doing well, he lets me know that, but when I have weak moments or down spells, he is more the peer pressure type. He says " just one isn't going to hurt you" or " Just eat it, you know you will anyway". And lots of times I just have to think about how I will feel afterwards. How will I feel during the scarfing process? Well, those Taquitos would have been AMAZING last night. but I know that after eating them, I would have felt terrible, and its those emotions to avoid. If you let your self slip and you know you will beat yourself up about it later, RUN AWAY! Rewards are good and necessary to being successful. but down right hoarding is destructive.
I am supposed to have today off from the sweat, but seeing as I missed Monday, I will go in. I also decided that when these 30 days are over, I plan to start the book over.I don't feel like I have gone to my full potential with this challenge and that's disappointing seeing as I'm the one to make a big hoopla out of it. But all this goes to show that I am human and a regular person. I don't have a personal chef, or a personal trainer or a PR telling me to drop the weight or the paparazzi will be all over my bikini shots. I'm just your average Mommy of 2 trying to live a better lifestyle, fit into smaller clothes and be a good example for my children. I can't beat myself up over a few hiccups. Isn't that what we teach our children? to pick ourselves up if we get knocked down? Why is it so hard to do ourselves?

Day 11

OK, so its the end of my eleventh day on the Making the Cut challenge. Lets say it hasn't been the easiest, but I am happy with my actions. I haven't missed a day or workout at the gym, and I have added extras in there for a little boost. as for the food, however, I have not followed the menu word for word.
Although the food is edible by my standards, the members of my household seemed to be left wanting. My husband and I are by no means picky, and my children aren't either. But there were 2 meals I prepared from the book, that were returned to the pot, leaving me to eat all the left overs for 3 days..... needless to say I could use to not see shrimp or whole wheat pasta for a while. so I improvise for the fam, and make a separate batch for myself. It can be tough when my family is eating a stuffed crust pizza ( one of my favorites) and I'm eating a roast beef wrap in a whole wheat tortilla that tastes like paper, with low fat cream cheese.
I haven't fallen off the wagon, but I know that I probably have tasted a few of the dieting sin foods. I can now tell if something I try has to much sodium, as Jillians book pretty much cuts any added sodium out. The workouts are insanely tough. some of the exercises she has me do, are so hard it takes everything I have to get 1 out. Try a Scorpion Push up for example. you get in the traditional push up stance, but when you lower yourself to the ground, you raise one leg and twist it behind you. so when you are lowered, your leg is like the scorpions tale, and your side is to the ground, not your flat tummy. when you raise up, lower your leg back to its original position. and repeat with the other leg. Any 'plank' exercise is really tough for me because I have lower back issues and a sad core strength. both of which I am hoping to improve with these crazy exercises. i have been in a constant state of SORE since day 2. I do feel my body is tired, which is probably why I slept most of the day away today. I think I was on the brink of exhaustion with my work, workouts, and family time and duties.
I have many people tell me I need to slow things down, not to wear myself out. But everything in my life right now I feel important and if I were to choose a cord to cut, Id find it near impossible. If a day of napping in 4 weeks is what I need to do to keep going, then thats what I will do. A little insight as to what I am talking about, I currently have 4 jobs. 5 if you count the MOM/ Housewife card. Some are part time and temporary, but I'm the type of person that if my bills need to be paid, kids birthday, Christmas, I will do anything I can to help alleviate that pressure. my jobs are: 'Custodian' (for lack of a better word) for my church building. I clean it 3-4 times a week. its a 21,000 sq. foot building equipped with 6 bathrooms, 5 offices, 2 main worship rooms, and roughly 11 classrooms. I also have my own business cleaning residential homes. I have 5 homes I clean on a bi-weekly basis, and I have about 3 others that call me as needed. I also am a part time receptionist at a local hair salon, which I LOVE. of all my jobs this is one of my favorites. this job kind of fell into my lap. My husbands place of employment was shutting its doors after 20 years of service, and the day we found out I was getting my hair cut at this salon. I was talking with my stylist about it, and she offered me a job. I kind of put it off knowing that I couldn't work there full time like they wanted, but they called me in for an interview about 4 weeks later. They just recently promoted me to manager, which will add 2 evenings to my schedule, but pay a little more. On top of that, my best friend got me to work at a local college football games with her last year. The Missouri Tigers. I LOVED it as well. I work on the media deck checking credentials but really just chit chatting and watching the football game. As this is only a seasonal job, Its good money and great networking. I am hoping an opportunity will arise someday, either for myself or my husband. And on top of all of this, my sister in law and I are toying with the idea of starting our own craft business. Mostly bags and baby items, but really we dab in just about every inch of arts and crafts.
My father in law often tells me I should write a book on entrepreneurship. I don't feel like a successful entrepreneur, but I do like to do many different things. Maybe one day my true calling will come for me. I keep my eyes and ears open and a smile on my face hoping and waiting for that 1 person or opportunity to arise that will take my family and me to a place of comfort and help us put our feet up a little.
The point of that rant was to really say, that although I am tired and sore, working out at the gym is my time to get away from it all, and clear my head. This diet is giving me something to focus my mind on something other than bills, or birthday presents or Christmas. I am challenging myself on a personal level, and I know that when all is said and done, regardless of the amount of weight I loose, or inches that come off, I am proud to be the person I am no matter my size and I know that the people in my life love me the way I am, and that is all I can ever ask for.