3/31/2012

Breakfast: 4 hard-boiled eggs (1 whole and 3 whites), mashed & mixed w/1 tbs fat free mayo, paprika, and dill
Snack: unsweetened applesauce
Lunch: 2 turkey patties w/fat free American cheese, mixed veggies
Snack: power cookie from 17 Day Diet book
Exercise: 95 minutes at the gym... Cardio workout and arm workout
Dinner: romaine salad w/Italian dressing
Snack: yogurt

Today = great day.

I ate well, worked out hard, and am in the midst of studying.

Our fitness challenge this week for Biggest Loser is to "train for a duathlon". A circuit was posted that utilized both the treadmill and the stationary bike. In order to complete the challenge, this circuit must be completed twice. I did the first circuit today.

YOWZA!

I modified it once I started and got into it because there was no way I could've finished had I not... And I really didn't want to just quit. Here's what the circuit is supposed to be:

Run for .15 mile
Bike for 2 min w/medium resistance
Run for .30 mile
Bike for 3 min w/medium resistance, off of the saddle
Run for .45 mile
Bike for 2 min w/hard resistance, off of the saddle
Run for .30 mile
Bike for 1 min w/hard resistance
         Then repeat in reverse order.

Yeah, I know. When I read it it sounded kind of simple, too. But holy. crap. 

It took me 51 minutes and 48 seconds to complete it today.

Hopefully my next time will be a little quicker! I'm just happy with myself for completing it!

For now, it's back to studying!!

'Night y'all! 

Out of the Hole (Week 3 Weigh-In)

It is unbelievable how the first 30 minutes to an hour of your day can affect your attitude. Yesterday when I woke up, the scale told me I gained 7 lbs. I ate light yesterday, fit in 30ish minutes of fast-paced walking with my pups, and this morning when I woke up... Instead of having gained 7 lbs, it said I only gained 1.6 lbs.

Stats for Week 3 Weigh-In with Biggest Loser:
Starting Weight for 2012: 262.2
Previous Weight: 242.2
Current Weight: 243.8

That I can handle. I did have indulgences over the past week I should've passed on, so a 1.6 lb gain is warranted... I just knew 7 lbs was false. 

Looking back, it's crazy how much I let that 7lbs affect my mood yesterday. I knew it wasn't right, and yet it still had power over me. I'm just so frustrated about still being in the 240s after all this time that to be up that high and so far away from the 230s just made me ill. 

Even still, I shouldn't let it have power over me. And I can say that now, because the 7 lbs is no longer an issue. I just don't know why I let it get the best of me yesterday. I literally was on the verge of tears all day and wanted to do nothing but lie down and sleep to forget it. It's scary to me that I let myself get so upset by it, and I'm afraid that I don't know how to change that when/if it happens again. I can say now that I shouldn't have let it get me so upset, but in the moment, I was just so frustrated/overwhelmed that all I could do was pray for God to get me out of that darkness. 

And He did, most definitely (what was that about providing quickly?). I just pray that next time I talk my way away from that hole before I ever get in it. 

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With a better start and attitude to my morning, I've gotten quite a bit accomplished: caught up on my blogs, cooked a very healthy breakfast, baked power cookies (recipe from 17 Day Diet book), and planned lunch for this afternoon.

After lunch I'll be hiding my computer and TV remote and hitting the books hard. My graduate school comprehensive exam (that you must pass to obtain your degree) is on the 13th of April and I feel like I'm perpetually behind on studying. 

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Thank you for all the encouraging comments regarding my frustration on the scale. I really appreciate the support I get from all of you... Thank you so much!

Happy Saturday, y'all!

Scale Fail

Breakfast: yogurt
Lunch: the southwest salad from McDonald's w/grilled chicken, minus the tortilla strips, black beans, corn, and most of the cheese, with low fat balsamic vinaigrette
Exercise: 30 minute (1.5 mi) walk w/the dogs
Dinner: TBA

One of them days... That's what today was. 

My clients were wonderful and I tried to fake it as much as I could, but I really let that scale get the best of me today. I was just in an altogether foul mood and I was being such a dang baby about it (in my head and to my husband) that it made me feel even worse. 

I hate the stuff that goes on in my head sometimes. I'd swear I never graduated junior high all the drama I can come up with. 

As I said earlier in BYOC, this morning when I weighed in, it said I gained seven pounds. Now, I have done such crazy things before and can most certainly own up to it when I know I've done wrong. But I worked out every day this week. I made a point to. Yes, I had bad meals last night and Wednesday for dinner, but most definitely not seven pounds worth. I'm not on my period, so that's not what it is. I weighed in at the same time, wearing the same thing (nothing), on the same scale, in the same part of my bathroom... So what the fuhhhh?!?

So I chickened out and didn't post my weight in Biggest Loser today. The first time I think I've ever skipped a weigh-in. I just refuse to believe that that's real. There's no way. Like I said, when I screw up a week and go nuts on eating, I am the first one to admit it... But I didn't! 

I just really need to get in gear, I guess. I didn't do my absolute best this week, so I guess that's just what I'll have to do now. 

I just don't know what happened.

Time to study all weekend!

'Night y'all!

BYOC -- Bring Your Own Crazy

1.  If you believe in a God - who or what form does it take?  Person or thing?  He or she?  None of the above?

This is a really big question. I do believe in God. I don't necessarily believe "He" can be defined or put into a compact little box though. I say "He" in quotes because I don't believe "He" is either "he" or "she". I say "He" simply because "It" wouldn't be appropriate either... But I don't believe He's either gender... He just is. Person or thing? Again... He just is. I know this all sounds vague, but I don't know how else to explain it. 

2.  If it were considered socially acceptable - would you stop shaving or waxing?

I maybe wouldn't do it as often, but I like the feeling of smooth skin... So I'd probably keep doing it every so often.

3.  How often do you weigh yourself?  Why? 

Every Friday. That is when my weigh-in for Biggest Loser is, so I just keep it that day. I don't do it every day  because I would let it consume me. Weekly is enough for me.

4.  When was the last time you admitted you were wrong?
I'm not really sure. It happens a lot, ha. Yesterday, I guess? I haven't had a chance to be wrong yet today ; ]

5.  Repeat question.  How was your week?
Everything was fine. Blogging was good... Kept up with everyone, despite not making many updates. My week was great... I did at least 30 minutes of working out every day and stayed focused on school/work. And then I wake up this morning and the scale says I gained 7 lbs? I don't think so. I'm extremely slightly pissed off about this. Yes, I went out last night when I shouldn't have... But 7 lbs? I don't think so! I know I just said that but damn. How does that happen? I'm not turning in a picture for Biggest Loser this week. No way can that be accurate. I understand a couple pounds because I did eat poorly yesterday (which I was already beating myself up about)... But 7 lbs?

No. Way.

Whoopsie, that was way more answer than what the question warranted huh? Sorry!

Provision

Exercise: 30 minute pilates
Breakfast: fiber one chewy oats & peanut butter bar
Snack: banana
Lunch: black bean chili
Snack: dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds; 2 cutie clementines
Dinner: black bean chili

I know I've been saying it a lot lately, so hang in there with me, but man, I feel good. I'm just happy. I know I should be stressed with my tests coming up and trying to find a job and my entire life changing once graduation is over on May 12th... But I can't help myself. Yes, a teensy bit of me is stressed about all those things, but lately I've just been shown again and again how good life is. Everything has fallen into place exactly when it should. Anytime there is a void of something in our life, God has provided faithfully. I should be thanking Him every second of my life, and yet I am so bad about showing my gratitude. I can't believe how greatly and abundantly we have been blessed. "Unexpected fortune" has never been more true.

Today was a regular old day. Nothing spectacular happened. I am thankful for that. There are so many bad things in life that could be happening to us on a daily basis... To have a "regular day" is truly a gift.

I woke up early today to do a workout because the challenge this week for Biggest Loser is to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every single day. Being able to workout so much last week over Spring Break just reiterated to me how limited I am by school, in regards to maintaining a workout schedule. I didn't want to have to wake up early to get in some exercise, but I think I will have to. And, ya know, I think I can do it for 2 months! Less than two months, now! Countdown to graduation is at 46 days, Hallelujah!

As more and more of my classmates interview and announce new job placements... I know God will find the right place for me. If it's not this place, it will be somewhere else. I have faith He will provide, because he always has and always will (whether it's what I want Him to or not, ha).

So thankful for another day.

Excited to see tomorrow, God willing.

'Night y'all!

Friend Makin' Monday: Current Favorites

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Current Favorites

1. Song - I can't say I ever really have favorite songs. I like too many.
2. Drink – Water and diet citrus green tea.
3. Physical feature of the opposite sex (or the sex that you find attractive) –Husband's eyes
4. TV Show(s) – Gilmore Girls will always be my favorite, but current favorite that's still on air would have to be Grey's Anatomy.
5. Actor/Actress –Yikes, that's hard. I love Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Meryl Streep, Reese Whitherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, etc.
6. Book – Currently I'm reading An Advanced Review of Speech-Language Pathology... It's riveting, let me tell you.
7. Form of communication – Lately, I'm loving blogging more and more. In person is always my favorite, though, of course.
8. Exercise – Hot yoga and hiking are my two newest loves.
9. Food –Started using Good Seasonings for our salad dressing again. I know it's a teeny change, but it tastes so much better than just oil and vinegar.
10. Quote - I'm drawing a blank on this one. I guess I just haven't seen/heard anything that stuck out to me lately. Although I will say the other day BDR and I passed two cyclists on a tandem bike and Husband jokingly said "It's tandemonium!" I laughed quite a bit at that one.

Now it’s your turn to answer the questions!  Don’t forget to go back and link up in the comments @AlltheWeigh.  Happy Monday Friends!

Our Camping Weekend

So how's about I start from the beginning?

I woke Bray up at 9:30 AM on Friday by jumping on the bed saying "Let's go camping, let's go camping, let's go camping!" He was none too pleased by my wake-up methods (especially after I turned on the light) but got up anyways. We were packed and ready to go within the hour (because I'd been packing for two days prior).

I had been conversing with a friend of my dad's who is a police officer around the area where we would be camping and he was telling me where we should go. It took us a few minutes to find it, and once we did we weren't really satisfied with that particular site. So we went back to another area we found and, despite it not being at all what I had envisioned in my mind (unfortunately =\ ) we picked a spot and started setting up our tent.

Empty spot. Not nearly as secluded as I envisioned.

So we broke the #1 rule of camping and put our tent directly underneath several trees. Sorry, professional campers. I wanted a secluded, woodsy vibe out of this experience, and being out in the open just wasn't cuttin' it. And what do ya know... Nothin' fell on our tent!

Happy Hubby

I had Braylen stand over by the tent so you could see how massive it was! My amazing dad rented it for us (as well as an air mattress, electric lantern, and electric stove) and wanted it to be plenty big. It had two rooms in it! We had plenty of space, that's for sure!

See? Tons of space! (I know you can't really tell by the picture, ha)

We had to air the mattress up at a neighboring campsite, then haul it back on top of my car (holding it with our arms stuck outside either window). Don't judge... We got the job done!

Full size air mattress inside our jumbo-tent.

Not the greatest picture of yours truly, but I sure do love that guy.

We set out our tent so quickly (by 1pm) that we decided to go get some lunch and head out for a hike. When I was younger, my mom used to take my brother and I out on the Wildlife Refuge (in OK) several times a year to go hiking. We had this certain trail we took several times because it had waterfalls and an area you could swim in. I knew I wanted to take Braylen there, because he had never been, so we headed out!

Before we left for the hike, day 1!

Buffalo along the way

This is the waterfall/swimming area we went to. (No, I did not jump, ha, the water is too shallow)

Feelin' pretty good 6 lbs lighter!

After the hike, we went back to our camp and took a nap. We woke up just in time to make a campfire. Not that we needed it, ha, we only used it to say we built one. It wasn't, by any means, cold... And we ate sandwiches that night. But it was nice to drink and eat with Husband by the campfire while the sun set behind us. 

Our cozy little fire

We took a nice walk after dinner, played a few card games, and settled in for the night. 

The next day, I left BDR in charge of deciding what we would be doing. He chose to go to the same trail we hiked at Friday because he liked it so much. So that's just what we did! We wanted to push ourselves and go a little further, so we went past the swimming area a ways, crossed the valley before turning back, then crossed the valley again at the swimming area. I got a little sick (from all the diner food we'd been eating) and my tummy was not very happy with me once we crossed the valley the first time, but after a few waves of pain it started to feel a little better and we just pushed through. I didn't take many pictures after we crossed because of not feeling so hot, so please forgive! Overall, I have way more pictures from the second day than I do the first because I forgot my camera the first day out and we had to use BDR's iPhone to get the few pictures we took.

We went up and down this valley twice that day. Yikes!

Moss on a rock at the top of the valley

More moss

Looking down on the waterfall area. You can BARELY see some kiddos sitting on a rock in front of the middle waterfall.

The whole time BDR kept saying "I wish we could see some lizards!" and then this guy showed up. He was so mad at me for "not letting him catch it". ha.

See that big pile in the middle of the trail? Hint: It's not chocolate. Hello longhorn poop.

View of another waterfall area. The perspective in this is so off... It looks like a tiny stream or something, but really the white part of the water is whitecaps from the waterfalls.

Those falls are where we crossed over to the other side the first time (and when I started feeling sick). So no more pictures of the hike after that. We crossed back over later back at the first waterfall area, where we stuck our feet in to cool off. There were so many people out that day (because the weather was so beautiful) that we couldn't really relax and enjoy the scenery as much. The hike from that day was mostly for a fun workout and not as much scenery, anyways. 

We headed straight home for a nap afterward and then broke out the electric stove to do some cooking. Hot dogs and beans, does it get much more campy than that?

After dinner, we walked out to the lakeside campsites to watch the sunset and just... visit with one another. That's mostly what we were able to do this weekend, which is what I so badly wanted. I just wanted us to go somewhere, away from computers and cell phones and TV, and just be. It was so wonderful to get that time with him. 

The only mountain silhouette I know by heart. <3 Mt. Scott

I just think I married a really good lookin' guy, if I do say so myself.

Too close, but who cares?!

Wish we would've moved, like three feet to our left so that tree wasn't behind us, but oh well.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend. I wish it didn't have to end, but tomorrow it's back to school for the both of us. Only a few short weeks and we'll both be finished and can spend the summer doing things like this on the weekends!! 

This trip has really sparked a new passion inside of me for hiking. I've always liked going, but it wasn't until this weekend I realized how good of a workout it can be, while still being fun. I hate running; bicycles kill my butt; and swimming in an indoor pool (which is what we have available to us) just doesn't sound appealing to me. 

 

This summer, BDR and I have decided we're going to make a list of Oklahoma hiking trails we would like to visit and explore. We definitely will visit the trail we went to this weekend often, especially now that we know dogs are welcome (Luke & Leia would've loved going out with us yesterday... There were dogs everywhere!). I'm really looking forward to having a new hobby with BDR. I love that we enjoy going to the same movies and have that as a shared hobby, but we really needed to find something active we can do together, and this just fits the bill perfectly. 

We both very much needed and thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. I'm so blessed to have him and can't wait to go on many more adventures with him over the next 50+ years! 

'Night y'all!

WEEK 2 WEIGH-IN!!!!

BECAUSE I'M TOO EXCITED TO GET OUT OF CAPS LOCK...

Stats for Week 2 Weigh-In with Biggest Loser:
Starting Weight for 2012: 262.2
Previous Weight: 248.2
Current Weight: 242.2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

THAT'S A SIX POUND WEIGHT LOSS, BABY! 

No planks, wall sits, or jumping jacks for me this weekend! 

BTW, Mark, this is a plank, if you were asking in your last comment... 

It's basically the top part of a push-up.

Although some do it with elbows on the ground.

Looks easy right? All you have to do is hold all of your body weight up and keep your body perfectly straight! No big deal!

It's the bane of my existence.

See those women up there? Tiny asses (excuse the language). 

This girl's got a little more to hold up, just sayin'.

_________________________________________

Anyways, now that Friday morning has arrived, and Husband will soon find out the surprise... I can share. 

I'm taking him camping!! 

Woo hoo for tents and dirt (which will be mud from all the rain we've had) and possibly bugs and possibly sunburn... But undoubtedly quiet and peace and no iPhone and no laptop and no TV and 

Just. 

Us. 

I'm so excited. 

See ya later! 

Pray we don't get eaten by any stray mountain lions that may have headed this way!

Happy Friday, y'all!

Random

Breakfast: NONE (slept in)
Lunch: chicken-veggie soup w/salsa; grapes
Exercise: 60 minute hot yoga class
Dinner: romaine and spinach salad w/grape tomatoes, feta, dried cranberries, 4 crushed fat free saltines, and Italian dressing
Snack: Undecided

Before I say anything else, I just want to direct you over to Mark's most recent post @Our Simple Lives ... I literally lol'd at least 50 times not only during his actual post but the video attached is just priceless. Go on, I'll give you time to go look...

____________________________________________

I'm not thinking I have much too talk about this evening, but I feel like every time I say that I wind up writing a book, so we'll see. I'm very much looking forward to weigh-in in the morning, just to see if I reached my 5 lb loss goal. I shared the other day that if I haven't lost 5 lbs, I challenged myself to do a 1-minute plank, 1-minute wall sit, and 50 jumping jacks. At the hot yoga class I go to every Thursday, the instructor has us do a wall sit as part of our warm-up. She usually has us do a minute, but she's been known to stretch that minute out... So I'm hoping a 1-minute wall sit isn't too far-fetched. As far as the 1-minute plank goes, I'm really going to be pushing myself to get that in. As previously mentioned (and shown), I've got a badonk-a-donk... So planks are very very difficult... I tend to droop a little bit holdin' that sucker up there. BUT surely I can do anything for at least 1-minute, right? As far as the jumping jacks go, I've never tried to see how many I can do.. So I don't know if 50 is too much or too little...

Let's just hope I lose the 5 lbs so I don't have to worry about finding out!

___________________________________________

I'm also very much looking forward to heading out for our surprise getaway this weekend... Or at least, it's a surprise for Husband. He still claims to have no idea what we're doing, and I sure hope that's the case! I think we're going to have a really good time. =]

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My puppies are cute.

She just wanted to "help" me study. Silly pooch. That bone lying on my book was lovingly placed there by my big Luke Puppy. Wonder what he was tryin' to tell me?

Momma play?

Oh, and speaking of cute puppies:

And last, but not least (although not a puppy): 

He's probably gonna kill me for posting that, but I can't help it... He's too handsome.

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See, I told you I'd come up with something to fill a post. Sorry for the random!

'Night y'all!

Staying Active

Breakfast: NONE (slept in)
Lunch: chicken-vegetable soup
Dinner: romaine and spinach salad w/grape tomatoes, feta, 4 crushed fat free saltines, dried cranberries, and Italian dressing
Exercise: does cleaning/laundry all day count?

I knew as soon as I woke up this morning that my body pump class was not happening today. Monday's tightness was only amplified by hot yoga yesterday and today my muscles were screaming. It's painful to sit on the couch... There's no way I could've done lunges and squats with weights! But I still have my hot yoga class tomorrow and I will go to that. Hopefully it'll help me stretch out all these muscles. I just didn't want to go tonight and risk making it even worse.

Despite not going to an exercise class, I kept myself active all day. From the time I got up until now I've been doing things around the house. While my soup was cooking this afternoon I cleaned the kitchen (it needed it badly). Then I started tackling the laundry. I've been putting off doing towels for so long and now I can't remember why... They're the easiest to fold and take me 2 seconds to do. I'd much rather do ten loads of towels than half as many loads of shirts! So now the last load is in the dryer (thank goodness). Most important part of this story is that everything has been getting folded immediately. I don't have any issues getting clothes to the washer... It's getting them folded/hanging up that's the problem. So to have everything done is truly a miracle... Hasn't happened in months.

Meanwhile, as all of this is going on, I've been steadily trying to get ready for this weekend. I'm taking Husband on a weekend getaway, but he doesn't know where we're going or what we're doing... So I've had to try to cram all my planning/packing into these last couple days while he's out at work. I still need to go pick up a couple things tomorrow from the store, but otherwise I think I'm almost finished. I wish it wasn't a surprise so I could tell you all about it now because I'm really excited about it! It's something that I've never done before and we've certainly never done together. Very much looking forward to a weekend with my best friend! I will be bringing my camera, so hopefully I remember to take pictures (which has always been an issue for me, ha).

I felt thinner today. I just want that to be known. I love feeling changes. Love it when the gratification comes even before I look at the scale. Whether I've lost 5 lbs or not, I don't know yet, but I know I've made really good efforts this week, I didn't binge, I didn't emotionally eat, I stayed active, and my head is in the right place. In my opinion, this week is already a victory, no matter what the scale says!

'Night y'all!

Feeling Better

Breakfast: yogurt; grapes
Lunch: sauteed chicken and mixed veggies
Snack: apple
Exercise: 30 minutes walk; 60 minute hot yoga class
Dinner: romaine and spinach salad w/dried cranberries, feta, 4 crushed fat free saltines, grape tomatoes, and Italian dressing
Snack: yogurt

Well, I'd say I'm officially back in the game.

It started on Saturday. I looked outside and realized I couldn't waste the beautiful day we were having. I put on my tennis shoes, pulled back my hair, grabbed Husband's iPhone to use the Nike+ app, and headed for a walk. I had it in my mind to walk to the cemetery that was about a mile away, walk around it once (it's a pretty good workout, considering how hilly it is), then head back home. I didn't realize it when I started that it would be about 3 miles... So I decided to just turn it into walking a 5k. I initially wanted to jog some also, but figured a consistent brisk walk would be better for me than burning myself out too early by trying to run. I also used my Lady Gaga station on Pandora to keep me in a quick rhythm. I haven't ever walked longer distances using music before (because I don't have a smart phone and can only use Husband's phone, obviously, when he's home) and found it REALLY helped me keep a steady, fast pace. I should probably look into getting some type of mp3 player, but we'll see.

My first 5k time from February 18th was 50:39, and Saturday's time was 52:04. I was disappointed to see I didn't beat my time before, but have to remind myself that the first time I walked it was on the treadmill and this past time was on hilly and rough terrain. When I do the same 5k outside again, I hope to do better than 52 minutes... I know I will do better than 52 minutes!

Anyways, the exercise started Saturday. I took Sunday off to spend with Husband. We ended up having an incredible day together... A day we've really needed for a while.

Monday is when diet and exercise combined for an entire day (Haaaaaallelujah). It's been a long time since I did well in both aspects. Yesterday I made healthy food choices and did an hour-long body pump class. Then today I did the same w/eating choices and did hot yoga. My body is definitely feeling all the extra movement I've been doing, but it's so nice to feel sore again. As crazy as that sounds, it's always been kind of satisfying to me to have sore muscles. It lets me know I've moved... Accomplished something that pushed my body.

It kind of stinks that the only reason I'm able to go to so many classes at the Y this week is because it's Spring Break and I don't have to go to grad classes. When school's in there's no way I can go Mon-Wed because I don't get out of my school classes in time to make it to exercise classes so I've only been able to do yoga on Thurs. One more reason why I can't wait to graduate!

Anyways, this week has been really nice to get back on track with everything. Mentally, it feels great to know I'm back on the right track making the choices I should've been making all along. I'm saying this, knowing that one day I very well may backslide as I have so many times on this journey. I'm saying this so that when/if that happens, I will know that at one point I realized that making good choices makes me feel better. I feel better each night I go to bed and I'm not still completely full from dinner. I feel better that when I look at myself in the mirror it's because I'm excited to see changes.. Not because I need to see the damage I've done by eating that last huge meal. I feel better walking down the street or walking on the treadmill. I feel better in yoga that I can push myself further.

I just feel better.

And I don't want to forget that.

Going in to this week's weigh-in with Biggest Loser, I really hope to put up a good number. I haven't updated yet on how this round's going because from starting weight to Week 1 I gained 1.8 lbs and didn't feel very proud of that. Week 2 weigh-in, I hope, will be a great loss. I have a deal going with another competitor.. We both want to lose 5 lbs this week. She has agreed that if she doesn't lose 5 lbs she will do 50 burpees. I have agreed that if I don't lose 5 lbs I will do a 1-minute plank, 1-minute wall sit, and 50 jumping jacks (all of which I hate doing and am not even sure I can do them for that long/many). So to ensure that I don't have to do them, I darn well better lose 5 lbs! I think that having mini weight goals like that might be beneficial for me.

I also have another goal: Under 200 lbs by the end of October. That gives me 7 months to lose about 50 lbs. It will be hard, but I really want to be finished with the 200s. I'm so tired of gaining/losing the same 15 lbs. I want to be rid of the 240's by Week 3 weigh-in (March 30th) and be out of the 200's by November 1st. I don't know if I can do it, but I'm sure as hell gonna try!

I really feel like I look better, even having just lost 50 lbs so far. I can't imagine what I'll look like under 200 lbs. I haven't been under 200 since probably elementary school, and that's ridiculous. Me = thin has never happened and I'm excited to be making it happen.

2012 is my year, baby! Anybody else wanna claim it with me?

Time to feel better, for good!

Friend Makin' Monday: Online Dating

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Online Dating

1. Have you ever tried online dating? Yes.
2. If you’ve done it, what did you like about it? What did you dislike? I liked that I could meet someone and get to know them before physical appearance could ever become a factor. Being overweight, that has always been an issue while dating. However, I changed my mind after a particular instance where I met this guy (online) and we hit it off. We started talking and texting everyday for weeks. Then it finally came time to meet... We met for coffee at a Starbucks. Talked for maybe 30 minutes.. The conversation went no where. And I never heard from him again. It was a huge blow to my self-esteem that he was totally interested and conversational before he saw me, then nothing right after. So I stopped doing the online dating thing. And wound up with a husband. =] I can't complain.
3. If you haven’t done it, would you? If you have done it, would you do it again? Why or why not? Well, I've been dating the same guy for almost three years now, and things seem to be going pretty well. Think I'll stick with him for now.
4. What precautions would you take before going out with someone that you met online? I only met 2-3 men in person who I originally met online. Each time I made sure we spoke via internet, texting, and phone conversation prior to meeting. The first guy I met online (and ended up dating off/on for a couple of years) I met in person for the first time at my parents house... I was still in high school and they wanted to meet him before we went anywhere. Every other time we met in public places.
5. Do you have a favorite dating site?  If so, what is it?  At one point, I had signed up for eharmony, plentyoffish.com, and christianmingle.com, but I never met anyone through those sites and I never paid for a membership.
6. What questions would you ask before agreeing to a date? I don't remember having a criteria of questions I wanted answered.
7. How long would you correspond with someone online before meeting them? Usually a few weeks. Time to discern if a meeting would be worth while.
8. In your opinion, what are the pros to meeting someone online? Well, kind of the same as before... Getting to know someone based on personality versus appearance.
9. In your opinion, what are the cons of online dating? As nice as it is to not have to worry about physical appearance at first, attraction is imperative to make a relationship work. So that part of the puzzle has to come into play eventually, and once it does.. If one person or another is no longer interested, that can be really hurtful.
10. Share a funny or embarrassing online dating experience with us if you have one.  It's been so long ago, I can't really think of anything.

Now it’s your turn!  Don’t forget to post your answers then go back to Kenlie @All the Weigh and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday friends!

Pregnancy Dreams

No, I'm not pregnant.

I woke up this morning from my second dream of the night about being pregnant. I immediately got up, peed into a cup, stuck the stick in, and waited. It was negative, just so you all know.

But that's not why I'm writing this post. Well, not really. Kind of. Okay, maybe it is.

In my dream I was so incredibly happy and excited to be pregnant. Everyone around me was. I had this sort of calm (in my dream) that I don't really anticipate will be my reality, but it was nice in the dream. It was like I gained years of wisdom once I found out we were expecting. This, again, will not likely be my reality. But it was nice to dream it that way.

The only thing is, in my dream I kept touching my belly and feeling like I was faking it. I kept feeling all the extra fat on my stomach and thinking... That's not a baby, that's just fat. I was disappointed thinking that I couldn't take pregnant belly pictures because no one would be able to distinguish the extra weight from a baby bump. I was disappointed thinking that anyone who felt my stomach wouldn't feel anything but extra fat.

I think that part of the dream would be a reality, if I were to get pregnant right now. Those are things I have feared in real life. It's completely and totally vain and superficial and doesn't matter in the slightest when you get down to it... But I feel like it came at just the right time for me.

As I said yesterday, we're starting the diet again tomorrow. That dream just adds to my list of motivations for wanting to finish this. My next ob/gyn appointment is May 4th and our goal was that I should have lost at least 30 lbs by then. Right now (due to my recent gains over the past two weeks) I have lost almost 15, so I'm halfway there. I'd be closer if I hadn't gained back some over the past couple weeks, but I can't let that guilt get in my way. I want to be under 200 by October. That's less than 50 lbs in 6 months. If I lose at least 10 lbs a month (which I know is pretty darn hard to stick with) I will more than reach that goal. If I really stuck to it, I'd like to be around goal weight (which is anywhere from 150-165) by January 2013. That is a big goal and I'm not sure how realistic it is to want to lose 100 lbs by then, but it's something to work for.

In fact, I'm going to the gym right now.

'Afternoon, y'all! 

Getting in Gear and a Solo Pup Update

SPRING BREAK!!!

As much excitement that I have about having nine days of no alarm clock wake-ups ahead of me... I have just as much dread about spending every waking moment doing one of three things: 1) studying for my comprehensive graduate school test and the Praxis exam, 2) exercising, or 3) eating healthy and delicious foods that fit my diet but don't satisfy my cravings.

Despite dreading these things, I know if I manage to do all three successfully, I will benefit in the long run.

Sunday BDR and I are jump-starting our diet/exercise routines and getting back in gear. I've been off track since the last round of Biggest Loser ended (on March 2nd) and haven't been able to get started since this round started a week ago today. I'm not the kind that can ease my way into dieting... I have to set a date ahead of time and get my mind ready beforehand. Otherwise I'll just ease my way right back out of eating healthy. So we decided a few days ago that Sunday is the day (we had to wait until after his paycheck came in and the mortgage went out before we could go grocery shopping) it will all start again. Every since that decision I've been eating anything/everything I come into contact with. It's kind of embarrassing. I gained 1.8 lbs in the past week since we started this round of BL... And I was shocked to not gain more!

Anyways, point being, it's starting again on Sunday. Sunday's the day. I've been chanting that to myself the past few days (and telling the girls at work so they hold me to it) in hopes that it sticks. SUNDAYYYY! Sunday Funday. It's all happening!

It's actually coming at a great time because having this next week off for Spring Break will give me time to get back on track with exercising as well. I've been going to yoga class every Thursday for the past month, and that's great, but it's all I've been doing... So I need to figure out what to do the rest of the days of the week. It's really hard when I'm interning and going to class, but this week I don't have those excuses. Hopefully if I go often enough I'll build up enough of a habit that it'll carry over into the following week, when I go back to school/work. We'll see!

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I need to update you on our tan Solo pup that we were fostering. "Were" being the key word there. =] 

On Friday (the day after we took in Solo) I called my dad to tell him this dog was made for him. He's been bugging us about letting him have Leia since we got her (because she's just so damn cute and loveable... But ALLLLLLL mine, ain't gon' happen, Daddy!) so when this sweet pup came to stay with us and we got to know him, I realized how perfect he would be for my dad. So I called him and before he even met Solo he was already saying YES, I want him. My mom, on the other hand, would take some convincing. I brought Solo to meet her on Sunday, and despite admitting how incredibly adorable and sweet he was, she said she just didn't want a dog. However, my Opa (grandpa) suddenly had the urge to adopt! Anyways, I went home, called my dad, apologized in failing my mission,, and told him he needed to pray. I told him I intended to fervently pray that Solo would find a home and that he should do the same. 

The next morning he texted me and told me that Mom changed her mind. I called him immediately and asked what the heck. Apparently, Opa kept talking to her about wanting to meet Solo and possibly adopt him. Now, my Opa and Oma are in their 80s. Physically and emotionally, they do not need to be worrying about caring for a dog and all the responsibilities and work that entails. According to my mother, Opa's requesting to adopt the dog is what caused her to change her mind... Because if her and my dad adopt him, Opa can't. This way, he can still see Solo all the time (since my parents live 2 miles down the road from my grandparents) but doesn't have to actually be responsible for him. Oh, and my dad gets his loveable companion he's been bugging me for. 

My mom thinks it was Opa's insistence that changed her mind. 

I believe otherwise. 

Prayer works, people.

So they made the decision on Monday, went shopping for dog necessities on Tuesday, and my mom came to pick him up on Wednesday. I have been praying my parents would take him since we realized we probably were going to have to adopt him out if we didn't decide to keep him. It's just an ideal situation for everyone involved: We get to see him every time we go home to visit so he'll be in our lives for years to come; Opa gets to interact with a very sweet dog and help take care of him in certain small ways (Mom was thinking of asking him to go over to take him out in the middle of the day while she's at work so they can have some bonding time each day and he can have a "job" to do); Dad gets a new best friend; and Solo pup gets a home. 

Oh, by the way, his name is no longer Solo... He is now Cooper! I've been calling him Solo in this post so you all would know who the heck I'm talking about, ha.

The smile on my dad's face nearly makes me tear up. I love this picture so much.

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I hadn't intended on making a long post, but look at that... I just did! 

Hope those of you that have a Spring Break enjoy it thoroughly. And those of you who will be working through it, God bless you. 

'Night y'all!

BYOC -- Bring Your Own Crazy

1.  How do you feel about college?  If you have kids or siblings - will you encourage or require them to go?  How long did you go and what for? 
College just always felt like "the next step" after high school. I never really contemplated not going. I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I knew if I didn't go straight into college, I likely wouldn't for a long while. After a year in undergrad I figured out that speech-language pathology was what I wanted to do, so I transferred schools and moved out of my hometown for the first time. Granted, it was only 40 miles north of my hometown, but still. I went through the fast track and completed my Bachelor's in a total of 3 years, and am currently working on finishing up my Master's (graduating in less than 2 months!) which will have taken 2 years. So, total, I'll have 5 years of "higher education" under my belt when I head out to find a job. 

I said all that to say that college (and graduate school) were the best choice for me because of the profession I chose. I do not have a fondness for school, by any stretch of the word, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do sometimes, right? I do believe that college is not for everyone, but I likely will strongly encourage my children to attend college, as I was strongly encouraged to do so. Braylen feels the same way. College is not a necessity, by any means, but we both feel like it not only is a knowledge-expanding experience, but a place to grow within your identity and build up independence.

2.  Pink or purple?  Coke or Pepsi?  Pen or pencil?  Cursive or printing?  Ketchup or mustard?
I'm not much for pink or purple. Guess since I have to pick (since BYOC is so strict!) I'd say purple.

Coke Zero, please.

I use both, but I definitely use pens more. All our files must be written in pen, sooo... 

I tend to mix cursive/printing. It definitely is mostly printing though. My cursive never looked good. Ever.

KETCHUP. Ketchup, ketchup, ketchup.

3.  If you could live in any generation - which one would it be?
I would have loved to experience Beatle Mania firsthand. So the 60s are likely what I'd choose.

4.  What do you sleep in?
I'm with ya, Draz... I don't have a "regular". Or rather, I have several "regulars" and rotate between them to suit my mood. Husband works night shifts, so I hardly have to worry about making him happy with my nightwear... Which I have to say is kind of nice. If it's hot, I'll shift between shorts and a tank, nightgowns, or nothing. If it's cold... Wait... I still shift between shorts and tank, nightgowns, or nothing. ha. Our house stays relatively neutral no matter the weather, and our bed tends to be on the warm side (pretty much too warm a majority of the time) because of our mattress cover... So I pretty much switch between those choices year round.

5.  Repeat question - summarize your week! 

Real life... Well, it was pretty great. Solo (now Cooper) was adopted and is currently living happily ever after with my lovely parents. So that's wonderful and exciting (and a load off our checking account which is grimly empty). This week did seem to wear on my nerves a little bit. My comprehensive and national tests are coming up next month and I've hardly studied... Not to mention everyone around me is job interviewing and signing contracts in preparation for our graduation in May and I'm still, well, waiting, I'll just say. BUT aside from those stresses (which I have got to come to terms with and can't stress too much about because there's not much I can do about it right now) life is pretty damn good. 

Blog life... Well. As I expected, I've kind of been MIA from posting. I have, however, been able to keep up with all your posts, even if I don't ever comment. I'm sorry =\

Don't forget to link up with Drazil if you're doing BYOC!

Tan Solo Pup

(Thank you for creating this blog post title, Dominic! I've had the song stuck in my head since your comment. THANKS!)

Alright, so on Thursday evening, one of my supervisors posted to FB that a stray dog had made its way onto her front porch. Mind you, all day Thursday was rainy and cold, and this dog appeared to have been out in it all day because he was soaked and completely exhausted. He also was injured and wouldn't put any weight down on his left front leg.

Photo taken by C. E.

Husband and I offered to foster him while the search for his family continued. We've noticed a unique perk to our crazy annoying schedules is that one of us is always home. When I'm at work, he's home. When he's at work, I'm home. So it makes for a consistent dog keeping schedule. One of us is always here to take the dogs out. Anyways, that was a long explanation to explain why we offered to foster him. 

Photo taken by C. E.

When we got to her house to pick him up, he could hardly stand on his own, much less walk, for being so exhausted (and likely in pain because of his leg injury) so Braylen carried him into and out of our car. By the time we made it back to our house, he seemed to have perked up a bit. BDR set him down in front of the basement door as we unlocked it and he waltzed right in like he owned the place once the door was open. We got him food and water and were happy to see him eat and drink a little bit before we left him for the night. He was already surprising us with how sweet and gentle he was. I'm sure he was just happy to be warm and taken care of.

The next day (Friday), I had to work, so Braylen was the one to take him to the vet. They said he was likely right around Luke's age (judging from his teeth). His leg was not broken, fortunately, but it was infected from what appeared to be some kind of bite. They prescribed antibiotics, and he's been taking them each day with breakfast. Already we've seen improvements in how much weight he bears on the leg. Also on Friday, we noticed he loves having something in his mouth, be it a bone or stick. We gave him one of Luke's new bones on Friday morning and he hardly let it out of his mouth! 

We decided from the first day we spent with him that "Solo" was a great nickname for him (since we didn't know his original name). Obviously we have a theme going on with our dogs, Luke and Leia. Solo fits him and that's what we've been calling him. I know they say not to name an animal you don't intend to keep, but what were we supposed to do, call him "Dog"? 

Anyways, today we introduced Luke to Solo for the first time. We'd kept them separate (Luke upstairs and Solo in the basement) because of Solo's leg. Luke tends to be pretty dominant and hyper when it comes to meeting new dogs and Solo is so calm and gentle, I didn't want him to be overwhelmed. They met and it went alright. Luke was a little bit of a bully (as one would expect a dominant dog to be with a new dog in the house) but no fights broke out and tails were wagging the whole time. 

I need to explain to you how sweet this dog is. He is every good quality I love about Luke and Leia rolled up into one dog. He's a big boy (I love big dogs) so he makes me feel safe. But he's also extremely gentle and calm as I've mentioned and let's me hug and kiss him as much as I want (just like Leia). It's apparent he is a loyal companion. He never wants to leave my side or Braylen's. He loves being loved. He would be the perfect dog for a family with children (le sigh...).

Meanwhile, no leads have been discovered regarding where the heck this sweet boy came from. I've posted on my town's buy/sell FB page (where missing animals are often listed and recovered because of the listing) to no avail. I've posted on my own FB page and no one recognizes him. Our veterinary clinic asked around to other vets/groomers in the area and no one has filed any missing reports. Same with the pound... No one's looking for him. It's incredible to me that a dog so unbelievably sweet doesn't have a family somewhere praying for his safe return home and searching high and low for him. 

Doesn't he look like Luke's long-lost cousin?

My heart is torn completely. He's won me over and it would break my heart to give him away. However, I know it would be illogical for us to adopt another animal right now. We have the time to care for him, just not the money that comes with that care. Paying for large breed dog food is outrageously expensive (given how much they eat) and it just seems unwise to take on another large dog. 

In other words, this story doesn't have an ending yet. He's still here with us for the time being until we decide where to go from here. We're certainly not taking him to the pound... That was never an option. But the idea of never seeing him again just breaks my heart. 

Pray for Solo Pup, please.