Resisting the tempations like crazy .. :)

I am really pleased with myself today. Why? Because it was late in the day with a stressful week coming to the end and my co-workers (Erma included) said "Hey do you want coldstone? We are making a run." I said "No thank you" She said "are you sure? You can get a small one?" I said "no thanks" and the persisting continued but I remained strong and tough and said "no, no throughout". It came back to the office, I didn't go out front where it was until I was ready to leave and just headed for the door. Why am I so pleased with myself? Because this is something VERY hard for me. I love sweets! They are my biggest weakness to anything. BUT I am learning that I have the willpower to say no. Is it hard? Heck ya. But is it worth it? Yes! I keep my goal peeled on my eyes so that I don't get so distracted.

Well that was my NSV for the day! Nothing else really going on here! :)

Have a great weekend!

The Devils Hand in the Cookie Jar ..

Today I went to Target with Erma. She wanted to get some stuff so I said "ok, I will go .." She goes through the candy isle and I can't believe it, it was a whirlwind in the aisle, going right, left hand over hand candy going in the basket! It was TERRIBLE! I told her "What are you doing? Are these gifts?" She said "Some but most aren't. I love Christmas time, it has the best candy. " I said"Until the next holiday." She kept asking me over and over "Do you want this and this and this?" I said "No thank you. I don't want to eat crap like that." The only thing I did have was a tootsie pop sucker this afternoon. It was peppermint :) She gave me a couple of candies and I said "I will have them later." I went back to the office and threw them in the garbage!

This was an acknowledgment: I resisted candy. Yes, I resisted peppermint bark, and everything!

I was thinking today that every month there is some kind of holiday or something that people that want to celebrate with either food or holiday this or that! No wonder American's are so fat. There is a bunch of junk and NO SELF control.

Thats my rant for the day!

Frustrated!

I am a little frustrated right now. Remember the co-worker I was telling you about that said that she was going to work out at lunch with me said something that perked my interest yesterday and I have been doing a lot of thinking and changing of my habits this week and I thought I might just be able to give us all something to think about.

My email: "Hey Em, Are you still going to the gym with me today? I hope that you are able to make it. I have missed working out with you while I was gone for Thanksgiving. Let me know darling."

Her response back: " i don't know yet... i told Kim I would take her to lunch yesterday so I'm probably going to do that instead. I want to work out but I have a TON of stuff to do before Christmas and I don't have a lot of time in the evenings to work on it with the kids so I'm going to be using a lot of my lunches to get stuff done! Working out though is necessary too...

My response: I know its hard but I am going to make sure that my workouts come first and foremost. I have to do it for ME. :)

Then a few minutes later: of course! You know I will work out with you. Just give me a little break through the holidays... Also, you're my bestest bud here so you're welcome to join me any time on the lunch hour... you know that! :O "

So why this had me thinking is that some of us tend to push off our workouts when they aren't convenient for us. I asked another gal that emails me that has been a HUGE inspiration to work out because she HATES exercise but she does it anyhow and she lost a ton of weight and looks awesome. I asked her "how do you motivate yourself to go to the gym when you hate exercise so much?"

Her reply to me was: "As you prob. know I work out in the a.m. I discovered if I don't do it then, then it just ain't gettin' done. that's just how it is....I learned that..so I drag my butt outta bed every day (5 or 6 days a week), and get it done before our 2 girls get up, before I go to work, etc.I just knew it was something I had to do...it wasn't optional....the same goes for now....it is not an option.....I may hate every single second of it, but I can deal w/ 45 - 60 minutes of hate in a day vs. hating the bigger sized clothes all day long that I would have to wear if I didn't get up & exercise...and of course eat right too.You know, I still have to give myself pep talks in the a.m. to get out of bed?Also one thing that has prob. helped me is that on the occasional occasion that I might sleep a little later than I should....I will still exercise for as long as I can. So I might can only do 15 minutes? that is OK occasionally. It is not all or nothing...You can do it girl!!!"


So where am I going with this long drawn out story and copying you all on these emails? I found for me that I have to do find time to exercise, maybe it will take away a little bit of time from my family but I do it. Why? Cause I have figured that if I spend 1hr a day of ME time that is 365 hours a year but I bet I will gain 10 years on my life by being in better shape, healthier, better role model, everything for my family and me. I know that right now people get wrapped up in the holidays and you only have so many days to get your presents for everyone and you want to make the best use of your time but try to find some time. Like Lori said "even if its 15 minutes" ...... Right now, we can take control of our life whether that be our eating, our exercise or whatever it is and make our life's better now or we can whine about it and not get anywhere. Where do you want to be? Me I want to take control and be the best I can be. One more thought for you all :) Think back to where you were 1 year ago. Have you made progress? Are you at the same weight? Are you doing the yo-yo effect in your life? If you are, then maybe it’s a good time to sit down, figure out why. Are you not buying out the time to get in your workouts? Are you cheating here and there and think it wont be bad cause it’s only a few extra calories and I will get arid of it later? Are you not preparing yourself for the temptations that are your weakness? I think all of this is good for each of us to think about. I am thinking about it myself and that is why I am sharing. I hope that everyone has a great day!

Snow make everyone go crazy ..

Tonight was prove that everyone can go absolutely crazy when it snows. I don't think that people should be allowed to drive in the snow. Here is my story ..

I got off work at 4pm, my husband told me that its snowing but not quite sticking to the ground. I go to the gym, deal with traffic, think well I grew up in Idaho so now worries about the snow. I am not too concerned, should I be?

Someone along the way SLAMS on his brakes and almost makes me slid into the back of them. A few miles up the road, all of the sudden traffic is stopped on this hill called "Top Hill". Why? Because some STUPID semi tried to make it up, made people stop, people couldn't get traction to get up the hill, then idiots were too impatient, try to go around, slid, hit other cars sitting there, traffic coming up and down, no one knowing what is going on. I called 911 to let them know because I think I could have gotten up the hill but I couldn't guarantee someone wasn't going to hit me or come down the other side. Too much of a blind spot. :(
We had an officer come from Beaverton and he was first nice and then a jerk. Telling all of us that we had to move our vechiles or they will be towed so the snowplow could get through. I asked "where, how?"But he didn't seem to care. I was so frustrated as well as 50 or more people were. So I sat there until it calmed down then I just went for it. The bottleneck, cleared up a bit and I was able to get up the hill and home.

I have decided that if they are going to be an idiot and not know how to drive or gain some patience then I think they shouldn't drive. I pray that tomorrow night will NOT be like that tonight! I know that there is more snow coming but I hope that it will snow so bad on Friday that I can stay home :)

That was my evening. Fun huh? On a better note about my day, I ate great, I went to the gym twice and I am feeling good! :)

Went to the Gym

Today I went to the gym at lunch. I have been trying to figure out how to get my workouts in with the schedule I have so here is what I have in my head:
Monday:
Lunch- 40 mins cardio
Afterwork- 40 min strength train
Tuesday:
Lunch- 40 mins cardio
Wednesday:
Lunch- 40 mins cardio
Afterwork- 40 min strength train
Thursday:
Lunch- 40 mins cardio
Friday:
Lunch- 40 mins cardio
Afterwork- 40 min strength train
Saturday/ Sunday: 40 mins cardio

Some may think that I am overdoing it but I dont think I am. Why? If I need a DOR, I will push my 110% before I do it. Why so the next day I will be ready to go back to the gym? You ask, do I like exercise? Actually I hate it!!! But why do I want to do it? Because I want to be STRONG, I want to be healthy. I need to push myself!

I am watching the biggest loser and I realize that I have the tools, I have the resources, I just need to do it. I look at the people who are doing the strength training and they ALL make ugly faces, they are all sweaty, they are all "working" hard! That is what I need to do. This is ONE reason that I am going to the gym at night so that I can WORK HARD, I CAN GIVE IT MY ALL AND GET ARID OF ALL THE MAKEUP AND PUSH MY MYSELF TO THE LIMIT! So will you be the biggest LOSER!!! I sure hope so!

Here is a recipe for everyone to try! ENJOY!

Banana Bread Pancakes
2 pouches - Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Weight Control, Banana Bread (or any type/flavor you like)
1/2 cup - Egg Beaters (or 2 eggs)
2/3 cup - Breakstone's Fat Free Cottage
Blend in blender and then cook in a non-stick skillet sprayed with Pam over medium-medium high heat. Makes 8 medium pancakes (about 6") Turn carefully because these pancakes are very tender. May need to cook longer than 'regular' pancakes.
Nutrition Information:

	Fat: 1.5g
	Carbohydrates: 17.7g
	Calories:126.2
	Protein: 10.7g

Something to train for ???

Okay so I have been down in the dumps about my weight, trying to fight my way back up to the top. I have been asking myself what can I do to help myself get into shape. Having goals? Having something I want to train for? What is it??So here is what I have come up with:
Bloomsday!!!! Its coming up on Sunday, May 4, 2008. Located at Spokane, WA. Only 7.46 miles. This race has memories for me as me and my sister use to go and do it. It was our "girl weekend" before! It was always so much fun. I am trying HARD to get her to go again this coming year. How fun would that be?
Its a little over a 10k race, I have never really thought about that before until today! But I am so excited and pumped about it. I am going to try to get my sister committed to the race, if not I am going to have my hubby train with me and get ready for it. :)

Portland Marathon!!! Okay! This one is a little crazier to join but yeah its in my local area and it gives me something REALLY to work toward! Details on this race: October 5, 2008 located in Portland, Oregon and is 26 miles. They have a part of the marathon to be 5 mile race. I honestly don't know which one I will want to do but I am going to start training right away and will join ONE of the parts of the race. :) I need to talk to one of my friends but I know that they wanted to do this one as well but I don't know if they wanted to do the 5 mile or the 26 mile. YIKES ... either way its going to be hard work but it will pay off!
I will be trying to find a way to "track" my success and my progress. Stay tuned! :) Anyone who wants to join me, let me know. I would love to have a buddy (hint, hint ...vince)!

39 weeks or 273 days??

So I have 39 weeks or if you want to talk in the day by day mode we have 273 days until our big camping trip! So for the least I should lose 39lbs, or maybe more. My ultimate goal is to lose 52-56lbs so I should be MUCH closer to my goal. I just need to stick with it!

I am hoping that I will be able to get some exercise in and I am not planning on making any more BIG meals for awhile. I need to curb my cooking except for some stirfrys and etc :)

Here is my plan:

Monday- "workout either at lunch or after work" for 1hr

Tuesday-"workout at lunch"

Wednesday-"workout either at lunch or after work" for 1hr

Thursday- "workout at lunch"

Friday-"workout either at lunch or after work" for 1hr

Saturday/ Sunday- try to just get some exercise during the day

As for eating, I'm thinking of "not" counting points but sticking to this:

Breakfast: Banana/ Protein Shake

Snack: fruit

Lunch: lean cuisine with some extra veggies or with salad

Snack: veggies/ dip or popcorn or fruit or something lite

Dinner: lean cuisine with some extra veggies or with salad (at least 3-4 times a week)

Snack: SF FF pudding or something like that :)

I hope that something like this will help me stick on track. :) :) I can't wait to see some changes! :)