In need of inspiration

I have been feeling a little lost lately, not just with my weight loss but life in general. It is for this reason that my weight loss has not been progressing.
So far this month I have been working out on my elliptical and doing housework and chores on the weekends and walking a greater distance to and from class on Tuesday nights. Other than that I haven't been doing anything special and the results (or rather lack thereof) are proof.
If I have done anything right lately (other than the weekend exercise) it has been food during the sunlit hours of the day. I am able to eat my premade lunch (reasonable portions of chinese 'fried' rice I made about two weeks ago and froze) and drink my water, but then by the time the sun goes down and I am sitting at home I am not as good. I am not terrible, the extra things that are going in my mouth are being counteracted by the weekend workouts, but it means I maintain instead of lose.

Chris comes this weekend and I am hoping that she and her super awesome weight loss inspires me to kick my butt into gear...otherwise I don't know what will.

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Despite my efforts…

Despite my efforts, this past month was not a good one for me. I tried to get back to Curves, and though I did not completely fail at that, I did not achieve my very low goals. I was, however, able to burn at least 1000 calories each weekend on the elliptical and then do a great deal of walking or housework as well. I intend on keeping this last part up throughout this month as it was actually pretty easy (well in relation to how hard it was to do anything else this past month). I also felt really great after doing it and often rewarded myself with a nap while watching the boys play video games.

In terms of food, I was able to make healthy meals to eat during the day, but then the evening would come and I would end up eating one thing almost each night that I really shouldn’t have. I have realized this and am trying my best to entertain myself with something else so that I will not eat, though it is quite hard.

This month is going to be about getting back on track – or rather getting more on track than where I am now. I need to figure out what I need to do to reward myself that doesn’t cost money or have calories. I really don’t know what that will be just yet --- if you have any ideas, let me know.

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Sunday Reflections: October

As previously mentioned, most of this month was a controlled break for me. I maintained my weight loss and more or less enjoyed myself. I did however, take a great deal of extra walks and went to the gym as much as I could.
November is looking ridiculously busy for me, so I am hoping I will be able to implement more of the Curves food plan and gym attendance recommendations, but realistically I won’t be able to give it 110% that I would like as I just won’t have the energy. But I am already making meals to keep in the freezer for those really busy nights and workdays, so perhaps I will be able to do better than I am anticipating.

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Semi-Break

I decided a little while ago, that I needed a semi-break. I didn't count calories, or points or eat according to any plan but didn't eat unhealthy either. I wasn't diligent about going to the gym x times a week but did go when it fit into my schedule nicely. I do however, walk like 50 miles from the parking lot to my class every Tuesday night (seriously, the free parking is really far from my class), but I don't think that really counts as regular exercise since it is only once a week.
Anyway, I don't quite remember what I weight last time I posted (about a month ago) but I think I have pretty much just maintained at 10lbs lost. Every now and then I step on the scale and it gives me a delightfully lower number, but it isn't consistent enough to count it as a loss just yet - almost though.
I am trying to figure out when to go back on the Curves plan (full-time) as it was working out better than other plans have for me, but I haven't landed on an actual date just yet. Winter is just about here, and for whatever reason I tend to do better that time of year rather than any other (as previously mentioned).

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Balsamic Vinaigrette and Cucumbers

This is a new snack I discovered (for myself, obviously it has been out there for quite some time) during a trip to The Works (shhh...don't tell my diet I went to The Works it doesn't know yet). A little balsamic vinaigrette dressing and several slices of cucumbers (sliced on an angle to make it fancy-like) make for a delicious morning or afternoon snack. Most 'counting' diets consider cucumbers to be free food (for example, Weight Watchers and the Curves diet) so all you need to account for is about 1 tablespoon of dressing. The Kraft Calorie-Wise version has 25 calories and 2 grams of fat in 1 tablespoon and I even had some leftover when I was done. Delicious.

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Finally!

10 pounds lost! It took for freaking ever due to my slip-ups and laziness but I finally achieved it.

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Where did August go?

So August is coming to an end and seriously it feels like it just got here! In terms of my weight loss, it was starting to fluctuate a bit closer to the high end so I had to get a hold of that. I managed to catch it and am now even closer to 10 lbs lost than I was before. My Curves attendance has not been great (only about twice a week instead of three times) but it has been better than it was in the weeks prior to my last post and with baseball ending soon (the work team I have been playing on) I will be able to find the energy again to go three+ times a week. Dave and I have gone on a few weekend photo walks but we are still pretty sluggish on the weekends which is something I would like to change at least a little bit before winter sets in (yes it is August and I am thinking of the winter months).
On that note, I do tend to do better with my weight loss during the Fall and Winter. I think it is because I enjoy colder temperatures over warmer ones so I am more likely to go for photo walks during the Fall. In the winter, I tend to start planning for the summer months when I know I will be wearing tighter clothes. I get a jolt of inspiration and motivation and tend to kick it into high gear with my elliptical and workout shows. I foresee the same thing happening this winter (hopefully). I am going to be setting some Fall goals shortly once I get a chance to sit down with my spreadsheet.

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July Recap

So July appears to have been a stalemate. I lost a few pounds throughout the month but haven't made any big leaps towards my goals. I am still just a little bit off from 10 lbs lost.
My food was pretty good this past month though I did have a few treats here and there. My exercise started out really well but unfortunately incredibly high workloads and stress levels made me miss almost two weeks of Curves. Not only is that disappointing, but it is also a little sad as I actually enjoy Curves for the most part (as previously mentioned).
My goals for the Fall are not really achievable anymore (I wanted to get back into regular size jeans before I started having to wear them again) but I am still going to work really hard in August to get as close to them as possible. Unfortunately this means another shopping trip at a larger size - hopefully I can find a few items that won't break the bank.

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Almost…

Just a little update today ---
I am currently 0.8lbs away from 10lbs lost.
I need to weigh-in again at Curves so I will find out how many inches I have lost in a little bit.
I am pretty happy with my progress so far especially when you consider that I am pretty happy with the tastiness of the food I have been eating.

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Another one Bites the Dust

Unfortunately the last two weeks have been slow-going for me. Work has been so ridiculous that I have not been able to get to the gym at all. Not only does this mean that my weight loss has slowed down, but it makes me a little sad. I was actually enjoying going, at least I enjoyed how I felt afterwards and considering how quick it was I didn’t mind the  actual workout. I will be going back to the gym this week though and hopefully there aren’t too many comments from the Curves ladies.
All of that being said, I am down one more pound. I have lost about 7.5lbs so far which is pretty darn good for me especially when you consider how many special occasions there have been. They are always extra hard for me and I am pretty happy with how I am not giving into them all.

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Eek

So this weekend was a particularly hard one for me and the diet. I did as well as I could but did partake in some off diet eating:

• On Friday we went to Toronto where I behaved all day long (and did a ton of walking) but then had two cookies for dessert.
• On Saturday we spent the day in Peterborough and I did a bit of walking around, not too much though, and had a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie. To make matters worse it wasn't even good.
• On Sunday I decided I needed an afternoon off. I had been struggling all weekend and I determined it was because I needed some kind of reward. We were at a family picnic in Guelph so I had some chips. I managed to get a fair bit of protein in though as we had turkey breast sandwiches for lunch (or at least I did) and tuna/egg salad sandwich (open-faced for me) for dinner.

Because of the above indulgences, the scale is not happy with me this week. I am back on track today and will be going to the gym tonight and playing baseball a couple times this week as well. I have hopes that the scale will be more pleasant with me later in the week.

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Worked up the Nerve

I finally worked up the nerve to get weighed and measured at Curves. According to them, I lost 5.5 pounds and about 6 inches overall. I plan on using the weight I got from my home scale which was 6.5 lbs lost, but as I don’t regularly or properly measure myself anymore, I will take their inches lost measurement.
I am pretty pleased with the results especially since I really hadn’t been doing anything (with the obvious exception of the Curves workouts and the first week of the Curves diet). I am hoping things will move a little faster than they had been now that I am on the Curves diet (I am currently on Phase 2). I am even more pleased with the inches lost as I seem to have gained two in my chest and lost 8 everywhere else. Don’t know how that happened but I am definitely not going to complain.
Phase 2 of the diet is going well. It is taking me a little while to get used to the calories here as it is not a calorie range I have really done before. I have had one day where I ate too little, one where I ate too much and one where I pretty much hit the target zone spot on. It will take a few more days to get used to it and this weekend away from home is going to be difficult, but I am getting used to not having treats when others do and the sense of achievement afterwards feels pretty good.

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June Update

Apparently I have fallen back into the habit of posting here once a month. As things are starting to go better for my weight loss I will try to change that in July. But for now, here is my June update.
I officially started the Curves weight loss and management plan on the 21st. I am now on Phase 2 of the diet and am feeling pretty good. I stepped on the scale this morning and found that I lost about 6.5lbs last week alone. I know most of this is water weight, but that is the point of Phase 1 of the diet.
I didn't have many problems with the diet last week though I did have to use my willpower a few times:
1. We went out for dinner on Thursday and rather than having delicious greasy pizza, I ate dinner beforehand and then just had a garden salad (with dressing I brought from home). It was hard, but I did it and was really proud of myself.
2. When the earthquake hit last week, all the staff were sitting outside. The VP of the company came by with some candy and offered me some. I took a Reese peanut butter cup and held it until Dave had finished his candy and then gave it to him (that was the intention from the beginning). It was very hard not to eat it as I love those things.
3. All week long, our friend Justin was at our place. I cooked dinner for Dave and I and occasionally him as well. Both of the boys would eat a second helping of dinner, or a treat afterwards. I had to resist the temptation to follow suit.
All that being said, I did treat myself to a third of a piece of chocolate cheesecake on Saturday when I was out with my mom and sister-in-law. It was delicious and I think it was very well deserved.
I am really happy with Phase 1 of the Curves Diet and am ready for Phase 2. Hopefully it goes as well.

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One Month

One month has passed since I started going to Curves. Though I did not go three times  a week every week, I did do very well. I have no specifics, but am told that I look like I have lost weight. My scale at home does not agree with this though. I will be getting my measurements taken again at Curves, as soon as I work up the guts to ask for it, and we will see what the results are. I don’t think I have lost either pounds or inches as I did not do that well for food this past month – or rather, I did not do as well as I should have for food this past month.

Also, since it has been one month and I am still doing well with Curves, I have decided to add in another phase. Dave and I will be walking on my non-Curves days. It will either be done after work but before dinner or during our lunch sometime. The latter was an idea by Dave as some co-workers do this and also because it would help keep us awake in the afternoon as we both tend to drift a bit after lunch. I have also decided to put the ab workouts back into the regime, probably also on my non-Curves days.

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Warmer

It is getting warmer outside which means my summer clothes are coming out of the closet. I bought new capris for our trip to Florida so I have started wearing them and I also pulled out all my pretty skirts from previous summers. Unfortunately, only some of them fit. A few of them are just a bit too tight to wear comfortably. I am hoping though, that by the time I need to wear jeans on a regular basis again, I will be smaller as the ones I have need to be replaced as they are really worn and I would prefer not to by another set of large jeans.

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Curves: Points and Residuals

So I started using Curves Smart last week and have really been loving the charts and spreadsheets. For the most part, I understand what pops up on the screen after my workout, but did have a few questions for the ladies at Curves and posed them during my last visit. I thought I would share this information with all of you.

Points: When you first get your workout information, you get a tally of your points. This is actually your Performance Index (PI). It shows you the ones for that workout and cumulative to date depending on what box you selected earlier (my last 10 workouts or my most recent workout).

Residuals: Residuals occur when you do not reach your target PI. Each machine is broken down for you. The cylinders are the performance index for that machine and the dot shows you your target. If the cylinder is below the target you will have residuals in the far right red column. The lower the residuals, the better.

Hopefully that makes sense to everyone - I get it but sometimes I am not the greatest at explaining myself in words - particularly written words.

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Curves: Smart Phase

On Friday I got set up for the Curves Smart program. In case you don’t know about it, essentially you get a little tag that you put into the machines as you workout. Once it is set up, it will determine how hard you should be working at each machine. If you are at that level it will go green, above it and it will flash green. The goal is to be green or flashing green the entire time you are working out so you know you are doing an optimal workout. It also tells you when you are done so you no longer listen to the wonderful lady on the speakers telling you to move to the next station. Getting set up was pretty easy. I just went around to all the machines and did a little workout on each.
I didn’t do a full Curves Smart workout on Friday as I would have had to go around twice more and by the time the tag was set up, I was almost done my workout completely. I will however, be using it on Monday and am really looking forward to it. Not only knowing that I am doing enough in terms of working out, but also the graphs and spreadsheets it can provide me with.
You see, all of your data (weight and measurements) goes into a program and when you are done working out, you can pop it into the computer and see how you are doing. It will let you know if you worked out enough or if you had residuals and show you your weight loss progress. Instant gratification. We all know how much I love spreadsheets so this will be a really good motivator for me. I currently don’t know if there is a way for me to get access to this information when I am away from the Curves gym, but that will be something I am going to have to look into – though it really isn’t a big deal if it’s not an option.

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Curves: Ad Phase?

Apparently all these posts about Curves has led to all of my AdSense ads being about Curves as well. I am pretty sure they are offering one week free which I would suggest to anyone who is thinking about joining. (This is not a plea to get you to click the ad(s) but rather to try Curves out for yourself and see if it is what you have been searching for as well).

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Another Change

So I never really liked the template I picked for this blog. I really like the template for Great Abyss and love the one for Stephanie Beach Photography, but this one never really appealed to me. So I have changed it again.

I think this one is much more uplifting and hopeful – which is what this blog is supposed to be for me (alongside motivating).

I have also finally gotten around to designing the header - apparently all I needed was a blog template I really liked - let me know what you think.

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A Day Short

This marks the end of my second week attending Curves – it also marks the first week in which I didn’t go three times. I know what you are thinking – that I am already starting to slack off, etc. But really, it only makes logistical sense for me to go to Curves when I am heading home from work, as it is along the way. And I did go for a two hours walk around the tulip festival in lieu of Curves on Friday so it isn’t as if I sat on my butt all day.
Like I said before, I am really enjoying Curves, as much as I can enjoy exercise, and to be honest I haven’t noticed the loss in time (I arrive home nearly an hour later than I normally would). I have however, noticed the scale. Since starting at Curves I have already lost 3 pounds. It is likely all water weight, etc but it is still a loss on the scale and that makes me happy – it is also the reward I need to keep myself motivated.
That being said, this past week hasn’t been the best for food as Dave and I essentially had no food in the house. We worked a ridiculous amount of hours last weekEND and as a result never went to get groceries. I have rectified that and we are now eating properly again.

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Curves: Workout Phase

I went for my first workout on Wednesday of last week and loved it (as much as I can love exercise that is). When I was going around the circuit with the trainer, she told me that I would do well there. She also stated something along the lines of, ‘You were a very good student weren’t you?’. I believe it had something to do with the fact that during the second lap of the circuit when I was doing things on my own, she didn’t have to correct me on my form on the machines. Whatever it was referring to, I really enjoyed that workout. It also happened to be on one of the busiest days of the week and there were still only 5 women on the circuit at any given time. I finished up in just over 30 minutes and went home very pleased with myself.
I have since gone twice more (on Thursday and Friday after work) and completed my 30 minutes without having to force myself too much.
I am not sore after the workouts, though I am tired. I am looking forward to doing things three times a week with actual breaks between the days I workout, as three days in a row was a bit much for my body.
It has only been a week (a week’s worth of Curves workouts at least), so who knows what is going to happen down the line, but I have a pretty good feeling that this place is what I have been looking for the past few years in terms of exercise. Let’s hope I am right.

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Curves: Signup Phase

I made an appointment to fill out the paperwork for Curves. Well, I actually did that yesterday and today I went to said appointment. There was a deal where you can get 30 days for $30. I figured once the initial 30 days were over, I would then sign up for the regular membership. However, the lady registering me told me that if I signed up today as a member she would wave the up to $200 (it goes down to $100 at some points during the year) registration fee. Since I was planning on signing up anyway, I took the deal. So I am now a member of Curves.
I filled out more paperwork and then got weighed and measured which wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. And as an added bonus, I didn’t weigh as much as I thought I would (since I had jeans and other normal clothes on, I thought it would be much higher than what I see on the scale in the morning). During all of this I watched the other ladies go around the circuit.
There were women there of all ages and fitness level but they all seemed to be really into it. The music was playing and every few minutes the automatic voice would come on and tell everyone to switch machines. There also weren’t a great deal of women there – well at least there weren’t today. Tuesdays and Thursdays are likely the slower days as Curves suggest you go three times a week which leads to the likely schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  I am looking forward to my first workout.
I had to make another appointment for tomorrow for my first workout as the trainer was booked up for the evening starting other new members. I must admit I was a little relieved as just signing up was a big step for me – though I was prepared to workout as I had all my clothes and other such gear with me.
I am really happy I signed up and though on paper it seems like a lot of money, I worked it out and it is really on $4.61 after tax each visit (assuming 3 visits a week). That isn’t that bad, but it is enough that I will feel like I am wasting money if I miss too many days during the month.

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Curves: Research Phase

My mom attended Curves when I was still in high school. She went for a month but learned that it wasn’t for her (predominantly due to her knees and her doctor’s insistence that she not use any machines that but stress on them – which is half of the machines at Curves). I thought about going with her during her month of attendance, but as I was in the middle of high school, things like Curves and Weight Watchers was not something you announced or really even did (sadly), so I never went.
Chris started going to the Curves by her bus stop a little while ago and has been really enjoying it (I can say this because she told me so). She hasn’t really lost any weight, but she feels that it has counteracted her lack of dieting (or eating well) and has given her more energy, which are both very good things. Lately I have realized that there is no way any plan I make is going to stick for very long – at least not long enough to get myself into shape. Working out at home just isn’t working. I can do little things, like sit-ups and other ab workouts before bed, but I can’t get myself to spend the better part of my weekend doing something I really dislike. It is for this reason, that I have decided to seriously look into Curves for myself.
Chris is going to look into whether or not she can get me a referral and some sort of signup deal, which would be awesome. But even if that isn’t possible, I am pretty sure I am going to start attending Curves after work. Dave and I have come up with a schedule of sorts. After work he would drop me off at the Curves nearby and then come get me when I was done. While he waited for me, he can go to the public library around the corner which conveniently has wireless internet. It is a really good plan and seeing as how the workout is minimum 3 days a week for 30 minutes, we would still get home at a decent time and be able to enjoy the rest of our night.
It does mean money spent on a monthly basis, but really it isn’t that bad. The way I see it, if I can pay monthly fees for online games like WoW I should be willing to pay monthly fees to improve my health and general well-being.

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Been a While

So it has obviously been a while since I posted here…mostly that has been because I have been slacking once again. March is a tough month for me, but it also one that clears things up for me. I turned 26 in March and it has become abundantly clear that the plans and goals I have made in the last few years have gotten nowhere and I need to do something about it. I have started doing sit-ups, crunches and leg lifts of various sorts before bed and am doing ‘gross-sweaty’ workouts on the weekends. I will be doing easy walks around the neighbourhood most evenings as well.
I have a wedding to attend in early July and I am hoping to be down a few pounds by then so I feel more comfortable in my dress – comfortable enough to take photos of Dave and myself? Who knows, but being comfortable at the wedding is my goal so here’s to doing something good for myself for a change.

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Slacking

My life has been pretty chaotic lately. It is March Madness at work right now which means I have little to no time to do anything fun at work. I am out of the office most days but still have a ton of office work to do. I is pretty exhausting. So much so that by the time I get home, I don’t even want to get on my computer, let alone work out. I haven’t been doing too badly with the food though. Dave and I bought healthy food and for the most part have been eating it. When we have eaten out, I have let my stomach (and my brain) control the portion size instead of my eyes and this has resulted in being comfortably full after lunch.

I don’t think I will be reaching my birthday goal this month, but I should still be able to hold onto the weight loss from Florida.
In other news, I have photographed a couple new meals I have made and am about to make posts for upcoming Tasty Tuesdays as that has also been lacking on this blog…sorry about that.

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February

This last month has been a challenging one for my weight loss. Work is really 'ramping' up with the end of the federal fiscal year coming up at the end of March and I am super stressed because of this. We did however, just get back from our vacation to Florida and though I wasn't expecting to, I lost weight. In fact, I lost 8 lbs during the trip (and a week afterwards as I had misplaced my scale). So I am officially at -11lbs which means, I only have two pounds until I reach my birthday goal of -13lbs. I am definitely heading in the right direction.
The dots exercise, though an excellent idea, fell by the waist-side in the last month and I am hoping we can get it going again, but have no huge hopes for anything solid in terms of exercise until partway into April when my workload becomes reasonable again. I also want to work on some Spring exercise ideas for when going outside for exercise becomes an option again - but I definitely have time to think about that one some more.
Dave and I bought some really good food this past week and have once again started making lunches to bring to work. Though we had been trying to get the best takeout food for lunch, it was still fastfood and not very good for us. We also got some new recipes while in Florida and I have already made one of them for dinner (Lazy Man Cabbage Rolls) which was a big hit. So the food is also heading in the right direction.
Overall, I am pretty pleased with myself and my progress in the last month, especially considering the excuses I could have used for not getting this far. Hopefully I will be able to keep this up for a while longer.

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Tasty Tuesday: Mr. Bow Jangles

Mr. Bow Jangles has been posted on this blog before, but it is so good that I have decided to repost it - this time with photos.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp each honey and lime juice
1 Tbsp each olive oil, Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 oz bow tie pasta uncooked
3 cups broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Whisk together soy sauce, honey, lime juice, olive oil, mustard, vinegar and garlic. Pour marinade over chicken cubes and let marinate for 30 minutes.Pour 1 cup boiling water over tomatoes and let soak for 5 minutes - drain, chop and set aside.
Chop broccoli into bite size pieces and cook in boiling water until tender. Prepare pasta according to package. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender.Transfer Chicken and marinade (and onions) to large non-stick skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl and serve.Notes: I tend to leave the tomatoes out since I don't really like them and it is still very yummy. I also only use 2 chicken breasts and add more broccoli. Make sure the marinade comes to a boil when you are cooking it and the chicken to ensure any bacteria are killed.

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Tasty Tuesday: Nanaimo Bars

I know, I know - it is another treat and not a healthy meal or alternative, but I did a great deal of unhealthy baking over the holidays for friends and family (and of course Dave and I) and I haven't had the time lately to photograph any of the regular meals I have been making. At least it is something really yummy.

Ingredients:

6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter, softened, divided

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Crumbs

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp. BIRD'S Custard Powder

3 Tbsp. milk

2 cups icing sugar

Directions:

Melt 2 chocolate squares as directed on package; pour into medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup butter; stir until melted. Blend in egg and vanilla. Stir in graham crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press onto bottom of 9-inch square pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Mix custard powder and milk with whisk in separate medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the remaining butter; beat until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition. Spread onto crust. Refrigerate 15 min.

Microwave remaining chocolate and butter in microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM 2 to 3 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over custard layer. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled before cutting into bars.

Tips: You may have noticed that in the above photos, the pan I used to make the nanaimo bars was lined with tinfoil. This made it far easier to cut the bars once they had chilled. Just pull out the tinfoil, peel it away from the sides of the bars, and cut away. I then placed them in a tupperware container and kept them in the fridge when not serving to guests.

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Mid-January Update

So it is nearing the middle of January and I have determined that I should update you on my progress.
Dots/Exercise
The dots program worked really well the first week but I have missed a few dots since Saturday and am now deciding if I need to make them up or if the slate is wiped clean at the beginning of each week. I know the pros and cons of each side and just need to make up my mind on the matter.
The exercise while doing the dots was quite easy. I worked out on the Wii most days, but did do some time on the elliptical machine. On weekends, I ensured my workouts were sweaty and required me to shower afterwards, while weekday workouts were much more lenient in the intensity department.
Weight
I have lost a little bit of weight, but need to determine a new starting base as I think I creeped above the previous one :( I believe I am now at -3 lbs from the new zero, which was higher than the old zero. I know that it is impossible for me to lose weight without calorie/fat decreases AND exercise - so I really need to work on getting both going simultaneously instead of these one at a time things I was doing last week.
Blog Feature
I forgot to post the most recent Tasty Tuesday and for that I apologize - I have a few recipes stored up on my computer and just need to get them posted here. I thought I had one scheduled for the latest feature but apparently I was wrong. It is almost time for the next one anyway, so I will make sure that one gets up for you guys.
Personal Challenges
My personal Florida Challenge turned out to be a total bust and I am only a few pounds lighter than I was when I started. Unfortunately, I was once again side-railed by an over abundance of work and a complete lack of self-motivation and will power. I need to determine a new goal to work towards, something that will help me reach my long term goal(s). As I can't think of much else before it, my birthday seems to be a good marker. As it is nearly two months away, I think 10lbs should me manageable for me. So there it is - 2010 Birthday Goal, -13lbs total.
Florida
Dave and I are going on vacation shortly and I need to set some guidelines for myself. Since we will be staying with his healthy-eating parents, I am not too concerned about my food intake while we are staying there. I am also certain that there will be long walks around their town and the many beaches therein - if not to get in culture and the beauty of the area, then to take photos of everything. It is Disney that I am worried about. Though the park is big and one would think there would be lots of walking involved, it is easy to sit on trolleys and stand in lines all day. And of course, it is ridiculously easy to eat your weight in treats everyday. I am not going to restrict the treats I want, but when it comes to meals - the healthier the yummier. Like I said, they are guidelines, not rules, as I am on vacation and need to relax and be happy as when I get back to work it is crazy workload time again.

I think that is pretty much everything I needed to update. We all know I am really good at making plans and goals and figuring out what I need to do to reach them - but like a lot of people in my situation, I am really bad at implementing them. I have moments and days that are truly wonderful, but most of the time I just don't do it and that is why I am still where I am. Now, if only admitting your faults meant that they would be fixed...

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Dots

No, not the candy - though I do love those things. This is my and Dave's new exercise method - dots. Basically we put up one of those large calendars in our kitchen and put dots on the days I plan on working out. One dot represents 15 minutes of exercise and can be crossed off once that exercise is done. For now, I have four dots on Saturdays and Sundays and one on every weekday. As the dots can be crossed off at any time (meaning, if I do five dots on Sunday, I can cross off the normal four for that day plus an additional one from Monday), I don't mind them being present every day.
So far the system has worked quite well. I enjoy crossing off the dots where they can be seen by everyone (accountability) and have felt really good about myself afterwards. Last night I was able to complete two dots with a fair bit of ease so I think we will be increasing the weekday dots to 2 pretty shortly - but we will see how this first test week goes before making that decision.
I am also considering having different coloured (or sized) dots for more intense workouts (on weekends perhaps) but again, that will come after I get used to this system - don't want to make it too hard from the get go.
The calendar was Dave's idea as he was having problems understanding when I wanted to take time off and when I wanted him to help me get stuff done. This way, I can mark on the calendar when I plan on taking days off (for my sanity) and Dave will know what is going on. He is very supportive and wants to help me, but can't do that if I don't tell him how. Dave is also working out with the dot system, though he doesn't have predetermined dots on the calendar yet. For right now, he is completing dots when I do.

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