Look what Mike bought me! I think I earned it. I wanted an mp3 player for the 32 hr drive to and from New Hampshire next month. It should be here on Monday!

Promotion!

I didn't post about this originally, because I didn't want to share my stress with my readers and I didn't want to have to post about rejection if it happened, but... I applied for a "pro" position at work a month ago. I interviewed two and a half weeks ago and have been extremely stressed out ever since then. I had interviewed for the position in the past and been rejected, so I was very nervous. I knew that if I didn't get it, it would mean a rough couple months (at the very least) ahead, because I have been getting burned out on my job and just wouldn't handle the rejection well because I would only have myself to blame. I had a good feeling after the interview, but was worried because I WAS nervous and was scared that they could tell. But I also felt good after the interview when I was rejected, so I didn't put much stock in my own reflections! But to make a story that is already too long short, I was offered the promotion yesterday and jumped on it. It will be a 15% raise, which is awesome, and it is a position that will be a much, much better opportunity for advancement in the future. I also think that I will be happier with the change. I am not sure when I will get to start, because there are a few issues with covering the queues I answer. (The entire call center is trained to answer certain queues, but then there are other queues where additional training is required... I am trained on additional queues, so they will need to train other agents before they can afford to lose me during those time slots.) There is also my vacation coming up in July and I begged them to work around it so that I don't have to worry about it.

So, that's where I am today. It's my day off and I can actually completely relax. I have some errands to run. Last Friday I took Mike's guitar to a shop in Statesville to get it fixed for his birthday, and today I am going to go pick it up. I also have a great coupon for Kohl's and Mike got a gift card for Christmas that he never used, so I am going to go stop by there and find some clothes for him. I may also look at bathing suits. I also was hoping to go to Winston-Salem tonight and go to Target and Ed McKay's, the awesome used book store. I also have plans to lift weights at Brian's, but I am going to ask if he would like to go to Winston with me instead. If he says no, though, I am going to honor my obligation to work out! (If he said yes, just FYI, I am still planning on getting a private workout in today!)

How is everyone else doing on this Friday?

The List...

I had a very good day today. Nothing happened, nothing special, but I just felt "on" all day. You know what? Today was the first day following "the list". I woke up at 6am and when I left for work at 8:15 I had accomplished everything that I wanted to. I came home from work and made dinner and did some time on the Wii Fit while my friend Brian chatted with me. He is injured and couldn't join me, but wanted to get into a routine. It took until now to get my list completed, but I know I will sleep well knowing that everything is done. And no, I don't feel stressed out. I feel just right. For once!

Healthy chili, yum!

Wow this was good. This was a what-i-have-in-the-pantry version of Cook Yourself Thin's turkey chili.
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http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/cook-yourself-thin/recipes/turkey-chili-crunch

I skipped the cilatro, scallions, and the chipotle pepper. I also skipped the tortilla chips, because it didn't need any garnish. Instead I threw in some hot pepper flakes and used green onions on top.

This was pretty easy to make. I am shocked how good the yogurt was instead of sour cream!

Try this! It was only 355 calories WITH the tortilla chips.

Baby steps to a healthier, happier, (and prettier) life.

There are things that should be a part of my routine... but aren't. I am embarrassed enough to say that even basic things get skipped over. So, I have decided to keep a check-list to check off before I go to work in the morning, and before I go to bed at night. I think that I will be happier if I do them, even if at the time I would rather stay in bed or watch television.

Here is my list. Amendments will be made, I am sure.

Morning:
coffee and a real breakfast
empty the dishwasher
use the wii fit even if just to check in
shower
blow-dry hair
make-up
firming lotion on top half of body
gradual tanner on legs
load car with things "to go" (recylcing, donations, etc.)
make lunch

Evening:
get one thing out of the car that doesn't belong or one bag of trash
check water intake for the day
charge ipod
"30 minute shred"
check laundry/no wet clothes
vitamins/meds/fiber
wash face
brush teeth
put on acne lotion
quick teeth whitening
lotion up feet/put on socks
update blog
kitchen - cleaner than when woke up
bathroom - cleaner than when woke up
bedroom - cleaner than when woke up
water plants
run the dishwasher

I will be making quick updates to say if I had any short-comings.

I started halfway through the day today, but what I could do was achieved EXCEPT the water intake. I only had 3 bottled waters today instead of 4. I didn't want to pee all night so I decided to skip it.

Goodnight, internets. It is way past my bedtime.

Yucky veins

Anybody know how to minimize the look of veins? I started a gradual self-tanner tonight. I swear I get new gross spots every day.
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Tonight's episode of Cook Yourself Thin is absolutely awesome and I just CANNOT WAIT to start cooking. I may make some of these recipes tomorrow night!

Feet

I was just reading another diet blog, where they posted about feet that grew during a pregnancy. It reminded me that I meant to blog about this before.

I have lost at least a shoe size. Luckily, my sneakers, peep-toes, and flats all still fit just fine... but my sandals and flip-flops were all a loss when I brought them out of storage. Probably because those are shoes with straps that can be stretched out.

Anyway, the new shoes that I have bought for this summer are all 9s or 9 1/2s. The ones I got rid of were all 9 1/2s, 10s, and 10 1/2s.

Also, when I was a teenager I remember having a vein on my foot that popped out and wiggled around and was a little "cringe-worthy" that I poked at a lot. It dissapeared one day. It never occurred to me that it was still there, covered in fat. I noticed yesterday that "creepy vein" is back, and have resumed giving it a shuddering poke every few hours. :P

My mother says that weight makes your feet spread out, rather than just feet getting "fat". I'd love to hear if anyone else has had any experiences, and if I should expect my feet to shrink anymore. I bought four pairs of sandals for the summer, and hope they last more than just a year. Then again, the smaller my feet get, the easier it will be to find cute shoes in the future.

The Sunday Night Diet Update!!

Weigh-in = 262.2
DOWN 2.2 pound since last week!!
Down 69.8 since I started my weight-loss journey. I really thought that today I would get to say 70! Boo!

Here is my big news: My BMI is now down to 39.87. You know what that means? I am now obese, rather than severely/morbidly obese. To those of you that have never been "morbidly obese", this probably doesn't sound like much - but those of you like me who have been SO overweight for SO long, please join me in a self-indulgent fist pump!

Last week I stated: "This week I seem to have lost an inch from my waist and an inch-plus from my hips. I refuse to celebrate that until I get the same measurements a second week!" -- I got those measurements a second week! I also seem to be going down in some other places, but up in my forearms (which may be from the handweights that I have been using while I watch TV this week).

I am ON TRACK for my new goal of reaching 255lbs by 7/19.


GOALS FROM LAST WEEK:
#1 Water and vitamins. -- Achieved!
#2 Keep up with my calorie goal, allowing for a "spike" day every three days. Try to follow spike days with a lower-calorie day. No spike days if there was a cheat within the day or two before. This is to keep my metabolism guessing. -- Achieved!
#3 Use the Wii Fit at least twice. -- Unachieved :(

GOALS FOR THIS WEEK:
#1 Lower regular calorie days to 1799 (rather than 1814). This does NOT include spike days.
#2 Make my spike days higher-calorie and/or fat or just a higher volume of food but DO NOT BE A PIG.
#3 Work Out. Honor your 30 Day Shred obligation when the DVD arrives (tomorrow?).

OKAY EVERYONE, Now tell me about your achievements for the week!

Mayo

Someone (I don't remember who - maybe even one of you!) recently told me that I could buy mayonnaise made with olive oil instead of soybean oil. I found the "mayo with olive oil" at the grocery store and guess what - soybean oil is STILL the number one ingredient.

Does anyone know if there is a soy-free mayo that I can buy online? Now that I am doing small amounts of egg, I have been dying to chow on some mayo. (Not large amounts, don't you worry!)

I've been waiting for you!

I am so happy to see you, but I am not leaving the shade unless I see a treat!

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I love living in the country

My ride home looks like this. Does yours? :P
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Picked up weights!

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The Belly Attacks

After watching some YouTube clips of the workout video, I noticed that there were a lot of jumping jacks. I haven't done a jumping jack in years. I decided to clear some space and do a few jumping jacks, just to remind myself what it was like.

My stomach, which is very large and loose and flabby since I have lost four sizes off of it, immediately started flopping up and down. I was literally slapping myself with it. It made this horrible farting noise as it moved. Like the sound adolescent boys make with their hands in their armpits. Fwoot fwoot fwoot.

I am so mortified. Also, I cannot keep doing that. It hurt, it was uncomfortable.

I hope I can find some high-waisted spandex shorts in my size or something. A sports bra for my stomach.

Any suggestions?

From SparkPeople.com

4 Signs It's Time to Step Off the Scale
Does Weight Weigh Heavily on Your Mind?
-- By Jason Anderson, Certified Personal Trainer
It cannot talk yet it speaks to you. Some days it makes you giddy with delight. Other days it puts you into a deep depression. It judges you on a superficial level. The thought of it is enough to worry even the most optimistic person. What am I talking about? The notorious bathroom scale.

What is with this obsession we have with the scale? For most people, the scale can be an adversary or an ally, depending on the day. We often hate what it says or argue with it, but we still feel the desire to use it. When used properly and taken for what it is, it can actually be a very useful tool for weight management. But for many, the scale does more than measure the total weight of all your various parts. It somehow defines who you are as a person. And sadly, it can determine your own self-worth. We read way too much into this single-purposed tool.

Here are four signs that you might put too much weight on weighing in:

1. You constantly worry about weighing in.
When you're trying to lose weight, it's normal to experience some hesitation when it's time for your weekly weigh in. After all, you want to see the numbers go down as confirmation that all of your hard work has paid off. We all want to be rewarded for our efforts, and it can be discouraging when you have done everything right and things still don’t pan out. However, if you find yourself preoccupied with worrisome thoughts of what the scale is going to say tomorrow or the next day, then you might be a little too obsessed with the scale.

2. You weigh in more than once per day.
SparkPeople recommends weighing in once a week (or even less). Ever wonder why it's not a good idea to do it more often? Your body weight can and will fluctuate from day to day, and change throughout a single day, too. There is no sense in putting yourself on that roller coaster of ups and downs. In the war on weight, if you become so concerned that you weigh yourself daily or several times a day, you are fighting a losing battle and you will be discouraged. If you feel like you can't control yourself or stop yourself from weighing in each day, then you could be headed for trouble.

3. You can recite your weight to the nearest fraction at all times.
This is a sure sign that you are relying too heavily on the scale. Anyone who can tell you not only how much she weighs each day, but measures her weight loss to the nearest quarter of a pound is probably weighing in too often. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see a lower number on the scale, even if it's a quarter pound lower, but remember that weighing in is more about trends (an average decrease or consistency in weight over time).

4. The scale determines how you feel about yourself for the day.
When the number is down, you step off the scale singing and have a jump in your step all day. When the number goes up (or stays the same when you expected a loss), you feel like Charlie Brown walking around with a rain cloud above your head. To me, this is the saddest situation of all—to let the scale dictate how you should feel. How would you feel about yourself if you hadn't weighed in that day? What other ways would you determine your self-worth if weight didn't exist?

If one (or all) of these situations sound familiar to you, it's time to step away from the scale. Go cold turkey. Or at the very least, weigh in less often. But what's a "compulsive weigher" to do?

Instead letting the scale alone determine whether you're a success or failure, use more reliable measures to determine your progress. My philosophy is that weight loss is not a goal, but the result of healthy habits like a better diet and regular exercise. When you do step on the scale and don't see the reading you had hoped for, ask yourself these questions: Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Am I making healthy food choices most of the time? Am I exercising consistently? If you are, then rust that your body is making positive changes, and the results will come. If you are not, then resolve to be consistent in healthy behaviors to see the results you want.

Weighing yourself is definitely helpful and it has its place. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and give too much credence to this one measurement! After all, other measures (like how much energy you have, how much easier it is to climb a flight of stairs, or how well your clothes fit) might not be as precise or scientific, but they're sure to make you feel happier and more successful than a scale ever can.

30 Day Shred. Alternate Title: Scared To Death

One thing that I don't think I have ever posted here is about my DIET BUDDIES. I have three that I rely on: Jenny, Mer, and Marie. I email Jenny every day to "fess up" to what I have eaten and what I am proud of, etc. I chat with Mer throughout the course of the day and we talk about little other than positive lifestyle changes. Marie and I try to coach each other through trials and tribulations.

Well Mer (her journal) has decided she wants to start doing Jillian Michael's "30 Day Shred" (she's from The Biggest Loser). Mer is like me, though, and knows she won't stay on a program like that without a buddy/coach. She asked me if she bought me the DVD and sent it to me, would I do it? Would I absolutely positively swear that I would do it every day and we would hold each other accountable for it?

This sounded like too big an obligation for me.

I went on Amazon.com and read the reviews. It is almost all 5-stars. But it was the content of those reviews that terrified me:

--This is a really good workout. It's geared a little more to advanced exercisers, but the choreography is fairly basic and you will definately feel this the next day.

--It's been 2 and 1/2 hours since I finished and I'm still shaking and finding it hard to go up and down stairs.

I am sure that those reviewers are in better shape than I am, too!

And then I started thinking about what a pain in the butt it is to move the coffee table back and forth to make room to work out. I thought about how it would be hard and I don't like things that are hard.

THEN I thought about how absolutely stupid I was being. I can't work out because I don't want to move a table?? Have you ever heard something so ridiculous? So before I could think better, I agreed. Even if it is too hard, I can commit to watching it every night while swaying in place trying to find a spot where I can "hop in".

So... we'll see what happens! I will have to start including this in my Sunday Diet updates.

Bragging rights.

My stomach has definitely shrunk! Looking at these pictures I realize my arms have, too!
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Yay, new used grill!

Mike's parents gave us this grill over the weekend that they just replaced. 20+ years old and still grilled a damn good burger!
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Tommy-toes

My tomato plant is looking good! I wonder how much longer until there are actual edible fruits on it?
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Hummingbird Garden

I really hope I get flowers soon, since right now it just looks like I need to weed!
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