Giving up on the blog.

So I get the impression that my blog isn't doing anything for anyone but me.  And not even then since it's been a while since I've been on here.  So bye.

Red

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178.6 boo boo

So I went to go grocery shopping and it's raining and before I leave, I decide to go collect the mail.  Not even 2 steps out of my garage and I slip and fall.   Right leg keeps going straight, left leg bends at the knee, scrapes the ground.  Right forearm, near the elbow, scrapes the ground.  I now have 2 ouchies.  Arm isn't anything, but I took off some serious skin on the knee.  Hubby thinks it was the acorns that fall from the tree.  I think it was a mixture of rain, moss on the ground & slick soled Crocs.  Been wearing them for a year now, not much tread on the bottom.  Managed to do all this in front of a neighbor, who didn't say anything when I arrived at the mailbox, so I can only assume they don't care, or didn't want to get wet in the rain, or didn't notice.  Hoping for the latter.  Hate to be embarrassed.

This boo boo on the knee didn't set me back from getting on the elliptical.  It did stop me from going to the track and walking 2 miles.  It stopped me from going into work this morning for some overtime.  I'll go in later tonight.  (It's currently 2 am.)  Earn me 6 hours.  I gotta work Saturday 6pm to 6am and then again on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  Probably do another 6 hours on Thursday night.  Use to getting 20 hours of overtime on my check, can't figure out how to do that now with this Sun-Tues gig.

Hubby isn't working so he's trying to follow me with only 2 hour naps here & there.  I sleep from 6am to 2pm.  Work days it's 8 or 9am to 3 or 4pm.  

Night shift is a different world, for the record.  Only 1 cashier at Walmart, and no self checkout (sucks).  And I found out they took the Price Check scanners out of the store.  Why would they do this?  I had to go stand in line just to ask for a price.  Bullshit.  Perhaps I should write a letter.  Would do email, but no one reads those.

My dogs are not liking this new night shift schedule.  They are very confused.  Poor babies.

Just as I suspected.  I'm losing weight again.  Whoo Hoo!  5lbs this week.  I don't expect that often but it's nice to see after being in a slump for so long.

Watched that movie, The Shape of Water.  Freaky movie, but entertaining.

Eat less, move more.

181.6 Night Shift

So tomorrow is my last day working 6am to 6pm.  18 years was a nice run.  Sunday I report in at 5:45 pm and will work until 6am Monday.  I haven't worked nights in almost 30 years.  Should be interesting.  Plan to wake up 3 or 4 pm daily and try to get 20 minutes of sunlight so I get some vitamin D.  Heard it's better to get it from sunlight than a supplement.

Weight wise, I should lose some since I'm not going to be eating when I normally do and have no plans to eat after 11 pm.  Was told to eat a light snack before bed to ensure I do not wake up hungray around noon.

This wasn't my choice to change shifts, my job needed experienced workers.  Hope it works out.  Hope I like it.  Hope I get enough sleep.

Mean while in the real world, decided to take my car to Tires Plus for an oil change & tire rotation.  I think they overfilled it.  Found a oil spot on my garage floor.  Husband is livid.

Eat less, move more.  I'm making this into a movement at work just by losing all that weight.  Go me!

183.6 sigh

Delicious looking, oui?  Because it is.  Chocolate filled croissant.  I had one today from Douceur De France, a local french bakery.  Some co-workers picked them up.  Pure luck getting invited to indulge, since I'm PMS'ing, I went for it.  So freaking yummy.  Don't even feel bad about eating it because I did lose 90 lbs and it is a rare treat. 

However, I've been letting my standards fall with the desserts.  I actually ate a pudding cup which is not to be eaten, ever, taste sub-par in my opinion.  Should have made myself a mousse or even a truffle filled with mousse.  But my motivation has been lacking lately.  Don't know why except that my hubby is still out of work and my free time is spent with him.   Earlier in the week I had to go to the doctor's about a sinus infection, followed with stopping by my parents house to drop something off and then a quick stop at the grocery store.  He wanted to go until I mentioned my parents house (my mother loves to point out other peoples flaws, no tact either) so he frowned and said never mind.

So I'm thinking this slump I'm in is because of the emotions that having him around brings.  When he was working I enjoyed having 8 to 12 hours by myself with just the dogs for company.  Got so much accomplished around the house.  Now I just play my facebook games and watch tv shows, at his beck and call.  I'm very independent and he's very co-dependent.  Still I'm exercising on the elliptical and going swimming but it's lackluster at best. 

I miss my alone time.  Which reminds me, really like that new show Castaway, I could totally do that.  Love survival shows where it's truly more survival, less game show.  Probably why I like Bear Grylls.

Did get some inner thigh exercise done this week.  Hubby and I cut down some tree limbs that were a possible risk to the roof if it ever ices over again (it will) and I dragged them from the front yard to the side yard.  2 days later and I didn't want to walk today.  Still got 10 minutes done on the elliptical and 12K in steps.  No pain, no gain right?  Pffft.

Eat less, move more... for tomorrow is another chance to start again on the right foot.  Fingers crossed.  I need a new fight song.  Any suggestions?  It was Pain by Imagine Dragons.

183.6 Maintance

It really does.  Just saying.

So I haven't lost any weight for the last month.  Basically taking advantage of the fact that I can eat what I want as long as I don't go over 2K in calories.  Been nice.  Using up crap food that I bought on whims.

But at the same time, my state has been in a rainfall for the last few days making it really hard to go swimming.  That sucks.  Not to mention, I can feel all my arthritis.  Ugh.

Haven't given up, still want to lose another 30 lbs, making my total weight loss at 120.  I'll get there, just not to worried anymore.

Eat less, move more.

183.4 Truth

Sad to say some folks will read this just because it has a image of some booty.  Ya'll need to get some depth into your life and realize there is more out there to the human condition besides looks.

Back to me...so I woke up today determined again.  Lost a pound, managed 12 hour fast before breakfast and feeling pretty good about myself.

One truth tho...my husband claims he has never cared about my weight or appearance and for the most part I think he actually believed that.  But now that I'd dropped 90 lbs and parts of me are firming up quite nicely, his praise belies his heart.  He constantly tells me how great I look and how happy he is that I'm so focused on my journey to health.  Calls me "skinny."  Hugs me and points out how he can wrap his arms all the way around me.  Even the sex is different since I can now be on top without squishing him.  He mentioned that as well.

My truth:  the more weight I lose, the less in love with him I become.  He appears to be shallow and that is not attractive to me.  Out of all my post, this is the one he would read simply because of the booty shot I've included.  He would have stopped reading after 'Back to me'.   

Everyday I'm getting stronger in mind and body and spirit.  I've stop praying to a God and turn for inspiration and assistance from the Universe.  Is the Universe a God?  Don't know but seems when I ask God for guidance, nothing happens.  I ask the Universe and it does.  Makes ya wonder.

Didn't mean to get so deep in this post, but it is what it is.  Want to go swimming with my husband but he decided he needed a nap at 10 am.  That man has got to get a job.  It's been 2 months and I need my personal time to get shit done around the house.  Can't make noise if someone is sleeping.

Sigh....eat less, move more.

183.6 Steady as she goes

So, I turned 48 last month and apparently I felt like I could take a bit of a break from being good with my diet.  I've gained 5 pounds.   Thought today I would do well, but then we had a early 4th buffet at work since we are off tomorrow.  A co-worker brought his wife's homemade oatmeal raisin cookies the size of a small dessert plates and I had 2 plus small portions of a bunch of carb related foods.  Why does no one ever bring veggies to these things?  It's all meat and starches.  Can't say much, I brought a Greek pasta salad because I needed to get rid of the pasta I can't have and I make a yummy salad.  Didn't eat any so I can only hope it was good.  Didn't stick around for the $1 container I brought it in.

Went to Savannah on vacation with my kid for 2 days.  Walked 20k steps in under 12 hours.  If case you've never been, Savannah, Georgia is a walking city.  Driving is insane due to tour trolleys, horse drawn carriages plus the locals.  We had fun for the most part, ate too much and rode the free shuttle the city offers whenever possible which wasn't often.  Walked River Street about 12 times.  Almost got attacked by hungry squirrels in Forsyth Park, we tossed a french fry and went to a more human populated area.  Here's a image of the moment. 

Tomorrow is a new day, hopefully I will maintain some self control.  One good thing, I've been swimming almost every day since the pool opened.

Eat less, move more.

178.6 another one bites the dust

Soon I'll be doing more of these, for now I'm working on swimming a full lap.  Tomorrow I'll be 48 years old, it's been a year since I started my Fit by 50 goal and I've lost 92 lbs.  Not too shabby if I do say so.

My hubby just weighed in at 177.  My current goal is to weigh less than him.  He looks great at 5'10" while I still look chubby at 5'2".  That's ok tho, I'm gonna blow past him and have a rocking bod by the time I turn 50. 

Main goal is this:  live a long life as independently as I can without medical assistance.  The idea of wearing diapers or going to dialysis or praying someone flips me so I don't get bed sores is a nightmare.  Got a friend who is probably in her mid 70's, she runs around like a little girl most days after she's had her coffee.  Proof that eating less and moving more and maybe being a vegetarian aides to a long life.

Now if I could just work on my inner spirit as well.  Self reflection is not something I engage in.

Eat less, move more.

179.6 Craving Chocolate

So I lost a few ounces, enough to finally see the 170's.  15 years since I've been in this weight area.  Yet my mind and hormones are trying to sabotage me.  Craving chocolate like a visitor to Willy Wonka's.  So thinking logically, like I do, it's PMS symptoms.  Doesn't change the fact that I wanna drown myself in some creamy milk chocolate right now.  Hopefully I make it to bed before I down me a Atkins chocolate milk shake.  So far the only thing keeping me from it is that it wasn't cold enough to consume.  I seriously need to rid my home of chocolate temptations.

Wish me luck.

Eat less, move more.

180.2 Fasting Fail-ish

So, a pound of fat was lost.  90 lbs in total so far. 

I did all my usual exercises, and I even noticed that after a 2 mile walk, I'm not hungry.  Nope, hunger kicked in around 3 pm.  I drank a Chobani Yogurt Smoothie.  10 grams of protein. Eating something seemed to kick off my hunger so then about 2 hours later I had a actual strawberry/blueberry smoothie with whole D milk.  Then I said 'fuck it' and ate 1/4 of a #13 Jersey Mikes Original Italian.  Still consumed less than 1000 calories for the day.  Goodbye 1 pound of fat.

So today I decided to see how long I could go without eating.  Turns out I'm quite the hangry person when I push 15 hours fasting and do a sweat drenching 2 mile walk 20 minutes after waking up and my husband asked me about his stupid sock laying on the end table in the living room.  One Honey Baked Classic Turkey sandwich later and I'm all good and back to normal.  Oh and a little sample of Rum Cake they offered at the Honey Baked store didn't hurt either.

For dinner I made a stew for lack of a better term.  It contained the following ingredients: quinoa, zucchini, eggplant, white onion, garlic, shredded rotisserie chicken, corn, tomatoes, okra, garbanzo beans, mushrooms, chicken bone broth and Chili's Bold Skillet Citrus Mango Sauce.  I was deep cleaning my kitchen today and found mango sauce in the pantry.  Hope I can find that again at the store, it was soooo yummy.  I now have about 8 more servings at 1 cup a serving left to eat.  I'll probably eat 2 cups at a time tho.

I also noticed that I really didn't snack today.  Did indulge in one piece of salted chocolate covered caramel, but that was more while I was in cleaning mode and happen to find it.  Thought they were all gone.  Ever notice the expiriation date on candy...it's forever.

Tomorrow, plan to avoid eating as long as possible.  Then eat healthy.  Maybe another salted caramel, but that's it.  I only have 2 left and lots of house cleaning to go and only 2 days left to clean before I'm back to work.   Gotta love spring cleaning in Georgia with this humidity.  Nope, we haven't turned on the A/C, it's still in the 80's here.  Yet at 11:22 pm, about 78 outside and my boobs are sweating even though I'm sitting here in my underwear.  Sigh.

Eat less, move more.

181.2 Fasting

So I've been stuck at 181 for a while now.  I've increased my exercise, dropped my daily calories to around 1200, yet I can't seem to get past this hurdle.  So, as of 10:30 pm, I'm going to be fasting for about 32 hours.  Just water, maybe a diet coke if my energy levels drop.  Still plan to get 16K in steps, walk 2 miles, do push ups, dips, squats and perhaps finally do some standing ab exercises since crunches and sit-ups are bad for the back.  Today I walked 6.84 miles or 17526 steps.

If I'm lucky, I'll get to watch LEGION tomorrow while the hubby is napping.  Plan to clean my bathrooms as well.  We'll see how it goes.  Wish me luck.

Eat less, move more.

181.6 determination

So I've lost 88 lbs so far, down to 181 and I realized I've lost the equivalent of another human.  There is a co-worker of mine who is 85 lbs, she's only 4'7", originally from the Philippines.  By the time I'm done, I will have lost the equivalent of your average 120 lb human.  Thought about losing until my BMI was no longer obese but then realized I won't look good being skeletal, my bones are wide and thick from carrying around this extra weight for so long, so gonna aim for what makes me look good instead.

So now I'm only about 25 lbs away from my new goal.  Once reached, I plan to switch my exercise routine from weight loss to muscle building and toning.  Another co-worker who is a former body builder was chatting with moi and I mentioned I hope to rid myself of this flap of skin & fat that I call my "pouch" around my waist.  He said it was possible.  So they weren't kidding, anything is possible.

Makes me wonder, maybe I will take up tai chi and study it so that once I retire in 2025 I can become a instructor to others.  Nice side income while waiting out for my SSI, should it still be around in 2032.

Focus & determination have made me get this far.  I feel like kid again when wanting something so bad that I would figuratively climb mountains to obtain it because of determination.

Eat less, move more.

185

On my weight loss journey I've hit this brick wall more often than I care for.  Got down to 185 last week, then back to 190 this morning.  Carbs are my enemy, but taste so good.

I'm learning that self control is something I possess but don't use often.  While I've got good with exercising, those damn carbs are trying to take control.  Hot & Spicy Cheez-its, bread, rolls, MUFFINS..how I love thee, but it's time to say goodbye for a while.

I can do this.  Plus my husband said that if I weigh less than him (he's currently 175) then I can demand he go walking with me cos he's fatter than me.  Challenge accepted.

Eat less, move more.

188.8 pounds

So, my monthly showed up and the sweet cravings kicked in and I had a coupon for $2.00 off some Chilly Cow and Publix had it on BOGO sale and I had a $2 cash back from Ibotta so I bought some.  Damn if it doesn't taste delicious.  So while I finally hit 188 lbs, I was back to 191 with a quickness. 

But I am walking 2 miles almost daily in addition to my elliptical & push ups and squats.  Hubby is loving the more confident person I have become, he claims I'm "so sexy."  I'm back to the weight I was in my 20's.  Goal this month, get down to 170.  Probably won't happen since I'm more of a 1 pound a week loser, but it would be nice.  Just wanna weigh less than my husband for once.

My daughter & Mother are having a yard sale soon, I'm so getting rid of all my 1x, 2x, 3x and 20, 22, 24 size clothing.  Hope I never get that fat again.

Eat less, move more and OWN IT!

189.8 & failure

So I was doing pretty good today.  Then my hubby pissed me off big time, but I'm not going into that.  Let's just say, he hung up on me while I at Kroger and it really, really made me mad.  So for dinner I had a Hersey's candy bar, Blue Bunny Mint Ice cream cone, Samosa cookies, chocolate milk, Crunchy Cheetos and some beef jerky.  Not too worried about the sugar & carbs, more concerned with my sodium content.  It was very HIGH.

I usually say I'm too blessed to be stressed, and normally getting mad makes me clean my house, but hubby was gone so I caught up my DVR.  Krypton, Young Sheldon, Westworld and Legion.  The longer he was away from home, the more I kept eating.  On the upside, there are 6 less things in my house that are bad for me to eat. 

Amazing how my day started off so good seeing that 189.8.  I thought 'finally, goodbye 190's'.  Guess tomorrow morning I'll be back at 192.  Did do 20 push-ups today, walked 2 miles and worked out on my elliptical for 40 minutes, not to mention a large number of squats, lost count after 25.  And I weed-eated the front yard.

Tomorrow, all plants day.  No meat, no pre-packaged anything.  Hello smoothie & roasted zucchini & potatoes.

Eat less, move more & don't give in to emotional eating.

190.2 office parties

So I was doing good.  Goal of the week to get to 189 lbs.  Then we had a birthday party on Monday and a retirement party yesterday.  So much cake, but I was good, small slivers of servings, dollop of ice cream.  Didn't go nuts, ya know.  I've been 191 all week and finally this morning, despite the delicious dinner I had of

it didn't affect me and I lost a pound.  Knew skipping the bread sticks was a smart move. 

In other news, my husband hasn't been working lately due to management issues at his job, so while he is home, he's been walking with me at the Mud Creek Soccer Complex.  Great place, they have a work out area that I hit up after my first mile.  We are up to 2 1/2 miles for our walks now.  

If you decide to take up walking, I might suggest one thing: stretch!  My left leg decided to develop a new muscle and it hurt for days, but I powered through and kept up the stretching and now I'm all good.  

Eat less, move more and you too can drop the pounds.  Ta-ta!

5 lbs of hell

I know it's fake, but that fat blob looks so gross.  So I got down to 192.5 about a week ago.  Feeling great, so proud of myself.  I'm still questioning why I lost my focus.  See I ate like a line backer and gained 5 lbs in 2 days.  So I try again, now I'm down to 193.4 as of this morning.  I doubt I'll be back to 192.5 for a few more days as I had Jersey Mikes Philly Cheese steak for dinner tonight with a few steak fries (100 calories for 8).  Really had been looking forward to the dinner.  It was so freaking good too.

I've got the week off again (and have had a week off from work every month so far this year.)  Got another one in May & June and then I'm done.  We collect vacation time at my job by the hour, so each bi-weekly paycheck I earn about 4 1/2 hours of vacation time.  I hover around 250 hours stockpiled at any given time.  I try not to go over that amount (250) because sometimes you can't get the day off or any day off in a given month.  Plus I have to put in my vacation time 4 months in advance.  The reason why my vacation time doesn't really go down it because I'm only having to claim 24 hours.  I work 12 hour shifts, 36 hours week one, 48 hours week 2.  Since I can never get a Sunday off, I only take my Wednesday & Thursday.  End up with 6 days off.  Perfect for a staycation, where I hope to accomplish lots of spring cleaning in and out of the house.

One cool thing, my husband hasn't been working 5 days anymore and when he's able, we go walking.  Up to 2 miles at this walking track at this soccer field park.  My husband is normal size for his height, but it's still cool that he'll go with me to keep me company.  Soon the HOA pool will be open in my neighborhood and I'll replace the miles with laps.

Now that I've bored you...I bid you adieu.

Eat less, move more.

195.6 This girl is on fire!

So this is my new mantra for whenever I don't feel like doing something.  Not the whole song, since I don't know the lyrics, but I can replay the chorus over and over and over for every step, squat, push-up, you get the picture.

195..wow.  That's 75 lbs GONE!  So now that I know I can lose weight, keep it off and proved to myself that I do have self control, I've decided to go for it.  My new goal..kick ass bod!  Yep.  Never had one before, so figured, why not.  At least this way, I can put off all those old age issues even longer.  Hubby is very excited.

For the record, I'm not doing this for attention.  Hate attention.  I'm doing this so that no one has to wipe my ass for me when I'm 80.  So I don't suffer dementia or lose my driving license.  Hate to be a burden on others.  That's the independent in me.  Probably why I don't have a partner in this.  Always going solo.

In other news, soon they will reopen this soccer park I pass on the way home from work, it has a walking track going around it.  I need to get some Imagine Dragons songs on my MP3 player (yes, I'm old school, no Ipod stuff for me.)  Love their song 'Whatever it takes'.  Good walking song.  Figure I'll change before I leave work and sweat out the toxins while getting my steps in.  My current goal is 14K steps a day.

Also, I cooked a corned beef brisket earlier in the week.  Many leftovers so I made this: cabbage-and-corned-beef-chowder.  317 calories a serving.  YUM!

Eat less, move more.