"I'm a pothole"

Geico has this commercial where a pothole talks. The first time I heard it I thought...oh great another hack southern accent. Then someone actually said I sound like that commercial and I thought they were crazytown!

Since then I have been interrupted once in the middle of a story and once at the end of a story by someone saying "I'm a pothole". Completely different group of people and different story same response.

So, I guess I have a hack southern accent!

I am embracing it and can now do the commercial in its entirety. In case you've missed it here is a link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjMUfIKktWU

PSHAW

I gained 7.5 lbs in the past two weeks.  I am forgiving myself, putting it behind me and starting anew.

I intentionally ate out of control. I had a little whycan'tieatwhatiwantandjustbefatandhappy pity party. It didn't end well. Honestly, I knew because of work I would not be attending my Weight Watchers meeting last week. Turned out that the meeting got canceled on account of the treacherous weather anywho. I was going to cut myself some slack and indulge a little. One day turned into two...turned into a week turned into two. what.ev.er (Sexy prefers pshaw and I happily indulge)

So here I am. Basically having undone all the weight I lost since the new year.

I am forgiving myself, putting it behind me and starting anew.


For Valentine's Day, Sexy got me the most beautiful roses. They were 100 garden spray roses. Red, orange, yellow, pink, hot pink, and white. They smell wonderful. I love them. He is a wonderful husband and father. I wish he truly knew that because I feel like he questions it sometimes. Though I certainly have my share of days where I don't' feel like I'm a particularly good wife or mother...mine are probably undeserved as well. I got him a trailer dolly. Yes sir, nothing says I love you with all my heart and soul like a trailer dolly.

I am forgiving myself, putting it behind me and starting anew.

I didn't walk on my two week vacation for living a healthier life. I'm back on track though and still planning on walking a 5K with Middle Sister in March.

I am forgiving myself, putting it behind me and starting anew.

I love the Olympics. I love watching it with my kids. K.D. Lang did an awesome job with "Hallelujah" in the opening ceremonies. Sexy hates watching figure skating. I love making him.
Speaking of music this song spoke to me today. It is by a Christian artists named Katy Kinard. You can listen to it on her website: 

http://www.katykinard.com/icws202w3/index.cfm?ID=6D889660-57BE-4A46-914B2AECC2D52772

here

i've never given up so much for you/ i've never been quick to obey/ but this time i knew the voice was you/ and so i gave all i gave/ i’ve heard it said that when you’re needed most, sometimes it seems that you’re not there/ so it’s been hard to love the choice i chose when it seemed to me you’d all but disappeared (ch) but now you’re here just like the sun after the rain/ and now you’re here just like the calm after the waves/ and i don’t mean to sound surprised that you’d be near/ but yesterday i wasn’t sure/ praise God You’re here. i’ve heard that even in the eaglets’ nest, the mother watches when they fall/ and they would never learn to spread their wings if she came right as they called/ ...and so i'm falling in the open sky/ and it's been hard to even breathe/ i've been waiting for a Father's love to carry me/ to carry me (br) and like the years before i met you, you were still there/ ...though it took so long to see you, you were still there/ and you're still here

I am forgiving myself, putting it behind me and starting anew.

10% GOAL...Yes, I DID!!!

I have lost 29 lbs. I achieved my 10% goal this week and I am over the moon! I had some slip ups but I felt like I was going to lose. I didn't know that I was going to lose enough to achieve this milestone.

I have always heard that support is the key and I have to say that I believe that to be true. The Weight Watchers meetings have been very helpful and full of support. At first I honestly thought the meetings were kind of stupid and wasn't sure they were helping although I felt the weekly weight in (read: accountability) was helping. Then I realized that many of the behaviors I was changing were inspired by comments from our lead or other members.

It has also been very helpful that I have a very good friend who is doing WW and she is the one who inspired me to start. We go to the same weekly meeting and walk there together. She has done a phenomenal job with the WW program. She has listened to me moan and bitch and has helped me through those weeks and months where I wasn't losing. She always takes time to help me try and figure out what is causing me to slip up and come up with a plan to not let it keep happening. She is the person who got me to do the detox which I think was a big break through for me in my relationship with food. She is very ambitious and goal oriented...me...not so much. Having her there to help me and check in with me has made a HUGE difference.

My friends, family and co-workers have also been very helpful. I come back from my lunch WW meeting and announce what I lost...or gained as the case may be. They are always there with encouraging words no matter what my announcement is. My family often checks in with me on Wednesday afternoons to see how I did. They too always say the right things...even when I am beating myself up over a loss.

The key difference so far is that I am not giving up. When I have a bad day...or even a bad meal...I start over. I don't dwell. I'm trying to learn not to beat myself up over it. I am persevering. It is marvelous. I am thankful.

I am going to post my bio from my fatsecret.com account bio below which will give you some information about my struggle with my weight. I use it to help me track my points and for support. If you wanna be my buddy just holler and I'll email you my fatsecret name.

I am 33, married and a bonus mom to two children under 10. I am an attorney who luckily works a regular shift. I have struggled with my weight for what seems like my entire life. I was always round. I thought I was fat. I look back now at pictures from elementary school and realize I never was fat. In 7th and 8th grade I was a normal size but all my friends were size 2's or 0's so I was certain I was fat. Then somewhere along the way I actually got fat. By the time I graduated from high school I wore a size 18. I have not achieved any substantial weight loss in my life. I usually give up after a week or two if I don't see the result I want.

This time is different. I am in this for life. I am not dieting. I am learning to change habits and routines. I am using the Weight Watchers program to help me make these changes. I am going to get healthy and happy. My main goal is to get to a weight I feel healthy enough to have a baby. I'm not sure what that weight is yet but I'll let ya know!

Weight Loss Goals:

5% loss (14 lbs.): September 9, 2009
10% goal (28 lbs.): February 3, 2010
15% goal (42 lbs.):

Activity Goals:

I am currently walking. I started the Weight Watchers walking plan three weeks ago and I have been following it and often walking for longer than required. I am walking after work with my kids and dog. We are really enjoying it and I can already feel the difference!

Weight Watcher Wednesday

First, I lost another 2.5 lbs. this week. It is my lowest weight since starting WW. I am less than a lb. away from my 10% goal. I'm having trouble getting excited about it for a couple reasons. First of all I struggled last week and this week isn't any easier. I've always felt like the scale is a week behind my behavior. I am fully expecting to see a gain this week because I know that I ate too much last week. This week isn't much better. The thing I'm learning is that I can't just stop because of a bad day, bad week or even bad month. I know I can do this I just have to keep going back to those things I know work.

I am honestly not doing so great with my eating at night. It has always been a struggle for me. I will continue to try working out the kinks. I am still drinking water but not as much as when I was on the detox. (Sassafras calls it my non-toxic diet...which is accurate and cute!) I am doing good keeping my consumption of sweet tea and cokes to almost nil. I had two cokes last week and two sweet teas. I consider that a victory. I am pretty much in love with steel cut oats and lentil soup. I eat them for breakfast and lunch almost every work day. I make one batch on Sunday and that gives me 4 servings of each.

I've started the WW basic walking plan. I am planning on walking a 5K in March with my sister. I am doing ok with the plan. Not perfect but I am continuing it and hoping to get better at incorporating activity into my lifestyle. One thing I'm learning is to be flexible. I've always felt that in order to exercise "right" I needed to do it in the morning. I will continue to think that but so far the best time to fit it in is right when we get home for the day. I usually give the kids the offer to go with. So far they have accompanied me every time. Unexpected quality time with kids while we all get healthy! BONUS!! So I've decided that I'm totally ok with exercising during that time of day. We will figure out a new plan on days when we have soccer (starts in Feb.) and baseball (starts in April).

In other news:

• I promise to someday actually do my pioneer woman's cinnamon roll post. I'll tell you that the joy shared between my sister, daughter and I while making them was by far the best part. Even better than eating the cinnamon rolls..which means it was GOOD.TIMES!
• Sexy and I are having DATE NIGHT this Friday. I am super excited. I love date night!
• I had never noticed the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah" before a contestant sang it, quite beautifully, for her American Idol audition last week. It touched my heart. I'm including the lyrics here for you to enjoy.

"Hallelujah"

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Weight Watchers Update

I started weight watchers on 6/24/09. As of Wednesday 1/13 I have lost 25 lbs. I wish it was more but I am happy to see it go. After losing 2.5 lbs the week after Christmas I gained 3 lbs the next week. This week I lost 5.25. I am basically back to where I was the first week of November.

I did a detox to help jump start my weight loss and help get me off cokes and sweet tea. I was really tired of drinking my points. The biggest part of the detox (linked below) was cutting out all sugar, all wheat and gluten, all PROCESSED FOODS. I ate a lot of steel cut oats and lentil soup. Recipes linked below. Even more fruit and salads. I drank a lot of water and took a regimen of supplements that included many things I should have been taking anyway. Omegas, vitamin C, probiotics (I do already take one but the detox calls for 2 daily), milk thistle (which dr. oz told Oprah I should be taking this a long time ago) and fiber. I was very tired and very cranky the first three days. After that I felt great. I am hoping to continue some of the things from the detox.

I am going to reduce my processed food intake. I am going to make my lentil soup instead of eating lentil soup from a can. I am going to eat six servings of fruits and veggies a day.I am going to drink mostly water but will allow 100% juice and V-8 and the occasional sweet tea. My goal is to not have more than two non-water drinks a day.

I am tracking everyday. Another thing I finally got back on track during the detox.

detox diet http://www.womentowomen.com/detoxification/detoxdiet.aspx

best lentil soup ever. you can skip the puree step. but don't.  http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1842306

steel cut oats  http://www.supercinski.net/2009/09/steel-cut-oats-recipes/

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I lost 2.5 lbs. over.Christmas. FOR.THE.REALZ!!!!!

I didn't start tracking again until Monday, 12/28 but have done a good job of tracking this week. I think that the loss resulted from several achievements.

First, I didn't go back for seconds at any Holiday meals. We have four Christmas Dinners. I usually go back for seconds at every single one. This year I allowed myself to eat a regular portion of the stuff I wanted and dedicated myself to not going back.

Second, I also did much better with desserts. I usually get small pieces of basically everything available. Then I would go back and get more of the things I really liked.  I managed to limit myself to a regular portion of ONE dessert or two smaller portions of two desserts and did not go back for seconds.

Third, I did not graze a work. We have a credenza in our "lobby" area and people bring things...snacky yummy things...and put them there throughout the holidays. We also get gifts from other agencies and they end up there as well. I had a little incident with some chocolates a couple weeks before Christmas and it made me decide to just not eat anything off that damn credenza!

In the interest of full disclosure I need to admit that I did eat all the candy from my stocking and even some from my husbands. I did eat a LOT of chocolate chips cookies on Christmas Eve. I did eat cinnamon rolls on several occasions. That was plural rolls in case you didn't notice.

I think that one thing that really helped was going to the WW meeting last week. I knew I was going to gain but I am pretty sure that if I hadn't gone I would have gained even more this week and certainly would not have lost 2.5 lbs!!!!

The Pioneer Woman cinnamon roll post is coming I promise!

definitely naughty

Weight Watchers Wednesday

As you may recall in my last blog entry from a month ago I was reviewing all the issues that were causing me to lose and gain the same couple of pounds. Those issues continue...but now with Christmas spirit! Here is a break down since my 11/18 weigh in:

12/2 gained 3.25
12/12 lost 2
12/23 gained 2.5

20 lbs lost since June 24, 2009.

Between now and 1/6 my goal is to track everything I eat. Even if I don't know the points. It has to go in the tracker if it goes in my mouth. That seems to be the key on WW. If I don't track...I don't follow the plan...I don't lose.

I made Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon rolls with Sassafras and Middle Sister. That will be my next post on 12/8.