Wednesday, Jan. 6

Last night, my daughter and I sat at the table eating one thing after another to use up all of our points. We were laughing, it was nearing midnight, and here we sat forcing ourselves to eat!

It's important that you use your alloted points each day (to purposely choose to eat less is not beneficial to this lifestyle change).

It's 11: 00 PM and I have 5 more points to use up. My daughter finished hers over an hour ago.
Good for her! We are night owls. We get up later (thus eat breakfast later in the day). Each night we've gone to bed a little bit earlier than we used to. Could it be the exercise we're doing? : )

I am having to go to the bathroom constantly! On a side note, I have an overactive bladder (yes, it was diagnosed as such) which means that a "normal" bladder can hold approx. 500 cc of urine before it has to empty. Mine gets to 175 cc and it starts to spasm and kicks the urine out. So when I gotta go, I GOTTA GO NOW ! I left home to run a few errands and had to stop at fast food places to run in and use the restroom. Had a couple of close calls, but made it each time.

Day three observation: I'm much more focused on what I eat. I think before I stick it in my mouth. Seems like I'm thinking ABOUT food alot more now than I used to, but in a good way. I'm making smarter choices and that feels wonderful !!

Day two of no coffee : ) I did get very tired late this afternoon and took a nap. I also have sleeping problems. I can't stay asleep for more than 2-3 hours at a time. My reality, for now. Hoping that lifestyle changes will help with my sleep : )


Little red hen, you rock! You're my favorite hen! Pulling for you chick! ~ Precious

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

My daughter and I went grocery shopping today armed with our POINTS calculators. We investigated the nutritional labels on different foods and then were able to make informed decisions about what we would buy. She found some potato chips that are only one point per serving (20 chips). I discovered some frozen meals that are perfect for times when we need to eat in a hurry because we're too hungry to cook! Hopefully these meals will be the replacement for the fast food meals we used to bring home.

We tried to hit the grocery store when we were both "satisified" stomach-wise. I wasn't hungry when I got there, but looking through my coupons and staying in the store longer (due to our investigating) took its toll on me. Good thing we had those frozen dinners to heat up in the microwave (just 5 minutes)! It was already dinner time by the time we were checking out.

After we ate, we opened our chip bags and cracker boxes and filled ziploc bags with one portion and the number of points written on the front of the bag. Now we're ready for snack time or when we want to grab something on the go. I plan to take a snack with me EVERYTIME I leave the house ... just in case. I don't want to be caught out and about (longer than I intended to be gone) and approach hunger or even worse: ravenous!!

I rode my exercise bike for 15 minutes last night. I got a cramp in the bottom (the arch) of one of my feet. Wonder if it was because I was wearing my crocs instead of a pair of tennis shoes. I listened to my little ipod for the first time while exercising. It drown out the television (as I hoped it would). Now I know I need to device some sort of holder to attach it to my arm or somewhere on my body. Hmmm .... maybe one of those arm bands.

Oh! I can't forget to mention that I did not have any coffee today! I am drinking apple cider vinegar in water three times a day. It is supposed to give you energy. Maybe it's working on me already?! I am hopeful that it will help to keep my "regular" too.

Little red hen, I am so excited for you! I'm in your corner and cheering you on every day! Today is the first day of the rest of your life! I love you, Precious

Monday, January 4, 2010

This evening I will be joining Weight Watchers, Lord willing, along with my daughter, my mother and one of my sisters. We plan to attend the same weekly meeting together.

I plan to purge all the sweets and other "temptation horrors" from our house, later today. I drank one last cup (ok, a cup and a half) of egg nog ... just because ! Just because we still had some in our refrigerator! And I don't even like it! Maybe I enjoy the first swallow, but after that it's just too rich and too creamy for me. So why did I drink a cup and a half of it??!!

Being overweight is rarely about "the food." It's much more about emotions and other things going on in your head that you are not even aware of. THIS IS MY YEAR to get in there and see what's going on and fight for my life (literally) back.

I've been overweight since I was a kid. Don't know when it all started, and it doesn't matter. I will be 50 years old in 6 months. I want to be healthy! I want to feel good ! I want to have energy to enjoy my life ! I want to get off all the different medications that I am now taking ! I want to be an inspiration to anyone else who thinks it's too late ... it's NEVER too late !!!

YOU can do this little red hen. I know you can. Hang onto the LORD and press into Him. He wants you to be free from all this even more than you do! I love you. ~ Precious

Full Circle*

I was at the Dr.'s office this week and had to get weighed (why do they always do that BEFORE they take your blood pressure?) I was shocked to see that I had gained weight. I know we're in the holiday season, but I have maintained my weight for several years now. I currently weigh the most that I have ever weighed in my whole life (including being pregnant).

Come on, Liz. It's time. Please get up off the couch and change your life !! No one can do it but you !!

I love you. You're precious to me. I'll do it with you. I'll be by your side, every day. You can count on me. We can do this.

* I started this blog originally when I accepted a challenge to lose weight. That was in 2008.

It won't happen to me

They're right, obviously. I didn't want to believe it. I thought my experience would be different.

Ha! People who respond to ads on Craig's List can (and tend to) be flakey. They are interested. They WANT what you're selling. They're coming or they'll call you again .... so you wait. If you're like me, you wait for days.

I've seen the disclaimers on other Craig's List ads that go something like this:
Serious inquiries only! Don't tell me you'll come if you don't intend to. I'll hold said item for one hour. If you do not come, I will call the next interested party, etc ...

NOW I understand why this happened to a person I know. The man was ON HIS WAY to purchase an item. He was half-way there when he recieved a call on his cell phone. The seller informed him that the item just sold. I thought that was a bummer and that he was treated unfairly. Now I see that "its for sale until the cash is in my hand" philosophy is not a bad method.

Looking back

In hindsight, which is always a clear 20/20, I did not have the slightest idea what it was to be married. I was not mentored by a wise and godly Titus 2 woman and my own parent's marriage didn't help me, it probably added to the depravity of what would not be "happily ever after."

I had high expectations. First of all, I expected my prince to BE charming, 24/7. I expected him to live and breathe to desire to be at my side. I just expected him to KNOW and BE what I expected a man to DO and BE.

I'm sure he had expectations too. I would assume he expected me to be his sweetheart and willing lover 24/7. I don't think he expected me to turn into his mother* and demand answers and obedience out of him (where had he been, what happened to our money, TAKE OUT the trash).

* used figuratively

October 6, 1979

Thirty years ago today I walked down the aisle in my beautiful white wedding gown and began what I thought was my "happily ever after."

Standing in the narthex, awaiting just the right moment, My dad said I still had time to not go through with this if I didn't want to. I smiled and told him that I wanted to (get married). He turned to the side, pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed his eyes. I was already in my fantasy world. THIS was the day every little girl dreams of. I was the princess in my own story and my prince was waiting for me at the altar.