Here I am, blogging at 2:22 AM. I'm sitting on my bed listening to all of my favorite sappy 80's and 90's love songs...
I need you now (more than words can say) -- Alias
When I'm with you - Sherriff
Love of a lifetime - Firehouse
Hard to say I'm sorry -- Chicago
Inspiration - Chicago
Nothin's gonna change my love for you - Paul Mederios
Where are you now -- Jimmy Harnen
The search is over -- Survivor
The list goes on....
I can't sleep tonight. I don't expect this to be a funny post.... so if that's what you're looking for, you may want to skip over it. It's also not exactly about weight loss, unless you count the fact that I could really use a nice little pint of Ben and Jerry's or some Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche....
Every night before I go to sleep, I speak to my husband to say goodnight... he works nights. He's pretty stressed out right now. I'm not going to get into why.... but it makes me sad and nothing I can say or do will make it better. I feel helpless sometimes. I wish I could have more of an impact on his moods.
Honestly.... I'm listening to these songs because they remind me of a time and a place... and it probably isn't what you think.,,
Back in the 80's, when these songs were not only the most popular, but also when I was hitting those very important puberty years when I was trying to find myself, I had countless mix tapes that I had recorded from the radio.... these songs.
In the spring, summer, and fall, I would go out onto our deck towards sunset, plug in my little pink boom box, pop in a tape, and turn up the music. I would spin, twirl, lie on my back and stare at the sky, and sing along with all the heart and passion that I could muster up. It was my time. I lived in the country... enough space between houses to keep the neighbors from hearing my serenade and quiet enough that I could stare at the stars for hours without being interrupted by a soul, except perhaps a nosey sister....
These songs were my romantic education. I would dream of who I would end up with someday... who would be that one man who swept me off my feet... who told me that they had maybe been my friend for what seemed like a hundred years only to realize that he truly loved me all along and that I was the woman of his dreams. (You were with me all the while....)
I wanted to be the meaning in someone's life... someone's inspiration... I wanted to be the girl who got away only to become the pain and suffering of the man who let me go and shouldn't have.... I wanted to be the one who had a man holding her hand on the beach at sunset, staring at the waves and professing that NOTHING was every gonna change his love for me.
My dearest husband tried.... he wanted that sunset beach moment to propose to me... but then clumsy me broke my leg and had it in a cast that week. So he proposed on the balcony of our condo, overlooking the ocean, at sunset... it was just as romantic as I had ever dreamed.... except of course for the gigantic purple cast on my leg. *sigh*
Life was so much simpler then... when I was 13, 14, 15.... When I was singing my heart out on the deck... when I was imagining my future. I was going to be a singer, naturally... life was a giant daydream...
There were no bills to be paid, no kids to discipline, no work that MUST be done at risk of losing your only source of income.... and I never was ashamed or embarrassed to open my mouth and sing to my heart's content.
I leave you with this, tonight (holy smokes it's almost 3:00):
SING
LAUGH
STARE AT THE STARS
LISTEN TO THE OCEAN
but most of all.....
LOVE
Love deeply, carelessly, without abandon. Follow where your heart leads.
There are as many forms of love as there are Shakespeare sonnets.... I challenge you to find and cherish them all.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
Powerball Dreams
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few days, you know that the Powerball jackpot is at an all time high... a staggering $1.3 BILLION.
That bears repeating.
$1.3 BILLION US DOLLARS.
I am involved in 3 different work pools, including the one I'm running, and have purchased tickets on my own. Together, I've dropped about $10 on the adventure. It isn't much, but enough to spark a dream.
Now, before my Christian followers start throwing out the evils of gambling and all that rot, I want to defend my investment.
First, I believe that some of the laws in the Bible are not as black and white as some religious folks seem to believe they are. The Bible says to not be a drunk, it does not say "do not drink." We are talking about a time when the water was barely drinkable... no water filters, no bottled water from preserved springs in the mountains. It was gross, muddy water with bacteria and all sorts of funky things that we would not want to ingest. In that time period, folks drank the liquid created from crushing grapes. Wine. Sure, some of it was grape juice, but if they held on to it long enough, it was fermented WINE. The Bible doesn't say to DIE OF THIRST or ONLY DRINK THE NASTY WATER. No... it says: Don't be a drunk. Don't be that guy on the highway begging the good Samaritan for a few coins so you can go to the local bar and get wasted.
Using that same logic, the evils of gambling are in those who become addicted to it. If your gambling affects your ability to pay your bills or feed your family, you have a problem.
In 2006, pregnant with my first child, I took a vacation to Las Vegas with my husband and a few friends. One couple that was with us were against gambling. Granted, none of us are big gamblers, but when in Vegas.... right? While the rest of us spent a little time gambling, they were sight seeing and exploring different casinos. Fun stuff! One day, all the men folk took our rental car to the grocery store, leaving my girlfriend and I to find something to do for a few hours. I took her to a penny poker machine, gave her a dollar, and the two of us played for 2 hours. We walked away having lost about $.50 each. Now tell me, where else in the world can you find entertainment for 2 hours at a price of $.50 EACH?? Did that create a gambling habit for either of us? No, but we did have a good time and it did not break the bank.
Next, I want to ask you to think on the recent wallet burn we call CHRISTMAS. How many dollars did you drop on your kids, siblings, parents, friends? Does anyone other than me look at the sea of plastic toys that our children rip open with glee and imagine what the landfills will look like in 10 years? My daughter received two 18 inch dolls that she has yet to play with. What about the hoarded nightmare of their bedrooms? My girls have enough toys to open a store. When play time comes, do you know what my kids do? Ipad. Xbox. Kindle. Iphone. So WHY ON EARTH AM I BUYING THEM MORE STUFF??? More toys to ignore, more clothes they won't wear, more more more more....
In light of that... I dropped $10 for a CHANCE to put myself and all of my loved ones in a better place financially. It's better than the hundreds of dollars dropped on toys that may never get played with. I'm not addicted to gambling. I may have spent that $10 on my next lunch from SaladWorks. I may have dropped that $10 on a few more apps for my daughter's phone. Instead, I spent it on an investment venture that will benefit our future. Besides, isn't the stock market all a gamble? Yet that is not frowned upon.
Sorry, but I'm going to poo-poo on the notion that playing the Powerball Lotto is bad.
On to the Powerball Dreams:
Remember when you were a kid and you had dreams of being a fireman, an astronaut, a doctor, a fashion designer, or a pop star? It was so fun to dream and pretend like you could achieve these goals. I was going to be a HIT on Broadway! I was going to be Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. I was going to be a LEGEND! I took voice lessons... I sang my heart out! I knew I could make it happen.
It didn't happen. Oh, but how fun was it to dream?
Powerball dreams take us to that place again. If money was never again a problem, what would we do with ourselves? Would we rescue our families from debt and set up trust funds for our kids, their kids, and their kid's kids? Would we buy a mansion, with a huge pool... and a handsome pool boy, with a maid, and a cook, and a private plane? Would we give to charity, or multiple ones? Which ones? How much? Who would we throw a few thousand dollars to just to make them smile? It's fun to dream... but how would we keep our feet planted on solid ground? How would keep from becoming lofty and out of control? How would we keep ourselves busy?
What are your Powerball Dreams? Drop me a comment, I'd love to read it!
That bears repeating.
$1.3 BILLION US DOLLARS.
I am involved in 3 different work pools, including the one I'm running, and have purchased tickets on my own. Together, I've dropped about $10 on the adventure. It isn't much, but enough to spark a dream.
Now, before my Christian followers start throwing out the evils of gambling and all that rot, I want to defend my investment.
First, I believe that some of the laws in the Bible are not as black and white as some religious folks seem to believe they are. The Bible says to not be a drunk, it does not say "do not drink." We are talking about a time when the water was barely drinkable... no water filters, no bottled water from preserved springs in the mountains. It was gross, muddy water with bacteria and all sorts of funky things that we would not want to ingest. In that time period, folks drank the liquid created from crushing grapes. Wine. Sure, some of it was grape juice, but if they held on to it long enough, it was fermented WINE. The Bible doesn't say to DIE OF THIRST or ONLY DRINK THE NASTY WATER. No... it says: Don't be a drunk. Don't be that guy on the highway begging the good Samaritan for a few coins so you can go to the local bar and get wasted.
Using that same logic, the evils of gambling are in those who become addicted to it. If your gambling affects your ability to pay your bills or feed your family, you have a problem.
In 2006, pregnant with my first child, I took a vacation to Las Vegas with my husband and a few friends. One couple that was with us were against gambling. Granted, none of us are big gamblers, but when in Vegas.... right? While the rest of us spent a little time gambling, they were sight seeing and exploring different casinos. Fun stuff! One day, all the men folk took our rental car to the grocery store, leaving my girlfriend and I to find something to do for a few hours. I took her to a penny poker machine, gave her a dollar, and the two of us played for 2 hours. We walked away having lost about $.50 each. Now tell me, where else in the world can you find entertainment for 2 hours at a price of $.50 EACH?? Did that create a gambling habit for either of us? No, but we did have a good time and it did not break the bank.
Next, I want to ask you to think on the recent wallet burn we call CHRISTMAS. How many dollars did you drop on your kids, siblings, parents, friends? Does anyone other than me look at the sea of plastic toys that our children rip open with glee and imagine what the landfills will look like in 10 years? My daughter received two 18 inch dolls that she has yet to play with. What about the hoarded nightmare of their bedrooms? My girls have enough toys to open a store. When play time comes, do you know what my kids do? Ipad. Xbox. Kindle. Iphone. So WHY ON EARTH AM I BUYING THEM MORE STUFF??? More toys to ignore, more clothes they won't wear, more more more more....
In light of that... I dropped $10 for a CHANCE to put myself and all of my loved ones in a better place financially. It's better than the hundreds of dollars dropped on toys that may never get played with. I'm not addicted to gambling. I may have spent that $10 on my next lunch from SaladWorks. I may have dropped that $10 on a few more apps for my daughter's phone. Instead, I spent it on an investment venture that will benefit our future. Besides, isn't the stock market all a gamble? Yet that is not frowned upon.
Sorry, but I'm going to poo-poo on the notion that playing the Powerball Lotto is bad.
On to the Powerball Dreams:
Remember when you were a kid and you had dreams of being a fireman, an astronaut, a doctor, a fashion designer, or a pop star? It was so fun to dream and pretend like you could achieve these goals. I was going to be a HIT on Broadway! I was going to be Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. I was going to be a LEGEND! I took voice lessons... I sang my heart out! I knew I could make it happen.
It didn't happen. Oh, but how fun was it to dream?
Powerball dreams take us to that place again. If money was never again a problem, what would we do with ourselves? Would we rescue our families from debt and set up trust funds for our kids, their kids, and their kid's kids? Would we buy a mansion, with a huge pool... and a handsome pool boy, with a maid, and a cook, and a private plane? Would we give to charity, or multiple ones? Which ones? How much? Who would we throw a few thousand dollars to just to make them smile? It's fun to dream... but how would we keep our feet planted on solid ground? How would keep from becoming lofty and out of control? How would we keep ourselves busy?
What are your Powerball Dreams? Drop me a comment, I'd love to read it!
Week 1 Success
Weight: 261.6
Change: -4.4!!
Ok... I know I said I was going to wait and only weigh in every 21 days instead of every week... but I had to know if this is working. IT IS!!!!
I just want to DANCE!!!
Despite my desire for the almighty cookie, which, I might add, I nearly succumbed to over the weekend, I managed to stay on track and lose a whopping 4.4 pounds! WOO HOO!!!
I had a lot of extras left last night and did allow myself a single scoop of vanilla ice cream, but it was well within my allowances for the week an obviously didn't hurt me much.
Weight Loss for the WIN!
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Lead Me Not into Temptation....
Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day or daily bread.... CARBS!!! NOOOOOOO!!! delete delete delete.....
Give us this day our daily protein shake with Greek yogurt, kale, and flax seed.... Much better.
Forgive us for oursins calories....
As we forgive those who sin against us... Like that awesome baker in accounting who is always bringing in the cookies and trying to sabotage everyone's diet...
Lead us not into temptation.... PAUSE -- Let's take a moment, shall we?
Perhaps this should read, "Blind our eyes to all the things we really want to eat but shouldn't," or, "Make all the unhealthy things disappear!"
I know I'm making light of it all, but temptation is a huge part of our lives. Be it a diet, an ethical situation, gambling, or in the game of love, temptation is all around us. In a recent conversation with a friend I said, "God is testing us." The reply was one that really made me stop and think, "We are testing ourselves while God watches" (or something to that effect).
Think on that for a moment....
WHO is really leading us into temptation? This isn't a Christian blog, per se, but I am a Christian, and therefore tend to put a Christian spin on things. The answer that jumps out at any Christian who was raised in a God fearing Baptist church, such as myself, is SATAN! The Devil, or perhaps one of his minions, is TEMPTING me! But what if WE are his minions... without realizing.
My biggest temptation are cookies. I LOVE COOKIES! Before I had kids, it was easy to diet. I would simply keep cookies out of my home, then.... no temptation. Now, I have kids. Cookies in the home are a staple. When grocery shopping, we must go down the cookie aisle. My husband and I are doing this together, and we decided that the simple answer is to buy cookies that the kids like, but we do not. That's right, avoid the sugar cookies, fudge stripes and the chocolate dipped graham crackers. Replace them with the generic Oreos and iced oatmeal cookies. That will do the trick.
The best way to avoid temptation is to remove it from your senses. Unfortunately, we are human. We much prefer to throw caution to the wind and place ourselves directly in the cookie aisle, don't we? We set boundaries and draw lines that we simply love to dance on.
"I can go down the cookie aisle and simply SMELL all the deliciousness and then, I'll be ok. I won't have to have one!" Dancing on the line.
The problem with dancing on that line is that the line tends to move around. Soon we will say:
"I'm not a fan of generic Oreos, but a little taste will certainly satisfy my craving...." The line has moved, and now, we are dancing on another one.
How many times can that line move before we are back to the cookie aisle buying every single soft baked peanut butter with chocolate chips dipped in caramel and smothered in chocolate pieces of addictive deliciousness????
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off... does that mean that if your mouth causes you to get fat, you should sew it shut?
Temptation is tricky. Logic would say that the best way to eliminate the temptation is to eliminate the source. Stop going down the cookie aisle.... but then, the children suffer. Face it, deep down, we REALLLLY want to be in that cookie aisle and as we pick up our generic oreos.... we secretly (or not so secretly) desire our sugar cookies... just one more taste, as if we have forgotten how good they are.
So we pray.... Lead us not into Temptation.... because we are already driving ourselves down the temptation expressway and we can't seem to find the exit.
The problem is not the temptation, but the guilt that follows our cookie transgressions. We step on the scale and realize that we've gained another pound. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. We need to weigh the consequences of our temptations before (or as...) we dance on that line. Before that line moves, we must consider the outcome of our actions. As wonderfully delicious that cookie tastes, the flavor lasts for only a few fleeting moments, but the damage done is harder to erase. In a world where we are encouraged to live for the moment... the consequences can be easy to ignore, until it is too late.
and so we pray...
Deliver us from Evil... or cookies... you know, whatever.
For yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the GLORY forever.
Amen.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day or daily bread.... CARBS!!! NOOOOOOO!!! delete delete delete.....
Give us this day our daily protein shake with Greek yogurt, kale, and flax seed.... Much better.
Forgive us for our
As we forgive those who sin against us... Like that awesome baker in accounting who is always bringing in the cookies and trying to sabotage everyone's diet...
Lead us not into temptation.... PAUSE -- Let's take a moment, shall we?
Perhaps this should read, "Blind our eyes to all the things we really want to eat but shouldn't," or, "Make all the unhealthy things disappear!"
I know I'm making light of it all, but temptation is a huge part of our lives. Be it a diet, an ethical situation, gambling, or in the game of love, temptation is all around us. In a recent conversation with a friend I said, "God is testing us." The reply was one that really made me stop and think, "We are testing ourselves while God watches" (or something to that effect).
Think on that for a moment....
WHO is really leading us into temptation? This isn't a Christian blog, per se, but I am a Christian, and therefore tend to put a Christian spin on things. The answer that jumps out at any Christian who was raised in a God fearing Baptist church, such as myself, is SATAN! The Devil, or perhaps one of his minions, is TEMPTING me! But what if WE are his minions... without realizing.
My biggest temptation are cookies. I LOVE COOKIES! Before I had kids, it was easy to diet. I would simply keep cookies out of my home, then.... no temptation. Now, I have kids. Cookies in the home are a staple. When grocery shopping, we must go down the cookie aisle. My husband and I are doing this together, and we decided that the simple answer is to buy cookies that the kids like, but we do not. That's right, avoid the sugar cookies, fudge stripes and the chocolate dipped graham crackers. Replace them with the generic Oreos and iced oatmeal cookies. That will do the trick.
The best way to avoid temptation is to remove it from your senses. Unfortunately, we are human. We much prefer to throw caution to the wind and place ourselves directly in the cookie aisle, don't we? We set boundaries and draw lines that we simply love to dance on.
"I can go down the cookie aisle and simply SMELL all the deliciousness and then, I'll be ok. I won't have to have one!" Dancing on the line.
The problem with dancing on that line is that the line tends to move around. Soon we will say:
"I'm not a fan of generic Oreos, but a little taste will certainly satisfy my craving...." The line has moved, and now, we are dancing on another one.
How many times can that line move before we are back to the cookie aisle buying every single soft baked peanut butter with chocolate chips dipped in caramel and smothered in chocolate pieces of addictive deliciousness????
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off... does that mean that if your mouth causes you to get fat, you should sew it shut?
Temptation is tricky. Logic would say that the best way to eliminate the temptation is to eliminate the source. Stop going down the cookie aisle.... but then, the children suffer. Face it, deep down, we REALLLLY want to be in that cookie aisle and as we pick up our generic oreos.... we secretly (or not so secretly) desire our sugar cookies... just one more taste, as if we have forgotten how good they are.
So we pray.... Lead us not into Temptation.... because we are already driving ourselves down the temptation expressway and we can't seem to find the exit.
The problem is not the temptation, but the guilt that follows our cookie transgressions. We step on the scale and realize that we've gained another pound. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. We need to weigh the consequences of our temptations before (or as...) we dance on that line. Before that line moves, we must consider the outcome of our actions. As wonderfully delicious that cookie tastes, the flavor lasts for only a few fleeting moments, but the damage done is harder to erase. In a world where we are encouraged to live for the moment... the consequences can be easy to ignore, until it is too late.
and so we pray...
Deliver us from Evil... or cookies... you know, whatever.
For yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the GLORY forever.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
A Tribute
Between in 1996 and 1998, I spent my undergrad years at West Chester University of PA. Dorm life didn't suit me, so my best friend and I rented a room from a nice married couple who had graduated a few years earlier. They introduced us to many of their friends over our time as housemates and we all were the best of friends.
I'll never forget meeting Bob Truitt. Bob was very quiet. He was a student of human nature and liked to fade into the woodwork as he quietly observed. I, on the other hand, am loud, boisterous, friendly, and flirty! I could not stand for him to be so quiet all the time, and as such, I took it upon myself to bring him out of his shell.
We played the popular card game of the day, Magic: The Gathering. Oh yes... we were nerds. As we played I learned that Bob was a bright and witty man. We attended church together and his quiet, dry humor always had me giggling at inappropriate moments!
In due time, our conversations became more private, and private conversations become deeper in content. We were both at a crossroads in our social lives, trying to find ourselves, if you will. I had been through an emotional whirlwind with a failed relationship and he confided in me that he had actually never dated.
We were great friends, trying to find our place in the world. What were we being called to be? What were we being called to do? Who were we being called to be with? We decided to date. It was kind of a social experiment. I needed to be with someone I could trust to be a gentleman and I knew that Bob would be. Bob needed someone who understood that he was a bit of a late bloomer in the relationship department, who wouldn't rush him or have false expectations.
We had a lot of fun together. We would people watch and play games. When all of my roommates were out of town, he stayed with me for a few nights to keep me from being scared of being alone. He slept on the floor and we had an old fashioned sleep over party, playing truth or dare, pillow fights, late night conversations.
We talked about the dreaded First Kiss. Our first kiss as a couple would have a little added pressure on me because it was also his first kiss ever. I knew in my heart that I wanted to make it special. It had to be a moment he could always look back on with fondness. One that burned in his memory as one of the greatest moments of his life.
A few weeks later, he took me to meet his mother and step-father. They lived in Maryland, near Ocean City. I devised a plan. We went for a walk on the beach at sunset. It was late in the fall and the weather was cool and windy. The beach was deserted. With no one around and the soft glow of the orange and pink sunset, the roar of the ocean crashing, and the smell of the sea in the air, we shared our first kiss.
As time moved on, we decided that as strong as our friendship was, there was no real romantic attachment between us. We cared for each other, but there was no true deep love or passion. We mutually decided to remain friends, but discontinue dating.
Life marches on. I graduated, met someone, got married, moved away. Our friendship faded into memories. Years later, we would find each other again on social media and have little chats about this and that, reliving our younger years.
On December 23, 2015, Bob was headed home from PA to MD to visit family for the holidays. It was his 42nd birthday. A car from the other side of the divided highway crossed over the grassy median and crashed into Bob's car. Bob died shortly thereafter from his injuries.
You always think you have so much time... to catch up, to share memories, to show someone you care. You always think that there is always TOMORROW. But there isn't. I found out Christmas morning. I remembered that I had forgotten to wish him a happy birthday and when I went to do it... I found out he was gone. I never wished him a happy birthday. I never had asked him if that first kiss remained a fond memory. I never said goodbye. I never.....
Goodbye Bob. I know you are in a better place now with angels and our Father. I'll miss you. I already miss you. I'll always remember you and that kiss with fondness.
You always think you have so much time... to catch up, to share memories, to show someone you care. You always think that there is always TOMORROW. But there isn't. I found out Christmas morning. I remembered that I had forgotten to wish him a happy birthday and when I went to do it... I found out he was gone. I never wished him a happy birthday. I never had asked him if that first kiss remained a fond memory. I never said goodbye. I never.....
Goodbye Bob. I know you are in a better place now with angels and our Father. I'll miss you. I already miss you. I'll always remember you and that kiss with fondness.
The Dreaded Diet
Happy 2016!
As I had said before, this blog is kind of a weight loss/health diary. Now, in the past, I was brutally honest about my ACTUAL weight. I think if this is a page of TRUTHS, I need to be honest, right?
Ok. This is gonna hurt.
Date: 1/4/16
Diet Plan: 21 Day Fix
Starting Weight: 266 lbs (OUCH!)
Starting Weight Photos:
Ok, I'm making a goofy face in the weigh in photos. WHY? Because my friend and I were goofing around. Don't judge! I also included a face only shot. As I continue the journey, I hope to do more shots that show my transformation as I go.
Weigh in frequency: Every 21 days. I don't want to weigh in from week to week as I have in the past only to be discouraged by a half pound here or there.
Goal: I like little goals. Back in November, I said I wanted to lose 40 pounds by my 40th birthday -- which is Jan. 22. That's not happening. So my FIRST realistic goal is for this first 21 days. Let's say.... 10 pounds in 21 days!
How it works:
This diet plan has a bunch of names, you may have seen it on TV. Known as the 21 Day Fix, or the Beach Body Diet, Beach Body Revolution, and also Shakeology - which is a little different but goes hand in hand with this diet. I'm using the 21 Day Fix variation.
So the 21 Fix Diet comes with a Shakeology cup, for measuring liquids, and several multi colored containers. Each container is for a different kind of food. Based on your weight and weight loss goals, the plan determines how many of each container you can have per day. You use the containers to measure out your allowed amounts for the day.
Remember that old Richard Simmons Deal a Meal thing from the 90's? He gave you a wallet full of cards that represented a type of food. As you ate the food, you moved out the cards. When you run out of cards, you're done eating for the day. It's the same basic concept, except, instead of cards, you use containers to make sure your portion sizes are correct.
GREEN containers are for our veggies -- I can have 6 a day of those. Yay Salad!
PURPLE containers are for fruits. -- I can have 4 a day
RED containers are for protein -- I can have 6 a day
YELLOW containers are for carbs - I can have 4 a day
BLUE containers are for healthy fats and cheese -- I only get 1 a day. BOOO. I like cheese.
Tiny ORANGE containers are for salad dressings and seeds -- I only get 1 a day of those.
SPOONS - are teaspoons for stuff like mayo and peanut butter. -- I can have 6 a day.
Annnnd water? 17 cups a day!! WOW.
They also have workouts to go with the diet plan, but I've got to work up to that. My Fibromyalgia gets mad at me if I work out, so I'm using my Fitbit and trying to increase my walking to start. I have a Biggest Loser 30 day jump start book that shows how to increase your walking. I'm going to use that to build up my stamina.
So, who wants to join me in a 2016 Life Change? Send me a comment and we can do this together!
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
New Year's Resolutions!
Hello!
I suck at blogging, or so it would seem, since this is my first post in a lot of years....
Today is December 30, 2015... 2016 is right around the corner and so it is time for me to make some New Year's Resolutions and see how long they last!
1. Blog. Yeah, you know, more frequently than once every 4 years. I'd like to really get this blog going as well as my crafty blog and actually feel a bit more accomplished. We will see!
2. Physical Health -- Weight loss. Everyone says it. No one follows thru. This blog started as a weight loss journal and so it will remain, among other Truths, naturally! The good news is that I'm not much heavier than I was when I abandoned this blog last. That means that I haven't been on a huge weight gain binge over the past few years. Right? Look for a New Year's Day weigh in right here! I'll be using the 21 Day Fix diet, which I have used in the past, but never blogged about. Stay tuned!
3. Spiritual Health. I want to start doing a regular Bible study. Nothing too big, just a one on one devotional between God and me. I want to go back to some of the basics that I left behind years ago. That also means attending church more often. I want the kids to go, too.
4. Mental Health. Curse less, be more patient, be more accepting, be happier. Accept that I am allowed to be happy. Don't sweat the small stuff.
5. Help out the Hubby more. Poor hubs. Love him to death and he does so much for our family. I work all day and am too tired to do anything at night. It isn't fair to him. I need to find the willpower to muscle through and help him out more around the house.
There you have it! 2016 Resolutions!
Wish me luck!
I suck at blogging, or so it would seem, since this is my first post in a lot of years....
Today is December 30, 2015... 2016 is right around the corner and so it is time for me to make some New Year's Resolutions and see how long they last!
1. Blog. Yeah, you know, more frequently than once every 4 years. I'd like to really get this blog going as well as my crafty blog and actually feel a bit more accomplished. We will see!
2. Physical Health -- Weight loss. Everyone says it. No one follows thru. This blog started as a weight loss journal and so it will remain, among other Truths, naturally! The good news is that I'm not much heavier than I was when I abandoned this blog last. That means that I haven't been on a huge weight gain binge over the past few years. Right? Look for a New Year's Day weigh in right here! I'll be using the 21 Day Fix diet, which I have used in the past, but never blogged about. Stay tuned!
3. Spiritual Health. I want to start doing a regular Bible study. Nothing too big, just a one on one devotional between God and me. I want to go back to some of the basics that I left behind years ago. That also means attending church more often. I want the kids to go, too.
4. Mental Health. Curse less, be more patient, be more accepting, be happier. Accept that I am allowed to be happy. Don't sweat the small stuff.
5. Help out the Hubby more. Poor hubs. Love him to death and he does so much for our family. I work all day and am too tired to do anything at night. It isn't fair to him. I need to find the willpower to muscle through and help him out more around the house.
There you have it! 2016 Resolutions!
Wish me luck!
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