Couch to 5K - day 1

Well, here's where we start a new year.

I did the first session of week 1 in the Couch to 5K plan this afternoon. I was surprised how easy it was to jog for 1 minute intervals between 1.5 minutes of walking. I was also surprised at how well I hold up, even with intervals like that, when I'm watching TV. =D I popped in a Farscape and away I went! I intended to do more than the 20 minutes outlined in the plan, but at 22 minutes my computer shut down and I was without Farscape, so I called it good at that.

Still, I did it. I started when I said I would and I am on my way!

It's a good way to start a new year. Now for a shower....

Couch to 5K

Well, I just signed up to do the Couch to 5K running program with my Babyfit friends. It's a little scary for me, as I've had trouble running, but if there's any program that will get me running, this is it. I just have to make it a priority. We're planning on starting after the new year, and the plan goes for 2 months. So it fits perfectly with my plan to get back on the SparkWagon after the new year. Here's the plan:

Week 1

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. 2

Week 2

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. 3

Week 3

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Week 4

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Week 5

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
• Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.

Week 6

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking.

Week 7

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Week 8

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Week 9

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Workout 3 The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

I'll be doing it on the treadmill, while Ellie's taking her nap each afternoon. I wish I could say I'd get up in the morning and do it before she gets up, but I know I'm not disciplined enough to do that. Maybe I can work up to it, but for now I'll just plan to do it during naptime.

So there you have it. I am committed. Hold me accountable!

Once the holidays are over...

... it's back on the SparkWagon for me. I've been snacking on too many holiday goodies and I'm starting to be able to tell. And yesterday I drank my first glass of water in I-don't-know-how-long. Things have GOT to change. After the holidays...

Step Away from the Candy...

... My name is Elizabeth and I love candy.

Especially half price Halloween candy that I bought to use as stocking stuffers. Yes, I've been eating candy I bought for someone else. And not in moderation. It's bad. And I'm pretty sure I gained a pound from it. Ack!

... stepping away from the candy...

Down a pound...

I weighed myself both yesterday and today and I am officially down to 114!! Four more pounds...

Day two...

Yesterday was good. I stayed between 1200-1400 calories, did 45 min of walking on the treadmill (6% grade, 3-3.5 mph), and drank 2 L of water. I feel pretty good about that! And when I weighed myself this morning....

115!!

So I've got 5 lbs to go in the next couple weeks. I think I can, I think I can...

New Starting Weight - 117

Today I weigh 117(.6, technically) and that is my new starting weight. About a pound of that will disappear with AF, but the other 1-1.5 pounds are my fault. Lay off the food already.

I'm back.

Yes, I am going to climb back on the weight loss band wagon and try to lose more weight. I made it down to 115 for my class reunion, but since then I haven't done anything. Anything, that is, but eat whatever I've felt like and not exercise. I'm feeling sluggish, and I'm pretty sure a couple pounds have crept back on. So, it's time for a fresh start.

I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning, weigh myself, and eat a healthy breakfast, drink some water, and take my vitamin. I resolve to drink 2 liters of water tomorrow. I resolve to count my calories and stay under 1400. And I resolve to get some exercise (45 min walking on the treadmill or at least 30 doing an exercise video).

I am back.

115

Last Wednesday I got the flu, or a similar stomach bug. Leif and I both had it. The day after I was down to 114 lbs (from 116) but I was also dehydrated. I figured I'd give it a couple days and see where my weight leveled out to. Now, I am happy to say that I have been a consistent 115 lbs on our scale for several days now! I'm officially down 16 lbs and am wearing 4's and 6's. Life is good.

He said I'm pretty!

Yes, Leif told me I was pretty on Saturday. Normally, you wouldn't think this was a big deal, but for him there is a direct correlation between how much I weigh and how pretty he thinks I am. I've finally lost enough weight that he told me I am pretty!! I've missed it and love knowing that he thinks I'm pretty again. I'm still on cloud nine about that one... *happy sigh*

Goal #2 met!

Here I am at the class reunion at 115 lbs. I am so glad I got a new dress for the event, and I love it! Robert fixed it for me by adding a shirred insert to raise the neckline. I can't believe I feel comfortable wearing a halter in public, but I do! Confidence is a beautiful thing!

Texas Weight...

Well, I'm in Texas and have been for over a week. My class reunion is this Saturday and Sunday and I'm pretty sure I made it to the 15 lb weight loss goal. In fact, my mom's scale said I weighed 112 this morning. Now, her scale is different than mine, so it's not as good as it looks. BUT... her scale is 5 lbs less than a Dr. scale, so that would put me at 117 on the Dr. scale. My scale at home is 3 lbs less than a Dr. scale, which would put me at 114 on my scale! That's improvement! We'll see when I get home if I've actually lost weight, but my shorts are DEFINITELY loose, and I'm fitting into size 6 jeans. Mostly I'm just excited that people are noticing that I've lost weight. I feel confident and I feel like I look good. It's been a LONG time since I felt that way! In fact, I'm going to wear a halter dress to my reunion. That's a confidence I haven't felt in a long time!

I'm not counting calories while I'm here in Texas, but I am trying to be at least somewhat moderate in what I eat. I've definitely been splurging more and not eating as healthfully as I do at home, but will be right back on the SparkWagon when I'm home a week from today. So for right now I'm enjoying the break and relishing the fact that I'm a size 6!!

Oh yeah...

Did I mention that I lost another pound? Yeppers, I'm at 117. Happened yesterday and I'm pretty happy about that! Two pounds to go...

August Challenge Points

So far for August I've had....

water: 99 cups

exercise: 735 minutes (or 12 hours 15 minutes)

Which means I've accrued a grand total of.... 834 points so far!

Weigh Day - Week....

... what week are we on? I don't know, but I'm still at 118.

Photo Update

Here's what I looked like at Dara's wedding a couple weekends ago. I think I was at 119 here, so it's pretty accurate of what I look like now, too.

It's sort of like a rain dance....

I went for a walk this afternoon, but the weather seemed to think I was doing a rain dance. I walked around the Cobblestone subdivision (a six mile walk!) and made it about a half mile from our house before it started raining! The rain is GOOD, but I was drenched by the time I got back. Still, 6 miles in 1.25 hours isn't bad! It used to take me that long to walk 2 miles...

Back on the wagon again!

I'm back on the SparkWagon again! Since Thursday I've been tracking calories, drinking my water, and getting at least 30 min cardio in daily. I am bound and determined to lose 3 lbs by September 1st so that I'm down to 115 by the reunion! 110 would have been nice, but 115 is where I'm aiming right now. That will be a 16 lb loss this summer. So I'm back on the wagon again!

According to Bob...

A while back I asked for exercise videos on freecycle. I got about 15 of them, of varying types. One was a fitness test video from Bob Mann. It's cheesy, 80's, and a bunch of advertising for his other videos (one of which I also got from freecycle), but I took the fitness test. I figure it will at least be a good way for me to track how I'm doing fitness wise. Here are my results, according to Bob...

Aerobic Test: 44 (Very Good)
Sit Up Test: 28 (Average)
Push Up Test: 34 (Very Good)
Body Fat Test: 27% (Average)

Waist measurement - 28 inches.
Hip measurement - 36 inches.
Wrist measurement - 5.5 inches. (small frame)

eta: According to Tanita, I have 27% body fat as well.

Hello? Motivation?

... are you there?

Yes, I missed my week 10 weigh day post. I still weighed 119 on Wednesday. I haven't been consistently tracking on SparkPeople, and I haven't been exercising. My motivation is waning. *sigh*

This morning I weighed 118. Yay! At least I'm still losing weight even if I'm not tracking or exercising. I'm not losing as quickly or consistently as I was, but at least it's progress.

Now, if only I could find my missing motivation.

Weigh Day - Week 9

I have done it. I have dropped my weight below 120 lbs and boy does it feel good! I've still got 4 lbs to go to reach my intermediate goal, and 9 lbs to reach my September goal, but this morning when I weighed my scale said 119.2.

WOW.

I've officially lost 12 lbs. I'm still making progress 2 months after I started trying to lose weight. I'm still losing 1-2 lbs a week, and I lost 2 lbs this week even after 3 days of not recording over the weekend. Hey - it was my daughter's birthday party and a day at the lake. Who wants to count calories for those? But my habits are changing and I'm finding myself more moderate even when I'm not counting. I didn't eat 16 cookies and 3 cupcakes at the party. I ate 1 or 2 cookies and 1 cupcake. And half a hamburger and some fruit salad. I would have eaten the whole hamburger, but I got distracted with the party and found my hamburger half eaten a couple hours later. Ooops.

Anyway... I can see things changing, both inside and out of myself. And it feels good.

Over half way there...

I officially crossed the half way mark today. I wasn't going to weigh myself this morning since AF reared her ugly head. But then I weighed myself with all my clothes on and I was at 121.6. I thought "Wow, and that's WITH my clothes on!". So I weighed myself au naturale and I'm at 120.6 today. SWEET!!!

My waist measurement is 28.5

Halter tops and weight loss journals...

Today I worked a little on my weight loss journal some more. I need to finish up weeks 5 and 6 and I'll be caught up. Until Wednesday, that is. But at least I'm making progress and I hope to make some more.

AND.... (speaking of progress).... yesterday Leif and I went out for lunch and errands sans Ellie and I wore a halter top!! I bought my strapless bra just for that shirt, which I ordered from VS a while back. But yesterday is the first time I've been brave or comfortable enough to wear it out in public. And I felt cute!! It was definitely a milestone.

More number crunching....

So I've lost 10 lbs in 6.5 weeks, including a 2 week plateau. If it takes me another 6.5 weeks to lose the next 10 lbs (taking me 1 lb short of my 110 lb September 1st goal), then I should be at 111 lbs by......

AUGUST 22nd.

Let's see if it can happen.

FINALLY!!!

My plateau is finally busted!!! After two VERY long weeks of being at 123 lbs, this morning I weighed 121. YES!

And not only does that mean that my plateau is busted, but it means that since I started this weight loss journey... I'VE LOST 10 LBS!

That is a beautiful thing.

Weigh Day - Week 7

It's weigh day again ... or should I say "stay" day. I've stayed at 123. STILL. *sigh* But my parents are here, so I'm focusing on that wonderful thing. We had scramburgers for dinner. Mmmmm. And then we went and hiked Ousel Falls (I carried Ellie in the pack) and watched fireworks in Big Sky. It was great. We didn't get home until midnight, though, so I really hope Ellie sleeps in tomorrow. I know I want to.

Challenge Change

A bit ago I joined a 4 week challenge and aimed to lose 8 lbs in that time.

Then I plateaued.

It seemed like I plateaued just as the challenge started, then I got discouraged and frustrated. So I'm opting out. I'm still trying to get 30 min cardio in daily, plus drink all my water (10 cups daily), but I'm not focusing on how much weight I'm losing. The weight will come off eventually. I just need to keep eating right, drinking water, and exercising.

But I joined another challenge group. This is the July challenge group and is different from the other. Basically, it's a point system. You get 1 point for each minute of exercise you do, plus 1 bonus point for each cup of water you drink.

So far for July I'm up to 237 points.

I don't know what that means yet, but it has kept me drinking my water. Tomorrow we're hiking Ousel Falls, so I'll get some exercise in, too. Today it was a bit scarce, with just a walk after dinner. But tomorrow is 4th of July, so we'll hike and then watch the fireworks up at Big Sky. It should be a good day.

Discouraged again....

Yes, I am discouraged. I've been at 123.2 for almost a week - since Saturday. I could almost taste 122 lbs. Until today, that is. This morning I'm at 124.8. What???!! I upped my cardio! I've been good about eating and haven't gone over 1400 calories since I started tracking!! *sigh*

Sometimes it feels like a losing battle. I think it's my body's way of getting back at me for starting this 4 week challenge. Just because I committed to losing 8 lbs in 4 weeks (or doing my best to, at least) my body is refusing. Naughty body.

Last time I was discouraged was at the beginning of the month. Almost 4 weeks ago exactly. Maybe this is a pattern my body goes through. Maybe I gain every 4 weeks or so. I don't know. I'll pay attention next month and see if the same thing happens. But it's still frustrating. Grrrrrr.

I don't think it has anything to do with my cycle. I'm at CD 15 right now and haven't had a temperature rise yet, so I'm not even past O yet. Last time I was 12 days before AF. Right now I'm about 20 days before AF. So confused. I didn't track last cycle because it was right after the surgery and bound to be irregular. So I can't go back and see. But I can pay attention in the future.

Whew! Now that all of that is out of my system, I'm going down to the basement to finish the scrapbooking LO that I was working on this morning and I'm going to drink a bottle of water, then Ellie will probably be awake. If not I will tackle some cardio via aerobics or something. I can't do anything about today's weight, but I can be proactive and work for a better tomorrow.

Breakthrough

I had a breakthrough last night. I bought new bottoms for my tankini (the boy short kind) and when I was trying them on I had the bottom of the top rolled up and I realized something:

If I have swimsuit bottoms that cover my belly button, I am comfortable enough right now to wear a two piece.

Amazing. Maybe by the end of the summer I'll actually get a new top to go with the shorts bottoms, but it was an amazing breakthrough for me. Yeah.

Weigh Day - Week 6

I really, really, REALLY wanted to see the scale go down today. I've been at 123 since Saturday and I was SURE the scale would drop thanks to the extra calories I've been burning the last few days. Not so. Still at 123. *sigh*

4 week challenge

I joined a 4 week challenge today on SparkPeople. My aim is to lose 8 lbs (bringing me down to 115 lbs - my intermediate goal) in the next 4 weeks. That's about 2 lbs per week. I've been doing a good job eating, but I need to work on exercising regularly, more than just walking. So right now I'm going to do some step aerobics and get a jump on my exercise while Ellie's napping.

New clothes, new weight

Yep, 123 lbs this morning. Yesterday I was at 124.0 and today I am down to 123.2. That's a great jump if I do say so myself.

Yesterday I went shopping with Taylor. Ellie was pretty awful, but I did get 4 shirts for under $30 at Ross. I really liked all of them in the store, but when I got home and tried on combinations, there was one that I'd decided to return. When Leif came home I tried them on for him and he thought they were VERY 70's and didn't really like them. So I tried on the one I was planning on returning and he did like that. Go figure. There's only one that I'm not sure about now. It's black and red and white polka dot and very busy. I'm not sure it's "me." So I think I'm going to return it.

Tonight we went to the mall and I stopped by Victoria's Secret for their Semi-Annual Sale. I got a great sports bra (not only does it fit right, but it's comfortable and flattering, too! Amazing...) and a strapless bra. That means I can finally wear that cute halter top I got a while back! Yay! I also got another bra and 3 pairs of underwear... It was quite a splurge!

Before we went to the mall, Leif, Ellie, and I went for a hike. We hiked 3 miles (Middle Cottonwood Creek) in just over an hour and a half. I got a good workout in and even ran the end of the trail. I was proud of myself.

New Rule and "thisclose"

First, my new rule:

NO CANDY FESTS RIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME, NO MATTER HOW MANY CALORIES I HAVE LEFT FOR THE DAY.

Last night I had about 200 calories I needed to consume. I'd had plenty of healthy all day, and even had a non-diet pop. So while Leif and I were playing a game, I splurged on some candy and had a little candy fest. It was great.

Until 2:00 this morning when I woke up feeling awful. My tummy was mad at me and I was having CRAZY dreams. I wasn't sleeping well. I got up and did a couple things in the kitchen, then went back to sleep. But when I woke up this morning I was NOT rested.

Yeah... no more candy fests late at night. My body isn't used to that much sugar any more.

And I am "thisclose" to dropping another pound. In fact, I weighed myself this morning 3 times and go 123.8 once, but 124.0 twice. So I didn't cheat and count myself down a pound just yet, but I'm thinking by tomorrow I will be.

Taylor and I are going shopping today, so we should get some walking in, especially if the babies are happy and we get to head to the mall after Michaels and Ross. I'm hoping to find some cute clothes at Ross. Last time I shopped there was for maternity clothes.

My "Someday" Jeans....

... are a size 3. I just checked. I'm about a size 8 right now, so I've got a waaaaays to go.

Little Jeans

When I got dressed this morning, I was lamenting that I didn't have any exercise pants to wear today for our walk. I thought I had a pair of capri jeans in the dresser, so I checked. No capri jeans. I did have a pair of jeans in there, though, that I hadn't worn for a long time. They are girls' jeans, so I didn't think they'd fit, but I gave it a try. Amazingly, they fit perfectly! They're cute AND I don't have to wear a belt with them. My other pairs of jeans are too big and I've just been cinching them tight with a belt. I have to say that it feels great to be wearing smaller jeans again.

Weigh Day - Week 5

124 lbs.

I am 1/3 of the way to my goal of 110 and I've lost 7 lbs in 4 weeks.

Let's see... if I lose 7 lbs in the next 4 weeks, that puts me at 117 by July 18 and 110 by August 15. I'd be happy with that!

Still goin' down...

... even after eating out yesterday. For Father's Day we met Leif's family in Billings and ate a Red Lobster. Leif and I split a lunch and we didn't go over on calories for the day!! I had 1/2 a cheese biscuit, a baked potato with 2 T. sour cream, and 1 and 1/2 breaded chicken strips. It was the perfect amount of food for lunch and I didn't have to sacrifice eating what I wanted. I just ate smaller portions and savored every bite.

This morning I weighed myself and I am down another pound! I am also down another 1/2 inch in my waist. WOOOHOOOO! 124 lbs and 29.5 inches. I love seeing progress.

Today Ellie and I are going to Billings again to meet the Babyfit moms. We'll be going out to eat, so I'll need to choose carefully again, but after yesterday's success in eating out I am hopeful that I can do it responsibly. Here's to the challenge!

And here's a picture from the weekend... I'm starting to see a difference in how I look! I'm on the last hole in my belt, so I know there is a difference to be seen! It's exciting.

Another pound down....

Yes, today's weighing shows the scale at 125. I'm another pound down, another pound closer to my goal.

From here I want to lose 10 more pounds.

That's my intermediate goal.

Goal #1 Photo

Here's what I look like at 126 lbs. This is my prepregnancy weight.

5 lbs in 3 weeks

If I keep up the same rate of loss that I have over the last 3 weeks (which was 5 lbs), then in 3 more weeks I should weigh 121. That will be 4th of July. 3 weeks later is the 25th of July and I should be 116. 3 weeks after that is August 15 and I could potentially be down to 111. I am planning on leaving for TX the week after that, so I could possibly make it down to 110 by the time I go to Texas. That would be AWESOME!

Really, it would be pretty sweet if I could just get down to 115 by then. Yeah. I'd be stoked.

Weigh Day - Week 4

126 today. Same as yesterday and 5 lbs lighter than when I started!

So my pants felt loose the other day and I decided to take my measurements again yesterday. Another 1/2 inch gone from my waist. Woohoo! That means I've lost an inch total from my waist and a half inch from my hips.

I did strength training yesterday and today I am sooooore. And my throat hurts, but I don't think that has anything to do with exercising. I also led our first Mom and Me hiking group yesterday. There were 3 of us with our kiddos (Misun was supposed to show, too, but didn't) and we hiked at the Fish Technology Center. It's actually a really cool place and I hope I remember it when I want to take Ellie someplace as a toddler. It was cool.

Ugh. I so don't want to be awake right now. I've been awake for an hour, but I'm still in bed. I think I hear Ellie starting to stir, though, so I'd better hop in the shower before I get her up or there will be no shower for me today! The joys of Miss Busy! =D

We don't eat peanut butter.

... So why, then, when I went to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, did I find FOUR opened containers of peanut butter?

There was the Western Family brand creamy PB, the JIFF creamy PB (that my mom bought while she was here), the crunchy PB, and the all natural, organic, no hydrogenated oils PB that we keep in the fridge so it won't separate.

Seriously. Do we really need four different things of peanut butter? I ate some for the first time in months today. And I carefully measured out 1/2 a tablespoon. It's going to take forever to go through those jars.

First Goal Met!!

At 126 pounds, I am the same weight now that I was when I got pregnant with Eliana. YAY! My first goal was to lose the last 5 lbs of pregnancy weight. Mission accomplished.

Fat Free, Sugar Free Vegan Banana Bread

Sounds gross, doesn't it? Well, just for fun I tried it. I
made muffins from it. I don't know that I would make muffins
with it again, as it forms a hard crust, but I would definitely
try to make it into a loaf of bread. I might try sugar next
time, too, or half sugar (mmmm... brown sugar?) and half Splenda.
I thought it had sort of a weird after taste from the Splenda,
but Leif said he couldn't taste it. Anyway....


Here is a banana bread receipe from "Fat Free, Full Flavor"

6 ripe bananas
1 cup Splenda (or sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups (whole wheat) flour
1 tsp baking powder
.5 tsp baking soda

Mash the bananas, sugar/Splenda and vanilla together. 
Sift the flour, baking powder and soda together. 
Mix the liquid with the dry and pour into a loaf pan. 
Put into a preheated oven @ 350 F for one hour.

One inch smaller

I took my measurements today and am amazed to see that I actually have a bit of a loss in not only weight, but size as well! My original measurements (from when I started tracking weight loss) were:

Waist: 31.5
Hips: 37
Neck: 12.5

Now, my measurements are:

Waist: 31
Hips: 36.5
Neck: 12.5

So I lost an inch! Wooohoooo! Also, I am SOOOO close (.2 of a lb) to losing another pound. Hoping to see that progress tomorrow. I would love that.

*GASP*

I just entered my dinner information (1/4 Pickle Barrel Sandwich - Turkey and Provolone) and... *gasp* I went over on my calories for the day. This is the first time it's happened since I started tracking 2.5 weeks ago. I'm shocked. I was sure I could eat the sandwich and still be fine. Oops. So my total for the day is 1355 calories. It's only 55 calories over, but wow. I can't believe I misjudged.

Anyway- The good news is that I really enjoyed my sandwich (I ate half of it last night for dinner, and the other half as leftovers today.), even though I told them not to put the oil and vinegar on it. I LOOOOOVE The Pickle Barrel's oil and vinegar. Turns out they still put the herbs on it, even if not the oil. Score!! That makes me so happy. Mmmm.

I've been pretty moderate lately, I think, which is good. Especially in the face of temptation. Like the cake at the Museum of the Rockies reception last night. Leif had a piece. I had a glass of water. I had a half slice of pizza after my first instead of a full-blown second slice. And I didn't even eat any dressing on my salad - just the lettuce and tomatoes.

So, life is good. But I still think maybe I need to do some aerobics or something tonight to make up for that sandwich overage today. Who knew? Seriously... I'm baffled. Should have entered it first and then eaten it. Oh well. Lesson learned.

Body Clutter Mission #7

What habits have you already established in a normal morning and evening routine?

I have my flylady habits that I more or less follow for morning and evening. I'm not as consistent as I would like to be, but my routines are basically...

Morning:
Get Up
Shower
Swish and Swipe
Get Dressed
Make Bed
Breakfast

Evening:
Think About Tomorrow
Get Ready for Bed
Sleep

Now add a new babystep connected to it for you to practice.

If I'm looking for a health related babystep to add, I think the best one that I can do right now is to add exercise to the list. I think it's actually in my control journal already, but I haven't been using my CJ every day. I should.

Do you have a calendar and stickers that you can use to chart your success?

Yes. I have the flylady calendar and stickers. I also have this blog that I use to record successes and progress. I am using SparkPeople to track my calories and exercise, and I have a WLJ in which to record my successes. I think I'm set on this front.

Weigh Day - Week 3

Well, I weighed myself this morning and I'm at 128. It's a pound more than I was a few days ago, but a pound less than I was a week ago. 3 lbs in 2 weeks - still not too bad.

As for my discouragement, I realized that it's just my perfectionism rearing it's ugly head again. Did I really forget what I wrote for #3 on the last Body Clutter Mission? It's all about attitude and I let my stinkin' thinkin' get the better of me for a day. Well, I am here to say that losing weight is like putting money into stocks - you can't freak out the first time you see your stocks drop. Let the money sit for a while and things will even out and there will be an upward trend, if you've chosen well. So I'm going to keep plugging away at my calorie counting, exercising, and recording and hope to see a downward trend as time passes. There will be ups, there will be downs, but there will be progress. And that is what I'm looking for.

Discouragement

I am getting discouraged. I have been very careful about what I eat, making sure I do not go over 1300 calories daily. I've been going for a walk most days, and burning at least 950 calories per week. I was down to 127 last week. Then I weighed myself and I was at 128.4 for two days. Now this morning I'm at 129. What???! I didn't exercise over the weekend, but at most that should slow down my weight loss, not make me gain! I know this is probably just normal weight fluctuation, but it is discouraging.

I figure one of four things needs to happen:

1. I need to follow the food pyramid to make sure I'm getting a balanced diet.

2. I need to exercise more, and not just taking Ellie for stroller walks. I need to do aerobics, walk on the treadmill, hike, etc.

3. I need to limit my salt intake. Maybe that's causing me to retain water.

4. I need to make sure I get enough fiber in my diet so that I stay fuller longer and stay regular better.

Now... which to implement immediately.

Calorie Calculator

Leif found this calculator that will help you figure out what your basal metabolic rate is, how many calories you burn in a typical day's activities (excluding exercise), and how many calories you burn overall each day. I thought it was interesting, and was surprised to learn that I was right about this all along. I've always thought that 1200-1500 calories was right for me when I'm trying to lose weight and that 1700/1800 was about what I needed to maintain my weight. Sure enough, the calculator agrees with me.

Resting (basal) metabolic rate: 1239 calories per day
Typical daily activities: 619 calories per day
Total calories burned: 1858 per day

Now for a little math:

So... assuming I am not exercising at all, if I take in 1200 calories and am expending 1850, that gives me an excess of 650 calories a day. 1 pound of fat = 3500 calories. So if I don't exercise at all, just reduce my calorie intake to 1200, it should take me a little over 5 days to lose 1 pound. But if I do exercise and burn, say, 250 calories a day, four days a week, that adds another 1000 calories to my expenditure. For each week, then, I have an excess calorie expenditure of 5550 calories and should be able to lose a pound and a half each week. If I lose 1.5 lbs each week from now until I reach my goal, I will weigh 110 lbs by August 20th!

Weight Loss Journal

I've decided to make a weight loss mini album to track my progress as I try to lose weight this summer. Taylor gave me some coasters she got at a garage sale, so I'm using those to make my book. I used MME papers and lots of stamps - mostly Purple Onion stamps. I love those things!

I titled my WLJ (weight loss journal) "Lose It For Good" though in hindsight I wish I'd called it "Body Clutter." Oh well.
I started with a LO about my goals and plan. I have 3 goals going into this...

1. Lose the last 5 lbs of my pregnancy weight (I'm only 1 lb away from reaching this goal now!!)
2. Lose an additional 15-20 lbs by September 1st (I've got a class reunion coming up then!)
3. Lose the last 5-10 lbs to get down to my doctor prescribed "ideal" weight.

My plan to lose this weight consists of...

• Limiting my calorie intake to 1200-1300 calories daily.
• Drinking 64 oz of water daily.
• Doing 45 minutes of cardio at least 4 times a week.

I am including a LO for each week until September, or until I reach my goal. I will include different things for different weeks, but each week I will have the dates covered in that week, my starting weight for that week, and progress I've made or successes I've had during the week. This is the LO from week 1. I am in week 2 right now.

Healthy Weight!

It's a beautiful day to celebrate weighing a healthy weight again! I weighed myself this morning and I've lost another 2 lbs, which puts me at 127. And that brings my BMI to 24.8. They say a healthy BMI is 18.5-24.9, so I am finally out of the "overweight" category!! That is a wonderful thing. One more pound and I will be down to my pregnancy weight, meeting goal #1!!

Body Clutter Mission #6

1. List one baby step that will help you be more aware of what you are putting into your mouth.

I have already started doing this, but my answer is to track my calories. When I am actively counting calories, whether limiting to 1200 or 1500, I am more aware of everything that goes into my mouth. No more half regular, half diet pop. Today I was at the scrapbooking store and I reached for a Jolly Rancher candy. Before I took it, though, I thought about the fact that I had already budgeted my calories for dinner and I didn't really have any calories left over. So I didn't eat the candy. It really wouldn't have been too bad - I might have even stayed within my calorie range. But I thought about what I was going to do. When I am not counting calories, I do not think about it. So that is my baby step - I'm going to keep counting calories and recording them on SparkPeople.

2. When it comes to movement, what is a simple baby step that is doable for you today?

Walking. Tonight Stephanie and I went for a walk, even though I didn't have any cardio scheduled (I'm on a M,T,Th,F schedule for cardio). We walked for about half an hour. It wasn't much, but it was something and it was good for me. I can walk every day, whether it is on my treadmill, or around the neighborhood. I don't have to do it at the same time every day, and I can feel free to vary my routine with bike riding or aerobics. But whether or not I do anything else, I can walk every day.

3. List one baby step that will help you with your perfectionist attitude.

I will remind myself that it's okay to go over on calories. It's okay not to see the scale move each week. It's okay not to exercise every day. It's not okay to give up. If I go over on calories one day, it's okay - I've probably been under enough days to make up for it already. If not, no biggie - just pick myself up and keep at it the next day. If I don't get exercise in one day, it's fine. I'll just exercise tomorrow and it will be okay. If the scale doesn't move, I won't get discouraged. Maybe I'll lose 2 lbs next week and that will make up for the lb I thought I would lose this week. Above all, I will allow for flexibility. Moderation is an art, not a science. It is balance, not calculation. It is freedom, not a prison and I will not use it to chain myself down, but instead to help me FLY.

Weigh Day - Week 2

Today I am tired. Perhaps it's because I finally had a little crafting motivation last night and I stayed up past midnight being creative. Or maybe because I'm stressed out about a couple projects I need to finish and I haven't been sleeping as well as I should be. Whatever the case, I am tired. *yaaaaawn*

Today is weigh day. I don't have a whole lot to report since I weighed yesterday, but I was down .2 lb this morning. Still at 129. Losing 2 lbs my first week is great! And today begins another week. We're going for pizza for lunch (Wednesday is Cosmic day!) after the Children's Museum, and then to meet up with Leif's mom to return the camera she left here a couple weeks ago. I need to go to the scrapbooking store to finish up a couple class samples for the open house this weekend. And I should find time sometime today to go to Costco - we are dangerously low on milk!

For dinner I'm making Polynesian Chicken (BCMM) in the crock pot. We'll see how it turns out... I hope it's good! Most of the recipes I've tried have been. It's always hard to know what to make for dinner on pizza day, since I need to be a little more conservative with the dinner calories after splurging for lunch.

Yesterday I comforted myself with food. Deliberately. I don't remember that happening before. I was stressed out about the car seat and got very frustrated. I finally got one car seat installed using the seatbelt instead of the LATCH system (since that was absolutely no help for rear-facing installation). Once that was done I came in and decided to eat something yummy. Granted, it was an 80 calorie cup of fat free pudding, but it did the trick. It was delicious and it made me feel happy instead of stressed. It didn't put me over my calories, and it wasn't particularly bad for me. But it was comfort eating at it's finest. Or ugliest. However you want to look at it. I'm still in shock.

another one bites the dust...

Yes, I have lost another pound. 2 lbs in my first week. Woohoo!

I didn't get any exercising in yesterday, mostly because it was rainy and icky and we ended up going into town and doing a bunch of errands. We went to Cosmic for dinner and I still managed to stay within my calorie range. Yippee!

Leif has decided to track calories and try to lose some weight, too. He started yesterday. I'm proud of him for doing it, but the first two days are the worst. After that your body sort of gets used to the fact that you're not going to feed it as much and you stop being hungry all the time. He was going to ride his bike to work today, too, but it's raining again. Ick.

Body Clutter Mission #5

Do you have someone that you are angry with?

This is one assignment that will be easy for me. I do not have anyone I am angry with. When Leif and I were first married one of the lessons he taught me was forgiveness. I didn't realize that I held grudges until then. It's a lesson for which I will always be thankful. He taught me to forgive, forget, and move on. It is a choice that I have and though I don't always want to forgive, once I have forgiven I have never regretted it. Thank you, Love, for teaching me to forgive.

First pound down

I lost my first pound since I started tracking calories on Wednesday. It might just be normal weight fluctuation and I happened to weigh on a low day, but I'm going to take it as weight loss all the same! Yesterday I got two hours of light exercise in (gardening and walking - an hour each) and today we are planning on going for a bike ride.

As for my pros and cons list.... I think I've decided to switch over to SparkPeople. I'm sorry, FitDay. I still love you, really I do. I just love SparkPeople better. *sigh*

I would like to add, too, that I stayed within my 1200-1300 calorie limit yesterday, and that included two doughnuts and an ice cream cone. Not to mention lunch (pasta) and dinner (grilled chicken and baked beans). There is power in moderation and low fat ice cream.

Pros and Cons

I've been tracking my calories off and on for the past year on Fitday. I've also been an active member of Babyfit and have really enjoyed that website and being a part of that community. Babyfit has a sister site called Sparkpeople that is sort of a combination of Fitday and Babyfit. The last couple days I've been recording on both, to some degree, and trying to figure out if I want to change to Sparkpeople. So, I think it's time for a pros and cons list.

FITDAY

pros:

• familiarity - I already use the site, know how to use it, and like it.
• easy to pick up with after an absence
  

cons:

• no community accountability
• have to log in over and over and over
• no real place to keep track of water intake
  

SPARKPEOPLE

pros:

• message boards for accountability
• remembers my login info and will let me be logged in for a long period of time
• greater variety in activities listed
• can track water intake easily
  

cons:

• haven't found a message board group yet that I "fit" with. But then, I haven't searched TOO much either.
• the website seems overloaded with information and I'm still trying to sort it out.

Take 2

Here I am four months later and two pound lighter. And I'm back on track... again. I weighed myself on Wednesday (which is weigh day for me) and I was at 131. I've been at 131 for a month and a half or so now. At one point I think I was even down to 129. But that's not the point.

The point is that I have a 10 year class reunion coming up at the beginning of September and I want to lose some weight. A couple significant things have happened in my two month hiatus from this blog and they have become part of my motivation for losing the weight. First, our class reunion got planned. I weighed 85 lbs the last time most of these people saw me. I certainly don't want to be that small again, but I don't want to be this large, either. So September 1st is my goal deadline. The second thing that happened is that I got pregnant. In March we started trying again and May 1st we found out we were expecting. A week later we learned that the pregnancy was ectopic. I had surgery and took two weeks to recover from that while my mom came up and took care of Ellie. She went back home on Tuesday morning and I am back on my own again. The recovery went well, but I am still limited in what I can do. Like exercise. I'm not allowed to exercise until I go back to the Dr. on June 7. However, I am going to try to do a little walking once the weather warms up again.

In the meantime, I am back to using Fitday to track my calories. I am keeping between 1200 and 1300 calories and trying to make wise choices. I am also being held accountable by Lis, a friend from Babyfit.

If I lose a half pound a week I can be at 124 (2 lbs below prepregnancy weight) by the end of the summer. If I lose 1 lb a week, that number drops to 117. At 1.5 lbs, I could be down to 110 lbs. And in the extreme chance that I could lose 2 lbs a week over the next 3 months, I could be down to 103 lbs. According to the hospital, my ideal weight is 100 lbs. That's not my goal, but it's a good number to keep in mind. My goal is to get down to 110-115 lbs by the end of the summer. We'll see if it happens, but that is my goal. One day at a time, one meal at a time, one choice at a time.

Progress, not perfection, in 2007.

One week in

It's been a week since I started recording on fitday.com and I have lost 4 lbs in that time. Not bad! Even with eating out on Friday night and having birthday cake on Saturday, I still stayed under 1300 calories both days. A little moderation goes a long way! It does feel good to be able to stay on track and make thought-out decisions concerning my eating. I can splurge a little and still be within appropriate bounds. I can eat one hershey kiss and have a taste of chocolate. But I don't have to eat the whole bag. I'm learning to recognize when I need to spend time with my husband instead of eat. I'm a comfort food eater. But I'm getting better.

In the week that I've been recording on fitday.com, I have exercised 5 of the 7 days. That makes me feel good. Both emotionally and physically. I feel better. And because I've been eating less, it takes less to fill me up and I feel satisfied.

I still have 8 lbs to lose before I am to my pre-Ellie weight. But I am making progress and that is comforting and encouraging.

Movin' Down

This morning I weighed myself before I showered and before I ate or drank anything... and the scale said 133! That means I have 8 lbs to go in order to reach my goal! If I lose 1 lb a week, I will have lost it all by March 15. I'm pretty excited about that! It looks like I will be able to do what I set out to do. That's always encouraging. If I lose the weight sooner, we can start trying for a second baby sooner. Then I'll have more weight to lose after he's born, but I will have proved to myself that I can do it!

Thank you, fitday.com. You have been immensely helpful in allowing me to record my exercise, weight, and food. You're the best. =)

One down, Eleven to go

That's right... I've lost my first pound. It took me a week, but it's gone. Now all the other pounds can go too - off with you!

I did 30 min of step aerobics today and I walked for 45 min on the treadmill. Yippee!

Body Clutter Mission #4

What excuses do you make for having body clutter?

1. I'm never going to lose it anyway, so why try if I'm just going to fail?
2. I'm not as overweight as some people I know.
3. The people who know me here in Montana didn't ever know me when I was skinny, so they don't see me as big as I am compared to what I used to be.
4. I just had a baby.
5. It's my personality that matters, not my size.

I am overweight.

I hate to admit that. I hate even more that it's true. If I can lose 7 lbs, I will be within the healthy weight zone. If I lose 12 lbs, it would be even better and I will be back to what I was before Eliana was born. According to these calculators at freedieting.com I have a BMI of 27. Healthy BMI ranges from 19-25.

Goal #1 - Drink 2 L water each day. I don't drink nearly enough water and I need to drink more to be healthy, avoid the munchies, and lose weight.

Goal #2 - Reduce my calorie intake / increase my calorie expenditure by 500 calories per day. If my daily calorie count is less 500 calories, I should lose about a pound a week. I should be able to burn 250-350 calories per day walking on the treadmill (30-45 min), and reduce my calories by 150-250.

I honestly don't know how many calories I eat each day. I need about 1550 calories to maintain my current weight if I don't do any exercise. I am fairly sedentary at this point in my life, so I'm guessing I need to eat 1200-1300 calories per day and walk on the treadmill for 30-45 min each day.

Today... I walked for 30 min. and burned 250 calories. For breakfast I had two packets of plain oatmeal, plus 2 T of brown sugar, 1.5 C skim milk and 2 T Nesquick. I also had a calcium chew and my vitamin. I had a morning snack of Yoplait yogurt with granola and some whipped cream (to help the long-frozen texture).

It will be eaiser to track everything when I get my database.

Body Clutter Mission #3

Do you feel pretty?

Sometimes. I do not like my post-baby body. I like my smile and my eyes, but I don't smile nearly often enough. I feel pretty when I wear clothes that are flattering and slimming.

How many years worth of clothes do you have in your closet? How many sizes?

I try to keep my closet pretty much just clothes that I can wear, though I have a few that are just a tad bit too small. I have sizes 6-10 in my closet, and I can pretty much wear all of them, though they don't all look good on me.

What words do you hear in your head when you look in your closet at the clothes that don't fit?

Someday. Maybe. Hopefully. Sigh. I wonder if I will ever be able to wear that again.

Do you get dressed to the shoes first thing in the morning?

Not usually first thing. My daughter is my alarm clock, so I usually have to feed her first, then get her settled doing something, then I eat breakfast myself, then shower and get dressed. I've been trying to do better at getting dressed to the shoes and I'm wearing my shoes right now.

Have you ever felt embarrassed by your weight? How did you feel and what caused your shame?

I feel ashamed about my weight when I see people who knew me growing up. I was ALWAYS very thin, so I feel like I am a big disappointment when I see them. I also feel that way with my family. I know they want what's best for me, and they (and I) feel that being thin again is best for me. On the trip to Texas over Christmas, I didn't really want to be seen by people and I was glad that most of the attention was on Eliana. I'm not proud of my size.

Have you used your Body Clutter as a shield?

I don't think so. I hate it and I've been trying to get rid of it since it showed up, so I don't think I've been using it to shield me from people.

Body Clutter Mission #2

What is your image of beautiful?

A smile, shining eyes, neat appearance, and radiant happiness.

Diet Schemes:

1. Count and track nutrition (calories, etc.) based on food pyramid,
exercise regularly and track calories burned. Basically, keep a
database of calorie intake and expenditure, and eat a balanced diet. I
lost 15 lbs.

Teenage years:

All through high school I weighed 85 lbs. I ate anything and
everything I wanted to, never healthy. I didn't gain weight until I
went on birth control before we got married my senior year of college.
Then I started gaining weight and gained until I weighed 130 lbs. Two
big weight jumps when I went on b.c. and when I switched to a new b.c.
I lost 15 lbs, then gained back 10. I weighed 125 when I got pregnant
with Eliana. I gained 30 lbs during my pregnancy, then lost 20 of it
right away. Now, 6 months after she was born I weigh 137 lbs.

Health issues:

I cannot think of any health issues related to my weight. I am not as
energetic as I used to be / want to be, and my back hurts. I don't
know if the back is related to the weight, but it can't help.

Body Clutter Mission #1

First memory of comfort food:

Chicken Pot Pie. This was my favorite meal and I could eat a ton of it. It is creamy and delicious and my mom didn't make it very often. We were allowed to choose any meal that we wanted for our birthday, and mine was always chicken pot pie, which solidified the comfort connection in my mind. I learned years later (when I was watching my calories and fat) that chicken pot pie is basically crisco and flour dough in a cream of chicken sauce. VERY fattening. I don't remember how much fat per serving, but it is something like 50g. I've never made it myself, and it probably ought to stay that way.

Favorite food when I need comforting:

I don't know what my favorite comfort food is. I can tell you that it's not healthy. I will pretty much browse through the pantry and see what there is to eat, then eat it. Chocolate, candy, kettle corn, ice cream, biscuits and gravy, pop, cookies... and I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Thanksgiving food is especially comforting for me.

Why is it so comforting?

I think Thanksgiving food (Turkey with gravy, pies (especially pumpkin), ham, YAMBAKE, pretzel salad, stuffing...) is so comforting because it is the start of my favorite holiday season. With the food come the memories of years of celebrations with family and college students. I look forward to Thanksgiving every year and it's because of the food, fellowship, and start of Christmas.

What is your first memory of using food to comfort yourself?

I don't honestly know when I first started using food to comfort myself. I think I've been doing it all my life. My dad does it, too. Often I eat just because it's there. Sometimes I crave, but mostly I just graze. I don't eat deliberately when I'm home by myself. I feel a need to eat something, so I'll just snack for a while until I've had snack after snack after snack. And then I eat dinner.

This Week's Dinner Plans

This week, I planned out our dinners based on the Body Clutter getting-started menu mailer. I'll get my real menu mailer on Thursday, so I'm only planning until that day. Here's what I'm planning...

Sunday (tonight): Chicken Vera Cruz with brown rice and steamed broccoli.
Monday: Crock pot Stroganoff with steamed broccoli and potatoes
Tuesday: Beef Stir Fry with brown rice
Wednesday: Chicken with Pears and baked potatoes
Thursday: Chicken Vegetable Soup and salad

The non-resolution

It's early in January and I'm trying to start eating better and exercising, like millions of other Americans. It's not a New Year's resolution. But the holidays are over and I need to lose 12 lbs in order to weigh what I did when I got pregnant with Eliana. She's almost 6 months old and I've lost all my "freebie" weight. Now I'm going to have to work to get it off. So... here I am.

I bought "Body Clutter" by Marla Cilley a year and a half ago. I read it and it's got good insight and advice. Now I'm rereading it. I am a Flybaby and I love Marla's system. She has helped me get my house and life into order, so I trust her to help me change my eating habits. I have slipped from my Flylady ways in general, so I am trying to get back on track all around. It's easy enough, I just haven't made it a priority. So now, I am making my home and my body priorities. It's time to kick the clutter on all fronts!

Leif is working on making me a new database so I can track my exercise and eating. He made me a database a few years ago and I lost 15 lbs just by keeping track of my calorie intake and expenditure, and eating a balanced diet according to the food pyramid. It worked then, so it ought to work now.

In the meantime, I am reading Body Clutter again. I am a comfort food eater. I always have been. When I get stressed or sad or even happy, I reach for food. I'm not very good at practicing moderation, and I don't have a taste for greens. My idea of the perfect vegetable is a baked potato. Not a loaded one, just butter and salt, thank you. But I don't like the good-for-me stuff. So... to help on the food preparation end of things, I have subscribed to the Body Clutter Menu Mailer. I've only gotten the getting-started menu so far. My first "real" menu will be available on Thursday. But this week I am going to start making healthy eating choices and we're going to eat well for dinner.

My goal is the Flylady motto for this year. "Progress, not Perfection, in 2007" I have a specific "ideal" weight/size in my head, but that is not my goal. My goal is to make better choices and form good eating habits so that I can be a healthier, happier me. I'd love to lose 12 lbs by Ellie's 1st birthday. I'd really like to lose 25 lbs total. But I'm going to take it one babystep at a time.