Losing Weight in the Summer is Hard

Okay, who am I kidding? For me, losing weight at any time of the year is hard. But I'm finding that when warm weather comes, so does lots of social occasions. And lots of drinking. I obviously need to come up with some less caloric beverage choices - I think my sweet tea vodka and lemonade is not a good choice.

This weekend, we had a neighborhood party on Saturday with lots of food (and lots of desserts!) and lots of drinks. And Sunday, it was a friend's 40th birthday. Her husband rented a limo to take us girls to a winery. It was soooo fun!

So - what's your favorite not so high in calories beverage of choice? I'd love to get some ideas!

First Weigh-in of Summer Challenge

I am ready for the challenge! I weighed myself yesterday (Tuesday) morning and here it is...



A bit depressing? Uh... yeah. AND I need a pedicure!

Summer Challenge 2010

I'm joining a summer weight loss challenge. This time, it's Summer Challenge 2010 at No more CHUNKY DUNKING, time to skinny dip!.

The sad part is at this time last year, I was at 197. And that is about 5 pounds lighter than I am now. So nothing has really changed in a year. Well, technically that's not true. I gained 16 pounds past that 197 and then lost 11 of that. Up and down... that's my life.

Yesterday I tried on a pair of capris that I bought a year or so ago. I've never worn them and there's been times I've tried them on and couldn't get them past my hips. Yesterday, I got them on, up and buttoned. They weren't pretty (I could not wear them in public with the way they looked). So that's my number 1 goal for the end of the summer... to be able to wear those pants and not be embarassed with the way they look. It would be extra nice if they were a little big.

My other goals:

1 - Walk a 5K before the end of the challenge

2 - Get down into the 100's and stay there. No more 200's!

3 - This doesn't have anything to do with weightloss, but have fun with my kids this summer. I'm already dreading the "I'm bored, Mom! There's nothing to do!" I need to put together a list of things to do - fun, cheap things : ).

For some reason, I can't post the challenge logo... I'll try again later.

Back again...

I hate that I have not kept up with this blog. I started it to help myself... to write my feelings... and I could have used it in the past couple of months.

Gall bladder is completely healed and I feel good about it. I mentioned to my husband today that it doesn't even feel real that it happened. It was just a blip in my life. I haven't had any problems, thank goodness.

My weight loss journey continues. Finally, this week I tracked my food. I have not tracked since my gall bladder attack back on March 5th. Shame, shame. But I'm at about the same weight as I was then, so at least I haven't gained it all back, which would have been very easy to do. And I'm ready to continue on my journey now and hopefully start to lose weight again.

Recovery

My gall bladder came out on Thursday. It was successful and easy as far as surgeries go. I'm in a lot more pain than I thought I would be. I can't even imagine how horrible it would be to get this thing out the way they used to. Having it done laparoscopicly was bad enough. It's getting better every day, but I'm getting anxious about feeling like this. I can't lift anything; I can't sleep normally. It sucks.

Sabotage

I don't know what it is - or why it is - but I am trying to self destruct. I have not tracked since my gall bladder attack nearly 2 weeks ago. I have been eating way too much cereal and cookies. And it shows. I weighed in last night. I was up THREE pounds. That's right... three (actually, a little over). I am appalled with myself. I am disgusted. I am ready to get back on the weight watcher train and lose this weight.

Now... why do I think I've been acting this way? Seriously, in the thing that I call my mind, I believe I am acting this way so that I don't lose weight too quickly. Being the hypochondriac that I am, losing weight too quickly may indicate that you are sick. I know, it makes no sense. But honestly, it does make a little sense to me in the little warped world that I live in.

But I've had enough. I am going to track like crazy this week. I am going to follow the plan to a tee. I am going to lose some of the three pounds that I gained this week.

On a side note, I saw a surgeon yesterday and will have my gall bladder out sometime in the next three weeks. I am terrified. Please send me some reassuring words.

Still Heading in the Right Direction

I was amazed yesterday at weigh in to find out I had lost. "Only" .2 pounds, but I really thought this was going to be my first gain week. I had so much against me this week. I've been trying to be good, but hadn't tracked (at least written) since my ER visit on Saturday morning. And I figured with the medication, that might put me over. .2 - I'll take it. That puts me down 14.2 pounds in nine weeks. Slow and steady.

My doctor put me on predizone this week. I have some inflammation in my SI joint (basically, the joint that holds your tailbone to your hip) and aleve wasn't cutting it. I haven't been jittery or moody, which is sometimes a side effect, but I have been very restless at night. It's driving me crazy. I love to sleep and can't stand it when I can't do it. Hopefully this will be short lived.

Pain Like No Other

Friday was a fun night. A bunch of friends from my neighborhood got together and went to dinner. We hung out, ate and drank a few beers. My family had to leave to go to my oldest's basketball game. We stopped by a neighbor's house on the way home and had a glass or two of wine. When we got home, my husband and I watched Survivor. Just a fun Friday night.

Until... I started having horrible pains in my chest at about 11pm. We went to bed and I figured the pain would go away (I know... not smart). I woke up at about 1am and the pain was still horrible. I woke my husband up and told him something was seriously wrong and he needed to take me to the ER. We called a friend to take the kids and headed over. When we walked in, I told them I was having some chest pains... that gets you seen very quickly. The nurse was asking me my symptoms and said that it sounded like my gall bladder. Hmmm... that's actually what I suspected. That's also what I suspected here, when my doctor diagnosed heartburn. And after experiencing what I did on Friday night, I can say that what I experienced in February 2009 was definitely the same thing. I also had it in December 2004 when I was pregnant with my daughter.

They took some blood, gave me a pain killer (which helped A LOT) and zofran for the nausea (zofran is a wonder drug - that's what I took when I was pregnant with my youngest when I threw up all the time) and did an ultrasound. And all of that confirmed... gall bladder disease. I'm going to make an appointment with a surgeon. The one I saw back in October. At that time, the tests I had had done did not point to anything wrong with my gall bladder, other than the stones I the ultrasound I had last spring showed. He told me that it was up to me whether to have it out or not. Back then, I told myself that I wouldn't do anything until I had an attack. I just never thought it would happen so quickly.

Cleanse Information

I had a comment asking which cleanse I am trying. I am doing the Women’s Renew® Internal Cleansing System. The website is http://www.yerba.com/storefront/item.asp?id=78. I bought it at my local grocery store (in the natural foods section near the vitamins) and it was quite a bit cheaper than on this web site.

I did ask my doctor about it the other day. She thinks that cleanses are a bit pointless and you can get the same effects with more water and more fiber. I think doctors sometimes are not big on recommending things that are a little out of the ordinary. And I think cleases may fall in that category. So I'm going to keep doing it, at least for a few more weeks. I have more energy and feel like I am getting some toxins out of my body that have been there for a long time.

Cleanse

Have you ever done an internal cleanse? After hearing a friend talk about it, I decided to do it. I bought the cleanse that she recommended and started it last Sunday. You take three to five fiber pills twice a day, plus two herbal pills twice a day. I feel better already. I have more energy and feel like I am getting rid of toxins that have been in my body for a long while. I also lost 2.8 pounds this week, so that's a huge bonus.

Dr. Oz's anti-cancer shopping list

I tape (is it still called taping since I use the dvr?) Dr. Oz every day. And if you know me, you know that I'm a bit of a hypocondriac. Anyway, the other day Dr. Oz talked about food that can help prevent cancer, which is one of my biggest fears. You can find the shopping list here. I'm really going to make it a point to eat more of these foods. Will you join me?

Good Week

At my Weight Watchers meeting on Wednesday, I had lost 2 pounds. Which brings my total to 11.2 pounds in 7 weeks. And that means that I lost 5%. Yippee!!! I am proud of myself, although I know that I have a long way to go. My new goal is to get under 200, which I should be able to do in the next week or so.

I've been going to a Zumba class for a few weeks and am really liking it. We have a fitness center in our community and they offer a Zumba class on Thursday nights. A few of my friends go and according to the teacher, we burn 400-500 calories with each workout. Last night, I also did a yoga class. That stuff is hard! But it felt good - really stretched out my back and my hips.

Carnie Wilson

About a week or so ago, I was watching the Dr. Oz show and Carnie Wilson was on. She's heavy again and trying to lose weight - this time with the help of Dr. Oz and his people. I'm thinking to myself that yes, she does look heavy. She steps into the "truth tube" and it says she weighs 218 pounds. So, basically, she's my size. Yikes. That's about what I look like. Double yikes. That should give me the push I need!

I'm doing well with Weight Watchers. I'm down 9.2 pounds as of last Wednesday's weigh-in. Hopefully, I'll be down 10 pounds, which is also my 5%, at tomorrow's weigh in. I think I've done well this week. I've gone to the gym a couple of times and will work out tomorrow (LAST CHANCE WORKOUT!).

I went to Bunco last night at like most Bunco's with the group I'm in, the food was never ending. I did make some smart choices, but also some so-so ones. Although I did not go all out like I would have a couple of months ago. She did serve a delicious cake for dessert and I did have a piece of that. But I am paying for it today. My tummy is killing me! Not sure it was worth it...

I'm back... and getting back on the wagon

It's me again! Where have I been for the past few months, you might wonder. I've been around. Doing things that were not making me a better person, a healthier person. But I'm sick and tired of living that life and am ready to live a better, healthier life.

They started a WW meeting right here in my neighborhood. No excuse not to participate. The meetings are Wednesday evenings. My husband is home for the kids. No excuses! I even have a few friends that have joined with me, so I have a support system. There is also a gym right here in my neighborhood. One that my way-to-high HOA monthly dues pay for. No excuses not to go.

The first meeting was Wednesday, January 6th. I stepped on the scale... 213 pounds. Yikes. That puts me up 24 pounds from my low back in March. On the bright side, though, it puts me down 9 pounds from my high back in August 2008. So I'm looking on the bright side. And I lost 5.2 pounds my first week, so I'm down to 207.8. Not bad for my first week.

One of my 2010 goals (not resolutions - I'm called them goals that I hope to be able to complete by 12/31/10) is to save money when it comes to food. We go out to eat WAY too much. Usually because I don't have food in the kitchen that is easy to make. No more. I'm shopping the ads and using coupons. A few of my new favorite sites are www.southernsavers.com and www.hotcouponworld.com. I've also found there are tons of coupons you can print off the internet... who knew? So far this week, I've spent about $110 on groceries, but saved $120. My goal is to save more than I spend. I'm lucky that I have 8 or so different grocery stores within about 10 miles. Makes it very easy to comparison shop. And as I stockpile my kitchen more, I will spend way less every week. It would be nice not to spend more than $150 on food every month.