Love my daddy!

Funny how people can be on the same wavelength at the same time...

I've been struggling with motivation. No surprise there. It seems that after that first go-round, when I did so remarkably well, my drive to keep going just completely fizzled. I was on the phone with Mom, discussing this very thing. Do I got back to Weight Watchers or try it online? Or should I try something different altogether?

One problem I've had lately is that my feet are constantly hurting. Based on research, and a tip from a friend, I'm reasonably sure I have a nifty case of plantar fasciitis going on. Unfortunately, being on my feet makes it hurt worse, so exercise feels like its bringing more pain than gain. I'd looked at exercise bikes, but hadn't found exactly what I wanted.

Anyway... back to Mom. She has a call come in from Dad and says she'll call me right back. A few minutes later, the phone rings, and she's laughing. Turns out that as we were talking about my Big Dilemma, Dad was on the internet ordering me a bike! LOL

Even better - he got me exactly the kind of bike I had wanted but couldn't find. Here's a picture:



I had tried a similar bike at Curves and loved how comfortable it was. The back support and seat are fantastic - you don't get a sore bum and your back doesn't ache. Plus it's a fairly quiet bike, so you can watch TV, read, or do whatever. It should roll in here (hee-hee - get it? roll in here?) in a couple of weeks, and I can get some quality cardio time without hurting my feet so badly.

Love you, Dad! :)

Be Careful What You Wish For

I got mine... weighed in this morning... exactly what I weighed in last Sunday.

Grrrrrrrrr.......................

Sunday, No Weigh-In

It didn't take long... I'm already feeling discouraged. Typically the munchies strike about a week before AF - this month, the munchies decided to visit early. It hasn't helped that things have been so utterly hectic. We just got back from a whirlwind trip to Mom's, where I ate too much much (couldn't let a Mrs. Pace's chocolate cake just sit there untried, could I?), even though for the most part I at least attempted to make good choices.

This week should be a little bit slower, so I am resolving to exercise at least three times. I only have Wednesday night tied up with church. Maybe I can squeeze some much-needed housework in while I'm at it.

I wasn't home this morning to weigh in (on my terribly inaccurate and inconsistent scale), so I will check in tomorrow with a number that I am praying is at least no more than last week's. We shall see, eh?

Mid-Week Check-In

Yup. I definitely picked a tough week to start a diet. With the meetings at night, it means that we have been eating out after church. That's not so much a problem - I have learned to navigate my way through a menu. The real issue is that I depend on leftovers for healthy lunches. Often I revamp them a bit (i.e., using grilled chicken to make pitas or salads), but operating like this is both a time-saver and money-saver. Without leftovers this week, and with a dwindling stash in the refrigerator, meals have been tough. I'm doing the best I can, though.

I have managed to squeeze in one workout, plus a 90-minute house-cleaning frenzy. Tonight will be more cleaning (heavy stuff like mopping and vacuuming and that sort of thing), and I might get ambitious and do a workout video if I'm not too tired.

This weekend I'm heading to Mom's, which shouldn't be too bad. Mom & Dad are always so supportive of my weight loss attempts, and they go out of their way to make sure the menu is good for me.

So that's my update for the week. I've stepped on the scales a few times, but I'm not paying much attention to the numbers until Sunday. Ta-ta!

Monday, Monday...

I always seem to pick the worst weeks to start a new habit! We're having a gospel meeting at church, and my evenings are completely tied up through Wednesday. It's going to make finding exercise time tough, and eating right tougher.

Must press on... must press on...

This week's goals are to drink my 64 oz of water each day and to exercise 4x, for at least 10 minutes each. Also, I created a journal on the computer to record what I eat and my exercise for the day. One thing I've learned my from Weight Watcher days is that journaling really does keep me more accountable. At the very least, it helps me understand the trends in my weight changes.

I just started in the middle of last week, but each Monday I want to list a few things I accomplished the previous week. I am proud that I pulled out a WATP video and FIRM video, even if they were short ones. I ate out a few times, but made healthy choices.

To quote one of Bebo's favorite little blue engines: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Where the Pedal Meets the Metal

I have a confession to make. This blog came dangerously close to deletion - my finger was on the button more than once. I quit. I didn't care. (Okay, I did care, but not enough to do anything.)

I had to quit WW because of transportation. Again. And since I was only partially motivated anyway, quitting meetings popped the balloon entirely on my drive.

But big changes are happening in my life. This fall I am taking prerequisites to the nursing program, and if all goes well, I'll be accepted and actually beginning my clinicals in just a little over a year. Here's the thing: I am so horribly out of shape and obese that I can't be on my feet for more than 30 minutes at a time. They hurt so much it feels like I'm walking on gravel.

Do you know what I want to do? I want to help deliver babies. I want to work in the NICU, with preemies and AIDS babies and crack babies. I want to eventually get a midwife certification and do missions work in Africa, teaching pregnant women and new mothers how to take care of themselves and their children.

And I can't do any of that unless this weight comes off. Besides being a horrible example, it's so inhibiting... I have to be able to survive clinicals, not to mention 12-hour shifts. It just ain't gonna happen in my current state. The weight has to come off. It has to happen. No more goofing off. No more excuses. No more late-night Krystal runs. No more pretending that what goes in my mouth won't land right on my thighs.

It's now or never. This is the end. My dreams can't go on hold any longer.