Happy Fourth of July

What a week!!!  I have to say walking and eating right is hard work, but it's been worth it. My official weigh in is tomorrow, but I peeked this morning and was down 2.5. Ok I guess. Tonight I read through some WW message boards. I was using my exercise points each day, but if I don't use them I might have better results. So I basically used my 35 extra points. Bottom line ~ I still used 6 activity points.  I'll do better next week. I walked a total of 22 miles this week. I'm happy. We are doing nothing special this fourth. Got invited to some neighbors house for a block party, but opted to stay home. I walked Jack and Parker and I swam. Nothing exciting happening in my neck of the woods. Oh we watched Toy Story 3 and at one point I cried like a baby...hahahah. I'm a wimp.

The Last Two Days

Check in time :) So far so good. I've stayed within my points and walked three miles each night. 

The real test will come when I'm tempted to blow it.

 It hasn't happened yet, but it will and I just hope I can stay strong. 

This is a weakness of mine...stay away from the pastries!!! 

Smiles

Today's post is from Mama Kat's prompts #3)    Write a list of 10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.

1. Husband Bubby. Gosh I just have to remember his love and loyalty and I feel warm and cozy. 

2. Parker, my one and only. I am so incredibly lucky to have him and have such a healthy and happy kid. 

3. Molly my dog. Her calmness and constant love sustain me in sad times.

4. Jack my dog. I just like hugging the big puppy.

5. Chocolate. Enough said.

6. My comfortable bed. Here I can shut out the world, put the covers over my head and recharge.

7. A good book. There's nothing like getting lost in a different world. 

8. My home. My sanctuary. 

9. My students. On my saddest days I am able to forget everything and just soak up their energy. It's amazing.

10. Gratitude for all I have! 

Tuesday

Ok Folks....I did something this morning I haven't done in years. I've been wanting to try it for a while. I walked 4.5 miles!!  (I've only been doing 1.5 miles at a time) Ever since my minor back surgery in January, subsequent back-aches here and there, heel issues, knee issues, I've been either chicken or too lazy to try pushing it.  This morning I had three things going for me:

1. It was a bit cooler. Still humid, but cooler and breezy. 

2. I tried Jack without his pinch collar. BIG mistake. He pulled the entire 1.5 mile loop I make with him. When we got home I dropped him off, got my IPOD and kept going. It was SO easy at first without a 60lb puppy dragging me along! 

3. I felt enormously guilty for not doing anything yesterday ( Monday) so I wanted to make up for it. 

I did it!!!

Now 7 hours later my knees and thighs are stiff and my back is a bit achy. Nothing major. I'll take my Motrin tonight and will be fine!  Once I get moving I'm ok. My heel isn't too bad. I feel like I can do this more often.

I would say I walked at a low to moderate pace...so that gives me between 5 and 7 points extra. I usually don't use them, but today at lunch I was ravenous. Ate at Alamo Cafe...fajita tacos, rice/bns/guac/pico/queso. I left quite a bit of beans/rice/queso. Probably was 18 points. Well probably less. Who knows! For dinner I had a baked potato w/ yogurt butter and green beans....w/ breakfast my total so far is 33 pts. With the activity points I'm ok. :)

This is Jack. He walks me every day!! 

Monday

I thought I would start this diet life-style change off with what I ate in a photo spread. I'm a teacher, so my summers are wonderfully free for me. I spend the first part of every June no knowing what to do with myself and then I figure it out by July. Monday I tackled cleaning my closet, dresser and night stand. I took a car load of stuff to Goodwill. It's my summer ritual. I think tomorrow I may tackle the study closet or Parker's room.

I always have the same thing for breakfast. If I get bored with it I'll switch. When I'm working I'll gobble down yogurt and sip on coffee all morning. I may or may not have time for my energy bar. In the summer however I get both in.

 Total Points - 9

(Yogurt=3 and energy bar=5 Coffee=1)

I'm sure I can find lower point substitutions for these. But these keep me filled up and I hate to let my blood sugar drop.

Lunch varies during the summer. Today I had a sandwich and carrots and water. :)

Total of 5 points. Later on I ate the strawberries and blueberries. I think it is 2 points.

Tonight dinner is a baby spinach/romaine lettuce salad. I added in

tomatoes: 0

cucumber:0

sweet chili chicken breast: 4

olive oil italian dressing:5

croutons: 1

egg whites (2): 0

I'm allowed 29 points and so far I've used 27. I'll have some ice-cream later  after I walk.

Wish everyday was this easy. :) I also have about 24 ounces of water to drink which I'm sure I will after the walk! UGH humidity!! 

I didn't walk. It was raining. 

Finnegan Begin Again

This time is it. I swear. I'm going to give it my best effort. It being another stab at getting into the weight-loss mode. I've done it before. Now, it's becoming critical. 

So I plan on using this blog as a means of recording the journey. I know when school starts I'll be so busy, or when I have a headache, I'll feel like crap and will fall off the wagon and not do this. But I'm going to try. I will probably fail. I won't fail this time. I've got to find better coping mechanisms.

 I've been reading as many weight -loss blogs as I can find hoping to find some inspiration. I have. Some amazing people out there have done this. It makes me feel like I can too. I'm not alone in using food as my comforting factor. I've got to work on that along with making some better food choices.

So, my plans are to:

1. Write down my food. I figure I'll keep a notebook and try to get it on the computer. If I don't get it on the computer every day that is OK. I will always journal food in my planner.

2. I will no longer be eating at my computer. I will either eat outside or at the table or bar.

3. Up my water. I'm going to try and drink 64 ounces. (I dunno about this one. I peed a river yesterday, UGH) 

4. Walk every day. It's easy to do with my dog, Jack. I'm going to try for 3 miles daily, but will settle for 1.5 for now- as soon as I see that I'm sticking with this I will be upping exercise greatly. 

5.  I've been debating whether to do WW and count points or to just listen to my hunger. I think initially I will do WW and see how that goes. I am also going to listen to my hunger level and try to get a better handle on that. I tend to know when I'm full and yet continue to stuff myself because of some strange feeling that I shouldn't leave it or waste it. Or since I know it's bad...I just do it.

6. Stay ACTIVE. Stay BUSY. One of the main reasons I overeat is out of boredom. I hate trying new things because I get anxious, so I don't do anything, but then I get bored.  But I love trying new things after the fact. I've got to get over the hump and out of my comfort zone to make this work. 

7. Forgive myself if I have a bad day or a migraine. Sometimes I can't walk, I just have to get in bed and take a break from the world until the headache goes away. Not the end of the world. Not a reason to scrap eating right. 

So that's it!!!

 Bye-bye Old Melva 

He Turned 16!!

My baby turned 16. 

My one and only. 

My cheeky monkey.

Can't believe he's driving.

Independent. 

Responsible.

 Growing up. 

Sweet Child of Mine....just don't ever grow away! 

First New Recipe

I make a great dish that I found in the Real Simple magazine. Pretty good :)

Creamy Fettucine with Leeks, Corn and Argula 

It called for Argugula leaves which I had never heard of or paid attention. Of course after I bought them I noticed them mentioned in several other recipes.

This is the end result. It was really good. I'm the only one that eats stuff with green in it..hahaha. I did get several meals out of it :)

My Summer Bucket List~ 30 Things

1. Swim most days
2. Clean out my closet
3. Clean out the guest room closet
4. Clean out Parker's closet
5. Oh heck- clean out all our closets!
6. Take Jack and Molly to the dog park a few times
7. Walk Jack DAILY
8. Try Yoga
9. Eat healthier
10. Eat only until I'm full
11. Read 4 books
12. Nap Daily
13. Paint school shelves
14. Organize recipes and cookbook
15. Get a massage during the 5 day headache period
16. Take lots of pictures
17. Try a new walking trail
18. See a few movies
19. Keep the backyard free of weeds
20. Drink margaritas
21. Learn how to grill better
22. Try a new recipe or two weekly
23. Go through my mom's stuff :(
24. Get Parker to try new foods
25. Go to Dallas
26. Write more
27. Worry less
28. Keep moving
29. More girl nights
30. Listen more

The Prompts

Pick one and write :) 


The Prompts:

1.) Soundtrack of your life: Pick 10 songs that you would have on a soundtrack for your life, pick a line from each that you most identify with and write a short statement of why this song made it.
2.) Before I was a mom…
3.) What would it take?  Write an imaginary scene where someone you are still angry with finally deserves to be forgiven.
4.) 30 things you vow to do this summer.
5.) The ultimate honey-do list. If your spouse agreed to do any ten things you asked, what would they be?

Thanks to:   http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/    for these prompts.