Training with a friend!

The past month, my good friend Terrie and I have been meeting on Saturday's to walk in preparation for the Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon on February 12. We both knew the other was planning to do the half marathon, but it was by chance that we started getting together weekly to walk together. She has a hip injury that reared it's ugly head and her usual training took a back seat. She just happened to get ahold of me one day and asked if I wanted to meet up with her to walk. Sure! I am so glad we did.

Since then, we have walked 5 times - three times along Bayshore Blvd. in Tampa, we did a 5K in Wesley Chapel, and last week we walked our farthest together, 11 miles over the causeway to Clearwater Beach and Sand Key.

Walking has always been a stress-reliever for me and walking with a friend is an added bonus. Just like my walks with Jenna, it is always wonderful! Terrie and I have a common goal in mind with the half marathon coming up next week. I am super excited that we will share this experience together, our first half-marathon. Whatever our finishing times are next week, we will be cheering each other on. it's not about who will finish first or last. Even if we get separated, we will support each other to the finish line. I can't wait!!


A few of my favorite pics from our walks....

A glorious sunrise at Ballast Point Park
in South Tampa

Memorial Causeway to Clearwater Beach

Sunrise over downtown Clearwater

View of Sand Key from Memorial Causeway
in Clearwater

View of downtown Tampa from
Ballast Point Park









Beautiful Byshore Blvd. in Tampa

I've been bitten...

...by the racing bug. Since signing up for the Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon coming up in just 2 weeks from tomorrow, I've been doing alot of walking and running. Last week, I did my first "official" 5K, getting a shirt and race bib and all. I am BEYOND excited about the RNR Half Marathon, it's just about all I can think about.

Last week I came super close to signing up for the Gasparilla Distance Classic Race weekend in Tampa in March. There was a promotion at Sports Authority, if you spend $85 in Nike running gear, you get free registration for certain events. I knew it would be going on this week as well, so I decided to think about it. Today, after our 11-mile training walk which went FANTASTIC, I decided I would splurge a little and buy some new running gear and get that free registration for the 8K on Sunday March 4. I bought a pair of super cool pants, a pair of shorts, a super light top, and a nifty water belt. I am all set and I will look fantastic doing it!

Super cool event shirt I got for registering for the 8K!

I am so excited about taking the time for myself and making the commitment to do these races. I certainly won't be the fastest or the best, but I will be out there doing it and giving it MY best shot. I am extremely proud of myself for doing this. I CAN DO IT!

Dear Weight Watchers...

Dear Weight Watchers,

Once again you have proven to me how the program DOES work. After going back to your meeting last week and committing myself to making it work, I jumped back in with both feet, making smart decisions whether I was eating at home or out, testing my willpower in some instances (i.e., no chips and salsa at Chili's!), and making new recipes that I have enjoyed all week long. I never once felt deprived or hungry or like I was missing out on something, even when choosing not to have the evil delicious chips and salsa at Chili's. To me, the points weren't worth it. I stuck to my points, walked a total of 24 miles since last Thursday, drank a lot of water, and took my vitamins.

Needless to say, I had high hopes when I went to the meeting this morning and got on the scale. Since last night I was thinking "oh no, what if despite all my hard work this week I didn't lose anything?" You never know with my body anymore. But, I was proven very wrong and I was very happy when I stepped on the scale and saw a 4 pound loss. GO ME!!!!

I walked out of there feeling very empowered, happy to have some sort of control over my body again after it has had a mind of it's own the last several months. I have a long road ahead of me and a lot of hard work to get it back to where I want to be, my "happy weight". But seeing that loss this morning tells me I CAN DO IT. My hard work will not go unnoticed.

It's only a matter of time that I will be more comfortable in my clothes and feel better in my skin. Thank you for once again showing me that I can eat healthy and enjoy it and that I don't need all that bad stuff that does nothing for me except stick to my hips.

Love,
Me

Health and Wellness Goals for 2012

Happy New Year! Happy 2012!! I am happy to have a fresh start. Something about a new year that makes me feel like I have a chance to start over and get it right, yet again.

I hate to use the word resolutions, so I am going to use the word goals. I have a few health and wellness-related goals, and what better place to put them then here, where anyone can see them. I am all about accountability, so here goes.

1) Be nicer to myself in 2012. This is a hard one for me. I tend to get mad at my body for the things it can't do and then I don't care what I do to it. Mostly, eating. I love to eat, no surprise there, but I go through phases where I just flat out don't care how much I eat or what I eat. Screw it, I just don't care. Well, as fun as it is at that moment, I CAN'T DO THAT. I am fortunate to like and enjoy a lot of healthy foods and I should really focus on those more than the bad.

2) Do my best to stick to a regular walking/running routine even when I am too busy. This is another downfall of mine. When I get busy and have too much to do, my needs are the first to go. And ususally, any exercise I am currently into at the time goes out the window. It's the easiest thing to give up because I can't give up things like sleep, eat, take care of the dogs, etc... I CAN'T DO THAT. Everyone gets busy and it's hard to fit everything in. I need to lose my all-or-nothing mentality and remember that even if I don't have time for a 3-mile walk, 1-mile would be better than nothing. Over time it all adds up and it is good for my mental health.

3) Lose weight. I am having such a hard time with my weight these days. I'll address the "how much do I need to lose" on a later post. I know metabolism slows down as you get older and I am here to tell you that is true. But I have to find a way to make it work. I can't continue on this path of eating whatever I want, when I want because it tastes good. I CAN'T DO THAT. My short frame is not meant to be this weight. I can feel it, my body aches, and I don't like it. I know over time with proper eating and activity it will respond. It may happen slower than it has in the past, but I am confident that I can lose the weight.

4) Do more walking/running events. After signing up for my first half marathon the other day, I am already thinking about a second one. Yes, I am an over-achiever. I would like to do TWO half-marathons in 2012 and I would like to do THREE 5Ks. Here's the catch.... I want to run two of the 5Ks. I used to be able to run 3 miles at a time and I will get back there. I'm already looking into local events for the year.

5) Read more books. This one is totally non-health related, but it's something I'd like to do so it falls under the wellness category. With my current Kindle Fire obsession, I have plenty to read and I want to work towards a goal of 40 books for the year.

6) Keep up with my blog as regularly as possible. I'm not sure that when people read this they enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it, but it is so fun for me to do and makes me feel better. It's like my journal, a way to express my feelings and most of all, I can pretend to be a writer. Thank you to all who read this!

What are YOUR goals for 2012?

508 miles in 2011

With my run this morning, on the last day of the year, I can now look back at 2011 and see how

far I walked/ran. My total miles for the year....508.  HOLY COW! Some of it was running, some of it was walking. Many of the higher miles was training with Jenna for the 3-Day. The most miles logged in one month was back in March when I set a goal to walk 100 miles for the month and I did 104. Here's a nifty chart from dailymile on my mileage by month. Not too shabby.

So when I look at this and my total miles, I automatically think "I need to top this in 2012".

I am so darn competitive with myself. So here, for all to see, I am setting a goal of 600 miles

for 2011. That's 50 miles per month. Why not?

It was foggy this morning during my run,  but it was so pretty at the park. A few pictures

I took while there... It was a pretty nice way to end 2011!

Eagle Lake Park   12/31/11

I'm gonna do it!

Earlier in the year I mentioned wanting to do the Rock 'N Roll 1/2 Marathon in St. Pete in February. When I stopped my running / walking routine, I thought that was now just a dream. How could I possibly do it?

I have not stopped thinking about it. Whether I've been running or walking or not in the past few crazy busy months, it has been on my mind. The other night it occurred to me that there is nothing stopping me from doing it. Why not? I must be crazy! This prompted me even more to get off my butt yesterday morning and go running/walking. Even after not doing it for a few months, my time was not awful.

I asked hubby if he thought I could do it and of course he said YES. (thank you honey!) If he thinks I can do it, then I know I can. And having him at the finish line, waiting for me and cheering me on will motivate me even more.

It's 2 weeks after my 40th birthday. I can't think of a better time to do my first 1/2 marathon. I'M GONNA DO IT!!! I may not run the whole thing, but I'll give it my best shot and will feel very accomplished when it's over, whatever my time may be. 2012 is going to be MY year. I'm going to do more things for myself and this seems like a pretty good way to start it.




I'm gonna do it!!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Today's post will focus on the good, the bad, and the ugly of the last few days, in no particular order.

The good.... I walked this morning, at the park. I ignored the rain clouds looming over head and headed out. I walked, didn't run. I didn't set my tracker for a 5K, I just set it to basic and off I went. I walked for 1 hour and 24 seconds, 3.57 miles. I walked just to walk - not to beat my previous times, not to break any records. I just walked. And it was great. Rain and all. I don't know why I couldn't get my butt out there these last couple of weeks when it becomes so apparent how much I enjoy it the minute I start walking.
(note to self: come back often and read this post to remind yourself how important walking is no matter what kind of funk you are in.)

The bad... I gained 2 pounds this week. Honestly, I expected it especially after missing the meeting the week prior. The meetings are great for getting me on the right foot for the new week. If I lose, it keeps me motivated to continue doing what I'm doing. If I gain, it motivates me to work harder. So, I will own these 2 pounds that are now along for the ride on my butt or hips or wherever else they decided to attach themselves.

The ugly... With the 2pounds I have gained, it puts me at a total loss of only 6.6 pounds in the whole time I've been back at WW. The highest my loss has been was 12.2 pounds so I have gained half of that back. This is pretty disheartening but I have to remember that it's just not easy to lose weight and life just gets in the way. The first time I did WW, it wasn't "easy" but it was "easier" than this time. But my body is different this time, it's been through the ringer, poked, prodded, and more. Not to mention I'm 5 years older now. It's just not easy. But I'm not going to give up.

The good... I am not going to let this weight loss battle beat me. I am going to keep at it, do the best I can, and know that I am doing exactly that. It may not be easy, but it will not beat me.

The bad... After re-commiting myself to tracking again on Wednesday, I fell off the wagon yesterday and didn't track a single bit. <sigh> So, I am starting over again today to try for my #7daychip. I know I can do this. I'll pick myself back up and start again. Today is day 1.

The ugly... I overate in a big way at dinner last night. Nobody's fault but mine. I did it and I own it. Time to move on.

The good... On Wednesday, I committed to not having Starbucks until the weekend. I successfully met that challenge and rewarded myself with one this morning. It was super yummy and I enjoyed it. I tracked it, and all is right in the world.

The good... When I went to WW yesterday, Lorraine (our fearless leader) was so happy to see me and greeted me with a hug. She said she  had been worried about me all week. That made me feel good. It's people like her who keep those meetings going and keep us coming back. She has been in the same place we have, fought the same battles, and is there to offer her support in any way she can. Thank you Lorraine.

The good... After the WW meeting, I had a great talk with Tammy, a WW friend. We chat at each meeting, and on Facebook. We both enjoy walking, and seem to have the same struggles with time, with our bodies cooperating, and just trying to get that scale to go down. She told me she was worried about me, that I was looking a little defeated and to not give up. Our talk reminded me that it is really good to get back to basics and just keep plugging along, doing the best we can. Thank you Tammy, you're a doll.

I might have to make this a regular post... It's a good way to get things off my chest, things I need to face and deal with. That's the whole point of my blog. I already have tomorrow's post in mine, so stay tuned!

Wait, what?

Good grief, Charlie Brown. Has it really been over a week, almost 2 actually, since I last updated my blog? I've meant to update it several times but for some reason I have not. Chalk it off to the funkiness I have been in, I guess.

My last post was about evil bloated woman where I gained 3.4 pounds. &^%#%@ Yea, 3.4 lbs.. Mind you, no one forced the food down my throat or twisted my arm to eat whatever bad foods I ate that I probably should not have. But when evil bloated woman is here, I have NO self control. NONE. Really, I don't.

Moving past the 3.4 lb. gain, the next day I walked 13 miles with my fabulous sister-in-law. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy those walks? The high that I feel when done with that kind of walk should keep me going for a great start to the week leading up to the next weigh-in. But not last week. I didn't walk the Sunday after. And not that Monday. I did do a strength training work out (which, by the way, I felt for days). On Tuesday I walked 3.11 miles. I wanted to run, but my legs could not would not do it. Regardless, I walked it and got it done. On Wednesday, I did nothing. Nada. Same on Thursday. Thursday is normally a no workout day anyhow, but the guilt was there since I skipped the day before. When I walked into WW on Friday, I had no idea what the scale would say. Whatever it said, though, I would have to own it. I am the one who decided to not workout when I could have, or to eat whatever it was I should not have. Amazingly, I was down 1 pound. Honestly, I think the pound I lost was the fact that evil bloated woman was finally gone, at least until she rears her ugly head again in a few weeks.

That 1.0 lb. loss gave me a little jump start,. I was happy. I was even happier when my sister-in-law and I walked 14 miles on Saturday. That is nothing to sneeze at, my friends. It was a HARD walk this week. It was hot and humid and when we were done, my feet (especially my right foot) was screaming at me. My SIL had to stop at mile 12 due to blisters on her feet. It was brutal. But we gave it our best. I burned ALOT of calories, 1239 calories to be exact. Again, this should have kept me going into this week.

Where did this funk come from? Why I am so blah this past week and not really caring about what food choices I make? It's irritating, and to be quite honest, scary. I don't want to give up, I don't want to quit, but I feel like something else is controlling me.

I got home yesterday and should have walked. It was raining so I didn't. I should have gone on the treadmill, but I didn't. I got home today, no rain, a little bit of a breeze - I should have walked. But I didn't. WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME??

Someone needs to give me a virtual slap or something. I don't know what needs to happen, but I have got to snap out of this funkiness. I don't want to be tired and blah and just whatever. I don't. I want to be that girl who comes home, changes quickly, and runs out the front door and knocks out 3.11 miles as quickly as I can. I want to walk back in the house, dripping with sweat, and post what I did, and enjoy the rest of my evening knowing I busted my butt.

If anyone can help me find that girl that does those things, I'll be eternally grateful. I'm really not sure where she is this week. I need her.

I *heart* walking!

I went for my first long walk in 2 weeks. Being sick and just plain old life got in the way. It took me days to get over being sick and then some to really feel like myself again so I did nto walk until Wednesday. That was on the treadmill because even then I dreaded being out in the heat and humidity of the afternoon. Yesterday morning we took the dogs to the park for a walk. That was nice but my walks with them are much slower (since they have to stop and smell everything...). So this morning after we ran a few errands, I decided it was my time to get back out there and do what I do best - and what I so enjoy.

I love to walk. I am thankful for my strong legs to get me where I need to go and to allow me to walk farther ad faster as I need to. I walked a pretty good pace, 15:24 which means I finished 3.11 miles in 48:01. Not my fastest to date but still very good.

I love the feel of the sunshine on my shoulders. I think the sun is a drug, the more I get it, the more I want it.

I sweat my ass off today. There is nothing pretty about walking in the heat of summer in Florida and when I'm done, I am a disgusting mess. But man it feels good. And it makes me want to walk more. It's funny how the more I walk, the more I want to walk. But when I miss a day or two, it can be harder to get back to it.

I am hopeful to get a walk in tomorrow morning.

And the scale says...

I went to WW yesterday, unsure what the scale would say. After being sick and missing the meeting last week, and only walking twice in the past two weeks, I thought it might be up. I was pleasantly surprised to see a 1 lb. loss.

Weight:  154.4 lbs.
Total loss:  11.4 lbs.
I am 0.80 lbs. away from my lowest which was on 06/03/11. I had two gains since then so this loss made me happy. I am still trying to get to my next goal of 16 lbs. total, which will be 10% and almost halfway to my goal of 130 lbs..

I walked this morning at the park with hubby and the dogs. With the heat we've had, I have not been walking the dogs like I used to. But there was actually a cool breeze this morning and I thought it would be a great start to the long weekend. We walked 2.16 miles in 59 minutes - very slow but still a great walk. Blue and Ozzie enjoy getting out as much as I do.

My goals for this coming week are:
- keep up with my 64 oz. of water a day, which I have done very well with
- restock the fridge with fresh fruits for 0 point snacks
- make garden vegetable soup for lunches which is very filling
- walk at least 4 days this week

What are your goals?

Bad blogger...

I am a bad blogger. I have not blogged in over a week. I have been busy and not feeling well, but I should have had time to blog. Looks like I have some catching up to do on this one.

• A week ago Friday, I had a gain at WW. I do not like the weeks that I gain. I know they are bound to happen, but I would be a happier girl if they did not.
• A week ago Saturday, I walked a 6-mile training walk with my fabulous sister-in-law Jenna. She is doing the Tampa Bay 3-Day For The Cure Walk this fall. You can find her blog here. While you are here, will you consider making a donation? She is so close to reaching the amount needed to walk.
• A week ago Sunday was Father's Day, our first without my dad. We started the morning at the Bay Pines VA National Cemetery in St. Petersburg to place flowers and a balloon. I, of course, cried like a baby. This year of firsts is proving to be as hard as I expected. I cannot express in words how much I miss him. That same day we went out to dinner for my hubby's birthday and Father's Day. Hubby chose to go to one of my dad's favorite restaurants and then to Crystal Beach for another beautiful sunset in honor of my dad. They just get more and more beautiful.

Flowers and a balloon for Daddy...

So pretty and serene at Bay Pines VA National Cemetery

Another beautiful sunset at Crystal Beach

• This was a hard week for work. We had a big project to do and everything had to happen just right to get it done. Amazingly enough, it all worked out. Probably I stressed more than necessary but how do I know that my stress didn't help get it done? I will never know.
• I started feeling sick on Wednesday (about a week and a half after my hubby and sister-in-law had been sick). I felt like I had been run over and I had a fever. I never have a fever. I was cold and exhausted. After going out to dinner with hubby for his birthday, I made myself comfy on the couch with a dose of Nyquil. I stayed home Thursday with a fever all day. Not fun.
• Despite knowing better, I worked most of Friday. I went in around 10:30 and got home at 4:30. I had to get things done so that I could enjoy my weekend and not stress over getting it all done on Monday. I was exhausted when I got home and was feeling run down again.
• I did not walk at all this week - not since last Sunday. I HATE that I have not walked and had I known on Monday and Tuesday that I would have been sick Wednesday, I would have made time to do it. I really wish my darn crystal ball would work.
• For the first time since going back to WW, I missed yesterday's meeting to avoid getting people sick. I am sure the scale would not have been kind to me but I still missed the meeting, the support, and the chit chat. Next week!!
• Today was supposed to be our monthly crop but I cancelled it since I've been sick. I still think this bug is hanging on, so best to not get others sick, but I'm bummed to not have the girl time. I will do some digi-scrapping today on my own. My hubby did make my morning, though, by getting me Starbucks. The key to this girls' heart is caffeine.

That's it in a nutshell. I am happy to have alot of downtime this weekend to sleep, read, watch movies, and more.

It's like a drug

After a great walk / run last Saturday, I skipped Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Sunday got away from me without it happening and Monday and Tuesday were busy work days and I was beat by the time I got home. EXCUSES, I know. By the time yesterday evening got here, I told hubby I HAD to go and walk. It was a necessity. So off I went. And man it felt great.

I set my super cool Nike+ GPS app on my handy dandy iPhone for a 5k and off I went. I had finally loaded some music on my phone and imported it into the app and enjoyed having music in my ears while I walked my little heart out. Back a few years ago, my last time on WW, when I was running alot, I would pick an artist randomly and whenever one of their songs came on, I would run. For yesterday, my artist of choice was System of a Down, what I like to refer to as my rage music. Wouldn't you know, several of their songs played for me so I got some good running in. My heart was pounding and I was a hot sweaty mess but it was great.

I can honestly say that walking / running is like a drug to me. No other exercise has that effect on me. I can be in the worst mood or stressed out or whatever, but when I'm done with my walk, I am a different person. So when I said yesterday that I needed to walk, I meant it.

Having only walked 3 days since my last weigh-in last Friday, we'll see how tomorrow's weigh-in goes. I don't really have any gut feelings on it right now. I've been keeping up with my 64 oz. of water a day which I know has been a big help. We will see tomorrow morning!!

An ah-ha moment!

I have been waiting for a moment such as this and it happened earlier today, making me smile in the midst of my crazy day. So much so that I am taking time out of the craziness to actually share it with everyone who is interested. Ready? Here goes....

My waist feels smaller and my shorts are too big on me.

I know what the scale says, that I've lost 10.8 lbs. (as of last week's weigh-in). But I had not yet had such a big ah-ha moment where I FELT like I was down 10.8 lbs. - until today. (I did comment to hubby last week that I felt like my hips were slimming down some, but it was not such a huge moment as this one).

It drives my hubby insane when I talk about losing weight. He, of course, thinks I'm perfect and that I don't need to lose weight. He loves me the way that I am. And Lord knows I love him a bazillion times over for that. (I would like to add here that even though he thinks I don't need to lose weight, he is very supportive of me being on WW and is proud of me when I have a good week and helps me get through the bad weigh-ins). But, back to my thought, I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it for ME. I am the one stuck with this body and it is up to me to make the most of it. The joy of being able to wear the clothes that are currently too small for me in my closet will bring me immense happiness and will remind me that once again, I was able to take charge and feel better about how I look and feel. I will never be skinny, it's not in my genes to be skinny. I will always have curves and muscles, but I want to not stress over what I'm wearing for fear of it looking funny and not feeling comfortable in my skin. I want to be healthy. Bottom line.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's weigh-in update... I really feel like it could go either way. After having a 2 lb. loss two weeks in a row, I feel like it's more likely to have a gain. I did splurge on a couple meals this week (including Cold Stone!!) but I also walked ALOT and I've been keeping up with my 64 oz. of water a day. It's hard to not always focus on what the scale says, sometimes it's how our clothes fit. So, we shall see... Either way, I am ecstatic about my ah-ha moment.

Bye-bye 10 lbs...

Actually, 10.8 lbs. to be exact... The last two weeks, I've had a 2 lb. loss each week. The losses definitely make up for the gains and the frustration and irritation that goes along with it. Sometimes, even when we do everything right, our bodies still do not respond. But when my body does respond, it makes me very happy and it is very gratifying, and that motivates me ALOT.

So in my 12 weeks on WW, I have lost a total of 10.8 pounds, which puts me at 155. My ultimate goal is 130. My next goal is to reach my 10% which will put me in the 140's - I cannot wait to hit my 10%!

Here's a photo my hubby took of me on Friday. I figured after losing 10 lbs., it was time for a progress picture.

I cannot believe I never blogged about last Sunday, but I walked TWO 5k's for the WW Walk-It Challenge. My mom and hubby both joined me on the first one in the morning, which was in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg by the Vinoy. Our fearless leader Lorraine joined us for a bit and my friend Tammy from our meeting walked with us also. It was such a nice morning. That afternoon, my hubby and I also walked the one at the park by our house. It was great also, although much warmer than the morning one. By the time the day was over, we had also walked the dogs 2 miles. 8 miles in one day!

The biggest thing that I think has helped me the last two weeks is my water intake. I've made sure to have at least 64 oz. every day. It is the one thing I can really control even when I'm at my busiest and I am going to continue to make it a priority.

A busy week and a happy weigh-in!

It's been a week since my last blog post - I hate that I haven't had time all week to update. So, I sit here now with my cup 'o coffee, watching the sun come up outside my kitchen window, ready to do just that.

It was a BUSY week!!! On Tuesday evening, I met up with a friend from elementary school (in Maryland) who I have not seen since then. We re-connected on Facebook a few months ago and she was in town this week for business. Hubby and I met her for dinner. It was GREAT to see her! Amazing how much has changed in 28 years time. I hope that we see each other again the next time she comes to town.

On Wednesday, I was at the Hula Dog Yappy Hour to promote Creative Memories, specifically my page prints. For any pages that are purchased from an event, I will donate 30% to the Humane Society of Pinellas County. This was my first event with them and I have pages to design, a free page to give away, and I am hopeful there will be some purchases so I can make a donation. The Humane Society of Pinellas is where we got our sweet Ozzie from - they are absolutely wonderful over there.

Thursday was agility class with Blue. He was VERY saucy in class and barked his little head off when he wasn't being paid attention to. He is doing good in the tunnel, over the a-frame, on the platform, and the through the weave poles. He has a lot of work to do, or I should say, "I" have a lot of work to do. I feel bad that I do't have more time to work with him but the time we do work on stuff, he does well. And he has fun. That makes me happy.

I walked 3 mornings (M, T, Th) and did not do any TaeBo. I tried to eat the best I could given the state of craziness I was in. The biggest thing I did this week, which I started last Saturday, was to drink AT LEAST 64 oz. of water every day. After last week's disappointing weigh-in, having gained weight 2 weeks in a row, I knew I had to do something different. I knew I wasn't drinking as much water as I should and with the busy week I had planned, I felt that was one thing I could do and keep control of. My eating was not the best with all the running around I was doing but it helped staying focused on the water.

So.... I was down 2 lbs. this week!! I didn't know what I was going to do if I had another gain, but I didn't. And seeing that -2.0 lbs. show up guarantees I will keep up my goal of at least 64 oz. of water every day.

Here are my stats for Week 11 on WW:
Weight: 157.0 lbs.
Total: 8.8 lbs. lost
Ultimately I would love to hit the 10 pound mark next week  - that is my goal!

This weekend is busy - a crop today (yay for girl time!) and the WW Walk-It 5K tomorrow morning, but after that my week should be more normal with time to get my TaeBo in and make dinner at home.

May Your Way Check-In: May 11

Geez, it's Wednesday AGAIN. Where is May going?? And why is it so hard to accomplish things this month? I know, wah, wah, wah... Could I get some cheese with that wine?

So last week my check-in was alot of worry over my impending WW weigh-in which happens Friday mornings. I was right to be worried because I gained 1.2 pounds. I expressed my concern over how I am the only one who can make things happen in my favor. At the end of the day, it is ALL ABOUT ME.

Last week's *SisterSays* mission was attempted,  but not achieved. I did not get in 64 oz. of water a day. On the days I kept track, I came close. I really need to work on this more because I love water and there are times when I can't get enough of it. I need to get back to that place.

This week's *SisterSays* mission of 5 servings of fruits and veggies ever day should really be easy for me. Every day I have a big salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and artichokes. I also have mango or pineapple, sometimes both. Then there is a veggie of some sort with dinner. I'm pretty sure I'll rock this week's mission.

I set a new goal for myself this week to help get me back on track with working out after last week's big fat 0 in the workout department. To get my 15 miles a week in, I have decided to walk in the mornings so it's done and I don't stress when I get home about things I should be doing when I am walking. So far I walked yesterday morning and this morning. I already met my weekly goal of TaeBo 2 days a week. I did it Monday and today. Being that it's just Wednesday, I am hoping to get a bonus day in as well. Fingers crossed.

I have not been on the scale since last Friday at WW. I won't get on one until this Friday at WW. I do not have a scale at home, nor do I want one. The urge to get on it daily would be more than I can handle and it would hurt me more than it would help me.

I took part in SisterChat on Monday - it was fun. I love all the ramblings of cool women striving for the same thing as me. Before I had to log off, there were many topics being discussed. I like that and I am excited to join in again next Monday.

So, in closing.... I will continue with my personal goal of walking every morning and TaeBo twice a week, get back to drinking those 64 oz. of water a day, and keep up my good habit of eating 5 servings of fruits and veggies every day. I can do this!!

Anyone following my blog who is interested in joining in the fun that is May Your Way, visit Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans . Everyone over there ROCKS!

Monday randomness

I can't believe I haven't blogged since last Wednesday. Last week was such a blur, so much going on. This week I hope to not be in such a state of constant running and hoping to be able to stick to my more normal routine. I definitely do better with structure.

My Friday morning weigh-in at WW showed a 1.2 lb. gain. I was not happy about it but there is no one to blame but myself. The scale MUST go in the other direction this week and I know that for the most part, that is up to me. Like I said before, structure.

I did not work out at all last week. My only physical activity was when we took the dogs to the park Saturday morning. It was our first time taking Ozzie and we were pleased to see that he loves the park as much as Blue. And they walked great together. He really fits in nicely and it's already hard to imagine him not being here. Anyhow, I DID work out today - did my 36 min. TaeBo Cardio Circuit 1 workout. While doing it, I decided that I need a new plan of attack this week. Still wanting to walk 15 miles a week and do TaeBo twice a week, I am going to split it up. I am going to get my walk in in the morning. Whether outside with the pups, on the treadmill, or Leslie Sansone workouts on ExerciseTV - I wll get my walking in. Then in the afternoons, 3 days a week, I will do TaeBo. This will serve a couple purposes.... One, in the morning it will keep my from going back to sleep on the couch after hubby leaves. Ironically, I think this may be making me more tired. And two, it will let me spend more time with the pups in the afternoon and time to do other things that need to be done. Tomorrow will be day 1 of walking in the morning.

I have a new obsession - the Kindle app. Hubby recently got an iPad and in my playing around with it, I decided to give the Kindle app a try again. I used it once on my iPhone and while it was neat, it was just much too small for me. Too small to read on a regular basis. I also love books - real ones. Something about the hardcover and the feel and smell of the paper. And how they look so neat on our fabulous IKEA bookshelf. But a book that I've been wanting happened to show up as a FREE download. I love the word FREE. The download was super quick. And I immediately started reading it. Much of my day yesterday was spent on the couch reading Fixing Freddie, a book about a woman and her son and a dog. No shocker that I love books about dogs. Anyone who has the Kindle, I highly recommend that you go on Facebook and "like" the Pixel of Ink page. They have alerts every day for free or discounted e-books. Just what I need, another addiction.... Now if only my hubby would get home with the iPad so I can get back to my book.

Wednesday check-in (already?!)

Today is Wednesday May 4, we are 4 days into the May Your Way Challenge. It seems like I just posted my goals on Monday. I guess technically it was just 2 days ago.

I do not have much to report on this 1st check-in of the month. I have majorly failed in the walking and/or TaeBo departments so far this week. I am a little disappointed in myself over that and I am not trying to make excuses, but it has been a busy week so far. I need to NOT make excuses and JUST DO what I need to do. But this week, the balance is not there.

I am nervous about my weigh-in at WW on Friday. It was my goal hope to hit the 10 pound mark this week, which would be a .08 loss. I am hoping for a miracle now, given that tomorrow is Thursday and I fear I won't get a good workout in as it is agility class night for Blue. I know, another excuse.

I am anxious to get to next Wednesady so that I can have a better check-in with more to report.

May Your Way!

Can you believe it's May ALREADY?? Time really is flying by quickly this year. I know I say that every year, but it really is.

I am excited to commit to a new challenge this month on The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. The challenge is May Your Way. It is a different challenge than they normally do, without specific goals, but I like that is is all about ME.

One thing I have learned about losing weight, given the fact I've done it a few times, is that I have to be absolutely selfish when it comes to taking care of myself and losing weight. I HAVE TO do what I need to do, even if it means putting myself before others or other things that may be happening.

So, what does MY May Your Way challenge entail? I am setting the following goals for myself, some of which are a continuation of my April goals.

• Walk 15 miles a week
• TaeBo 2 days a week
• Increase my daily water intake which I have not been as good about as I normally am
• Lose 5 pounds for the month (catchy, huh? Five pounds for the fifth month of the year...)

I am looking forward to the support of the Sisterhood for this, my first challenge with them. So many ways to get that support from them:

• Check in each Wednesday
• Blog about my week
• Stick to my goals each week
• Participate in Sisterhood Says
• Chime in on SisterChat
• Participate in their Twoworkout on twitter on Tuesday nights. 

If any of you are interested in checking out The Sisterhood for some support, ideas, tips, challenges, and more, you can find them over here The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I hope to see you there!

Take that!

Friday weigh-in was a success! After gaining a pound last week and swearing that would not happen again this week, I successfully lost 3 pounds. I was so happy about that. I was confident going in that I lost something, I just didn't know how much. I was a little surprised at how much, though, as it was not my best week for walking. I only logged 8 miles for the week (short of my goal of 15 per week) and I also did TaeBo one day (short of my goal of twice a week). BUT, at the end of the day, I did the best I could given how busy I was.

I do best when I have my meals all planned out and when I can get home in time to do  my walks and/or TaeBo as planned. It's when I have crazy busy days and other stuff gets in the way that I struggle with eating right and trying to at least get some activity in. I need to be able to roll with the punches a little better. My problem is my type-A personality and my controlling nature. Something to work on.

My total for 4 weeks back on WW is 8.6 lbs. gone. I hit my 5% and got my first star. My next goal is to hit my 10% which will put me halfway to my goal. I am definitely up for the challenge!