October update

Gym.  I was doing good there for a while- but lost my momentum.  Need to try the "after dinner" plan again. :)

Food.  I haven't logged with SparkPeople.com in a while- I REALLY need to get back in the habit.  It definitely makes a difference for me.

Work.  I am really loving my job this year.  With that, though, I've put a lot more time and effort into it- which has caused a bit of stress- but I can work it out.  ;o)

Play.  Just got back from vacation- For the first time ever, Chas and I left the kids with the grandparents (MaryLu & Charlie) and went on vacation on our own!  We spent three nights at the beach and it was LOVELY!  First vacation in a LONG time that left me feeling rested at the end instead of frazzled!

Family.  Last week, my grandma had a stroke and spent a week in the hospital.  No physical effects, but she has no memory - she can only talk about life up until she married Grandpa.   While she was in the hospital, aunt Patti was in a terrible car accident.  The car was totaled and no one expected survivors- but somehow, she escaped with only bruises.  They are trying to figure out what caused her blurry/double vision that led to the crash.

Gym @ Night

I went to the gym after dinner twice last week... and it wasn't so bad.  I hate that it seriously cuts into my time with my hubby...  but it's energizing, and I've been productive when I get home, rather than just lying around watching TV.  Plan to try to make it two or three nights this week too.  :)

Not enough hours in the day.

Trying hard to work working out back into my schedule.

Since we've gone back to school, I've been putting in more hours at school that I did last year (than I have in a while, actually).  Not complaining about that- I'm really, really loving my job this year.  However, it means that by time I get home, it is after 5- and if I want to get the kids fed and in bed by 7 or so, there just isn't time for a trip to the gym in there...  SO.  Tonight I went after dinner.  I hate that it means I miss out on time with Chas, in particular, but I need this.  :(  Going to give this schedule some time and see how it goes...

It DID feel good to work out.  ;o)

September Update

I've gotten lazy, and my weight has bounced around the same number for about a month.  I know I could do better.  I've resorted to fast food more times than I'd like to admit, because I got behind on my meal planning.  I haven't made it to the gym, due to a long line of lame excuses.  I need to make the time and make myself a priority.  I've prepared breakfasts for the week and packed lunches for tomorrow- I'm back in the game this week!  :)

August Update

I've been going strong!  This week's weigh in marked about 14 pounds down!  It has been a crazy month- going back to school, Alex's birthday, etc- and I'll admit, I haven't been on top of it all of the time, but enough so that the scale continues to go down.  I can do this.  :)

A Streak. :)

I've been going strong for two+ weeks now (started on the 5th, I think?)  Stayed on track food wise, been exercising at the gym or at home (Biggest Loser on the Wii Fit KILLED my thigh muscles yesterday!), and overall doing pretty well.  I can't even describe the difference it makes having my hubby on board this time.  He went to the gym today!  So proud of him.  :o)

I use Sparkpeople.com to track my progress, and am currently reading "The Spark" (book by the founder- available in Kindle lending library!).  Going to work on making myself an inspiration wall (poster?  Something) as is mentioned in the book.  I think it would be great to have that visual.  :)

Hope all my readers (vast numbers of you that there are) are doing well!!  :)

Starting Fresh. Again.

It all starts with, of all things, Harry Potter.

Abby (who just turned 7), read the entire Harry Potter series- all 7 books- this past year.  She has been begging to go to "Harry Potter World" (AKA 'The Wizarding World of Harry Potter' at Universal Studios Orlando)- and since we visit family in Orlando regularly, it was not out of the question.  I told her that she and I could go on our next visit to Orlando. 

And so we did.

In preparation, I did some research.  I know I'm a big girl.  Ok, I'm obese.  Very much so.  And roller coasters are definitely something that worried me- because of my size.  So I googled.  It seems that many people consider Universal, and the WWOHP specifically, to be "sizest".  Apparently there have been quite a few folks who didn't fit in the rides.  This made me nervous, but I was glad to have the information. 

I was thankful that my brother was able to go with us. 

The three of us headed for Universal, and went straight for Hogwarts Castle.  Stood in line for an hour and a half.  Upon entering the boarding area, two attendants politely asked me to try out the sample seat "so they could ensure me a comfortable ride". Yep, no go.  The thing that comes down over your head would not latch at all.  My brother looked bewildered, but I said thank you, told Abby to have fun riding with Christopher, and I headed for the waiting spot at the end of the ride. 

I was ok- it really was a low key transaction, no big public humiliation like some of the folks online claimed- until:
1) I realized that the whole time I was back there, NO ONE ELSE was rejected.
2) Abby got off the ride with her face covered in tears.  She'd been terrified.  :(

That was a big wakeup call.  You know- a year or so ago, I made a list of "reasons I should get healthy"- and riding coasters with my kids was one... But I hadn't been faced with the actuality.

SOOO....

I started this week by planning out our family menus and shopping for healthy food.  I've been logging on Sparkpeople.com all week, and two days ago, I joined a little gym near our house.  So far I've gone twice and worked out hard.  I have a (free) appointment with a personal trainer on Saturday, too. 

No joke.  This is for real.  I'm done with this body and all that comes with it- time for transformation.