Weight loss Wednesday's week 2

Yes I know it's not Wednesday. This last week has been quite eventful and I will post about that later.

Before I started this more intensive goal I was walking almost a mile to the bus stop on most Tuesdays and Thursdays to get to school, but since I have had many opportunities to drive or get a ride. I wasn't getting in enough walking during the week so that's why I decided that I would walk the dog on my non school days. I still walk to the bus stop on Tuesdays and Thursdays too.

This last Friday was shopping day and since I shop for 8 people for an entire month I knew I was going to get my walking in! I usually have multiple stops and am worn out by the 2nd stop. The last couple of months I have had to split shopping day into 2 or 3 days. I did not tire out until our very last stop and I was able to do all of our shopping in one day! I figured my total walking for the day after subtracting travel time and my lunch break at 4 hours of walking. I guess those Tuesday and Thursday walks have been helping.

I am still in need of a weight tracking device. I am looking forward to watching those numbers go down.

I am so thankful for my support network I really feel like this is possible!

150 by 40!

Weight loss Wednesdays Week 1

A few months ago I kind of set a goal for myself 150 by 40 I could make that by losing 1 to 1 1/2 per week. I have not been very consistent with my walking so it's not happening. My birthday is coming up this Saturday thankfully not my 40th yet  but it got me to thinking how I haven't been taking my goal very seriously, so I decided to figure out if I can still make it happen. If I can loose 1 1/2 to 2 per week I can still make my goal. So given my personality and my current schedule how can I make that happen? I have decided that since I do not have morning classes on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays I am going to take my dog for a walk on those mornings, that way I have some flexibility. I am also going to try to keep up with this blog on a weekly basis. Today went rather well I was actually awake an hour before my alarm went off so I got out early and had a nice walk.

I'll be checking in again next week

The best workout ever!

Finals are over! So now I can work in the yard! The last two days I have had the whole family (well at least those who are home at the time), working with me out in the yard. Mirinda wants to have her wedding next year, in the back yard. We don't even have lawn on half of it yet. We had to mow down the weeds with a lawn mower designed for a much smaller yard and now we are raking out the stuff that will get caught in the tines of a rototiller. I hope to have it ready to till by Tuesday. We're planning on renting a rototiller first thing in the morning so hopefully we can get it done all in one day. But anyway I'm babbling. Needless to say all this yard work has me hurting in places I forgot I had. If I keep this up all summer though I won't have to figure out an exercise plan.

Ah a new year what craziness awaits?

I have not been very good at keeping this updated perhaps that would be a good resolution...
This past year has sure been one bumpy ride. I will have to reflect and see what lessons I have learned.
I am loving being in school and plan to continue. I hope to do better with my garden this year. Of course there is the weight loss goal.
I will have another one turning 18 this year and she can't wait to get out of the house although I am in no hurry for that.

Welcome 2010

How did I get all this weight to begin with?

I decided instead of a series I would just use one post to cover this topic

When I was younger I was always skinny. I could eat whatever I wanted without thinking about it. When I got out of High School I was 130 pounds with a 28 inch waist. Oh I wish I could get back to that. So what happened?
The first 10 pounds.
I got pregnant gained a total of 30 pounds and then only lost 20 of it. I don't know why that last 10 pounds didn't come off. I used to take the baby for walks and was generally very active.  I guess I just need to chalk it up to my body adjusting to parenthood. I would be thrilled if I could even get back to 140!
The next 10 pounds.
I got pregnant again gained 30 lost 20. Do we see a pattern forming?
The rest of the weight.
I have had a total of 8 children all with the same weight gain pattern. Also I used the depo shot between a couple of them and was told by my doctor that one of the side effects is weight gain, and not just a little bit but like 10-20 pounds.
As I look back I can also see that I became less and less active. I am trying to reverse that but Newtons law of motion keeps getting me. You know the one something in motion tends to stay in motion and something at rest tends to stay at rest. With each baby I needed to spend a lot of time feeding so I was sitting quite a bit. Every chance I got I would take a nap. As I got more kids it became more difficult to go for walks or even just go to the park because it was such a big production to get everyone ready.
I developed some very lazy habits and now it's time to change. I have found that if I try to change too much though that I always revert to my lazy ways. That is why I am doing little changes each month in hopes they will stick.

Weight Loss

Recently I decided it is time to get rid of this extra weight I have accumulated over the years. I know that the only way to keep it off is to make permanent life changes. I think that one of the reasons so many people fail is because they want it to happen all at once so they try to make all the changes at once. Well that is not going to work for me. I am going to change 2 habits each month one for nutrition and one for physical. The first month my nutrition one was drinking more water. I really like my coke so I told myself I have to drink a glass of water before I have each coke so that way I am not taking anything away from myself I'm just adding in something good! I also enrolled my family to help me they have permission to ask me if I have had my water before I have my coke. It is working fabulously. As for adding in more physical I took on switching the laundry (the kids have been sharing this chore up until now) as that involves going up and down the stairs at least once a day. I am wanting to add in habits that don't seem like they are much but that after a while will really add up.

Since this is a new month I am adding 2 new habits.
The nutritional one is eating breakfast. I used to eat breakfast all the time but for some reason I stopped. I don't usually like many of the traditional breakfast foods so I am trying to think of things I like. So far I have come up with cottage cheese and fruit, couscous with almonds and mandarin oranges, and garlic bread and orange juice. I like eggs and breakfast meat but it takes so much time to fix. I don't like the things like cereal and pancakes and such.
The physical one is keeping this blog updated. I know that doesn't sound like it fits, but I think that if I am keeping this updated I will be more aware of what I am doing and not doing. Plus I think I am going to add a weekly weight check in.

That's it for today. Next post will be the first in the series of how I got the extra weight in the first place

My Daughter is in Danger

My daughter is in danger I know not what to do
if I say stop she goes faster
if I talk. disaster
my loved ones are leading her there believing all the lies
why can't they see the danger? it's right before their eyes
My daughter is in danger I know not what to do

My daughter is in danger this is my greatest fear
I cannot stop all the bumps and bruises in life
but this is so much bigger oh the anguish oh the strife
everyone around her now says this ill is choice
those of us who don't agree are shunned and giv'n no voice
My daughter is in danger this is my greatest fear

My daughter is in danger but she's told she's doing right
she knows it will hurt but thinks she can handle it
her aunts and grandma say they will help her through it
her aunts and grandma are leading her there
oh this whole thing it makes me want to swear
My daughter is in danger but she's told she's doing right

My daughter is in danger oh this I cannot watch
I have tried all I can do and say
now I must turn around and walk away
I'm hope I will see her again in the days or years to come
but she will be scarred forever this ill can ne'er be undone
My daughter is in danger oh this I cannot watch

now I have no daughter