Day 66 - Truth, Love & Consequences

I'm back on my daily wagon, but, boy, am I feeling the repercussions of eating fast food three times last weekend. My wedding band is tight and I can feel the swelling all over my body - especially in my face...around my eyes and cheeks. If you're a chronic fast food eater, there is no way to sugar coat it. You need to stop. On a monthly basis, we might eat "fast food" three times, with two of those times being pizza from Bosco's or Marco's. This weekend, however, I ate fast food 3 or 4 times. We were going non-stop all weekend and fast food was easy and cheap.

In the past, I would blame it on my busy schedule, however, now, I know that it's not because of a busy schedule. It's a simple lack of preparation on my part. It's not difficult to pack a lunch and a few snacks in a cooler and throw it in the back of the car. It would take less than 10 minutes to prepare lunch and snacks for the entire family, pack it in a cooler and put it in my car. Pure laziness. SMH. I'm paying for it now. I'm hoping that if I drink lots of extra water this week, I can flush out the swelling and get back to feeling normal.

I hit the treadmill again today. Managed 45 minutes before my episode ended. While I was walking, an older gentleman opened the door and just stood there. I watched, curious as to what he was doing. Turns out he was holding the door for an older heavyset lady, who I assumed was his wife. She came into the gym on a motorized wheelchair. My heart broke. Here is this man, who loves his wife so much that he loads her into the car, drives her to the community gym, helps her out of the car and onto her wheelchair, and then helps her squeeze into the gym (it's a tight entrance...but I'll be up there tomorrow to re-arrange the equipment for her). He goes to, what I can imagine, a great extent, just so she can do pull-down exercises while sitting in her wheelchair. You could tell that they had been at this routine for a while because once she was in, he let her go her own way. She did her arm exercises while he did the elliptical. They didn't speak. They didn't smile. Then they left.

I don't want to be that couple. When Charlie and I retire, I want us to be physically healthy. I want to go on cruises and travel the world, not be confined to a wheelchair. I want to believe that 2012 will be my turning point. 300 days to go.

Photo courtesy: www.sodahead.com

Day 54 - Birthday Mission Completed

Today is my Birthday. I'm 38. I'm ok with that, but ask me again in two years and I might still be 38. My mother has always told me that her 40's were the best times of her life. She said something happens and you start thinking less about what others think, and more about what YOU think. Sounds good to me.

So today, my friend Amanda suggested I walk 4 miles and then get a pedicure. The conversation went something like this:

Amanda: Happy birthday!!!!! Treat yourself - walk 4 miles & get a pedicure ♥

Me: I'm thinking 2 miles and a new pair of kicks.

Amanda: no. i said 4.

Me: Challenge accepted.  

I don't take challenges lightly. I am competitive to a fault. Always have been, always will be. It took one and a half episodes of Grey's Anatomy to get there, but I did it. My legs felt like jello when I finished, but I did it. I had to pull out my inhaler when I got home, but I did it.

Plus, I did it in my brand new kicks!!! I went with Saucony Pro-Grid Guide 5, and donated my old shoes to charity.  Putting my Birthday money to good use!!! Check out my video below.

I wish I could say that maybe I'll lose an extra half-pound, but I know how much pizza and chocolate cake I ate yesterday. I might be back at square one, but I had chocolate cake, so I'll call this a "Win." 

My new kicks:  <3 PINK <3 (And they match my ear buds!!)

My new kicks IN ACTION:

Day 52 - Time Travel Camera

Light is a funny thing. You can't see it, but without it, you can't see. Plus, when you take a picture of yourself in the mirror with light coming in from the back, it lets you see into the future. I snapped this photo this morning and the light bending around my waist took off a good 3 inches. Don't be fooled. Those jeans are size 13.

It's a fabulous camera trick, if you can get it just right. I once lost half of a bride's neck in a very similar situation. It wasn't an important shot...so she never saw it. Ha!

I had 45 minutes to exercise today, (and by that, I mean that I procrastinated up until I only had 45 minutes left), so I used every single minute that I had left, truckin' with Grey's Anatomy. I'm almost finished with Season 6...then pulled back into the garage just as Lil C was getting off of the bus. Whew!

I still can't believe I'm walking for 50 minutes at a time, and it's a breeze. I remember the day when it took everything I had to stay on for the entire 20 minutes that I started with, and I can't imagine where I'll be on December 31st, 2012. Hopefully looking something like I do in that photo up there!

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Day 51 - Fried Cheese

I skipped breakfast AND lunch today...surviving on 3 cups of coffee and a diet pill. No joke. Oh, you don't have to tell me how bad that is, I know exactly how bad that is for me...but the fair only comes once a year and so I sacrificed my health for one day in the name of caloric intake. No biggie.

Today had to be hard core because I knew I would be going to the Pasco County Fair with the BFF and kiddies... and I knew I'd be eating some fried bits of heaven. Corndogs and Fried Cheese to be exact. Oh yeah. I did it. I'll probably gain a pound or two...but I have 316 days left in the year to adjust for it. That's .000632 pounds per day. I think I can manage.

Talk about a freak show. If you're in the neighborhood and are into people watching...you have to check out the Pasco County Fair. I have absolutely NO idea how some of these people survive daily life. Lots of crack or lots of inbreeding. Makes me thankful for my crazy-normal life. Love you all. Have a wonderful week!!!

Be sure to check in tomorrow to see how much a corndog and fried cheese can wreck your diet.


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Day 49 - Big Fat & Juicy

Wow. Now THIS is something new. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with all of the physical activity I've incorporated into my life, but I'm thinking it might. After taking my "twenty" (which is now "50") on the treadmill watching McDreamy throw the Chief under the bus in an attempt to take his job, Charlie and I made plans to meet some of our best friends for dinner at Gator's Dockside out by USF. Did I order a salad and vegetables? Heck no!! I ordered the fattest, juiciest BBQ Bacon Burger on the menu. However, when the lady started listing my choices for side items, I should have stopped her at fries, because when she got to "veggies," my conscience kicked in and I couldn't very well order the fries knowing that veggies was an option. So, I got my burger and chased it with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and squash.

I ate half of the burger at the restaurant and finished the rest at 10pm that night. Normally, when I eat something of this magnitude, I wake up feeling bloated and literally 3-5 pounds heavier...water retention I'm sure. This time, however, I woke up and weighed myself only to find that I was the exact same weight (to the tenth) as I was the day before.

Does this mean I'm going to start eating big fat & juicy burgers all the time? Nope. But, it sure does feel good to be able to do it once in a while without the guilt that I would normally carry with me the next day. The guilt that would then begin the cycle of failure, which would lead to more burgers and less exercise. Not going down THAT road again.

Photo: Not my photo. Found using google search. It IS, however, the big fat & juicy burger that I ate.

Day 48 - The Arrival

It has arrived.

Day 48.

The day of the invalidated excuse.

Today I spent a good part of the day sorting through receipts, e-mails and bank statements preparing things for my tax accountant (Mr. Joe Pitcher, for those of you looking for an awesome accountant).

Unfortunately, the feeling of relief that I felt as I entered the final document did not last long. I decided to check my voicemail from the day before, only to hear a message from a realtor who wanted to show my house in 3 hours. Wha???? So now, instead of spending the next 3 hours resting my eyes and brain, I spent it running from room to room, cleaning up all of the messes in the house, scrubbing toilets and sinks, vacuuming and mopping floors, etc. It lasted for a good 2 hours, and I was sweating.

Technically I could have claimed this time as my "twenty," but I didn't. I had a fully acceptable excuse NOT to go to the gym, but I didn't use it. I set the excuse aside, grabbed the iPad and my headphones and headed out the door. (Photo of McSteamy, my Grey's Anatomy workout buddy)

I win.

Day 46 - Used Earbuds???

I just purchased my very first (ever) pair of earbuds....and they're PINK!!! I've never been really big into music, to the point where I would need to purchase a CD or a song for my iPod. I don't even own an iPod. Every other member of my family does...even Lil C. Plus, the old hard earbuds never fit in my ear...even the ones that "guarantee" to stay in your ear. What's the guarantee? They refund your money if they don't fit. I don't see what the big deal is with a guarantee like that....Doesn't EVERY company allow you to return earbuds if they don't fit? Maybe not...that would be kind of gross...buying 'used' earbuds?? Ewww.

Now, an iPad on the other hand...don't think I could live without one now. (Thanks for the iPads Meme & Papa). Heading up the the gym shortly with it...... and my new pink earbuds. 

Well, I finally made it back on the wagon. Not sure if it was 2 or 3 days that I went without "really" putting in the time and the sweat. I know that this started out as me just taking 20 minutes for myself...doing whatever I wanted to do, but I've at some point I started holding myself accountable for the effort that goes into my time. We had lots of family in town this past weekend and I suppose it took me a day or two to get back into my rhythm. But I'm back on top now and decided to add 5lb weights into the mix as well as add .3 speed to my pace. For 45 days I've been trucking along at 3.5mph for 50 minutes, so I'm upping the ante and will start pushing 3.8mph from here on out...maybe. Hey, it IS my time. As for the weights...eehh...if I feel like it, I'll use 'em. I'm down a total of 6 pounds in 46 days. You can do the math. I'm outta here.