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 38 - Flossing Failure

I never thought it was possible. I walked for 50 minutes without batting an eyelash this afternoon, thanks to my secret Netflix donor. I used to dread 15 minutes...now I am pushing an hour. Yay me!

I took Superbowl Sunday off, then had my time stolen from me yesterday....so I was in a really bad place psychologically when I woke up this morning. I knew I had a busy day and feared another failed day. No more!! The lesson that I've learned so far is that if you have an opportunity in the morning to take back twenty, you need to take it. Yes, there are 500 other things that "could" be done, but you are more important than those things. Yeah - I trumped laundry today. Booya! I'm looking forward to the day when I trump the dishes.

If you're on my Facebook as a "Friend" (http://www.facebook.com/SoulSearchPhotography) then you might know that I went to the dentist this morning. As much as I LOVE my teddy bear dentist (pictured above - Dr. Michael Collins in Tampa - ask for 'Debbie' to be your hygienist. She's awesome!), I loath the disappointing "Your teeth look great...no work for me here!" That's his nice way of saying, "Your gums could use some attention." You see, I floss like I used to work out................... yeah. I said it. I had no cavities for 21 years.... until I got pregnant. Then I got 4 in one appointment, and haven't had another one since. I suppose the Taco Bell Burrito Supremes and the Burger King Chicken Sandwiches weren't giving me adequate calcium. I just hate to floss, and they know it. It's all good. I just pay an extra $88 a year for a third yearly cleaning. I suppose it would be cheaper to buy floss, but I really wouldn't know. That was just Charlie's opinion when he saw the receipt on the counter tonight....meant to hide that one. Ooops.

Are you Taking Back Twenty? or Thirty? or Forty? Please leave me a comment letting me know if this is helping you. If you don't, I may just start blogging about flossing my teeth.