Day 27:201

Ohhhhhhh yeah. Not only did I lose the water weight.. but I am now half a pound under last weigh in!! whooop! And the best part is I SAW IT...yes, for a second, I saw the magic number before it settled on 201. soooo close!!

I think Laura may be right.. my muscles are holding onto a lot of water. Yesterday I took the day off from running and weight lifting. Drank a ton of water and just relaxed. I guess my body let it all go.. and here I am! So, I guess breaks between workout and runs are good. I rearranged my schedule so that I have a break from working out and running twice a week. Here it is:

Monday: Run/ Upper Body Weights
Tuesday: Run/ Lower Body Weights
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Run/ Upper Body Weights
Friday: Run/ Lower Body Weights
Saturday: Run
Sunday : Rest

I really like this schedule.. and I think it will allow the time my body needs to recover. Just like the schedule, I ran this morning.. 1.5 miles. Then did my upper body circuit. It felt really good...

Tomorrow will be day 28.. 4 weeks of healthy living and running! Now I KNOW this breaks a record for me. But what really blows my mind is that I am ready for the next month! I am not worn out.. I am not bored.. I am not feeling starved..

I FEEL FANTASTIC...

Today is Thursday.. which basically means CSI!! Whoo hoo.... but it also means laundry and cleaning.. I hope you are having a great day!

Day 26:203

Ugh.. a gain. But my wedding ring is tight.. so I'm thinking its just water retention. I know that I am looking better because for the first time in 3 years I fit in a size 14 pant! Which means I have gone from wearing 18.. to slipping into 14's in 3 weeks. That is awesome!

Yesterday was my mom's birthday.. and we celebrated! She came over and spent the day with the girls and I.. hanging curtains, building chairs... and playing! I baked cupcakes as fat free as I could get them.. and managed to just eat one! Then sent the rest home with mom. I did my run yesterday.. it was the Week 3 run, and I finished it and felt great. I continued on to do my lower body weight lifting.. and this morning I am extremely sore, so I am taking this morning off from running. I will focus on drinking lots of water.. and maybe get a walk in this afternoon.

I have 5 days until my next weigh in... and if I want to see Onederland, I better get on it! Happy Hump Day!

WI Day 24:201.5

Today is my Weigh In.. and no change. Which can be a good thing. At least I have managed to maintain. So it takes me another week to get to Onederland... at least I will have deserved it!! I also remember hearing that while losing weight at a steady pace you will see a big loss one week and a small loss the next. I dont know if not losing any weight counts.. but for my sake lets say it does!

I did not do any exorcise this weekend, as running 5 days in a row exhausted my legs. It was a good idea, this morning I ran with a new found energy and even managed to run for 5 minutes straight.. a record! I am supposed to be on Day 1 of Week 4 of C25K... but it killed me. In fact, I could not finish it. So I am going to repeat Week 3 and try week 4 again next week. Hopefully by then I will have dropped a couple of more pounds and will be ready to move on!

Food is great. My portions are great. I am finding it so much easier to pass up the junk food and go straight for the nourishing stuff! .. and if I do happen to be craving sweet.. I go for a Cliff Bar. Have you tried these? They are delicious.. and are not too bad in calories, as long as they are not your 2nd or 3rd snack for the morning! LOL

Water is flowing! I have been drinking 16-18 cups of water a day. Crystal Light has saved me a couple of times as well! No sugar, low in calories... and sweet.

Today I have a friend coming by to hang out and talk... always a welcome event! I will see y'all tomorrow!

Day 21:203

Wow... 3 weeks today! I honestly don't think I have ever lasted this long on a healthy lifestyle!! LOL Lets keep it going!!

So a 1.5 lb gain today.. I'm starting to notice a pattern. When I eat a lot of bread and salt.. then I usually see a gain the next morning. What does that tell me? Quit eating so much bread and salt!!

I'm not going to worry about the gain... today I will focus a little harder on my eating and water intake!

I also feel good today because I ran my regular run today.. and yes, I had to push freakin hard to finish it.. but I did! I got off the treadmill feeling pretty good about myself. I also had my lower body weight lifting circuit this morning.. so my legs and butt are really sore. Tomorrow might be a forced break from running.. we'll see how they feel in the morning! I am really hoping to see that 199 mark on Monday.. but I'm not going to freak if I don't. So it takes me another week.. eh.. I can do it!

In the back of my head is the thought that I might sabotage myself again. I have been close to Onederland twice before.. and twice before I gained it all back + more. I think that may have been the cause of yesterday bread/crackers/popcorn splurge... but I woke up this morning with a little more *umph* to get it done. I'm sick of 'trying' to lose weight damn it.. I'm doing it and its going to get done!

Day 20:201.5

Ahhhhh... back down to 201.5... I am really hoping to see that 199.9 mark on Monday morning. Whatever the number is, I am feeling great. Yesterday I put on a pair of pants that I have not been able to wear in over a year. I put them on and they fit very comfortably. In fact, they fit better then the day I bought them!! LOL .. so no matter the number on the scale, the results are definitely starting to show.

Yesterday food was great. I made spaghetti for dinner, which is a huge temptation for me.. I can eat plates of spaghetti in one sitting. Anyway, I measured out one cup (which is actually a lot!) and stopped there. Later on I felt hungry.. or at least my brain was thinking it was time to eat again.. but my belly seemed to be content... so I drank another glass of water, took my fiber and went to bed. This morning I felt really good about it...and the scale thanked me too!!

It is day 20!! I cant believe I have come this far. The more I think about it the more I get motivated to keep going. I cant wait to see how I turn out!! LOL. It's like opening a present wrapped in string... and only unrolling it a tiny bit everyday. Eventually that roll of string will unravel and reveal the body of an angel...hopefully a Victoria's Secret Angel!!! LOL

I ran this morning... for some reason I wasn't as motivated so I stopped at 18 minutes, 2 minutes short of my usual run. Now that I think about it I could kick myself for stopping. What I have learned from my running friends is that you have to push through it... and keep pushing until eventually it moves all on its own.

So, here is to pushing through it! We'll see y'all tomorrow!

Day 19: 202

yes, a gain.. but I'm not surprised. Yesterday was a weight lifting day.. and I ate way too much bread, sodium AND didn't drink enough water. That's ok, today will be better.

The circus was a blast. The girls got to ride an elephant... and didn't want to get off! My oldest was so tired but didn't want to miss a thing.. we left half way thru it because they were falling asleep.. but it was still a lot of fun. A nice break in the middle of the week!


Woke up this morning and was a little sad about the gain, but went straight for the tready and ran. I know that my weight will fluctuate, but I have to keep at it to see the BIG results!! OH.. and last nights outfit!!! The shirt was too big and falling off the shoulders... the pants, the last time I wore them they would snap open every time I sat down.. but not last night! They fit great!

Nothing too exciting today. A trip to the store and more laundry. Ahhhhhhhhh.. at least its Wednesday! Two more days till the weekend.

Day 18:201.5

I was glad to see the 201.5.. but was holding my breath to see 200. I'm pretty sure that I will be dropping below 200 sometime this week... I'm just a little impatient! LOL .. The last time I was in the 100's was in 2003, right after I delivered my first daughter. I came home weighing 196. Eight months later I was pregnant again... and gained another 40 lbs.

This morning was a lower body weight training followed by a 1.36 mile run. I am slowly, and I do mean slowly, becoming more comfortable running. My legs are getting stronger and my lungs are burning a little less every time.

Food and portions have finally worked themselves out now. I am listening to my body and stop eating the second I feel a little bit full. (which is happening alot faster these days.) Since I am eating less, and less often, I am really focusing on eating healthy. Organic most of the time... anything full of vitamins and nutrients. I am noticing a huge difference in my energy during the day.

So, today I am off to do the usual house chores.. and then tonight a special treat. A circus has come to town and will be performing tonight and tomorrow night.. so hubby and I are taking the girls! I cant wait to see their faces when they see an elephant in real life!! How fun!!

See you tomorrow!

Day 17:201.5

Today is my Weigh In and I am down -2.5 lbs!! Yippeeee. Only 1.5 lbs before I am back in the 100's. I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT!!!!

Yesterday was great. We got an unexpected call from my brother saying he was in the city and that he would love to visit with us. So we packed up the kids and drove to the city where we met him and my mom for lunch. I hadn't seen him is 6 years.. and he looked fantastic. My husband got to meet him for the first time.. and I think they got along pretty well. My brother also got to meet my girls for the first time... they loved their Uncle!!! We ate at Red Lobster, so I was able to stay on track with my diet by having a baked salmon and salad.


This morning I was worried about running. I didnt run Sat or Sun.. so I felt that I may have lost my 'mojo'..... but I kicked butt!! I ran my Day 1 of Week 3 for the C25K program and felt great. On top of that I did a full upper body weight lifting circuit. I'm sleeping good tonight!!

Now that I am so close to the 100's.. I am going to have to be super good this week!! Hope y'all have a great Monday...

Day 15:203.5

Yesterday went pretty smoothly. I got to the show in time to help set up and do the sound check. There were over 500 people there with over 300 classic cars. The weather was cold and windy... but dancing around on stage helped a little! The music was awesome and we all had a blast! Tonight is another show at 'The Orchard' for the Fall Festival and it is very windy today.. .so I think I will be dressing warm again! Here are some pics from the show. Not very flattering one of me, but it shows you why I need to lose weight! Talk about a mushroom top! Ugh.. I'm gonna have to find something a little more flattering tonight.


So I didnt run this morning.. I am exhausted. So my goal is to do my run tomorrow morning...sometime.

Food is great and portions are even better. I've got to get cleaning...

ITS FAT FREE!!! I SWEAR!!!


Day 14:203.5


Today is a big day... my blogs 1 yr anniversary...my 2 week commitment to running and eating healthy... and tonight the band plays at the casino car show! I woke up tired! LOL No, actually I woke up and jumped on the tready and ran for 20 mins, then did a full weight training circuit... then put in the laundry and am now enjoying the peace and quiet because the kids are still sleeping!! I love mornings like this. I feel like I've conquered so much already!!

I'm afraid I have to keep moving if I am going to get everything done before the show tonight.. Have a great FRIDAY!!!

Day 13:203.5

Now that is how everyday should start off.. a -1.5 lb loss from yesterday! Hmmmm, water retention? Probably.

Ran again this morning. It's like I have said in the past. Its not that its easy, but its getting easier! I am starting to see why people fall in love with running.

My food was awesome yesterday. I ate fruits and veggies and stayed clear of the bread! I did have one small potato for dinner, but obviously it was in perfect proportion. Today I need to do the same.. in fact.. I need to keep it up all weekend if I want to see the 199.9 mark on Mondays weigh in. That may be stretching it a bit, but I can try! If not this Monday then DEFINITELY next week!! Wooohoooo.

Day 12:205

Yesterdays food control was out of control. For some reason I was really craving bread...and I ate it! I also ate way too much sodium..which I think is the cause of the gain. Today is going to have to be a perfect food day.. no if's, and's or but's.

Speaking of butts... mine was on the treadmill for 22 minutes this morning. Thanks to Laura's advice to slow it down a little.. I was breathing great. In fact.. I wanted to keep going!! (and only made it 2 minutes past my 20 min norm!!LOL) But at least I am starting to find my groove!!

I also managed to do my full circuit of weight lifting! TWICE! Yes, its time to step it up again... no worries.. I am working with a training book, so I am following a step by step plan of getting a toned body... according to LL Cool J! LOL Really!!!

On Friday it will be 2 weeks that I have been faithfully running in the morning and watching my food. It will also be my 1 year anniversary of this blog. Yes folks, it has been 1 year that I have been driving myself crazy with food, exorcise and 'diets'. At first it made me say..'ugh... I should be at my goal weight by now' then I took a deep breath. Maybe it took this long for me to finally get my head right. After all, you cant commit to something until you have it in your head that it is the right thing to do. So it took me a year to get it straight in my head.. can you say stubborn? Yes.. I am. But for the last 12 days I have been doing more then I have all year. I wake up in the morning ready to jump out of bed and run. I don't stand in the kitchen sneaking cookies and chips because I know my hubby would be disappointed if he caught me eating again! I eat healthy...I mess up.. but then I'm ready to make up for it. I am finally ready to get this done. I'm finally ready to live life as a healthy woman... So, Friday will be a celebration of a new year of running farther, eating smarter and reaching my goal!

Day 11: 204.5

A half pound gain today, but that doesn't bother me. I did a full circuit of weight lifting yesterday... so hopefully its just new muscle!!

I did my run this morning. I wouldn't say it was easy.. but it was a little easier! Do any of my running blog buddies have advice on breathing techniques?? I cant get a rhythm to my breathing and it really bothers me. Advice?

Food is awesome. I am eating the right size portions and feeling full.. sometimes even leaving food on the plate! Yikes! I've come along way from eating all of my food plus whatever the girls left on their plates! LOL

This week is looking good. The band has two gigs this weekend! Friday night at a car show and Saturday night at The Orchard again. I just hope I can keep from using that as an excuse not to run. At this point though.. I'm having a hard time finding anything as an excuse! I have a picture of myself in my head of me at 145 pounds celebrating my 30th birthday... now THAT is motivation!!

Day 10: 204

I do believe my body is finally getting the idea of this whole diet/exorcise thing. I have lost another 1.5 lbs bringing my total wieght lost for the week to -2.5 lbs!!

I'm also excited because I have hit the double digit numbers in days and haven't cheated once! I also ran my Day 1 of Week 2 this morning. It killed me... but I finished it. So this week is well on its way to being a success!!

Portion control is constantly on my mind (which is probably a good thing)and I am doing pretty good with it. I really think that has been a key to losing the weight finally!

If I can keep this up for another two weeks.. I will be in ONEderland!! And what a ONEderful day that will be!

Day 9: 205.5

Its the first day of Autumn... and I am down 1 lb! Yahoo. Finally, a loss on the scale. I am starting to find my groove when it comes to food.. and also finding little secrets to keep me from eating too much! Such as drinking 3 glasses of water before eating dinner. Eating half of an all natural Cliff Bar for my snack... etc.

Today is a rest day.. so I didn't run.. but I kinda wanted to! LOL It is best to have the rest though.. .tomorrow morning starts day 1 of Week 2 of C25K. I'm gonna need the energy!

See y'all tomorrow!

Day 8:206.5

Ran again this morning.. it kicked my butt. Glad tomorrow is a rest day! Portions sizes are getting better...water is great. I have a million things to get done today, so will make this short and sweet!

Have a wONEderful Day!

Day 7: 206.5
Ok.. so I am still bummed not to be seeing at least a little bit of a loss.. but I think I know the problem. Portion Control. I did farely well yesterday.. at least I thought I did until I remember what I had for dinner. A heaping plate of shrimp linguine with 2 servings of broccoli. It was very healthy.. but I ate enough to feed 2 people.. maybe even 3! Aaaack. So today I really need to pull out the measuring cup and start measuring. I found this :

Meet yourself half-way.
You can lose weight and still eat your favorite foods! Just decrease your portion sizes by half. For example, if you are used to eating a whole deli or sub sandwich at lunch, just eat half and supplement your meal with raw veggies on the side and finish of with some fresh fruit. Then wait to see if you're still hungry. If you pause after eating the first half and allow yourself a few minutes to feel satiated, you just may find you're too full to eat the other half anyway.

That might help a little. If I can remember to pause after eating half of what is on my plate to see if I'm still hungry.

I ran another 1.15 miles this morning. This makes 5 days in a row, 5.5 miles, 1hr and 36min of running this week! Thanks to CoolRunning I can keep track of everything. It makes me feel better when I can write down and keep track of my achievements..and baby, these are some awesome achievements!! I plan on running tomorrow morning and then take Sunday off. Next week I start week 2 of the C25K program... yippee!

Day 6: 206.5


Aaaagh... frustration set in this morning. The fact that I have been doing this for 6 days and not even half a pound lost.. what is going on? Am I still eating wrong? Too much? Not enough? I will admit that for a minute there I was going to ignore the tready and just go back to bed... but I didn't. I griped and groaned while I pulled my shoes on... then mumbled and moaned while I walked over to the tready and turned it on. Ugh.. But I did do my 20 min run this morning.. and I do feel great now. So I'm glad I pushed myself to do it and not let myself give up again.

Am I being silly in thinking I should be seeing results right now?? Is it too early to see a loss?? Oooooooo... measurements!! Hold on!!

(undoing the mess of the measuring tape!)

Ok.. Now I feel like an idiot.. check this out:

Chest = Was 43 Now 41 = -2 inches
Waist = Was 40.5 Now 39 = -1.5 inches
Hips = Was 44 Still 44

Holy Cow.. I've lost 3.5 inches in 6 days... yeehaw!!

So now that I am feeling 5 million times better about this.. I am going to rock it today. I have a whole house that needs to be cleaned... laundry that needs to be folded.. kids that need playing with... and I am ready! Food will be great today... eggs for breakfast, baked potato with salsa for lunch and fresh fish for dinner.

I am SO glad I ran this morning. Just goes to show ya... sometimes you are rockin' when you think you are rollin'!

Day 5 : 206.5

Yep.. back down again.. but will probably see a gain tomorrow because I just did another gut wrenching workout on the bowflex. I also did my run again this morning... yes, that makes 3 morning in a row I have woken up and hopped on the tready! Whoop whoop!! I have to say that it feels great. Deep inside I am excited to go onto to next weeks challenge on C25K...deep, deep inside!hehe

Hubby has gotten onto the health kick again too. He is trying to gain 30 lbs.. in muscle. It helps to be living with someone who is also watching what they eat, and working out everyday.

I have been doing better with food.. although I could still cut down on portion sizes. Little by little I am finding I can fix things. Yesterday I ate less snacks between meals then the day before... today I will focus on my portion control.

I really feel that I will succeed this time if I remember two things:

1) Be persistent... this is something that will take time to fix. Wake up every morning with a fresh look and a new energy.

2) Dont quit... I've got 5 days under my belt, it would be a shame to start over now.

So as I see it, I've got to keep on truckin'... Day 5.... 85 more days to go!

Day 4: 207

Yes, a .5 lb gain.. but I'm not surprised. After running yesterday I hopped on hubby's Boflex and did some major upper body weight lifting. I would expect to see a gain... the great news is.. I ran another mile this morning! The time? Well, I'm not sure when the marker went past 1 mile.. but I did 20 minutes and ended at 1.10 miles. I decided to give Couch to 5K a chance.. and so far I am enjoying it. Hopefully it keeps up. My goal is not to beat my time at the 1 mile.. but to actually be able to run more then a minute at a time. My stamina sucks.. so this should help alot.

No weights today... I think I will stick to that on mon/wed/fri. If you've never had a Boflex.. you should try one. They really are great to workout on. The only thing I hate is having to change around all the pullys and weights when you want to change excorsizes.

Ok, so we all know that dieting is a head game, and I am trying to work on the way I percieve food.. and my body. There are a couple of things that scare me. First, I am worried that I will lose 20 lbs and be happy with that and stop. Second, I am scared of self sabotage, something I am very familiar with. (Aren't we all). Third, I am scared to reach my goal. Why? Because I have never weighed 135 lbs. Ok, so maybe I did, when I was 10 .. but it was only for a few seconds. I'm not sure why I'm scared.. maybe because it seems like something that will never happen.. a dream...

I am slowly accepting the fact that this will not be a quick fix. I like to remember the summer before my freshmen year of high school. I graduated the 8th grade weighing 180 lbs... thats alot for a 13 yr old going from a private school to a public school. I think my dad was scared for me.. so he signed me up for a Tae Kwon Do class. I remember being terrified of the instructor (who only spoke korean during class). Mr. Kim always pushed me...I would be purple in the face on all fours, wheezing, and he would tell me to get up and do it again or I would have to do the wall chair. YIKES! Ok..ok..ok. I would drag myself off the floor and do it again, and again and again. After awhile it got easier. I would still sweat like crazy..but I never fell to the floor. I became quite good at forms and sparring. After 3 months of going to class 3-4 nights a week, I started High school at 145 lbs. I was strong, happy and very confident. I ended up winning 1st place in 24 tournaments and even went to Nationals where I placed 2nd in sparring. I could have been amazing if I had not quit. (That is a whole other story). The reason for this story is to remind myself that if I dig deep I can do this. It IS possible to lose weight, I am NOT stuck being that timid fat girl. I have to get off the floor and do it again, and again, and again.

My goal is to see the bold 'DAY 90' on the top of my blog...because by then, I will know that Tigerlilly is back.

Day 3:206.5

No loss yet.. time to step it up a bit and add some exorcise!! I started running again this morning. 1 mile in 16:50.... ugh. Gonna have to work on that! Little by little... tomorrow morning I will run again. Does anyone have a great running schedule that you used to get you back in shape??? I know there is the C2K thing.. I haven't really tried it yet, but it looked confusing! LOL

Yesterdays diet was good.. not great. There is something that Heather wrote that really hit the nail on the dot.

Heather writes: It is selfish. It is choosing sugar in my coffee over the possibility of seeing my grandchildren. It is choosing “just one more bite” over being able to have monkey sex with my husband (you can’t erotically swing from chandeliers if you are obese). It is choosing ROUTE 44 SONIC CHERRY COKES over being able to participate in your child’s Fun Run, Jump Rope for Heart, Turkey Trot, Track ‘n Field.

IT IS CHOOSING YOURSELF OVER EVERYTHING ELSE.

Thinking about this all day yesterday kept me from reaching for those crackers when I walked by the kitchen. It helped me wake up this morning and go straight for the tready..It helped me not take that extra bite when I was already full..(maybe it was the thought of swinging from the ceiling!) At the same time though (and this may be where it gets confusing) you have to be selfish. You have to spend that hour in the morning working out while the kids watch TV.. .you have to have 'mommy time', otherwise you go crazy trying to do all of this at the same time. Its too easy to just be a mom and worry about everyone else but yourself...So, just to recap ... Don't be selfish and let yourself continue being obese and unhealthy, but be selfish and take the time to get healthy!!

Day 2: 206.5

Weighed in the same this morning. Not that I'm expecting a 2 pound loss in one day... although that would be fantastic! LOL

Stayed on track yesterday as well. The only fatty thing I had was a turkey burger with green chile's. It was delicious... and will be a welcome addition to my list of 'acceptable yummies'.

I did not get the tready out... I know, shame on me... but really it's hubbys fault for staying in bed all day and not wanting to help me move furniture. Today he is off for is weekly golf game with his brothers, so I am going to try and find a way to set it up... even if it means clearing a 3 ft space where it stands and staring at a corner wall the whole time!

So Day 3 is well on its way with a yogurt, melon and cup of tea. I am feeling good and drinking plenty of water. This will be a good day!

Day 1: 206.5

Yes, I slid my feet onto that evil thing lurking in the bathroom this morning. Not as bad a gain as I had thought. Only 1.5 pounds. But like Christine says.. its takes a day to gain 5 lbs and 3 weeks to lose it!! I am hoping to at least be back down to 205 by my weigh in on the 24th. I am feeling pretty good about this though. I ate healthy yesterday...hit just under 1500 calories! Todays goal is to find a niche to put my treadmill in so that I can start running again.

I have to say a big THANK YOU to Laura over at Life of L. She is only 11 lbs from reaching her goal... and she is such an inspiration. Go over and give her some love.. she is awsome!! (Thanks for the advice Laura, always very much appreciated!!)

So today is my Day 1... (another thing I have adopted from Life of L) and my starting weight is 206.5. As I figure, I have about 180 days (6 months) to kick butt and reach goal. That will bring me to April. That is a big month for me. I will be turning 30 on the 25th of April. I dont see myself as a 30 year old, although some days I feel 50. I actually feel pretty good about turning 30.. at least mentally I do. But physically, well, who wants to turn another decade older being fat? Not me! Damn it, I am a mother of two (and will not be adding to that number... EVER), I have a good looking husband who deserves a beautiful wife at his side.. and I am not going to be a fat 30. Ok, so now that that is settled... lets get with it.

See you tomorrow!

It is almost half way thru the month of September and I can tell you right now that I have not lost a single pound. In fact, I am pretty sure I have gained back a couple of pounds... or 5. Either way, I have not jumped on the scale (or even crawled on to the scale) in weeks. I think that is one of the reasons I have let myself dive back into bad habits. Its easy to ignore your weight when you have no idea where your at.

I desperately need to get back on track. Today I have done great so far. Keeping my fat grams down to 12 g per meal and calories around 1500 per day. I am not going to drag myself onto the scale just yet. The last thing I need is to be discouraged now. So, once again I am committing myself to a healthier way of life.. and postponing my weigh in until the 24th. I am praying that by then I will see a number lower then 205... that would make me very happy.

Running has come to a complete stop too. Mostly because we rearranged the house and the treadmill is now folded up in a corner with no way out. I am hoping to talk my hubby into letting me put it in front of the TV so that I can walk while watching all my fave TV shows. There's 3 hours right there!!! LOL The weather is starting to cool off at night, hopefully that means the weather will start cooling off during the day too. I would walk at night, but people drive like idiots on my street... there is always a dead dog, deer, elk... even bear... lying on the street hit by a car. If they cant stop for a bear or elk I cant see them stopping for me. I'd much rather walk during the day when I can see whats coming!

As for everything else, well, there isn't much to tell. As my friend said the other night... same shit, different pile! Will hopefully be blogging everyday again... forgive me for taking such an extended break... c-ya tomorrow!

I am spending my days trying to find my focus again. Digging deep to find the strength to say no to fatty foods and yes to veggies and fruit. Pushing myself to get off my butt and get moving. So today I will leave you with a little humor from Getting2Goal and will be back Monday morning with my first weigh in of September!

God Bless

THE WORD

And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow vegetable of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

And Satan created McDonald's. And McDonald's brought forth the 99-cent double-cheeseburger. And Satan said to Man, "You want fries with that?"

And Man said, "Super size them."
And Man gained pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt, that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair.

And Satan brought forth chocolate.
And woman gained pounds.

And God said, "Try my crispy fresh salad."

And Satan brought forth ice cream.
And woman gained pounds. And God said, "I have sent your heart healthy vegetables and olive oil with which to cook them."

And Satan brought forth chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter.

And Man gained pounds and his bad cholesterol went through the roof.

And God brought forth running shoes and Man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

And Satan brought forth cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil to change channels between ESPN and ESPN2.

And Man gained pounds.

And God said, "You're running up the score, Devil."

And God brought forth the potato, a vegetable naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.

And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fat fried them. And he created sour cream dip also.

And Man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips swaddled in cholesterol.

And Satan saw and said, "It is good."

And Man went into cardiac arrest.

And God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

And so, Satan created HMOs.

Hello!!

I haven't written in days, but it feel like weeks. So, where to start. This weekend was full of excitement. The band I am in was scheduled to play Saturday and Sunday night from 7-11pm. Saturday morning we all showed up early to help load, unload and set up the stage. We then took shifts hanging out to keep an eye out on all the equipment and instruments. That night the clouds started to roll in. Not a big deal if it only sprinkled for a second... but that is not what it did. At first I saw the lightening at a distance. A couple of minutes later the rain was pouring down. We managed to get a huge tarp strapped down over the entire stage, and then we all ran for cover. My car was parked right behind the stage, under one of the massive trees. I was in the car for two minutes when there was a flash and bang. When I opened my eyes there were leaves and branches falling on my car. When the rain finally stopped, I got out of my car and saw that 5 trees around the stage (including the one I had parked under) had been struck my lightening and had a spiral cut down the entire trunk. Needless to say, we did not play that night. We were lucky that no one got hurt, and nothing was too seriously damaged. The next night we were nervous seeing clouds in the sky once again, but as the time got closer and closer the sky turned blue and the sun was shining. It ended up being a beautiful night to play... and what a blast!! We got booked for another weekend at the same place... so I'm hoping that means they like usMy whole family showed up to watch my debut... so it was a fun family outing. My girls danced their little legs off and then went home early to crawl into bed. My mom, aunt and grandmother stayed for a while longer, but said the misquitos were getting to bad. The next show is scheduled for during the day... so it will be a little more fun!

Monday I slept.. all day. I think I was coming down with something but managed to sleep it off. Yesterday I spent the whole day steam cleaning my carpets.. a huge workout considering a couple of areas had me going over them 3 and 4 times. Next to do will be painting... but that can wait a little while longer.

So my scale is trapped behind a couple of heavy boxes in my dining room. I haven't even thought about weighing myself since I cant see it. It's been kinda nice, although I know that I have been slipping on my diet.. and exorcise. I kinda want to just say 'screw it'. Who need to be on a diet? But I know that if I continue doing what I'm doing then the weight will just keep going up, and then I will be miserable. So, I'm not going to give up... I will keep track of my food and get my butt on the treadmill again. I am going to give myself another week before I pull that scale out though... I don't need to see a high number right now.

Time to catch up with all of y'all. Thanks for coming back!!

Well, I didn't go to the "mountain idol" try outs last night. Just wanted to stay home and cuddle with my girls. I also figured that I am going to be out all weekend doing the 'gig' so I better get some sleep while I can!

Yesterday was not the best day... ate 'ok' and NO exorcise. But I did get up early this morning and took the girls for a walk around the block. So today is already off to a great start. I have vocal lessons tonight.. practicing all the songs I have to do back up/harmony on this weekend.

Tomorrow is the first of September. Do you know what that means? It means I have been 'committed' to this diet for 8 months (and have only lost 10 lbs). How pathetic does that sound. I should have reached my goal 2 months ago. Well, I am NOT going to celebrate the new year the same size I was this year damn it. So, as I have figured it, I have 17 weeks left before the 1st of January 2008. Even if I only lose 1 lb per week, that will bring me to 188 lbs. Not bad... but is that really going to be a goal weight that I have to push myself to reach? Well, obviously YES... if you look at the last 8 MONTHS... but I think I will raise the stakes a little. My goal for the next 17 weeks will be to lose 2 lbs a week. THAT will bring me to 171, and that will make me VERY happy. So, as of this morning I am busting my ass. I want to see the new year brought in wearing a size 9 dress... and wave goodbye to 34 lbs with toned arms!

What has brought on this new determination and motivation? Well, I watched UFC again last night with hubby... and if you have been reading along for a couple of months now you will remember that THAT was a motivational tool for me. I guess I lost it when they canceled the show for the summer 'specials'... but its back.. and so is my motivation. Its time to bring Tigerlilly out of hiding!

Will post pictures of the gig this weekend on Monday... Y'all have a great weekend and if you have lost your motivational tool, well, go look for it!!

Well, yesterday was not the good day I was hoping to have BUT I did get a 20 min weight lifting workout and a 1.25 mile run in 20 minutes.. .so it wasn't all that bad. I also drank about 2 gallons of iced tea... it was so hot and muggy. Today is supposed to be a little cooler, and no rain clouds.

So this weekend is my first 'Gig' playing congas/percussion with Rhythm Asylum. We are playing in 'The Orchard' which is an area fenced off behind the local steak house. It is actually very nice. They have tables, a dance floor and a bar out there... and with it cooling off at night it will be alot of fun. They played there a couple of months ago and the place was packed with over 200 people. I think it will be double that this time.... Tonight we have our last practice before the show, so I have to be on top of it. (It also means an automatic workout tonight! LOL I end up sweating bucket loads because there are eleven of us in a small room off a garage... in about 5 minutes of playing the room hits about 110*F)

Ok.. so most of the snacks are now gone.. either I tossed them or the kids and I finished them off yesterday. (note the reason why yesterday was not a good day for me) Today I have had my bowl of oatmeal and 2 glasses of iced tea. For lunch I am planning a salad with pineapple... and dinner will be something light since I have to go play. If I can just keep my mouth shut between meals, and get in a run.. then I think today could possibly be my 1st good day in over a week.

On a side note, the new 'Mountain Idol' contest has started and tomorrow is my day to go and try out for it. I am a little nervous about it..not sure if I should try again. I love doing it, but it is a lot of time spent in the bar. I have been sober now for 4 years.... I haven't really had a problem drinking water or tea in the bar, but I still feel out of place. I'm a married mom now... not the single bar fly I once was. I don't know, if I make the cut tomorrow night then I wont have to go back until the first night of the challenge, and that is in November. Ugh... I think I will just see how I feel about it tomorrow night.

I think I will get the kids dressed and outside before the sun gets too much hotter. Maybe I can get another workout in mowing the lawn! Ha.

Awwww shucks.. you people are too sweet. Thanks for all the compliments... they were accepted with blushing cheeks! Now I don't want you to think that I constantly put myself down... oh no... I know I am a good lookin' woman! Hehehe.. but come on people, everyone has something that irks them about their weight, right? I just HATE pictures of me! LOL I have this weird picture of myself in my head...(apparently a skinny picture) but when I see a picture of myself, then that picture is shattered. What runs thru my head... "Am I really that fat?" "I looked so skinny in that dress at home... " Am I deceiving myself every time I look in the mirror? Am I crazy? LOL

I don't know, maybe I just don't want to accept the fact that I have let myself get so big. My fear?.. that I will never lose this weight. That this blog, as much as I love it, will last for years and years... only to end at the same weight as it began. Kind of like that nightmare where your falling and never hit bottom.. well, I'm falling but the ground isn't getting any closer.

So on that high note...I am having a hard time getting back on track with eating. It doesn't help that I have left over cheesecake, cookies and chips that I got for hubby and kids to snack on at the wedding... the cheesecake has been tossed as of this morning, but not after a couple of bites. The cookies and chips are still in the cabinet...those I can stay away from fairly easy. I HAVE to workout today... at least get in my run. If I can get at least one good day behind me again, I will be fine.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Well, it is great to be back after a week of stressful relaxation... hehe.. It wasn't too bad, but I would not call it a 'vacation'. LOL

So, in complete shock to me, I maintained my weight at 205 this week. Unbelievable!! I ate like crap all week...cakes, cookies, fat and more fat. Maybe I didn't eat as much as I thought I had though... ??... hmmmmm

We went to a wedding on Saturday. ALL DAY Saturday. I have never been to a wedding that lasted that long. It was miserable.. but beautiful. I did leave in the middle of it to take the girls home for a nap... then change into the 'formal' attire and get back for the reception. It was my hubby's youngest brother..and I was very proud of him. When he and I first met, he was 15..and always in trouble. He has done a COMPLETE 180 and is now a Lt Cpl in the Marines. He found a beautiful (and nice) girl who has a very cute 3 yr. old little girl. They make a wonderful family, and the wedding was a happy one. Here are some pics....



In the middle of all of this someone took this pictures.........

Now I know you are thinking: 'That's a great picture'... awwww, but you would be wrong. See, its only great because I cropped it... here is what I really look like in this pic......

Where did that other ass come from?? Was there someone hiding in my dress?? No, no, that is me.. ALL me. Aaaaaaaaaaack... time to get back on my diet!!!

So here I am ... back to eating less fat, exorcising a little more.. I have 5 lbs to lose before I am in Onederland... so that is what I am going to concentrate on.

Lets get focused people!!

Sick, stressed and seriously busy this week. I am in need of a little break from blogging, so I will return on Monday Aug 27th with my next weigh in.

God Bless and have a great week.

My first day of journaling went great. I managed to write down everything that went in my mouth..(including 8 fig newtons!!WTF?? 8???)... and came out with 1520 calories and 30 grams of fat. Not too shabby! I also drank 12 glasses of water and 5 cups of tea. (jeesh, that sounds like a lot)and I ran 1.26 miles!! I would say that my first day was a success!

We did not find out anything from the bank yesterday.. which was torture. Hopefully that means that today will be the day! I will just have to wait and see.. what is meant to be will happen in its own time.

10 Things I Want to Do When I'm at Goal Weight!!

1. Take a shower... and enjoy less surface area to clean!! LOL

2. OH.. and while I'm in there.. shave my legs without moaning and groaning.

3. Slip on those old hip huggers that I wore everyday!!

4. Find that old shirt that made me feel sexy ... hope I didnt toss it in a moment of rage!

5. Go to the city and head for the mall, where I can shop in ANY store I want to !!!

6. Find something sexy for hubby to enjoy (Since I've been pregnant 75% of the time we've been married.. he might enjoy seeing my body back to normal!)

7. Play with the girls... alot!.. not that I dont now, but I think I will enjoy it even more!

8. Focus on my health... everyday!

9. Get out and do stuff with hubby... quit being so damn lazy!!

10. Enjoy life....

Most of these I do now...anything that does not have to do with clothes!... but I think that at my goal weight I will be such a happier person and doing them will be 10 x's better!

For now I will focus on today...

My hands are killing me... 3 hours of conga playing and tambourine shaking has every muscle in my hand making itself known! It was worth it though. I had a blast. I met the other 10 member of the band... so you can get an idea, there are three in the horn section, three in the vocal section, two in the drum section, one at the keyboards, one at the guitar, one at the base!! The practice area was a small room in a garage... and I was sweating like crazy by the end. We have a show already booked for Labor Day weekend and I have to learn about 40 songs by then.

So this morning we are waiting to get the final go ahead from the bank to put an offer in on the house. Yikes! When they do that, I will be grabbing the kids and jumping in the car for the hour ride to the house where I will be meeting the realtor. I cant believe this is actually starting to fall in place.

The self sabotage stage is over...or at least under control right now. There is something I read over at Life of L that kinda stuck in my head. CONSISTENCY. If I am consistently exorcising, eating right and writing it in my new food journal (thanks L for that idea) and drinking my water.. then eventually that will become second nature to me... and the weight will drop. So my two favorite words now are FOCUS and CONSISTENCY. Today I am running another mile... drinking my 8+ glasses of water..and eating low fat /low calorie meals. This will be day 1 in my food journal....

Does anyone else in this hell hole called 'dieting' suffer from self-sabotage? I swear, every time I get close to getting under the 200 mark.... and yes, there have been MANY times that I have reached this point....I end up eating, and eating and losing my focus, and I end up at the weight I started at. Well, for the past two days I have caught myself in that automatic self sabotage mode. NO MORE!! I am not going to end up at the beginning again... not again! I am going to drink my water, eat healthy low fat food.. and NOT eat in between meals! I am going to do my run this morning and my weight lifting after. I am going to push past this point. I am not going to be scared to weigh 199.9 lbs. I am not going to be a failure...

UGH... ok, I feel better now.

Its Wednesday.. which means three things. One, I still have 5 days to lose weight before my regular weigh in. Two, I HAVE to run this morning. Three, I have my first band practice tonight with the Rhythm Asylum playing congas.

Still waiting to see if we have the house... Aaaaaaaaaack. I have come to terms that if we do not get this house then we will just move into an apartment here until this house sells.

I have joined a couple of challenges. The first one is over at FatBlokeThin...see the button on your RH side. I have already won the first week there with a 3.3% weight loss... I don't think that will happen again this week, but damn it, I'm trying. The second one is over at The ELFF Diet. (Eat Less Fatty Food) My partner is Anne-Marie. We have to check in with each other and make sure that we are doing our exorcises and keeping to our diet. Every Sunday we weigh-in/check-in with each other and Carmen. This Sunday will be our first week... and I want it to be a positive thing. So I need to get off my arse and go run.

Have a wonderful hump day... see you tomorrow!

I didn't have a whole lot to share today so I bloamed (blog/roamed) to see what everyone was up to. I started to see a common thread.... everyone ends up in a fast food restaurant sometime during their 'diet'... so I thought I would share something with y'all. I carry this around with me in my car, just in case I have to do an emergency pit stop for lunch with the kids...

This is a list of the HEALTHIEST and the WORST food at each restaurant.


Arbys:

The BEST: Hot Ham and Swiss melt - 1 serving has 270 calories and 8 grams of fat
Martha Vineyard salad - 1 serving has 270 calories and 8 grams of fat

The WORST: Corned Beef Reuben sandwich - 610 calories and 27 grams of fat
Southwest Chicken wrap - 550 calories and 30 grams of fat

Burger King:

The BEST: Tendergrill chicken sandwich with honey mustard- 450 cal and 10 g of fat

The WORST: Tendercrisp chicken sandwich- 780 cal and 43 g of fat
Cheeseburger whopper- 760 cal and 47 g of fat

Carls Jr:

The BEST: Sandwich, chicken, BBQ, charbroiled- 370 cals and 4 g of fat
Salad, Chicken, charbroiled- 330 cals and 7 g of fat

The WORST: Hamburger, SuperStar- 790 cals and 47 g of fat

Dairy Queen:

The BEST: Ice cream bar, vanilla orange, no sugar added- 60 cals and 0 fat

The WORST: Ice cream , Blizzard, chocolate chip cookie dough, medium - 1030 cals and 40 g of fat

Jack in the Box:

The BEST: Asian chicken salad- 140 cals and 1 g of fat

The WORST: Ultimate Cheeseburger- 1010 cals and 71 g of fat

McDonalds:

The BEST: Apple Dippers, with low fat caramel dip- 100 cals and .5 g of fat
English Muffin - 170 cals and 4.5 g of fat
Fruit n yogurt parfait(with granola)- 160 cals and 2 g of fat
Hot fudge sundae- 330 cals and 9 g of fat
Sandwich, grilled chicken classic- 420 cals and 9 g of fat

The WORST: chicken selects, premium breast strips- 630 cals and 33 g of fat
Quarter pounder with cheese- 510 cals and 25 g of fat

Taco Bell:

The BEST: Chicken/beef Enchirito - 250 cals and 5-7 g of fat
Gordita baja, chicken- 230 cals and 6 g of fat

The WORST: Fiesta taco salad, with shell- 860 cals and 46 g of fat
zesty chicken border bowl - 710 cals and 38 g of fat


I have a bunch of others, but these are the main ones that I use... if you want to see if I have one of your local fast food joints just comment me and I'll post it.

Write these down and put them in your car... that way if you find yourself in a drive thru, you will know the smart choices!!

Have a Great day!

Jumped on the scale this morning... positive I had gained 5 lbs yesterday alone.. but have actually lost 1/2 a pound! Huh... guess my body needed that little bit of sugar to start burning again. LOL .

Today we should find out from the bank if we get this house we are praying for... I am terrified,anxious and just plain scared to death. Why cant they make buying a house a fun and pleasant experience?? Why does it have to be full of hateful people that only look at you for your money and not who you are, or why you need the house??

I am keeping my fingers, legs and arms crossed today.. which will make doing laundry a bit of an acrobatic move.. but until I know, I 'm going to be a little tense.

I have to run today... in fact, I have to run every day this week and next! I desperately want to be under 200 lbs by the wedding on August 25th. Lots of water, no snacking and lots of exercises..... gotta do it!!

Weigh In Day and its a gain... ugh! 204.5... yesterday was not the perfect picture of eating healthy, so I guess I can understand it. I've also been slacking on my water.

Today I am headed to a friends house for her dads birthday. It will be BBQ.. which I am nervous about because I don't eat hot dogs or hamburgers... and knowing this family they wont have a salad so I am thinking of making a big one and taking it with me. Will that seem rude if I don't eat anything but the salad I brought?? Definitely no cake...

ok.. so I have my fiberlicous cereal and my huge jug of water in front of me, later... running!

Went and cashed in my $150 gift certificate at Corral West... bought these awesome boots!


Also went shopping with my friend Lynn and bought some clothes for our first performance Labor Day weekend... bought a pair of black pants in a size 16!! One size down from what my jeans are.. whoop!! Also got a beautiful white tank top with a lacy jacket that goes over it... and a green shirt that is fabulous with green feather like fringes all the way around the off the shoulder top! I will be looking fantastic.. I am listening to the music as I write this. I want to make sure that when I go to practice Wednesday night I will be familiar with all the songs.

Tomorrow is weigh in day... the last weigh in for my 6 week challenge... which also means its time to start a new one! Oh... and it will also be my reveal of the red toe nails!

See you then!

Me Singing...I think!!


Last night was a blast. The bar was packed, the radio DJ was live on air and talking to everyone. The music was loud, the singers were amazing. I came in 3rd. Eh.. I had a blast and that is what counts. I still won a prize of $150 so not too shabby! My best friend Lynn won 1st...and she deserved it.. she rocked!

Me and Lynn....what the #$@%???















Weighed in this morning at 202.5!!! Yahoo.. the scale is moving down again! I may not break the 200 mark by this weeks weigh in.. but it is going to be soon!!

I have a couple of things happening this month that should be motivating me. My hubbys youngest brother is in the Marines and is coming home on the 24th of August...and getting married on the 25!!! I am so happy for him... it will be a BIG party!! I want to be able to wear my 'post first baby' jeans.. they are not quite my 'skinny' jeans, but they are definitely on the right path...and smaller then what i am wearing now!

Second thing is actually on Labor Day weekend. It will be my first public performance playing congas for the band. Lynn...yes, the girl who won first place... is going to take me and her daughter shopping for matching outfits. Since we are the only women in the band we figured it would be fun to wear the same thing. It has to be fancy... and most likely skirts... so the skinnier the better!! LOL

Today is Friday.. and I am not planning on doing a whole lot of anything. Just kicking back and relaxing with my munchkins.

God is amazing. We did not get the house we were trying so hard to get...BUT...yesterday I was with a realtor looking at houses and she looked at me and said "why dont you come look at my house!". At first I was a little confused. "Thank you, but I think we should keep looking at houses before the kids get too tired.".... she laughed. "NO... I am selling my house and I will bring the price down for you if you like it enough" ... We drove over to this beautiful neighborhood and stopped in front of a beautiful house built on the side of the hill. We had to go up 15 steps to the front door. I turned around to see the view and it took my breath away... you could see the entire town and beyond. The house is 3 stories.. the top is all the master bedroom and master bath (with a claw footed tub), the second floor is the main floor with the kitchen/living/dining room and 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.. the bottom floor has the garage and two huge rooms to make into whatever you need. This house is fantastic... more then we could have ever asked for. Today we are talking to the bank and trying to get an offer ready for her.. If we get this house it will truly be a blessing.

Tonight is the finale. I am going thru stages of terrified and excited. I know my song, but they said we need to do some dancing... what?? How am I supposed to dance on a stage that only gives me 4 feet to move around on... and what kind of dancing? I still dont even have my clothes picked out...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccckkkkk. Plus they will be broadcasting us singing LIVE over the radio... can I get a 'take two?'...

I am going to do my run today to try and get my stomach settled a little! Ha! Then it is off to spend hours in my closet trying on clothes that dont fit. Ugh.

Tomorrow is friday... YEAH!! I am ready for a weekend with hubby...and I'm ready for all of this to be over!

Collar bones!! I have collar bones!! Holy bones... I can see them too!!!

I stepped on the scale and it is stable at 204.. I think that is ok (I am due for a small loss week) I did my run yesterday and my legs muscles feel extremely sore....I was going to run again this morning, but I think I will let today be a rest day. That way I can run tomorrow and get all my jitters out for tomorrow night! I am so n-n-n-nervous! I have to pack my clothes today, so I am going to go ahead and pick out my outfit for tomorrow night... it has to be western... no problem!

So it was a no-go on the new home. Oh well.. the guy was being an idiot and kept wanting more money, so we walked out. We looked at a couple of other houses yesterday, but nothing yet. Hubby is going to look at another 4 bed 2 bath today.. I am crossing my fingers that it will be a nice one! I just want to get moved in and settled with all of this behind us.

I have to practice my congas with the music they gave me, but they gave it to me on a dvd disc. I guess I'm supposed to put it on my computer to listen to it, but I cant figure out how to do that.. so if any of you are computer geniuses.. please email me and tell me how!! (CORY!!)

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people. ~Orson Welles

I didn't do my run... made the band playing congas!...still don't know about the new house (grrrrrrr)...packed about 5 more boxes... and continued to stress.

Thank you ladies for your supportive comments.. I think today will be better. I HAVE to run today to make up for yesterdays. I don't have to go anywhere, so I can focus on packing up my closet (which is a little bit scary!). I don't think I was on track with water yesterday.. so I desperately need to drink drink drink!!

I jumped on the scale this morning.. it went up 1/2 a pound. I am pretty sure it is all water so I'm not too worried. I AM worried that it is Tuesday and I am still not 100% on my song to singing in the finale on Thursday night.

I played the congas yesterday for a local band here and was hired on!! Yahoooo. I will get paid $100-$700 for each show. Amazing... you can make money doing something you love.

I have to say that had this all been available two months ago when I was at my highest weight.. there would be no way I would do it. Losing weight (even though its just 11 lbs) has given me a little more confidence to get out in front of people and show them what I can do! The karaoke contest, the conga playing... they are both things that are putting me up on a pedestal.. literally.. and I have to be able to smile and perform... its only going to get better baby!! whooohooooo!

Time to roam the blog world and visit y'all!

Monday morning...blah...hubby is off to work and I am sitting here staring at the treadmill. I HAVE to do a run this morning, but cant seem to get to excited about it... I think I am officially stressed about moving and buying a new house and selling this one. There is so much to do. I have to get everything packed, this house needs painted and cleaned... and move into the new house (which we are still trying to get)which is an hour away. We have to be out by next week because this house is already on the market and we have a lot to do to it before it is ready to show. Hubby will call me this morning to tell me if we got the house or not... after that it might be a little less stressful. The best thing about this house we are (hopefully) moving into, is that there is nothing I would change or add to it. Its beautiful...So today I am concentrating on packing and cleaning.. and if I can get a brush, I will start painting. I also have a chance to play congas for my friends band.. the tryout is today at noon. Oh!! and in the midst of all this, I am still singing my song for Thursday... ugh, talk about more stress!!!!Sorry for the bummer of an entry, but just not in the mood to write today.

Official Weigh In : 203.5 (-4.5 lbs)

Oh Yeah baby!! If I keep up these big losses I will be in Onederland by next weigh in!!! I haven't seen the ones in 4 years...It will be so nice to wave goodbye to the twos. Never ever again! This brings me to my half way point towards my first goal of losing 22 pounds! Can it really be happening? Am I finally doing it?

Today I have to play drums for service... hopefully my arms are not jello from practice! This afternoon we are fixing our fence.. the wind storm blew down a whole section of it.

We went and saw a house yesterday that we are crossing our fingers for. The man is willing to lease the house to us until we sell this one and can buy his. Make sense? The house is amazing. It has hard wood floors, high ceilings, huge kitchen that is amazingly beautiful, bathrooms that I could spend days in, and a huge shop out back that hubby can spend his weekends in.It even has a pink princess room for the girls! It will be a perfect house for us if everything goes well. Hubby goes on Monday to look at the paperwork and make sure we can afford it.

Christine asked me to post a picture of my lovely feet on the scale.. as I have not had a pedicure in years, I think I will wait and do that next weigh in...it will take that long to get these poor old neglected things to look good and hopefully it will be a time to rejoice and will deserve the red polish!

Had a great day yesterday. Ran all over looking for a house to move into this week... may have found one, but we are going to meet with the owner today. I am praying we get this house. It would be a dream come true. He is willing to rent it to us until our house sells so that we can then buy it from him. It is a beautiful 3 bed 2 bath...gorgeous...big work shop out back for hubby...two car garage...and right in our price range! I hope it works out today!

I played drums last night.. and of course the first song was at super speed and of course I was wearing a sweater, so you can imagine the sweat I was pouring! My arms are killing me this morning, but hopefully they start feeling better for tomorrows service!

I had a friend come and watch me play drums. She is in a 10 piece blues/jazz/R&B band and they are looking for a conga player....she asked me to go to her house on Monday and see if I can play with them. IF I do , it means $100 a gig! wooohoooo

I am singing my song every second of the day just trying to remember the words.. as soon as I have them down I can start to really work the improvising part.I am sooooo nervous and excited.. I just keep picturing the radio mike in my face while I'm singing... if that doesn't scare me the hundreds of people will!! LOL

Today is going to be a little hectic... tomorrow is weigh in... so I will see you then!!

First of all.... I jumped on the scale for my morning ritual and I am down ANOTHER pound! I'm telling you people... this 'you are what you eat' is true...I've cut my fat intake in half and my body is finally responding!! My 'official' weigh in is on Sunday and it looks like its going to be a good one! Yahoooooo!

Second.... I MADE THE CUT!!! I am in the final four for the finale next week!!! I am so excited.. It will be broad casted live and there will be A LOT of people there. The best part is, the song we have to sing is country... and I AM COUNTRY!!!! YeeeeeHawwwww!

Today is hubbys 31st birthday.. we are going to a local town for their yearly local festivities... and tonight I have church band practice (I fill in on the drums whenever they need me to) and then meeting my friend Lynn to practice our new songs!! So it will be a busy Friday.. but a very good one!

I forgot my camera last night, but will take some pics tonight and will DEFINITELY take tons of pictures at the FINALE!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Just Because Randi Did It!!.... Me Simpsonized!! Notice the barbell in my hand!

Oh Crap.. I had a cigarrett last night... dang it. I went to the bar to practice my song I have to sing tonight and I just got that terrible urge to have one. So I did. Just one... but still not good.

Another 'oh crap' moment... I didn't do my mile run yesterday.. so I have to do it this morning, now that my lungs are tight again. ugh.

The scale stayed at 206.5 this morning.. so at least that is some good news!

I am nervous about tonight.. and will spend the day in my closet trying on as many outfits as possible... and then throwing them to the floor in disgust! LOL At least I have my blue suede shoes.. that saves me three hours! I heard some of my competition last night, some were fantastic and others still did not know their songs. hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Yesterday I managed to pack 1/3 of the house.. so today I am going to focus on cleaning. Besided, I used up all my boxes..

As for the challenge:

The winner of the person who stuck to the challenge all the way: CORY!!! She actually gained a pound, but it was probably all the muscles she got learning to belly dance!! Whoooooop.. good job cory!

The winner for most weight lost: ME!!!! With a total of 4.5 lbs!!

That felt good. Now if I can only keep it up for the rest of the year!LOL Keep your eyes open for the 'Last week of August' challenge coming up!!

Ok guys... sorry this is short and choppy.. guess I just dont have my mind together yet this morning.

Have a great day!

Well... July '07 is gone, and with it went 5.5 more pounds!! Not a bad loss for a month. As for my challenge... my weigh in this morning was 206.5! Thank you WATER!! That gives me a grand total of -4.5 lbs in the past week! Hmmmm, think I have finally found the trick to dropping those pounds. I have been in idle for a couple of months now... maybe my body just needed to be given a little push. I will tell you the other secret of my weight loss... 19g of fat! At every meal I count my fat grams... and I keep them under that magic number of 19. I also look at the calories and make sure that I don't eat anything that had more then 1g of fat per 100 calories. I know, it sounds confusing... but it is really easy.. just pick up the healthy food and you don't have to worry too much about it! Eating all natural has really helped me focus on this diet...

Today I have my morning run to do. I am really starting to enjoy it! I also have to pack, pack, pack... oh... and do laundry... again. LOL We are looking at moving out of this house and into our rental by the middle of August... which gives me two weeks to get this house packed and cleaned. Ugh..

Tonight I have the option of going to the bar and practicing my song for tomorrow nights competition... I hate to go to the bar more then one night a week... but if it helps me win $1000 dollars then I think I should go!

Tomorrow I will post my challengers final weights... and we'll see how we all did! (Girls, just email me anytime today with your final weigh in! Oh and your address, if you feel comfortable, so I can send y'all a little something to keep you motivated!)

There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable. ~Mark Twain