I have joined Weight Watchers! Not because I eat horrible foods and one large pizza in a sitting, but because I really want to lose another 15 lbs. and I have the most success when I am aware of how much food I am putting in my pie hole.
For instance, a vendor I work with sent us a gazillion cookies from a company called Selma's. White chocolate chip, chocolate chip crunch, peanut butter, raspberry white chocolate...you name it, it was there! They are 4 oz and 2 servings in 1 cookie. How many points for WW you ask??? 14!! In one cookie...when I thought about it, I could have 7 MGD 64's for that 1 cookie. So I could pretty much get drunk! Yes, I know I am a cheap date. It's logic like that and the fact that I can do it all online, that I said "yes" to Weight Watchers. I am now on day 2 and I really like the online program tracker. I input the food I eat, exercise, and get information by being able to look up food choices ahead of time. I get to weight myself at home which is way better then paying someone to weight me and then not staying for the meeting because I don't have the time in my lunch hour.
So this week...week 1...I am told to get my weight, take a picture of myself, and record my measurements. Fun times!!
Week 2...I will be in Miami, FL for work. Maybe I should have started this after the trip!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Coupons, Food, and Health....sometimes I just want a pizza!!!
So I don't really talk family all that much. I mean this Blog is supposed to be about me...duh! But last night, the yummee and I watched this show called Extreme Couponing. There were these crazy coupon people that would do everything from dumpster diving, to stalking the neighbors and other store patrons, to organizing their entire garage to accommodate a lifetime supply of deodorant. The coupon crazies considered this a game, a challenge, an OCD "we will beat the grocery store" life commitment. The "Coupon Master" went into a grocery store, racked up $5400 in groceries, and with coupons only spent a total of $240 dollars. He donates goods to his local church...thank goodness, because any man that would use 300 toothbrushes needs serious dental help! The one thing I noticed though is all this food and the household items were prepackaged, jarred, canned, frozen, boxed, and mostly name brand. So yes, you made have 50 jars of Ragu spaghetti sauce and 100 frozen entrees, but that doesn't work in my household.
A little background - my oldest son was a puker as a baby and toddler. And at around age 7, possibly earlier, he would get these stomach pains and get terribly sick. We had him X-Rayed, #1 and #2 sampled, scanned, checked, poked, and it wasn't until a few years later we found out he has an immune disorder. A very rare disorder that causes his body to attack food....why, you ask?? No clue!! But this causes his body to pretty much attack the lining of his esophagus, stomach, and intestines. So we took him to an allergist and along with keeping a food diary and closely monitoring what he ingested, discovered there were foods that he just couldn't have. Dairy, eggs, beef, cabbage were the main no-no's. But not only did we cut those things out, we discovered after reading label upon label upon label, that what we were all putting in our bodies was....C.R.A.P!! High fructose corn syrup, dyes, pesticides, and ingredients that were just down right unnecessary were being packed into foods. There is also what is called GMO's, genetically modified organisms...what?? what?? Yeah, doesn't even sound appealing. So, began our journey of organic, all natural, no preservatives, no prepackaged high sodium and fat containing atrocities. Keep in mind, this is not an OCD kind of thing. I don't have a melt down if my kids want Pop-Tarts. Everything in moderation fueled with real food and a healthy active lifestyle keeps everyone pretty happy. Of course, having these allergies is not easy, as we just learned, the foods his body reacts to can change. Now he is no longer allergic to beef, eggs, and cabbage but mustard, onions, and strawberries. So just when you think you have the menu of life down, nope, nature comes in and slaps you around. I actually thought it would be easier with the new allergies. Boy was I wrong. Do you realize how many foods have these 3 ingredients in them?? Here's a short list: Salsa, spaghetti sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, baked beans (canned), and prepackaged seasonings such as Lipton soup mix, soups, broths...oh yeah, fun! Try telling a teenager they can't have mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or A1 sauce. However, we tried to look on the bright side! He can now have a full breakfast with eggs instead of just the bacon and sausage. He can have baked goods with eggs as long as it doesn't have milk in it (still allergic to dairy). I have gotten really good at changing ingredients and making things so that my teenager doesn't feel deprived or left out. THANK GOODNESS for my yummee. He is truly the chef in the house and he now makes his own pasta sauces, spices, salsas, and BBQ sauce....all onion and mustard free!! The other thing I think about is...what if this happened to me as a child?? Food companies hardly ever put ingredients on items. Grocery stores didn't cater to diabetics, allergy sensitive, gluten terrified people back then...and I am not THAT old!! Now, there are stores and restaurants that cater to people with allergies or intolerances, but you still have to be aware of what and how much you put in your mouth!
We are truly lucky to be able to go back to the heart of cooking with vegetables, fruits and herbs, and make foods that are just more flavorful and natural! And...I know almost every ingredient in any product in the store. We shop at Trader Joe's, Costco, and the all natural aisle at our local grocery store and rarely go down the middle aisles where all the crap is!
So to the Extreme Coupon crazy people...I may clip more coupons and stalk deals on razors, toilet paper, and deodorant, I won't be stocking up on your unhealthy, packaged, name brand "whatever will make this product sit on the shelf" longer foods!
Disclaimer: Unless, we are talking about Pop-Tarts!!
A little background - my oldest son was a puker as a baby and toddler. And at around age 7, possibly earlier, he would get these stomach pains and get terribly sick. We had him X-Rayed, #1 and #2 sampled, scanned, checked, poked, and it wasn't until a few years later we found out he has an immune disorder. A very rare disorder that causes his body to attack food....why, you ask?? No clue!! But this causes his body to pretty much attack the lining of his esophagus, stomach, and intestines. So we took him to an allergist and along with keeping a food diary and closely monitoring what he ingested, discovered there were foods that he just couldn't have. Dairy, eggs, beef, cabbage were the main no-no's. But not only did we cut those things out, we discovered after reading label upon label upon label, that what we were all putting in our bodies was....C.R.A.P!! High fructose corn syrup, dyes, pesticides, and ingredients that were just down right unnecessary were being packed into foods. There is also what is called GMO's, genetically modified organisms...what?? what?? Yeah, doesn't even sound appealing. So, began our journey of organic, all natural, no preservatives, no prepackaged high sodium and fat containing atrocities. Keep in mind, this is not an OCD kind of thing. I don't have a melt down if my kids want Pop-Tarts. Everything in moderation fueled with real food and a healthy active lifestyle keeps everyone pretty happy. Of course, having these allergies is not easy, as we just learned, the foods his body reacts to can change. Now he is no longer allergic to beef, eggs, and cabbage but mustard, onions, and strawberries. So just when you think you have the menu of life down, nope, nature comes in and slaps you around. I actually thought it would be easier with the new allergies. Boy was I wrong. Do you realize how many foods have these 3 ingredients in them?? Here's a short list: Salsa, spaghetti sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, baked beans (canned), and prepackaged seasonings such as Lipton soup mix, soups, broths...oh yeah, fun! Try telling a teenager they can't have mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or A1 sauce. However, we tried to look on the bright side! He can now have a full breakfast with eggs instead of just the bacon and sausage. He can have baked goods with eggs as long as it doesn't have milk in it (still allergic to dairy). I have gotten really good at changing ingredients and making things so that my teenager doesn't feel deprived or left out. THANK GOODNESS for my yummee. He is truly the chef in the house and he now makes his own pasta sauces, spices, salsas, and BBQ sauce....all onion and mustard free!! The other thing I think about is...what if this happened to me as a child?? Food companies hardly ever put ingredients on items. Grocery stores didn't cater to diabetics, allergy sensitive, gluten terrified people back then...and I am not THAT old!! Now, there are stores and restaurants that cater to people with allergies or intolerances, but you still have to be aware of what and how much you put in your mouth!
We are truly lucky to be able to go back to the heart of cooking with vegetables, fruits and herbs, and make foods that are just more flavorful and natural! And...I know almost every ingredient in any product in the store. We shop at Trader Joe's, Costco, and the all natural aisle at our local grocery store and rarely go down the middle aisles where all the crap is!
So to the Extreme Coupon crazy people...I may clip more coupons and stalk deals on razors, toilet paper, and deodorant, I won't be stocking up on your unhealthy, packaged, name brand "whatever will make this product sit on the shelf" longer foods!
Disclaimer: Unless, we are talking about Pop-Tarts!!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
It's a..........NEW YEAR!!! Hi, nice to meet ya!
New year, new goals, new checks for the to-do lists....
What I did in 2010:
Laughlin River Run - no not actual running, but a "run" on a motorcycle
My first 10K and Half Marathon - since I am not a large crowd kinda person, this is huge!
Coast Run - again this would be a "run" on the motorcycle
Lost 15 lbs. and kept it off
Remodeled the living room (although this is still in progress)
Other meaningless to you but YAHOO to me stuff
What I want to do in 2010:
Run more races - whatever the amount
Spring Break trip with the kids and yummee -
Remodel the hallway bathroom
Lay the hardwood floors
Finish other small incomplete projects around the "never ending" house
Lose 15 more lbs. and keep it off
Motorcycle trips with the yummee - not sure where yet
Trip to Yosemite
Other meaningless to you, but YAHOO to me stuff
I have short and long term goals and intentions. I don't have resolutions! Resolutions by definition are (according to freedictionary.com):
There are more definitons that have to do with laws or Congress...but that's what creeps me out. This sounds like you resolve to do something and you have to know exactly the steps on how to get there and you are not able to deviate from that plan. That's just not me. For instance, the LV RnR 1/2 Marathon...my goal was to run the whole thing; But, because of an unforseen knee blow-out issue, my plan had to change to allow some speed walking and a medical station stop. I could have let the knee issue totally deter me, keep me from finishing, blow my whole experience. I could have let that "pessimistic" committee member ruin the whole shabang...but I didn't. I said OK, let's see what we have to work with and still crossed the finish line. Things don't always go as planned...you get off track, life happens, new experiences cause new goals. I don't resolve once a year to do things that I am not sure are attainable or lead me down a path that will result in failure that makes me feel guilt ridden....I have enough voices in my head, that would just add to them. So I have goals...personal, work-related, family, fitness. I make them all year long! I make goals within goals and that is what let's me know I am on the right track. If I have to revisit the goal and alter it, then it's not a mind blowing, "you are such a failure", type of thing...but more of a "life happens, so how are we going to get back on track and achieve this goal" kind of thing.
The other thing I think about resolutions...it seems to me people think "hey, I am going to be more patient, or nice, or play well with others"...as if it's that easy. Every day you should resolve to be a better person...not every year! It's kind of like Catholics....they sin all week and then can go to Church on Sunday and ask for foregiveness as if the sin never happened! Nope, sorry... doesn't work for me! I am a mother, a semi-wife (I don't really have the official title), an animal owner, a runner, a computer nerd, a landscaper, a maid, a chef...I am so many things how can I resolve to concentrate on one. Every day I try and raise children in hopes that they don't become axe murderers. I mean seriously...at one point did Charles Manson's mom look down at him and say "now go kill honey, and be really good at it"!! Every day I try and be a better communicator with my yummee, because nothing says I love you honey like ignoring your partner in life. I am spritual, not religious. I don't have to go to Church every Sunday to have faith or foregiveness or have someone stand up there and tell me if I don't give them my pocket change I will go to hell. I am not perfect (don't tell my kids). I make mistakes (don't tell my yummee)....but I try every day not to make the same mistakes twice. Little things....I believe it's the little things we do every day, not the big things we just hope we will do every year.
OK, that's enough about that...now we get on to the good stuff!
Garmin 405cx....Yep, that's right!!! Got one from my yummee for Christmas. I was finally able to charge it, read up on how to use it and take it for a spin. I LOVE IT!! It's more like a watch and was less...sparticus-like-armor around my wrist. I signed up with GarminConnect and used the ANT wireless and it synced without me having to plug anything in....it's A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! Well not really, as there are a lot of wireless devices these days. But I sure was impressed with the training stats and how well the software told me what a slow runner I was. Hey, I was going up a really steep hill and I have the map to prove it!
I ran for the first time since the knee injury and it was one of the best "feeling" runs. It was 26, but beautifully sunny. I had on my winter gear and my new trail shoes, and although I only did 2 miles, I felt fantastic. So I have decided I am in a love/hate relationship with running. Right now it's all about the love, but tonight I am going into the gym (without the knee support brace) and hopping on a treadmill to see if I can get in a 6-7 miler without the dreaded knee pain. Well wishes from all is appreciated!!
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope your life is everything you want it to be and if it's not...make sure you have a lot of people around you that suck even more.
What I did in 2010:
Laughlin River Run - no not actual running, but a "run" on a motorcycle
My first 10K and Half Marathon - since I am not a large crowd kinda person, this is huge!
Coast Run - again this would be a "run" on the motorcycle
Lost 15 lbs. and kept it off
Remodeled the living room (although this is still in progress)
Other meaningless to you but YAHOO to me stuff
What I want to do in 2010:
Run more races - whatever the amount
Spring Break trip with the kids and yummee -
Remodel the hallway bathroom
Lay the hardwood floors
Finish other small incomplete projects around the "never ending" house
Lose 15 more lbs. and keep it off
Motorcycle trips with the yummee - not sure where yet
Trip to Yosemite
Other meaningless to you, but YAHOO to me stuff
I have short and long term goals and intentions. I don't have resolutions! Resolutions by definition are (according to freedictionary.com):
1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.
2. A resolving to do something.
3. A course of action determined or decided on.
There are more definitons that have to do with laws or Congress...but that's what creeps me out. This sounds like you resolve to do something and you have to know exactly the steps on how to get there and you are not able to deviate from that plan. That's just not me. For instance, the LV RnR 1/2 Marathon...my goal was to run the whole thing; But, because of an unforseen knee blow-out issue, my plan had to change to allow some speed walking and a medical station stop. I could have let the knee issue totally deter me, keep me from finishing, blow my whole experience. I could have let that "pessimistic" committee member ruin the whole shabang...but I didn't. I said OK, let's see what we have to work with and still crossed the finish line. Things don't always go as planned...you get off track, life happens, new experiences cause new goals. I don't resolve once a year to do things that I am not sure are attainable or lead me down a path that will result in failure that makes me feel guilt ridden....I have enough voices in my head, that would just add to them. So I have goals...personal, work-related, family, fitness. I make them all year long! I make goals within goals and that is what let's me know I am on the right track. If I have to revisit the goal and alter it, then it's not a mind blowing, "you are such a failure", type of thing...but more of a "life happens, so how are we going to get back on track and achieve this goal" kind of thing.
The other thing I think about resolutions...it seems to me people think "hey, I am going to be more patient, or nice, or play well with others"...as if it's that easy. Every day you should resolve to be a better person...not every year! It's kind of like Catholics....they sin all week and then can go to Church on Sunday and ask for foregiveness as if the sin never happened! Nope, sorry... doesn't work for me! I am a mother, a semi-wife (I don't really have the official title), an animal owner, a runner, a computer nerd, a landscaper, a maid, a chef...I am so many things how can I resolve to concentrate on one. Every day I try and raise children in hopes that they don't become axe murderers. I mean seriously...at one point did Charles Manson's mom look down at him and say "now go kill honey, and be really good at it"!! Every day I try and be a better communicator with my yummee, because nothing says I love you honey like ignoring your partner in life. I am spritual, not religious. I don't have to go to Church every Sunday to have faith or foregiveness or have someone stand up there and tell me if I don't give them my pocket change I will go to hell. I am not perfect (don't tell my kids). I make mistakes (don't tell my yummee)....but I try every day not to make the same mistakes twice. Little things....I believe it's the little things we do every day, not the big things we just hope we will do every year.
OK, that's enough about that...now we get on to the good stuff!
Garmin 405cx....Yep, that's right!!! Got one from my yummee for Christmas. I was finally able to charge it, read up on how to use it and take it for a spin. I LOVE IT!! It's more like a watch and was less...sparticus-like-armor around my wrist. I signed up with GarminConnect and used the ANT wireless and it synced without me having to plug anything in....it's A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! Well not really, as there are a lot of wireless devices these days. But I sure was impressed with the training stats and how well the software told me what a slow runner I was. Hey, I was going up a really steep hill and I have the map to prove it!
I ran for the first time since the knee injury and it was one of the best "feeling" runs. It was 26, but beautifully sunny. I had on my winter gear and my new trail shoes, and although I only did 2 miles, I felt fantastic. So I have decided I am in a love/hate relationship with running. Right now it's all about the love, but tonight I am going into the gym (without the knee support brace) and hopping on a treadmill to see if I can get in a 6-7 miler without the dreaded knee pain. Well wishes from all is appreciated!!
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope your life is everything you want it to be and if it's not...make sure you have a lot of people around you that suck even more.
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