Kathy's Blog

I am so tired of my youngest daughter's attitude! My stress level has been so high I can't sleep through the night. I wish she would just come home but I think she is going to leave for Texas without even coming back home first! She is SO mixed up right now and there isn't anything I can do about it!

I feel like crap and even though I've been eating right and exercising my weight is up again. I know it is the stress, too.

It doesn't help that my other kids just say things like, "Let her do what she wants. She'll learn!" That does not help me feel better. I can see her messing up her life and she won't listen--not even to her friends!

Let go and let God"--I try but it is so hard!

Wow, It has been a while since I've posted in my blog!

I have quit smoking]and am doing quite well. I gained a couple of pounds but they are coming off and I am confident that I will be under 200 for the first time in FOREVER soon!

I have also started drinking lots more and mostly eating right.

Things have been a bit frustrating at work. I have a coworker who seems to think she's in charge but we are taking care of that. Unfortunately I had to call our supervisor because she just won't follow direction and just does what she wants.

The weather has gotten nicer for a couple of days--I hope. We've had other nice weather reports that turned out to be totally wrong so i'm going to wait and see.

All-in-all I am feeling good and doing well. I sure hope everyone else is, too!

but I know it will get better!  I am adjusting to not smoking and am working on getting rid of the Snack Monster that has moved in. I have lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in but they just don't seem to satisfy me right now so I am expecting another gain this week. I know I'll get it off again but I really don't want to backslide too much!

I have added more cardio to most of my workouts but i also don't have as much time to workout in the mornings right now. My bike is still out of commission so I've been walking to work. The problem is that I am on my feet ALL the time I'm working so I take the bus home. That means I have to be at work earlier because the bus doesn't run very often at the time I get off work. I don't want to have to wait an hour for a bus home!

Hopefully the last of the parts we need for the bike will arrive soon and then I'll get back to my regular schedule.

Snacking isn't the only problem. For some reason I have been HUNGRY lately! I don't mean "I'm bored (or stressed) and want to eat", I mean "My stomach is growling and I feel HUNGRY!" I need to pack a more substantial snack for my break at work. That will have to wait until payday, though.

I kknow all these things will eventually pass but right now I am struggling.

I WILL NOT GIVE UP!

Found a quote on another site that I am trying to remember:

"If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution!"

It makes me sad to see so many people trying to lose weight rapidly--and trying to lose weight when they really don't need to. If these 'fads' worked there would be no use for sites like WeightLoss Buddy! None of us would have a weight problem.

Trying to lose weight too fast can seriously harm your body. Unless you are under a doctor's (a REAL doctor--not one from a 'clinic') supervision, you can damage your metabolism and stop losing--and even gain! Your body will hang on to every little bit it can because it thinks you are starving!

We didn't put this weight on overnight and shouldn't expect to lose it overnight, either. It takes dedication and hard work but it CAN be done. I know because I am doing it!

One thing I do now that I NEVER did before is to keep a journal of my foods and the calories in them. I use an online site for this because it's a lot easier than looking everything up myself!

I also keep track of my exercise every day. I workout every morning for about 40-60 minutes. It's not a huge amount of time but I have a very physically demanding job and get quite a workout just working every day.

Based on my height, weight, age and activity level I have a base calorie goal of 1620 calories a day which allows for a loss of 1 pound a week. I "earn" more calories with my exercise and usually eat 1800-2000 (average) a day. That seems like a lot but its working! I have weeks when I don't lose but then I'll drop a couple of pounds the next week. (I only weigh once a week)

I feel great and have more energy than I did 20 years ago! This a healthy way to lose weight!

Hang in there! The only failure is to stop trying!

Kathy (80 pounds GONE forever! 30 to go.)

I found tis at another website and thought I'd share:

'Fat' Theology

In the beginning, 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 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.
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 centre into chips and deep-fat fried them. And he created sour cream dip also.And Man clutched his remote control and ate the 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.

We all have those days--nothings going right, there's just too much to do, etc., right? I know I have them!

And how about not having the money (or the inclination) to join a gym?

I've found lots of good videos on youtube and exercisetv.tv (and if you have On Demand there are some there, too!)--most of them are short, 10 minutes or less, though there are some longer ones, too.

Prevention magazine and most fitness and women's magazine websites have workout routines--some video, some not.

Yesterday I found a site called Slimtree.com that has free 1 and 5 minute exercise videos. There are a lot of beginner ones (I'm going to try the Pilates ones--I've not done much Pilates!) and the ones I've looked at seem to be pretty good! They also have an option where you subscribe and pay a fee and you get longer videos but I can't afford that--maybe in the future.

I've been finding these sites just by searching. There are loads of good short routines out there in cyberspace--just look!

No more excuses!

Well, it's been a while since my last blog post!

It's a beautiful day here today--sunny and NOT WINDY!

I'll be going shopping with my daughter. We are taking the bus and will be mostly walking!

First to the library to return some books and then to Michaels to get some wire for my jewelry and some pastels for a Dreamcatcher book Jenny got in Phoenix. I might go to Kohl's, too, to see what they have.

I've been doing pretty well with my weight loss--am down to 204, which is 76 pounds gone! I can't wait to get under 200! I truly cannot remember the last time I weighed this little!

I will make GOOD choices for lunch today no matter where we end up eating!

It was a rough weekend--lots of drama between my daughters (they are 18 and 20 and never have gotten along very well!).

I have pretty much had it with Mary's (20) boyfriend. He is SUCH a loser and I don't know why she can't see it! I remember hearing Dr. Laura say many years ago that "Love isn't blind, it's stupid!" I guess maybe that's true for some people!

I really wish she would wake up and see him for what he is--a drunk, unemployed loser who does nothing but play World of Warcraft all day long!  Unfortunately he's the father of her baby so I guess we are stuck with him until she wakes up--I hope it's soon!

At least I didn't eat my emotions! I went for some long, very brisk walks and stayed away from food until I was hungry!

I'll be training a new person at work tomorrow. Someone to help with  those towers of plants! YAY!

I don't usually post in my blog until the weekend but I wanted to share this with anyone who might be interested. I found this poem at a Lenten Devotions website and really liked it.

I asked God to take away my pride,
And God said "No."
He said it was not for Him to take away,
But for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,
and God said, "No."
He said her spirit is eternal,
While her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience,
And God said, "No."
He said patience is a by-product of tribulation.
It isn't granted - it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness,
And God said "No."
He said He gives blessings,
Happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain,
And God said "No."
He said, "Suffering draws you apart from
Worldly cares and brings you close to Me."

I asked God to make my spirit grow,
And God said "No."
He said I must grow on my own,
But he will prune me to make it fruitful.

I asked God if He loved me,
And God said "Yes."
He gave me His only Son, who died for me,
And I will be in heaven someday
Because I believe.

I asked God to help me love others
As much as He loves me,
And God said,
"Ah, finally you have the idea."
.....by Claudia Minden Welsz

. . .AND GOD SAID "NO."

Well, I had a good, but busy, week. There's been LOTS to do at work since all the plants are coming in for spring planting. And there's still LOADS more to come! I guess its a good thing that I like being busy!

I dropped 2.5 pounds this week! And that's with increasing my daily calories to about 2100 a day (remember, I have an extremely physically demanding job right now)!

Besides my work, I've been working out every morning for 30 or so minutes. It gets me energized for my day and helps work out those 'old-age kinks' that try to move in! I don't plan on being old for a LONG time!

I should be getting my new pedometer in the mail today. Can't wait to start tracking my steps and increasing them every day!

I hope everyone has a good week! I'll blog again sometime next weekend. Hang in there, everyone!