Because I need the challenge/incentive.

Hi this will be short-ish as I am supposed to be reading/studying, but I haven't blogged in a bit & I wanted to tell y'all some stuff.

So, you know how when you are SUPPOSED to be doing something, like, say, getting fit by the time you turn 40, but you haven't really made any great strides towards that thing you are supposed to be doing, and then the Universe starts handing you "free-passes" to get going?? You know what I am talking about, right? (just smile & nod)

Well I have, just in the last few days, been invited to join in to three (yes 3) different jump-starts/slim-down thingies... So, I said, "OK, Universe, I HEAR YOU!" and accepted all 3 challenges! So here they are:

1. UTA's Staff Advisory Council's Summertime Slimdown challenge - teams of 5 compete to see whose can lose the most (as a team) in a healthy way over a 14-week period. There are weekly weigh-ins and prizes for the team with the most pounds lost and one for the highest percentage of weight lost at the end of the challenge. Prizes include gift certificates to a local spa! Talk about motivation!! I am one-fifth of the Fit & Fabulous Divas! Weigh-in #1 is Monday.
   
2. In conjunction with that is the Biggest Loser sponsored "Pound for Pound Challenge." For every 1 pound a person pledges to lose an 11-cent donation will be made to a local food bank. I pledged 25lbs. I figure 2lb per week for 14 weeks (see #1) would be a good goal. So I can do good for me AND do good for the community. Click on the badge to the left for more info. And finally...
   
3. At the same time as numbers 1 & 2 is the 21 Day Activity Challenge through a friend on Facebook (if you want an invite let me know this week & I will send you one). Beginning Feb 1st. The challenge is to commit to doing some kind of activity for 21 days. It doesn't matter what but commit to at least 10 minutes of activity every day of the challenge, and see what kinds of habits you create! The rules are:
   
   • Accept the challenge by R.S.V.Ping "Yes".
   • Post your activity for each day. Remember, everything counts.
   • If you miss a day, don't worry. Just pick up with the next day. Don't throw it all away just because of one slip!

So, there is a reason this is all fallen on my lap now - I NEED A KICK IN MY GELATINOUS BUTT! Seriously! Now I am accountable to a team! I cannot be a slacker. I have to make progress or I will let my team down.

Ok, I will keep y'all posted, sporadically as my doctoral exams are in 18-days! EEEEEK!!

M.

Finally saw the 6!!

OK, it isn't much, but it is exciting to me. Today I weighed because I keep forgetting to on Fridays... and the scale said 269.8!! I got on and off that thing about a dozen times "just to check" and it said the same thing each time! YAY! It's nice to say I am under 270! OK, so it is only 0.2 under, but I will take it!! :) It is inspiring & now I want to see 6 again next week!

What have I been doing differently? Well, the only thing I have been doing consistently is tracking every item that passes my lips on my MyPlate. I made it a habit without even realizing it. The other day I was surprised when it awarded me the "30 consecutive day of logging meals badge"!



30 days? Already?!? I got into a healthy habit without even noticing it! :)
WOO HOO!



So, MyPlate has really helped me in a few ways:

1. I am accountable for what goes into my body - food & drink.
   
2. I am aware of what things "cost" as far as calories, etc.
3. I am gaining an appreciation for what is a better choice and a better way to "spend" my daily allowance.
4. I am getting a handle on how to spread my calories around and to choose things that are lower in calories, fat, sodium, etc., and more satisfying!
5. I am getting a picture of what percentage of my daily intake is fat, carbs, and protein.
6. I am drinking at least 8-8oz glasses of water each day & often more because I like water and I also like to drink hot herbal infusions (teas). And I kinda like when the graphic of the glass fills up and splashes out of the top when you drink 8+ glasses. ;0)
   
7. I track my weight on a cool chart that is fun to watch when it starts to angle down to the right!
8. I can use the MyRecipe feature to input recipes I make and get an accurate nutritional count for each serving.
9. I don't beat myself up for having a lunch or dinner that isn't the best choice. I know I have another opportunity to make a better choice at the next meal. And like Dani told me "it is a process" so I have to remember that.

I am finding that I want healthier foods... and that as good as fried things taste, they make me feel not so good after I eat them. So I am making progress. Soon I will add exercise back into the mix... I have to see what the physical therapist says, but that is another blog.

M.

Dislclaimer: I found Livestrong.com searching for something else and began using the MyPlate tool on my own. I am not receiving anything from Livestrong.com except what I learn from using the free tools on their site.

The Shape of Things

So, I forgot to weigh in on Friday and just waited until this morning...

275.

Ugh, I am right back where I started back in June 2010, or whenever I started this blog. Meh. I have realized that I am really fantastic at planning and starting all kinds of things, the follow-through and completing are where I drop off. Hello, I have 2 ex-husbands. HA! Seriously though, this is not just about my quest to be fit. Just looking at my disorganized house, my boxes of half finished craft projects, and the fact that my doctoral exams are a mere 5 weeks away and I am just now getting serious about them is telling.

Anyway, what this journey has taught me so far is some awareness about myself. I am all SIS! BOOM! BAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! at the beginning and really dedicated and then it just wanes. I need to find out why the waning occurs.

Am I ADD? Maybe. Do I just lose interest? Sometimes. Do I want it to be easy and accomplished swiftly? Um, yeah...

What I need to figure out how is to sustain my interest over the long haul.... That in itself is gonna take some time.

Ok, so shape, the title of today's post. I am increasingly aware of my body, my weight, and my shape in relation to "normal", "healthy", and to other people. And I know that according to not only my physical appearance, but to the numbers on BMI charts, I am Morbidly Obese. I have to do something about this... Obese is one thing, but to have the adverb version of morbid modifying it is pretty bad...

MORBID... ugh.

dictionary.com defines 'morbid' as:

1. suggesting an unhealthy mental state or attitude; unwholesomely gloomy, sensitive, extreme, etc.: a morbid interest in death.
2. affected by, caused by, causing, or characteristic of disease.
3. pertaining to diseased parts: morbid anatomy.
4. gruesome; grisly.

meh.

My current shape, and this is not me being funny, is Venus of Willendorf.


I pretty much look like this, you know, if I were naked and wearing a knitted beanie. I have had big boobs pretty much forever and the fact that my belly now protrudes past them is not cool.

I used to look like this - back in 19 and 93. I realize I was a mere 20 and about to go into the US Army, but DAMN! I want to feel this spectacular again. (I DO NOT want to be 20 again, mind you.) I would like to have just the one chin, a defined jaw, collar- and hipbones you can see, a defined waist, boobs that fit into "cute" bras... and be fit! I was fit here - really fit and healthy, too.

That dress SCREAMS 1993 doesn't it? We don't even need to talk about my hair - haha!

I remember the pure joy, though, of having to take that dress in all through the waist and hips to wear it to this college function (it had a previous life as a prom dress a year or so before) because I had recently lost weight and firmed up.

Ok, so I have been tracking my calories on Livestrong.com's My Plate. and that is giving me an honest look at what I am consuming and what my choices mean. Livestrong's site (which is free, buy the way) also lets me input my weight and other measurements, it gave me a recommended daily calorie allowance to lose 2lb/week, and I can track all of this in handy graphs. I don't know about you but watching the graph move steadily down is awesome. What is not awesome is seeing it pop back up to where it began. I have been plugging in all my meals, snacks, drinks, aimless eatings and learning from it. SO there is hope yet.

Yea, so this has gotten long and rambly and I have stuff to do... like prepare for those exams.

Later,
M.


Dislclaimer: I found Livestrong.com searching for something else and began using the MyPlate on my own. I am not receiving anything from Livestrong.com except what I learn from using the tools on their site.

Monday Mingle - January 10, 2011

Morning folks.

It is Monday so time to Mingle.


Ok, so the Monday Mingle is hosted by Jenn at EightyMPHMom and
Today's questions are by Robyn from Robyn’s Online World:

1. Who has the best voice you have ever heard? Or sexiest?
2. Would you rather be smarter, more athletic, or better looking?
3. If you were a doctor, which specialty would you choose?

As I mentioned last week, if you would like to participate just go here and follow the directions. It is SO easy.





I guess technically I AM going to be a Dr. of Philosophy, so I should have answered #3 by saying that I choose History as my specialty. :D

I need your vote so I can win!!

It is RALLY TIME! We are behind and need you to go vote for us!!!

Our awesome wedding photographers, Brandy & Brandon of BellaPop Photography, are having a "best of 2010"contest and one of our wedding photos made the cut!! The winning photo subjects get a 16×24 Artistic CANVAS wrap (in the photo of their choice!).

Most votes win!! So, you know... Lupe & I NEED your vote!!

The Contest: VOTE for your "favorite" picture (which is #13 - Mylynka & Lupe) in the comments of this blog post (http://www.bellapopblog.com/bella-pop-contest-best-of-2010/). Favorite is in quotes because you may have a personal favorite which is not us, but I am asking you to pretend you love ours best and cast your vote for us anyway! :)



Voting is open until Tuesday, Jan. 11th at midnight. Only ONE VOTE per IP address counts.

AAAANNND **Everyone who votes in this contest will be put a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card!** Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 12th!!

So what are you waiting for?? GO VOTE!!! #13 - Mylynka & Lupe See, I made it easy, you can just cut and paste your entry.

http://www.bellapopblog.com/bella-pop-contest-best-of-2010/

Monday Mingle, or The first time I vlog.

Hello All!

Today I thought I would begin with something new - a vlog. The easiest way to do that is to jump into the Monday Mingle. I watched Dani's Monday Mingle vlogs just about every Monday she posted last year and thought, "Well, isn't that neat. I should do that." Lupe bought me a nice webcam for Christmas and so here I am.

Ok, so the Monday Mingle is hosted by Jenn at EightyMPHMom and today's questions (submitted by Robyn from Robyn’s Online World) are:
1. What time do you set your alarm for on weekdays?
2. How long does it take your kids to get out of bed from the time you first wake them to when the feet actually touch the floor?
3. What is your best and worst thing about getting the kids up and ready for school?

Although these questions don't all apply to me (I am not a mom), I decided to wait no more to join the Mingle, so I just jumped in and went for it! If you’d like to participate all the how-tos are available via the badge/link above!

Thanks DANI!

A few notes:

1. I am make-up free and not even showered yet.
2. My office is a complete mess. I am trying to reorganize it, so just ignore the stacks o'crap behind me.
3. I started talking before the camera was ready... I was going to rerecord it, but the face I am making at start-up is hilarious to me so I have left it as-is.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HI 2011!!

I welcome you and know that you have lots of goodies in store for me.

I CAN'T WAIT!!