I\’m married to a pedometer

OK, so I’ve taken all my meds and been a good girl today.  I haven’t been in pain as of yet and am wrestling with the idea of going to work tomorrow.  I asked for the day off, but I really feel good.  I’ll have to see how I feel tomorrow.

I would like to try another challenge, but I can’t think of a good one.  Some things that I think would be helpful is to:

• Not smoke (so far so good!)
• Purge one bag of useless junk from my house every day.   I have a couple closets that are a real mess and since I’m losing some weight, I may not fit into my old “fat” clothes.
• I would also like to get at least 10,000 steps everyday.  My goal is always more than that, but if I can’t make it to my goal, I want to at least 10,000.

OK, so I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.  My diet has been a wreck all day today.  Ice cream, mashed potatoes and applesauce.  I’m quite certain that it not helping, but hey… it’s delicious.  I have pudding and yogurt left to try and I’ll probably get to that soon.

Filed under: General on November 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Hi everyone!  I’ve been away sulking for a while. Now that its over with. I’ve got a much better outlook!

I’ve made all kinds of soup lately.  They have all been awesome!  Its getting to be that time of year that soup just hits the spot.  I’ve been getting creative in the kitchen too, which makes me feel better because I generally not much of a cook.

Every year on Thanksgiving I go to a family reunion in northern Indiana.  I always make a dish (something different every time) and a pumpkin pie. I cannot think of anything to take this year.  Since I’ve been feeling really good about cooking lately, I think I might just get all fancy.  If you have any suggestions (it as to travel well), I’m open.  Goodness knows that you all have some terrific recipes out there!

I got my wisdom teeth taken out today.  I can’t think of anything that produces more anxiety in me than sitting in that chair.  I just closed my eyes and practices deep breathing.  The next thing I knew, they were telling me it was all over.  Now I’ve got gauze stuck in my mouth.  It feels so weird.  I’m glad I wore a shirt I don’t care much about.  I got home and attempted to eat a chocolate shake.  Turns out that I don’t have good control over that, so I shared quite a bit with my shirt.

I have tomorrow off too.  I goofed up my 21-Day challenge and haven’t gotten my steps lately.  I don’t even think I have 1000 today.  I’m gonna sit back and let it be.  I wanna think of a new challenge so I can start it soon.

I’ll probably be blogging a lot.  I’m bored and goofy on pain meds.

Filed under: General on November 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

I’m still going strong on my 21-Day Challenge!  While I’ve gotten all my steps the last 12 days, it seems that I am making poor food choices as my weight went up from 184 to 187.  At first I didn’t believe it, but now its been 3 days and its still climbing.  What the hell?

Day 9 - Weight 184, 11,515 steps (goal 11,000)

Day 10 - Weight 186, 11,052 steps (goal 11,000)

Day 11 - Weight 186, 11,026 steps (goal 11,000)

Day 12 - Weight 187, 11,077 steps (goal 11,000)

Day 13 (today) - Weight 187… oh geez….

Why is my weight going the wrong way?!  I still haven’t smoked… 12 days and counting!  Perhaps not smoking has something to do with my weight?  I’ll stop and get gum on my way to work.  I hope that helps!  I updated my spreadsheet.  I’ve been keeping track of my food as a comment on each date.  I can’t figure out what I am doing wrong.  I’m eating poorly, but the calories aren’t too bad.  I was losing when I had my calories set at 1268.  I raised it to 1500 for fear of going into starvation mode and have gained weight ever since.  I lowered my goal calories down to 1300 again, I hope that helps.

I’m glad its election day.  I’m excited about voting!  I decided to wait until today instead of voting early because it is just marvelous to watch so many people come out!  I don’t care who ya vote for, I’m just glad to see so many people voting!   How exciting!

My 7 year-old son gets a tooth pulled today.  It’s a baby tooth that REFUSES to come out!  His adult tooth is coming in behind it.  Poor kid, I feel so bad for him.  He has spent the last 3 weeks wiggling the baby tooth like crazy and it hasn’t budged.  Dumb tooth!!  I guess I better make sure I’ve got money, it looks like the tooth fairy will be coming tonight.  J

Have a terrific day!

Filed under: General on November 4th, 2008 | 3 Comments »

Day 9 of my challenge went well.  I weighed in at 184 and got 11,515 steps (goal was 11,000).   Trick or treating was fun.  My son was a Clone Trooper and got LOTS of candy!  I ate quite a bit of it.  I got on the scale today and weighed in at 186.  I was kinda bummed, but I’ll wait for the full freak-out moment if I weigh in like that tomorrow.  I still haven’t smoked, so I am doing well.  I have had STRONG cravings though and almost caved once.  Whew… now if I can just make it through the rest of my life!  LOL!

I made my goal for the month of October.  It was set low and only counted 2 weeks, as I took a nice, much needed break earlier in the month.  Now its time for November and I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that its gonna be a tough one.  I need  372,000 steps this month.  I’ve thought about giving myself Thanksgiving and Christmas off.  I’ll have to give that some more thought.  It would be a nice break and maybe even something to look forward to!  I range from daily goal of 11,000 (this week) to 13,000 steps (at the end of the month).   There’s really no room for rest!  I need to get a vacation ready body by March and there’s a LOT of work to do!

I got a new pedometer.  I love my old Omron, so I got the new version that can download to the computer.  Today is my first day wearing it, so I’ll have to see what I think after this month.

I just got done throwing all the stuff in a crock pot to make Fiesta Chicken.  I got the recipe off Spark People and can’t wait to taste it.  I hope my family likes it too!  I don’t know if I’ll need tortillas or not, but I went and bought some whole wheat ones just in case.

We have (4) cars.  I’m just telling you this because my current situation is just a tad ridiculous.  We have a 2005 Saturn, a 2002 Pontiac, a 1963 Valiant and a 1918 Dodge roadster.  The Pontiac has been having minor problems, but the Saturn broke and it had to be fixed first.  We got the Saturn fixed and my hubby was going to work on the Pontiac next.  I went to get in the Saturn today and it wouldn’t start.  I got out, jumped in the Pontiac and a bunch of lights came on.  I was scared to drive it!  My hubby was driving the Valiant and I don’t know HOW to drive the roadster (plus its just a TAD chilly to be driving a convertible), so he had to come and get us.   REALLY?  THIS IS STUPID!  My Saturn only has 50,000 miles on it.  COME ON!  Broken twice in two weeks?!  Really?!  I guess this is what I get for no car payments.   This sucks.  What’s worse is that the OLDEST cars are apparently the most reliable.   My hubby bought the Valiant in California.  He flew out there and drove it back to Indianapolis.  Never ANY problems.  I have a 2005 that is going bonkers.  That’s it… no more new cars for me!

On a happier note, I have been wanting a nice glider chair with an ottoman.  As it turns out, I’m fairly cheap so I’ve never taken the plunge.  I got an email from FreeCycle today and someone was giving one away!  I emailed as soon as I got it and she’s holding it for me until Monday.  I can’t wait to see it!

Have a terrific day and HAPPY NOVEMBER!

Filed under: General on November 1st, 2008 | No Comments »

Does anyone know how to add this to the blog?

Filed under: General on October 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

Tee hee hee….  I’m a dork.   I was frustrated about food and grabbed the camera.  I added some stupid pictures of my face (See Hiedi’s Face page)!  LOL!  Take that!

Will I look like Tina Fey when I lose weight?  Palin?  I wish I had my glasses on and long hair!  What?  I like talent competitions and Russia.

Filed under: General on October 30th, 2008 | No Comments »

I can’t believe it.  I never eat out.  Today, I had to read some reports for work and thought “Oh, I’ll just go have lunch”.  What a crock.  I went to O’Charley’s and had a 1/2 Club Sandwich, a salad with low-fat dressing, a roll and a Diet Pepsi.  I thought I did pretty well.  I just looked online and that meal had 1,310 calories!  OMG!  I might as well have had the Ultimate Omelet!  I am totally bummed.

I guess I’ll walk a bunch more today.  I think that 11,000 regular steps is about 430 calories.  Oh geez.  I wanted to eat more today!

Filed under: General on October 30th, 2008 | No Comments »

Today is Day 6 of my 21 Day Challenge and I am doing well.  My goals were to weigh myself daily and to get the required number of steps everyday.  So far so good!

Weight - 184

Steps - It’s only 6:15pm and I already have 9,274 of my 10,000.

I can’t believe the scale.  I think that its lost its mind.  Yesterday, I weighed in at 186.  Two pounds overnight?!  That has to be some kind of dream.  Anywho, tomorrow is my official weigh-in day and if it reads 184 again, that’ll mean that I have lost 20 pounds!  WHOO-HOO!

On a side note, I took my measurements last night and was amazed.  I updated my “Measurements” page, but was astonished at my waist.  When I was 204 pounds, my waist was 39 inches.  At 184, my waist was 36 inches!  Three inches?! How cool!  I think that the waist is the easiest one to measure, as I always can tell where the smallest part is.  :)  I wonder if that is a normal decrease for 20 pounds…. hum…

I have tracked everything that I have eaten today:

• Granola Bar (140)
• Coffee (100)
• Slim Fast (180)
• Activia (140)
• 30 Goldfish (76)
• Veggie Soup (300)
• Protein Water (60)
• Slim Fast (200)
• Water additives (50)

So far, that’s 1246 calories.  I decided to up my caloric intake to 1500, since I am afraid that my previous goal of 1268 was too low.  I’ll probably have another snack a little bit later.

I got on the treadmill for 40 minutes today.  It seemed like a lifetime!  Yesterday, I had to get back on the treadmill after I got home (at 10pm) because I hadn’t gotten my steps.  Afterwards, I couldn’t go to sleep!  I made sure that I had enough “early” steps before going to work today.  I don’t want to be up all night again!

I still haven’t smoked, though today was rougher than previous days.  A few of my co-workers smoke and I see them outside.  It makes me want to go visit, but I won’t.  Its just too tempting.  Email is safer.  :)  I’ve chewed the heck out of gum today.  My only irritant is that I “pop” my gum and I drive myself nuts!  I can’t imagine what my office mate thinks.  She hasn’t said anything yet, but I’m sure that its coming.  She’s one of the smokers, so I think she’s trying to put up with me for now. 

Have a terrific evening.  I can’t wait to see the scale tomorrow!

Filed under: General on October 28th, 2008 | No Comments »

I just ate about 4,000 Cheez-Its.  Grumble.

Filed under: General on October 27th, 2008 | No Comments »

None of us should forget that. As a matter fact, I think that I will be adding that to the list of things that I tell myself every morning. TODAY IS IMPORTANT.

Everyday, I wake up (thank goodness!) and stumble to the coffee maker. Its routine for me. The one thing that I believe that I could do better is make my days count for something. I should do something everyday that makes me proud of myself. Surely that would help my self-esteem. I’m not talking about anything big, but all those little things that really end up mattering.

Its funny that weight loss is really a journey and it’s about so much more than lost pounds. It seems that I have needed to get to know “myself” and all the things that I really want for myself. This isn’t really about the size of my pants or the stores that I can shop at… its about SO MUCH MORE. I’ve been thinking about ways to get out of my funk and step into a new schema. I think that when I learn and believe in a new schema, weight loss will be a by-product. So.. what do I want?

1. I want to be thankful.
2. I want to inspire others.
3. I want to notice the small things that go right instead of all the things that go wrong.
4. I want to be healthy.
5. I want to be proud of who I am.
6. I want to have strong beliefs.
7. I want to value myself.

What have I changed about myself since the beginning of 2008?

1. I have walked more.
2. I have paid more attention to my health.
3. I have sought information about health and weight.
4. I have gotten my family to be more active.
5. I have spent more time with my dogs.
6. I have taken time to look around and see beauty everywhere.
7. I have had proud moments.

What were my proud moments of 2008?

1. The day I stepped on the scale and it was in the 180s.
2. The day my husband hugged me and I felt smaller in his arms.
3. The day my son rejected ice cream because he wanted to eat healthy “like mommy”.
4. The day my Mom called and said that she was proud of me.
5. The day I ran on the treadmill for the first time and wasn’t winded.
6. The day I went to the grocery store and bought veggies I had never tried before.
7. The day I put on pants and actually thought about tucking in my shirt.
8. The day my best friend asked me about the Step Diet and bought a pedometer.
9. The day my husband at a completely vegetarian dinner.

All of these things matter. Too bad I tend to forget them as time passes. I’m going to focus on remembering these moments.

My Morning Mantra: TODAY IS IMPORTANT.

1. Just for today, I will count my many blessings.
2. Just for today, I will not worry.
3. Just for today, I will not be angry.
4. Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
5. Just for today, I will be kind to every living creature.
   

Filed under: General on October 27th, 2008 | 1 Comment »