Well, 3 or 4 days relatively back on plan. Still slipping in a few candies at work, or a couple GS cookies at home, but overall I’m eating far more wisely than I had been and I’ve got the overall intake way down. Hope blooms eternal. Apparently I had even pushed the scale back up over 280, but as of this morning it’s retreated back down to 278-ish. I even had a proper lunch packed for my trip to the Equine Affaire this morning, but at 5am, less than 20 miles in to a 250 mile trip, I started having car trouble and had to come back. <HUGE WHAAAAAH!> (The Equine Affaire is a fabulous opportunity for horse lovers to soak up anything and EVERYthing horsey for 4 days. There’s shopping, clinics, demonstrations, seminars – given by some of the leading horseman in every discipline: dressage, jumping, reining, driving, you name it! All for the absurdly low admission of $13 a day!!! I live for it!)
SHARON/VooDoo – Hello! Way, WAY cool that you’ve slipped in to those jeans again! Awesome!
Yes, I did finally start cantering on Cody. I’ve also started schooling him in western style riding, which he’s taken to amazingly well. I have someone leasing him again, but this time he’ll stay close to me and I’ll supervise their riding. I have a good feeling about the arrangement this time.
Gabe had been ridden at a walk off the lunge line a couple of times, but on the third such ride something spooked him badly. Jen, the young women riding him that day is a trainer and a wonderful rider, but it was the first time she was up on him. I don’t believe he had had a chance to come to know and trust her, and she (at 26) is still young and gutsy enough to have gone too quickly for him. She had just gotten on him when he bolted. He did two laps of the arena like a big, black, runaway freight train, hitting the fences when he couldn’t make the turns. After two laps she finally lost a stirrup and decided that was enough. She reached out and grabbed the rail on one of the turns and abandoned ship.
I feel so guilty. Neither of them should have been put in such a situation. I was finishing up a lesson with Cody and his new riders, and Jen started on Gabe before I could get to them. I didn’t anticipate the problem, but I should have. Jen was just a little too quick with him, and I remember glancing at her just after she mounted and saying ‘Just walk – he looks tense.’ He could have killed her, he certainly came away with a bad experience, and it was my fault for not properly overseeing things. I’ve decided at this point that I will be the only one on him from now on until he’s totally mellow with EVERYTHING. I can’t risk anyone, horse or rider, getting hurt. He knows me, trusts me, is perfectly capable of carrying me, and I’m the one person who knows exactly where he is as far as his training and experience goes. I, on the other hand, have a long way to go to get back in shape to ride HIM, but if I do things properly that shouldn’t be much of an issue.
After the ordeal was over, I worked Gabe quietly on the lunge line at walk and halt with a little bit of trot to settle him in something he was comfortable at. Jen sat on a barrel for a long time, waiting for her knees to loose that jelly feeling. After about 45 minutes, we put her back up while I just led him for a few minutes. Since then I’ve gone back to ground driving him and just leaning as much of my weight as possible on him from the mounting block. It’s time for me to get past my own fears and quit being a sissy manager-on-the-ground. In the next month or so, when the weather gets decent again and I have another reliable handler, I’ll slip on to his back myself. Of course, once that actually happens, you won’t be able to get me off of him! <BG>
WYLLENN, Sorry to hear your knee is giving you grief! It certainly would be worse if you hadn’t lost the weight… just one more NSV? No, I think more than that! And yeah, this aging thang ain’t for sissies!
KYMBERLY, That is SO AWESOME that you came in 3rd out of 50 teams! As fantastic as you did, there must have been some other folks really working at becoming healthier, too. My hat’s off to them as well as you! What great momentum for you all to have worked together. Let the b**y chicks BE AFRAID! Be Very Afraid! WOW. 113 pounds off! Fantastic!!! * Bravo for skipping that cake on Easter too. You succeeded where I failed.
LKB/LISA, You mentioned the lettuce tasting better. I remember saying to my husband when I first started this journey that food actually tasted better. Isn’t it amazing? Great that the Easter candy didn’t tempt you. Deceitful stuff, sugar. * I’m sorry that Easter dinner was so hard for you. I sure can’t blame you for feeling so hurt, but please try to look forward. Your journey isn’t about that one day. It’s about your future and your health. Look at NEXT Easter – You will have SO kicked this thing in the butt! Think of what they’ll say at the 4th of July – or Labor Day – or Thanksgiving. Maybe that doesn’t help now, but I know you’ll keep your focus on the future and all the joys that a healthier weight will bring you. There’s so much ahead for you! *…. “Haven’t eaten any dogfood yet…” hahahaha!
EMILYMAY, WONderful that you’ve changed your gaining each year to losing this past year. I believe you’ve re-determined your future! Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!!
ERIKA – Sorry about the pinched nerve. I know they can be eXtremely painful! So was the Dr able to fix it up that quickly that you’re able to get back to your exercise plan?
XENA – Hi! I hope that Calc test went well. I always used to understand it when it was explained, but drew a total blank when it came to the homework. I hope you smoke the whole course!
BRENDA, I understand about the chocolate. That’s been a major problem lately. The SF kind gives me a rather extreme reaction if I have more than 1 piece – not an option. The detox thing is great and I hope you’re back at it full swing and happy with it.
LESLEY/LitChick – 23 pounds is Brilliant! What a fabulous month you’ve had! Bravo!
LILION – Happy Anniversary! All that fruit, esp. the strawberries, sounds great. Glad your weekend was good. I’ve been gone lately myself.
CATHERINE, It’s interesting for me to have this window on your journey. It’s encouraging, hopeful, reassuring and thought provoking when I read that you have feelings or thoughts similar to my own sometimes. Sorry if you don’t want the job, but you’re something of a poster child for me, and certainly a leader. You’ve accomplished so much, and even though you made it look easy at first, you’ve really struggled - on the way up the scale, and to get it back down. I know you’ve had set-backs, but certainly not failure. When you said “when I stop doing so for even a week, my portions creep up like crazy. When I start measuring again, I am again stunned by the difference. My view of food is as permanently warped as an alcoholic’s view of booze. The difference is that alcoholics don’t have to drink everyday to live” it was like a page from my own life. I guess that while I’m always sorry to see someone else struggle, I know that we do, and in your writings I find myself (selfishly) not feeling so alone. Through it all, you’ve maintained a sense of humor and compassion. I’m sorry if I haven’t said this right – what I mean to say is ‘thanks’ once again.
Hi NANCY, I hope your back is feeling better and your home/apartment hunting is fruitful soon. I must have missed something about the “crazy aunt”, but as a crazy aunt myself, I’m glad you found her to be appealing on some level. After all, that’s why we’re crazy – for the entertainment value to others.
BRANDNEWME – I’m sorry you’re feeling discouraged and that you haven’t been able to lose so far, but I’m very glad that you’re still looking positively to the future, seeking help, and giving consideration to tools like lap band to ultimately conquer this! You’re still on the mission, and I’m very glad of that. I don’t get the feeling that think LB or RNY are just quick easy fixes. It seems to me that you are still determined to be healthier and are just willing and ready to use some alternative help. Don’t be upset that you haven’t lost weight the way you think you should have – Just take hold and use the tools you need and have available to improve your tomorrows, and be Proud of yourself for never giving up! I’ll be so happy to read it when you are suffering less pain and feeling more in control of your life. Keep us posted and know we’re cheering for you!
Hey, VICKI – Welcome back! I’d put on 5 or so myself, but it’s time to get back on the losing trail again. (How many times have I said that?) Ah, well, ONWARD! Glad you’re here!!
NIGHTKATT! Hugs to you too! I’ve been gone a while, and I know you lost your one sweet lamby, but I hope the other is well? Did you every get him a new friend? I hope the new shop does wonderful business for you!
AMMI – Glad to see you back. You were certainly missed! Just a few pesky pound up, but you’re back in the drivers seat now and I have no doubt you’ll have those few pounds gone again in short order!!
METACHICK – Please accept my ‘Welcome’ a bit late. You’re so right when you talk about the negative thinking. It can be self-determining – as can positive thinking. You’ve done really great, BTW!
LANNE – Glad to hear you’re making such great progress and feeling well doing it!
SHADY – Long time no see! It’s so nice to have you back!!!!!!!!!!
ANNIE – Unless you’ve posted in the last 2 days that I haven’t caught up with yet, WHERE THE HAY ARE YA??!?!? Miss ya!
Friends – as long as this is, I still have 2-3 days of post to catch up with. I’ve already written a book, so I’ll go get some exercise and check in later. Now, let’s see if I can get this posted or if I’ll loose it in cyberspace…