Not Much on the Home Front

Walked today. "And that's all I have to say about that." (Know where that quote came from?)

Couldn't decide if I wanted to do the weigh-in before or after my walk so I did both and have recorded the before. It was a half pound lighter. Guess it was all the water I drank while walking. So it was an official 1.5 loss. Yea!!!!

Yesterday afternoon was uneventful except my doggies smell better and look better after their grooming. There was something interesting I was going to tell you but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Guess I'm going to have to start taking notes in the evenings when an idea hits me. Maybe it will come later in the day and this time I will write it down and tell you tomorrow. Gee, hope Alzheimer's isn't setting it. Boy if it does are you all in for a treat.

Hope you have a great "hump day."

Errands, Whew....

I just got back from running my errands, WHEW! I HATE going to the grocery store. I don't know if it was because I was raised in a grocery store or what but I hate it. As the saying goes, "I'd rather take a lickin'." And there was a lot of road construction between here and there so I had to wait in a long line for the pilot truck to bring a string of cars through and pick up my string. All in all it wasn't that bad but I just wanted to get it over with and get home to my paradise.

I didn't walk this morning either. It was snowing!!!!! And I knew I needed to run the errands so I will get back with it tomorrow morning come rain, snow, sleet or dark of night... I really do miss it. Wow, is that me talking there? Me, missing exercise? No, it couldn't be, could it?

I had a pretty good day yesterday, food wise. Just went over by a couple of points because I didn't have a salad to tide me over. (is it tide or tied?) Cara and I were talking about cheese the other night and I told her how I've cut way, way back on my cheese because of the calories and I just don't like the FF stuff as well. That's all I had in the house. She sent me copy of a newsletter she received about the advantages to cheese and other dairy products. It says that dairy is needed to help you lose weight. After reading it I added cheese to my grocery list. Got some yummy cheese from the deli and had them cut it really thin. Gonna work it into my daily routine one way or another, although I would rather just eat it by itself. May do that in the mornings as my protein snack before walking. Oh, and vidalia onions are in, in my area! I just love vidalia's. One of my favorite sandwiches is onion and cheese, with the onion cut paper thin. Hey, now I know what I'll have for lunch tomorrow!

I don't know what it is about running errands but I never remember to eat anything before leaving the house (I'm just not hungry then) and by the time I'm in "town" I'm starving. So that is usually my treat for myself. Got one hot dog today and now I feel bad. Have you ever had a West Virginia hot dog? They are way different from hot dogs anywhere else that I've been. They come with the regular wiener and bun but on top you put chili (without beans) and slaw. Oh, wow, are they good. I like mine with mustard and onions on it too. Some of you out there may be saying YUK, but you gotta try one just once in your life.

Hope no one out there was in the path of the tornadoes that hit yesterday. I have family that live in that area and was on the phone to them last night to make sure they were unharmed, and they were. While talking to my niece who lives in the VA Beach area I realized that she may be interested in my blog. She is always working on losing a little weight but she's never really heavy and she runs 5 miles often. No one else in my family would be interested in "this here thang" but her and Cara. So I gave her the URL. If you are visiting, hello out there Jen.

Rainy Day Blues

I'm not walking today. It's pouring the rain down out there and after 4 days straight in the first week my "personal trainers" (Cara and Cammy) tell me that I should start off slow and take a day off here and there. I never thought that I'd be disappointed that I'm not walking today, but I am.

I stupidly stepped on the scales this morning instead of waiting until Wednesday. Since I used to weigh in on Mondays and just changed it for this week I was curious, I must be a cat at heart. It showed me up a pound and a half which is really disheartening BUT I have only used 3 of my flex points and 1.5 of my exercise points this week so I know I've done really good. Guess exercising sometimes puts weight on, I dunno. What I do know is that I FEEL BETTER! I'm not as listless as before and really glad for more energy.

Oh, woe is me. I couldn't help myself. Was getting some yarn out of the plastic bin I keep it in and my supply is dwindling. Got caught up in movies yesterday and that's when I crochet the most. Well, I just had to go online and order more yarn. Then after I clicked "complete order" I remembered some colors that I had planned to order and didn't. Oh, well, will have to wait until next time.

Was going to hit the grocery store today because I'm out of salad stuff, "OH, NO." But I remembered that I have an appointment tomorrow to get the doggies bathed and groomed and no since wasting the gas today since I'll be going right by the grocery store tomorrow anyway. We don't have garbage pick up here on the mountain and I have to take my garbage to the dump myself and I need to do that tomorrow too. I think that's the only reason I need a man around the house, I hate that chore. Well, maybe I could think of few other reasons but none so dire that would make me go out and look for one. I just can't see myself starting the dating scene. ARGH! I'd have to find one on a diet because I WILL NOT CHANGE MY COOKING HABITS for any man. Now, that's a commitment, ain't it?

A Bit of a Mistake...

Really didn't want to get outside this morning and walk but I've got you girls watching me and don't want to let you down. Since I didn't want to do this I decided to have my coffee before my walk so I would have time to talk myself into it. What a mistake! I should have known! Coffee works like a laxative on me and yes, it did this morning too. Had to cut the walk short by 5 minutes. I won't do that again. But I did work up a little sweat before quiting, just walked a little faster and harder.

I'm getting really tired of singing to myself to keep me going. Sure hope the Zune gets here soon. I went so far as to take the boom box out on the porch so I'd have something to listen to and low and behold I noticed the cabin next to mine (the picture is my cabin) had life stirring around it. It's a hunting/fishing camp and they only come up during those peak season and only on weekends. So I decided not to turn the boom box on and call attention to myself. They are very snooty people and I didn't want to look up to see them standing in the yard laughing or puzzling over what I was doing, so I just sang "Chain Gang." Have no idea why that one popped into my mind, do you?

I am just so excited about all the benefits of exercising. I feel so much better all day. I'd read the experts that said that if you are really tired try a little exercise to energize yourself and didn't believe them. What do the experts know anyway? It works! And I get to log activity points into my WW planner and when I go over my points a little it comes out of my activity points. Yea! But I'm really trying not to do that.

I love to read and get lost in fiction. I used to read 2 a week and got out of the habit for the past 2 years. I'm back at it and really enjoying it immensely. I had started two books last week (one by the bed for night time reading and one by the couch for daytime reading). I finished the day time one yesterday and will probably finish the second one tonight. I don't think I'll do that again because I kept getting the characters mixed up and had to reread a half a page or so to get them straight.

Some Friends?

It just dawned on me that I didn't give proper credit for the recipe yesterday and I think I should. I got it from a TV program by Graham Kerr and he used shrimp as the meat. As I prefer the taste of shrimp alone I substituted the chicken and have (in my fatty life) used beef.

The walk went well this morning but I've ordered myself an MP3 player so it won't be so boring and I'll have more to occupy my mind than counting laps. I lost count this morning but had been checking my watch so I knew about when I would have the proper length in so I did that and added a couple of minutes. I now have a plan. I'm going to continue what I'm doing for one week then increase it by going down a circuitous route of my driveway. It's actually circular and one part is steeper than the other so I'll go down the steep part and back up the less steep part. I'll do that for a week and reassess my plans. Ain't it grand to have a plan?

A friend has asked me to go out to dinner with her tonight but I have declined. There just isn't any restaurant in this area that doesn't fry everything in lots of grease and I'm just not ready to sabotage myself right now. She's rather upset with me and keeps telling me that one night won't hurt but obviously she isn't as committed to her diet as I am. She's only lost 12 pounds in the last year and can't for the life of her figure out why it is so slow. I keep trying to tell her that eating out the way she does and where she does and the iced tea she drinks with 4 cups of sugar to the half gallon isn't the way to lose weight. And she keeps saying, "but I eat smaller portions." I've tried to get her to do what I'm doing but she just won't. She also fries everything in an inch or two of grease. She has high blood pressure and cholesterol problems and just can't understand why. She's rather hard headed and won't listen to me at all. The last time I went to visit her she jumped my case about my baggy clothes. Now I do have a couple of shirts that fit nicely but just bumming around I don't use them. I'd have to wash every other day to keep them clean. And going to visit her is bumming around in my book since she is just across the road from me, why dress up?

I've stayed off the scales this week so I have no idea what they will say come Wednesday. I'll just have to wait and see. I know I've stayed on program and only used 1.5 of my flex points so far. I just made the strawberry pie and am really looking forward to a piece after supper. I stupidly forgot to buy the FF Jello so had to use some regular. It will only increase the points to 2 for a slice so that will just have to do.

Hope you all had a great Saturday and will have a wonderful Sunday.

Day 2 and a Recipe

Thanks Cara, Donna and Cammy for the encouragement and the ability to roll out of bed (yeah, I rolled this morning) and get out there and do it again. My little girl sent me flowers for starting the exercise regiment! Virtual flowers but what the hey, Mom's appreciate them too and these won't wilt. As a matter of fact they are on the fridge as a reminder. I did the required 22 laps today, so that was a mile. And I have a blister on the bottom of my middle toe now. Think it must be from scrunching the toes. I usually wear clogs and guess the toes didn't realize they were in sneakers today.

I was so excited yesterday that I really wanted to go out there and do it again but since it was my first time I thought it best to just wait until this morning. The legs were a bit wobbly most of the day. But it was invigorating. I thought to myself, "OH, NO, these bloggers have turned me into a junky." I really felt energized until late afternoon and the system crashed. It wasn't so easy this morning but since I have confessed starting I can't stop now or you will all know about it because try as I might I wouldn't be able to keep my big mouth shut. I'd let it slip that I had bakslid. Thanks girls :o) for keeping me going.

The doggies followed me around about once then sat in the middle of the driveway and just watched. They really think I'm crazy, you know. They get plenty of exercise on their own. When I let them out in the mornings they are usually nowhere to be seen for at least an hour and sometimes 2-3. They head for the woods and sniff out any creatures that may have roamed during the night, I guess.

I didn't do so good yesterday on my eating habits. Well, I only dipped into my flex points by one but I had to eat a salad last night while watching TV because I was really hungry. Reminder to self, "Plan better today." Well, the plans are in the making. I've taken out a chicken breast to thaw because I'm having Chicken Paella tonight (and tomorrow night since one breast makes enough for two meals). Here's the recipe:

CHICKEN PAELLA

Lightly brown chicken breast in 1 TBSP olive oil.
Slice 1 onion and 1 sweet green pepper over chicken.
Add 2 cloves garlic chopped.
Cover with diced tomatoes. (fresh are the best but I am using canned).
Place lid on skillet and simmer until chicken and veggies are done.
Remove lid and place a layer of mozzarella cheese on top.
Replace lid and simmer until cheese is melted.

I used to serve this over rice for my hubby (hence the paella) but now I just eat it without the rice to cut down on the carbs. This recipe is 6 WW points for one serving because I use the REAL cheese since the fat free doesn't melt very good so you can be the judge and change it accordingly.

Hey its a 30 minute meal! So you working girls can fix it quick after work.

I DID IT...I DID IT...I DID IT

I started walking today! Now before you say "So What", you have to understand that I've been setting on my big fat fanny for over 30 years. And the only exercise I got was when I went to "Wally World" (Wal-Mart), or a mall. The mall thingy only happens once a year or so (since we don't have one anywhere close to where I live) and "Wally World" only happens once a month or so. I really feel good about myself right about now.

I've been think about it all week and was going to start yesterday but had a sore throat and felt horrible so I used that as an excuse. This morning I hopped (yes hopped) out of bed, peed, started the coffee maker and headed out the door. Since I live on a mountain the only flat place I have to walk is right in front of my cabin, so I decided that boring or not I'd do that. I walked for 15 minutes in all. I even had a pedometer that my health insurance sent me and I stuck it to my waist band and off I went. After 10 minutes I check the pedometer and it registered NOTHING. Guess the fat around my waist was cushioning the durn thing. So I put it in my hand and continued for another 5 minutes. By then I had started sweating and checked the pedometer and it registered 1/4 mile. So I reason that I walked 3/4 mile. After coming in the house and getting my coffee I started figuring out the length of the circuit I walked and it was 250 feet for one lap. So I have to do 22 laps to complete a mile.

I even sang to myself and sometimes to the doggies while I did it. Ureka! I now have an excuse to buy an MP3 player. I just love electronic gadgets and never could find a reason to get one of those. Until it I get one I'll just put my boom box on the porch and go at it.

The doggies were really confused. They kept following me and trying to figure out what on earth I was looking for. And when I sang out loud they'd stop and look at me puzzled wondering what I wanted them to do. I do talk to them a lot since they are the only other living things in the house with me.

After I got in the house and figured that I'd only walked 3/4 mile instead of a mile like I'd hoped I was a little disappointed but in the middle of typing this I went to get myself another glass of water and my legs are a little wobbly. So, maybe 3/4 mile was just fine for the FIRST TIME.

YEA!!!

A Few More Changes

Had to go to the dentist yesterday. It's one of my favorite things to do, isn't it yours too? She says sarcastically. Unfortunately when you get old the teeth get old too and brittle. I had broken or cracked what I thought was two and he found three. So now I have to have three crowns. Not looking forward to the impressions, does anybody like having all that goop in your mouth? But I'm looking on the bright side that at 61 years old at least I don't have falsies. I hate the drive to the dentist too. Since I live in a very rural area I have to drive an hour (one way) to get there and it is over two mountains and very curvy roads.

So I try to kill two birds with one stone. Went to (what we lovingly in the mountains call) Wally World. Since I knew I was going to be making that trek I had let the cupboards get a little bare. Boy it sure is a good feeling when you stock up (to the tune of mega-bucks) and know you have everything you've needed for a while. I even bought a couple of new bras, another size smaller around. You know, the last times I lost a lot of weight the breasts were the first to show signs of the weight loss but this time they aren't shrinking. Course this time I really don't care if they do or not. And I even parked way out in la-la land so I'd have to walk further. So those 200 muscles we use with only one step got a little workout yesterday. And I'm so proud of myself...this weekend I was thinking that while I was in Lewisburg (our closest big city) I'd treat myself to eating out at Ruby Tuesdays. I was really looking forward to their salad bar and ONE (and only one) of their Ruby Mini's (I love cheeseburgers). When I finished shopping I decided I really didn't need a cheeseburger so I drove on past it and came on home and had a Thomas Mini Bagel with fat free cream cheese.

On reading every one's blogs I have come to the conclusion that I MUST exercise. That's what you guys talk about the most so it must be something that I am lacking. Cara is sending me a walking video to get me started and I'll just have to figure out how to do the rest on my own. I keep looking at my driveway and wondering if I could ever walk up it without stopping. Maybe it will be a goal of mine, to be able to walk down (which isn't a problem at all) and then back up without stopping. A neighbor walks up my driveway periodically and he huffs and puffs when he gets to the top and he's in the woods at least 5 nights a week walking these mountains hunting (he's in very good shape). So I won't think that I'll be able to do it without the heavy breathing but maybe I can at least make it up. (Hey, and maybe I'll make an obscene phone call when I get to the top. Don't want to waste the heaving breathing.) Since the weather is getting nicer it'll be a treat to get out and enjoy the birds and squirrels and deer and sometimes bear.

We have ~5 bear that live on the mountain. I usually see one each year but last year I didn't see any. I hope this year is different. They are such beautiful creatures. Course I really don't want to run in to one while waking alone. They love wild polk berries and I have some polk and blackberries growing along my driveway and was hoping that they would discover them and grace me with their presence but alas they didn't. On the mountain where I live there are around 65 cabins and there are only 6 of us that live here year round. The rest are used for hunting and fishing cabins. Only 4 of us year-rounders have a well and the rest use cisterns for their water supply and most of the hunting cabins don't have bathrooms. Bet you thought that was a thing of the past. I am the privileged one with a wonderful well (actually the first well on the mountain) and I'm the only one with a heat pump. Course the winters are so cold up here that the heat pump can't keep up so I have to have propane as alternate heat on those really cold days and nights. I hate using the propane because it really stinks and is really dirty but a person's gotta do what a person's gotta do.

I've been thinking about changing my weigh-in days. I've been weighing in on Mondays and since my weekends are so stressful I tend to overeat on those two days which really isn't good on the last two days of my weight week. I was pondering what day was best until I read Yani's blog yesterday and decided to take his advice and move it to Wednesdays. So next week I'll make the change.

This is going to be a rough week. I didn't replenish my supply of Dorito's. Yep, I'm going to try to give them up and find a healthier way to get in the salty stuff that I love so much. I haven't figured out what that will be yet but maybe something will come to me. Wish me luck.