PIVOTAL THOUGHTS

• I think I might actually like Yoplait Thick and Creamy 100 calorie Strawberry yogurt.. and I always thought myself a Vanilla girl.. hmmm yeah.. I think I like it..
• I actually like drinking water
• I actually like doing some type of exercise
• I still do not like thunderstorms nor will I ever
• Cookie agrees with me regarding thunderstorms
• I like discovering interesting recipes like this one
• I like reading this blog POST SECRETS
• Her work out DVDs Rock

I found something that really hits home with me it is a quote from Hillel

Hillel says, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14

When I look at the phrase it makes me think and ask myself.. If I do not do this for me.. who will do it.. who will see to it that I reach my goal.. ONLY ME.. that being selfish in this case is okay but that I would never forget those who share my struggles , I encourage them as they encourage me. Finally it is time.. time to stop procrastinating .. time to quit waiting for this or that to happen.. there are no guarentess on this planet.. how long we have.. what will happen in that time.. all we as individuals can control is this very second that we have.. so .. if we keep waiting to make these changes.. then.. well nothing changes.. so why not.. why wait.. WHY NOT NOW?..

Eating wise this week.. its all been good though I did not exercise as much as I wanted too I still did okay.

So Here we are at weigh in.. and here are the Facts.. nothing but the facts..

Before I give stats... I have a question for you ,when you weigh how often do you step on the scale.??. I have a digital scale that I step on until I get the same weight twice.. in other words I got on the scale this morning and first it had me at 187 then I got on again and it had me at 185.4 then I got on again and it had me at 186 then I got on again and it had me at 186 so I figured since I weighed that twice that was the most accurate.. Am I nuts for doing it that way?

START 4/28/08: 190.4

LAST WEEK'S WEIGHT: 188

TODAY'S WEIGHT :186

GOAL : 132

Wish me well

Wish you well too

WHO IS YOUR SUPPORT

As I peruse around the blogs and messages boards.. I am surprised to see how many people do not have the support they need from spouses or significant others.. I am a little baffled by that . You would think the person that is suppose to love you the most would want the best for you. My husband is my greatest fan. No matter how many times I have tried and failed.. he rallies with me and helps again when I am ready to take a leap. Sure he gets frustrated with me.. I get frustrated with me.. but he is my support system.. along with our pups.. He keeps me going and gives me encouragement and goes grocery shopping with me. I simply could not imagine being on this journey with out him.. I know I could do it by myself.. but having the support is really nice.. as is having each of your support too. I have read a lot of stories about spouses both male and female .. sabatoging healthy initatives by the spouse trying to make changes. That is sad and wrong.. Each of us should always want the best for those we love. I can understand fear though.. Fear of change.. fear that the person going through the change might not love you the same way once they have reached goal. Perhaps even the fact that the spouse who made the changes now gets attention they did not have before.. that can feel threatening too I am sure.. I know a lot of marriages that do not survive weight loss.. however those marriages were in deeper trouble prior to the weight loss. People can change their attitude about anything.. When you are together with your spouse as they make changes it might spur you to do the same thing or not.. If you have a strong foundation.. and a healthy marriage then that spouse who made themselves healthier is only a bonus to that marriage. Thats how my husband looks at it I think.. He looks at it as a benefit for him.. It allows us to do more.. and be more active the healthier I am.. and the healthier he is. A win win situation if you ask me. I hope each of you has a supportive friend or spouse as you travel along getting to a healthier you..
Tommorow is weigh day..
WISH ME WELL
WISH YOU WELL TOO

MISSED OUT ON THIS and other THOUGHTS

INTERNATIONAL NO DIET DAY I guess that is a good thing.. if it works for you.. I have always said diets do not work.. it is about long term eating habits that change to fit a new lifestyle its about ASSUMING a new you.. ASSUMING new HABITS.. and Getting yourself healthier... so .. any thoughts on International No Diet Day which was yesterday and is apparently every May 6th
...I am a little .. well not really blue.. but well maybe blue?? seems Nutri Sytem and Jenny Craig keep being tossed at me.. I am being asked why aren't I doing those programs instead.. look at Queen Latifah.. (She is being paid a ton of money too..) and look at so and so on Nutri System.. I did Nutri System.. I did lose 50 pounds in less than 6 months but I also lost my gall bladder too.. and I really wonder if eating pre packaged foods at every meal is that good good for you.. I never liked Jenny Craig and Nutri System was okay I guess.. I dunno.. it just makes me feel unsettled.. sort of like once again I took the wrong path.. truth be told those other programs are hundreds of dollars and now I am doing something Steve can sort of do with me .. and I like it like that.. I like us sort of doing this together.. I like him asking me about points.. I like walking with him .. I enjoy this.. and if I follow it I will get my weight off.. who the hell am I trying to convince here.. me? I dunno.. oh well...Even one of my sister's jumped on that band wagon.. too.. sheesh .. I just have to feel postive about my choice .. and I hate teeter tottering.. you know what I mean???
Here is an interesting Link HEALTHY WEIGHT NETWORK... Well time to go post my food for the day..****** I went back to my WW site and actually found some good message boards.. I apparently was just in the wrong area.. I am glad I went back and searched some more******
Wish me well
Wish you well too..

SSGU support, strength, guidance, understanding

Not a day goes by that I do not thank God for my friends out there .. who comment on my blog.. who support me .. give me strength, guidance and and understanding.. sometimes when I do not even understand myself.

You each are a great resources of information as well.. as I take the steps necessary to make these changes.. What brings all of this up for me... is that I have been perusing the Weight Watcher Boards.. and while I think that too is a nice support area... I guess I am just clicking on the wrong message boards because..I just have not found the umbrella I was hoping to find there.. you know.. more help and ideas regarding WW.. its seems like a pretty young crowd on there too...I dunno maybe I am just not the message board type.. .. I like it here .. in my blog.. where you guys come and visit and stay a while.. and if you have a comment you leave one.. if not.. you read me and move on.. thats cool too.

I am going to try and post my food log here from time to time I figured out that I could print it since I can not copy it directly.. and after I print it I can scan and save it and set it in my blog...

We took a good walk last night I need to post a picture where we walk too.. eventually I will get around to that.. for now you will have to settle on a picture of Lucky doing what Lucky does..

can you see the chair she has been chewing on... right there to your left.. (Lucky's right) ..

Wish me well

Wish you well too

ASSUMING A WHOLE NEW IDENTITY

Interesting, Hanlie said making these changes is like changing your identity.. a whole new Identity .. hmm I thought about that for a while and I like that idea.. maybe its a way to view things and let the old stuff go.. the wondering why I scavenge when I know I have eaten.. the having to remind myself I have eaten when two hours later my head is going.. so .. uhmmm how about a snack Honi? Do you think by assuming a whole new identity.. that I could shake the old ways.. or are they so deeply a part of me do I just make a tune up and move on? and everytime they appear just remind myself.. you have eaten you are not really hungry.. this is stress talking.. seems stress talks to me a lot lately.. and it is really for now little things.. like the new pup.. she is about to wear any patience I have out.. she has literally eaten everything out on the deck, a camp chair is now minus an arm, 3 outside rugs are partially eaten because of her.. and one of the patio chairs has a partially eaten seat.. nothing terribly expensive yet.. and yes she has plenty of chew toys... she also uses Cookie as a chew toy and I have no idea why Cookie wont fight back.. all I know is that when we get after Cookie she gets very upset she can not stand for us to be angry with her.. so all I can think is.. that she lets Lucky do whatever she wants to her because she is afraid if she fights back or plays too rough.. we will get upset with her ... it really bothers me the way Lucky is so aggressive with her.. I have seen her grab cookie by the neck and try to shake her.. I do jump in then .. I clap loudly and tell Lucky a sharp and loud NO... Steve is pretty suckered by her.. she snuggles up to him... follows him around and every now and then even listens when he calls her name.. if I did not know better I would swear she was a cat... in fact I think she thinks she is.. did I tell you about the table outside she climbs on and lays on??.. yeah our nice mosaic table this mutt likes to lay on because she thinks she is too good to lie on the deck.. I am still hoping to place her in a single dog home..and if she harms Cookie .. she is gone.. .. we had a great home for.. with a little boy to play with and everything.. .. and its a absolutely pathetic why she did not go .. if you want to know.. email me @ honib1@aol.com and I will email you the WHOLE STORY.... anyhow.. food wise .. its all been good.. I have been walking in the neighborhood.. here is the addition to what I have been doing.. M-Th. walking outside.. Sat and Sunday .. either yoga or stability ball dvd.. Leslie Sansone has some dvds out that are great.. and not to hard to do but you get a nice work out.... and don't feel awkward or silly learning the positions.. so I am looking forward to that.. I don't do well in groups I prefer to exercise alone... it works better for me.. I can challenge myself rather than trying to be like someone else... so thats where I am at right now for a Monday..
Still trying to figure the inside workings out.. still trying to adjust my way of thinking and reminding myself that I do not have to turn all emotion to food.. that I can think and feel.. and it is all okay..
Wish me well
wish you well too
Hey if ya wanna win a bicycle.. click HERE

The Tides of Change

I wanted to know why last night I walked around the kitchen at my mom's house looking for something to nosh on ... when I had had a nice dinner not 2 hours prior at our synagogue..I wanted to know why old monsters run rampant in my brain and do not leave .. ever... why are old habits like old clothes.. soft and comfortable...I wanted to know.. why I start and why I stop.. why don't I take the all the way to the end.. I wanted to know why I have been fat the better part of my life.. why did i choose this as my vice..what did I find so exceptional about eating that I never could control it.. I would rein it in from time to time .. and in my life I have lost 20 pounds... 30 pounds.. 45 pounds.. 50 pounds.. and then I turn around and march right back into the same old clothes.. the same old places.. the same old food.with the same old results.. why .. and the answer was simple.. there is no why.. there is no how come.. there is no answer.. there is only now.. and this is a tide of change.. is the permenant .. I don't know.. I am praying for that. I will work for that.. but after 45 years I am a bit jaded... 45 years.. first diet at 10 years old.. 35 years I have been fighting a single war... I have never lost completely but I have never won fully... It might be a hard concept for those of you who have only had weight issues in their adult life... but those of you who have been here all of your life.. know this .. and know how it feels... I want to shed this.. and this time I will try once again to shed it... I am not defeated .. I have never been defeated only side tracked for a while.. and what makes this different from all the the other times... well in the other times I gained all the weight back plus.... this time I gained 5 pounds back of the 30 I lost.. I have lost 2.4 of those pounds.. and now I am going to go forward.. and hopefully not get side tracked again...
Have a great weekend
Wish me well
Wish you well too

FRIDAY and its a HUNGRY GIRL DAY, EXACTLY WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH PB2 and my MUSHROOM OMELETTE

OKAY shortest book review EVER!!!!.. GET THE HUNGRY GIRL COOKBOOK you will love it!!!!! you can get it through Amazon at the best price..
IF there is one complaint not many pictures in the book but you can find all the pictures to the recipes on her website .. Simply a great investment with easy recipes and fun ideas for everyone in your family.. A lot of the recipes are single portion sizes so adjust accordingly... at the very least sign up for her weekday newsletter .. okay its a rinky dink review but this really is a great book and an easy read with uncomplicated recipes.. which I love.. Steve and I are going to build our own recipe book with favorite healthy recipes in it. We will opt for a big binder with plastic jacketed pages.. simple and cheap thats us LOL.. I am going to start collecting things we like and typing up things we have created. Will feature recipes in the blog of things we like ..
SO I guess you are wondering what the scale says ... here is the total for this week.. * remember I started the program on Monday so this is only after 4 days.. as opposed to a full week which next week will be..
STARTING WEIGHT: 190.4
CURRENT WEIGHT : 188
GOAL WEIGHT: 132
and a loss of 2.4 pounds. Thats okay.. I was hoping for a big loss but truth is .. prior to WW I was watching what I was eating.. so my calories were not that high minus the crazy eating weekend prior to starting.. so I will take the 2.4 pounds as a sign that I am on the right track! The reason it stings a bit is because just thinking of all the effort and work I put into this past week for 2.4 pounds you know.. and how quickly I can gain that weight.. with simply no effort at all.. hmmm I guess that which wish we work hard for is more valued when it is accomplished ..A loss is a loss no matter what the amount!
I also was really proud last night as well.. I took the hill all by myself.. I put my Ipod on.. walked up the small hill toward the BIG HILL walked the big hill came down went down the other street and back up then back down to where we live.. so I had a nice walk.. It is still in the liesurely phase no real speed to it yet.. but I will soon try and walk a little faster .. on the flatter areas and the down hill areas.. the up hill areas , the BIG hill for example takes me a little bit of time to get up.. but I DID IT!..
Food from Thursday..
Here is what I do with PB2 I mix it with a little water as you will see below.. and spread it on bread ( light wheat 1 pt for 2 slices ,bread) .. Also you will see the making of our dinner last night.. a Mushroom Omelette.. very easy to do..




MUSHROOM OMELETTE, with scallions first 2 pictures are mushrooms sauteing in a little olive oil and spray on butter.. VERY LITTLE olive oil....



MICHAELANGELO'S DAVID AFTER A TRIP TO AMERICA !

and on that note.. have a great Friday and a sweet weekend!
WISH ME WELL
WISH YOU WELL TOO..

WHEN WILL I FEEL IT

Yesterday Morning I walked into the kitchen .. Steve and one of his employees are busy downstairs loading up the truck for a sampling at a store.. I noticed in the sink a cake which obviously someone had sampled CAKE some chocolate something or other.. and I thought to myself.. it is not even 8 am.. and someone hopefully NOT my husband is having a slice of cake.. or maybe this is a plate from the day before.. .. hmmm I have a feeling its a plate from early yesterday morning.. when they were packing up .. I just shook my head.. NO CAKE BEFORE 8 a.m LOL..
Speaking of Steve... 6 years ago today he was diagnosed with Prostate cancer on his 50th birthday.. in June of that year he had the surgery ... 6 years later he is for the most part healthy and celebrating his 56th birthday today..

Happy Birthday Sweetheart I love you always and forever..!!
I am not going through any arbitrary motions.. I know what I am doing.. I know I am eating well and have been OP since Monday.. I have a had a few days of feeling less than myself but that is starting too drizzle off. When will I feel the change.. I do feel things in small ways like drinking 48 0z of water a day the last 3 days , aside from visiting the bathroom frequently.. I feel more hydrated and less dry. NO I am not at the 64oz mark yet with water.. and not sure If I will get there or not.. righ now just drinking 48 oz is a big thing for a non water drinker. I want to feel a difference in my clothes.. I want to see a difference on the scale.. why on earth am I so impatient with myself right now? I have not a clue.. I know a life time of being overweight is not going to correct itself in 3 days.. Logically I know this. I know this will take the rest of my life to work with.. I know that I will never be able to stop this.. for when I stop, old habits return with avengence. It is as if I never worked hard to obsolve myself of these old habits.. they return like roots of kudzu in my life.. winding wickedly back in with a cookie here or there.. wiping out all my hard work.. Yet here I am again plowing my way through the vines.. dig out the roots and hoping these new seedlings will emerge with stronger vines and wind their way through out my life.. Drinking water for most is a simple task.. Drinking water for me is a thought out process .. I eat a few almonds to make myself thirsty.. so I can start drinking.. thats what I did this morning.. so far in the last 5 minutes I drank.. 2 ounces of water LOL.. whoop dee do lol... before lunch 24 ozs will be gone.. then I have my diet sunkist with lunch.. then after lunch its back to water.. ( Tuesday I only had a few sips of my diet sunkist.. and went back to water) .. I have walked .. last night presented a bit of challenge because Steve had a dinner meeting.. I was going to take Baz for a walk but he was limping so Cookie and I went on a short walk..
In my last post I talked about Fiber one Bars and a few of you said you would no longer eat them.. I was not advocating that at all.. and I am questioning myself on this.. no they are not the most healthiest thing... but lets face it.. a great deal of the food we eat has additives and chemicals.. its not a cop out .. to eat something you enjoy.. just dont have a ton of it.. thats what I started thinking about .. I like having one of those in the afternoon.. when my sweet tooth starts waking up...
I have also mentioned Hungry Girl a lot lately .. Hope you got to see the interview on the Today show this morning.. Guess what????? I GOT MY COOKBOOK ... WILL REVIEW IT ON FRIDAY .. UHMM THATS TOMORROW YAY!! it looks really fun..

Pictures from Dinner and Dessert.. last night

Featuring Tomato Sammys for 4 points total thats 2 tomato sammys ,(LIGHT BREAD, 2 SLICES 1PT, A COUPLE SPRINKLES OF ROMANO CHEESE, SPRAY BUTTER FOR BOTH SIDES OF BREAD SLICES, SLICED TOMATOS ) 1 pt skinny cow dippers bar and 1/3 of the other flavor and had a WW latte giant bar.. BUY THESE THEY ARE WONDERFUL.. eat either 1~ 80 cal Skinny Dipper for 1 point or 2 for 3.. ( thats what the points work out too) thats why I only had a taste of the second flavor which is better than the original its vanilla dipped in choc. the second flavor is carmel dipped in choc.. yum.. have not had or seen the mint flavored one... and then I had my planned dessert a 1pt giant WW Latte bar.. SOOOO YUM and I am not a big coffee drinker .. but these rock the house!! NORMALLY I WOULD NOT DO A DOUBLE DESSERT but curiousity got the best of me.. In the real world its one or the other.. but the good news is I did it all in 2.5 points ~ oh and there is also a picture of one of those honey tangelos.. hmm yummmy..

Thats it for a Thursday
Wish me well
Wish you well

Hungry Girl was on the today show.. in case you missed it.. click here and scroll to the video titled : STRATEGIES FOR GUILT FREE SNACKING **** click on that title and watch the video