This is not a journey, this is my LIFE

I'VE MOVED!!!

2008-11-11T19:39:00.002-06:00

I have a new blog, please visit and comment!
http://imadedinner.wordpress.com

It's all about my adventures in cooking dinner...

Losing...

2008-09-21T13:18:00.004-05:00

Well, I finally lost weight again. 1.2 lbs this week to be exact! Now, I really have no idea how that may have happened because I don't think I kept very good track of my extra points...but still, I'm not arguing.

In other news, I had a very busy week! Wednesday I went to the Cubs game with my mom and David
We had a lot of fun, and I ate waaaay too many peanuts. Thursday was exciting as well when Adam decided that it would be a good idea to put me on his auto insurance plan. Not only is it saving me money, but it's exciting to have more things combined.

Yesterday, we met with a wedding planner, then spent the afternoon tooling around Oakbrook while we killed time before dinner. The moms finally met last night!!! We had a really good time, and everyone seemed happy. Now, I'm just killing time on a lazy sunday while I figure out what to do with myself today...

Yep, Core is the way for me

2008-08-30T13:53:00.001-05:00

I switched my plan last week, and lo and behold, I was down 2.2 lbs this week! I'm so relieved to be losing weight again!

In other news, Lizz and Skylar are coming to play at the pool today! I'm so excited!!

What a great dinner!

2008-08-26T18:52:00.002-05:00

I found this recipe on recipezaar and doctored it up a bit. I'd never made a tuna noodle casserole before, but I've always liked them. This one is quite healthy, and very delicious! Adam liked it a lot too.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 (8 ounce) package ww noodles, cooked
1 can lf cream of celery soup
1 (12 ounce) can flaked tuna, drained
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can peas, drained
1 tablespoon chopped pimiento
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup ff milk
1/4 ff mayonnaise
1/4 cup ff sour cream
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 cup ff cheddar cheese
sprinkling of plain bread crumbs

Mix together tuna, peas, sour cream, mayo, mustard, seasonings. Mix in a large casserole dish. Heat milk and soup together, then add cheese. Stir until just melted, then pour over noodle mixture. Top with breadcrumbs (optional) and bake at 425* for about 20 min.

I'm sick of it

2008-08-22T20:26:00.002-05:00

I've decided that I'm really and truly sick and tired of having to work SO HARD at this whole weight loss thing. I watch some of my friends who have a "healthy" relationship with food decide they want something, eat a small portion of it, and then be done.

Wheres my switch like that? Why do I have to consume EVERYTHING thats put in front of me? Why do I LOATHE exercise?

damn genetics...

argh

2008-08-06T21:48:00.002-05:00

am i alone in the fact that i dont like to hang out with many work people outside work? Hell, i see enough of them ALL DAY!!!

I got tagged...

2008-08-05T20:39:00.002-05:00

I have been officially tagged by Christie over at What I Ate Yesterday

Here are the Rules:

1. Link back to the person that tagged you

2. Post the rules of tagging on your blog

3. Blog about 6 unspectacular quirks about yourself

4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them

5. Leave a comment on the blogs you tag so they know they are “it”

OK, so here goes, 6 things about me.

1. I have an odd obsession with buying shoes. I have waaay too many pairs

2. I used to desperately want to perm my hair, but when I turned 15, it got curly on its own

3. I can make a decent meal from seemingly unrelated ingredients

4. I'm incredibly proud of the fact that I stopped biting my nails.

5. I truly hate exercising.

6. I love painting my nails funky colors, even though everyone and their mother tells me its "tacky"

And for the fun part, I tag:

No one... i don't have any blogger friends besides Christie!!!

Weight loss and shrinkage

2008-07-27T15:13:00.002-05:00

I lost .2 lb yesterday, and was absolutely thrilled considering I'd eaten pizza (10 pts. worth) for lunch, soup, salad, steak, shrimp, and bread for dinner, and an inordinate amount of salt.

Then today, I went to get my engagement ring sized. I have no idea what exactly a ring size is measuring, but I do know that my pre-weight-loss size was 9. Today, my ring got sized all the way down to a 6! Hey, I like that at least one part of my body is a size 6...

In other news, camp follies is over, so now we can start relaxing and enjoying camp again. There's a Cubs vs. Brewers game field trip on Thursday, and my birthday party afterward! I CANT believe I'm turning 28...

We're Engaged!!!

2008-07-13T00:48:00.004-05:00

Last night, in a surprise move in a tea room at our sushi restaurant, Adam proposed!!! He'd been in with my dad (a jeweler) for months, and he made the ring.

We celebrated with wine, fruit, and cheesecake... and I was up 2 lbs this a.m. at WI...but I DON'T CARE!!!! It'll be gone next week, and I'm too happy to care!! It's been a whirlwind 2 days, including about 20 phone calls, 100 text messages, one mani-pedi, and a drunken soccer game with all my camp friends. Next... the planning... i have no idea where to begin!

Must've done SOMETHING right!

2008-07-05T13:57:00.005-05:00

A lot of people on WW dread holiday weekends because of all the food they "just can't" avoid. I used to be one of those people... but what I found this week was that its not one meal, or even one day that will derail me. It's continued "holiday weekend" behavior throughout the week and weekend. I get 28 Points® in a day plus 35 extras in a week. Wednesday, I managed to consume 50 Points®. 50!!!!

Guess what? I lost 1.4 lbs this week.

Thats because I ate 50 Points® in one DAY... not EVERY day.

Can someone explain...

2008-06-30T05:50:00.003-05:00

WHAT is the appeal of "salads" full of pudding, marshmallows, whipped topping, and Jell-O? This concoction doesn't even come CLOSE to resembling a salad. It's a jiggling pastel colored mess that tastes so sickeningly sweet, other flavors are completely masked.

Am I a food snob? Probably. But is this still gross? Absolutely.

Doing something WRONG!

2008-06-29T19:37:00.002-05:00

I was up .2 at WI last week, so I added lots of veggies, water, and switched to lattes instead of iced coffees to make sure I was getting all my milks. Then this week, I was prepared for a loss of some sort... lo and behold: UP .2 AGAIN!

My leader suggested to up the water again, and to accept that with my change in schedule and activity level with camp starting, there might be an adjustment period where my body goes "WTF IS THIS?!" (Yes, he actually said that, we have a great relationship).

In other news, I'm finally feeling better. I've been diagnosed with environmental allergies that manifest themselves by making my eyes look like a) I have a wicked case of pink eye or b) have smoked so much reefer I shouldn't be able to function. Patanol is my new best friend.

Adam and I went to a wedding last night and we both looked fab, if I say so myself:

Oh, and I went blonde yesterday too.

Words are the best encouragement...

2008-06-14T18:39:00.003-05:00

I went to WI early today because I had a camp open house all day, starting during my normal WI time. I lost .2 lbs. That's right POINT TWO. 3.2 measly ounces.

And then I thought about that. Those 3.2 ounces are 3 shots of liquor. Or one stick of butter (almost). I got some reassurance from friends and family that its still a LOSS, and I'm below 200 again!

Then I got to this open house thing, and saw loads of parents and campers I haven't seen since last August. Every last one of them told me how "fantastic" I looked, and how I'm "so much smaller" and that they "didn't recognize" me. That was just the boost I needed!!

I'm a WOMAN, I'm not WEAK!

2008-06-11T22:47:00.002-05:00

I almost murdered the toothless Indian woman who bagged my groceries today. I have NOTHING against Indians, nor nothing against people missing teeth. Nothing at all. I do, however, have issues with sheer stupidity. Yes, I was a woman, alone, grocery shopping. Big freaking deal. I do NOT need 2 whole items per bag so that I can, and I quote "handle the bags into the car". I do not need to be asked 5 (yes 5) times if I need help out to the car.

I also do not need to pay $3.99 per package of whole grain English muffins, but only $.75 for a box of freaking Ho-Hos.

That gain was WORTH IT!!!

2008-06-08T09:44:00.002-05:00

I was up .8 at WI yesterday. I'm officially 200 lbs. again. But you know? I really don't care that much because Friday night we went to a fantastic restaurant and I ate whatever I wanted including:

Fresh cream of pea soup with black truffles
Stuffed breast of hen with a Door County cherry glaze
marscapone cheesecake w/caramel
handmade dark chocolate truffles

So a gain of .8? NO BIG DEAL!!! It'll be gone next week, and it was totally worth it.

Hump Day Bento

2008-06-04T18:20:00.004-05:00

The end of the school year is coming up (in 3 days!) and i'm finding it harder and harder to stay OP with all the celebratory breakfasts and various treats that are constantly around. I've decided that rather than avoiding it altogether, I'm going to allow myself ONE small treat per day and count for it. That one treat had better be worth it!!!

Here's my Wednesday's lunch bento, in my new ladybug printed oval box:

The lid is on the right. The top tier contains some cucumber/vinegar salad. The bottom tier contains a roast beef wrap with horseradish ff mayo and sugar snap peas. I'm in LOVE with this bento box because it seals tight without needing an elastic band. This will be perfect for camp!

Another week down...

2008-05-31T19:16:00.002-05:00

We talked today in our meeting about where we want to be at the end of the summer, weight-wise. It's 15 weeks from now. My leader asked me what I'd like to accomplish, and being the cynic I am, I said "Well, I'd like to just be smaller than I am now." Then he, being the great leader that he is said, "Come on, you can do better than that. Set a GOAL."

15 pounds.

I'd like to lose 15 pounds between now and Labor Day. That's a pound a week for the next 15 weeks.

.6 down today... only 14.4 to go...

In other news, Skylar, my best friend's daughter/"niece" turns 3 tomorrow. Where has the time gone?!

Guilt?

2008-05-29T21:27:00.005-05:00

Something I've been really working on since I switched plans has been trying to NOT feel guilty when I use my extra weekly Points®. I have to keep reminding myself that those Points® are mine to use, and using them will not necessarily make me gain weight. To test myself out, I ate ice cream today. I ended my school day with 4 Points® left for dinner, and anyone who knows me, knows that I cannot eat a 4 Point® dinner and be satisfied. So when we went out for sushi, I went into my weekly Points®. Yep, I feel guilty... but I did eat them, so it's all good.

Here's my bento for tomorrow, 5/30

The left (top) tier contains leftover chicken chilaquiles.
The right (bottom) tier contains baby bell peppers stuffed with Alouette light garlic and herb cheese and a side of low fat sour cream for the chilaquiles.
It's not that pretty of a bento because it's leftover casserole, but it will be delicious!

Insight and a Bento

2008-05-26T17:37:00.004-05:00

As I was cooking dinner tonight, I found myself getting oddly nostalgic. There's really nothing all that nostalgic about broccoli in some pasta and turkey smoked sausage... except for me, there is. This is a dinner I grew up eating, turkey sausage and all. I can remember LOVING it, and then my mom telling me it was good for me, and suddenly wanted nothing to do with it. Now, on Weight Watchers, I'm finding myself making so many of my mom's old healthy recipes! Guess she really did know what she was talking about!

And now, my very first bento picture, complete with food (as requested).

The lid is on the left. Bottom tier (top) contains whole wheat egg noodles with broccoli and parmesan, and 3 oz. of turkey smoked sausage (5), and the top tier contains mini sweet peppers filled with Alouette light garlic and herb cheese (1), and cherry tomatoes. This will be my lunch tomorrow, 5/27.

Bento Obsession

2008-05-25T13:01:00.009-05:00

After a ton of discussion on the WW message boards about bento box lunches, I've developed a small obsession with the portion controlling adorable boxes. I have a collection of 4 boxes with one more on the way from eBay. I have pictures of 3 of my 4 boxes, as well as the one that's coming.
This was my first box. It has 2 tiers and the cute matching chopsticks.

This was my first "package deal" that I purchased from eBay. I love the cutesiness of it!

This was a "fancy" box I got off eBay too, direct from Japan. It's a little small, so I usually supplement with a baggie of extra veggies or crackers.

This it my summer bento that's on its way from Japan. The top tier is divided, and the bottom one should be big enough for a small salad!

I have one other one-tier box that has removable dividers, but it's in the car and I don't have a picture! It seals really tight though, which will be great for camp.

Does air have Points®???

2008-05-24T14:38:00.005-05:00

Seriously, this is what I'm wondering. I follow the plan, as close to the letter as i thought I could, and lo and behold: a .6 gain this week. Air must have Points®. Thats the only thing I can think of.

Honestly though? I could be better about tracking. I could stop estimating serving sizes of my amazing low fat ice cream, not counting my oils, and start working out... that may help, huh? I'm still doing better than I would be if Adam hadn't joined with me, and he got his 20 lb. star this week!

We got Wii Fit, and I'm going to use it daily as soon as we get the protective mat for it. I'm so clumsy, I'd probably end up breaking the damn thing! I did try it out a couple times though, and its fun and I burned well over 200 calories!

In other news, I had a blast last weekend with Lizz at her aunt's wedding reception! Her family is always so warm and welcoming, and excited to see me no matter the situation. We'll get to see them again next weekend when Skylar turns 3! Adam still hasn't met them, and Lizz's mom doesn't believe he exists.
This is a picture of Lizz and I at that reception. Our good pictures are few and far between, and seriously, as vain as this sounds, I love how my legs look here!

"Miss O, why are you emo?"

2008-05-18T17:10:00.003-05:00

This is what a student asked me on Friday. I had a bunch of financial stress Thursday and Friday, and it finally just got to me, and I was in a bad mood. BUT the difference between this time and another time is that I didn't throw myself into the boxes of donuts in the lounge, or the trays of cookies in the cafeteria. No. I waited until I got home and made sweet potato fries. have you ever made sweet potato fries?
First you have to peel the sweet potato.
Then you have to cut the sweet potato in half.
Then you have to cut the half into slices.
Then you have to cut the slices into strips.
Then you sprinkle them with oil and ginger and bake them.
Oh yeah, and a raw sweet potato is just about as easy to cut as it is to cut wood with a butter knife.

By the time the sweet potato fries were DONE, I was calmer, and didn't eat BOATLOADS of them. Must remember this the next time I'm stressed.

Oh yeah, and I had a loss on Saturday... another .6 lbs! Go me!

WW LOLz

2008-05-12T20:37:00.004-05:00

Pointy soup... not core!

oops out o points

Flex mouse

There she goes again...

2008-05-03T13:18:00.005-05:00

Holy crap.
I lost again! I've officially lost 52 lbs. HOLY CRAP!
And yesterday I bought a size 12 pair of pants from Old Navy. 12!!!!! I have not worn a size 12 in pants since, oh, 5 years ago...

Now, onward and downward!

warning, do not tailgate

2008-04-30T16:35:00.002-05:00

Apparently I've upped my fiber intake. Not intentionally, but rather inadvertently. I feel truly terrible for anyone who has been walking behind me for the last 3 days. And, I feel just as bad for any of my students I happened to stand near!

Well... it happened...

2008-04-26T13:20:00.003-05:00

I BROKE THE 200 MARK!!!
I haven't been this "small" in over 18 months.
I'm so pleased with myself!

In other news: I played video games for 7 hours last night and had fun! I got to blow up virtual people... oddly stress relieving.

See Laurie? I had something to blog about!

It's 10 p.m...

2008-03-25T21:57:00.003-05:00

Many things on my mind:

I am not really hungry. My brain is telling me I'm hungry because I'm bored and/or tired and/or thirsty.
I really don't understand WHY "The Office" is so funny. Make a satirical TV show about teaching then maybe I'd get that.
Buying a size 14 pants at Banana Republic is really a big deal for me, considering I couldn't get into that size 6 months ago.
The random clean spot on our otherwise filthy carpet is bothering me. I may steam clean the rest of it tomorrow just so the clean spot doesn't stick out.
I love my new Coach bag.
I'm REALLY hoping that I lose at least 1.2 lbs this week... must work out tomorrow.

That is all for now...

Things that irk me

2008-03-18T18:29:00.002-05:00

After some time on the WW boards, there are quite a few things that irk me quite a bit. I'm boycotting posting for now (except my beloved beaches thread!), so I'll list them here.

People who have yes, lost a bunch of weight, but find it necessary to bash anyone who hasn't.
I like Splenda. So kill me.
People with 20K posts (approx) who literally live on the boards. GET A LIFE!
Sock puppets
under-nourished, over-exercising, overly sarcastic people who call everyone "dude"
Stock market traders, ladies in particular
C.O.W.s
Post-its
Being bashed for no reason, other than being me

And I'm done...

Strength in numbers

2008-03-16T09:55:00.006-05:00

I had my biggest loss in 2 months yesterday: 2.4 lbs! Was it because I made particularly good choices? Probably. Was it because I measured out my lunches and dinners? Probably. Was it because after all this time, I finally have a partner in all this? ABSOLUTELY! I can't even put into words exactly how much easier it is to stay on plan when Adam is on plan too! We can discuss Points® and how many are in each meal/snack/piece of fruit/ridiculous meal we want. We can help each other make better choices, and that helps both of us. He lost 5.5 lbs in his first week!

What will be a challenge for me will be in 4 or 5 weeks when he's still losing 5 lbs a week and I'll probably be back to .5 lb losses. I'll need to STAY ON TRACK!

I don't want to jinx it...

2008-02-17T16:59:00.005-06:00

For the first time since last November, I've lost weight 4 weeks in a row. 4 WEEKS IN A ROW! I'm finally back where I was before the proverbial shit hit the fan last year, but I have another 6 lbs to go to get back to my lowest weight.

I've had some rough food decisions the last couple days, but since I'm following the Flex® Plan this week, I'm still well within my Points®.

I'm going to go back to the gym this week too. I think I'm ready to deal with the gym rats and "resolutioners" that have been overpowering the treadmills and weight machines since Jan. 1. Luckily, my gym isn't full of "perfect" women and men that make me feel like a fat blob among skeletons. I'm just about average really...

Interesting turn of events.

2008-01-22T18:51:00.000-06:00

After a long day at work today, I was driving home with a throbbing headache. Rather than coming home and plopping on the couch and eating a snack, I popped in my Leslie Sansone walking video and burned 186 calories off. My head still hurts, but I at least feel better about myself!

&$@##$% You Jack!

2008-01-20T19:18:00.000-06:00

Jack, my absolutely fabulous leader, challenged me last week. After 11 months, yes 11 whole MONTHS of being within the same 6 pounds, I crawled on hands and knees to my leader after the getting started session and said "Jack, what should I do?" And he answered me, in all his fabulousness "Honey, I think you need to switch plans and bring me your tracker." Jaw hits floor, ass hits chair, automatic eye roll. "I don't DO tracking." followed by a big sigh. Jack says "And...how's that workin' for ya?" So I did it. One week, I swore, just one week of tracking everything. And what happened?

I LOST 3 POUNDS. So I'm tracking again.

That picture is my best friend and I on new years

End of an age...

2007-06-16T22:48:00.000-05:00

well, friday marked the last day at my first teaching job. It lasted 4 years, and suddenly I feel like I'm out of the "beginner" stage and into a new one. The new job starts August 20...

I did part of a high ropes course today... something i could NOT do 52 lbs ago!

...And I'm back!

2007-04-14T13:47:00.000-05:00

This photo was the last day of our vacation in Florida!
Yeah its been a while. I don't want to hear about it. I know. Stress and life changes tend to get in the way of things like, oh, watching what I eat. It's become more and more obvious that I'm really an adult and have to deal with all sorts of adult type things. Jobs, stress, vacations... while great most of the time, lately not so much.

So, this week it's back to the gym, it's back to eating well, and back to LOSING WEIGHT!

Yes, it's been a while.

2007-03-08T21:13:00.001-06:00

The last 2 months have been a whirlwind of emotions, hitting a low point on Jan. 21 when my grandma passed away, and a high point is yet to come. Thankfully, I'm on an upward trend with my moods lately. Pretty much the very same week that my grandma got sick, I stopped losing weight. I've hovered around the same 3 pounds for the last 3 months. Every week I walk into my meeting, get on the scale, and hope to see a MUCH lower number. 2/10ths here lost, then up another 1.5...I know plateaus happen, but this one is getting a little hard to swallow. I'm trying my hardest and doing everything right, but alas, no change.

Adam has been absolutely wonderful throughout the roller coaster of family drama over the last few months, and I'm truly lucky to have such an amazing man in my life.

More later...

In 2007...

2006-12-28T15:06:00.000-06:00

1. Will you be looking for a new job?
Nope! I love my job!

2. Will you be looking for a new relationship?
No way!

3. New house?
Nope!

4. What will you do differently in '07?
Hit my WW goal before 2008... 48 more lbs!

5. New Year's resolution?
See #4

6. What will you NOT be doing in '07?
i will not gain weight back.
I will not be getting anew job

7. Any trips planned?
Hopefully somewhere warm and wonderful in May

8. Wedding plans?
oy, quite a few to go to, who knows if i have plans for my own yet... gotta ask adam about that.

9. Major thing on your calendar?
Nope

10. What can't you wait for?
My family craziness to end.

11. What would you like to see happen differently?
Budget better

12. What about yourself will you be changing?
Losing weight, continuing to not smoke

13. Will you be nicer to the people you care about?
yes

14. Will you dress differently this year then you did in '06?
YES!! Smaller clothes!!

15. Will you start or quit drinking?
Eh, dont really drink, don't really like it

16. Will you better your relationship with your family?
I hope so.

17. Will you do charity work?
maybe

18. Will you go to bars?
Maybe

19. Will you be nice to people you don't know?
Sure

20. Do you expect '07 to be a good year for you?
Yes!

21. How much did you change from last year to this year?
I'm 55 lbs lighter, and a lot happier.

22. Do you plan on having a child?
NO

23. Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now?
Yep

24. Major lifestyle changes?
Not that I can think of

25. Will you be moving?
I hope not!

26. What will you make sure doesn't happen in 2007 that happened in 2006?
Going broke

27. What are your New Years Eve plans?
Going out to dinner

28. Will you have someone to kiss at midnight?
Yes! My one and only...

29. One wish for 07?
Happiness and health for all around me

Updates

2006-12-03T18:33:00.000-06:00

Just a few things today: *I'm officially down 53 lbs! *my 2 year anniversary with Adam is coming up on the 17th and he bought me a diamond circle pendant to celebrate (that, and he's proud of me for losing 50 lb) *Lizz came through her surgery just fine *Grandma's cancer is treatable as long as she can afford the treatment. Hopefully she'll be part of a study or something that will cover her medication. She's in good spirits though, and I'm going up to see her on Tuesday. I hope that should cheer her up.

This is a new photo of Skylar, Lizz's 18 month old and my "niece"... I love her!

Grandma

2006-11-29T17:39:00.000-06:00

things have taken an odd and sad turn in the last few days... my grandma who will be 89 in a couple weeks, was diagnosed with lung cancer.

i'm having a hard time dealing with it

just thought i'd share

Onederland, again!

2006-11-18T15:59:00.000-06:00

I gained 3.8 lbs. last week. Well, that's what the scale told me anyway. My brain knew better! It knew that I'd had Thai food the night before and was bloated. It knew that my lack of counting that week had caused me to gain a little weight. I went back to old-school though, and counted like a mad woman (at least the stuff i needed to count) and lost all but .2 of that this week! I'm back to Onederland and 52.8 lbs gone....PHEW!

Above is the picture of Lizz and I from the Baby Fair a couple weeks ago. I think we literally have hundreds of pictures together now!

A difference in perspective

2006-11-04T11:08:00.000-06:00

Earlier in the week, I had an experience that I wrote about where a student called me a fat ass. Granted, no, I don't know what else is going on in her life to make her so angry etc, but no matter what, behavior like that is unacceptable. Later this week, I logged into my MySpace account for the first time in a while. I'd recently added a few former students (now in high school) as "friends" so I was anticipating a few comments from them. I was not expecting what I got! 3 of the 4 girls wrote me notes saying how amazing I looked when they saw me, and how they didn't recognize me until I talked to them. These are teenage girls with no ulterior motives for complimenting me, so I really can take their compliments to heart... usually teenage girls don't compliment anyone unless they mean it!

I had to weigh in a day early this week because my WW center is closed today. I was down 1.6 so it's a total of 53 pounds now... which is still hard for me to believe. It's been fun now that there are people at work that are also on WW, and I'm slowly converting them to the core plan... very very slowly...

On Wednesday, I had to go to the pet store to get a bag of dog food, and of course dog food comes in GINORMOUS bags. The only kind our dog will eat is this organic stuff that of course was on sale: 44 lbs for the price of 40. I was proud of myself for lifting the bag and carrying it to my car, but was thinking that not 7 months ago, I had MORE than that much weight distributed on my body. It was very eye opening to think about, and motivation for me to keep going.

Hopefully I'll get my "reward" for 50 lbs and Onederland this weekend: a diamond circle pendant. Adam said he'd help pay for it, which has allowed me to really look for the one I REALLY want, instead of the one I can afford.

A funny thing happened today...

2006-10-31T22:11:00.000-06:00

I managed to anger a student today. Not that this is an odd occurrence by any means, but the reaction and argument that ensued was, let's say, different.

This story needs a little preface: Last year, just about 2 months before I joined WW, a student was confused by a major assignment that I had just finished explaining. I caught her passing a note to another student, and like any other teacher, I took the note away from her. When I read it, the note said "I know, I hate her, I hate her stupid projects. Imagine how fat she would be if she got pregnant! GROSS!" And even though it was a 6th grade student, it still hurt. Part of my decision to join WW was because of this note.

Now, on to today's story. This student had a major attitude for the class period that I saw her. With Halloween and the festivities, I let a lot of the stuff she was saying go because it was just that kind of day. The staff was then given a list of students that were not allowed to participate in the upper-grades dance in the afternoon, and this one girl was on this list. She of course got angry, and said "Well, if I'm not allowed to go to the dance, I want my $3 back." I told her that I didn't know what the policy was, but since it was for disciplinary action that I doubted she'd get her money back . She then said "Damn Miss O shut your fatass up until you know what you're talking about." Rather than getting upset about what she said, I sent her to the office and she proceeded to get suspended for 3 days.

I started thinking. This time last year, I really *was* a fatass! As of now, I'm still overweight, but by no means a fatass... this was a major revelation to me!

Such milestones!

2006-10-28T20:07:00.000-05:00

YWow, so last week I hit a huge milestone in my mission to get down to a normal weight: I officially lost 50 pounds! Then today, I saw something at the scale that I haven't seen in over 5 years: a 1 as the first digit in my weight. That's right folks, I started this whole thing at over 250 lbs, and I have no plans of stopping. Y

YI've been watching portions much more closely, and I've noticed that I need significantly less food to keep myself satisfied. Tonight, for example, I started myself with 2 small tacos, assuming that I could go back and make another one if I needed. I didn't need it! When I wanted something sweet, I had a little leftover breakfast (pancake) and felt good. I have pudding for a late night snack if I feel I need it. Y

YOther news: My sister is moving back home!! She got a job in Chicago at a new restaurant, and will be moving home before the end of November. I'm so excited for her!! Sorry there are no new pictures, but hopefully I'll have a few soon. Y

Beginning of month 7

2006-10-14T18:51:00.000-05:00

I know I've said this before, but man, I can't believe it's been this long! There are some days that I feel like a complete rookie at this, then there are other days that make me feel like an expert. They started an "at work" ww meeting at my school for the teachers, and all the teachers who joined asked me to come to meetings for support. They ask me as many questions as they do the leader! It's great feeling like I actually know something.

I had a rough last week with Josh's wedding and a few dinners out. I though I'd done pretty poorly and had braced myself for a gain. I got on the scale and the receptionist smiled and said "good job!" When I looked at my book I saw that I'd lost 1.4 lbs... guess I did better on the other days than I'd originally thought. I need my knee to heal so I can start working out again. I was doing SO much better when I had more regular activity. I've started doing housework when I get home from work so I can at least break a sweat.

Posted here are pictures of me and Adam from a year ago, and from last weekend. I think there's a pretty drastic difference!

Time to reflect

2006-10-01T12:45:00.000-05:00

After however many weeks of steady weight loss, i gained a pound this past week. I know exactly why: i stopped counting points of what i ate, and i ate a bunch of crap... I just hate that this gain came so close to me hitting my 50# mark... oh well... onward and downward!

Back to my "real" life...

2006-08-31T18:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my first day back at my "real" job, and I was not looking forward to it. I felt like I hardly got any time off. BUT all my hard work this summer paid off! People were talking left and right about how great I look, and it felt SO good to be talked about positively. Today, a few students were in the building, and they didn't initially say hello to me until I said hello to them because they didn't recognize me. For fun, these are some pictures of right after school let out in June and right before work started this past week:

Camp is over

2006-08-19T20:44:00.000-05:00

Wow, 9 weeks sure went quickly! While i had my challenges during camp, I did lose over 15 lbs in the 9 weeks, which is decent progress! I'm ready for my break now...10 days off... My plans include getting my hair done, and cooking a LOT! OH and sleeping... sleep has been hard to come by...

This is a photo of me and my friend Rita on the last day of camp. I love that I can see my eyes now, and they're not completely squinty when i smile...

Week 19...

2006-08-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

well, a friend of mine just told me that I haven't updated this in a really long time... and I guess i haven't! It's been a crazy month really, with camp and moving. Camp has been fun for sure, and TONS of work. My kids keep me running around all day, and my whole weight loss thing has been going well because of that. I slipped up a bit last week after the move. There were no clean dishes, and it was just easier to order out. I made good choices (nothing fried, no cheese, etc.) but still saw a gain (.4) at the scale this week. it's back on the wagon this week though! We're doing dishes and going grocery shopping today. The Under 200 mark is my next goal...hopefully by Labor day!

Independance Day

2006-07-04T10:47:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been slacking on updating ya'll, and i know you TOTALLY miss me! So here's what's new: i've lost 7 lbs since camp started... i guess the physical activity is good for me! My girls are adorable, and the people I work with are a blast. I've made a couple new friends and reconnected with some old ones. Eating has been pretty difficult because I have to get up SO early, so remembering to pack lunch within the 8GHGs has been HARD!

It's interesting that it's Independance day though... I actually feel like I have something to celebrate! I'm independent from my reliance on crappy food, independent of the judgements of being a "fat girl" and most importantly, independent of the way i used to feel...

Week #15... another milestone up soon!

2006-06-25T17:07:00.000-05:00

I really can't believe how well this is all working for me... not to sound self-centered or anything, but I've never had a lifestyle change stick as well as this one has. I hadn't realized how much better I felt, but camp started this week. For the first time in a few years, my campers were yelling at me to slow down when we were walking, and they got tired LONG before I did. I don't feel like an idiot in my bathing suit, and the kids aren't pointing and staring at "the fat counselor" anymore. Next week I get my "stay and succeed" dangle for my 10% keychain... I can't believe it!

I DID IT!!

2006-06-10T13:37:00.000-05:00

I hit my first "mini-goal" of my first 10%! I'm bouncing! SO EXCITED!!!

Next goal: another 10% by the beginning of the school year, the first Tuesday after Labor Day. I think i can do it!

Nervous for tomorrow's WI

2006-06-09T06:25:00.000-05:00

I had a disappointing WI last week, especially because I "should have" hit my 10% at last meeting. But alas, instead of losing a full pound, i lost .4 and i missed it by .6 ARGH! Hopefully I'll hit it this week! I've done really well this week though, and it looks like i'll be cooking a lot this weekend, so I'll start next week off right. I got a haircut last week, and i've been feeling really good about myself lately, which is always the best part of losing weight!

week 10... i gave up counting days

2006-05-24T22:23:00.000-05:00

I lost track of my days! I've had a few victories the last few days, the most minor being that i fit into a SMALLER size of a shirt that i'd previously tried on 1 size larger. The more major ones have been: eating very well on my trip to Denver. I managed to not overeat TOO much, and kept track of my points. I didn't get to weigh in last week, and I'm starting to feel as though I may have made a mistake in not doing it. I'm kind of feeling like I've lost sight of what my 35 pts. in a week feels like, and even though I've gotten at least 1 AP a day for the last 2 weeks, I feel like I may be overdoing it. The scale will tell on saturday though! The above picture is of me, my dad, and my sister at her graduation.

Day 48

2006-04-30T13:09:00.000-05:00

I really thought i'd be better at updating this, but alas, i've had other things going on. This past week was a great one for me! I hit a couple challenges during the week though that I think I dealt with pretty well. The biggest one was when I went to visit a friend of mine and her new baby out of town for the day on Friday. Her husband was really nice and went and got these amazing sandwiches from a local place, and in a previous mind frame, I would've eaten my sandwich, a full cookie, chips, etc. I worked it out so i had the smallest piece of this HUGE sandwich with no mayo, and a HUGE glass of water. I was definitely satisfied, and I didn't have to feel guilty about eating something I knew was bad for me. Saturday morning I went to my meeting and I was down 2.6 lbs for a total of 15.8 in 6 weeks. I've never felt better!

day 41

2006-04-23T13:59:00.000-05:00

This past week had so many challenges! Getting back to work after spring break, a 3 year old's birthday party, and a friday dinner with my boyfriend. I must've done something right because Saturday's WI showed a 1.2 lb loss! I've lost 13.2 lbs total, and i figured out that it's equal to:

53 sticks of butter
My friend's 10 month old
almost 3 bags of potatoes
1.5 bags of ice

So i'm feeling pretty good!! Thinking this way has helped me keep the motivation i need to stay on this plan and keep losing!! Even the boyfriend (who has told me a zillion times that i look great no matter what) said "you really look great, definitely smaller"... sigh...

Day 36

2006-04-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

Wow, I've kind of sucked at updating this!! I've had a pretty succesful week though I'm pretty proud of myself, especially for doing well through holidays.

I survived my family's Passover seder with only using 2 WPAs, and my mom was very accomodating of my new eating style. She made sure to tell me that there was almost no oil in anything she made!
I survived Adam's family's Passover seder with only another 2 WPAs, and it was great because his aunt used to be on WW, AND his uncle is diabetic. There was no added sugar, and everything was very lean.
A friendly barbecue was a bit difficult for me because I did NONE of the cooking. I counted my points, only used 8, and ate very well.
Easter proved to be a bigger challenge since the woman who did the cooking is notorious for putting extra oil in stuff, and there was SO much candy everywhere. Since my points renewed on Saturday, I was able to use 14 points without feeling guilty.

It was back to work after Spring break today. I wasn't ready for it! I actually cried in Adam's arms last night because I didn't want to go back to reality. The thing that stinks is that I only get to see him on weekends, and I got spoiled this past week. I got to Adam's at about 4 on Wednesday, and didn't have to leave until this morning. I really love waking up with him!! In a nutshell, I think i'll gain this week. It's TOM, and no matter how hydrated I am, I always bloat. I also used more of my WPAs than I usually do, but we'll see what happens. In other news, one of my best friends from high school had her first baby today!! She and her husband were blessed with a gorgeous baby girl! I couldn't be happier, and I can't wait to take the road trip the 2 hours to go see her!!!

day 28

2006-04-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

I had my 5th WI today...4th one since on core. I was down another .6 of a pound, so that makes a grand total of 9.8 lb of me gone! I'm planning on a hot dog and a beer at the Cubs game today, a small piece of b-day pie for adam's birthday, and that should leave a good 15 points for me to use at passover. shouldn't be too bad! I'm feelin' good! GO CUBS!

Day 27

2006-04-07T20:42:00.000-05:00

I took the day off work today as an extra day of Spring break, and WOW did I need it! I spent it w/my boyfriend, and we went for lunch and then to best buy. I made a pretty good lunch decision but it came with a few things I wasn't expecting. It was an asian chicken salad, but it came with this sauce that wasn't the dressing, and peanuts. I had a hard time even finishing half of it, so I didn't feel guilty about it. Dinner was Bubble Up Pizza...and it's a great find! I put it in my recipes page, and I'm definitely making it again! Next time, i'm making it in a bigger pan and only doing one topping. I tried to appease the boyfriend and put pepperoni on one half and mushrooms on the other. Not worth the extra work! I'm weighing in tomorrow at 10, and then shopping for boyfriend's birthday present. I have the sentimental gift already, I just need the material one... not too difficult! Then it's off to the Cubs game! I should get a lot of APs just walking from parking to the game!

day 26

2006-04-06T20:48:00.000-05:00

I can't even begin to explain how happy I am today! I'm sitting in my boyfriend's house on a thursday night, after having a great sushi dinner, and i know that i don't have to go back to work until a week from monday! I love spring break! Food's been a little difficult lately because money has been tight, so I've had to live only on what i had in the house. The only thing I missed really was my dairy, but I'll do better this week. I really appreciate all the help and encouragement I've gotten from people on the boards, and I appreciate even more the help and support from my friends. It means so much to be encouraged! I made good choices this weekend too, by bringing my own food to the boyfriend's house so i'm not stuck eating non-core food. The freezer is stocked with chicken breasts and steak, and the fridge has applesauce and mashed sweet potatoes! Here's to another loss on the scale!

Day 25

2006-04-05T08:58:00.000-05:00

The last couple days have been a bit bizarre. The weather has been changing, and I'm finding myself with more and more energy, mostly from the better foods i've been eating and the increasing daylight. The days have been strange, though, because I'm getting annoyed at myself for not wanting to be more active. I come home from work and all I want to do is sit somewhere quiet. I can't seem to get up the motivation to go walking! Then, the days that I promise myself that I'll go, it's either rainy or I have to work until after it's dark. I've cooked some good dinners though, and I'm excited to see my sister next week to see if she notices my losses. I've found that my family's comments and compliments mean a lot more to me than others'. Maybe its because they know me the best, and don't serve to gain anything by complimenting me...

Day 23

2006-04-03T22:04:00.000-05:00

Even though I'm on day 23 of WW at this point, its the first day of my WW blog. I figure that I need to keep track of how I'm feeling re: the program and myself in order to stay on track. I've found that if I'm accountable to someone or something other than myself, I have a much easier time sticking to whatever I'm trying to accomplish.

Today was the first day that I really had a hard time OP. I spent the weekend at my boyfriend's house, and while I did my best to keep enough core food in the house so that I could bring enough food for today, I underestimated how much I'd need for the weekend AND today. Breakfast was a banana and coffee, and stuck with me surprisingly long! Lunch was veggies with a little rice and 2 bottles of water. Dinner was leftover skillet lasagne (aptly re-named "coreburger helper" by Megs and myself). I'm satisfied, thats for sure, but I don't feel as good today as I normally do. I like being able to snack if I need to. Tomorrow should be a better day.

i'm down 9.2 lbs... that's 37 sticks of butter, or 3 bags of cat food, or a large newborn baby...when I think about it that way, I've really accomplished something!