Friday, January 11, 2013

Where did she go?

I'm still around,  but making a new leap! Based on the Arabian proverb, check me out here: http://herhealthandhope.blogspot.com/

Monday, August 20, 2012

Weight Lifting Is Where It's At!

The English major ended a sentence with a preposition; we'll just call it "decorative" writing. Truly the title is true! I've made it one week into my alternating workout calendar. I would post it here if I could, but the site where it's housed is throwing fits. Here's a break-down:

a butt-kicker through and through!
Monday, August 13th:



Lots of fun, but not for those choreographically challenged
Tuesday, August 14th:


Janet is lovely, but tough. This one is easiest on my knees.
Wednesday, August 15th:



Thursday, August 16th: Daughter's 12th birthday party (I did enough running around to get my cardio in, truly!)


The express wasn't enough. I look forward to going through the entire workout next time.
Friday, August 17th:



Saturday, August 18th: On a weekend away with hubby.


Jane is awesome! The 80's outfits rock as does the wonderful music.
Sunday, August 19th:




Sandahl makes this a good workout, but some of the moves are a little rocky.
Monday, August 20th:


The weight is coming off slowly, but my body is changing. When I was just doing Turbo Fire (which is great, don't get me wrong), I think I was just shredding away at my muscle mass. I apparently need all I can get because things are happening in a very good way, now. I look smaller, I can see some definition and some of the flabby is disappearing. Tomorrow, I'm doing "Jane's" Abs, Buns and Thighs workout and Wednesday, Volume 4 of the The Firm. The rest of the week will be devoted to moving and unpacking boxes. Ugh! I'm looking forward to the move but, again, not the packing and unpacking part.

My weekend away with hubby was unexpected and oh, so sweet. He was initially planning to visit with a friend on Friday night. The friend is being deployed for a year and the boys were having a going away party for him. I told hubby that I would take the girls to the drive-in to see ParaNorman. This would occupy us nicely while he was away. He left to train his client and then his plans were to leave after this for the party.

I received a call after his training session. At the time, I was in the midst of doing Z's hair. He says, "How much more do you have to do?" I told him. Then, he says, "Tell the girls to pack an overnight bag. I've decided I want to spend time with you tonight." Really?! How wonderful! He went into a spiel about how he'll never know what day it was I found him stranded at the mall, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. He said that it was hot and that he felt like it was the end of summer when it happened. Whether it did or didn't, he admitted that he began pursuing me directly after that day. He aptly named August 17th "Chase Day" in honor of this.  What a softy.

So, we dropped off the kids at his friend's house and drove to Ogden. We stayed at an Express (which serves a pretty tasty breakfast in the mornings), then went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I had the grilled BBQ chicken, while he had the road kill. I also indulged in a "Skinny" Margarita. It was okay and was sufficient in giving me the light buzz I was looking for. I asked him if we were going anywhere else and he said he just wanted me to himself. Right on!

Back in our room, we had cocktails and watched a bit of HGTV. We will have satellite again in our new apartment and I have a feeling we'll be on that channel non-stop again. We were pretty bad addicts before. Now, with our own, personal house-hunting only two years away, it will be over-the-top.

After our weekend, we picked up the kids and all went to the movies to see ParaNorman. It's very cute, but has some definite PG moments. It was actually a little jolting to me in some parts and I'm a horror moving queen! Both my girls (6 and 12) enjoyed it. When the six year-old doesn't take a potty break, that's a sign of a good, kid movie. They were even pretty liberal with some of the jokes. The times they-are-a-changing.

I guess it's back to packing for me. We're running out of boxes, so I've put my name down at the local grocery store for more. Tonight we'll bid our side-by-side refrigerator "Adieu". Why doesn't anyone want our twin beds? We've sold everything else! Let me know if you're in the market.

Friday, August 17, 2012

My Oldest Turns Twelve

Where has the time gone? I know people say this constantly when they have children but, I'm really letting that idea sink in. Where did it go?! It was just a short time ago that I was burping and diapering that child. Today? I helped her apply her pressed powder and lipstick for the first time. Soon, she'll be posing for prom pictures. One day, she'll call and tell me she's engaged. Amazing!

The move is nearly here (we'll be moving into our new apartment next week). Here's the layout:

Square footage wise, it's lacking 200 feet from our current place; however, the layout is much better and we have more storage. I'm excited, but wish I had Samantha's method of moving things:





In any case, one week from today, I should be lounging in my new bedroom with my new furniture. We've sold our bedroom furniture of over ten years, along with our sectional couch and chaise and our dining room set. Hubby purchased a lovely wine/bar stand for the nook in our kitchen today. I can't wait to see everything laid out. We even have a nice, long hallway for our pictures.

School starts the day after Labor Day. This has been odd, since we probably would have had kids in school by next week (typically). Their summer break has gone on, it seems like, endlessly. Our district is starting them later this year than ever before (not sure why).

How am I doing with the workouts and weight loss? Initially, I had a terrible stall and couldn't seem to lose anymore weight. I wasn't sure what had happened. At first, I worried that the HCG from before had thrown off my metabolism and that I would not find a way to get the weight off again. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I did question other reasons.Was I gaining muscle? Was I not drinking enough water? Did I need to increase my workouts to two per day? Nothing was working.

I made a decision during our trip to the lake that more weight training and less carbs were necessary. I know this works for me and I just need to commit to the lifestyle change. So, that's what I've done this week. Amazing! The day after my first low-carb meals and the introduction of my weight training workout, I lost two pounds. I know some of it was water, but that was motivation enough for me to keep going. Now, I'm nearly into a new bracket (I love when that happens).

I put together a calendar that I've been following and hope to follow for the next few weeks. I just have to keep reminding myself that what works for me may not work for everyone else. If I plateau, I have enough "Training" videos to help break it (at least, I hope I do).

I'd like to be able to get back into my 8s and 10s comfortably. I'm still maintaining in a 14 which is not cool at all. The good news is that my body is changing (I can see it) and now the weight loss is starting to catch up. Pray for me. I need it!


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Inner Beauty/Outer Beauty

The workouts are still going strong and I've got the soreness to prove it. I have to keep reminding myself that the weight may not come off as quickly as with the "rounds" I did, but my body will be taught, tight and tone. That's enough to motivate patience. I can see an ever so slight difference in my physique already. It will be wonderful when the muscle tone and definition returns. Mirror, be my friend! I'm feeling really good and enjoying the endorphin rush I get each morning. I've now intensified my training to include morning and afternoon workouts.

Z's birthday celebration has been tough to plan this year, what with our moving a week after and being in an apartment. Hubby called to tell me that he will be off, so we'll have two cars to transport kids. My car will hold four bodies, aside from the driver, fairly comfortably. We plan to have the party-goers have lunch and treats at our apartment. After which, we will take them to a pre-determined amusement place where they'll play, play, play then get picked up by their parents. She should enjoy herself.

Twelve is the magic age to begin the make-up process. She's allowed to wear powder and lipstick (just as I did) at this age. I can't count how many stores I drove around to, in order to try and find her shade of powder. Utah is lacking in the ethnic front (unless you happen upon a bargain basement store that has miships or something). I ended up ordering her powder from the Black Opal site. By the way, ladies, order $35 or more and get free standard shipping along with a year's subscription to Essence magazine. Sweet!

I'm still unemployed and not feeling the least bit bad about it. We've been traveling and enjoying the summer as a family. I've also been spending lots of time with my kids. The packing will begin in full force next week and I am not looking forward to it; however, I am happy I'll be able to contribute more with the move this time around. Two years in our next apartment, then we'll be house hunting again. Hooray!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

My Little Girl is Growing Up!

Things are going well with the eating and workout plan. I'm feeling so much better and have a few pounds lost to show for it. I don't know how many inches are gone, but I'm starting to see a difference (which is always good). I may meet my first goal yet!

As I was playing on my Sims 3 game yesterday, the eldest walks in and says, "Mom, I think I started my period." Well, I've heard this before and in the past, it's just been "mistaken identity". This time, she was correct. I thought about my first time and realized that it coincides with hers! It was the summer vacation just before seventh grade when "Aunt Flo" made her appearance for the first time for me too.

My plan was to give her "The Talk" after her birthday, but I believe I'll have to push that up a bit sooner. Dad is on stand-by to take Indy, while I have this very frank discussion with the eldest. My girlfriend said, "How are you going to have this conversation?" I told her I was just going to come out with it, no use beating around the bush. (Bad pun.Sorry.) I'll then talk with her about the other things like, how a young man should treat a young woman, respecting herself and her body and, finally, not giving in to every little temptation. I also want her to know that she's okay to ask questions and get straight answers from me (friends can sometimes have the totally wrong impression).

This is a hard age and no one could pay me enough to go back through it again. I hope that she knows she has parents ready to listen and support from multiple places to help steer her through. My little girl isn't a little girl anymore. What a milestone!


Thursday, July 19, 2012

"Please just take care of you, before you find something else."

I'm a big girl again, these days. The distressing thing about it is that I'd gotten to a good size again and then the stress picked up at work. I'm certainly a stress-eater and I'm working everyday towards resolving these bad habits.

So far, I've worked out every day (accept Sunday) beginning Monday, July 9th. That's ten workouts. Sweet! I'm so proud of myself! I've noticed small changes and I'm really looking forward to the big ones. It's going to be a journey, but I'm confident I can get back into my "me" clothes again. The summer is probably a no-go for my cutie shorts and fabulous dresses, but I'll be able to sport my fall, sexy gear for sure.

It's good to have goals and I'll post them here for my own edification (and for a bit of accountability):

*By the end of July, I'd like to have lost at least five pounds or be back into a size 12*
*By the end of August, I'd like to have lost ten pounds or be back into my size 10s*
*By the end of September, I'd like to have lost fifteen pounds or wear an 8 or 9*

By the time my best friend arrives, I hope to be looking just as good (if not better) than when she saw me last. I also would like to continue the journey, even after she leaves. We have our big trip planned for next year and I'd like to be able to wear one of my bikinis that still has the tags.

I used to use the Daily Plate and I like that site, but I spend so much time on my IPad that I thought investigating an app would be the way to go. So, MyFitnessPal has been my go-to resource for the last little while. It documents my workouts, what I've eaten, my weight progress and water intake. I can even enter notes/journal entries.


The best thing is that it's free and I don't have to worry about paying for ridiculous upgrades. I was religious about documenting my workouts but only today decided that I will not add the time count. The system automatically accounts for the burn, so gives you the calorie deficit as more calories to consume. This does not work for me. Not only do I consume them, but I usually go overboard. The visual is powerful and seeing that I'm nearing the end of my allotment is a trigger. So, now I only document the workout in the notes. I hope doing this will make a difference.

In other news, my eldest had a sleepover last night with the neighbor girls. These are girls I don't know a lot about and my hope was just to give Z some more friend time while summer vacation is still in full force. Unfortunately, they were very loud and I didn't get much sleep. I did give Zaura the talk and I even heard her tell the girls a few times, "You guys have to be more quiet," but I already sort of new how the evening would go.

Basically, these girls are left to their own devices at home with their siblings, while the parents are away at work. My daughters have a lot of responsibilities. Not only that, we discipline our children. The girls that were over are pretty much free to do as they please. They are sweet girls, just more rowdy than Z's usual friends. I am actually planning on texting the mother of her best friend to see if she can come over today to play. Her energy would actually be a nice change.

With only 2 or 3 hours of sleep under my belt, I didn't have a good loss nor did I feel good when I started my workout. I've got to get better sleep (nap time today!) and drink more water (my sodium was way high, yesterday).

Finally, we're off to Lava Hot Springs again this weekend.
The last time, it was just hubby and myself. This time, we're going with the girls and meeting up with a couple and their kids. I think my girls will be totally amazed by these wonderful, healing waters. I'm considering doing my first Firm workout that Saturday morning, just so I can reap the benefits of the water before I pick them up regularly. Insane, I know.


Sunday, July 08, 2012

A New Beginning

Well, as of Friday, July 6th, I am no longer a woman among the working class. It's still a bit strange and I know it will take time for it to really sink in that I no longer work, but it really is for the best. How did this all start? Why am I now unemployed after elven and one half years of being with the same company?

It all started the evening of Sunday, June 17th. We were all getting ready to go back to work/camp on Monday after being on vacation for one week. It was 7:30 in the evening and I was busily working through the emails that had built up during my time off. I felt awful! Who works on a Sunday and, for that matter, who works during their vacation time? I knew I had to, because coming into my system on a Monday morning at 6:00am with all of those messages would have sent me over the edge.

Periodically, hubby would ask me,

"Are you almost done," to which I would reply with a defeated,

"No...I still have a few more." 

I finally whittled the messages down to a manageable number when I had an epiphany; "What if I turn in my resignation, tomorrow," I asked my hubby. What does he do? He laughs. Not a hardy "ha ha" but more of a chuckle. His reaction was somewhat shocking, so I asked him why he was laughing.

"Honey, I was just waiting for you." Eureka! Confirmation! My hubby is the greatest...truly! Together, we whipped together my resignation letter (which provided my company three weeks worth of notice and an open door to offer me other opportunities), then planned the time in which I would submit said letter. It was amazing! It felt as if an elephant had leaped off my shoulders. The expression, "You don't know how badly you feel, until you start feeling better," certainly applied here. Monday morning couldn't arrive fast enough.

At 9:00am, I emailed my resignation to my manager. At 9:30am MST, we met as a team for our online meeting. One of teammates boldly announces that he's submitted his two week notice and his last day will be June 30th. Seriously! He and I talked later that morning and he had a new position all lined up. I know that, although he wasn't as forthcoming as I would have liked him to be, he really was dissatisfied with the way our positions had changed.

The search for a new job has been going on for months with no responses. Full-time work is readily available, but trying to find a part-time job with the specific hours I want is much trickier. I am very hopeful that a window will open with just the right job. For now, I'm going to focus my attention on my family as well as I myself (I regained all my weight back, due to the enormous amount of stress I was dealing with).

Some parting thoughts before I relax with a glass of wine for the evening: I do not regret leaving my job. The metrics that were used to rate my ability were completely ridiculous. If my students have to withdraw, due to crisis, I should not be held accountable. If they cannot finish their entire term due to personal issues, how on earth is that something that I can control? My students are people, not numbers. They are adults doing the best they can with what they have. Some of them were truly amazing and I'm glad to call them my friends.

My life is on a new path and I'm ready to face this new adventure. Not even the slightest bit nervous about it! The rationale? It's obvious to me that it's the right thing to do. I'm so happy and I'm confident that my life is headed for great things. Keep moving forward!