Indulgence

Indulgence is the word I'm going to use for what has happened over the past couple of days! First, I'm going to pat myself on the back (helps justify the indulgence, and makes me feel better even though...well, you'll see). I went the longest I've gone yet, just eating the 1600 calories...7 days in a row! UNHEARD OF!! Not that I felt I needed a prize/reward, I just needed what I'm going to call a "break" (insert "Friends" memory here) I hit my brick wall of insanity, and decided on indulgence for the past two days. Admittedly, it was all "in the moment" indulgence..the fries, burgers, ribs, queso and such :-) And not all at one time :-) (If I keep putting the smiley faces, it makes it better too :-) ) Oh yeah...and there were cookies :-)

Really though, I know, I know...sigh...

18 Minutes!

I ran a total of 18 minutes on the treadmill last night! I pushed myself, because I was feeling it about 9 minutes into it. It was a walk/run effort for 35 minutes, 2.5 miles, and 18 of it running. My best so far! Kevin did great last night too. Unknown to me, he was also walk/running, and he did 18 minutes too! We are sooooo getting in shape!

It's so funny to me, because here I am on the treadmill. I'm thinking, "OH YEAH! I got this thing beat!" I finish the walk/run, and see myself in the mirror, and reality sets in once more...I'm still on the chubby side! BOO!! I've lost 7.5 pounds since I started tracking calories again last month. I have 14.5 more to go before I'm in the "normal" weight range for my height. Then, my actual goal is 9 pounds more than that, for a total loss of 31 pounds. Actually, from when I started this blog, the total lost amount will be 37 pounds.

Kevin and I have a goal to be the "new hotness" at the 4th of July party. Each year, we go to Cleburne and catch up with old friends. Each year, someone there has lost a bunch of weight. AND, each year, they seem to have kept it off. We have decided that WE are those people this year. Now, there is one friend who has already lost her 40 pounds. She will also be "new hotness". We don't mind sharing the title :-) We hope to have lost 15 pounds, so actually, she will have us beat...WHATEV!!!

Counting Calories Works...DANG IT ALL!!!

I don't know why I get so upset about all this, but I do. I don't like change too much, and this is definate change. That being said, I have lost 5 pounds in the last month. Last night for dinner I shared a pizza with Kevin, and my side had no cheese. See, that would be extra calories, fat and cholesterol that I don't want. I did notice the crust was much crispier.

Every day, I look in the mirror and see how much this program/routine is working. I also see how big I have become. I still can't believe I let myself gain so much weight, and get so out of shape. 37 pounds since I got married almost 8 years ago...geesh! Now, I've dropped 11 of it. Hopefully, this 5 pounds a month thing will work out, now that I've figured out how to do it.

Also, I'm a "produce pal." We have this program at work, and I'm on a team of 5 people. We log in how much produce we eat in a day, and it gets scored and compared to other teams. As of last week, we were 261 out of 377. We have some work to do, but I get a kick out of logging in more points than they do...hahaha! My "Monica-tude" emerges! (Friends reference, in case you missed that)

All that being said, I'm off to Easter lunch...LOL!

Suimsuit Edition

If you clicked on this link, thinking you were going to see me in a bathing suit...BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA.....ROFL, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! However, here is a picture of my new bathing suit...my first Speedo :-)

Took it for an inaugural swim today, and I think I swam .18 seconds faster!!!

I Cheated On The Mick!

LA Fitness has a website, where I, as a member, can go to sign up for future training sessions. I am able to sign up two weeks in advance. A couple of weeks ago, I logged in, and The Mick was already full. He had NOT ONE SPOT open for the whole week (this week). So, I had to keep my routine...I signed up with Justin! Who's Justin? Had no idea! He just had an open spot when I wanted to go. So, I went, tip-toeing through the gym, hoping not to get caught. I met Justin, a young guy, Army vet (poor guy has lost vision in one eye because of a blast in Iraq...had to stay on his left so he could see me). As an aside, he has a great attitude, and I'm impressed with his enthusiasm. We focused on upper body, and my arms felt like they were going to fall off by the end. He is evil, just like The Mick, but in his own way...geesh! During my workout...I was busted. I look up and The Mick is waving at me. OOPS! I waved back, of course. Later, on my way out, he stops me and asks why I didn't have him to workout. I just laid it out there, "You were booked, I had to cheat on you." He laughed. I assured him I would have him again next week! I may alternate between him and Justin now. I liked the variation. Shhhh.....

Foot Long Corn Dogs and Fried Pickles!!!

Man, have I been busy!! I decided 7 weeks ago that I would have a booth at a vendor show called Antique Alley. Birchfield Baking Co. is officially on the books, and in action. Antique Alley is an antique show (obviously) that goes 25 miles from Cleburne to Grandview on Hwy 4. People set up their tents on the road, and shoppers are backed up for miles and miles trying to find a bargain on what looks like mostly junk to me. There is a spot just outside of Cleburne called Whipp Farm. This is an area where 20-30 thousand people come through in one weekend. Enter me! I rented tent space in the food area and sold cookies, brownies, various candies and spiced nuts. It was quite a production, and now I'm pooped, but thrilled it worked out so well. We plan to do it again in September.

One MAJOR education I had was food...go figure. Literally, for 10 days, I was on my feet working/baking for 12-13 hrs...EACH DAY! Ok, well, on Sunday I sat down for church...haha! I had the priviledge of using a commercial kitchen owned by a family member. He had a lunch buffet every day that was free to me. We're talking meatloaf, fried chicken, chicken fried steak, ribs, mac and cheese, scalloped potates, and some veggies here and there. They are excellent cooks, by the way! Then, during the show, I ate things like foot long corn dogs, sausage on a stick, bbq sandwiches, fried pickles, fried okra, sampled my cookies and brownies (hehe), and the list goes on.

I took the "walk of shame" to the scale this past Monday...I had maintained my weight! So, the very valuable lesson learned is that I can eat whatever, whenever, as long as I'm on my feet working my butt off for 12-13 hours every day. (long pause for thought) Ok, nevermind! I'll eat less...LOL! Can I just say though, that foot long corn dog was FANTASTIC!!!


My booth! It looked like a used Honda sitting next to new BMWs, but this is what I came up with in 6 weeks, so thbtttttt! Just wait until September!

Doctor's Report

So, THANK GOD, I do not have any tumors or cysts!! I do, however, have endometriosis...duh...that's what I said already :-) There are some treatments that we are going to be considering over the next couple of days. And, because I've been poked and prodded, it hurts a bit more now than it did this morning...woohoo for that.

Because I was near one of my favorite bbq restaurants, I decided to endulge for lunch. Yummy Cousin's BBQ.