Weight Watchers

Well I finally broke down, again. I joined Weight Watchers online. It has been about a year and a half since I last joined. I have this problem that I think I can do it by myself. But, as usual I let life get the better of me and start eating to much and not being active enough. Which then causes me to gain weight. What a pain!

So I joined last Wednesday (and I had to enter my starting weight), and I have worked to keep myself at or under my points. Sunday was my first official weigh in. Guess what… I lost  7 pounds. Now obviously this is uncommon but I figure it’s a start. I am hoping to loose about a 1 pound a week which is safe.  This is going to be a long road but it will be worth it. I have just decided to embrace it, now it would be great if I could just get ride of this cold!

Not having to make a special meal for myself but include the whole family in this endeavor has been helping me keep to my plan. Plus I told the kids about the changes so they have been ‘reminding me’ lol. On Friday we had grilled veggies and meat which was delicious! We all loved it! We even had dessert. I made grilled peaches with Cool Whip. It was sweet, filling and only 2 points!

There is a Recipe of the Day and it has been inspiring! It has helped me take normal things I would make and how to tweak them so they aren’t so heavy.

I don’t want to go to a meeting and ‘share’ but I want everything at my finger tips so it is easy for me. That way if I want to check it anytime of day it is there. There is also a community page so there are challenges and information and blogs that help give you information and motivation. But it’s on my terms. So for all of you out there that are like me that don’t want to do the meetings but want better resources you might want to check it out.

For me keeping track of my points can be a pain but WW has a mobile app for my phone. So I can keep track of my points while I am out and about.

Planning is a critical part of keeping myself on the right track. I think about what I am going to have for my meal a head of time. That way I am not as tempted to take shortcuts that cost me points. If I plan everything out ahead of time I know how many points I am going to use and what will be left over. If you are lazy like me sometimes and the thought of cooking is revolting there are also Smart Ones in your grocers freezer that taste pretty good and you just have to microwave them. Plus on the box it tells you how many points it is.  I have also been working on tracking all the food I eat and try not to leave things out.

This is one step in the right direction! Come join me for the fun!

Improve My Lifestyle

I thought I was doing the smart thing by working to get a desk job. Unfortunately my rear does not agree. Have you ever heard of the secretary spread? Well, I’ve got it and it’s not pretty. My doctor has informed me that I live a sedentary lifestyle. What’s that you might say? Well, there are lots of definitions out there but the main one is that I sit too much and I the things I like to do don’t require much movement.

My “sitting disease” has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. So I am working on being more active. Now I’m not talking about running a marathon or scaling a mountain but goals are always a good thing. I am going to start with baby steps and work to build up my stamina.

Here are a few suggestions I am working on that I wanted to share:

Get NEAT (thermogenesis): Things that I can do in my seat at work. 10 minutes an hour this can include stretching, turning, and bending. The idea behind this activities is to raise your core temp and to burn calories.

Take Breaks: We all have obligations and activities that monopolize our time. However, taking a break every hour or so and getting up and moving around can be helpful.  Walking around or stretching for a few minutes can help re-energize the body.

If she can do it I can!

TV Watchers: I still enjoy watching TV but instead of just sitting on the couch I try to add time to stretch, use my stationary bike, do resistance exercises, and alternate with other activities that keep my body moving.

Parking: When I go to a store I park farther away. Ever little bit counts.

Going Up: It may take longer but, if you are able use the stairs rather than the elevator when you are in your doctors offices and other buildings you are doing errands in.

Communication: When at work many tend to use email, voice-mail, im, and so many other forms of communication that are preferred for our busy lives. Unfortunately we lose face to face human interaction and many of us just sit on our butts. So, the next time you need to talk to a colleague take a minute and go and talk to them. You get up, you move your body, and you get the opportunity to interact with someone else. The moments add up and make a difference.

Date Night: My husband and I like to go out for date night; however, most of the time it is going out to eat and then coming home and watching a movie or crashing. So we are working on mixing it up. Finding things that are less about food and more about just spending time together and still being active. Some things to try…go to a museum, a park, take a hike, go for a bike ride, or go dancing,  find activities in the community. Many times there is food but you’re not just sitting. Remember date night is about spending quality time with your partner and having fun.

Vacation: What do you like to do on vacation? Go camping, relax on a beach somewhere, or go to a spa? Well, for my family we enjoy camping to which can be pretty active. Other things we like to do is visit family, or go to the big city to see the sights. With a family fun and education is a big part of the draw for us. Do research ahead of time and you can find a ton of things to do no matter where you are headed. By the time your vacation is over you may need to go home just to rest! Now that’s the sign of a great vacation!

You can Do it!

Swimming: I have always enjoyed swimming but, I have not had a membership anywhere for a while. The house we just moved into has a pool, so for the first time in my life I don’t have to go anywhere to go swimming. The pool has been a lot of work but I have so enjoyed getting to go in whenever I feel like it. It’s not huge but the kids and I have had  lots of fun. It gets me in the sun for some needed vitamin D and the water provides a fun workout. Just playing with the kids can wear me out, my favorite time is doing laps when it is quite and I can hear the wind blow and the bird chirp. Swimming is a great way to get my body moving and it has a much lower impact on my joints. So for chubby girls like myself swimming is much more doable than running is. If you can handle getting into a swimsuit then you can do amazing things! Swimming is great for increasing your stamina and improving your cardiovascular system. Look at your local gyms, and community centers many of them have water aerobics and other water activities you can get involved in. Try it and let me know what you think!

New Habits: No matter where I am I am working on making new habits. This may include getting up early to exercise before I go to work. Even doing household chores is not a bad way to start just to get you moving. Taking breaks at work is focused on moving around and not just grabbing something to eat and drink. Being more active is helping me to set a better example for my kids. When I get home we go for a bike ride. Well, they go for a bike ride and I keep up by going walking. It it another way I am getting out of the house and making strides. Increasing your movement and watching what you eat can make a big impact on your life.

I’m not looking to get skinny I just want to be comfortable in my own body and be healthy!

Plus God willing I am baby bound.

Sexy is Back

When you are bigger it can be impossible to get clothes for that special night. We see lots of ads for lingerie but when we go to store or look at the fine print we notice something…they don’t have our size! So for those that want to look and feel sexy without spending a ton of money or having to enter a sex shop, here are 5 alternatives.

Here are my top picks

http://www.biggalslingerie.com sizes 1x-12x

http://www.hipsandcurves.com regular and plus sizes for the cute to the kinky

http://www.lingeriediva.com

http://www.plussizeplum.com

http://www.aboutcurves.com

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You can feel SEXY too!

Trust

Look at those eyes

they tell the tale

it is not just what is said but what is done.

Trust is given, not taken

Through love and time relationships are built

Relationships are give and take

Patience and kindness keep the claws from coming out

Enjoy the loves and curdles along the way

My Famous Potato Salad

As summer gets near we are always in need of easy food. So here is my recipe passed down through my family for potato salad. It is a great way to get my kids to eat something cold (the I don’t have to cook) and includes lots of veggies.

Now I will have to admit I don’t tend to do much in the way recipes, if you like something add as much as you like. If you don’t like something reduce the amount or omit it all together.

My potato salad Yum Yum!

Ingredients

8 – 10 Potatoes (any of your favorite kinds will do)

12 Eggs (hard-boiled and peeled)

3 – 5 Radishes

2 – 4 Celery stocks

3 Carrots (thinly chopped)

5 Pickles (keep your pickle juice)

1/2 cup Mustard

1 cup Mayo +

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tbsp Ground Mustard +

1 tbsp Paprika (Hungarian is the best but any will do)

Prepare:

Peel and boil the potatoes. When they are soft and you can easily stick a fork through them they are done. Then drain the potatoes. Chop the potatoes and put into a large bowl. Chop in bite size pieces and add the following items to the bowl eggs, pickles, carrots, celery, and radishes. Once all items have been added stir until well incorporated.

Next add mayo, mustard, pickle juice (start with 1 tbsp) salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix all ingredients again.

Now here is the most important thing…taste it! Depending on what you prefer add more of any of the ingredients and spices you want more of.  Enjoy!

You can eat it right away but it also tastes even better refrigerated (6 hours or overnight for best results). The salad will last  for 3-4 days refrigerated, stir before serving.

My summer gift to you!

Great clothes for Larger Women

Do you have problems finding clothes that fit? That don’t make you look frumpy or make you pop out in the wrong places. Over the last several years more main stream companies are realizing that everyone is not built the same way. Now, there are other companies which specialize in clothing for larger women.

My Favorites

Fashion Bug

Fashion Bug/LaneBryant This website includes seven different companies all in one. The reason for this is LaneBryant owns all of them. So this is a great place for one stop shopping from young teens to women. There are also bras and lingerie and other great stuff. Now in my case we have a Fashion Bug where I live so I can get the selection of the web and have it sent to the store near me and shipping is free.

OneStopPlus has a great selection and low shipping costs.

Igigi is a great site. Check out the Shapestylist. They have several questions about your body after which they will be able to show you great options which will work best for your body

onestopplus

Based out of Australia

DreamDiva

Based in the United States and some have physical stores

Chicos

Avenue

Alwaysforme

Nordstrom

Evanusa

Igigi

Talbots

Simplybe

 JJill

Jessica London

Coldwater Creek

 Lucie Lu

Monroe and Main

simplybe

Roamans

Eshakti

Asos – look in the Curve section

Kiyonna

Dillards

If you are looking that upscale boutique feel check out the following:

Curve-Couture

Monifc

monifc

 Eliza Parker

Cennev

Now I know that these are not all of them. Check out your local stores. I am always interested in finding new places to get great clothes.

What do we need in church….Grace

The past few weeks have been difficult for me. I felt that there had been an injustice done. Now of all places this was happening at church. Not just any church, but my church. I did not take this well!  On Sunday, in the crowd I put on the smile and was polite. I minded my P’s and Q’s just like my Mama taught me. Inside and in private I was screaming “This is NOT happening!”.

I have to admit and apologize that I was swept up in taking the injustice personally. I ranted, my face turned red, my blood pressure when up, my poor husband, mother and friend had to hear all about it. This is a perfect example of me making a MOUNTAIN out of a mole hill!

After the first week I thought I had talked through it and was ok. Then on Sunday a comment was made that through me into a tizzy!

On Wednesday we had a meeting to discuss concerns and to provide solutions. Before the meeting you would think I was preparing for battle. I prayed, I vented, I wrote notes on things I wanted to cover and I went in with a chip on my shoulder. Hopefully it was not to big that anyone would notice.  I arrived to a nice size group. I won’t go into details about the meeting but let me tell you. I didn’t have to yell, or get angry, and apparently we as adults came to some positive solutions. So I left feeling like I needed to eat a HUGE humble pie!

You know what I learned…is that I let Satan play me for the fool I was! I let my emotions control the situation and I relied way to heavily on anger! This has not happened in quite sometime. I thought I had moved on, but apparently I still have some lessons to learn.

One thing I have learned, yet again. The Church is made up of people. It doesn’t matter what church you go to they are all made up of people. Not saints but sinners! We all come with baggage and imperfections. I needed to be reminded that God has given me grace and I need to give it to those around me.

Infertility…Are you affected?

Do you want to grow your family?

Do you want a baby so bad it hurts? I have wanted children for many years now. When I was young they told me I had endometriosis, then in my late teens and throughout my twenties I had three ovarian cysts that burst.  So over the years I have done research and what I gathered from doctors and journals and articles is that these problems can make me infertile.

In 2006 I was given a miracle. I met and married my husband who came with three children. So even though I didn’t bear them I have had the opportunity to be a mother. Over the last six years I have learned many things.  Now our youngest is 6 and is just finishing up kindergarten. Some days I swear she is 6 going on 16 but we deal with things as they come.

Recently I had to get a new OBGYN since mine had retired. My first visit was rather scary, I had found a lump in my breast. But after tests, and a biopsy they found that it was a fibroadenoma and not cancer. Now while I saw my new doctor I stated that I had previously been told that I could not get pregnant. She looked and me and said “…I don’t know about that, let’s talk, I deal with infertility regularly. So as the stress has subsided I have began thinking, it is possible that I could get pregnant? Is there hope? I had long been resigned to the fact that I would have no children of my own. Now don’t get me wrong I love the children that I have, and wouldn’t trade them for the world. But, I would like to add to our family.

So now I have become a little crazed at the idea of getting pregnant. So I went and talked to my regular doctor and made sure that there wasn’t anything I was taking that would hurt the baby.

Now the moment of truth came Monday I saw my OBGYN again. This time to specifically talk about getting pregnant! I’m so nervous I can’t even breath, oh that’s helpful! So she came in and we talked about my history and my husbands history. So now that the meeting is over I have lots of homework and I have to see her again in a couple months. So this is a first for me, but now each morning before I get out of bed I have to take my temperature, and then log it. Plus I have to go get one of those ovulation kits to see when I am ovulating. Did you know that there is like a two day window a month you can even get pregnant? Plus I have to send my husband in so he can have a semen analysis done. Oh, he is thrilled lol.

The hardest thing for me to hear was that because of my size I would be considered a  high risk pregnancy. So her first recommendation to me is to loose about 100 pounds. At that point I will just be obese not morbidly obese. Wow, I put on a brave face and said “OK, I can do that”. Then I walked out of the office in a bit of a daze. I was supposed to talk to my husband after the appointment but I couldn’t. I had to think through this first. My first thought was oh great I have failed again.  But as I took a moment and prayed I began to get alittle perspective. I am 34, I am able to move around and work and I can do this! Of course what do emotional eaters do when they are stressed and depressed and feel all alone. They eat! So I ate! Not my finest moment!

Last night as I waited for my husband to get home I made dinner. I made chicken divan, one of my favorite dishes. Lol, not the lowest calorie meal I could come up with. More like comfort food in a bowl.

At last my husband came home exhausted, hungry and not real talkative. So after a kiss and how was your day…I began to talk about my meeting with the doctor. My recap to him was ” I have lots of homework but I have to loose weight, right now I am a really high risk”. Now my husband who loves me no matter the size I am pauses and says “yeah, it probably is safer for you and the baby is you lost some weight”. I think at that moment I cringed a little inside. I knew he was right and I have been battling that all day, but if I want to do this I am going to have to push myself. So this is a test…how badly do I want a baby? Now the best thing about my conversation with my husband last night is that he agreed to loose weight with me. You are so much better with a support system than by yourself.

Now last night I felt sorry for myself and I ate to much and I pouted. But this morning it has been a different story. I woke up early, I stretched, I did twists and light movements this morning. Even though it was only for 20 minutes it is a start. This evening when I get home I will also get my buns on my stationary bike and ride. My plan is to exercise each day. It will take me awhile but I will reach my goal. My family has always said I can accomplish anything because I am so pig headed lol.

My second struggle is my eating habits. I love food and I have the ability to consume alot. So I am working at documenting my food and exercise at a site I enjoy. If you want to join and be my partner in loosing weight look me up username “asan4rd”. I figure we can all use the company and encouragement.

Now I know there are many who suffer from infertility but there is hope. If you have been like me and just let nature takes it course it may be time to find out more. Check with your OBGYN and ask what you can do to try and get pregnant. If your doctor feels that you are healthy enough for pregnancy you may want to find out more. It is important that we take care of ourselves first. Get on a prenatal vitamin, exercise regularly and above all else don’t forget to practice!

As I continue on my journey I will happily share my ups, downs, failures and struggles!

Summer Break… Are You Ready?

As the school year comes to a close I begin to think about the summer. Summer break always feels like it takes forever to get here and then when it does it goes by in a flash.

Between the sleep overs, picnics, BBQ’s, and camps some days it seems just as busy as the school year. So much for a break! So here are a few tips to keep you from going crazy and you kids from saying “I’m bored”.

Swap kids

As adults with kids if you don’t already, work at making friends with other adults that have children. This may be single parents or even other couples. But one thing as a parent is that we all need a break from time to time. So develop friendships (we all need those) and work with people who you trust to swap kids. This may be for an evening for a dinner out, or another family is just planning on having fun.

Free activities – local and regional activities

– Go for a hike

– Check out your local library

– Visit your local parks

– Go for a swim

– Play in your sprinkler

– Birdwatching

– Read

– Bike riding

– Take a tour – a variety of businesses have free tours that are fun

– Get involved in your church

– send your kids to vacation bible school in your area

– play board games or card games

– climb a tree

– go Geocaching

Low cost activities

– Go fishing

– Visit a museum

– Concerts in the park

– Work on art and craft projects

– Have a water balloon fight

– go to the beach

– paint ball

– visit a local university

– go roller skating or roller blading

– miniature golf

– go to a fair

– check out websites for your state

Coupons and Discounts

– check out Facebook for local businesses and activities

– visit websites for coupons

There are tons of things to do you just have to be proactive and get involved. So I encourage you to get into your community and start living this summer!

Internet Dating…Does it work?

Internet dating? Words that most Mothers hate to hear! At least that was my experience a few years ago. Now, things are changing…at least a little!

We as Americans are way to busy with work, friends, family and fun to even think about dating! Ever notice that from the time we get up in the morning we are running? It doesn’t matter if we are getting ready for work, or meeting friends, or have an excursion planned. The average 20-40 something is in a hurry. By the time we get home we are exhausted but still have chores,  so we do those then fall in bed around 11pm. So who has time to join a club, go to a mixer (what are those), or a bar, to find “the One”? Not many!  If you are one of those few it’s not necessarily a good thing. You may be the one that we don’t want to find lol! By the time many of us consider internet dating we feel rejected, desperate, doubtful, and uncertain.

Before you spend time and money on a dating site figure out what your purpose for dating is and what do you want out of dating? If you just want to check things out and get a feel for it start with a free site.  Click here to view the Top 10 sites!

Make a list of things you are looking for (longterm or short term relationship, friendship, bootycall, travelbuddy, etc.) You will want to get a picture that you can add to your profile on whatever site you use.  Also, there will be an About Me section. This is where you have to write something about yourself, Duh. What do you want to tell others about you? Be descriptive and creative that way you have stuff to talk about on the first date. As a friend of mine states “dating is all about salesmanship”. This is not the time to beat yourself up! What are the positives about yourself and why would someone want to date you. Most importantly BE HONEST!!! Many times internet dating fails when people describe who they want to be (or who you will like) not who they really are! That’s a problem!

Statistics show that 74% of us have tried online dating. So no matter what other people say there is a good chance they have tried it.

Now just like normal dating there are losers out there and people who will take advantage of you, so be careful. You may also have to weed through a lot of  toads before you find your prince charming. The nice thing about online dating is the fact that you don’t have to get dressed up, put makeup on, do your hair or even leave your couch. You can be in your pj’s at 2am at home surfing the site.

Now when I was dating I heard several horror stories. I wasn’t sure if they were just trying to protect or make me a nun? But do you want to hear a positive story? Well if you don’t just stop reading, but if you do I have one for you.

Almost six years ago I was single, had been divorced and not real keen on the man seen. I lived in a rural community by myself, but had moved home to take care of my father who had another heart operation. So in other words I didn’t have many prospects, I was getting older, and I figured I was going to be single for the rest of my life. Unfortunately being home so much I was also board. So what did I do? I joined Yahoo.com match site which is now Match.com. I didn’t know what to say about myself, i wasn’t quite sure what I was looking for but I took the plunge anyway.

Over the next month I went through hundreds of profiles (not all at once lol). I emailed several guys and even talked to  some, and went out on a few dates.  Over that time I also filled out a compatibility profile, the idea was that when I met someone I was compatible with it would let me know. Well, it was the end of the month and I didn’t have many days left on my subscription and I received a wink. It was to let me know someone was interested in my profile and had sent me an email. So I opened it, the email was sweet and cute.  Now, before I responded back I wanted to check the compatibility thingie. Oh no, it said we weren’t a match! Well I figured what the heck I would take a chance anyway! So I emailed him back! We started emailing each other over the next few weeks.  Since this wasn’t my first rodeo I grilled him. I figured I wasn’t playing games anymore and I wanted someone honest….. So what did I do? I sent him about 20 questions that were very difficult and straight forward. For example “Have you ever cheated on someone? If so why? Will you cheat again? Of course if you ask my husband he would say it was about 20 pages of grueling questions! But he answered every one!

Now I would say that our relationship is not typical, but it has always been honest. Our first date was July4th, he asked me to marry him on September 4th, and we were married November 4th.  So to say the least it was a whirlwind. For us it has worked. It has been difficult at times, what relationship isn’t, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This November we will celebrate our 6th anniversary. I can honestly say I love him more today than I did then the day we got married! Some days I still feel like a newlywed!

Our Engagement Picture

I hope that this little story gave you hope. There is someone out there for you. Don’t give up, keep working on yourself and putting yourself out there.

If you would like more information leave me a comment. I would love to get your input about your internet dating. I look forward to getting your stories about your dating triumphs and failures.