52 weeks to go!!

I swear I feel like I’m never gonna get back in the groove of things. I just don’t have time to exercise right now. I just really don’t! I keep trying to, but if it isn’t one thing, its another. I have been having huge tests every other day. I haven’t been able to stop studying. I did get my house clean though. I’m starting to get really discouraged. I really want to lose weight. I just realized this morning that my 10 year high school class reunion is this summer! I would love to be around 160 when it comes up.

I keep setting all these goals, and then I never meet any of them. I’m wondering if I should try to focus on one small goal at a time…..maybe just 5 lbs or 10 lbs at a time. I was wanting to be at 228 by Thursday November 27th. That is two weeks and three days away…..and also about 12 pounds away….there is no way I can lose 12 pounds in 2 weeks and 3 days. I can lose 5 pounds in one week (my first week on I will lose fast) if I would just get off my rear and do it. Then all I would need to lose is 7 lbs in 10 days. HMMMMM…..maybe I can do it. I have two big tests this week though…..

So far today I’m on track for my food though:

Breakfast - Sausage, egg, and cheese croissant roll - 390 calories

Snack - Seedless grapes - 98 calories

Lunch - Lean cuisine spaghetti and choc. chip granola bar - 400 calories

Snack - Peanut butter crackers - 200

Supper - 2 corndogs with fries - 435 calories

That is a total around 1523 for the day. Maybe I can get in some exercise??????

So, I got all hyped up. I made my plan for my food and exercise. I went and got heathy food, and I even stayed pretty close to my budget. Monday I did pretty good, but I didn’t exercise because I got home at 6:30pm, had supper, and worked on some homework that was due on Tuesday. Tuesday I didn’t do as well. Probably cause I didn’t work out on Monday. I also didn’t work out on Tuesday because I had class on Tuesday and Tuesday night and a calculus test on Wednesday. I skipped my last class yesterday to come home early and see my family, and we ended up eating out (BBQ sandwiches)! I have two tests to study for today that I will be taking tomorrow. The stress from that has already caused me to have a crappy breakfast (toast with butter and jelly and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich).

On a goodnoteI have checked out the book “Superfood Rx” I read it here and there when I get time.

So the main problem I’m having is (in no particular order)……

#1. Starting theday with a proper breakfast because I either don’t have time to cook or what I have doesn’t seem appealing to eat. *****So, I think I need to look at some alternate breakfast options including some that don’t require cooking. Maybe like a fruit and yogurt parfait or something? Who knows, but I will look into this some more.

#2. Having time to cook or just not wanting to cook ****Most of the time it is that I don’t want to cook because the kitchen isn’t clean. I have to get back on track with house cleaning, but of course, I don’t have time. Sometimes when I get home late (6:30pm or so) I’m sooooo hungry. I don’t want to cook. I want to eat already! So, I end up eating fast food, eating out, or just eating junk. I think I’m going to have to cook a few meals ahead on Sunday so all I have to do is heat and eat! This will leave more time for exercise, and it will mean less clean up during the week.

#3. Having time to exercise vs. having time to study***** I am kinda behind on the homework/studying deal, but there is only a few weeks left of school. I’m just trying to hand in there and get through it. I’m going to try to plan better for the things I need to do. We will see how that works and adjust.

#4. Having time to spend with my family.******With cleaning, cooking, exercising, school, homework,and studying it is hard to find time to just hang out with my family. If I skip one thing, something else seems to suffer. I’m going to try to spend more time with family while doing some of the other things I need to do as well. We can exercise together, clean together, and cook together. I bet combining somethings will help!

So…in conclusion….I’m going tolook for some more healthy breakfast ideas that are quick and easy to prepare and not too hard on my budget, I’m going to plan time to cleanand try to get back into a routine of keeping things tidy so I can cook, and I’m going to start preparing some meals ahead. This extra time not spent cooking should help provide more time for exercise and studying. Becoming more organized by planning when and what homework/studying I need to do will help me stay on track with that. Also, I need to allot for exercise in my planning. AND by doing several activities that I need to do anyway (exercise, cook, clean) with my family….I can spend time with them. School should be over soon and stuyding and school work will be gone for a while. I will be sure next semester to not get behind or procrastinate!

Ahhhh today is a new day. A chance to start fresh with no mistakes and try to keep it that way. So, did I? Ha ha…no not yet! But gettin’ close. I splurged on some walnuts that are fairly high in calories; however, they are supposed to be really good for you…..at least it wasn’t Halloween candy! I threw all that stuff out this morning!

So, I’m feeling pretty reguvinated and energetic. I can’t wait to go walking this evening with my family….as a matter of fact, I may not wait….LOL! I may just go! We can always go walking again later.

I have my meals planned out for the week and my exercise planned out as well. I have already prepared my lunch for tomorrow (tuna for sandwiches), and I plan on pre-making dinner tonight so that it can be ready for tomorrow evening. I think I may try to do some kind of prep for each day the day before it….if that makes any sense…LOL! That way the cookin’ goes by fast and there are no excuses to not exercise!

I have worked out some rewards that I really really want….so I’m setting up some goals and rewards!

Here they are:

Goal #1: 228.8 by 11/27 ; Reward#1: Shopping the day after Thanksgiving along with lunch where ever I choose

Goal#2: 215 by 01/01/09 ; Reward #2: A new haircut and eyebrows waxed

Goal#3: 199 by 02/14; Reward #3: Welcome to ONEderland; new outfit with accessories and date with hubby!

Goal#4: 188 by 3/17; Reward#4: 2 months of tanning to get ready for the summer!

Goal#5: 172 by 05/01; Reward: Summer clothes

Goal#6: 161 by 06/01; Reward: Awesome birthday party! And new bathing suit!

Officially at 100 pounds lost at 160lbs! I think I will stop there and accomplish this first!

I want to break each mini goal down in to 5 lb incriments. So, my first mini goal is to get to 228.8. I’m going to do that by losing 5 lbs at a time. So my first true mini goal is 235.8. I’m so excited and ready to get started!

How fitting that my first day was the first of the month. Also, how fitting that it was the day after Halloween! Yup! I bombed the first day. It started off well with breakfast, but it crashed and burned early during the first snack. I had a ton of candy from my daughters Halloween. Then for lunch I ate at Subway but it was the new Chicken Pizzola and I’m sure not good for me. I also ate Chinese for supper and dang it was good!     BUT on a good note I didn’t let the bad food get my exercise down. I took my DD to the park with my DH to meet up with a friend and her daughter. We had the picnic lunch and played for a while. Then we all went for a walk in the afternoon after it cooled off some. (Thats right….it was hot on Nov. 1st???)

I had so much going through my head yesterday. I know I can do this. I kept thinking of all the rewards I could give myself for meeting small goals….like a new haircut and my eyebrows waxed, a massage, a manicure, and even going to the tanning bed this spring getting ready for the summer since I should at least be able to wear a bathing suit if I lose enough weight.

I also checked out some “goal” stories and looked at before and after pics of people to help my motivation. I read one girl’s story of how she started eating “clean” super foods. She told about the book she read and how great she felt that she cleansed her body….that she wasn’t tired anymore and all. She said the “diet” was a change in lifestyle and not a diet at all….and she wasn’t prohibited from eating anything. I know one size doesn’t fit all here…but I also know that chemicals and high fructose corn syrup is not good for our bodies and they are responsible for alot of depression, mood changes, cancers, obesity, and too many health problems to note (diabetes included) and being too tired all the time.

I really would like to try this eating clean. I though about checking for the book at the local library. We will see.

Okay, so far I have done everything I need to in order to get my life in complete control. Back in the summer I felt like I had everything under control. I lost around 25 pounds, my house was always clean, and I followed a fairly close budget. All of that has fallen by the wayside sinceI have started school and felt overwhelmed and too busy to eat right, exercise, get in a routine keeping the house clean, doing homework, studying, helping take care of my daughter, cooking, doing the shopping, paying the bills, and following a budget. BUT the fact remains that it all must be done. So, I have detailed a budget for my family and I feel like I have a fairly good and flexible schedule for school work, house work, and play!

As for the diet…..I’m stocked up on fruits and veggies and I’m going to start working out 30 - 45 min a day at minimum 4-5 days a week.

My goal is to lose 12 pounds and get to 228.8 by Thanksgiving day. I will only weigh in on Fridays. I don’t want to be side tracked by weighing daily like I was.

So, the plan for tomorrow is this: Clean the house with the help of my hubby in the morning (while some laundry is washing), take a shower and get ready, lunch at the park with my family followed by some exercise walking/playing at the park, some down time while my daughter takes a nap in the afternoon (couch time..YES!), finish all math and chemistry homework, cook supper, spend more time with my family, maybe fit in another walk and some light studying, and to bed at a descent time!

Thats my story and I’m stickin’ to it…..LOL!

Okay, so I did pretty good on the budget thing….although I already had most of my lean meats and stuff….but I have all my groceries for a week and I only spent $67.00. Yes, that is over my budget of $50.00 per week; however, as long as I come out around $200.00 for the month its all good!

So, I’m optimistic about that…. I weighed in today at 240.6….which I find horrible considering I went from 260 down to about 233….and now I’m 7 lbs up from that (and then some)

But…..with the healthy foods back in the pantry and fridge……I’m ready and eager to get started back on the right track!

My goal this challenge (October 31st - November 27th which is Halloween to Thanksgiving) is to lose 12 pounds. I know…I know….that is a tall order! However, I know it is possible since my first week I will lose 5-6 pounds if I do everything I have planned….that leaves only 6-7 pounds more to lose in 3 weeks…..which is only 2 to 2.5 pounds a week and very safe and healthy. I will drop alot of water weight this first week as well as some fat….

So I’m lookin’ at being 228.8 (ish) around Thanksgiving day…..I’m going to do this by eating 1400 calories or less per day and exercising at least 5 days a week for 30 - 45 minutes per day at moderate to high level intensity!

Soooooo……stay tuned for my daily blogging should be back! I plan on listing food / activities / challenges I’m dealing with / etc. daily during this challenge!

I sure hope I can hit that 228.8 mark by Thanksgiving!

I hope to hit 215 by Jan 1st 2009! That is only 16 pounds away from being out of the 200’s forever! WHEWWWW HOOOOO!

Am I a bad bloger or what? I can give a million reasons as to why I haven’t been blogging but I won’t!

So ….moving along!

My goals not not only include trying to lose weight, but they also include sticking to a budget. So far, this budget has been wrecking my “diet and exercise”. How’s that you say? Well, I can’t afford to buy good food……lean cuts of meat, lots of fruit (fruit is expensive), or several different kinds of veggies…..it is crazy how cheap junk is….the fattier cuts of meat and frozen stuff that isn’t really good for you like pizza and stuff…… but the thing is….if I don’t eat right I have a hard time getting myself to exercise….and I’m having a hard time sticking to a budget and buying low calorie foods….

So, I’m dedicating today to do a little research on “healthy eating on a budget”

Stay tuned for what I find!

WOW! Wednesday already! That weigh in day is coming up fast! I took a sneak peak this morning and the scale sayd 235! So that is another pound down! Yayyy!!! I’m at a total loss now of 25 pounds! How cool is that! I have decided that I’m gonna set some goals now…I wanted to get them down somewhere and I figured here would be the spot

My first goal is to get to 220 (HC challenge goal!)

My next goal is to get to 199 (Out of 200’s goal! I would like to be here at least by Jan 1st but we will see!)

My next goal is to be at 160 (Total of 100lbs down hopefully by the end of June 2009 this would be 100 pounds in 1 year! AND I would also be no longer considered obese…only overweight)

My next goal is to be at 140 (no longer overweight!)

My final goal is to be at 120!

Now there is no set time limit on these goals….so it could be 2 years…it could be 4 years….whatever…I just wanted to get some numbers down! So right now I’m working on getting to 220 and after that getting to 199. Each goal is something really important weither it is a BMI goal or getting out of the 200’s or something like that!

Today’s activity -

Walking 30 min at school (I went to the walking track during one of my breaks!!)

Today’s food -

Breakfast - Bacon Sandwich and 1 oz chips - 260

Snack - rice krispy treat - 90

Lunch - Chicken alfredo and 100 calorie pack of cookies - 370

Snack -  Turkey sandwich with 1 oz of chips - 240

Supper - Steak and baked potato, rice krispy treat, and milk - 493

Total calories - 1453

You know what I just don’t understand??? It seems like here lately if I watch what I eat (calories and such) and exercise that I don’t lose weight….it actually seems like I gain weight…..on the other hand it seems like if I eat crap and don’t exercise I don’t gain weight…I don’t lose weight but I stay at 239! I exercised on Monday and Tuesday and watched what I ate….I weighed in on Wednesday at like 243….I said to hell with it for Wednesday and Thursday and just weighed in at 239???? How is that possible? That is why I can’t get back on track….it seems like when I’m trying it has a reverse affect on me! I don’t know maybe it is that stupid scale in my bathroom?? At any rate….I’m going to get back at it today! I have to at least get through the last part of August strong….I pissed away the first half!

Activity….NONE

Food:

Breakfast - Bacon sandwich

Lunch - Chicken nugget meal from McDonald’s  (split with daughter)

Snack - Split some chicken nuggets with daughter from Wendy’s and also I had some cheese and crackers but it was the laughing cow cheese.

Supper - Chicken alfredo and a reeses peanut butter cup….a couple of my neices funyuns (sp?) and some milk

How did I not gain any weight?

Okay so I’m posting this a couple days late! I am going to try to remember everything I ate on this day but I have slept twice since then so I may forget some stuff!! I am so not back in a good routine yet. I’m not really having trouble with the eating part, but I just  can’t seem to get motivated to exercise! I just don’t want to do any workout videos or even go walking! I have to get back into the swing of things today! There are three days left in this week (it is really early Friday Morning)….maybe I can lose a pound or something!!!

I have to do something cause today is the 15th….already halfway through August…there is no way I will meet my goal now!

Food:

Breakfast: McDonald’s Chicken and biscuit (I had to take my dad to the dr. so I couldn’t plan well for food this day)

Lunch: Mexican

Snack: Don’t remember

Supper: Spaghetti I think??