Happy New Year!!!!!!!!

Days are better when you start them like this. Gina, Erin, and I braved the mornings winter chill to walk at my favorite park. Though it sits just off of the freeway, it feels like it's part of a wild wilderness. We walked for 45 minutes and the sun rose. It was chilly, but not too cold when we weren't walking into the wind. It was quiet and beautiful. It was hard to drag my butt out of my warm bed, but once I was up I felt great. I'm not sure why I deprived myself of doing this for so long!?!

I know this site has evolved into something far more beautiful than our original intentions of being a weight loss tracking blog, and so I feel a little strange about posting my goals here anymore, but this is as good a place as any. Not to mention, I think my mom rarely visits here, if ever, so I can post what I'm about to post without to much thought of her reading it and being so excited she calls all the family. (If you are reading this mom, please don't call everyone!) For the past several months David and I have been seriously talking about having a baby. I don't want to blame it on the biological clock, but we aren't getting any younger! It's nothing we are thinking about doing with in the next week or anything, but I would like to be pregnant sometime in the next year. Preferably within a few months after we move. Yes, I know the move will be hectic and crazy, but we will have so much family support that I don't feel the slightest bit scared about having a baby several months after the move. In fact, this is the first time I've been willing to even consider having a baby. That being said, I am in no physical condition to get pregnant. I know my body could handle it, but I need to lose a significant amount of weight in order to have the healthy pregnancy I want. So, I will begin again this year. I will eat more fruits and vegetables and less chocolate and sweets. I will walk with or without Erin and David. I will focus on my goal of being healthy and fit so that we can build the family we dream of. I have a friend who is encouraging me. She's lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off for over a year. I know it will take hard work and dedication. I know that I can't expect to change my body, but I can expect to make my body the best it can be. I'm not looking to be a size 1 or even a 4. I'd be happy knowing my body is at the weight it functions best at. That being said, my goal is to lose 10% of my body weight. Once I've done that I'll re-evaluate and see where I need to be. I'll also be making a doctors appointment to see what the good ol doctor thinks about all of this. Wish me luck!
(I don't plan on making this a big deal on this blog, but I will keep you updated.)

me, too!

you know i love you, right?
Your presence is my life is such a gift. I love you all. Thanks for counting me as one of you.

LOVE. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all....

Well, it is not snowing in Oklahoma today. It is almost 60 degrees and the sun is shining. The kids are out riding their four wheelers.

I just want to tell you all that being able to bounce things off of you over the past year has helped me more than you will ever know. I value your friendship, your wise words, your kindness, your encouragement and I wish for you the very best that life and love have to offer.

You guys totally ROCK!!!

Happy Winter Solstice

Celebrate the light!

i just thought it was funny....

KICK ME

I talked to my brother today, he was telling me that his wife, who is only three years older than me, is having so much pain in her body,especially her back right now, that she can hardly get up and do anything. She had knee surgery last year, she has trouble with her feet... blah, blah, blah.
My sister-in-law is probably one of the laziest humans I've ever known. She wasn't always like that but since her kids left home ten years ago she does nothing and I mean nothing. She sits in her chair and watches TV. She has gained 100 pounds in the last ten years, she smokes, she eats nothing but junk, takes tons of prescription drugs... and if she doesn't do something radically different, pretty soon she won't be able to get up and do anything about it.
This isn't a rant about what a bad person my sister-in-law is, it is a rant against getting older and lazy and allowing this happen to yourself.

A couple of months ago I made myself stop using the golf cart. It was just so easy to hop in Em's cart to go to the mail box or to the dog pen or up to Mother's, way too easy. So, I stopped. I make myself walk everywhere I go out here and it's a lot of walking.

I still haven't managed to get myself back into a regular walking routine - and shame on me for it.

I know there are things I need to be doing like weight bearing exercise and walking every day.

I guess I need a good kick in the butt to get me going again. I'm hoping that talking with my brother today will be some incentive.

I've been doing lots of brain exercise, I love the new DS and the game I bought, Brain Age, Brain Age 2, and Big Brain Academy.

So, if you feel like giving me a swift kick in the ass to get me going, please go right ahead!!

The elliptical is my new best friend. We meet once a day and it's been good. I did take a break during my period because I was too moody and apathetic to care. I know it would have made me feel better, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
It's amazing to me how my attitude about working out can change so drastically from day to day. I recently went to dinner with a friend who has lost a significant amount of weight and was excited to talk to her about her journey because I assumed she was not in it for the weight loss, but for the health benefits. I was wrong. I left the dinner feeling so disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I think what she has done is amazing and I am happy for her, I just wanted someone who understood where I am coming from when I tell them that I'm jumping off the diet train and doing my darnedest not to get back on it. I'm taking the less followed bath of body love and acceptance and hoping that somewhere along the way I learn to love my body the best that I can and give it everything that it needs to be healthy even if I never drop a pound or change a size. I said all that to say that the weeks since that dinner haven't been so good. I have been eating whatever whenever just because I'm pissed that my size 16 body seems so deplorable to others that I need to starve it and beat it into submission.
I've since gotten over the bad attitude. I woke myself up and realized that eating myself into a size 24 isn't going to make matters any better for anyone. Besides, it was making me feel like crap and the whole point I'm trying to make is that I can feel good without being a size 0.

I haven't picked a favorite yet on the new Project Runway but it looks like they have some real talent.

I just love Tim Gunn's show, I think it is way better than What Not to Wear but I still love watching Stacy and Clinton.

I saw an interesting segment on CNN this morning about a photographer in Israel who works for the top fashion magazine "elite", he is trying to change and is making huge changes in the fashion industry (at least in Isreal and let's hope it catches on here)by insisting that his models weigh in at a "healthy" weight. It all started when he found one of his models passed out at her home unable to move she was so weak - she weighed 66 pounds and died just a few days later in the hospital.

They actually showed pictures of her before she died. It was really sad.

We have got to put an end to that kind of madness with this generation of daughters.

I have a question...

Levi is working out 3 to 4 times a week lifting weights. They do different exercises to specifically target different muscle groups each time. Levi is 5'10" and weighs about 140 - 145 pounds. His metabolism is off the chart. He just cannot gain weight.

He is wondering just how many calories he needs to be eating and how much protein to be able to gain muscle??

The guy he works out with told him some insane amount of protein which Levi could never do. He has always had a small appetite.

Rethinking Thin

Every time I say something like this, people look at me like I'm insane. It's sort of getting old. But here it is in the NY Times:

About two years ago, a group of federal researchers reported that overweight people have a lower death rate than people who are normal weight, underweight or obese. Now, investigating further, they found out which diseases are more likely to lead to death in each weight group.

I love this quote:

Dr. Gail, though, had some advice, which, he said, is his personal opinion as a physician and researcher: “If you are in the pink and feeling well and getting a good amount of exercise and if your doctor is very happy with your lab values and other test results, then I am not sure there is any urgency to change your weight.”

Gee, imagine that.

I'm wondering what your thoughts are on the HPV vaccine. Erin's doctor recommended that she get it today but I held off because I want to do a little more research. The pamphlet of information they gave me lists staggering statistics regarding the virus. According to the pamphlet, 50% of Americans have been/are infected with this virus. While not all cases lead to cervical cancer, many do making cervical cancer the second most deadly cancer for women. It kills nearly 4,000 women each year.
Of course, there are some downsides such as, it only protects against the four most common strains of the virus, the vaccine is relatively new so the long term side effects, if any, are unknown.
I'm so torn. I would hate to not give her this and then her suffer later. On the other hand, I'm not one to buy into the practice of over medication that seems to be prevalent in our society.

I haven't lost an ounce, but, haven't gained any either. But, like Sandra, I'm really feeling comfortable with my body. I wore my new Jag Jeans with my new boots to church yesterday. When we got home Levi met us at the door - this is my 20 year old who is hard pressed to ever give anyone a compliment and he said "Wow, don't you look sexy in your new clothes."

you would just have to know Levi to know what a compliment that was

My new make-up, feeling comfortable enough to buy and wear clothes that really fit, a new hair color and confidence enough to wear red lipstick has made a difference in how I look.

I'm trying again. My fridge is stocked with all the yummy healthful food this time of year has to offer. I'm committed to feeling better. Recently my eating has been less than healthy and I haven't been working out regularly. To help, I've put the entire family on a better eating plan. I want to make sure Erin, who has the metabolism of a humming bird, knows how to make healthy choices and understands that eating healthy is about so much more than being thin. In fact, it has nothing to do with it. I want to make sure that David, whose family has a history of heart disease on both is father and mother's side, stays well out of the danger zone when it come to his heart.
Ideally, I would like to start going for a walk with Erin during our lunch break. I'm going to speak to my boss about extending my break so that we can do this.
One reason I feel different about this time, is that for the first time, I'm not doing it because I feel sick when I look at my body. I am actually feeling very comfortable with my physique which is a new and glorious feeling. I am however feeling lazy and lethargic which is not how I want to feel at all! Any advice or encouragement is appreciated!

Being honest

All I want to do right now is sleep and eat carbs. Between nausea and fatigue, just preparing healthy food seems like too much--and exercise is a distant dream. My spirits aren't down at all; I'm too happy, and I guess this is normal...any thoughts out there, my ladies?

I have a consumer report for you today.

I bought my first get-started kit of Bare Minerals make-up. It comes with 2 containers of foundation, one of blush, one mineral veil, 3 brushes and a bottle of vitamin moisturizer.

I tell you what - everything they say about this product is true. I played with it a little the first night I got it and was so impressed with how it feels on your face (you can barely tell you have anything on)and how smooth it makes your complexion look.

We are going out this afternoon so I did the whole regime, adding eye make-up and lipstick. My make-up never looked so pretty, even Mark noticed how smooth it looks.

I'm getting bold in my old age - for the first time in my life I'm wearing RED lipstick and loving it.

I'm having one of those weeks...

yesterday I shopped and shopped and shopped. I bought myself another pair of way too expensive jeans. I bought Emily two dresses, one that I've been waiting for them to get back in stock so I could order it that was a really good price but then I had this crazy thought of going over to Nordstrom to look at dresses for Emily.

and, of course, I found the cutest dress ever for her and yes, it was very pricey and yes, I did buy it. ($113.00 ... oh, my, gosh, what was I thinking)

I had put a whole list of stuff in my cart at Old Navy.com for Seth when the website started screwing up and I got mad and just left (whew!)

I bought Emily (and me) a Nintendo DS so I can play Brain Age (my brain needs all the help I can give it)and Em can play Kim Possible and Hannah Montana.

Speaking of Hannah Montana, I saw yesterday where tickets to her concert in Little Rock Arkansas were selling for as much as $2500.00 each. Whoa!

and now today I have made an appointment to go get my hair colored. I have no idea what I am going to let her do. I'm thinking a brown rinse with maybe some red highlights.

must be the change in the weather

either that or I have finally just gone ahead and let the hormones take over

What's new

Truly beautiful, Sandra. Thank you!

I put the latest Dove video on my regular blog, gals. I wanted to make sure you all saw it...so go over there and check it out.

Is the weather changing workouts for you guys? My gym membership is up in two weeks and I'm thinking I am going to try working out at home (stationary bicycle, yoga/Pilates videos, walking/running outside when the weather cooperates) for a few months and if I don't like it/don't do it, I'll renew my membership in January when they have new member discounts.

I love, love, love the new look. Did you do this Sandra?