Mamavation Monday - Umm...What?

I don't really know where to start this week. I could tell you how I spent the entire week still sick but slowly getting better. I could tell you how I barely drank any water at all. I could tell you that I saw my first snow storm of the year. I could tell you about a lot of things and they would all be true. Instead, it's my family that weighs on my heart today.

As some people know, my grandmother is dying. She has stage 4 inoperable colo-rectal cancer that has moved to her lungs and her liver. Yesterday, we called her. We were supposed to go visit her but with me still having the dregs of something and the kids being a bit sniffly, we didn't want to risk her getting sick because of us. It was the first time since her diagnosis that she warned me, in her own way, that she wouldn't be here much longer. The reality is that this is probably our last Thanksgiving with her and she didn't seem so positive that she would be here for Christmas. I could hear it in her voice when we talked about me swapping holidays with the boys' dad. I didn't want to do it but she wanted me to.  I still don't want to but now I think I need to see if there's a compromise to be worked out. This breaks my heart. She's the only mother I ever knew and soon, I'm going to lose her. At that point, I'll basically be an orphan.

And now that I've totally depressed us all...I should focus on some positive. This past week was parent-teacher conferences. I'm so proud of my boys. They both did amazingly well. Ben had 4 A's and 2 B+'s. Roger had all A's except for one B. I guess all that time we spend doing homework is paying off. Did I mention that I'm super proud of them?

Another accomplishment this week? My bathroom is officially done! I'm going to be writing up a post over at Life With Katie sometime this week that should include before, during and after pictures. Until then, though...let's look at some numbers:

Average Daily Water Intake: 20oz (I drank more juice that water this week.)

Workouts: Nothing other than normal running around stuff.
Weight Change: 261.8 (-7 pounds) <-- The scale picture doesn't lie, but umm...yeah...wow.
Overall Weight Change: -29.8 pounds

Does anyone know which way the numbers are supposed to go?

Clearly mine are going the wrong way. I have to say it's very frustrating to see a bounce like this. Normally I'm very optimistic and I'm going to continue to be. My weight is up this week, and next week it's going to be back down. I need to do better on the water again, since I was so busy at work last week, that I didn't do as well as I like to. Also I need to plan a little better on portions. Tonight is pork chops and I expect to have a start of a good week. How did you all do this week?



Today's weight: 359.2 +2.4 pounds

Gold Star

I did it!  I got on my exercise bike this morning and got in 15 minutes of riding.  This is my goal ... fifteen minutes each morning when I first wake up.  I understand that the first day of any exercise program is the hardest.  But than again, I am sure the econd day will be just as hard.

Baby Steps

Sometimes weight loss is a study in what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.  I have done plenty of wrong in recent days, and now I have finally gotten some right in there.  there is only one problem ... I am not sure what I am doing right.

I still haven't started exercising.  I am still not drinking enough water.  I am still eating out too much.  Those are my major wrongs.  But guess what, I am down another fraction to 274.4.  So somewhere, I am doing something right.  Maybe it was the Halloween candy.

I like to have lots of candy for trick-or-treating.  I remember loving knocking on doors as a kid, just to walk away with a tasty prize, and so I hate to disappoint the young ghouls and goblins when they come to my door.  This year, I got my huge bowl of candy together.  I flopped out on the couch to wait for the doorbell, and promptly fell asleep.  I had had a busy few days prior and was totally wiped.  So I missed the doorbell.  That left me with a huge bowl of candy, and only one mouth in the house ... mine.

So, I took the huge bowl of candy, dumped it in a bag, and took it to school.  Now I ask questions, and when a student gets it right, I toss them a piece of candy.  They are happy, and I am not eating the candy.  It is a win-win!

The holidays are coming, and I am sure I will waver a few times during the holidays.  Last year, I tried out a recipe for mashed cauliflower (to replace mashed potatoes) but used too much milk.  I will try to get it right this year.

Well, that's all for now.  If anyone has a good healthy holiday recipe, let me know!

Mamavation Monday - Sick of Being Sick

Ahhh! I cannot stop smiling when I see this picture. That is the very sexy and very talented Raven Gregory over there and he is holding up a sign that he wrote wishing me to feel better! Ok, I'm trying not to go all fangirl but I have to confess to having a bit of a crush on this guy. He's good looking, talented, smart and really nice. He's incredibly down to earth and he did that for me! Ok wow, my fangirlness is getting out of control so I'm going to take a few deep breathes, not imagine what it would be like to actually hang out with him and get back onto the track of this post.

So, as you can see by the sign (do not insert fangirl squeal here), I've been sick. Honestly, I've been flat out ill. It's been horrible. It included swollen and painful tonsils, fevers, aching, head/throat/chest congestion and general ickiness. Thankfully, a week later and we're down to just wracking coughs that lead to never having enough sleep. I'm on the mend though, thank goodness!

However, due to my ickiness, I don't really have a lot to report this week. When I wasn't taking care of the boys, I was flat out in bed for the most part. I do apologize for my absence but rest was required. I should be back more this week, though!  Now, for the numbers:

Average Daily Water Intake: 30oz (I didn't even want water, I felt so crummy!)

Workouts: Just Dance with the boys (while sitting on the couch)
Weight Change: 274.6 (-5.8 pounds) <-- This is what total lack of appetite does.
Overall Weight Change: -22.8 pounds

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mamavation Monday Question:

How has Type II diabetes affected your life?

Diabetes is something that is on my mind fairly frequently. I have not one, but three different friends who deal with this on a daily basis. In fact, Jim, who is a regular contributor here is one of those friends. I've watched him work on bringing it under control and we've talked about how being a healthy weight is a part of that. It's one of the reasons I'm trying to get my weight back down into the healthy range. My family has a predisposition to having problems with Diabetes and like I've said many a time, I don't intend on becoming a statistic. 

 “This post is sponsored by Better’n Eggs and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women“” 

PS Want to know more about the hottie at the top? He's a comic book author. You can find his work at http://www.zenescope.com Seriously, he's good stuff.

Back on track

Starting back in the right direction again. I had a weird adventures in gymnasium event this week. I managed to forget to take my lock off of my locker at the gym on Weds after I was done getting dressed in street clothes again and discovered on Friday that someone took it and kept it. That's right, someone stole my combination lock. Without knowing what the combination is. Some people will steal anything, I guess. Been working the dadavation challenge too and I guess that's been enough working out, since I edged down this week after edging up the last two. It's nice to be back on the path again.



Weight: 356.8 (down 2.2 this week. Down 5.8 since the start)
Water: more than humans should consume. I seriously drink a ton of water.

In a holding pattern ...

Another week wondering ... why o why am I stuck?  This morning's weigh in: 275.6.  That is actually up a fraction.  Hmmmmmmmmm.  OK, to be honest, I haven't been "working" at losing weight lately.  I have been rather discouraged about the whole thing lately.  I know what I NEED to do, I am just not doing it.

Well, OK, maybe little things here and there.  For instance, I am slowly ratcheting up my water intake.  Everyone knows that water intake is beneficial to weight loss.  I have been grazing a lot lately at night, and I really need to change that.  I have a HUGE bowl of Halloween candy from trick or treating (I fell asleep on the couch during trick or treating and missed all the kids ringing the bell).  I have been taking that to school in little dribs and drabs and using it as inducements to students when asking questions.

Now on to the future:  I will try to drink more water and eat better this week ... I'll let you know how it all goes.