Hot 100 Update

This will be my last post for a week or so. I want to update my Hot 100 Challenge. I have really been thinking about these goals.

1. I will weigh 215 on Dec 30. I have 16 to lose in 2 months. I still think I can do it.

2. I will walk 5-7 times a week. Nope. Hopefully this will resume next week.

3. I will do aerobics 3-4 times a week. Check

4.I will eat a real dessert once a month. Check

I have spent this week preparing for our trip. I like to come home to a clean house. But it seems like I am struggling to get even the smallest things done. Fact is, I want to be outside working in my yard, planting my flowers and raking pine straw. However, I have pressed on with the house work and most everything is done. And I have had time to work outside each day.

Last night I reviewed in my mind my plan for next week. I am going to be a picky nibbler. I am not going to try to maintain, I am going to lose next week. When I get home next Saturday, I want to be in the 220s. I am going to fight for it. My BIL is making a dvd/vcr available to me, so I can continue to work out.

See yall next week.

Weigh In

My current weight is 231.4, for a total of -14.6. Hip Hip Hoooray!!!

As far as eating this week, Wayne made a big pot of vegatable soup Sunday and it looks like we will be eating it for the rest of the week. We are leaving Saturday to spend a week with his family, so we are trying to use up everything in the fridge.

Now, going to visit his family-- he is from Louisiana. With his family (as with mine) , food is the center of every gathering. We have discussed it, and we will eat moderately. We will cook a lot of the meals, so we will have a good bit of control. I am looking forward to the cracklins (fried hog fat) and king cake.

I can not over indulge because I am close enough to 229 to almost taste it. That has been the number my heart has been set on seeing since August.

As for exercise, I have been doing aerobics only. Wayne is still not able to walk much with his tendonitis and I dont want to walk without him.

Jo @ 282 is having a give-away!! Its for a Firm exercise dvd. My right click is not working, so I cant give a link. Can anyone out there tell me how to do a link with just the persons name??

Feeling Better and 2 month review

I slept good last night and woke up today with more energy than yesterday. We ran a few errands and I bought more pansies and snapdragons. This afternoon I am working in the house.

Wayne has tendonitis or something in his left ankle/heel. He wont be able to walk today. He's disappointed, but he needs to rest. I will do an aerobic workout.

This makes 2 months for me trying to feel better. In 2 months I have lost 13 lbs, learned to do aerobics and got to where I can walk 2 miles. I am overjoyed. Overall, I DO feel better.

I am not denying myself any food that I really want. Last week I wanted Lindor Truffles and bought a bag and ate quite a few. They tasted so good and I'm glad I ate them. It seems like I get a sweet tooth monthly. I have had a hysterectomy but still have an ovary. When I use to have periods, everyone and I mean EVERYONE knew to get me candy and cookies when it was time for it. And that monthly craving has never gone away.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday!!

Feeling Tired

One of the symptoms of RA is fatigue. That is what I have been fighting since the weekend. Wednesday I felt good which led me to over exert myself. It's hard not to. Yesterday Abby came over and we sat and watched TV most of the day. That was good, it is what I am suppose to do when I feel bad. (Abby is my 24 yr old daughter. We talk for hours). When Wayne got home, we went for a slow walk (about a mile and a half). I had recorded a segment of Gilad from FitTV, to see if Wayne would be interested in that type of workout. We decided to do it and we both enjoyed it. Neither of us could do all of the exercises properly, so we will work on them each day for a week and see if we can learn it. Interesting enough, after the walk and exercise, I felt better.

I got a good nights sleep and woke up tired. So I pushed my arse into the sunroom and did an aerobic workout. It seems to have perked me up a little. I feel good enough to do some housework now. This evening we will walk and work on Gilad some more.

My doctor says the weather affects arthritis and I think we have a cool front coming and possibly rain. This is probably contributing to the fatigue and swelling. But you know what?? I can still walk and exercise and I thank the Lord for it. All of us that are able to get up and move , whether we 'feel' like it or not, have something to be thankful for.

We have been considering buying a treadmill. Cold damp weather is tough for me to get out in. However, I think we will buy one of those walking videos and do that instead. It is a lot cheaper than a machine. Then when we find a tmill that we like and the price is right, we may buy it.

My weight is still coming down slowly but I can feel so many wonderful changes in my body. I have lost 5% of my body weight now. My left arm does not have full range of motion, but I am seeing improvement in it. Wayne continues to melt away. He is in a smaller size pants. His belts are in the last hole. Like me, he still has a good way to go. In the mean time, these are such encouraging signs that we are moving in the right direction. It makes us feel good that we are helping each other to be more healthy. I am thankful for my husband.

Gobble Gobble

I am eating more protein. Over the weekend, I had a sweet tooth and ate a variety of sweets. They were good and I enjoyed them. I think my sweet tooth has passed now.

Yesterday, I went with my sister and bil to a Chinese restaurant (buffet). I had been avoiding restaurants. Chinese is my favorite. I had good intentions of getting a little portion of the things I love best. I ended up sitting down to 2 fairly large plates. Guess what I had when I finished?? 2 fairly large plates of left over food!!!! I feel bad because I wasted so much. But I sat down and ate my absolute favorites (noodles, sesame chicken, egg foo young, pepper steak) and left the rest.

This is what I learned about myself--I wanted to gobble my food. I would have a mouth full of something and before I could swallow it, my fork was full again and I would put more food in my mouth! I made myself slow down, chew and swallow before I would refill my mouth. I think this made a huge difference in the amount of food that I ate. I found myself wanting to do the same at supper. What's up with that? It's the way I have always eaten, I think. I am going to have to monitor myself until I learn to slow down.

Exercise is going good. Yesterday we walked 2 miles. I thought this would be impossible for me to do. We walked it and it felt good.

We needed new jogging suits. Wayne got a 2x which fits him perfectly. He cant remember the last time he wore a 2. Weight is falling off of his body. I got a pretty pink XL. The pants fit good but the top is tight. It will fit good in time.

Some people are starting to fret over the upcoming holidays and the amounts of food involved. As for me, I am going to be thankful that we live in a country where food is plentiful. I am going to eat my favorite foods and enjoy the company of others. I will have to force myself to eat slowly and not gobble. Above all, I am going to give thanks and praise to the Lord.

Changes

I made an effort yesterday and today to eat more protein. So far, so good. The scale dropped a pound today. BUT....

I got dressed to go to the grocery and my jeans were much looser. Not falling off or anything. Just looser. My thighs didnt touch fabric. My long sleeved tee dropped down without stretching around my bosom or stomach. Hmmm.....great. I love it when that happens. The scale says I have lost 11 lbs, but I feel like I have lost at least 15. Soooo......

Tonight I got Wayne to measure me. Ready??? 10 inches gone! I am amazed and happy. Every single area dropped except my left arm. 1.5 off of my bosoms. I can wear all of my underwire bras comfortably now. I dont even know how to describe my happiness. My arse dropped 2 inches. Therefore, my clothes are LOOSER!!!!!!!

This could be due to the fact that we walk daily and I am doing my aerobics. Or it could be the weight loss. I dont know.

Last week I posted I could wear my diamond. A couple of days later I wrenched it off and put it up because I was swelling. The swelling is going back down because I can wear it tonight. I plan to weigh tomorrow and will probably see a lower number. I'll let yall know.

We have a lovely weekend planned. It will be chilly so we will probably start up the gas logs. In the morning we are going to the farmers market for veggies, fruits and flowers. I have been working in my flower bed this week and am ready to plant pansies and snapdragons.

I cant wait to get dressed tomorrow and see if my clothes are looser.

Facts

In late August, I decided to change my lifestyle in an attempt to manage my rheumatoid arthritis. Losing weight and increasing activity were my goals.

I have lost 10 lbs.
I can walk 1.25 miles.
I can do an entire low impact aerobics workout.
I am happy with this.

Weight loss is slow. Last week I had a few days when the fluid came off and I weighed 233. Over the next couple of days the fluid came back and my weight is at 236. I talked to my MD about this Tuesday. My medicines can not be changed and the fluid will continue.

I decided to look at my overall food intake. I discovered I eat a lot of carbs. Not enough protein. Actually, not enough calories. I eat fruit for snacks instead of chips and snack cakes. I dont always get enough vegatables in.

I plan my meals. I do not want to go out to eat. I spend more on groceries than I use to. I also spend more time shopping and reading nutritional values.

My husband is losing weight. He says he feels better.
I feel better.

I have a lot of restrictions. I am a success.