Simply put there are a lot of us. When we purchased the Corolla back in 2004 the biggest concern was affordability and safety, both of which the Corolla ranked well for. The other major consideration was longevity. Toyota’s have a repetition for being long lasting cars, that will need minimal repairs as the years past. And this has held true for our Corolla. Six years later it is still going strong and hasn’t needed any major repairs.

With all of those great qualities that is not why I love our Corolla. I love our Corolla because it has managed to seat three children under the age of 10 comfortably and with virtually no whining from the little ones we’re transporting. Six years ago we had a newborn, a two year old and a three year old. Three carseats a baby and two toddlers and two adults had to fit in our new Toyota Corolla. Anyone who has small children knows if they are not seated comfortably, with enough space, a short and simple ride can turn into a nightmare. Well, that was never an issue and anyone who has owned a Corolla knows it’s not the biggest of cars, but it fit everyone comfortably and with little issue.

And six years later, with bigger kids and even bigger attitudes…we’re still going strong! I love my Corolla and wouldn’t trade it in for the world…well…maybe another Corolla.

Hello All!!

Has it really been two months?!?  Yep it has, and Ms. Tracy has missed you all so much!  I have been between a rock and a hard place with this whole weight loss thing and whether or not to continue….

When we last got together, I was in the middle of an almost debilitating setback.   Over the holidays (from November to February!!) I went on an out of control eating binge that undid months of hard work.  I gained back 45 of the 94 pounds that I had lost since September of 08.  A sugar and carb overload triggered a complete shutdown of my neurotransmitters and a very deep depression had set in.  Add to this about 50 feet of snow, below freezing temps, and a bad case of SAD.  Ms. Tracy could not get any lower.   I entertained thoughts of getting a treadmill or some gym equipment to make up for not being able to go outside, but by that time I had gone back into my self-made prison and closed and locked the door.

I must not have hit a total bottom, because I still weighed in and tried to at least get to a Weight Watchers meeting.  But the more the scale went up, the tighter my clothes stared getting, and the worse I started to feel (hellooo female problems) the more I retreated back into my little cell.  Truthfully, I don’t think that I can blame depression totally – I was ashamed that I had fallen AGAIN.  Even tho I was still ahead of the game ( I was still more than forty pounds less than I was when I started)  the person that I had carefully cultivated with diet and exercise was gone.  And the person that I hated (yes – hated!) was back.  Bloated face, bleary eyes, chunky middle……all came back with a vengeance.

I was going to do what I did the last time I fell from grace….give up and disappear.  From the looks of things in the blogosphere, everyone does it.  Just quietly go, don’t answer the emails from Ms. Johnson or Katrina , my leader atWW,  and have another chocolate sundae beer float.  Accept the “fact” that this is what I am supposed to be, how I am supposed to feel, and how am supposed to live.   Give.  Up.

My 44th birthday was in February, and I celebrated like I usually do – all out blast with the girls, Chippendale dancer (Actually, it was more like a Chip in Hell dancer – how you gonna be try to be sexxy with a belly roll and back fat?  AND a thong…ewww).  The next day, I went shopping for my “gift to myself” and remembered that I still had the $300 Macy gift card that WW had sent me last year.   I won that prize for being an “Inspiration” – didn’t quite feel like one, tho.  I didn’t want to buy any clothes in a bigger size – too depressing.  Already had a shoe and boot collection that would put Imelda Marcos to shame, and this years styles looked like something a hooker would wear (open toed BOOTS?!  No, Kimora, just no….)….and it would be the nail in the coffin of defeat if I spent it all in the Godiva chocolate section…

So, I decided to get a nice piece of jewelry, something to keep and to remind me of what my hard work got me.   I was going to go with a pair of earrings, but I decided on a really cute heart shaped Amethyst and diamond ring.  I usually have to send my jewelry away to get sized, or do the pinky ring thing, but surprisingly, this ring fit snugly and securely on my ring finger.  Hmm, well I wasn’t where I wanted to be , weight wise, but I wasn’t where I started either.   I decided to make this ring my promise ring to myself.  I promised myself that no matter what setback, no matter what excuse I could dream up for not being where I should be – I would not give up.  I am not a quitter, I will not go back to LaneBryant and buy new clothes when I have a closet full of 10-12′s ( and one 8, boo hoo!!) to get into, I will not abandon my goals, I will not let the weather stop me from my new passion, running!  I WILL NOT GIVE UP!!

So, for the last two months, I have weathered the snow (walking poles !!),  the rain, and the nice weather (finally!!) and started pounding the pavement again.  I have also returned to Weight Watchers.  This combo – nothing like it in the world. The heart pounding , the sore knees, the flushing of your skin – yep that first WW meeting weigh in was a bitch!  The running was a lot easier….

So far, since I have be back on track, I have lost 20 pounds .  But I can do that in my sleep.  In fact, I am back in my element of losing weight, the easy part, the fun and exciting part.

I have also been doing lots of research as to the whats and why’s of falling off of the wagon, fat acceptance, doctors, aging and lots of other cool stuff.   I will be sharing all of this with you in the coming weeks along with my progress. 

Lovely to be back y’all – We Can Do It!

Hey All!!

I have been very, very tired lately and it is my own fault.  I guess I could say that I got wrapped up in the holidays, and bummed out by all of the cold freezing weather and snow.  I also could say that having company for two weeks  put a dent in my eating/workout schedule.  I could blame SAD, the lack of vitamin D, President Obama (really, isn’t everything his fault nowadays? *eyeroll*)……..

But, truthfully, I can’t…the month of January was a total eating and exercise plan fail!  Nah, I don’t like to say “fail”  – too negative – tho the extra 5 pounds that are sending me back over the 200 lb mark don’t seem like a “win” to me.

We all know the drill, I was just surprised that I could get back into the old habits so easily after the kick ass summer that I had.  But, ladies and gents, I am paying dearly for my indulgences.  No energy, tired red eyes and overactive bladder (too much sugar) weight gain  and a penchant for just either laying around or surfing the web mean one big thing – Blood sugar is out of control again.

So I must take charge again and get back on track.  The only upside to all of this is that instead of wallowing and continuing my downward spiral, I am really hating how I look and feel.  No wig , makeup or clothes can mask an unhealthy body.  And the sluggishness – I used to be so sharp!  So, it’ll take a couple of weeks of hot fudge/vanilla icecream waffle sundae detox ( do I know how to cheat or what?!?) to get me back to my old/new self again, but I have to do it !  And I can do it!!

Today I re-measure myself and use that as a starting point….If you all don’t mind, I won’t post numbers again till I am feeling better, and I am sure that what I will be seeing won’t make me all puppies, kittens and rainbows.

Now that the weather is decent, I am also back outside running, and I am pricing treadmills this week.  No excuses!!

I don’t know what my lack of training for the month of January is going to do for my half marathon that is scheduled in March. This mornings run was pitiful…..I could feel the fat on my legs laffing and holding on ! “Ha ha, you aint gettin rid of us that easy!!”

On another upside, I saw a friend in the grocery store today (back to the veggie aisle!) that saw me at my peak in August!  She told me that since seeing me and what I accomplished, she went on her own weight loss program and lost 50 pounds!!  She couldn’t stand being the “fat one” next to me!!  LOL – well honey , if it made you make a positive change in your life , hate away!!

It will be a slow process trying to get the bod used to healthy foods and water again, but I will try to post more that once a month!

So how bout you ladies, gents and facebook friends?  How have you been holding up during the Great Arctic Blast of 10?  Let’s hear from you!!

As always, you can do it!!

Til next time…..ooh look, carrots for dinner….yum…..

Happy Holidays!!

Hello All!!

How are all of you!!?!?  I hope that you had a great, lessee, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwaanza, Ramadan, Hanukah, Hari Krisha, Winter Solstice, Hail Satan…..did I get them all!?

Well, this is Week 8 of our Second Chance/Do Over Challenge…..how did you guys do?  Yuh huh, oh, I see…mmmhmmm…..yeah mee too!   Christmas cookies and the fried turkey kicked my ass too and I’m about to ring in the New Year with every chicken wing imaginable plus some eggnog and bubbly…..

I did manage to keep running, so the damage is not as bad as I thought that it would be but…..I am up about twenty pounds…..the pic above is me running on Christmas day as Santa.  Got lots of folks honking their horns and smiling and waving……and I also got a few middle  fingers from some Scrooges!

Not to fret, not to worry..It ‘s never too late to start over.  Even tho I have gained, I am still way ahead of where I was last year at this time.  So, ladies and gents, January 4, 2010 will be ….yes say it together now….8 WEEKS TO A BETTER BODY CHALLENGE – WE MEAN IT THIS TIME!!!  The hams, chitlins, cookies, fudge and food gifts need to be eaten – no thrown away – no eaten, who we trying to fool – by Jan 3rd.

This new 8 weeks is important to me because that is the countdown to my birthday in February.  I have managed to eat my way back into a 14, so I would like to get back down to a size 10 by February 21st.  I CAN DO IT!!

More later, I gotta finish getting ready for tonite!!  You all have a great New Year, be safe, take your DD if you are planning to paaartay, and get ready to sweat come ’10!!

Do it again in 10!!

YCDI

Soooo, how are we all doing on our little challenge eh?  New Year’s is just around the corner, let’s get to tonin’!   LOL!!

Me?  MMM…wellll….exercise-wise, I’m doing great!  I’ve been running at least 10 miles a day, and I got in 3 strength training sessions for the first week!

Food wise – I suck!  Still haven’t gotten back to tracking and I don’t know what the problem is!  I have plenty of tracking pamphlets, and I even bought a nice new food diary in case I needed extra room and I wanted to do the Food/Feelings thing.  But truthfully, I can’t be bothered with it!  The only deduction that I can make is that I am exercising so much I have subconsciously tricked myself into thinking that it doesn’t matter what I eat.  And I do admit that after a seven mile morning run, I do treat myself to a second chocolate caramel latte…  Bad Tracy!!!

The scale showed no change, which doesn’t surprise me…between the muscle and the extra food , everything balanced out.  But (note to self here) I must must must get back on track!!  177 keeps me 20 lbs from 100 lbs lost and 24 pounds away from my Weight Watcher goal…so I need to get crackin!

I would like to say that looking at the size 8 pants that I want to wear and the ever so snugness of the size 10′s are making me rally…..but quite honestly they are not.  My 12′s fit very nicely – almost too nice!  I’m looking pretty dang luscious lately!!

I know that no matter how much I change, I will never be a rail thin person – it is not in my genetic make up.  And truthfully, even as a little girl, I have always wanted to look like this:

and this:

and hell why not:

Cuuuurvvy ladies, soft and beautiful and sessy! But could tear you a new one if she had to… and the truth is, that with the right wig and a little adjusting girdle wise, I am there already!   Brick….Houuuse!

So that may be subconsciously putting a monkey wrench in my challenge.  With the exception of Nigella, who is a healthy 14-16 (yes you are!), all of these women probably fall into the 8-12 range.   And while there is nothing wrong with loving your curves (which I truly do!!) I must press on !

Why – because I set a goal and I am going to see it thru!  If I dont like what I see, I can always change.  But I doubt it, I have loved everything , every change, every challenge so far!

Next week – write, write, write!!  Starting Monday (this weekend is girly weekend with hotel, drinks and good food, sorry) it’s weigh, measure, and write!  I can do it!!

Til next time!!

So I here I go again. Trying to lose the same 20/30 pounds that I can never quite get rid of…once I’m home anyway.

Sigh.

Okay so here we go.

Goal

To be 150lbs at the end of the 8 Weeks ta Better body Challenge Round 2

Plan

Exercise: Twice a day with 20 – 40 minutes worth of cardio in the morning combined with 30 – 60 minutes of weight training and abs. Add to that 60 – 90 minutes worth of cardio in the evenings.

Diet: 10 glasses of water a day and 25 – 30 grams of fiber a day. I’ve found I work best when I work on what to add to my diet and not what to take out.

Miscellaneous

Stress: Stress is a big factor with me. I’ve been in a perpetual spiral of nothing going right so I’m genuinely pretty stressed on a daily basis. I’ve learned that if I’m too stressed the weight just won’t come off, no mater how hard I try or how great I’m dieting.  So the key for me is to find a way to manage my stress so it doesn’t affect my weight loss.

Depression: I’m prone to depression. Fighting the blues is a daily battle with me. And if things are really bad I just don’t want to move. So, the key is to walk/run everyday regardless of mood.

Work/Life Balance: I’m a obsessed with my work. I’ll work ’round the clock and won’t take the time to stop and go work out. Since I’m a write it means I’m not moving much, so I definitely have to make myself back up from the computer and get to exercising AND remember to eat.

Food Diary: Like ms. Tracy said “If I bite it write it.” That’s the only way I’m going to really know what I’m eating and be able to make the necessary adjustments.

So that’s it. My weight loss plan and goal. I’m starting this challenge at 168.9lbs (don’t ask – it’s been a stressful couple of weeks) so I need to lose roughly 19lbs in 8 weeks to meet my goal. It’s definitely doable, but I will admit my will power is lacking so I’ve got an uphill battle to climb.

Let’s get it started.

Today is a new day. So what are you waiting for?