ONE MORE HEALTHY DAY!!

I am going to be weighing in on Mondays. I did not lose any weight last week but I have really been watching what I eat this week and trying to exercise every day.  Hopefully this Monday will show a loss.  Maybe I won't blow it on the weekend again!  I am really trying hard this time.

The OA meeting was great. There were only four of us there but that was fine. We listened to an interview of a fellow OA member.  We have a small group and not much abstinence so we find it nice to listen to someone who is actually living and working the program.  The speaker said a lot of things that I could relate to.  I have found several podcasts for OA on Itunes so I have downloaded several of them to listen to.   That will help I am sure.

I am trying to eat 3 meals a day with not as many snacks.  I find that when I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks it is like I am eating all day long and I focus only on the food. I have got to learn to sit still and not focus so much on food.  My job has changed a little at work as well so I find that as long as I stay busy I don't go to the kitchen as much.  I think some of my eating is out of boredom.  Not that I don't have plenty of work to do, because I do, but sometimes doing the same thing over and over gets boring and I find myself thinking of hunting for something to eat just to be doing something different.  So I have got to stop that.

It is almost bedtime so I am going to take a long hot bath since I just got off the dreadmill treadmill and maybe I can get some sleep!

I hope everyone had a HEALTHY day today and is planning to have one tomorrow as well.  I am!

I put my hand in yours, and together we can do what we could never do alone.

Betty

Day 33 Another good day and question of the week.

Today was great.  I feel pumped since I lost weight this week!  I texted a few friends and committed to them that I would stick to my food plan today and I did!  I did not go over my calories.  Woohoo!  I went to my regular OA meeting, which was great and then I ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill at the gym.  Leaving the gym at 9 pm I had 600 calories I could still eat, so I choose to get a mango pineapple smoothie from McDonalds.  

That brings to mind a question I have been asking myself - how do you handle someone who is obviously obese and having health consequences but chooses not to change?  I know with an alcoholic or addict I would never go get them alcohol or drugs, so for a food addict - do I not go get them ice cream???  Sounds sensible to me.  Being a recovered addict I know I would find it hard to live with someone who is using. It's  the same with food. It is hard watching someone slowly destroy themselves.  But I have learned after 20 years of being in recovery that you can't help someone who doesn't want help - no matter what their issue is.  That is one thing I know for sure!  Well enough on that subject.

I have had a busy but productive day.  I made my OA meeting, got a chip for 30 days of abstinence, ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill  and was under my calorie goal. Sounds like a good day to me.  I hope you all had a good day as well.

Would love some feedback on my question. Thanks friends.

Day 9 - Fast food cravings.

Day 9 is ending and is has been another good day.  I ate healthy and I exercised tonight at the gym by running on the treadmill for 2.5 miles.  I had not done that in a while.  It felt GREAT!!!  I have missed my running.  According to my Bodybugg I burned 475 calories during that 2.5 mile run.  Awesome!

I realized tonight at my OA meeting that I have lied to you people!  Aren't 12 step meetings great for keeping us honest??? ha ha. But really - I said that my plan of eating was to eat anything I wanted within moderation but that is NOT true.  I have not been eating any FRIED foods.  I have come to believe that once I start eating them, I want them all the time so I have decided not to eat any.  I have not missed them yet-so far so good.  They always made me feel bad anyway and I know from my experience with alcohol and drugs that once I put something in me that I like way to much, I will crave that something over and over.  If I go to a fast food place for breakfast, I am more likely to go to one at lunch and dinner.  It always happens like that.  Once I start eating that junk, I can't seem to stop until I find myself sitting somewhere, with my stomach so full I can hardly move, wishing I could just throw up, mad at myself and so swollen the next morning and asking myself ONE MORE TIME, why? why did you do this yet again????  With alcohol if I never put that first drink  in my body, I won't crave the second one and the third one and so on.  I feel it is the same with fried foods for me.  And I guess I don't want any right now because I have gone without for 9 days. Seems like the craving has gone and I don't want it back anytime soon!!!

I am finding it hard to fit in my exercise since I am working two jobs but I am making the best of it.  I did not have to work my second job tonight so I was able to make it to the gym.  I grateful for that.

Well kiddos, it's getting late and I really need my  beauty rest, so I'm signing off for the night.

MAKE it a healthy day tomorrow,
Betty

Yea! That's the way you do it!

Yes! This is how you do it baby! (Pats myself on back)!!

I am almost half way to my goal of losing 100 pounds. Never thought I would be here again! I lost 60 a year or so again and then gained most of it back. I am praying this will the LAST TIME I do this. I want to lose the 100 pounds and then maintain. I have worked my butt off but I am enjoying it as well. Exercise, which used to be a "bad" word in my vocabulary, is helping me achieve my goal! I recently started spin classes and they are awesome! No way you can be in there and not work up a sweat! I feel so good when I finish my outwork regardless of waht it is. Yesterday I went to the Y to do a speed workout on the treadmill. I call it a speed workout because it was faster than I normally do but may not be "speedy" for some folks. Also I think the TM is notorious for not accurately calculating mph and or the distance I have gone. But I know I ran and I know I worked up a sweat. I was able to run for 4 miles without having to stop for a walk break. That is a first for me! Can't do it outside yet but that's okay. I remember the first time I tried to do the C25K program - when it got to running nonstop for more than 5 minutes I could not do it! I remember feeling such a failure but look at me now!! Persistance and dedication pays off baby!!

I am in a group called PIF (pay it forward) 500 mile club We are running for 500 miles this year and paying ourself or someone else can pay us .10 per mile and at the end of the year we give the money to a charity of our choice. Cool huh? See below for my current mileage:

Never in a million years would I have dreamed I could run, walk, or wobble for 1/2 a mile let alone 500 miles but I'm doing it baby!! And losing weight in the process. Can you tell I'm excited?

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend and remember to inspire someone today!

OA, Jeff Galloway IN PERSON and other ramblings

My OA meeting last night was great! We had two new members! How cool. We are started a "book study" and are going to study the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of OA. Need I say that in the first three paragraphs I saw myself over and over. I am so glad I decided to do something positive about my food issues. Like I said at the meeting last night - it is not just about losing weight! It is about getting healthy and that is what I want to do. If I lose weight in the process - that is great too! Thank you God for 12 Step programs - they have literally saved my life!!

I went to the Y to run on Monday and it was packed! That is the first time I have seen it that full this year! I guess all those new year resolutions are in full swing! lol. I did the elliptical for 2.6 miles and still no treadmill available. I wasn't exactly dressed to run outside so I went upstairs to the cardio/core class. Wow and wow and ouch! The jump rope part almost killed me...he he... (not to mention my 52 almost 53 year old bladder wasn't happy either). I had not done that class before but I loved it. I will definitely do it again. But....now my right calf is hurting. I wonder if I strained it.....oh great...just what I needed. But I am taking it slow today. I didn't do anything yesterday as far as exercise. I did have a total of 19 miles last week so that was great, but no weight loss for that week but I am hoping a weight loss will show up this week for sure.

The Galloway running group that I am a part of is starting back this Saturday. And guess what??? The man, Jeff Galloway himself, will be there in person!!! I am too excited!! He will run with us that morning and he will be doing a three hour running school that afternoon. I can't wait!!  I will let you know how it goes.

MAKE it a great day everyone!

Three miles and no walk breaks!

I am too thrilled with myself.  Yesterday I ran (on the TM) for 3 miles without having to take a walk break.  Wish I could do that outside but that will come in time, if I keep working at it!  It felt so good.  There was no time when I felt like stopping.  I felt so strong!  It felt so good I might do it again today! 

I remember when I first started trying to run, I could only do about 5 minutes on the TM.  5 MINUTES PEOPLE!  Wow!  I have come a long way! 

I have also lost 10 pounds this month.  I have made up my mind that I CAN DO THIS!   I can't get faster in my running with this extra weight on me.  I am determined to lose all the weight I need, to continue running and racing and be the healthy woman God intended me to be.   I have planned on a 2 pound per week weight loss, so we will see how that goes.  If I do that I will be at goal in September of THIS YEAR!  But I have to remembe that losing weight is not my problem - keeping it off is the problem!  I plan on doing that as well!  Getting it off and KEEPING IT OFF!  Yea baby!  I can do this.  

Thanks to all my friends who encourage me every day!  And remember - if I can do you - YOU CAN DO IT TOO!  My motto is "never ever give up" so I just keep on "keeping on" taking it one day at a time.  And I take it one mile at a time.  When I ran my longest run to date, 14 miles, in preparation for the half marathon, I would run one mile at time.  I did not think, oh my gosh, I have 10 more miles to go, I would think, I have 1 mile to go.  A mile is about 15 minutes for me so I knew I could continue for 15 more minutes.  And so....each 1 mile added up to 14! 

I must be getting faster.  My garmin said I ran a 13 minute mile in my last race.  Best yet!  I'll take that. 

MAKE it a great friends!