For any who are interested, I've started a new blog. This is going to focus on bettering myself. It will include any different area. Weight loss/health/spiritual/whatever I feel like writing about.
http://abetterme-priceless.blogspot.com/
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Motivated
Since Todd has been gone, I had a goal to lose all of my baby weight and get down to my ideal weight. Well, my schedule has been crazy, it's been uber cold or snowy, and my treadmill was in my freezing garage. Needless to say, not a lot was accomplished, and I actually put on another 3 lbs. after the holidays and such. That was the middle of January. I decided that I just needed to buckle down and get things done. So, I started really sticking to my diet (which I was doing fine with before for the most part), and decided to ask my home teacher to help me move my treadmill into my front room. There's not a whole lot of room, and I have to move my couch everytime I use it and then move everything back afterwards, but it's been worth it. In the last 3 1/2 weeks, I've lost 7 1/2 lbs. I could have easily reached my ultimate goal before Todd came home, but because of my late start, I've had to set a new goal. It's only about 7 lbs. off, but still. It is a little discouraging to not be where I hoped I would be, but I'm very happy with where I will be when he's home. Then once he's home, I plan to lose the last 7 lbs. before my birthday in May, which is completely doable.
I've been very focused, but it hasn't been easy. There are days that I just want to EAT! Like today. It was Fast Sunday, so I was excited because I should have automatically not used as many calories today. But I came home, and over the course of the last couple of hours, still ate the meals I would have regularly eaten. I've noticed that Sundays are hard for me. They're hard because I'm just home most of the day and I'm home with Jenny. I don't know why that matters, but it does. I'm not the kind of person who is an emotional eater, or a person who eats to deal with problems . . .until her. And I still don't do it for that reason, but when I don't want to be around her, I usually want to get out for a while. Well, what can I do out of the house, that can get me away for awhile . . .usually going out to eat. So now I just find my self hungry anytime she does something that starts bugging me. It reminds me of Pavlov's dogs. I've trained myself to be hungry when she's around. So, even though today should have been a good day for calories, I've wolfed down 3 meals since 2 pm. Now, I'm still being good and not going over, but I should have been way under for today. And I'm still VERY hungry. (It's been a rough day.)
But the weekdays will come, and my schedule will get back to normal. Yet I know, the weekends are still coming, and there's also a holiday where there will be no work, so I still have a couple of bumps along my road before I cross my finish line. But I am still motivated. I have 11 1/2 lbs. to go to reach my ideal. I'd have 21 1/2 to go to reach my pre-any-baby weight, but I don't think that would be a healthy weight for me, so I'm sticking with what the experts say should be my weight.
And, just so you don't think that weight is all I think about, I know that that's not the most important thing. I'm just looking for healthy and fit, but I know from experience where my body is at it's best, and that happens to coincide with a #. I just feel good when I'm eating healthier and exercising regularly. I really miss my runs if something in my schedule makes a run not possible.
**(Disclaimer-- I'm getting on a soapbox here.) I have people that are always telling me that I don't need to lose weight. And I know that it's not a bad thing, and that it's meant as a compliment, and I in no way take it the wrong way, but I just want people to understand my side of things. I may be smaller than other people, but that doesn't mean that I can't be the size that my body is meant to be. If a woman who's a size 10 puts and keeps on 30 lbs. from having children and another is a size 4 and keeps on 30 lbs. from having children, shouldn't the smaller woman have just as much of a right to lose the weight as the first one? It's not the smaller one having an unrealistic view of her body. She just wants her body back.
Anyway, I guess that's my ramble for the day.
I've been very focused, but it hasn't been easy. There are days that I just want to EAT! Like today. It was Fast Sunday, so I was excited because I should have automatically not used as many calories today. But I came home, and over the course of the last couple of hours, still ate the meals I would have regularly eaten. I've noticed that Sundays are hard for me. They're hard because I'm just home most of the day and I'm home with Jenny. I don't know why that matters, but it does. I'm not the kind of person who is an emotional eater, or a person who eats to deal with problems . . .until her. And I still don't do it for that reason, but when I don't want to be around her, I usually want to get out for a while. Well, what can I do out of the house, that can get me away for awhile . . .usually going out to eat. So now I just find my self hungry anytime she does something that starts bugging me. It reminds me of Pavlov's dogs. I've trained myself to be hungry when she's around. So, even though today should have been a good day for calories, I've wolfed down 3 meals since 2 pm. Now, I'm still being good and not going over, but I should have been way under for today. And I'm still VERY hungry. (It's been a rough day.)
But the weekdays will come, and my schedule will get back to normal. Yet I know, the weekends are still coming, and there's also a holiday where there will be no work, so I still have a couple of bumps along my road before I cross my finish line. But I am still motivated. I have 11 1/2 lbs. to go to reach my ideal. I'd have 21 1/2 to go to reach my pre-any-baby weight, but I don't think that would be a healthy weight for me, so I'm sticking with what the experts say should be my weight.
And, just so you don't think that weight is all I think about, I know that that's not the most important thing. I'm just looking for healthy and fit, but I know from experience where my body is at it's best, and that happens to coincide with a #. I just feel good when I'm eating healthier and exercising regularly. I really miss my runs if something in my schedule makes a run not possible.
**(Disclaimer-- I'm getting on a soapbox here.) I have people that are always telling me that I don't need to lose weight. And I know that it's not a bad thing, and that it's meant as a compliment, and I in no way take it the wrong way, but I just want people to understand my side of things. I may be smaller than other people, but that doesn't mean that I can't be the size that my body is meant to be. If a woman who's a size 10 puts and keeps on 30 lbs. from having children and another is a size 4 and keeps on 30 lbs. from having children, shouldn't the smaller woman have just as much of a right to lose the weight as the first one? It's not the smaller one having an unrealistic view of her body. She just wants her body back.
Anyway, I guess that's my ramble for the day.
Almost there
We are now down to 20 days until Todd comes home!! It almost doesn't seem real. It just seems like my life will continue as it is-- just following our regular routine and talking to Todd. It will seem weird to actually have him here. He should be leaving Kabul in about 2 weeks, and then he'll be in Manas (not sure of the spelling) for a couple days before flying out. He'll retrace his steps, flying from Manas to Turkey to Germany to Baltimore. There he'll spend the night, since he'll be getting in around 10:30 pm. The next morning he'll fly on to Syracuse (not sure if it will be a straight flight or not), where I'll get to pick him up at the airport. We'll have to drive straight back to Rome so he can return his weapon, but then he's all mine. :o) We're going to head to the Casino/Hotel thing that's here in New York for the evening and then I'll bring him home the next morning. The down side is that he's coming home on a Saturday, which means that it will be a Sunday morning when we get back. So he'll get to see the kids for a little bit, but we'll still have to be getting them ready for church. Then they'll get to sit with him for an hour, and then not see him for another 2 hrs. after that. But regardless, it will be nice.
Then he will have to go to Boston for 2 days the following week to turn in gear and such. (I think it would make more sense for them to just fly him into Boston, let him turn all of his stuff in, and then just send him home so he can stay home, but it is what it is.) He's planning on taking Nathaniel and William with him, though, to spend a little time with them, and also since they're old enough to get military IDs now. So that will be nice for the boys.
It's been a long almost 6 months, and these next 3 weeks will probably seem the longest, but the end is in sight. I know that Todd has missed the family, but he's also glad that he went. He's been able to make some real contributions to the war in Afghanistan because of his position over there. He's always tried to look for opportunities to make a difference over there, where a lot of time, people just do only what they have to and that's it. So, even though it's been a sacrifice for us, it's made, or will make, life better for many of the Afghani people. So that's something he can be very proud of and we are proud of him as well.
HE'S COMING HHHHHHOOOOOMMMMMMEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Then he will have to go to Boston for 2 days the following week to turn in gear and such. (I think it would make more sense for them to just fly him into Boston, let him turn all of his stuff in, and then just send him home so he can stay home, but it is what it is.) He's planning on taking Nathaniel and William with him, though, to spend a little time with them, and also since they're old enough to get military IDs now. So that will be nice for the boys.
It's been a long almost 6 months, and these next 3 weeks will probably seem the longest, but the end is in sight. I know that Todd has missed the family, but he's also glad that he went. He's been able to make some real contributions to the war in Afghanistan because of his position over there. He's always tried to look for opportunities to make a difference over there, where a lot of time, people just do only what they have to and that's it. So, even though it's been a sacrifice for us, it's made, or will make, life better for many of the Afghani people. So that's something he can be very proud of and we are proud of him as well.
HE'S COMING HHHHHHOOOOOMMMMMMEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Invisalign
Today I went to the Orthodontist and got the Invisalign braces on. I've wanted to straighten my teeth for many years, and I finally just decided to do it. It helped that Nathaniel was already going to the Orthodontist for his appointments. So one day after his appointment, I just asked them if they could give me an evaluation. I had the option of doing normal braces or the Invisalign, and I guess I'm just vain enough that I was willing to pay the extra money for the Invisalign. :-)
So right now, my teeth are a little sore, but only when I first take them off (one of the other benefits of getting this kind--I get to take them off to eat and brush my teeth) or put them on.
I tried to take some pictures, but you really can't tell I have anything on in any of the pictures, so I won't post any. Sorry. :-)
But I'm very excited. It's nice to do something just for me that will also make me feel better. I have to do 20 aligners for 3 weeks each. So that's 60 weeks of wearing these and it takes me to the middle of March 2011.
So right now, my teeth are a little sore, but only when I first take them off (one of the other benefits of getting this kind--I get to take them off to eat and brush my teeth) or put them on.
I tried to take some pictures, but you really can't tell I have anything on in any of the pictures, so I won't post any. Sorry. :-)
But I'm very excited. It's nice to do something just for me that will also make me feel better. I have to do 20 aligners for 3 weeks each. So that's 60 weeks of wearing these and it takes me to the middle of March 2011.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Changes
Things haven't been too bad since Todd's been gone. It's not always easy to be by myself with 7 children, but when that's how it is, you just do it. The hardest part has been having my mother-in-law living with us. As most could imagine, even with a like able or compatible personality, it could be difficult. Well, there have been some recent events that have necessitated some changes. When we move in a year and a half, Jenny will either be staying here or moving somewhere else on her own. We're hoping that she'll stay here for her job, but she's not sure. Another reason I'm hoping she'll stay is that, if she's staying, we could also maybe work on her moving out before the summer of 2011 which would make the next year and a half a little easier as well.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Andrew's glasses
I forgot that I never posted pictures of Andrew with his glasses. There was a little snaffoo with the first pair, so we took him back and exchanged them. He only needs them for reading.
This is the Before picture (they weren't that purple when I picked them out, hence the exchanging them part of the story)
This is the After picture. (Just a nice metal color.) I like the shape better on the first pair, but this was as close as we could get. He doesn't have a problem with having to wear glasses, so that's nice. I still have to remind him to use them, but that will come with time.
Seeing Todd
Tonight I was able to Skype with Todd for the first time. It was so nice, especially for the kids, to seem him. Of course, it got a little hard to hear since they all wanted to talk to him at the same time. We have a big picture of Todd as my background on the computer so Lillian can see him. We've been trying to teach her that his is the face she needs to associate 'Dada' with. She's done really well. Everytime we say 'Dada' she looks at the computer to see his face and smiles. So when she finally got to see him, it was a little different for her, but she started smiling at him right away. I know it will probably still be a big change for her when she sees/meets him in person, but for right now she doesn't seem to be having a problem.
It ended up being a fairly short conversation since it was 4 am for him and he hadn't gone to bed yet, but had to be up in another 3 hrs. But we've been trying to do the webcam thing for at least the last 2 months, but he hasn't been able to for various reasons. Now we should be able to do it fairly regularly.
I love Todd so much. I'm very grateful for the service he is doing for our country. I know he is working hard and doing some important things to help in the war effort. And, eventually, he may even be able to tell me what that is. ;o) (He's keeping a list of all of the classified things that he's working on so he can check when they're made public so he can finally tell me some stuff he's done over there.) He's a great example to the children. I'm just so grateful for the technology that allows me to see him when he's 1/2 a world away. We definitely live in a bless time.
It ended up being a fairly short conversation since it was 4 am for him and he hadn't gone to bed yet, but had to be up in another 3 hrs. But we've been trying to do the webcam thing for at least the last 2 months, but he hasn't been able to for various reasons. Now we should be able to do it fairly regularly.
I love Todd so much. I'm very grateful for the service he is doing for our country. I know he is working hard and doing some important things to help in the war effort. And, eventually, he may even be able to tell me what that is. ;o) (He's keeping a list of all of the classified things that he's working on so he can check when they're made public so he can finally tell me some stuff he's done over there.) He's a great example to the children. I'm just so grateful for the technology that allows me to see him when he's 1/2 a world away. We definitely live in a bless time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)