Friday Weigh In (one day late)

This week was one of my most challenging weeks EVER in my weight loss saga. No big temptations, no fancy catered meals, nothing like that.

The scale. It has not been my friend.

Last Friday, I posted a weight of 201.5.

Fine.

I stayed with the program, no "cheating" or anything.

Sunday and Monday, the scale read 205. TWO OH FIVE!

Up 3.5 pounds and I hadn't cheated once.

That really made it difficult to focus. I had a lot of negative talk going on my head. You know, the "why bother" and "this isn't working" talk we all know and love.

I knew I was doing the right thing and managed to stick with it. Gradually over the week, the scale went down 203, 202, and today (my official weigh in), my weight was 201.00. So, I can officially say I've lost 1/2 a pound this week.

I have a digital scale, so I don't know if last week's number was wrong and it was correct the rest of the week - I just really don't know what happened.

But, I stuck with a mentally challenging week and managed to post a loss. That's what matters, right?

Staying on Track.

This morning's weight - 201.5.

Still not where I was, but also not where I had been.

Last week was VBS, so that was challenging, but I stuck with making good food choices. Exercise was out for the entire week. That stunk, but I've exercise every single day this week - that is a big deal for me!

My size fourteen pants are still a little snug, but I can wear them. A reminder to not let myself go too far! I've thrown away all of my clothes as soon as they are baggy and I have a replacement. No sense in having a safety net to gain weight, right?

I've done the math and it's possible for me to be at my official goal my Thanksgiving. That will be tough, but possible. Hubby and I are planning on going on a cruise for our anniversary and I'm already researching their exercise facilities and healthy dining options. I've also bought some clothes in small sizes since I won't be able to find fun summer-wear when I'm ready to pack.

I really feel like my head and heart are in the right place to do this right. I hope to make it - this year!

Back on Track

I'm eating the right things and making better choices. I'm trying not to kick myself for how far I COULD have been, but that's what happens.

I'm going to have to find a new workout routine. Walking at the park just isn't going to cut it this summer. It so SOOO hot, plus I had only walked about half of my route when I had seen THREE SNAKES. I am crazy afraid of snakes and decided that I just can't handle that. Can. Not. Do. It.

I'll try a different park that isn't so - what the word? - natural. The trails are paved and it has a lot more foot traffic. Hopefully, I can recover from my ankle injury soon enough to be able to run. That is very frustrating!

Our church is having VBS this week, which I LOVE, but it does provide challenges in the weight loss area. It is from 7:00-9:00 and, of course, there's "refreshment." So, I'm picking up 4 frozen entrees and I'm going to keep them in the church refrigerator and heat them before class each night. Then, I won't be hungry at snack time. No exercise this week - just not possible. But, my eating will be perfect and I'll exercise Saturday and I'm going to give myself a 10 day challenge. I'll keep you posted.

Off to lunch - vegetarian lasagna! MMMmmm!

Where have I been?

• Running injury
• Aggravation
• Depression
• Not eating right
• Change of medication
• Busy
• Just an excuse
• Fear of failure
• Fear of success
• Crazy?

Starting over...

Weigh In - April 1st

According to the scales, I have lost 1.5 pounds this week. Not great, but not bad. Average.

That makes my weight 193.5 and I am 1 pound away from officially losing FORTY pounds! Woo-hoo!

I have a mini-goal of reaching 180 by Saturday, June 14th. (Hubby and I are attending a wedding that day) That is 10.5 weeks away and a weight loss of 13.5 pounds. I think that is certainly doable. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I got two and a half good walks in this week. Two were about 3 miles and the other one, well, we got completely rained out!! About the time we reached the halfway point, the bottom fell out. I was soaked!! Oh well, that's still about two and a half hours of exercising and walking about 7.5 miles for the week.

Last night I went to a local park and decided to see how far I could jog. Imagine my surprise when I made it .45 miles without stopping. I tried to really concentrate on my breathing and I was pleased. I had no idea I could go that far - that's a major milestone for me.

Let me ask this question to the group: What should I feel like when I am exercising?

I mean, there are times when I am hiking and the climb is steep and my heart is beating so fast - I feel like I am dying. I mean, seriously. I can't catch my breath and it's all I can do to take another step on some of the difficult trails. Then, I'm walking and I feel better. I may not be able to carry on a full conversation, but I can make some small talk. I am not a runner, but I'd like to move in that direction. How should I feel when running - like I am dying, like I'm a-ok? I just don't know how hard to push myself. I want results, but not injury. I want to improve, but I don't know a good rate. Thoughts, anyone?

Hope you have a great week and thanks for reading.

Weigh In 3/26

I have really stuck to my regimen this week.

And I lost a pound.

But, I'm not disappointed. My tom will be here soon, so I know my body is responding like it usually does. Plus, I have had some great personal victories. Actually it's a nsv. That's a new term I learned this week. It means non scale victory. How cool am I to be using this hip lingo??

• I can now wear a pair of capris (that I LOVE) that I haven't worn in about four years. The fact that I haven't donated them should let you know how much I {heart} these capris.
• Today, at work, I am wearing a bright green jacket and skirt, that I haven't worn in about two years. I may even be visible from Mars, but I don't care. I feel great.
• I've walked about 7 miles this week - and enjoyed them!
• I bought an Easter dress this year - that has a belt! It's just a cute simple little ribbon that ties at the waist. I wouldn't have been able to fit into it 10 pounds ago. There's just something about a dress that makes me feel feminine and pretty. (This is the dress, if you're interested.)

OK, that's it. Down a pound, but excited about it. Clothes are fitting better. I am super motivated and excited. 35 more pounds to go!!

Do I get a certificate, too?

79 words

Speedtest

I found this link from Overwhelmed with Joy, via It Coulda Been Worse.

Let me know if you try it for yourself.

Allow Myself to Introduce.....Myself*

* You get a point if you can identify the movie that quote is from.

Well, I've been a bit scarce lately, but I'm back.

I basically maintained throughout January and February (and most of March...), but now I'm back in losing mode. I really needed a break from posting about my weight and just wanted to relax. I got up to 201, but now I am down to 196, my lowest weight since... I don't know when. My lowest on the TFTS challenge was 196.5, so I'm even below that and I'm on my way.

I kind want to beat myself up about taking the time off, but I also want to pat myself on the back. I maintained! I never knew that was possible for me. But, I did it. Now, I am re-focusing on losing my weight. Spring is here (basically) and I can enjoy some outside time. What's so awesome is that I know I can meet my goal this year. I want to weigh around 160. I can definitely lose 36 pounds in 2008.

I may whine some, but as long as I keep going, that's what matters!!

How to Phrase an Invitation

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer is hosting backwards "Works for me Wednesday" today.

My question is this-

I'm hosting a wedding shower in May. I want it to be a little bit different and I'm hoping to make it a "tea party" themed shower. Encourage everyone to wear a hat, have cute little finger sandwiches, have various teas for guests to drink, that kind of thing...

How do I phrase the invitation? I don't want to just call it a "tea party" because I am afraid no one will bring a gift. I don't want to just call it a shower, because I want the guests to be encouraged to participate in the tea party atmosphere.

There will be guests attending that I don't know, so I can't just casually tell the guests what's going on , the invitation needs to give the guests all the information of a normal shower (time, date, place, etc), plus the tea party theme.

Advice?

Thanks so much!

100 Things About Me

In honor of my 100th post, I'm supposed to give you 100 things about me. Here goes...

1. Lisa Kay is my real first and middle name.
2. My favorite color is yellow.
3. I have a bizarre ability to be able to recognize celebrity voices in commercials.
4. I am constantly battling my weight.
5. I love to shop.
6. My New Year's Resolution is to spend less than $25 per month because I was shopping too much.
7. So far, I'm keeping my resolution. (How much longer until February 29???)
8. I am a huge fan of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Love them and love going to games.
9. The shows on tv that I love, I hate to miss. The shows I watch are "The Office," "Lost," "The Biggest Loser," "Law & Order," "The Closer," "Dancing with the Stars," "Cold Case," and, if nothing else is on, "Desperate Housewives."
10. I'm almost obsessed with "Lost." Love to read spoilers, read recaps done by others, and have even done 1 or 2 myself. My friends and I email each other the day after it airs to discuss the episode and theories and "did you see that?" moments.
11. My favorite show used to be "Friends." Because of that, I know a lot of "Friends" trivia. I can dominate any "Friends" game. Unfortunately, that's not a skill that comes up often.
12. I'm not "neat" by nature. I have to work at it.
13. I am "clean" by nature. Truly, I'm a germophobe. I never take a trip without bringing Lysol and hosing down the hotel room.
14. My favorite candy is Reese's Peanut Butter cups, but only when I can drink milk with them. Otherwise, I'm just not interested.
15. I'm very tenderhearted. My eyes water whenever someone gets proposed to (even people I don't know on tv) and to quote from Steel Magnolias, "no one ever cries alone in my presence."
16. In a group of strangers, I'm usually one of the quiet ones. In a group of friends, I'm usually one of the loud ones.
17. I have a loud laugh.
18. I love reading other bloggers' 100 Things post.
19. I don't have a huge circle of friends, but the ones I have a very precious to me.
20. I have a bit of a sarcastic sense of humor. I have to be careful when I post because I'm afraid it will either come across as mean or ignorant. If you could heard my tone, you'd know I was just showing my great sense of humor. (Did I mention I'm sarcastic?)
21. I truly believe that God picked out Hubby for me.
22. We started dating in high school.
23. After my first date with him, I came home and said, "I'm not going out with him again."
24. I changed my mind.
25. I passionately love him.
26. Neat story: hubby is 3 days older than I am. When we were dating, his mom and my mom were chatting about that. Come to find out, hubby was born via c-section, so they were in the hospital for several days. I was born at the same hospital. Which means that hubby and I spent the night in the nursery together when we were newborn babies. Cool, huh?
27. My bday is New Year's day, so even though we are only 3 days apart, we are born in different years.
28. I knew hubby was the one for me my senior year in high school.
29. I can honestly say he's the only person I've ever been in love with.
30. And I like it that way.
31. We went to separate colleges, 2 hours apart, and still made it.
32. I attended a college where I knew no one at all.
33. It was challenging, but I'm glad I did it.
34. Despite being outgoing, I was pretty shy about kissing him in front of the church when we got married. We high fived first. No one even remembered our kiss. And I like that just fine.
35. I've had the same best friend since 7th grade.
36. I can crochet decently.
37. I can sew a few things, too.
38. I also like to rubber stamp and make cards.
39. Despite this, I don't really like the term "crafty." It makes me think of people making things out of popsicle sticks and chenille stems.
40. There's nothing wrong with that if you're working with children, but I don't want people to associate that with my hobbies. As if I'd give you something for Christmas that I made out of old gum wrappers and held together with modge podge.
41. My mom was an excellent crochet-er and seamstress.
42. I had no interest whatsoever in learning her skills as a child/teenager/young adult.
43. So, I paid to take classes to learn these things as an adult. I'm a real genius.
44. My mom made most of my clothes, including Easter dresses, up until about the end of middle school.
45. My friends thought I was so lucky because my mom made my clothes.
46. I thought my friends were lucky because they got to "shop" for their clothes while I was at fabric store. (Never mind that I got to pick out the fabric and the style of the outfit.)
47. I was chosen "Best Personality" for our senior class.
48. I was thrilled with that.
49. I wasn't considered popular in school, but I had a large circle of friends. I was one of those people that spoke to everyone and, as a result, I never really fit into a "group" at school.
50. I never got in trouble in school. Never had detention or sent to the principal's office.
51. I never had a curfew, as long I called to check in and let my parents know where I was.
52. I've never had any alcohol or abused drugs.
53. The only problem I gave my parents in high school was my attitude.
54. From about the ages of 13-17, I thought my parents were absolute idiots. How they ever managed before I came along, I'll never know.
55. What's really amazing is how intelligent they got between my ages of 18-22.
56. If I my child ever spoke to me the way I spoke to my parents, I would have a hard time not slapping him/her on the mouth.
57. My parents showed restraint.
58. I did get (occasional - and deserved) spankings as a child, though.
59. I am an only child.
60. Hubby and I don't have children.
61. I don't know if we will.
62. Many people assume we are having fertility issues.
63. We're not. (that we know of)
64. We've just never felt that nudge to have one of our own.
65. We love, love, love children. Other people's children.
66. Sometimes I wonder if I'm maternal material.
67. I've babysat toddlers and children.
68. I've never changed a diaper.
69. Sometimes, I wish God would just let me see a peek of the future so I could know what He has in store for us in that department.
70. Hubby and I have a great dog, named Lou.
71. She was a stray that we took home from a local park on Labor Day 2000.
72. She was about 4 months old at the time.
73. I had never had a dog before and was scared of them because of a mean doberman next door that chased me as a child.
74. Lou is the sweetest dog and extremely low maintenance.
75. She is afraid of men. We think she ran away because her original owner was unkind. Frankly, I'd like to show some unkindness to that person. Which isn't really the right attitude.
76. Although we love her, we do realize she's a dog and don't treat her like a human.
77. My mother and I have the same middle name.
78. My mother passed away 9 months before I got married.
79. I still miss her every day and wonder how my life would be different if she were still here.
80. Other than accepting Christ, her death is the one event that affected my life more than anything else.
81. However, I am not hopeless because I know I will see her again.
82. My dad and I are very close.
83. We like to "argue" current events, politics, and religion.
84. Some people think we're actually angry, but we're truly just discussing the issues.
85. We both enjoy it.
86. I've attended the same church my entire life.
87. My parents started attending there when they moved down from mountains of north Georgia.
88. My dad still goes there, too.
89. Ellijay is the name of a small town in north Georgia, where my parents grew up.
90. Although I was raised in the Atlanta area, I have spent many weekends with my family in Ellijay.
91. That's where my blog name came from. If I could live anywhere, Ellijay would be the place.
92. I got my Bachelor's degree in early childhood education.
93. All my life, I wanted to be a teacher. My mom died while I was student teaching and I think the teaching part of me died, too.
94. I went back to school in 2004 and added on a certificate to get into the field I'm in now. I really like what I do.
95. I currently work full time, but would prefer to work part time.
96. God has been very good to me.
97. He's blessed me beyond what I could ever deserve.
98. I'm usually a happy person.
99. When I've read others 100 list, they write about how difficult it is to come up with 100 things. This has been really easy for me to do.
100. I wonder what that says about me.

Food Journal - 2/14

Today, was a little tricky since it is Valentine's Day, but I read labels, fixed a nice dinner at home, and enjoyed the day.

bfast-
banana with peanut butter

snack-
yogurt

lunch-
half of a chicken wrap,
cup of veggie soup
1/2 pack of 100 cal. Doritos

snack-
mini cupcake (less than 100 calories!)

dinner-
small steak (very lean)
corn
broccoli with rice and cheese (low fat)

snack-
mini cupcake (see above)

I know I ate 2 mini cupcakes, which is not something I should typically do, but it was a holiday and I gave in because I read the nutitional info and allowed into my daily caloric intake.

Yesterday

Well, I stuck with it yesterday. I had a few moments where I was "starving," but that was 100% my fault for not planning properly. But, I survived. Being hungry is not an emergency or life threatening condition.

Food Journal -
bfast-
Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich (with egg white and turkey sausage - yummy!)

lunch-
Half of a chicken wrap
Half of a bowl of lf veggie soup
100 cal pack of Doritos

snack-
100 cal pack of Pringles Stix

snack-
heaping spoonful of peanut butter with honey
1 cup skim milk

dinner-
baked fish
green beans
whole grain rice

snack-
1 3 musketeer - bite size

Exercise - walked one mile doing WATP dvd

Back to Basics

If I were an alcoholic, one might say that I have "fallen off the wagon." I won't go into graphic detail, but it's fair to say that I have been stuffing my face - and the scale has not been going in the right direction.

I have really struggled during the past couple of weeks and today, I am refocusing my efforts. I'm going back to the things I've done in the past that work - food journaling, keeping a record of my exercise, eating "something green" every day, keeping myself busy when I feel hungry, ... You know what I'm talking about.

Starting over - yet again...

Lost Premiere - 2008

LOVED IT!

What a great hour of television.

Random thoughts...

• I'm still so darn curious about who was in the coffin in last season's finale. Just had to mention that. My guesses - Sawyer, Ben, John Locke, or Juliet
• I really liked the division of those that want to stay and those that want to leave. John and Rose had major medical problems that are now cured - can't say I blame them a bit! Why does Kate want off the island so badly? I thought the only thing waiting for her was a trial for murder. Also, we know that Hurley starts last night with Locke, but he ends up with Jack.
• We're thinking six people made it off the island. Hurley said he was one of the "Oceanic Six." 3 of those people are Hurley, Kate and Jack. I still need to know the other 3 - I'm assuming one of them was in the coffin.
• What is the secret that Jack is worried that Hurley will tell?
• Why are people asking if "they" are alive? Are some survivors still alive on the island and there is a coverup about that - since they wanted to stay on the island with the special powers? Or is it about the "Others" who may still be on the island?
• Timeline - Hurley's flash forward took place before the finale flash forward. One, Jack had no beard. Two, Jack was not yet a full-fledged alcoholic. Notice him drinking vodka in his orange juice while watching the morning news? He's on his way down.
• When that eye popped up on the screen, I screamed out loud! Was it Locke's? See for yourself...

POSSIBLE SPOILER...

This is just a screencap of a scene showing "Jacob" last night, but can you tell who it is?

That is none other than Jacks's dad, Christian Shepherd!!!!

I can't wait to see next week's episode...

Weigh In 1/30

Technically, I lost 2.5 from my last weigh in since I am now at 198.5.

Technically, I am still the same since I weighed in the next day at 198.5

Technically, I am up 2.5 pounds from my lowest weigh in.

But, I am actually not frustrated this time. I think I have lost weight. It is not my favorite time of the month right now, which of course means water retention. I have also exercised several times. I think I am on the right path, but the scale just isn't showing it at this time.

Darn it.

But, I have had some victories.

Hubby and I went away for a ski weekend this past weekend and I stayed on track throughout the entire trip! I took healthy snacks and made good choices when we ate out. Woo-hoo!

I'm trying to maintain my amateur status in hopes of competing in the Winter Olympics

Hubby and I are going skiing this weekend. We've only skied a few times before and just like to go away for a long weekend and have fun. We don't even own ski equipment - we rent. We live in the south, so we head to the mountains of North Carolina for a quick trip.

I can't go skiing without thinking of the first time we went. As I've mentioned before, I'm challenged when it comes to being graceful. Ahem.

A few years ago, hubby and I took a long weekend to do some skiing. We had never been before and it was just the two of us that went. No sense in embarrassing ourselves in front of our friends, right?

We'll embarrass ourselves in front of strangers. That's much better.

When it came to skiing, I just couldn't "get it." I was an avid roller skater as a child and tween, but skiing just didn't click with me. Hubby, on the other hand, took to it like a duck to water. I needed to take a class and he took it with me. We learned a lot, but it would be safe to say that if this were the public school system, I would have been in the remedial group.

Finally, it starts making sense to me. Class ends by riding the lift to the top of the beginner slope and skiing down. As we're going up, I see a Hill. Neither one of us thought that would be on our slope because it was definitely pretty substantial.

I get off the chair without a problem (I hear that's a challenge for some folks - I could do that all day long). We ease down the slope. The teacher taught us the best way to control your speed is basically by skiing pigeon toed. That comes to me naturally, so I wasn't really having a problem. The farther you separate your heels, the slower you'll go. When you are going down hill, you can bend one leg, then the other and you'll make "S" curves as you go down the hill instead of going straight down. It's a good way to control your speed.

Hubby and I are doing OK as we go down. Then we approach The Hill. Yep, it's on our slope.

Folks, I just stopped at the top of the hill. Stop. People are having to ski around me and I don't care. I kept telling Hubby and the instructor, "I can not do this." Hubby and Instructor encourage me and remind to just do "S" curves on my way down and I'll be fine.

Hubby steps off the hill and demonstrates perfect S curves. That comforts me and so I decide to step off, too.

Swish.

I take off like greased lightning. I am flying down The Hill to what I surely think will be my death. I am literally screaming "Help me!!" "I can't stop!!" waving my arms wildly, with my poles waving in the wind.

Then, I did something really smart.

I turned around to see if Hubby or Instructor is coming to my rescue. (Like an idiot, I really expected the instructor to speed up and help me.) Hubby? Instructor? Can't see 'em. I'm on my own. So, I'm "skiing," out of control, down hill, not looking where I'm going.

Then, I had a moment of clarity: I told myself I've had a class. I should know what to do. Take the proper stance. Bend one leg, then the other. I'll curve and slow down.

And, you know what? That's what I did.

Granted, it took me a while to slow down from my breakneck speed, but I finally got in control, slowed down, went around a curve, and ended up skiing over to the side to wait for Hubby.

And I waited. And waited. What was he doing?? Why wasn't he skiing quickly to come help me, for goodness sake?

Finally, I see him come around the curve and he is skiing so. slow. He's looking to the left, then the right. Back and forth. I'm wondering what he is looking for. Then I realize what it is - he's looking for me amongst the trees on the side of the slope. Bless his heart.

Finally, he sees me waving and comes over. As soon as he comes to me, I start on him, "Why didn't you HELP me?? You or that instructor? No one helped me."

He said, "Honey, no one could catch you. You took off, went around the curve, and I couldn't even see you. Granted, I could hear you, but couldn't see you."

We had a good laugh and I let him know the important news I didn't fall!!

And, you know what, I'm stupid enough, I mean brave enough, to go back every year since.

Today is a better day!

Yesterday, I ate healthy meals and snacks, drank plenty of water, got in a little physical activity and the scale responded.

Today's weight is 198.5.

Who knows? Maybe yesterday's reading was a fluke.

But, it certainly got me back on track!

Weigh In 1/23

Ugh. I am like a seesaw - back and forth. Back and forth.

I am up to 201, which is driving me crazy.

But, not crazy enough to stop me from eating 6 (S-I-X-!!!) cookies last night. I had a great day, then had to stop by the grocery store and sabotaged myself.

I think there were only 10 cookies in the pack. I ate 6 of them. The last one didn't even taste good because it was so sweet, and I just threw away the entire package so I wouldn't be tempted anymore.

Jan wrote a post that really helped me out. You can read it here. It's easy to get caught up in the day before, week before, or even month before and forget where you came from.

I am still the same chick that

• has lost 31 pounds
• watched every bite I ate and made good, healthy decisions
• made time to exercise 2-3 times a week

I have the same tools to reach my goal. It's up to me to continue to use them.

I am not failing, I just had a setback. That's the difference between this time and every other time I've "dieted."

I'm starting back today.

Staying Strong

So far, I am staying on budget. My total spent for the year remains at $7. I'm allowing myself $25 per month during January and February.

And, you know what?

It isn't so bad.

I think it's kind of like being on a diet. The first week is the hardest, but once you make up your mind and make a lifestyle change, it gets easier.

I'm bringing less stuff into our home and, as a result, it's not quite as cluttered. I'm spending less time gone from the house, so I'm getting more done.

I read about these other women who are true homemakers and I really envy their lifestyle. (not envy in a negative way) They have their act together and cook and clean and maintain.

I'm still a work in progress!

This isn't easy!

In case it isn't difficult enough trying to lose weight, my "spending less" habit is also challenging. It's amazing what thoughts I come up with.

• "It doesn't matter if I do this or not."
• "I'll just not blog about what I buy."
• "What does it matter if I just buy _____? It's not a big deal."

Lies! Lies! Lies!

It does matter! And, I need to be honest about it, too.

Actually, I'm already seeing the rewards of it. Since my credit card purchasing has gone down, I will definitely be able to put more of my paycheck into our savings account this month.

What are my reasons for doing this? Two reasons. One is I really need to establish some kind of budget and learn to live in it. Second, our home doesn't need "stuff." Stuff requires time. Time to put it away, clean it, organize it, store it, etc...

I'm giving myself the gift of more money and more time to do other things.

Then why is this so hard??

Why are there amazing shoe sales going on right now?? I'm being tempted, but so far, I am staying strong.

Blogging Question

I'm thinking of changing my template to something a bit more original.

Tell me, blogging experts, if you've done this, did you lose your links? I clicked on the code from a free template company, pasted it here, and when I previewed it, my links were gone. Including my blogroll, links in recent posts, pretty much everything in my sidebar except "About Me."

I really like the idea of a new look, but I have no desire to basically go through my entire blog and re-link everything.

Will my links really carry over, but they're not showing in "preview" mode? Or, is this what's supposed to happen when you get a new (free) template?

Thanks!

Lost - Missing Pieces

If any of you are fans of the show "Lost," you should really go here.

It's a series of clips that weren't aired. Some of them are downright eerie.

Definitely worth watching.

The Flesh is Weak

and, therefore, I'm making up the rules as I go...

So, this is how it's going with me not spending more than $25 per month in January and February of this year.

I'm really being tested, people!

I met a girlfriend for dinner Monday night (her treat since this was for my birthday) and afterwards, she wanted to go shopping. We ran into a department store that I had already visited due it's amazing clearance sale. (I told about that experience here.) I found a cute denim skirt for summer marked down to $6. That happens to be in my budget, thankyouverymuch.

Then we went to one of my personal favorites: T@rget. I love that place! I wasn't going to buy anything. Then, we just happened to be in the shoe department. My recently purchased (in late 2007) shoes were now marked down by $10 since they were on clearance. I bought the clearance ones and will return my previously purchased ones, saving me money.

Or.

That gives me $10 "free" dollars to spend there since I won't really be spending anything extra, once I return my shoes purchased at full price. (Are you following my train of thought?) I found a centerpiece I "need" for my patio table on clearance for $10, so I am breaking even, right?

(If you're not following me, this makes perfect sense to me.)

Then, I found an awesome shirt. I, for some reason, just LOVE this shirt. It's the perfect shade of yellow for me to wear in the fall to Georgia Tech games. (Not to mention, it will look great with my $6 skirt, too!)

So, what do I do now? That price would eat up a lot of my monthly budget and it was only the 7th of the month.

I improvised. At home, I have two sweaters from Target and I remembered that I meant to return them, but didn't. That should be around $34 credit, more than enough to allow me to purchase the shirt and a necklace I found that looks great with it.

So, as it stands now, I have spent $7 this month.

And, I have no more returns to squeeze in, so I officially have $18 to spend the rest of the month.

All that math gave me a headache. I think I'll have to spend more time at home!

Weigh In 1/9

My first official weigh in of 2008!

No earth shattering news... I have been sick as a dog, which means eating regularly, but no exercising due to coughing and sinus issues. I am a pound below my pre-Christmas weight! I am now at 196.5. I keep thinking about how much lower that number could be if I could move around, but I have been on the couch or in the bed for the past few days. I think tonight I might try to get some activity in since I am finally on the road to recovery.

Maybe I am the only one who feels this way, but I have to share this.

So much of this is a mental struggle. It's not just about what I eat. It's not just about how much I exercise. I mean, January 2nd'ish, I was really fighting the thoughts of

• This is just where I need to stop.
• I should accept that I'm this size.
• I've done well. I can stop here and be proud of my accomplishment.
• I probably can't reach my goal anyway. How many times have I failed in the past?
• I could gain five pounds and still be able to fit into my clothes. No one would even know.
• I'm just not strong enough to do this. No one else feels the way I do. Everyone else is just zipping through their day...

Does anyone else fight through thoughts similar to these? Maybe it is just me - and that's OK. But, I find if I can just stick with it, despite my feelings, the numbers on the scale continue to move. And, I guess that's what matters. But it is harder to do it when I'm not always confident that I can do it.

Not Spending 101

Don't go shopping!! Hello? How hard would that be? If I don't go "shopping," I won't end up buying stuff. Here's how Saturday went...

(My goal, in all things, is to be honest. I'm going to journal my experience with not spending - with my commentary - and you can feel free to think that I am doing OK or making excuses.)

So, I decided to stop at a local department store to look for my dad's bday present. I found a great deal on a new dress coat for him, which he certainly needs. Then, like a dummy, I wandered over to the women's section just to "look" for a "minute" because things were on "clearance."

So, this clearance sale? It was heavenly! I found nice white tshirts (both round neck and v neck) for...

$1.20.

Yes, people. $1.20 for a nice, thick tshirt. Plus, this store lets you keep their wonderful hangers. So, I purchased two tshirts for $1.20 each and got hangers that I love.

Then, I found a cute hooded sweater, with matching tank for $7.60. So, I got it, too.

I want to say, for the record, that I have a $10 gift certificate to this store (did you notice that $1.20+$1.20+$7.60 = $10 exactly? Coincidence? I think not.), so I did not spend any money except for the sales tax.

However, in this experiment, I noticed that it would not have been smart, in my opinion, (and this is my blog, after all) to have not purchased those white tshirts because that was a need and a great deal that would not be around later.

So, like a politician, I have changed my position on the issue.

Instead of spending no money until March 1, I am going to spend less than $25 per month.

(Just so you know, I just revised that sentence about 100 times. I started with $100 per month. Finally, leaving it at $25. I reserve the right to go back to $50. )

Here is my rationale:

• If I don't give myself some leeway, then that means if I spend $1, I definitely am not keeping my word. In my mind, why bother then? So, I am affecting my lifestyle greatly , but not making it impossible for me to succeed.

OK, that's where I'm at now. But, I haven't discussed Monday night yet...

Resolving

So, I decided to make one official New Year's Resolution.

I am going to try to not spend any money between now and February 29th.

That may sound weird at first, but allow me to explain. Obviously, I'll be buying groceries and necessary household items. My plan is to not "shop for fun" until March 1. I guess I could say I'm not shopping for myself until March. No cute shoes from P@yless, even with they're BOGO (buy one, get one half off). I've found the cutest london blue topaz earrings I want. Nope. Not getting them.

Truly, I have a hard time really keeping our home neat. We tend to have "stuff" and I'm not good at deciding where "stuff" should go so that it's out of the way, but I can find it when I need it. So, no more "stuff" coming into our home that isn't necessary.

We just had Christmas, so I have plenty of clothes. And shoes. Hubby even got me some very pretty amethyst jewelry for Christmas. So, I really don't need any more jewelry. (Even though I do want those aforementioned earrings, I don't need them.) I'm trying to convince myself.

Think about the impact it can have on our finances if we only bought necessities. I'm sure we could live on Hubby's income alone. Imagine that, saving my entire paycheck. Wow.

Obviously, there will be the occasional "extra." My dad's bday is later this month. Of course, he's getting a gift. Hubby and I plan a ski trip to North Carolina every year. We're still going. Although it will involve spending money, it doesn't involve bringing things into our home.

Truly, I'm not sure if my goal is to spend less or to have less "stuff," but I think it will be rewarding either way.

I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

To Resolve or Not to Resolve?

That is the question.

I really don't like the idea of resolutions. To me, they carry the connotation of "these are things I'd like to do, but I won't."

But, since I'm not perfect, why not take a moment or two and write down some thoughts on areas I could improve?

I've already been working toward losing weight, so I'm not even going to touch that one. But, I would like to make eating healthier and exercising my lifestyle. I want to start jogging and want to be able to jog an entire mile without stopping. Truly, I want to lose 40 more pounds by 6/14. All I can do is try, right?

I don't think I'll ever be a super duper people-can-drop-in-at-anytime housekeeper, but I would like to make a conscious effort to doing a better job in the day to day stuff. Plus, our room and our laundry room tend to be the "catch all" areas. They both need to be cleaned out. I'll try to do that by Feb. 29th. Sounds reasonable.

Less time in front of the tv. Which would probably help on the above two items.

Work on changing my attitude about people who get on my nerves. 'Nuff said.

Read the Bible more. Which would probably help on the above item.

Spending more time with those I love. Not being as stressed about things that don't matter. Try to be laying down, even if reading or watching tv, by 10:00 three nights a week.

I'm going to stop there. Goodness knows I can't make a list of all the things I need improvement on, but that's a good start!

Happy New Year!

Still

I found this over at Antique Mommy and decided to play along. Let me know if you do it, too.

Most people consider the New Year time for change. But, what will you STILL be doing the same in 2008?

Still amazed: at God's grace
Still getting used to: being a real grown up!
Still loving: Hubby
Still proud of: how my family handles adversity
Still not proud of: my attitude
Still hoping: to rekindle old friendships
Still worried: if Daddy is really taking care of himself
Still never going to: like shaking hands (germs - gross!)
Still pretending: that I'm not a year older
Still reading: blogs online
Still wanting to read: the entire Bible in one year
Still interested in: making things (sewing, crocheting, ...)
Still not interested in: having a glamorous life
Still looking forward to: traveling
Still not looking forward to: my "annual" checkup
Still failing: to love others like Christ loves me
Still grateful for: God's forgiveness
Still praying: our friends who are not in church
Still not believing in: giving up
Still believing in: Jesus
What are YOU still doing?
* * *
Be still and know that I am God ~ Psalm 46:10

Weigh In 1/2/08

Weigh in - or not...

Have any of you ever done We!ght Watcher$? I love their program - no prepackaged food required, lots of fruit and veggies, nothing completely off limits - just good, common sense eating and exercising. Well, once you've been going for a while, you can get a "No Weigh In Pass." I'm not officially doing their program, but it's what I'm doing today!

I am already at work this morning and I did not step on the scale this morning. I know about where I am since I weighed a few days ago, but I did not want to get all freaked out today. Just not how I wanted to start the new year - hysterical just isn't very flattering to anyone.

Anyhoo, I have pretty much relaxed my eating habits since Christmas Day and had two birthdays since (hubby's is 12/29 and mine is New Year's Day) and with all the festivities, I just didn't want to see the damage yet. I thought I'd give myself a week to journal - yes, I'm going to journal my food this week, hopefully posting it here - and see if I could make a decent recovery before next week's weigh in.

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's Day and that 2008 is a wonderful year for you!