My Brother!

let me go back in history briefly.... my Grandfather died at age 48 from a heart attack. at age 47 my father had a massive heart attack, that killed 2/3 of his heart, bypass surgery was not an option because there wasn't much good heart to bypass to. 5 years later my father's last 1/3 of the heart stopped working and he died from what appeared to be his 3rd heart attack. I guess when he was 47 it was noted during the testing that he had a silent heart attack years before.
My brothers are getting up there in age now....... and are the ages when their father and grandfather had died. Out of 7 children, 5 have Morbid Obesity issues, 1 brother is actually built like his father, and although isn't obese, does gain weight in the belly. and then of course I have no idea what My brother John is, being that he has worked out everyday for 22 + years and some of those days hours at a time. 3 of my brothers have diabetes . And at the beginning of this year. it was found out that one brother has heart disease...... he WAS also a smoker. he is 45 years old. He had two choices............ die........ or make drastic and permanent changes in his life. He choose the latter, Since January he has dropped 50 lbs. He either walks or works out at the gym every day. He has stopped smoking....... and says he is feeling great.
This is the brother i travel to the beach with, and this May........ it is going to be a little different. last year, i was getting ready to have the Lapband, so i was extra cautious how i would eat and such... didn't even go out to eat with them a few times, because i was really watching. and i did a lot of walking too....... Chris ( my brother) already told Katie, they won't be hitting the same places to eat like they did last year.

My dad did NOT have a weight issue at all... my mom was obese, but was in great health. she did not have high blood pressure, no diabetes, no heart disease,. it was actually complications with undiagnosed Hepatitis C that she received almost 20 years before her death from a blood transfusion after a hysterectomy. I am really not sure if some of us took Dads heart genes with moms obesity genes..... not a very good combination.
So maybe genetics does play a role in how easy/hard it is to lose weight. it is not a life sentence. it does take me longer.......... but i have a life time.
speaking of which Christina and I are on a 4 day hiking streak........ and i am feeling stronger and stronger every day. I noticed i wasn't as far behind her on bitch hill today as i was two days ago. AND i did my strength training workout before i went for the hike. I am feeling so good, and so strong......... and i am eating so well too.
Well i bought fresh Cod, Halibut, Haddock and Salmon......... so i think i am going to pick out one and have for lunch today with a green salad.......
Love and Blessings

so fast...............

Saturday morning my weeping cherry tree was bare, maybe a few potential blossoms, Here is a photo of that same tree, 24 hours later. it seems like so long ago when snow, wind and ice covered the landscape. Right now the woods are a blur of red, by next weekend, it will be green. .... that fast!!!

I have had a wonderful Easter Sunday! enjoyed it doing nothing, I am still fighting sinus congestion, and i keep losing my voice... family seems cool with that. HOWEVER that didn't stop me from getting two decent hikes in.. i am loving being outdoors again. Christina has been faithful about going with me, and Bill came both days this weekend. MY goal would be to have 5 hikes in before next Monday.... each hike is usually 3 to 4 miles...... No matter how much i try, i can't fly up Bitch hill, Bill goes way way ahead, and Christina gets up there faster than me too. we do so much up and down.... it doesn't' really matter how fast i actually go. because my heart rate.......goes up......... recovers pretty fast, ........goes back up........ recovers pretty fast...... it is very good for me. we are all cool with going our own pace.......

I work tomorrow, but am off Tuesday and Wednesday. I may talk Bill into going to a state park to hike next weekend....... change things up a bit. Chris, you are always welcome to come with us :0). even with the sinus crud, i am feeling so good....... and i gotta keep upping my workouts, cause i gotta keep up with my brother, which i'll explain more in tomorrows blog...... a teaser, had stints placed in his heart, stopped smoking , dropped 50 lbs in 3 months.........

Feel the Nails

I think i'd like to take a moment and Thank Jesus for dying for me... and remind myself that i should forever try and be the best person I can be, i am a work in progress, and will be until the day I meet Him face to face.

I love this video, because for one, it doesn't point fingers at Others hurting Him, but it is a reminder instead of pointing fingers, and "judging" other imperfect humans, to remember when one finger is pointing at someone, there are three fingers pointing at myself. Today is a good day to remind me of all that Jesus has done for me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-msFQYDh2qc


I feel that my place of employment has really helped me grow in my Spiritual Journey, and the Irony of this is. I am a born again Christian, and My boss is Islamic, In my place of employment we deal with mental illness, drug addictions, alcoholism, and all the traits that go with it, how easy to judge the mother who will buy drugs instead of food for her children, dealing with the manipulation and lying to get more "drugs and fixes". the abuser, the victim..... the vicious circles of despair. I am learning that EVERY life has value, and we are not allowed to focus on the "illness". So are job is to look at the persons strengths ..... So when a patient comes in to our office, and says... I am an alcoholic, or drug addict........ No you are a wonderful and complex human being who has an issue with alcoholism. Working were i do, along with reading the "SHACK" has taking me to a level that i never got in all the years of going to Church :-) Jesus gave no stipulation or conditions for receiving His Love.........He Gives it away by Grace.

i am going into work today, i missed yesterday, i am fighting a cold, and i've learned from experience to Listen to my body...... and my body was telling me to stop and rest. weds night i was so sick,....... i really thought it was more serious that it was, i think it was the fever.... i went to bed at 6 pm, and didn't get back out of bed for good until 6pm the next day, i got up to drink, and use the bathroom.... and i drank tons, i even went beyond the natural holistic approach, and divulged in some much needed NyQuil, although i seemed to find my best relief from Peppermint essential oil on my chest and neck, and taking 1/2 tsp of pure honey with a squeeze of lemon every couple hours to sooth my throat. I did cough alot last night......... and i just hope my Lapband stays in place, i think i will do liquids and soft foods today just in case i irritated it while coughing so hard. It is absolutely beautiful today..... Temp will again be in the 80's, without the humidity....... the woods are now red ( tree's budding) and it will very quickly turn everything green.... prob by the end of this weekend. i think i will take one more day off of doing exercise, and start back tomorrow, I'll work for a few hours and rest when i can.
Hope everyone has a beautiful day today

Canada

Bill and I returned after a WONDERFUL few days in Canada........ the night before we left, I started to get a really bad headache right behind my left eye..... woke up with major sinus pressure and pain........ it was so ironic that i would get sick the day before we left........ but i wasn't gonna let it put me down, and actually Bill and I laughed, what else could we do....... Bill planned this trip all by himself, and i must say he did a wonderful job.... the trip included a wonderful dinner in the skylon tower, overlooking, the Falls, Buffalo, even Toronto. we went the year we got married in 2001, and then again with the kids for our first anniversary in 2002. 8 years has changed the place drastically :(, or maybe it is me that changed. since we were there last, it is built up prob 50%, a Huge Casino.... sadly the falls was littered with garbage, cans, bottles, papers, plastic........ Doesn't anyone care anymore. I found sadness looking at this awesome wonder that God has hand made.... and see what humans have done to this...... yeah I think sometimes God Cries... Everything is commercialized, dozen of tacky shops and stores on every block. I imagined how the falls was a couple hundred years ago, when the Indians roamed the Earth.......... what a true wonder. The next day both Bill and I didn't even want to bother with "hanging" at the falls, or the casino....... so we plugged in the address to http://www.casaloma.org/ and decided on a road trip to Torono to visit this very old Castle full of history..... it was awesome and a highlight of our trip. Bill and i walked about 5 miles that day. mostly steps and mostly up hill, even Bill said his butt is hurting from walking so much. it was a beautiful road trip, along Lake Ontario. There is so much untouched beauty in Canada, so it was nice to see some of that too...

It was so neat that food was NOT a main issue, actually it wasn't an issue at all....... we took a cooler that plugged in to the car or an outlet that acted EXACTLY like a refrigerator. it was so cool.. Ha ha ha no pun intended. i put in bottles of water, i premade my shakes, i put in low fat cheese, yogurt and sugar free puddings...... along with my OMega "III" oils, flax oil, and my probiotics. I couldn't eat breakfast, and that was fine........... it was cute, Bill figured out my 3 hour timer on my watch......... and he'd ask " is the three hours up?, can we eat yet? " He had to remind me to eat on Monday....... Dinner i ate whatever.......... one day was Prime Rib, the next meal was Chicken Cordon Blue. I ate dessert, i just didn't eat alot, even Bill noticed that i no longer clean my plate, and leave quite abit on it actually! We had to walk so many steps and do so many steep hills, there is NO way I could have walked like i did, if i hadn't started hiking again seriously a month ago.......

well i am tired, and i am ready to go chill..... Love and Blessing to all

I forgot.......

How much i love my "little" world,..... and no matter how much i enjoy my hikes with Bill and Christina...... I forgot how much i enjoy going by myself too........ it has been a while since i've hiked the hill by myself, .........and i felt wonderful..... it's like exercise and meditation all in one :).
i must also say my weight fluctuation dilemma, has leveled off, and has continued to drop 3 consecutive days (6 lbs) I was telling Patti, my true weight is 3 to 4 days after my cycle starts.... which will make it Sunday. so i have a feeling with the way i am exercising, and the way i am eating........ i am going to see another day or two of a downward weightloss I ALSO NEED TO GET A GRIP ON THE ISSUE WITH A NUMBER, it has never been about numbers for me, so why am i starting now, i think it is because my little wii fit , asks me to check my weight daily, and when i do i can pick a stamp for my calender......... and now i have 7 stamps to choose from., and then i love the graph, and i love seeing my progress. Now i can still do my training without weighing myself...... but i don't get a stamp............ hmm, i think i need to deal with this LOL
well i gotta get my butt moving.......... ready for work in a 1/2 hour....
Love and blessings to all

He's just a great guy

i know there are a few out there, that don't like to see a married couple happy, but oh well i just don't give a Rat's A** anymore. Okay folks, i am going to say it, I am happily married. don't forget there is a big difference between happy and perfect...... i am not saying i am perfectly married... I have just accepted Bill's idiosyncrasies, as he has mine. We are going on nine years. so doubt that we can be called Newlyweds anymore :). As the kids get older, they seem to appreciate Bill more and more. Because now they realize the impact of him, coming into our lives, Marrying me and gaining 3 children in an instant. He put the kids first from the beginning. and that is why he kept the Albert situation as it is, that is why even years later he help their dad get a job at his work. Katie and Bill spent Saturday together, of course, a Hockey game in Pittsburgh....... they had such a great day....... what a good step daddy!!!

We are both looking forward to this weekend getaway..... i think we both need it. That is another cool thing about me and Bill... we do enjoy being together, he goes grocery shopping with me almost every week, we love road trips, he even comes and helps me clean the office. BUT in the same breath, He encourages me to get out with the "girls', always encourages a trip for just me. and i would love for him to get away without me too. Financially we work together, if things are tight, both he and i will find an extra job, extra hours...... we work together and do what it takes.

for the first time since i can remember, the PMS is dragging on, ummm, no end in sight yet. have had 3 attempts of a migraine, stopped it in the light show stage. my fluid retention is fluctuation greatly, and it is frustrating. I guess i am not used to weighing everyday, but i have been on my wii fit every morning...... one day i gained 7 lbs over night, just to lose most of it the next day, and two extra pounds the next day, just to gain 5 the day after that. my size isn't going up, and actually my clothing are getting loose again. So i am looking forward to seeing where my weight will land 3 days after my cycle starts. i am exercising and eating so well. enjoying hiking again, muscle and strength training. Christina said i am almost too perky right now.... of course she is just joking........

Well i have to go to two jobs today. i go with the elementary school as a school nurse, on a field trip, and then i will go directly to the doctor's office....... it is going to be a long day. Patti i miss ya girl, i am in great need of a Patti chat, maybe your wisdom can help pin point what is going on with my great weight fluctuation i am disappointed i missed the call, but i didn't recognize the number......... a number i don't know on my cell, i don't answer.

Christina, lets make a point to hike tomorrow morning..... i won't go to work prob until 1 pm and it isn't supposed to rain, although rain shouldn't stop us

Okay long day, need to grill a piece of Cod, seasoned with Lemon Pepper Mrs. Dash and pack my lunch for the rest of the day.

Love and Blessings to all

it has been awhile........

..... I hardly get on this computer anymore........ busy at work, but lately i've been taking any morning free time to get outside and hike. Katie was off last week for spring break, and she made sure i walked every morning....... She could make a very tough trainer someday :-). last tuesday via my Wii fit graph i lost 1 pound. HOWEVER this tuesday i gained 7lbs from monday to tuesday. although the number can be mentally frustrating since i am eating like almost perfect, and have increased my workout tons. it is also just before my "time of the month". My hormones can cause a fluctuation in the fluid balance by almost 10 lbs the next day 5 of the 7lbs dropped and two days after my cycle begins i'll prob drop another 5 lbs. Since last month was a mild cycle.... i just know that this month is going to be a killer... i work like clock work and have been for 20 years, but have really only started to pay attention the last 5 years... esp since i now get migraines 6 to 8 days before my cycle is to begin....

The Weather is beautiful, and i am looking forward to Spring. All the snow is finally melted in our yard, and the grass is already turning green. Bill planned all on his own, a short 3 day trip for just the two of Us.... and i mean i had no say in it. ... we are going to spend a few days in Canada, he has a reservation for Us for Dinner at the skyline towers.. he has it all planned. what a sweet husband. he does spoil me, i need to appreciate him even more. what is nice the trip isn't about eating, it can't be. i've tried a few times in the past week..... my lap band is still working so well, mornings esp. are hard to take anything but my protein shake ( skim milk, protein powder, frozen mixed berries, probiotic capsule opened, Omega 3 fish oil, Psylum husk fiber, and, Cold pressed flax seed oil) all under 300 calories, high protein, high fiber and delicious!!!. by lunch time i can eat a little more, but i must eat slowly.......... and by dinner, i can eat a small small serving of about anything. still no white bread, pasta, etc..

Well i need to go and hang with my wii fit personal trainer Georgie for 25 minutes. tomorrow morning i'd like to hit the trails with Christina........ hi Christina
Have a great day

I really really hate this hill

I went for my first hike in a while, Katie and Juneau joined me. and i am reminded yet again, how much I truly hate this hill..... but to get to the trails that i like, I MUST CLIMB THIS FIRST. I am about 1/2 way up when i stop and take this picture, it is a little over a quarter of a mile..... all up! my lungs/breathing/asthma tolerated it well, but my thigh muscles felt the burn. Katie kept pushing me to move faster.......... i don't think i'd like her as a personal trainer...... i am just sayin'. none the less, i enjoyed getting outside and i enjoyed the fresh air. i am going to have to up my Cardio up a notch.

The lapband is working exactly how it should...... and i am still getting used to the last adjustment.... all in a good way. yesterday morning, Bill and i went over to clean the office building, afterwards at about 9:30 am, he was so hungry....... he said he was starving..... umm yeah right... i hadn't had my protein shake yet.... and realistically i can't eat much in the mornings. BUT i tried, i ordered a veggie scrabble........ i ate less than 1/4 a cup and then i felt the stuck feeling........... Katie said to me, doesn't Bill know it is a waste of money to go out and eat before 2? I think she is right. i made spaghetti and meatballs (extra extra lean) in a marinara sauce for my brother and his wife...... i didn't even attempt it. Instead i had about 6 oz of a Chicken Marsala including 2 oz of garlic mashed potatoes. I just have to adjust my menu, and listen to my lapband right now....... no white bread, no pasta, no eating fast, no carbonation.....

i had a busy last week at work. the washing machine broke......... it was just one of those weeks! but it reminds me how blessed I am... it reminds me how wonderful my kids are...... and how awesome my husband is. he took the laundry all week to the local laundry mat so it wouldn't be an issue for me. Thankfully it was fixable, and only 60$ Well i want to get moving and get somethings accomplished today. have a great day :)

oh and in closing is a photo of two of my favorite girls :)

1.4 pounds

My wii fit measures weight by the tenth. and i will take 4/10th's of a pound off :). so in two weeks i have lost 3.4 lbs. I am very happy with that.

I want to take time to thank Christina, and to admit in writing...... that Christina was right and I was wrong!!! i have had a MAJOR tooth issue especially lately. it was a year and 1/2 ago when a filling fell out ( to the last back upper tooth on left side). I went to the dentist, and when they didn't fill it then, and said to me to make another appointment to get it filled...... i realized my dentist office was too busy. ( they are wonderful, but i think they just got too busy) when they tried to schedule me they couldn't get me in for several weeks........ well in the mean time.... we were preparing for Andrew's major oral surgery, most of the funding in our medical/dental expense account went to Him, and then Bill went on strike....... so i just said heck with it, if the dentist office didn't think it was important enough........ than either will I. FAST FORWARD . to now..... tooth causing tons of pain, starting to have difficulty chewing..... Bill found this dentist that he is really happy with......... so i decided to let him pull the tooth, i did not want to try and save it....... hell, i have a wisdom tooth trying to come in back there, now i made room for it :0). i don't know why .......i was thinking no big deal, it is like when a young child loses a tooth, they'll pull it, and i'll go shopping...... When i casually told Christina that i was babysitting Carley..... and getting my tooth pulled........yada yada yada......... She says...... " i'll take you, i'll drive you, you aren't going to feel up to driving." i sorta blew it off, but took the offer, cause i enjoy hanging with Chris, and she could help with Carley while i am getting it pulled. Well first off, the tooth is huge, has three roots going in different directions......... and it did not want to come out, it took the dentist a lot of muscle work, a lot of prying and pulling and twisting......... finally he pulled it out. i was still numb, i felt a little woozy but was fine........... UNTIL THE NOVACAINE wore off. the left side of my head began to throb.... it felt like the roots were ripped from my ear drum, my eye socket and my sinus cavity......... the blood was making my stomach nauseous, I felt terrible........ God Bless Christina, she stayed with me, and watched Carley with me, and then took me home. I don't take medicine, i can't take ibuprofen, didn't want to take asprin (increase bleeding) I did have a Tramadal, which helps with inflammation and pain, but it also makes me very very tired........ I knew i had work today....... so i didn't want to feel "foggy " all day. so i held off, used ice........ by 9 in the evening...... the pain was so bad, the swelling and the redness on my left side of my face...... i was crying ......... so Bill finally talked me into taking the Ultram...... it took a few hours since i waited so long........but i finally fell asleep.
This morning i am feeling "okay" pain isn't nearly as bad, still can't talk, and do not want to even think about eating, and it has nothing to do with the LapBand . I don't work until 4 pm, so i think i will go lie back down..... Sometimes i don't know what i'd do with out my bestest friend i sure love her like my lungage.
Speaking of friends........ i have that dear one in Arizona..... that sent me this all natural healing salve that she made........ i just got it in the mail yesterday...... one week after Christina got hers, but who was keeping track :-p, thanks Patti.
well i am going to go drink a shake and crawl into bed.....
love and blessings

OMG~~~>muscles

OUCH MY GROANING ~~~> muscles. This morning i did the complete Strength Training workout on my wii fit, and every muscle in my body is burning...... especial my core center. I also did15 minutes of Cardio. it is a great workout for me right now, and it is also great entertainment for Katie as she sits on the couch and laughs at me trying my damnest to balance on one leg, Graceful i am not :-P, but who cares:::

I had a wonderful time at McKeever, and i was able to make my own shakes in the AM, reheat my own prepared lunches, and both Dinners worked for me. i must admit i did end up bring back up my last lunch, i just assumed i could eat it, so i didn't prepare for that meal.. it was tomato soup and grilled cheese, i tore the sandwich up and put it in my soup...but i didn't wait long enough for it to soften as much as it should have, and we actually ate 90 minutes earlier than normal. ( i seem to tolerate foods better from Noon on). As the Nurse i didn't do as much hiking/walking as i could have because i have to stay in one place while several groups go out on the trails, they also did an afternoon hike, but i couldn't do that either. :(, i did manage to keep myself moving and did my squats and lunges in the Nursing Office. on Friday i walked over 4 miles according to my pedometer. I took my own snacks, of Prunes and Sunflower seeds, and I even shared my prunes with my buddy Dave one of the teachers. I so love that place, i plan on going for many more years if they'll take me.

have i mentioned SNOW yet? well we are having snow, and snow and more snow........ it doesn't bother me, and it is so beautiful......... but even i a die hard WINTER lover, is ready to see, hear, and smell signs of Spring...... not long now
Tomorrow i have Carley, and i also have plans to hopefully get a tooth pulled out. it is the tooth farthest back in my mouth, on the top left side.... the filling came out a year ago........ but honestly i didn't want to take the funds to fix it, first off Bill was on strike and second every available dollar went to get Andrews mouth fixed.... i don't want a root canal, i have a very tiny mouth, and plenty of teeth....... hey i didn't say i had a quiet mouth, just a small one....... ;0).
Christina offered to take me just in case I have bleeding issues or light headiness issues...... never even thought about that.
well i think i am going to go and read a while..... my tooth is really bothering me..........

TWO POUNDS

I'd like you to meet my trainer "Georgie", I started my Wii fit + on Feb 16 which was last Tuesday. so i guess i'll post my weight Tuesday mornings on the blog, to help me stay accountable, if i don't then ask me why i didn't post....... so i dropped 2 lbs this week. :0) I am more than happy with that...... i mean if i continued to drop 7 and 8 lbs a week like when i first had my last adjustment...... well then that would not be healthy! my doctor said once i get used to the adjustment i should realistically lose 1 to 2 lbs a week, and that is what i plan to do.
I must say the workout can be very difficult, for instance they have a hula hoop cardio game, and you think you are playing....... and playing,... and playing......... and then all the sudden your lateral abs, are screaming......... hey this isn't play. and they have a boxing game, and a bird flying game,......... and and and...... OUCH!!! my muscles are feeling it :)
I go to work today at 4 pm....... so this morning i am cooking, packing, washing laundry and getting ready to go to McKeever with our school district http://www.mckeever.org/ I already read the menu, and know every meal we will be eating ~ i am not even going to pretend that i can eat pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, grilled cheese........ breakfast's are out of the question too..... i have my shakes, my frozen berries, and my Flaxseed cold pressed oil.... i'll prob pre make them, and just grab the shake in the morning. I plan on making my fish for two lunches, and maybe chicken for one of them....... dinners i may be able to work with to an extent.... one meal is a turkey dinner..... one meal is baked chicken......
I won't be able to do my wii, but i may take my bands, and heck Johnny taught me i can take squats and lunges and push ups with me where ever i go. i also started wearing my Pedometer again.........for this week i am not "trying" to add steps, i am just doing what i normally do, and see how many steps i do in my "normal routine"......... then next week i'll try to increase a little!!
Well i really should get my butt moving....... gotta drink 24 oz of water before my watch goes off again for my next meal, and i haven't even started yet. have a Chicken in the rotisserie, ....
I doubt that i will get on again as there is no service at camp, and i leave so early tomorrow morning........ i'll touch base when i get back.
Have a great week

my Greatest Accomplishment~

No doubt my greatest accomplishment in life happen to be these three Kids, Sammy, Andrew and Katie. Tonight was the sweater hop dance, and the classes pick freshmen to escort the seniors.... both Sammy and Andrew were selected to be on the court..... They are growing up so fast, and i am enjoying the adults they are becoming. Katie of course picked out the sweaters for both brothers....... i think she did a good job. I am blessed...... i am blessed !!!!

My plan / my menu / my stats

things are going well for me, and I am finding that i am starting to get more consistant writing down everything in my "Dietminder". this week i've also decided to try something different for me, instead of the end of the day writing everything down that i eat..... i plan my menu the night before or during my breakfast "shake". This way i can look in advance see how my protein numbers are and my calorie number, and i can add or subtract as i need. AND if i stray off my meal plan, i can erase and add.......but i find the last couple days it is nice not thinking about what i should eat, i just look in my dietminder and know what i need to eat. for instance this morning i precooked everything..... and have my lunch packed and ready to go for this evening.
today:
Breakfast:
1% milk 6 ounces
protein powder
raspberries 1 cup
Cold packed Flaxseed oil 1 TBS
added fiber 10grams

set watch for 3 hours:

Lunch:
Gilled Tilapia 4 ounces
Broccoli Cheese Soup 3/4 cup *Christina's soup
2 Tbs of light shredded cheddar * added to soup on top
Dark Chocolate Pomegranit 1/2 serving

set watch for 3 hours.

Dinner:
Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken 4 ounces * Patti's recipe
Lettuce/ Tomatoes/ Spinich leaves/Arugula
LF individual cheese 3/4 oz.
Red wine/Olive oil Drsg * meme Glady's recipe

set watch for 3 hours

Snack:
Prunes 1/4 cup
Choc Mouse sugar free 2 ounces

I weigh and measure everything

Calories are approx :1155
Protein is approx: 107 grams

and if you all promise not to laugh...... i started using the Wii fit + to increase my activity level until i can regularly get out on the trails. again don't laugh unless you've tried it.... my muscles feel like i've worked out with johnny, or when i tried the Firm video's a few times years ago. Yesterday i did Cardio and Strength Training, and Abdominal. Today i did 45 minutes of steady Cardio activities. it's cool how most of the strength exercises are Lunges and Squats, something that Johnny incorporates with every workout. The balance board scale is right on track with the doctors scale in regards to my weight...... and it will keep track if i want it to as my weight drops or goes up. i picked the boy trainer for the exercises........cause Jillian has just annoyed me lately. besides my little wii guy reminds me of my brother Johnny :0).
Well i am going to get a bath, get dressed and head to work..... that is if i can talk this very sore body into moving..... have a great day today

Baby Paige

With this baby's mama's permission, a crop, and a blackout around the face, i am able to post this picture of this very precious baby. I LOVE BABY FEET! I love this baby...... please understand i love my many many babies, i just happen to see this little peanut more. After all, this is Christina's beautiful granddaughter.
Paige is such a joy to be around, there is something about this little girl. she dances, sings and talks all the time. she is so happy and so much fun, haven't seen her in a while so today knowing she was at grandma's ....... i had to go down and see her.... so when i get there, get her out of her high chair, she gives me this huge hug, says in her sweet baby voice..... " hi Sandi". and pats my back..... my heart just melts., she'll be playing and she'll just look at her mama, or her meme, and just again in her sweet voice say....... hi mama, hi meme. This baby is so much like her Mama.... if she loves you..........she loves with all that she has, and if she is pissed........ well you know that too ;0). Next to my three children, Christina's kids follow..... how could they not. Chris has been my dearest friend for two + decades...... And Chris will be the first to tell you, she lucked out with the son in law and daughter in law she has. Okay now back to my little "title" girl. If you tell Paige something one time.......... she remembers it even weeks later........ gee the girl will be 17 months in March, and sometimes she acts like she is 13. I wish i can explain how sweet this baby is, ...... but i just can't get the words out..... i just know, when you've been with her, you smile more, laugh more, and love more!!. Thank you Christina for sharing this baby with me, and i promise to share my grandchildren with you someday...... no hurry Katie, Drew or Sam...... i can wait and enjoy Christina's grandchildren as they come :0)

i know i already posted today but i just had to show you....

isn't this the cutest little plate..... it is much smaller than a salad plate. 4 maybe 5 inches in diameter. i actually take it with me to work..... today i had 3 0z of grilled tilapia with 2 TBS of Alfredo sauce (not the 1/4 cup serving size suggested) with old bay seasoning. on top of the mixed greens.... no dressing. and with this i had 4 oz of Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup of Red Raspberries. and that was MORE than enough for me, and i did not get hungry even after my watches alarm went off after 3 hours. the plate has gray letters all over, no order. and as you see in Red, I "love" you!! what a better way to remind myself to be good to ME, gotta love Me first before i can love others right???.
Okay folks enough plates for a while, i promise ~ i think everyone knows how i am eating since my last adjustment.... so i think i'll move on to bigger and better things.
I had a wonderful chat with my dear dear friend Patti today, i sure miss her :(, i am looking forward to figure out when i am going to get out there.... i will make arrangements before i lose the next 15 pounds... that is a goal of mine, to at least figure it all out before then........ even if it is several months away ....... and i gotta start looking for that Bike too.... oh so much to do.....
love and blessings

"forced" to eat healthy

okay i haven't posted in a day or so, but Christina was aware that i was wondering if my lapband was okay.... because as i've blogged lately, i eat very little, i can't even think about trying white bread, pizza, steak, heavy pasta. So i was a good girl and contacted my surgeons office~ spoke with the wonderful physicians asst. who informed me that NOW my lapband is doing exactly what it is supposed to. although 10 lb weight loss in two weeks is high, it is normal considering i hadn't had an adjustment in so long. Now that it is leveling off, i should lose 1-2 lbs a week. like i've said i drink more than fine, can chug a cold glass of water like before. and if i am in pain at all it is after i've eaten something wrong or too fast, once that part gets resolved, i am fine and feel no pain what so ever. i am sure that i have readers thinking............ not enough calories, too drastic,..... not healthy...... actually what everyone is thinking doesn't really affect me, it is what i am thinking, and what my doctors are thinking that impacts my thoughts and decisions. I am eating a healthier 1000-1200 calories than someone eating an unhealthy 3000 calories. It is like this. I knew what i was getting in to, and with God's Grace, i will continue to have success with my Lapband surgery. notice i didn't say speedy results, i said SUCCESS!!! :0).
So this is where the "forced" to eating healthy comes in right now.. so right now my tummy holds about 4 to 6 oz of food, every 3 hrs. i could fill it with 4 oz of ice cream and 4 oz of Pecan Pie, or i could fill it with 3 oz of grilled fish, and 3 oz of Greek yogurt with a few berries and maybe a few greens. If i want to get healthy there really isn't an option. Oh the Doc office also said it is perfectly normal to be tighter in the morning, and looser in the evening..... so she thought a high protein, high fiber (20g), 1/2 cup of berries, 1 TBS of cold packed flax seed oil, and 6 oz of skim milk....... is a worthy breakfast, that nobody could really argue with.
So i am doing fine,........ and my labband is doing what it is supposed to be doing..... and for the record the weight has slowed down....... i lost 2 pounds this week....... i think that makes a 12 lb weight loss since my last adjustment which was 2 weeks ago ........
Have a great weekend folks.........and enjoy the moment!!!

presentation

okay, let me explain before i show you the pictures.... I always make a point to put my food on my dessert size plates, make it look all pretty, and then i take a picture, to put on my blog. i just bought several new tiny plates, a few salad plates, and a few what they call desert plates. i even put my sugar free jello in a little dessert dish. if i am eating 1/2 oz of cheese and 3 whole grain crackers, they go on a plate.... right now i have to really focus on how i eat, so i sit down and enjoy the food slowly, it makes it easier when i have something pretty to look at. So be patient with me for the next few days while i show off all my new little plates.

this photo is my lunch, it is 1/2 of a burger, with 2 TBS of cheddar cheese, Arugula, Spinach and Romaine lettuce, with cherry tomatoes and one tsp of Italian dressing. with 1/2 cup of organic low fat yogurt and a few raspberries.


sadly though i found out that i can't do beef as easily, this came back up, but the yogurt went down well.

this photo is my dinner. it is a homemade crab cake with minimal bread crumbs (1/2 cup in the entire recipe (made 8) each cake weighed approx 3 ounces. Bill had surf and turf, so he had a grilled steak with his crab cake. I didn't even try the beef this time.

I had to eat this slowly, but it stayed down.

Now i can't resist putting this last picture up, Katie and Bill were making fun of me...... so they "Vanna Whited" my plate........ silly silly family i live with, but I love them tons


this morning i had my high fiber shake 20grams of fiber, with 1/2 cup of berries and 6oz of skim milk, and 1 TBS of cold pressed flax seed oil.
snack tonight will be Greek yogurt and maybe a sugar free jello pudding.....
and that is my day of eating with a lap band

about 1000-1200 calories

My last lapband adjustment has been considered a success~ I feel good. I am able to drink without any difficulty, and i am able to eat about 60z of food at every meal. I am trying to eat 4 meals a day. after i eat a meal, I set my alarm on my watch to beep 3 hrs later, to remind me to eat again, and to not eat between meals . I eat until I am full, as soon as i get that "full" feeling...... I STOP!!! This is how the Lapband is supposed to work :) , i must admit i was a little worried last week, that i'd need to go back to the doctor and have the adjustment........ re-adjusted. i have been forced to eat more mindfully yet again. and i am choosy as to what foods I eat. i mean i'm not going to fill my little tummy with a cupcake, no nutritional value there..... but i will fill it with grilled fish and veggies and greek yogurt. :0). i am so ready to head outdoors again for my daily hikes........ i am loving the snow i truly am, but i think when Spring pushes through...... i'll be happy.

My life is going well, And the kids are doing great. Katie has jumped into school again head on. She goes to class mon through fri. but she is forever doing homework. Andrew's senior year is half way over. he does both, the dual enrollment, high school and college classes. he also works at our local grocery store. Sammy is in 9th grade, and loving being a kid.

Getting ready for the second wave of Snow, School has already been closed for Saltsburg yet again. . . . i always enjoyed snow days, i loved having the kids home when the weather was in question. and that hasn't changed.

Have a great day today.........stay warm and safe

Sunday Morning at Seclairer

for my regular blog readers i posted these photos for my co workers to view, i'll blog later!

the first picture is the walk way for our patients, there are two and three foot drifts- not sure what is going to happen........ do we have a snow shovel anywhere????

the last picture is of my yard....... early this morning..... i have 4 and 5 foot drifts...

it has been years......

it has been years since i remember snow like this. the last time i can remember something like this, was January 4,1994. The day my Dad died, it was such a hard time figuring out how to get to my mom..... I almost ended up going with Larry on a snow mobile... however, i got a ride from my home to Saltsburg then from Saltsburg to Apollo, and then Apollo to Brownstown.

Because i live on top of a hill, there was a lot of wind and drifting~ some of the drifts went mid waist if not deeper. Thank goodness for Christina's husband Larry, he came up with his big farm tractor and plow, and got us dug out! He is such a wonderful guy. Chris and I are such lucky women having husbands like we do :) Even though there are days i don't want to even look in Bill's direction........guess i'll keep him.

This morning when Izzy first went out, she did a leap off the porch..... maybe thinking like Patti does, that one can walk on the snow...... however she went into a snow drift way over her head, she panicked and high tailed it back to the porch.... ( just what Patti did too) but after a little while, as noted in the picture above.........she was lovin it. :)

I think i am going to head back into my room, put in a movie, or curl up with a book. I've got supper in the crock pot...... it is going to be a nice day!

~~> honestly

not that i am not honest in my blog anyhow, But i guess i've had the lapband for ten months, and just now am understanding how it really works. Pizza at this point isn't even possible, not even a bite. I am not having problems with drinking fluids, or taking soft foods at all, so there isn't an issue there. They have told me all along that when the lapband is working, at least for a while, the stomach usually holds 1/2 to 1 cup of food.... this morning i made an omelet, using one egg, one egg white, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and 0.5 oz of Havarti cheese. i am weighing my food now, and my eggs weighed in at 5 oz., I ate 3 ozs. and had the "full feeling". lunch I ate 4 oz light yogurt, 1/4 cup of raspberries, and one Jello mousse pudding ( 2 oz). and i tolerated this quite well. IF I EAT TOO FAST, IF I DON'T CHEW MY FOOD WELL.... I THROW IT UP! and that is how it is. I told Christina that i am not going to exercise this week, as i let my body adjust to the decrease in calories, and i also told her that if i start dropping weight too fast... that i will go get a small adjustment (removal of fluid) my goal isn't and never has been to drop weight at high speed. Sometimes after an adjustment, if it is too tight, it is difficult to swallow liquids, that is obviously not a problem as i am taking in 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. i plan on taking an extra protein shake while i am adjusting too........ we shall see.
Well i am at work now, i brought my rotisserie in, Jeff one of my co workers brought in a duck, and i brought in a chicken. the duck was first..... don't know how Jeff talked me into trying this, but i tasted the heart, the gizzards and a bite of the duck....... not bad, Jeff said Duck is usually greasy, but by cooking it on the rotisserie, it seems to drain the grease as it cooks. my bites were the size of the finger nail on my pinky... and i chewed and chewed. the Chicken is cooking now, i'll eat about 2 oz of this, and i will eat my Greek yogurt. and when i get home, i'll make my protein shake......
We are supposed to get several inches of snow this weekend......... so i may not go anywhere :0) and that is okay by me.
Oh and Patti, in regards to your comment on my last blog entry, if you ever watched the movie Ground hog day........... that is what is Happening to Christina, she must be reliving New Years Eve...... over and over again,.. i know we are neighbors, but i've moved into February...honest

~> 4 to 6 ounces <~

This is a photo of my lunch, just to illustrate how much i am actually eating. This is a desert plate. and i have 4 oz of Whole wheat, Fire roasted vegetable lasagna with about 1/2 cup of salad using 3 cherry tomatoes and 1 tsp of Italian dressing. As soon as i finish my meal, i set my 3 hour timer on my watch, and i will not eat again until it goes off. And i am FULL!! i am not miserable and i am not having that "stuck", mouth filling up with saliva, feeling that i usually get. I must also eat very very slowly too. This morning i had one scrambled egg. couldn't even eat my yogurt with breakfast. Drinking fluids is NO PROBLEM, I had 5 glasses of water before noon. i also snuck on the scale and have dropped two more pounds, making a total of 9lbs since Thursday night when i weighed myself before my next day appointment. I figure i'll wait to exercise next week when my weight loss stabilizes, and maybe i'll be able to eat a little more. IF for some strange reason, i can't drink, or the amount of food i can digest decreases. I will call the office and make sure this is all cool. i am feeling good though.... speaking of which, I am heading to work soon, so i better get my butt in gear. dinner is going to be 4 oz of grilled fish and if i can 40z of mixed steamed veggies, or carrots and hummus...... maybe i should try carrots and hummus, because it has more calories and protein. and my 4 th meal will be 1/2 serving of my protein shake, with 1/2 cup of berries and 1 TBS of cold pressed flaxseed oil... .sounds good to me.

Getting "stuck" vs "sweet spot"

above is an illustrated photo of a Realize band in place, the upper pouch is what makes my new stomach, the food is then processed there and continues into the rest of the stomach, with a lapband there is no alteration in the digestive process as would be with a gastric bypass. the access port in which they adjust the tightness of the band is to the right of my abdomen just below my ribs. this is where they inject fluid to tighten the band. ... so when i go for "an adjustment" this is what i am getting done.
For reasons beyond my surgeon's office control, (two Physician assistants leaving, and one in a terrible car accident.) it has been about 6 months since my last adjustment. there are different kinds and makes of lapbands available. some hold as little as 4 cc's of fluid, these bands are tighter in the beginning, and people usually experience the "sweet spot" ( which in Lapband pt terms, means the point in which you are able to drink fluids with ease, and eat about a cup of food and then you get the full feeling) after the first or second adjustment. With the Realize band that I have, it holds 11 cc's of fluids. which is good that i have much more room for adjustment. However they told me on friday, it also takes several adjustments to find that "sweet spot". all these months when i'd eat and get that "stuck" feeling. I just assumed it was the "sweet spot". and i have decreased the amount of food i've drastically ingested. We went over what i am eating, and it is a really healthy balanced diet. and when i go on maintenance, it will be the perfect amount of calories ( 1600 -1700). However it was explained that the lapband isn't doing it's job if I can eat 6-8 oz of baked fish, 4-6 oz of veggies, and 4 oz of potato or rice, and 4 oz of sugar free pudding that ='s almost 22 oz of food which is about 3 cups of food......... seems like a lot when i look at it that way. The doctor that did my adjustment on Friday explained to me, that getting stuck does not mean finding the sweet spot. i can get the first bite stuck if i don't chew well. which makes sense. it will be one year in March. and I just found my sweet spot this weekend.
and it is amazing to finally understand what that means.
i can drink fine, i can chug 12 oz of water with no problem (sometimes a too tight band, and you cannot drink) HOWEVER to my surprise, i can eat only 6 to 8 oz of food at a meal. today we took the kids to get clothes and take them out for lunch, i ate chopped chicken and veggies that equaled about 6 oz's of food. I didn't experience pain or a stuck feeling, it just felt like i just enjoyed a thanksgiving dinner, and i could NOT take another bite. Supper today i ate 60z of greek yogurt but i could only eat less than 2oz of my grilled turkey burger. today was the first day i could eat something other than soft foods. and it worked fine. I ate dinner at 6pm, it is almost 10 pm and i am full, and i have no desire to eat before bed. I haven't had the stuck pain, or throw up urge. I must admit i had a miserable day yesterday..... my chest hurt from back to front... the doc said there are alot of nerves surrounding my stomach area, so when she deflated my band completely to check the fluid level, then she filled it back up aggressively (cc when they usually fill 1 cc at a time) that i may feel sore, but as long as fluids where going down, and if i did not throw up i would prob be okay. Because of her aggressive adjustment she told me if i threw up even once, i was to go directly to the ER. {{ yeah, didn't happen}}.
AND bottom line ... i've dropped 7 lbs since i weighed myself Friday morning before my appointment. :)
I KNOW that my calories are low, I know Vitamins are a must right now, and I know i must eat 4oz of protein before i eat the other food..... BUT i did get the lapband to help me lose weight. If i drop weight too quickly they will remove a little fluid, if i start to maintain again or even gain, they still have room to add more......... I love this decision i've made, and i am doing well.
I know this blog entry is quite boring, so hang in there. i had a couple people ask exactly what is the lapband, and what is an adjustment......... so i thought i'd just explain it here.
Love and Blessings, Think i'll drink a few more cups of water before i go to bed. Good Night

a calorie is NOT a calorie~a fat is NOT a fat

one of the main things i've been doing to prepare for the next leg of my weightloss journey is focusing and becoming more "mindful" on what i am eating again. so i started writing everything down, keeping track of calories, fat, protein, fiber and carbs. Now understand this is my opinion, and i am not a registered dietitian. But Calories in = Calories out (exercise, metabolism, activity level) is a crock of crap. 1000 calories worth of Twinkies is not the same as 1000 calories worth Salmon and steam veggies. By body will metabolize each meal totally differently, my glucose levels, pancreas, liver, kidneys and endocrine system will respond in different ways. many weightloss and diet websites use the percentage way of measuring just can't be accurate. In the morning when i take one tablespoon of cold packed Flaxseed oil that equals 11 grams of fat. will immediately throw my "balanced percentages" off not to mention the 1/4 cup of roasted organic sunflower seeds I have as an afternoon snack at 14 grams of fat. so with two small additions to my daily intake, i've already ingested 25 grams of fat. AGAIN 25 grams of this type of fat is NOT the same as 25 grams of fat coming from bacon, pastries, crackers and such. A "lowfat" diet is lost before my day even begins. Yesterday was a great day. my calories ended up 1700, and my protein intake ended up 100 grams, had 5+ servings of fruits and veggies ( need to increase that just a little, ) had 3 servings of the heart healthy fats, 4 servings of lowfat dairy. My 100 g of Protein came mainly from grilled fish, turkey breast, nuts. my Carbohydrates came from 100% whole wheat bread, and Light wraps, fruit and veggies. all good sources of fiber too :0).
Friday is my 3rd adjustment to the lapband, i haven't had an adjustment in 6 months, and i haven't even hit what they call the "sweet" spot yet. the adjustment i was supposed to have at the end of October, was supposed to help get to that spot. Dr. Mike left, and then the other doctor who does adjustments was in an accident....... and the waiting list for an adjustment was long..... So my goal is to eat the same foods. but instead of 1/4th cup of seeds, i'll eat an 1/8 cup . instead of 4 to 6 oz of salmon or tilapia, i'll eat 3 to 4 oz of tilapia. I had an extra meal last night which i did not need which gave me another 400 calories. I should realistically with the lapband stick to 4 meals a day. So my calories should decrease to about 1200 after the adjustment, and protein may go down to about 80 grams a day. a little low. but very dense in nutrition. and don't forget. Next year at this time i'd like to drop a good 50 to 75lbs more.
well enough of this chit chat.... looking forward to Friday. Christina, Megan and Paige are going to escort me to Pittsburgh. we will meet up with Jeanine and i am hoping to stop at Trader Joe's. a great day in Pittsburgh. even though "trader Joe's" isn't Katie's cup of tea, i wish she wasn't in school 5 days a week, cause she'd have fun too........ then it would be ALL the girls. not only is she in school full time, her work doesn't seem to understand she wanted to cut back on hours.. so friday she goes from school to work......... what a good girl

Christina Said....................

okay Christina, the woman that last wrote on her blog LAST YEAR just told me i needed to change my blog, she doesn't like clicking and seeing herself working out.......... So i guess i will :0).
I have been doing really well doing 4 meals daily....... i eat slowly, and i eat until i am full one meal is my protein shake with berries, two are my meals, and the fourth can be Greek yogurt, lowfat cheese, sugar free pudding... or something like that. in the 3-4 hours between meals i make sure to drink 3 glasses of Water.
Our big screen TV in the living room died this weekend, my brother Johnny gave it to Us about 7 years ago, and he had it a few years before that....... i didn't even skip a beat. for some reason it didn't bother me much. I brought the television out from my bedroom to the living room. and for the first time since i can remember, i do not have the TV in my bedroom. and i can't say that i am missing it....... I am a reader, so when i go to bed, i read a while, and then fall quickly asleep... and i've slept quiet well for two days in a row. I am not sure why I've been having really vivid funky Dreams that i have NO idea why i am dreaming them, and wonder even more why i remember them when i wake up. Last night i dreamt , i was raising my kids in my childhood home, and in the dream we had a GIANT cat living in our basement.......... and when i say giant, i mean Clifford the big red dog size Giant...... 30 feet long..... and every time my boys and i had to get in the car, the cat would try and smash us............. what is up with that???
Tuesdays are my long days at work, so i'll be getting home later tonight. It is so nice to have a job to go to that i do not mind....... there is NO stress!!!! I love it !!! I don't go until 330, so i'd like to get the house clean and in order. i should get down to CM Gym. and get a shower too......
Oh and one other thing poor Patti is now going to have Verizon........ which means..... i can talk and talk and talk and talk......... poor girl..... Look out
Have a great day... I AM Going down to the gym........... that has to be a priority.
I'll come back and clean..........
see you later

~country meadows gym~

Well, our very own private "gym" in our back yards. and i must admit, Christina and I worked our A** off. Funny how much learning from Johnny has stuck in our minds. we have a treadmill, and elliptical, and weight machines and benches and free weights, and exercise balls and exercise bands A huge TV and the ability to do many exercise videos, yoga and dance. I think we are set :0).

I think you are going to hear more about my weight loss journey than normal on the blog. just because i am switching gears a little higher, as i am heading into the next "mile" of my journey.

past couple weeks i began to really pay attention to my eating again...... being mindful of how what when and where i eat. Me working at Doctor Chaudhary's office is keeping me an honest girl LOL.

Yesterday's food was the berry shake in the AM

Lunch was grilled turkey burger ( homemade and pre frozen so i just pull out and cook) mixed veggies steamed (cauliflower, pea pods, carrots) light yogurt with mixed berries

Supper was a light wrap 90 calories 9 grams of fiber, turkey breast, 1 slice of bacon, crisp, tomato's, onion, 1 slice of LF Cheddar, and light mayo oh and a few black olives.

I was "allowed one more meal.......... but i didn't get to it........ and i was not hungry.

I made the men...... "oat meal" pancakes. my x mother in law sent me some "powder" made up and i just added eggs, oil and water. a relative of hers has heart disease, and these are what he eats..... they are made with oats, whole wheat flour, Cinnamon, some brown sugar, and some powdered milk..... and maybe cream of tarter, and maybe some soda...... it makes 10 cups of mix. and is stored in an airtight contain, and you use it as you need it. Bill and Drew Loved them. Bill said when he could normally eat 8 pancakes....... he could only do 2. and he wasn't hungry later on in the evening either. the left overs i froze, and i can take one out, warm it up, put some almond butter on it, or some fruit, or some peanut butter and there is a quick high fiber healthy breakfast ( hi Patti, love ya)

Speaking of Patti...... this girl lives so far away and i must say she is one of my dearest and best friends. just knowing her helps me to stay on tract. Thanks Patti.

Well i should get going............ didn't do a thing at home, but hey got my exercise in, that is way more important. have lunch made ( refried bean/ green chile's/chipolte seasons/ shredded cheese baked in oven. i'll then add a dollop of light sour cream and chopped tomato's on it at work. more mixed steamed veggies. and a light yogurt or sugar free chocolate pudding (*the only sugar free thing i eat )

Have a great weekend everyone.......

Transitions

Dr. Chaudhary is really looking into the over all health of his patients, mentally, emotionally, physically. He has and is in the process of looking into the decline of nutrition in the human population. He is a psychiatrist, he believes in pharmaceutical medicine BUT he refuses to just throw these medications on his patients, He wants to show them what is out there, he believes in DBT therapy, and yoga, and mindfulness, and exercise, most Americans when given a blood test are deficient in many vitamins and minerals now.. the big study out there now is Vitamin D. which they are saying is almost a hormone in keeping the body working. Well i recently started taking the multi vitamin, vitamin D and the Calcium....... these are all isotonic formulas that work with my lap band ( they quickly bypass my stomach, and go directly to the small intestines where they are processed for the body. With the Lap Band i find that early mornings are harder for me to take food in. So i started doing a protein shake...... (much better than nothing). When i saw the "numbers" on this shake, it shocked me. Surprisingly most shakes have minimal if any dietary fiber in them, and for instance the Slim Fast Optima Powder has 2 grams of protein it.

Here are the numbers for 5 types of powder containers i had in my home... (and yes after i did this i threw them away. except the muscle milk and the transitions. I am just giving my opinion and i am just reading the numbers........ not meaning to offend any company.

Slimfast Optima

calories 110

fat 1.5

carbs 18

fiber 5

sugar 6

protein 2

EAS soy protein

calories 170

fat 1.5

carbs 19

fiber 0

sugar 17

protein 20

Curves Shake

calories 115

fat 1.5

carbs 10

fiber 1

sugar 5

protein 15

Muscle Milk

calories 195

fat 6

carbs 11

fiber 1

sugar 2

protein 25

Transitions

calories 200

fat 6

carbs 18

fiber 10

sugar 2

protein 18

now i did not include the liquid, (milk, water, soy) and i didn't deduct the fiber from the Carbs. as fiber does Nothing but travel through the body collecting floaty things such as cholesterol and carry them out the body..

In the morning i take this protein shake (chocolate) with 8 oz of skim milk, and 1/2 cup of frozen berries. i put this in my Bullet blender... and it is delicious. i could use ice, frozen 1/3 of a banana, frozen spoon of almond butter. frozen pineapple chunks i can use the vanilla with a frozen apple and dash of Cinnamon.... so many idea's.

This DOES keep the hunger away for a good 3 or 4 hours. , and i must say that my intestines are getting used to starting my morning with such a great fiber number. If you do protein shakes, this is definitely worth investigating. :0).

I so need a lap band adjustment. I CANNOT EAT FAST ANYMORE but i notice i can eat a little more that i used to but slowly... but not nearly like i ate even 3 years ago.

We have Country Meadows Gym up and running.......... i've been there twice. and my body notices it. i miss my woods........ and i am ready for that.

I need to step back, focus..... and tweak myself, cause i would really like to lose as close to the last 75 lbs by New Years Eve 2010, that would mean it took me 4 years to lose the weight that was killing me........ going on 4 years now........ WOW....

well i am heading out the door in a few to head to work....... make it a great day.

~ my JEEP ~

This is the first JEEP that i have ever owned, and i don't think I'll drive anything else but a Jeep from now on. This little Jeep Compass does beautifully in the snow, sleet, rain, ice...... haven't even had to use 4 wheel drive yet. It has some kind of electronically computed steering.. so if the steering wheel is steering left........ and my car starts to go right..... it fixes itself. sometimes i can feel the tires do something , i can sorta tell i am sliding on ice, but i haven't fishtailed yet. something about positive traction....... so if one tire starts to slip..... the control is taking away from it and put on the tires that have the traction....... Now how in the heck do they make it do that. :0). Well needless to say for the past 4 evenings, coming home from work, i've experienced lots and lots of snow and ice on the roads. oh an other safety feature that the car has, which by the way Bill hates. Is when you take the foot off the gas, the Jeep automatically begins the stopping process...... so if you want to take your foot off and just coast, it ain't gonna happen. So Thursday night, driving home i realized i was coming down the hill on ice a little too fast... i knew i couldn't put on the breaks without skidding... must admit i was nervous.... but as i started down the hill, the car started to slow down without me putting on the breaks..... it was at that moment... after years of having a van, and missing my mini van........ that a new love was established....... and i realized....... I LOVE MY JEEP!!!
So Bill, Katie, Sam and I went early this morning to get groceries, take care of Bill's mom. and then we went to the Drs. Office to clean that building. Sammy does help speed the cleaning process.... yes he can be a help when he wants too , We made it home at 3pm...... the only place i plan on going in the next day or two is to Johnny's IF he is going to be there. it's been so long since we went there, i do need him there to "remind" me what to do again.
I think i am going to leisurely put my house in order, and put in a movie........ and chill.......
Have a great day folks.....

Who Forgot to tell God!!!

Where does time go? This picture was taken when i was 4 years old, wow that was almost 20 years ago ;0) *wink!!! okay okay, this picture was taken almost 39 years ago this May.
I should give a blog update. I have been happily busy at work. I've been getting home no earlier than 7 pm all week. This was the first week i got to speak with patients as a "future" wellness coach. and i am loving it! The Doctor spoke with me yesterday and he is pleased with how things are working out. I am seeing this direction more clearly...... it was a vague vision 3 years ago when I made a promise to Melody, my angel in Heaven. and it has always been dormant in the deep corners of my mind ever since.
Now, may i please ask? Who forgot to tell God, that our world is supposed to be going through a global warming. I think when it snowed during the Global Warming Summit in Copenhagen, and Obama had to leave early to deal with DC Snow storms........ i should have known then and there that God has a sense of humor, and he isn't afraid to use it. It has been snowing daily for over a week now. the temperature hangs around 20 degrees but doesn't mind dipping in the teens. they are talking about most of US being blanketed in snow and freezing temperatures... and Meteorologist aren't just sure when we are going to get a decent break. I do not mind Winter. And actually i agree 100 % that we need to take care of our beautiful world, The World is and will always be forever changing... that is just how it is!
With me being so busy, I must say Bill has really taken on the home, and he is doing it with a smile, and yes i call him when i leave for work so that he can time me and make sure i don't get stranded in these snowy/icy/blizzardy roads. I walk in the door to a hot cup of coffee and a hot bath ready. gee, we are going on 9 years of marriage, ....... that would have warn off if it was going to right? We do not have a perfect marriage........ But we do have a great marriage. You know my life isn't always easy, and I've been through a lot. Even the crumbling of my first marriage when i was so devastated..... BUT i choose to take what God Gives me...... and i decide to make it a joy and blessing, it is just how i am, and how I always will be...... i got it from my mother. That woman loved life....... and even when God took her best thing in the world early ( my Dad, died when he was 52) She mourned........ and loved.......... and mourned...... and smiled. she never got bitter, or angry or hateful. And she somehow found the blessings that God gave her, and reminded me about them all the time..... Mom followed Dad 6 years later........ I sure do miss her. Christina will verify the joy my mom's face gave, even on her dying days ... as she was able to visit her before she died
Well I am not sure how i got on that subject......... wasn't planning too. but my Dad died on Jan 4, 1994 when the weather was just like it is now.... i had a heck of a time getting to my mom because the roads were so bad... wow 16 years ago,
So my first husband left me when i had 3 children ages 4 to 8, my dad died when he was 52, my mom died when she was 58.... i have a wedding picture of me and my first husband and my mom and dad... i remember looking at it shortly after mom died........ and it hit me..... at that moment, those where the MOST important people in my world...... And I lost them all in a period of 6 years!!! i think that would be enough to make someone pretty depressed. But God Blessed me, and it is only by his Grace..... that i didn't look at life that way..... it was by God's Grace that I got a second Chance for a wonderful marriage...... and it is by God's Grace that I have a Happy Marriage, (* even though my dearest friends know how there i times i want to sew his eyes and mouth shut, lol i am just saying)
Yes it is all by God's Grace.............

2010

Pretty good start to a new year, a new decade. it has been a nice and relaxing couple of days. I think i mentioned to Christina, i've had too many nice relaxing days, i am beginning to feel lazy. She reminded me to just enjoy it, cause usually i am so busy i don't have time to just chill!!! Spoke with Johnny, he wants me to just do low impact Cardio this week. and start with him on Sunday, Christina was thrilled with this info, as she just isn't ready this weekend for Johnny. So Cardio it will be..... i will do the eliptical today for 15 minutes. my muscles are not as sore today as they have been the past few days. I think johnny thinks i tried to put to much in ~too quickly, trying to make up for lost time. that is why he told me to just do Cardio this week.
I went back on my blogs from a couple years, it was a reminder on how far i have really come. I haven't made the usual "lose weight" new year resolutions for the past couple of years.... didn't need to since i am just living it every day. two new years ago, my nephew Alex had just died that Thanksgiving, and my nephew Michael was at deaths door.. any new years resolution would have just been trivial, Last new year.... i was well on my way getting ready for the Lapband, i was heading to Pittsburgh on an almost weekly basis participating in the intense program preparing for the Lapband surgery. I also looked back in my ancient journal beside my bed, you know the type that uses pen and paper. it was during this time that i found out who my true friends were...... funny the two i thought would cause problems about my decision (hi Christina and Patti) were the ones that became my greatest supports, and they remain such today. The one Friend who i though would support me, smashed me down immediately... i'll never forget the day i told her.... she yelled at me, and i mean yelled at me telling me that i was taking the easy way out, i was no longer the team player.... and i was leaving her behind. .. I was devastated, and although the friendship tried to survive...... the damage was done... and after much discussion with my Wellness Coach/ Phycologist who was assigned to me through the program in Pittsburgh. i came to realize that all friendships aren't meant to last a life time... and some are here for a short season... it does not diminish the value of that friend... and I learned that all friendships are not healthy.......... there is no blame, some personalities just clash. oh i will not lie and say i don't think about this old friend, or that i don't remember the wonderful times we had. But for me, it was just too much work, and the lapband is a big part of who i am right now........and i can't and would not change my decision for having the Lapband surgery. . . . this journey has been so much fun. . . Christina disagrees with me ALOT, but she will always be my friend no questions asked. and i pretty much think even though Patti lives in Arizona and Kellie lives in Ohio.... they'll always be my friends..... i just know this :0)!!! New friends will come, old friends will go...... that is just life.
So the LapBand was a big thing in 2009, and made many changes in my life. The other BIG thing in 2009 was getting a job at S'eclairer. this too is making drastic changes in my life, and i see God using me for wonderful things....... the Wellness Coach, the Nutrametrics Vitamins and Transition weight loss program, the DBT training....... Dr. Chaudhary.... all awesome things in my life.
I am looking forward to 2010, i think i'll lose the last big chunk of my weight.. this spring i plan on getting a Bike........ and Biking to work several days a week....... i'd like to do more hiking... and more outdoor events.......... it's gonna be a good year.