Day 3 of 500 Calories. Oh Yeah!

By the way....

Today, I worked out with my Trainer.
Awesome, hard resistance training.

Then, I made sure I stayed on the Eliptical
and Treadmill until I burned 500 calories.

Felt like 3 days.
Even walked backwards on treadmill to get ready to walk
downhill in Havasupai.

Oh Ya.

More Food Storage Challenge Moments....

Okay.  So today Jessica, Lexee's friend was here bonding with Lexee in the living room.
I come home.
Get ready to make dinner....
Pasta with Alfredo Sauce and fresh garlic
along with fresh brocolli.

Sounds yummy right?

Go to fridge to get milk. 
Crap.
Are we really down to our last gallon????????
Yikes!

We started this challenge with 3 1/2 gallons! 
I noticed the girls getting brave on Saturday morning and eating cereal.
Cereal.
With Milk.
The nerve!

Just kidding.

But seriously, I feel a little panic coming on.
We have to do this still for almost 2 more whole weeks!
Til February 7th!

So I gently say to Lex and Ash....
"Hey girls.  No more milk with cereal.
We gotta save it to cook with.  We're down to our last gallon!"

Lexee says, "Are ya kidding me????! Are we really down to our last gallon?"
I go re-check the other fridge.

Phew!  One other hidden gallon.
We may survive this.

Jessica says,
"Lexee.  SEriously.  Every time my Mom comes home with groceries I think of you guys!"

Funny, eh?

And while I am slicing brocolli getting ready to steam it....
a nice little floret falls into the sink.

Ya.  I fished it out. 

We're not wasting precious fresh veggies.  No way.

Good News for Me!

Just wrapped up week 2 of the Challenge. 

Sick yesterday and slept the morning away today.

Decided, I really better do something to counteract the "woe is me" attitude I am having.

So, I weighed myself.

I know.  This could really backfire.  Right?

But it didn't!

I found out that I am down almost 10 lbs. from what I was a month ago,

 and about 8 from what I was 2 weeks ago! 

In fact, I dropped back into the 180's (t.m.i. for some of you...sorry!)

So, on that note, I called Holly and we went to the gym.

I decided that this week I want to try to burn 400-500 calories

every single time I work out.

Kind of a lofty goal for me, but today, I did it!

Burned 500 Calories!

Progress!  Yippee!

And I am wearing my Body Bugg today too! 

And I love it!

Yay for a good day of moves in the right direction!

Oh Crap!

So I just ended another very successful week. 
Ya. 
Emailed my points to Shari. 
Ya.
Perfect 70 points.
Ya.

And then guess what I did.
Forgot my brain somewhere.

Ate a bite of a muffin.
Oops.
It's 10 p.m.. 

Guess what that means!
I just screwed up my perfect score!

UGH!

Funny Moments from Our Food Storage Challenge

So Lexee confesses that she chugged the milk last night at mutual when they had milk and cookies as refreshments!

I enjoyed my day scrapbooking at Shari's house for 14 hours, due in part to the fact that she had mangos on her counter (which I ate one of ...) and V8 for my veggies for the day.  I resisted the urge to pack a bag of groceries to bring home...which of course Shari would have gladly helped fill with me!!! (And Glen flat out told me to do!  But he was kidding, of course!)

My Mom called and told me that she felt it was fair to "barter" with others for things that we might need, as that is how it would be in times of real disaster.  However, the likelihood is that no one would really be any better off with the items we need and want (milk, fresh fruits and veggies....) than we are if there really was a disaster!  And besides, that wasn't part of our arrangement!  Thanks for looking out for me, Mom, though!

Lex said Kaitlin keeps mentioning QT Hot Chocolate as a fun thought to do, and Lex just declines.  She hasn't told her yet that we can't have any food besides what we have here in our home!  Go Lex!  Way to be strong!

Today, I was blessed with the onset of my favorite time of the month...and I panicked when I went upstairs to discover that ......

this is all I have in my "storage" of feminine hygeine supplies!

But...luckily, I went downstairs and discovered a full new box that hadn't made it to the upstairs yet! 

PHEW! 

Progress!

Here is what I am eating....

instead of what I'd like to be eating....

Ain't Life Grand?

No matter how hard things can be sometimes....

no matter how overwhelming life can be....

In spite of challenges and obstacles that might come my way...

There is a constant in my life

which I will be grateful for on a daily basis.

I'm so lucky.

Enough said.

As if Life isn't CrAzY enough!

Week one of the Wellness Challenge is over!
Wahoo!
Wahoo????
I got 11 more of these weeks to get through!
(Positive, Sandee, Positive)
Yay!  Perfect score of 70 points on Week #1!
It's amazing how having a list to check off and do everyday,
and how being accountable to others lights a little fire under one's buns!

Sure...I used my free day.  Ignored all of my "wellness" and
"threw caution to the wind" for a whole day.
It felt good.
No guilt.  It's legal on the plan.

NOW....GET THIS NEW WRINKLE:
So my R.S. President Lucy asks my family to take part in her lesson on Feb. 7th.
She asks me if I will consent to do something, and my whole family has to be on board.
It goes something like this....
We are experiencing a simulated disaster scenario.
We are to only eat the food that is currently in our home and food storage for the next 3 full weeks until February 7th!  No shopping...no eating out.  Nothing.
I tell her.."Okay...but I am just not sure how we will do that!" and she says,
"Do what you can, and then in our lesson I want you to share what you had to do and how you worked it all out, and talk about preparedness and stuff."

So now, Wellness Challenge just became a little harder with no fresh fruits and veggies. 
Hmmmmm...........I think I am going to miss my cottage cheese the most!

But anyhow, today we made a full menu plan, dug out wheat and flour and soup mix, and powdered milk, made bread, (after buying yeast...which I hope will be our only purchase for the whole 3 weeks!)

One successful day down of that too.  This is going to be interesting....very interesting.
STAY TUNED! 

Survived My First Late Niter at the Scrapbook Store!

Okay.

Let me paint a picture for you.

For the last 10 years, I have taught classes from 

around 5 pm until midnite'ish.

The routine goes something like this.

Arrive.  

Someone offers to buy me a 32 oz. rootbeer (full sugar).

I accept.

Now, we talk about what dinner will be.

I run next door to the bakery to buy something sweet for later.

Teach.  Talk to people.  

Continually walk past the huge and inviting basket of very yummy candy...

THAT I BROUGHT!

Partake.  Regularly.  

Little crazy. Little stressed as night wears on.

Little more candy.

Dinner comes.  

Something good. Really good.

And fattening.

More candy.

GET THE PICTURE?

Tonight.

"Thanks.  No rootbeer for me"

"I'm not sure how those particular new candies taste...I haven't had one...yet"

"Ya.  That's it.  Just a salad for me.  And you can skip the little tortilla strips on the top."

"Oh thanks guys.  But I'll pass.  I'm eating good today"

"No.  No hot cider from Starbucks for me.  Thanks though."

"Oh.  Crap.  It's already nine p.m. and I haven't finished my salad yet...but now it's....

well......TOO LATE.

I'm now entering a little bit of panic mode.  But it'll be okay.  I can do this.

REALITY:

I am going to be hungry from 9 pm until 1:30 a.m. when I get into bed

I am going to feel a little deprived with not a single piece of candy all night.

I am going to have a somewhat bad attitude about all of it.

But I am going to do it.  Successfully.

And I did.

Victory. Another hurdle overcome.

Enough said!

"

Focus....Focus....Focus.....

It's all about balance, isn't it?
Just when I seem to focus on one good thing....
I seem to lose focus of other important things.
I end up way too tied up in whatever the current "focus" is....
and sometimes...before I know it....
I have lost my focus on other good stuff.
This wellness challenge can help that.
I focus on family, health, love, the gospel, exercise....
It's all good, right?
Feels right.
But now I am neglecting my scrapbooking duties.
Ahhhhhh!  It's so hard to achieve balance!

It's only Day 3? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Oh seriously.  I have to embrace this!

I'm doing it.

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not quitting or anything silly like that.

Yet.

But I am not in love with it yet.

I am hungry.

I poked my tummy 4 times before I gave myself my insulin this morning.

OUCH!

I did cardio again.

I am not cheating.

But I am feeling....like....well....this is gonna be a long haul.

Oh well. 

Let's focus on the positive!

Day 2: Not nearly as exciting and fun as day 1....

Wow.  It's amazing what a difference 24 hours makes! 
The newness of this plan has worn off quickly!
I am already sick of exercise and tired of "the list"!

Why?
Because it involves discipline and planning and control...
in a life of mine that typically is somewhat out of control.

I am hungry and tired today. 
Day 2 of insulin shots brings back all of the memories....
bad memories. 
Insulin headache....fatigue....and hunger.
Dangit.

But I shall overcome!

We recently got a plaque that said the following...
"Whatever you focus on EXPANDS!"

I guess I have a choice, then...
to focus on the good,...
or to focus the on the hard and bad and sad.
Either way...it gets bigger and huger. 

I guess I'd rather have the good stuff expand and take over my life.

I recently gave a long dissertation to someone I love about the age old
"glass half empty" or "glass half full" mentality.

My glass is so half full.
I just need to focus on that.

Onward and Upward!

Wellness Challenge 2010 Started Today!

Here we go again!

Today begins my wellness challenge!

Here are my daily tasks:
1. Drink 48 oz. water
2. Exercise (3 days of Cardio, 2 of resistance training)
3. Eat 2 servings of fruit and 2 of vegetables daily
4. No soda, unhealthy, or fried foods.
5. No sweets at all (one sugar substitute sweet allowed per day...)
6. No eating after 9 p.m.
7. 15 minutes of Scripture study or Ensign reading
8. Positive writing or journal writing (or any good, positive notes to others)
9. Say "I Love You" to someone and mean it
10.  Weekly goal of my choice

Pretty cool, eh?

Why I feel motivated today:
1.  My diabetes is out of control and that needs to change.
2.  My son is coming home April 29th and I need to feel and look more healthy
3.  I am hiking Havasupai at the end of March and at this juncture it would kill me!
4.  It's time.  It's just time.

Plan of Attack:
1.  Do Resistance Training with Matthew on Wed. and Friday
2.  Take lantus shot in morning and carry other 3 shots with me in purse.
3.  Get to bed earlier so not eating after 9 isn't such torture.
4.  Make a menu plan so I have a plan!

Wish me luck!
Sandee