New baby

I got myself a new baby: a new MP3 player that is. My old one was kind've crappy and kept breaking. And I cannot handle the treadmill without my music, so it was necessary to break down and get a new one.

I decided to bypass the IPods and get a SanDisk Sansa, in red, thank you very much. It's so cute!
Check it:















It's tiny, only about 2.5 inches long. It has a clip on the back so I can attach it to my shorts or tshirt. I'm not sure how many songs it can hold but I dumped my entire playlist from my computer on it. It's a 2 gig - which is pretty big. The best part was that it was only $60. Cant' wait to try it out tonight!

Weighin' in: That time again!

I did NOT want to weigh in today and I really wasn't expecting much this week due to the fact that (if you are a guy and you are reading this, stop now and click here or here. If not, then don't say I didn't warn ya!) my uncle T.O.M. and my aunt FLOW were in town. And you know when they visit, they bring lots of fun presents, like water weight gain, bloating, cramps, overeating, etc. It's so fun! But I really did try to stick to exercising, drinking my water and eating very healthy this week. (Seriously, I'm about to O / D on spinach salads.)

The result is that I'm down 1.5 pounds from last Wednesday! Wooooo! I even am almost technically down 2 pounds, but because the scale kept fluctuating back and forth, I decided to not fight it and just to let it have that last .5 of a pound. Keep it, asshole. I'll get you back next week!
Update: Ok, my math is off. I'm only down 1 pound since last week. I got a little over excited this morning me thinks. Oh well, one pound is still great!

Total lost since Jan. 2nd: 7 6.5 lbs. I hope I can reach the 15 lb mark before a plateau hits! That is always inevitable in weight loss. But if it does, I'll just have to change my game plan and switch things up a little.

Do ya'll watch the biggest loser? It always cracks me up at the end when they get voted off, they always say "America, next time you see me, I'm gonna be half my size!" Or "America, next time you see me, I'm gonna be one hot mama!"

So, blog readers, next time you hear from me, I'm gonna be one hot and skinny blogger! Ok, not really, but I'm workin on it ;)

Sadness :(

RIP Heath 1979 - 2008

Weekend Ramble

We had crappy weather all weekend here (of course NO snow, which just pisses me off but I digress) so I did not go anywhere. Literally. I came home Friday after the gym, and have yet to leave the house! I am however, having lunch with a friend in a little while, thank goodness. (I think she did not want me to turn into a hermit.)

However, having said all that, I did accomplish a few things over the weekend, none of them especially exciting or worth mentioning, but I just felt like udpating my blog and this was all I could come up with, sorry.

1) Read a good chunk of Eat, Pray, Love -- more to come on that.

2) Paid close attention to the SC Repub. primary. If I was an R, I have no idea who I would back. I guess McCain is alright, although the man is seriously getting up there in age. Here's hoping for some fabulous sunny weather for the Dems next weekend! (Even if you are an R, you have to admit the D race is SO much more exciting!)

3) Caught up on all my DVR'd Oprah shows. Apparently O had a thyroid problem, which is her excuse for gaining weight in 2007. Hey, I'm not one to criticize. I've had my share of weight issues, it happens. (however, I don't have her bank account, but again, I digress) She's back on the bandwagon apparently. Oh, and she interviewed Natalee Holloways' mom Beth, and apparently the Aruba police have officially closed her case. That's sad. I hope someday they find her body, so her family can at least have closure.

4) Ate very well all weekend and used my elliptical last night (Which hasn't been used in months since I started the Y) Which, by the way, I have discovered that I really need to up my cardio. I think my treadmill adventure was pure adrenaline...the last few times I've tried to go the distance, I have struggled. This week's goal is to up my cardo by one hour. I was huffing on that elliptical last night, and that is just not acceptable for how long I've been working out at the Y.

5) Finished off my Black Opal Cabernet Merlot wine. I've been drinking 4-6 oz. of red wine a night (except Friday, I had 2 glasses) My goal is not to over indulge, but to learn how to enjoy wine and the health benefits that come from it. By the way, I was pleased to learn that red wine has little to no sugar in it, unlike white whine.

Enough with the boring chatter... later, ya'll!

Sabotage

Because of the nature of our business, we routinely have vendors bringing us goodies occasionally, especially during the holidays -- cookies, chocolate, peanuts, popcorn, etc. It was everywhere, and thankfully we finally got rid of all of it (one way or the other!).

Well, we have a trade show coming up next week, and the vendors are back at it again -- wanting to entice us to stop by their booth, they stop by and bring us, yes, more goodies!

This was just dropped off a while ago:










Freshly baked cookies and brownies from a local bakery. WHY ARE THEY TRYING TO SABOTAGE ME?!?!?!?

*Deep breath*

Ok, I am over my rage. Instead, I am eating this:









AND I am going to the gym after work.

I just wanted to prove that restraint and discipline is possible. Even though I really, really, really want some cookies, damnit! :) (I did however, have pizza last night, but ....bygones....)

Quickie update

I'm procrastinating on completing a deadline at work, so I gotta make this quick.

Just wanted to post my progress report for my 2nd weigh-in report. I'm completely happy to say that I'm down 3 pounds from last week! Which is huge for me. I rarely get big numbers like that. If I were an animal, I'd be a tortoise when it comes to weight loss. My body and my fat are just really good friends, and they don't wanna part with each other. I have to pry them apart with as much force as possible! Hate to disapoint them, but the relationship is over. Say your goodbyes now.

Anyways, til next week! Stay happy, stay healthy!

Expensive "Do"

Got my locks chopped off this morning, and it was the most expensive hair cut and color I've ever had. Here's why:

As I was leaving the salon I started walking to my car, I was horrified to find that my car was not in the spot I left it in originally. I thought either a) I had early alzheimer's or b) my f**king car has been towed. Unfortunately, actually make that fortunately, it was the latter. I had parked in the wrong spot for the salon. Thankfully, good ole dad was at home, and was able to come pick me up and take me to get my car. After paying the greasy tow guy $100 (in cash only, of course), I got my precious car back.

So after paying $100 for my cut and color, and $100 to the towing company, here is my $200 hair:














I'd like to thank the downtown area for your lack of public parking, for this special day.

Update: I blurred my face out -- not because I think I'm a celebrity and people will stalk me, but because my blog is open to anyone out there in internet land, and well, I'm just paranoid. Paranoia will destroy ya.

Eating, Sleeping, and Pooping is SO Exhausting

Something new to talk about

Before one begins to thing that my blogs are all about weight loss, I've got something new to talk about. Yay!

Two things I want to discuss / review: (You know, cause I'm an expert and all) I saw the movie Juno and I'm reading the book Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Juno was really cute-- and I couldn't help but wonder if maybe Jamie Lynn Spears should go see this? Just kidding. Juno's character was funny, witty, clever -- and knocked up at 16 by a boy (Bleeker) she loves but won't admit it at first because he's kind've a dork. A cute dork though. She decides to give the baby up for adoption to this family she finds in the Penny Saver (???) The couple, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman, are your typical suburban richy rich couple with everything and Juno thinks they will make a great home for her baby. Jennifer Garner's character is desperate to have a baby - neurotic in getting the nursery ready and having a spotless house. Jason Bateman's character is clearly not ready to become a father, and is still pining for his youth - video games, music, horror movies. And in the end, it all turns out slightly different that you think. Over all, I really enjoyed the clever and funny lines, Juno's relationship with her geeky baby daddy, Bleeker, and her dad and step mother. Definitely some laugh out loud moments! Two thumbs up. Plus...Jason Bateman's in it!? All you Hogan Family fans will be happy.


Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: I've only read a few chapters of this book so far. I find myself torn between not being able to put the book down because her writing is so clever and funny, and being annoyed at her constant annoyance of her own life. The way she describers her grief and anguish, you would think someone stabbed and killed her first born child. But no, her anguish comes from her guilt from leaving her husband going to Italy to eat. Don't get me wrong, I know marriage breakups and divorces are devastating -- but I found it a little hard to jump on the "whoa is me" bandwagon of a woman who is obviously wealthy and can take 4 months off to travel to Italy just to ease her pain. Must be nice, right? However, like I said earlier, I can barely put the put down because I love her writing. And the way she speaks about some of these sexy Italian men, it's REALLY making me want to save up money and visit Italy in a year or two. ;) When I finish, I'll update you on my final thoughts on the book.

Anyone up for a trip to Tuscany in 2009? L'italia è un paese meraviglioso!

Weighin' In Day 1

I'm pleased to say that today I am 2.5 pounds lighter than I was last Wednesday at this time. Scales can be such a weird thing, because I cheated and weighed myself yesterday morning and the scales had not moved at all. AGGRAVATING. And then this morning -- poof! 2.5 pounds down. Thank goodness, because I just knew that my first official blog about my weigh-in would be a big fat depressing failure. Which is even more aggravting because I have eaten SO good this past week (except for my friend's cheesy shrimp casserole, which was DELICIOUS by the way) and I've been to the gym 5 out of the last 7 days. Plus I walked down by the river on Sunday with my mom for an hour.

2006 was a great year for me weight loss-wise. I dropped about 25 pounds that year with Weight Watchers. My exercise routine consisted mainly of walking. 2007 I got comfortable, and stopped watching what I ate and thought the pounds would magically keep coming off. Exercise was hit or miss. I lost 7 pounds last January - March, and then Spring came and I lost all my focus. Throughout the course of the year I gained half of the 7 pounds back. (Not that big of a deal, but my goal was to LOSE weight, not gain it!)

So for 2008 I need a game plan, broken up into manageable and attainable goals. I know there are always going to be setbacks but I'm a pro at getting back in the saddle and trying again.

First goal -- 15 pounds by my birthday (March 19). I figure if I put it here for all the world to read, I'll be majorly embarrassed if I don't reach my goal. And at least if I DON'T make it, I want to be able to say that I did everything I possibly could to get there.

I know I can do this because:

1) In 2003, I quit smoking cold-turkey after about 10 years and never looked back.
2) In 2005, I finally graduated from college and got my bachelors of science degree.

I am one determined woman.

Weighty Wednesdays

So.....here I am again. Another New Year (thankfully) and another chance to start over.

The past year and a half of my life I have spent every Wednesday (well mostly) going to my Weight Watchers meetings and weighing in. Yes, that includes the humiliation that came with stepping on the scales and having a tiny lil 75 year old lady tell me "Hey Fatty, you gained some l-b's this week!" (in so many words) Ok, so that is not how it really went down. But you get the idea.

But as much as I hated it, weighing in each week works (For me anyway). SO from here on out, I am going to attempt to log my weight loss / gain progress each Wednesday so as to hold myself accountable. And NO I am not posting my weight. Did you really think I would??? ha!!

This should be fun!

Update: I left out the part where I decided not to rejoin Weight Watchers. It's a wonderful program and it really does work. But my wallet can no longer afford it at this current time. I will most likely rejoin when I am 20 pounds or less from my goal weight.

Happy New Year!

http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/storyonly/2008/1/1/2158/30396