CourtneyM99

I am sick people!  Sick, sick, sick!!  Okay, not physically sick, but more frustrated and disgusted with myself about how I’ve #.1 left you all hanging here… and #2. let myself float right back up to near my starting weight when I joined Buddy Slim!  I feel gross.  I’m not comfortable out in public… just because I don’t feel like myself anymore.  I’m constantly pulling on my clothes and I’ve now found that my hips/butt is where the majority of it came back and there are chairs that I don’t fit in!!  I NEVER EVER thought I would have to say that outloud!  It’s time for some serious action, but not so severe that I can’t maintain it.  I have a terrible habit of pushing myself too hard and loosing focus if I have to deviate from the original plan.  So here is where I need you now people… kick my rump and tell me where to start!!  I’m broke (but tuition is paid!) and I’m tired and I’m needing a little motivational boost. 

So I find myself sitting here with my very oily face in my hands trying to regroup and make sense out of the last couple of days. How can you work so hard and be so dedicated to a goal and simply wake up one day to abandon it?! How is this possible people?? Okay, "abandon it" sounds rather harsh, and it's a bit overboard. I have not abandoned my plot to aim for a healthier me. However, over the last couple of days I have eat just about anything I wanted. Oh man, and I feel gross. I haven't eaten fried foods in a long while, but since I work at a Fish House and I have such a crazy schedule.... yesterday I went from job # 1 to job # 2 and still had not eaten lunch. I had brought an apple with me, so I had that. As time wore on throughout the afternoon I was just starving!! Ya know that feeling when your certain your large intestines will eat your small intestines if you don't swallow something solid quick!! As employees there are certain things we can eat for free. I went with the fish thinking possibly I could use the excuse that "THEY" (whoever "they" is...) say fish is healthy for you. Now the cheese sticks .... I have no excuse. Lapse of insanity maybe?? One minute I heard the lady say "they are ordering cheese sticks... did you want any?" and somewhere, out of nowhere my lips formed the words "two please". Then the guilt started. I stared at them for quite some time, and someone ask what I was doing... "Letting them cool" was the remark I gave, but actually I was giving the good conscience and bad conscience time to duke it out. The little angel on my left shoulder was saying "Oh my word! That is cheese, with a coating of breading, AND deep fried. Surely you wouldn't combine the three of those factors into two quick bites!! You'll have to go to diet confession!!" and the little demon on my right shoulder was saying "Oh for crying out loud... you haven't eaten a cheese stick in over 6 months at least. You've had an extremely long day. You can not run off of an apple alone! Just eat the dumb cheesestick and get to work!" Although I hate to admit it, I needed the self-pity at the time and chose to listen to the little demon inside and console myself with the fact that I deserved it. WRONG!!!

Hope everyone is having a splendid week. Hang in there folks. It's never going to be easy.... but we can at least enjoy the journey if we keep a positive mindset!!

Howdy, howdy friends and internet neighbors!!  I hope each and every one of you are having a wonderful week thus far!  The weather is starting to perk up down here, which makes for lovely walking weather.  Ohhh…. except for the snakes!!  I am terrified of snakes!  Being raised in the country has set me up with a lot of icky positions before.  Most I don’t mind, but I don’t do snakes.  Nadda.  Never.  Doesn’t matter what kind.  They absolutely creep me out!  So I have developed a routine of walking 5 miles three days a week.  On Wednesdays and Saturdays I can usually snag my mom to trapes along with me, but on Mondays I’m on my own.  I like it, though.  Gives me time to think, reflect, and plan nearly every aspect of my crazy life!  So I get deep in thought this Monday and I’m walking pretty fast and all of the sudden I see it - and freeze.  It sees me - and freezes too.  So I do a side-step, and it turns towards me.  At this point I’m jumping up and down trying to shake out the heebie-jeebies I seem to have crawling up my spine.  The snake must have thought I was insane to the point of being dangerous and he/she took off up a hill.  That may be even creepier than seeing the snake is seeing a snake get spooked and not just crawling, but they kind of jump in slither when they are in a hurry to get somewhere.  I was just glad that “somewhere” was no over by me.  I watching the snake til it was out of sight and continued on my merry way (frequently looking behind me to make sure it wasn’t after me!).  This is a problem with the south.  We have snakes.  Last year when I was walking (which brings me to the point of shame to admit that I DID walk last year but somehow lost focus…. OHHHHH I could be so close to my goal if I would have kept it up!!!) it was a daily thing to see a snake.  It was one of the excuses I used when I quit walking.  A black snake is one thing.  It’s creepy, but isn’t deadly.  Last year I had a stand-off with a rattle snake in the center of the road.  It WOULD NOT MOVE!! I stood in the middle of the road refusing to get any closer to it, and it sat there and stuck out it’s tongue at me for over 20 minutes.  I tried to shoo it away with which it picked up it’s head and moved a couple of inches my way as if to say “Watch it sister… don’t make me come over there!”   So I gladly retreated and pouted until the pavement must have grown too hot for his delicate behind and he decided to leave. 

Okay… other than snakes….

I am no longer going to the gym.  I have an elliptical machine at my house that I bummed and I walk on it when I can.  Hasn’t been a lot lately, but to be perfectly honest it’s not a top quality machine and it hurts my back because it makes you stand funny.  When I was 14 years old I had back surgery for scoliosis - curvature of the spine- so I have metal rods going up either side of my spine… fused to it with bone from my hip and screw inserted to straighten up the curves (there were two so that my spine was looking more like an “S” than an “l”).   the rods are flexiable, so 90% of the time I do not feel any discomfort in any activity that I do, however… if I sit slumped for a while or stand in a funny position it will ache.  So I try to get as much walking done outside and only use the elliptical machine on rainy days. 

My weight loss stands at 30 lbs. total.  I am a bit frustrated with writing everything down.  That part of it is OLD I tell you… O-L-D.   Some days I work 15 hours straight (from one job to the next with only a 5 minute break … which is how long it takes me to drive from the school to the Fish House).   So to be honest I will admit that I have not written down my points in about 2 weeks.  I have written down breakfast about 5 days in the last week…. but never finish out the day.  At my job I do not have access to a fridge, and I do not have place to store my stuff at room tempature either.  Last week I took an apple and a Fiber One Bar and stuck them in my truck in a little lunch box out of the sun.  At lunch when I ran out to my truck… I found the Fiber One bar had melted and it made an incrediable mess.  The apple worked.   Still trying to figure out how to work the whole “eating healthy” thing on those crazy days (Thursday and Friday).  I stashed a few Weight Watchers dinners at the restaurant where I work so that I will have them on hand should we slow down and I have time to eat.  I’m trying desperately hard not to eat anything we serve there.  It’s all fried!! Good… but deep fried! 

Whew…. long winded today!  Alrighty then!  Off I go to attack the pavement for another 5 mile jaunt.  Mom will be my snake defender today, so we’ll see if we can make it back without too much drama.  Drop a line from time to time and let me know how your doing folks!  I do love to see the inbox something other than empty!  (Of course… I’m kinda falling short on SENDING emails too… opps!  I haven’t forgotten you all… just busy, busy, bumble bee!) 

 This weeks motto:  WE SHOULD EAT TO LIVE….. INSTEAD OF LIVE TO EAT!! 

So the plan from said last blog seems to be working.  This week resulted in a 3 lb loss, which puts me at the 30 lb. mile marker on this fabulous journey.  I’m learning (through this hard head of mine) that it doesn’t have to be an attack-mode situation, but slow and easy will bring results that will hopefully last longer.  Why is it that I feel like I must be miserable in order to be doing good on a diet?  Trying to change that way of thinking….

Good news… I bummed an elliptical machine from my aunt & uncle, so workouts will now be at home.  This means more sleep, less gas money in travel, less money spent on gym membership, and I can work out twice a day instead of once!  All around good thing!  So I’m happy with this week. 

My weeks confessions:  I went by Bop’s… for those of you who know what Bop’s is you probably sucked in a great lung full of air, covered your mouth with your hand, and gasp at this little ‘boo boo’ of the week.  It’s a frozen custard shop.   Boo Boo # 2 was a girls night out with a pack of Peanut M&M’s at the movie theaters. 

Positives of the week:  Above mentioned workout change,  got rid of one job this week (cleaned my last house Friday), started tutoring job at the elementary school… LOVE IT!  and …. IT’S BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE!!  It looks like spring is finally here!  

 Good luck next week everyone and have a Happy Easter! 

Good morning all your fellow Buddy Slimmers! Here’s a little update for ya… it’s getting HOT outside! *sigh* Makes me wonder if I can keep up the current routine without passing out throughout the notorious summer heat we have here in south Mississippi. It’ll be a challenge, that’s for sure!

So lately I’ve been feeling a bit negative. I’ll admit it, face the issues, and hopefully move forward with a more positive attitude about this lifestyle change. I know one of my major problems is that I push myself too hard. It’s that darn ‘all or nothing’ syndrome I seem to have. With school, work, and life in general I HAVE to become more flexiable and learn to go with the flow. Yesterday I started my new job and I’m very excited about it! I am now a tutor at the upper elementary school (grades 3-5). I think I’m really going to like it! It also goes along with my major (Elementary Ed.) so hopefully this part time tutoring will help get my foot in the door for when I graduate and I can move to a teaching position. So it just seems like a good time to revamp my routine and try to look at the positives in my life. I’m getting healthy! There will be set backs, but I am eating healthier and exercising more than I ever have in my entire life! I feel good. My grades are honor roll status. Both of my part time jobs are only 7 miles from my house now… and they gym is between them!! So how is it possible to know all this and still find myself snacking on junk throughout the day? I dunno. But I do know that when I started Weight Watchers this go round I cheated myself on points. For those non-Weight Watcher people here’s the scoop. You are allowed a certain amount of points based on your height and weight (and the newer edition includes sex and lifestyle). So when I calculated the amount of points I would be sticking to… I thought “I’ll just jump start this so I’ll loose the weight a little faster” and I bumped the 31 points I should have been eating down to 26. Pushing to burn 1000 calories a day at the gym and cutting back on the points worked wonders and the weight really started to drop…. BUT… I was riding on the initial ‘high’ of starting the diet and as time has wore on I find that I get weak and nautious after workouts and all I want to do is sleep in the afternoons. I’ve cut back too far. So as of today I have refigured my stats and will be eating the recommended points allowed for my body. I am going to try desperately hard to stick to the foods that hold nutritional value. Leans meats, fruits, and veggie. I am notorious for snacking on what I call “dead food” that does nothing but immediately gratify the taste buds. It doesn’t stick with you (unless it sticks to my hips)!! So don’t buy it… don’t eat it.

Okay… I think that’s all this morning. Hope ya’ll have a great day… keep the chin up… picture yourself on the beach under a palm tree in a hammock… looking lean and trim.

Hello buddies of mine!  I’m feeling a little more motivated than the last time I addressed my weight loss pals… so that is good news I suppose!  I actually slept in this morning, which means that I didn’t hope up and hit the gym at 5 a.m. as usual.  The more and more I read about fitness the more I see that sleep plays more than a minor role in the whole deal.  And sleep is one thing that I do without more often than not.  So, last night I set my alarm clock and hopped up at 3:50 a.m. only to rub my eyes and ask myself “Why in the world are you doing this so early when you have nowhere you have to be today?!”  So I shut the alarm clock off and crawled back into my very comfortable bed overrun with fluffy pillows.  I did not wake up until 10:30 though… so that kinda borders on being lazy (according to my dad your suppose to sleep on the cycle of the sun… so to bed when the sun sets and when it begins to rise in the morning -  you should to!)… but I’ll just claim that I’m way behind and trying to get caught up!  *wink* 

So… yesterday I had to shell out $4oo for new tires on my truck!  Ouch!  I’ll feel that when tuition comes due for next semester.  It’s always something!  But, on the plus side my MP3 player I had ordered off of Ebay came in the mail!  I am excited about that… it’s nothing fancy… but it played music and it’s portable, which is just what I need!  I figured out how to download songs onto tha little device and I’m set for in the a.m.! 

I also got a little sun today!  It’s nice to walk outside without having to worry about a jacket.  I really can’t believe I’m saying that and I’m sure I’ll look back in a few months and want to kick myself for such a remark!  I live in south Mississippi for Pete’s sake… we usually gripe because it’s too hot!  It was just too pretty today to take my workout to the gym, so I laced up the shoes and hit the pavement with my mom.  We have just returned from a 5 mile jaunt!  With gas prices the way they are today I feel like I accomplished two things at once:  I saved a little cash by staying at home, and I’ve not only burned calories walking, but soaked up a little vitamin D in the process! 

I hope everyone is having a great week so far…. hang in there!  The last two weeks have been kinda dull for me - something like being stuck in a depressing tunnel but not knowing how to get out, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel and gathered at the opening are all my BuddySlim buddies motioning me to come on and continue down the road to weight loss!  I’m coming!!  I feel alive!!!

So by now you all think I have fallen off of the face of the earth.... not true, not true.... detained maybe, but not dead! This week I only managed to loose 1 lb. The weight loss has seemed to come to a screeching halt for some reason or nuther, which is frustrating!! I continue to go to the gym without fail and most mornings I do 60 minutes on the elliptical machine (which brings plenty of sweat and knocks out a little over 1000 calories in the space of an hour). On mornings when my legs hit that numb feeling from doing one motion for too long, I stop the elliptical at 45 minutes and walk 20-30 on the treadmill to even things out. My goal before leaving the gym is to burn 1000 calories. If I'm feeling peppy I'll stay longer, but to be honest, after an hour and a gallon of sweat, I'm usually ready to leave when I reach 1000! I have been trying to increase my protein and fiber more so lately because after the first two weeks the morning workouts were leaving me nautious. I dropped by the local Health Food Store and picked up some Soy Protein powder to do shakes in the a.m. My sister also suggested Boca Burgers mainly because they are only 1 point on Weight Watchers)... and these ready made burgers are super easy to fix when your in a hurry or tired, and they have 14 g of protein!! So I think they will become a new favorite!

LOL... okay, so that was a little on the sarcastic side, but they (the first list) are true goals, not only for this week, but from now on. Thank you to all of you who sent sweet notes of encouragement and boosters to check on me this week!! I try to do the same, but time has failed me this week! I do check in on you, though... so watch your back... and your calorie intake!

Oh my gosh… I cheated!! One minute things were fine and dandy and the next thing I know I’m sitting there eating dry cereal out of the box with no regard as to their point value. Then there were a couple of Fiber One bars within view… yes… I said COUPLE… geez Louise!! What in the world is going on here? I’m have been and am suppose to be “Ms. Stick To It”!! 6 weeks I have measured and weighed my food before consuming it, why all of the sudden the slip? I’ll blame it on the fact that it’s that lovely time of the month in which we women all celebrate our ability to reproduce by draining our body of every last drop of red we have…. but in actuality - that’s just an excuse… cause I was firm last month!!

So… here’s to a new week… a new outlook… and new streak of firm control!! I am in disbelief, but I am not going to beat myself up over this. It’s was an afternoon without a measuring cup or food scale… a break needed I suppose. On to new victories though!!

On a happier note: this mornings gym run resulted in 50 minutes on the elliptical machine!! Hooray!! I’m still alive and kickin!! A bit wet, but sweat is good…. right?!! Hang in there Buddies of mine… we’re gonna ROCK this week!!

I don't eat quacamole, but my first thought this morning was "HOLY QUACAMOLE!!". This is week 6 weigh in day. Week 5 weigh in day was a bit of a disappointment, so I had lectured myself on the usual... 'Don't base your results on the scale alone! Base your results on how you feel, how your clothes fit, etc.'. Well...the scale and I are back on speaking terms again. This morning showed a result of 6 lbs. lost!! YEA!! Not only is that exceptional for one week, but it also means I'm past the 20 lb mark! Now, we serious dieters know that anyone can stay on a diet long enough to loose 5 or 10 pounds, but it's only those that are dedicated and serious about the challenge that go beyond that point. THAT'S US PEOPLE!! WE are doing it!! I've lost 20 pounds many times, but I've always gained it back eventually. This time FEELS different. I feel like I've only brushed the surface stroke of a beautiful portrait I'm painting. There are many layers to this wonderful piece of art and while you may not be able to tell what I intend to paint with one stroke of the brush.... it's the beginning of something wonderful!!

I'm glad I have you folks here to share it with. I'm glad each of you have opened up and shared struggles and victories... this week was a victory for me. I hope each of you find your victory this week. Let's paint a new picture of ourself for the world to see. Who's with me??

Okay ladies and gents…. I wanna hear the titles and artist to those favorite workout tunes!  I just signed up with iTunes and a girl could miss so much if she doesn’t know what to search for!   Some of my favorites come from soundtracks of movies I find motivational, but if I don’t have the movie on hand, I often don’t know the title or artist of the song so I’m left without!  So… let me hear it! 

A few of my favorites:

Gloria -  by Laura Branigan
Maniac - by Leroy Miller
See You Again - by Miley Cyrus
I Love Rock -n- Roll - by Joan Jett
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden - by Martina McBride
These Boots (Are Made for Walking) - by Jessica Simpson
Louisiana Saturday Night - by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Strange Disease -  by Simon & Milo
I Believe - from the ‘Honey’ Soundtrack
Sway - by The Pussycat Dolls
Theme song from Rocky IV (only motivatinal if you’ve seen the movie :smile:)
Ohhh… Ahh…. Just a Little Bit - by Stealth Music Factory
All That She Wants - by Ace of Base
Wanna Be My Lover - by La Bouche
Cajun Moon - by Ricky Skaggs

 So, yeah…. you may have figured out these vary greatly in style… but  - hey!  - I like a little bit of it all!