Greetings my little rays of sunshine! I thought a vlog might be in order to make up for my lack of posting the last few days!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Don't Squash It Until You Try It
So the other day Zara posted about her spaghetti squash and it got me thinking.
Dangerous I know.
I have never even tried squash in my life, but after seeing this dish in several magazines, and hearing Zara's description and subsequent endorsement by her daughter, WHO just happens to enjoy the occasional Sunkist as well...I decided to give it a try.
Please check out her blog for the wonderful directions...bc I will just be giving you Amy's Version.
We picked the squash up at Walmart. It actually had a sticker on it that said Spaghetti Squash.
Well that was helpful.
It ran us just under $5.
You cut the the end off with the stem, then slice the squash in half--length wise.
Next you scoop out the stringy guts and seeds. Think pumpkin here.
I put both pieces, cut side up, on a microwave safe dish with about 1/4 cup of water in the dish, covered with plastic wrap and microwaved them for 10 minutes.
During this time I made my spaghetti sauce. Sauce, ground turkey, seasoning and feta. YUM.
I took the squash out of the microwave and started the shredding. You just take your fork and start raking out the insides. What comes out is little strings of squash which resemble spaghetti! I plated, put the sauce on top, and served with a side of green beans!
Yummy.
I have to say that squash doesnt have much of a taste, and it is a little firmer than regular noodles. But what a fantastic way to get veggies in, fiber, protein, low in carbs and low in calories!
I will definitely be making it again.
Thanks Zara!
Dangerous I know.
I have never even tried squash in my life, but after seeing this dish in several magazines, and hearing Zara's description and subsequent endorsement by her daughter, WHO just happens to enjoy the occasional Sunkist as well...I decided to give it a try.
Please check out her blog for the wonderful directions...bc I will just be giving you Amy's Version.
We picked the squash up at Walmart. It actually had a sticker on it that said Spaghetti Squash.
Well that was helpful.
It ran us just under $5.
You cut the the end off with the stem, then slice the squash in half--length wise.
Next you scoop out the stringy guts and seeds. Think pumpkin here.
I put both pieces, cut side up, on a microwave safe dish with about 1/4 cup of water in the dish, covered with plastic wrap and microwaved them for 10 minutes.
During this time I made my spaghetti sauce. Sauce, ground turkey, seasoning and feta. YUM.
I took the squash out of the microwave and started the shredding. You just take your fork and start raking out the insides. What comes out is little strings of squash which resemble spaghetti! I plated, put the sauce on top, and served with a side of green beans!
Yummy.
I have to say that squash doesnt have much of a taste, and it is a little firmer than regular noodles. But what a fantastic way to get veggies in, fiber, protein, low in carbs and low in calories!
I will definitely be making it again.
Thanks Zara!
Bad Dreams, Bad Mood, Bad 'Tude
Sometimes I have a day when it's very hard to turn my frown upside down.
Welcome to that day.
I am a dreamer...not only in the philosophical sense, but the literal one as well. I have very vivid, usually very odd dreams. I dream every night. Last night my dreams were bad ones. People trying to kill me, Tracey leaving me, me not having correct underwear and having to wear Tracey's...
you know. Run of the mill average dreams. Well I had to wake up before I could resolve these problems in my dreams. Yes...usually while I am dreaming I can say to my dreaming self: Amy, you are dreaming...fix this now".
I didn't have time this morning and the bad feelings in my dreams followed me into my normal life. I noticed this in the shower because I wasn't singing. I was just staring at the tile.
So, that is one reason I am grumpy.
The other reason is because I posted twice yesterday and couldn't figure out why, for the life of me, my followers hated me. I only got 2 responses. My world must be ending. But today I noticed that I wasn't getting any blogger notices in my email and I had been posting on other blogs so I should have at least got something!
Turns out I must have accidentally marked my blogger emails as spam...and sure enough. I found all of your comments from yesterday in my spam mail. Thank God I found them and fixed that problem.
And here is another reason I have a bad 'tude today. I do realize that by typing this I may come off as completely selfish and horrible, but you know the true Amy...so I trust in your love.
Tracey's grandpa died yesterday. And a couple of years ago, it came out that Grandpa had done some bad things to Grandma (who died last summer) and to Tracey's mom and other daughter. Grandpa had dementia and Tracey's parents lived in his house to take care of him. He was in his 90's and had a bad ticker. He died yesterday at a rehab facility (he had forgotten how to walk). So it is an odd situation bc I love Tracey's mom and didn't know what to say as I held her yesterday while we were waiting for them to come pick up the body. Do I say "He is in a better place now"...bc she believes in Heaven and Hell...but I don't know if she believes he went to the good place or the bad place.
I digress. I am getting off track.
Here comes the Horrible Amy part.
Grandpa's funeral is on Saturday. At 9:00 am. Do you know what else is on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.? The biggest Zumba event in Pensacola history that I have been dying to go to for weeks AND already bought my ticket in advance, AND was going with Mary and her niece and others from my work.
When Tracey told me that the funeral was Saturday...I almost cried. I couldn't hide my disappointment in my voice. Tracey told me that he knew how important Zumba was to me and that I didnt have to come to the funeral. He was serious. And said it with love.
Of course I am going to the funeral and not Zumba. Damn though! Really? Can't the world revolve around me and my workout schedule?
Sigh.
I told you I am horrible.
kisses!
Welcome to that day.
I am a dreamer...not only in the philosophical sense, but the literal one as well. I have very vivid, usually very odd dreams. I dream every night. Last night my dreams were bad ones. People trying to kill me, Tracey leaving me, me not having correct underwear and having to wear Tracey's...
you know. Run of the mill average dreams. Well I had to wake up before I could resolve these problems in my dreams. Yes...usually while I am dreaming I can say to my dreaming self: Amy, you are dreaming...fix this now".
I didn't have time this morning and the bad feelings in my dreams followed me into my normal life. I noticed this in the shower because I wasn't singing. I was just staring at the tile.
So, that is one reason I am grumpy.
The other reason is because I posted twice yesterday and couldn't figure out why, for the life of me, my followers hated me. I only got 2 responses. My world must be ending. But today I noticed that I wasn't getting any blogger notices in my email and I had been posting on other blogs so I should have at least got something!
Turns out I must have accidentally marked my blogger emails as spam...and sure enough. I found all of your comments from yesterday in my spam mail. Thank God I found them and fixed that problem.
And here is another reason I have a bad 'tude today. I do realize that by typing this I may come off as completely selfish and horrible, but you know the true Amy...so I trust in your love.
Tracey's grandpa died yesterday. And a couple of years ago, it came out that Grandpa had done some bad things to Grandma (who died last summer) and to Tracey's mom and other daughter. Grandpa had dementia and Tracey's parents lived in his house to take care of him. He was in his 90's and had a bad ticker. He died yesterday at a rehab facility (he had forgotten how to walk). So it is an odd situation bc I love Tracey's mom and didn't know what to say as I held her yesterday while we were waiting for them to come pick up the body. Do I say "He is in a better place now"...bc she believes in Heaven and Hell...but I don't know if she believes he went to the good place or the bad place.
I digress. I am getting off track.
Here comes the Horrible Amy part.
Grandpa's funeral is on Saturday. At 9:00 am. Do you know what else is on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.? The biggest Zumba event in Pensacola history that I have been dying to go to for weeks AND already bought my ticket in advance, AND was going with Mary and her niece and others from my work.
When Tracey told me that the funeral was Saturday...I almost cried. I couldn't hide my disappointment in my voice. Tracey told me that he knew how important Zumba was to me and that I didnt have to come to the funeral. He was serious. And said it with love.
Of course I am going to the funeral and not Zumba. Damn though! Really? Can't the world revolve around me and my workout schedule?
Sigh.
I told you I am horrible.
kisses!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Just Do It Already!
Yesterday I was talking to Anna and I said something like "We will start tomorrow..." or "Tomorrow we will get back on track"... and I realized that I DON'T LIKE WHEN I SAY THAT!
How many times have we said that when we are "dieting"? TOMORROW I will work out. TOMORROW I will eat better. Well what is wrong with right now?
So I dug up some of my favorite Nike ads. Well, actually...my favorites are old and clipped at home from magazines...so I will get those for you soon...
But I like these two as well. Seriously. I am going to post them at work so when I am whining and "waiting for tomorrow" to start making better choices, I can look at these and start NOW.
Enjoy my friends!
#1. “All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you’re not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you’re the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no’s become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES.”
#2. “Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let our fears stand in the way of our hopes.
We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, when we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There’s really no time to be afraid.
So stop. Try something you’ve never tried. Risk it. Enter a triathlon. Write a letter to the editor. Demand a raise. Call winners at the toughest court. Throw away your television. Bicycle across the United States. Try bobsledding. Try anything. Speak out against the designated hitter. Travel to a country where you don’t speak the language. Patent something. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. JUST DO IT.” -Barry Sanders
How many times have we said that when we are "dieting"? TOMORROW I will work out. TOMORROW I will eat better. Well what is wrong with right now?
So I dug up some of my favorite Nike ads. Well, actually...my favorites are old and clipped at home from magazines...so I will get those for you soon...
But I like these two as well. Seriously. I am going to post them at work so when I am whining and "waiting for tomorrow" to start making better choices, I can look at these and start NOW.
Enjoy my friends!
#1. “All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you’re not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you’re the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no’s become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES.”
#2. “Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let our fears stand in the way of our hopes.
We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, when we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There’s really no time to be afraid.
So stop. Try something you’ve never tried. Risk it. Enter a triathlon. Write a letter to the editor. Demand a raise. Call winners at the toughest court. Throw away your television. Bicycle across the United States. Try bobsledding. Try anything. Speak out against the designated hitter. Travel to a country where you don’t speak the language. Patent something. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. JUST DO IT.” -Barry Sanders
Face To Face With Satan (aka THE SCALE)
Soooo, I have made less than stellar food choices since Friday. On Monday, "official scale day", I was up a few pounds...a pretty 201.
I can handle that.
Today I stepped on and saw 205.
hahahhahahahahahahhahahahaha
hahahahah
hahha
ahhahahahahahha
Seriously? Up 4 pounds overnight and 7 pounds from lowest!
hahahahahha
Clearly, this is nothing to be alarmed about and can't all be fat. But it really is enough to scare me straight! Started drinking water ASAP. Tonight is Wednesday night which means bootcamp and Zumba...
Lord have mercy! It's not like I found a container of whale blubber, stuck a straw it in and began to suck the fat!
205?
hahahahahaha
I can handle that.
Today I stepped on and saw 205.
hahahhahahahahahahhahahahaha
hahahahah
hahha
ahhahahahahahha
Seriously? Up 4 pounds overnight and 7 pounds from lowest!
hahahahahha
Clearly, this is nothing to be alarmed about and can't all be fat. But it really is enough to scare me straight! Started drinking water ASAP. Tonight is Wednesday night which means bootcamp and Zumba...
Lord have mercy! It's not like I found a container of whale blubber, stuck a straw it in and began to suck the fat!
205?
hahahahahaha
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Take My Picture Please
Today was not a beach day. So we went sightseeing around town instead. On our navy base, there stands a light house. For any of you who watch Ghosthunters, they shot here a few months ago...and decided it was indeed...haunted. Today we decided to go on the public tour. Tracey has lived here his entire life and never toured it! There are also 177 steps to climb if you want to go to the top...so besides loving history...I thought we could get in some exercise!
Here are a few pictures from the day!
These are the 177 stairs to the top!
And this is me dying at about stair 100.
But I made it!
I was thinking about Alexis and the last America's Next Top Model challenge in this shot. Although I wasnt naked with just one accessory...like on the show. The window was open though and I could have fell out! Anything in the name of modeling!
Don't you love tree shots?
In the basement of the lighthouse, where on the Ghosthunters show, they felt spirits.
I am eating like a lunatic this weekend. Well...you can't win them all :)
Here are a few pictures from the day!
These are the 177 stairs to the top!
And this is me dying at about stair 100.
But I made it!
I was thinking about Alexis and the last America's Next Top Model challenge in this shot. Although I wasnt naked with just one accessory...like on the show. The window was open though and I could have fell out! Anything in the name of modeling!
Don't you love tree shots?
In the basement of the lighthouse, where on the Ghosthunters show, they felt spirits.
I am eating like a lunatic this weekend. Well...you can't win them all :)Thursday, March 18, 2010
Call Me A Bad Girl, Spank At Will
Well. I was a GRUMP today. Boy howdy.
Here are things that get on my nerves with I am PMSing:
1. Humans
End of list.
I don't like it when people put on their Food Police Badge and tell me what they think I should be eating...or giving me their two cents, a judging tone, and a disapproving look at what I am putting in my mouth. If I didn't ask...I need you to shove it up your butt.
Like I said....just a smidge grumpy today. I should have been happy. That damn water weight was gone and I was back down to 198. I thank Gilly for taking personal responsibility for my weight gain. Shame on you. But good for you for admitting it was your fault...and none of my own.
I ate like poopy today. I am SUCH a grazer at work! And I am a drink and snacker. For example, I just ate a bag of Cheetos while swigging diet Sunkist. It's fun when you eat things like Cheetos or peanuts and then drink pop...you can feel the liquid trickling down through the food...like a gentle stream over a stack of pebbles.
I know some of you are following Drazil's, and then my, hair lady parts post. Jennifer recommended a magic shaving powder and provided a link for it on Drazils post. UM....HULLLOOO! Did you read the directions for it? Jen, could you put the link in a comment here? I thought I might try it for my butt crack hair and Jen and Drazil implied you just sprinkle it on. WELL, the directions say that you have to put it on, keep it moist for 8 minutes, and then scrape it off with a credit card. How am I supposed to do that in my rear region? You want me to get a credit card in there?
Lord I better start stretching and limbering up now.
This weekend hopefully holds a trip to the beach. Tomorrow night we are going to Gallery Night, when all the little shops and the art museums open up downtown and you can go in and out for free. Sometime we should go for a nice walk! Who knows!
All I know is tomorrow if Friday. And that is enough to ALMOST make me break a small smile.
Almost.
I am sending out several packages of clothes tomorrow to several bandsters! Spreading the love.
Here are things that get on my nerves with I am PMSing:
1. Humans
End of list.
I don't like it when people put on their Food Police Badge and tell me what they think I should be eating...or giving me their two cents, a judging tone, and a disapproving look at what I am putting in my mouth. If I didn't ask...I need you to shove it up your butt.
Like I said....just a smidge grumpy today. I should have been happy. That damn water weight was gone and I was back down to 198. I thank Gilly for taking personal responsibility for my weight gain. Shame on you. But good for you for admitting it was your fault...and none of my own.
I ate like poopy today. I am SUCH a grazer at work! And I am a drink and snacker. For example, I just ate a bag of Cheetos while swigging diet Sunkist. It's fun when you eat things like Cheetos or peanuts and then drink pop...you can feel the liquid trickling down through the food...like a gentle stream over a stack of pebbles.
I know some of you are following Drazil's, and then my, hair lady parts post. Jennifer recommended a magic shaving powder and provided a link for it on Drazils post. UM....HULLLOOO! Did you read the directions for it? Jen, could you put the link in a comment here? I thought I might try it for my butt crack hair and Jen and Drazil implied you just sprinkle it on. WELL, the directions say that you have to put it on, keep it moist for 8 minutes, and then scrape it off with a credit card. How am I supposed to do that in my rear region? You want me to get a credit card in there?
Lord I better start stretching and limbering up now.
This weekend hopefully holds a trip to the beach. Tomorrow night we are going to Gallery Night, when all the little shops and the art museums open up downtown and you can go in and out for free. Sometime we should go for a nice walk! Who knows!
All I know is tomorrow if Friday. And that is enough to ALMOST make me break a small smile.
Almost.
I am sending out several packages of clothes tomorrow to several bandsters! Spreading the love.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Pouty Mouth Patty
Okay. So I really did use Webdings for the slur of nasty language used in my previous post! I promise! But for those of you reading my previous post via iPhone or some other way...some of you saw my REALLY bad language!
I cuss like a sailor all the time, but try to be careful on my blog bc I know some people could get offended...so please excuse the last post if you saw and didnt like.
Funny though.
I blogged about lady nuts and I am worried about a dirty mouth.
hahaha
p.s. I do not feel bad for all you naughty girls who actually decoded it :) You wanted to see the badness.
I cuss like a sailor all the time, but try to be careful on my blog bc I know some people could get offended...so please excuse the last post if you saw and didnt like.
Funny though.
I blogged about lady nuts and I am worried about a dirty mouth.
hahaha
p.s. I do not feel bad for all you naughty girls who actually decoded it :) You wanted to see the badness.
Water Made Me Fat
Yes. And so I am boycotting it today. At least until I work out later.
Yesterday I decided to really up my water game and be a water drinking fool! Monday I had made less than stellar food choices and with the scale holding steady at 198, I decided to cleanse my system.
MMM.....water.
160 ounces of it to be exact.
Combined with pretty good food choices. No candy. No Cheetos. Calories around 1200.
Stepped on the scale today and saw 200.0
What I said upon seeing this number, I cannot put in print. So I will use the Webdings font instead....
This is what I said:
(I have edited this post bc I typed really really bad words in Webdings and it was showing up in regular print for some and I didnt want to offend! Just rest assured it was some SERIOUS cussing)
Wow. That was bad.
So I have decided water made me fat.
Sigh. I don't know why I am up to pounds but I am trying to keep these things in mind:
1. I am about 5 days out from my period. (Don't you feel bad for our male lapbanders because they can't use this excuse to explain away weight gain).
2. It could be delayed onset fatness from my behavior on Monday.
3. All that water I drank is living in my cells.
4. It was colder today in Pensacola and that earthquake the other day probably caused the earth to shift off it's axis again, thus changing the gravitational pull of girls named Amy that weighed themselves at 6:30 am this morning...central time.
5. I am not going to go coo coo shit crazy and start eating everything in sight.
6. I am going to bootcamp AND Zumba tonight....so that should help.
oooh, or
7. It is your fault bc you made me do a onederland post and this is karma for something. DAMN I need to seen some clothes out to bandsters to increase my karmic cash!
lol...
So until next time my lovelies...
Keep fighting the good fight! Keep your head up and your salt intake down!
Yesterday I decided to really up my water game and be a water drinking fool! Monday I had made less than stellar food choices and with the scale holding steady at 198, I decided to cleanse my system.
MMM.....water.
160 ounces of it to be exact.
Combined with pretty good food choices. No candy. No Cheetos. Calories around 1200.
Stepped on the scale today and saw 200.0
What I said upon seeing this number, I cannot put in print. So I will use the Webdings font instead....
This is what I said:
(I have edited this post bc I typed really really bad words in Webdings and it was showing up in regular print for some and I didnt want to offend! Just rest assured it was some SERIOUS cussing)
Wow. That was bad.
So I have decided water made me fat.
Sigh. I don't know why I am up to pounds but I am trying to keep these things in mind:
1. I am about 5 days out from my period. (Don't you feel bad for our male lapbanders because they can't use this excuse to explain away weight gain).
2. It could be delayed onset fatness from my behavior on Monday.
3. All that water I drank is living in my cells.
4. It was colder today in Pensacola and that earthquake the other day probably caused the earth to shift off it's axis again, thus changing the gravitational pull of girls named Amy that weighed themselves at 6:30 am this morning...central time.
5. I am not going to go coo coo shit crazy and start eating everything in sight.
6. I am going to bootcamp AND Zumba tonight....so that should help.
oooh, or
7. It is your fault bc you made me do a onederland post and this is karma for something. DAMN I need to seen some clothes out to bandsters to increase my karmic cash!
lol...
So until next time my lovelies...
Keep fighting the good fight! Keep your head up and your salt intake down!
I Love Hot Meat
I do. I just do.
So with that in mind, I wanted to share the recipe for the turkey meatloaf I made last night. I found the original recipe on obesityhelp, but I adapted it for my own likings. Remember, this is not rocket science, but I am coming late to the ground turkey world.
Amy's Hot Meat (aka Turkey Meatloaf)
The original recipe called for:
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium chopped/diced onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup sharp shredded cheese
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 egg
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper
Lawry Season Salt to taste
What I did:
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium chopped/diced onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup honey mustard dressing
1 egg
Black pepper
Bake at 35o for one hour or until internal temperature reaches 160.
I will have to say that it was DELICIOUS! Because I added some more "liquids" to it by adding the dressing, I should have upped the bread crumbs a little. It was a little on the soft side, so if you like firmer meat, use more crumbs. And there was too much onion for my liking, but Tracey loved all the onions.
I ate seconds and thirds of this yummy goodness. Probably 5 ounces total. I felt like a little piggy...but that was just because usually I can't finish what is on my plate...and I started with a small serving.
If you make it...enjoy!
I brought a slice for lunch today and it went down without getting stuck...which is a HUGE bonus for me. Usually I can't do next day meat!
Happy Wednesday!
So with that in mind, I wanted to share the recipe for the turkey meatloaf I made last night. I found the original recipe on obesityhelp, but I adapted it for my own likings. Remember, this is not rocket science, but I am coming late to the ground turkey world.
Amy's Hot Meat (aka Turkey Meatloaf)
The original recipe called for:
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium chopped/diced onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup sharp shredded cheese
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 egg
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper
Lawry Season Salt to taste
What I did:
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium chopped/diced onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup honey mustard dressing
1 egg
Black pepper
Bake at 35o for one hour or until internal temperature reaches 160.
I will have to say that it was DELICIOUS! Because I added some more "liquids" to it by adding the dressing, I should have upped the bread crumbs a little. It was a little on the soft side, so if you like firmer meat, use more crumbs. And there was too much onion for my liking, but Tracey loved all the onions.
I ate seconds and thirds of this yummy goodness. Probably 5 ounces total. I felt like a little piggy...but that was just because usually I can't finish what is on my plate...and I started with a small serving.
If you make it...enjoy!
I brought a slice for lunch today and it went down without getting stuck...which is a HUGE bonus for me. Usually I can't do next day meat!
Happy Wednesday!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Amy In Onederland
I thought I would be able to slip silently into "Onederland", but a few of you have called me out and by request, I will make the official post.
I know some of you are scratching your head wondering since when does Amy want to do anything silently? You are right. But for some strange reason, seeing 199 on the scale wasn't as exciting for me as I thought it would be.
It may be because I don't like the term onederland. Possibly because it is over used? For whatever reason, it gives me a rash and makes me furrow my brow.
It may be because there really isn't much difference from 200 to 199.
I don't know! I was just telling Jenny that 199 has not been my highlight of my weight loss journey. It is CERTAINLY the lowest I can remember weighing since probably 7th grade...nearly 18 years ago. It is amazing and I am grateful and I am not poo pooing it because I want to weigh less (I mean I do, but I am happy with my weight loss so far). There were no tears of joy like when I slipped on my size 16's. There was just a feeling of peace, a moment of thanks to the Gods, and then off to the shower!
I will not lie. I was kinda waiting for 197 to show up so I could do a post for both this milestone and for 130 pounds down. But Amy was naughty yesterday and ate cheetos, 2 candy bars, chips, etc...so my scale was holding at 198 today.
hahah...Do you see the irony of me not throwing a party when I hit 199? This from the girl who posted pictures of herself throwing a tantrum because my band friends were living in a new zip code (00199...very posh)?
I am a nut job.
But a nut job whose weight no longer starts with a 3. Or a 2!
Happy Tuesday!
I know some of you are scratching your head wondering since when does Amy want to do anything silently? You are right. But for some strange reason, seeing 199 on the scale wasn't as exciting for me as I thought it would be.
It may be because I don't like the term onederland. Possibly because it is over used? For whatever reason, it gives me a rash and makes me furrow my brow.
It may be because there really isn't much difference from 200 to 199.
I don't know! I was just telling Jenny that 199 has not been my highlight of my weight loss journey. It is CERTAINLY the lowest I can remember weighing since probably 7th grade...nearly 18 years ago. It is amazing and I am grateful and I am not poo pooing it because I want to weigh less (I mean I do, but I am happy with my weight loss so far). There were no tears of joy like when I slipped on my size 16's. There was just a feeling of peace, a moment of thanks to the Gods, and then off to the shower!
I will not lie. I was kinda waiting for 197 to show up so I could do a post for both this milestone and for 130 pounds down. But Amy was naughty yesterday and ate cheetos, 2 candy bars, chips, etc...so my scale was holding at 198 today.
hahah...Do you see the irony of me not throwing a party when I hit 199? This from the girl who posted pictures of herself throwing a tantrum because my band friends were living in a new zip code (00199...very posh)?
I am a nut job.
But a nut job whose weight no longer starts with a 3. Or a 2!
Happy Tuesday!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Shaving The Whootananny (aka No-boundaries-Amy)
*Listen. Drazil made me do it. She forced my hand. I have trying to be a lady blogger lately. You know, respecting other's definition of decenancy and such. But I am going to have to clear the air about hair down there. If you don't want to know about my lady station, I understand. Please don't delete me from you blog list. Just skip this post. Otherwise...here we go".*
Lately, several of you have been talking about getting a Brazilian wax. I have never gotten one because I am not happy with my VAGINA.
Well...I am not angry with it. But...how to say this...how to say this. I have low hangers....large love pillows, lady nuts...etc. I don't know where they come from. I have asked my mother and my sister if they too have Guiness Book of World record labia. They say no.
I know you might think I am exaggerating. But once....I showed my best friend. Yes...we had been drinking. But she asked and I said fine. I gave her a quick flash and I kid you not...she fell against the door and grabbed her heart.
Sigh
So, my point is...I don't go for professional servicing because I don't want frighten anyone.
I should say that Tracey loves me and makes me feel wonderful about my lady bits. I would never have surgery. You know there is labia reduction surgery right?
But, this all brings me back to shaving. I started shaving all my hair buh-bye probably over 3 years ago. I don't get any rash or razor burn. I shave in the shower, and in rather quick fashion. For those of you who have been following me from the beginning, you might remember one of my NSV's I was looking forward to was to be able to shave the Lady Station without going in blind and having to hack away like Edward Scissorhands. Mission accomplished.
Although I must say that in addition to my belly getting smaller so I can see what I am doing, your woo-woo pad gets smaller as well. Which means you can now see more of my turkey wattle.
Sigh
And because Drazil asked, yes...if you have been going natural for awhile now...I suggest a pretrim. You shouldn't go from full troll hair...
to bald cabbage patch kid in one movement. 
And always, ALWAYS, shave WITH the hair. Not against. Drazil was stomping and pouting that with the hair doesnt get smooth...but it will. It does. I promise.
And now you know. Probably more than you wanted to know. But like I told Drazil. Perhaps there is someone out there with the same "problem" as me. And perhaps they thought they were alone.
And perhaps NOW they know they are not.
Perhaps indeed.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Bouncy House Biatches!
Today we had to go to Tracey's niece's 3rd birthday party. Joy. Lots of children and disorganization. Two of my favorite things.
But they had a Bouncy House.
And I have never been in a Bouncy House.
Until today.
Weight limit was 800 pounds.
Close call. Just barely made it :) It was pretty awesome I must say. I didnt feel that at any minute the seams of the bouncy house would burst and I would deflate all of the children's hopes and dreams.
Also discovered that my wonderful size 16 jeans from Gen (and GAP) are too big! When Gen sent me the jeans, one pair of the 16 curvy's fit right away. The others were a different wash and were tight. These jeans I speak of, the tight ones, are the ones that are too big.
hahha
Good Times.
This was shot with Tracey's iPhone. But you get the idea:)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
VitaTops
I think awhile ago I mentioned that I subscribe to something called the Nutrition Action Newsletter. It comes in the mail and is an ad-free "newsletter". It is actually like a 5-7 page glossy magazine and it is all about nutrition.
One of the things I have been reading about, not only in Nutrition Action, but in my other health mags are VitaTops, or VitaMuffins. Well I found them at Publix! And I bought a couple of boxes. Here is the picture of one flavor.
One of the things I have been reading about, not only in Nutrition Action, but in my other health mags are VitaTops, or VitaMuffins. Well I found them at Publix! And I bought a couple of boxes. Here is the picture of one flavor.
A little information from their website:
Taste – winner of the "Award of Excellence" from the American Tasting Institute
Nutrients – contains 15 vitamins, minerals, soy and oat bran
Control – only 100 calories per 2-oz serving
Health – high in fiber (5-6g per serving)... and they are kosher
Satisfaction – leaves you feeling full because fiber-rich foods take longer to digest
Peace of mind – all natural muffin tops with no artificial additives or preservatives
You can toast them, heat them in the microwave, or just eat them at room temperature. I do have to tell you that just plain, they are a little dry. I like mine with a little butter on it (bad Amy). Southern Belle just posted about them as well, and she likes hers with cream cheese.
Okay...these may...MAY be my last post for the day. But I can't guarantee anything.
Sunkist-It IS After Me
I am proud to report that I have not had a regular Sunkist since last year (December 31st 11:59 pm to be exact). I have learned to actually like the taste of Diet Sunkist and can't remember if it tastes different than the fully loaded foe of mine. I went through a couple of weeks where I kept diet sunkist in the house, but was drinking about 4 a day...so now I can only have one if I go buy a single bottle somewhere.
So, in my building (it is a small building with a training room and 3 offices), lives the Pepsi Machine Monster. When Pepsi man came in last week I asked if he would add Diet Sunkist to the machine and he said sure! So in it went...and the regular sunkist stayed as well. Mocking me.
So, in my building (it is a small building with a training room and 3 offices), lives the Pepsi Machine Monster. When Pepsi man came in last week I asked if he would add Diet Sunkist to the machine and he said sure! So in it went...and the regular sunkist stayed as well. Mocking me.
If I could play sound with a still picture, you would hear the machine giggling...
So today after drinking my water (that was my deal with myself) I went and bought a diet Sunkist. With some classic foreshadowing I am going to show you a close up picture and you can try to guess what happened...
Yes. I put my money in and pressed the button. The WRONG damn button! I pressed the REGULAR Sunkist button and out it came. Well...down it came and sat in the tray. I literally screamed. Loud.
My coworkers ran to me. They thought I was hurt.
I picked it up like it had the Clap. I carried to my coworkers desk and muttered "take this home." She understands.
She gave me some change to buy a DIET sunkist.
The end.
Plastics, Fear, My Figure
Two things about this picture. I realize my name tag says Bride...and before anyone gets all up in arms about this...I am NOT engaged. I went to a bridal show a few weeks ago and you get to wear this even if you are just thinking about getting married. We all know that when I am officially en route to Bridedom (which means my official ring is on my official finger)...I will let you all know. Until then, it never hurts to get some ideas!The second thing about this picture is my BOOBIES! WOWZA they look perky don't they? Trust me ladies, inside that perky bra are my balloon boobies. They are just held up.
I posted this picture because I wanted to talk about a few things and answer a few questions that you guys have asked me.
One comment I get a lot (and REALLY enjoy), is "You don't look like a size __ [insert whatever size I am at]. I know what people mean when they say that and it kinda makes me giggle...bc clearly I am that size ya know? And it is dangerous to compare bc we are all shaped different. Pear shaped, pencil, spoon, hour glass. I just got lucky with my shape. But a big reason I think that I look "smaller" than what people think my size should look like is because I dress my curves. Look at that shirt. Now that is an XL from Target and it fits snug. But it shows off my body. I do not hide behind my clothes. I actually think that hiding behind your clothes can make you appear bigger than you are.
In all my blogging I rarely give fashion advice. I think I hesitate bc fashion is so subjective and I do not want to offend anyone. So if you could care less what this girl from Kansas thinks about fashion...you can skip to the next section and I will still love you (in fact I will never know). But here are some of my rules:
- Just because you can zip it, doesn't mean you should wear it. I know that we are all rushing to that next size...but a muffin top usually means your pants are too tight. It's okay to go with a size that fits you NOW.
- I don't wear tops, sweaters, cardigans that go below my butt. The longest top I own is a purple cardigan that hits my mid butt. Adding material to your hips and butt area, usually your widest area...helps no one. It usually makes you look wider.
- I don't wear capris. I take that back. I wear workout pants in capri length, and have owned a casual cargo capri...BUT, I do not wear work capri's. I have stubby legs and when you wear capri's, they cut your leg off. I need all the length I can get.
- I buy my shirts so they fit. That doesn't mean skin tight, but it does mean you can see my shape. I like my shape. And when you like your shape...others might catch on.
- I try to remember that just because something is "on trend" doesn't mean I should buy it and wear it. Skinny jeans for example. Not for this girl.
- My jeans and slacks are always bootcut or straight leg. A tapered leg, like on the traditional "mom jean" make the eye see a really wide ass and narrow ankles. Not good.
- Dresses. Wrap dresses are a gift from Heaven. They show off the smallest part of my body (right under my boobies), and float away. Perfection. They are also great for us losing weight bc you can get a lot of wear out of them.
So that is about it. I ask myself: Does this do anything GOOD for my body shape? And if the only answer is...Yes, it HIDES it...that doesn't count. But regardless of what I think, if you happen to like tapered pants, big sweaters, etc...and you love yourself in them...well then that is all that matters!
Plastic Surgery
A couple of posts ago, Anonymous asked me what I thought about plastic surgery. *side note...do you guys get nervous when you see you have a post from "Anonymous"? I am always afraid it is going to be something bad.*
I am all about a lift, tuck, suck. (sounds dirty) I just don't know if I will be able to afford it. At least not for a couple of years. Unless things start going REAL bad REAL quick, the first thing I will address are the chi-chi's. I want my girls perky and full. Then either the tummy or the inner thighs. So yes...someday maybe I will get some work done.
Fear of Gaining It All Back
Yikers. For any of you still with me at this point, I wanted to talk briefly (YES I KNOW WHAT BRIEFLY MEANS) about that fear we all have. That fear of what if this doesn't work? What if I fail? What if I lose all this weight and gain it all back?
You know what. I don't know when it changed for me, but I don't worry so much about this anymore. While life is truly unpredictable, short of a tragedy...I do not think I will ever weigh 327 again. Now maybe I will get to my lowest point and then gain a little back, but I think that with my knowledge of food, life, exercise, health, and everything the band has given me over this past year...I don't think I could let that happen again.
I am at a peaceful place inside with that fear these days. I also do not go into doom and gloom mode when I go full out wonk with my eating. I know that when I am eating every naughty food in sight, that it is temporary. And that I will eventually stop and regain focus.
Ahhh...
Namaste.
xoxo-Ames, Amikins, Amesters
Are The Days Of Me Breaking Porch Swings GONE?
Do you guys remember when I broke our front porch swing? You can find that highlight in Amy's history here.
It is very interesting this habit I have of checking weight limits on things like chairs, swings, etc. I literally have to stop and remind myself that I do not weight over 300 pounds...or 250 pounds...or 200.5 pounds. I don't have to be so vigilant anymore with making sure I don't poorly made pieces of furniture.
Damn.
Odd.
This has happened to me several times over the past week or so. Twice when looking at beach chairs and once when looking at this hanging rattan chair from Pier One. Not to mention the hanging "adult" swing Tracey has been wanting for when we....dance....
Although if that swing does ever come to our little house, I will make him climb into the ceiling and reinforce whatever brackets are needed with steel...or titanium, or some spacecraft metal that never breaks.
I am just saying.
It is very interesting this habit I have of checking weight limits on things like chairs, swings, etc. I literally have to stop and remind myself that I do not weight over 300 pounds...or 250 pounds...or 200.5 pounds. I don't have to be so vigilant anymore with making sure I don't poorly made pieces of furniture.
Damn.
Odd.
This has happened to me several times over the past week or so. Twice when looking at beach chairs and once when looking at this hanging rattan chair from Pier One. Not to mention the hanging "adult" swing Tracey has been wanting for when we....dance....
Although if that swing does ever come to our little house, I will make him climb into the ceiling and reinforce whatever brackets are needed with steel...or titanium, or some spacecraft metal that never breaks.
I am just saying.
Polar F4-Me Likey
I did it. I spent too much money on something that I didn't necessarily need...but have been jonesing for.
Let me introduce you to my little friend...the Polar F4 Fitness Monitor.
Let me introduce you to my little friend...the Polar F4 Fitness Monitor.
Now mine is light blue, but I wanted to find a picture that showed the chest strap that you wear with it. If you would like a "real life" review from a fellow bandster, Lacey was kind enough to do a vlog for me about her Polar F6.
Here is what this little guy does...in a nutshell.
You program your watch with your height, age, weight, gender. The chest strap transmits to your watch. It tells you your heart rate. You watch also tells you your target heart rate for maximum calorie burn. In other words, it tells you what your zone is! When you get too high or too low, it beeps at you and let's you know this. This little gizmo ALSO tells you how many calories you burn!
Oh man it is awesome.
Yesterday I went to bootcamp AND Zumba. I left bootcamp about 10 minutes early to make it to Zumba on time, but at bootcamp I burnt 220 calories and at Zumba, in 50 minutes, I said buh-bye to another 530 calories! What I discovered is that at bootcamp my heartrate gets too low sometimes, and at Zumba, for half of the time, my heart rate was tooooo high!
Pretty SUH-SWEET! The chest strap doesn't bother me at all! It goes right below my sports bra band and I actually forgot I was wearing it!
Oh. I mentioned the money. I spent $97 at Target (with tax). I saw today that at Sears.com, it is selling for $69.99 (online special).
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Swimsuit For Sale: For Free
As I was going through my clothes to pass on to other bandsters, I decided I must part with this swimsuit. I bought it for the cruise in September and then fall and winter came and I never really got to wear it. It has been to Mexico and back! I purchased it from Lands End and it is a size 18, with DD cups. If anyone would like it, email me.
I Should Be Getting Hotter
At my highest, and when I started this blog, you know I felt pretty good about myself. The weird thing is...how good I feel about myself hasnt increased.
I have been thinking about this post for awhile, because when I write it in my head...I confuse myself, and I don't want to transfer this confusion to you!
So let's start with a simple example.
Let's say that at 327 pounds, I thought the likelihood of a man checking me out was three out of every ten men. Like if I walked by a guy, there was a 30% chance he would be giving me the "what for" glance. And my point is (yes I do have one) is that logically, since men are visual creatures, I should be more attractive to a greater number of people now....right?
I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't think my sexy level has increased. Why don't I? I mean I usally FEEL sexy. I carry myself well. I walk with a little swing, head held high, etc. But I always have.
And I promise that I am not fishing for compliments here and you don't need to shower me with "Amy you are beautiful" comments (although a compliment shower IS my favorite kind of rainstorm), but I don't feel like I am pretty. Pretty as in the girly "Oh she is so pretty" kind of way. I feel like guys see me as one of the guys.
Funny how this post makes it seem like I need validation from the male species. LOL. And let me note for record that Tracey showers me with compliments every single day. He thinks I am pretty, hot, and every other positive descriptive adjective out there. It is really about me and my mind not growing with my shrinking size. It is weird. And I wanted to share.
On another note: A couple of weeks ago I got my first "I didn't even recognize you" compliment. This was at bootcamp and I saw a coworker that who I haven't seen in awhile. Maybe 6-9 months. I saw her from across the gym and I waved at her. She looked at me and half smiled and then looked away. I got closer and I said "Hi Sis!" And she said "Oh my God I didn't even know that was you"!
That's a nice one. I heard this again today when I walked into HR. I see these ladies all the time but today they said "We were watching you come up and we didnt even recognize you until you walked in".
Good times.
Still 200.0 on the scale today. That's okay. It will happen. And to be honest with you, it probably won't happen tomorrow...seeing as how I had Cheetos, a peanut butter cup, snickers, and peanuts all before lunch :)
Oopsie. My bad!
I have been thinking about this post for awhile, because when I write it in my head...I confuse myself, and I don't want to transfer this confusion to you!
So let's start with a simple example.
Let's say that at 327 pounds, I thought the likelihood of a man checking me out was three out of every ten men. Like if I walked by a guy, there was a 30% chance he would be giving me the "what for" glance. And my point is (yes I do have one) is that logically, since men are visual creatures, I should be more attractive to a greater number of people now....right?
I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't think my sexy level has increased. Why don't I? I mean I usally FEEL sexy. I carry myself well. I walk with a little swing, head held high, etc. But I always have.
And I promise that I am not fishing for compliments here and you don't need to shower me with "Amy you are beautiful" comments (although a compliment shower IS my favorite kind of rainstorm), but I don't feel like I am pretty. Pretty as in the girly "Oh she is so pretty" kind of way. I feel like guys see me as one of the guys.
Funny how this post makes it seem like I need validation from the male species. LOL. And let me note for record that Tracey showers me with compliments every single day. He thinks I am pretty, hot, and every other positive descriptive adjective out there. It is really about me and my mind not growing with my shrinking size. It is weird. And I wanted to share.
On another note: A couple of weeks ago I got my first "I didn't even recognize you" compliment. This was at bootcamp and I saw a coworker that who I haven't seen in awhile. Maybe 6-9 months. I saw her from across the gym and I waved at her. She looked at me and half smiled and then looked away. I got closer and I said "Hi Sis!" And she said "Oh my God I didn't even know that was you"!
That's a nice one. I heard this again today when I walked into HR. I see these ladies all the time but today they said "We were watching you come up and we didnt even recognize you until you walked in".
Good times.
Still 200.0 on the scale today. That's okay. It will happen. And to be honest with you, it probably won't happen tomorrow...seeing as how I had Cheetos, a peanut butter cup, snickers, and peanuts all before lunch :)
Oopsie. My bad!
A Vlog-The Water Absorbtion Edition
Trying a new way to upload a vlog since blogger doesn't want to play nice :)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday Musings
Thank you ladies (and fat bastard) for all your kind words yesterday on my post!
I realized it has been awhile since I have shared random Amy thoughts with you...so I figured what better day to brain dump then this beautiful Monday?
1. Have you ever wondered why they make Band-Aids so hard to open? I realized how silly this was while I was bleeding out the other day from my thumb injury. I mean, it is a band-aid. You usually need them in quick fashion. Jeesh.
2. I do realize that by saying band-aids are hard to open, Zara will probably do a video for me showing me that they are in fact, rather simple.
3. I want to know they don't have adult tee ball leagues. I miss tee ball. I mean, actually hitting the ball without a tee is a tad bit overrated don't you think? It makes me have flashbacks to when my dad would coach me as a kid. "Just keep your eye on the ball Amy"!!!!!
I realized it has been awhile since I have shared random Amy thoughts with you...so I figured what better day to brain dump then this beautiful Monday?
1. Have you ever wondered why they make Band-Aids so hard to open? I realized how silly this was while I was bleeding out the other day from my thumb injury. I mean, it is a band-aid. You usually need them in quick fashion. Jeesh.
2. I do realize that by saying band-aids are hard to open, Zara will probably do a video for me showing me that they are in fact, rather simple.
3. I want to know they don't have adult tee ball leagues. I miss tee ball. I mean, actually hitting the ball without a tee is a tad bit overrated don't you think? It makes me have flashbacks to when my dad would coach me as a kid. "Just keep your eye on the ball Amy"!!!!!
Cute kid huh? I don't know who he is, but the point is...that could be me! IF there was an adult tee ball league.
4. Speaking of sports I played as I child, let us briefly speak of my inability to make a simple basket in the overwhelmingly hard game of basketball. I was playing around in the gym on Friday before bootcamp and it took me...I kid you not...at least 10 minutes to make one shot from the free throw line.
5. Who watched the Oscars last night? We need to talk. You see, EVERY time I watch the Oscars, the show runs over. Last night it was on until 11pm, and that is late for grandma (aka me). Pappy (aka Tracey) was long gone, snoring not so softly beside me. And it sucks bc by the time they get to the end of the show, where the awards are that 98% of the population actually care about, they have to cut everything short. Perhaps we didnt need street dancers to dance for 5 minutes to the original score nominees? I am just saying.
6. With all this weight loss, my boobs are a fright. When I catch a glimpse of them when I am bent over....well...I have been trying to think of a good comparison. Think of when you have a water balloon and it's too heavy for its own good...and it stretches reallllllly far down. Not good friends. Not good. This man's face pretty much sums it up.
7. This morning I stepped on Mr. Scale and guess what it said? 199.5! I stepped off. I stepped on. 199.5! Tracey said "give me some good news"...I said 199.5! We hugged. I trotted off to the shower. After I showered and dried my hair (you know wet hair weighs like 27 pounds), I stepped back on with my camera in hand. 200.0 Really? So off I step. On I step. 200.0! I took off my bra thinking maybe the poor thing weighed .5 pounds. Nope...still 200.0 So, I can't make it official yet! But hang with me because it will happen :) Next time I will have my camera the first time I step on the scale! Lesson learned!
8. So this is my theory. I think you will like it. During the time I took an extra long shower, my skin absorbed .5 pounds in water! Like a sponge. DUH! Sooooo...yeah. There you have it! lol
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Putting the SUN in Sunday
So today was supposed to be a house cleaning day. But Tracey went outside around 9:00 and told me it was feeling warm and we should go to the beach.
Now who am I to argue?
So off we went. It didnt reach 70 but it was still beautiful. And boy did we get some sun. Here is today.
And here is a year ago February.
Full body comparison? This year...
Last year....
And here is a year ago February.
Full body comparison? This year...
Last year....
I am eating a fried pickle here. On Sunday's at our local Shrimp Basket, they have oysters for 25 cents (yucky but Tracey loves them) and I get fried pickles. They have the BEST fried pickles!
And lastly, here is a shot of my leg. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of my leg and I can't believe it is my leg. I know to some of you it may not appear "small", but to me, compared to where I came from...it is nice!
Oooh, and one last thing. This morning I weighed in at 200.0 pounds. This week I will see a number that starts with a one. I am pretty excited.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I am watching the Oscars right now...which for me is like the Superbowl to sports fans. I really thought that one day I would stand on that stage. Who knows...it's never too late!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Put It In Words
So I have been giving a lot of thought to being happy with my weight loss. That didn't come out right. I cannot even put into words how awesome I feel about how far I have come. I am extremely happy with my weight loss. I really wouldnt change a thing. What I meant to say is I have been giving a lot of thought about appreciating the moment instead of longing for the future.
All this thought has led to a recommendation for those of you at the very beginning of your journey.
Put into words how you will feel when you reach ______ (fill in the blank). How happy will you be when you are a size ____. Or weigh _____.
I remember when I first started at 327 and a size 28. When I would read about those who were "only" 230 I would think "Man, I would LOVE to be 230". Or when I read about Catherine or Mary or Angie getting to a size 16, I would think "I can't wait to be a size 16". But what happens is you forget how much you longed for such things and once you get there, you long for more.
So write it down. Put it on your blog or in your journal. Make a video. So when you do get to that number or size, you remember that once you were very envious of those numbers.
This has been helping me the last couple of weeks. When I start to think "Damn, arent I a size 14 yet?"...or "When will onederland ever come?"...I say SHUSH YOUR MOUTH AMY! You are a rockin size 16! Live in the moment sassy pants. Live in the moment!
And those are my words of wisdom for the week! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. My laptop is on the fritz at home. Sigh. And my camera is on the fritz. Sigh. And all this talk of the WW scale makes me want a new one. Sigh.
If anyone sees the money fairy, please send her my way! LOL!
Happy banding lappers!
All this thought has led to a recommendation for those of you at the very beginning of your journey.
Put into words how you will feel when you reach ______ (fill in the blank). How happy will you be when you are a size ____. Or weigh _____.
I remember when I first started at 327 and a size 28. When I would read about those who were "only" 230 I would think "Man, I would LOVE to be 230". Or when I read about Catherine or Mary or Angie getting to a size 16, I would think "I can't wait to be a size 16". But what happens is you forget how much you longed for such things and once you get there, you long for more.
So write it down. Put it on your blog or in your journal. Make a video. So when you do get to that number or size, you remember that once you were very envious of those numbers.
This has been helping me the last couple of weeks. When I start to think "Damn, arent I a size 14 yet?"...or "When will onederland ever come?"...I say SHUSH YOUR MOUTH AMY! You are a rockin size 16! Live in the moment sassy pants. Live in the moment!
And those are my words of wisdom for the week! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. My laptop is on the fritz at home. Sigh. And my camera is on the fritz. Sigh. And all this talk of the WW scale makes me want a new one. Sigh.
If anyone sees the money fairy, please send her my way! LOL!
Happy banding lappers!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Anti-Gallstone Meds My Doc Prescribed...But Never Took
Some of our lovely ladies are experiencing the very horrible sounding effects of gallstones. Everytime I hear about this, I am reminded of the pretty little pills my doctor prescribed for me after my surgery....
That I never took...
Well, I took them once.
They are called Actigall.
That I never took...
Well, I took them once.
They are called Actigall.
I was supposed to open the capsule and sprinkle on my food once a day. I believe I was directed to take this for the first 3, possibly 6 months after surgery. Here is a description that pertains to how it works for weight loss surgery:
Gallstone Prevention
Two placebo-controlled, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel group trials in a total of 1,316 obese patients were undertaken to evaluate Actigall in the prevention of gallstone formation in obese patients undergoing rapid weight loss. The first trial consisted of 1,004 obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 38 who underwent weight loss induced by means of a very low calorie diet for a period of 16 weeks. An intent-to-treat analysis of this trial showed that gallstone formation occurred in 23% of the placebo group, while those patients on 300, 600, or 1200 mg/day of Actigall experienced a 6%, 3%, and 2% incidence of gallstone formation, respectively. The mean weight loss for this 16-week trial was 47 lb for the placebo group, and 47, 48, and 50 lb for the 300, 600, and 1200 mg/day Actigall groups, respectively.
The second trial consisted of 312 obese patients (BMI ≥ 40) who underwent rapid weight loss through gastric bypass surgery. The trial drug treatment period was for 6 months following this surgery. Results of this trial showed that gallstone formation occurred in 23% of the placebo group, while those patients on 300, 600, or 1200 mg/day of Actigall experienced a 9%, 1%, and 5% incidence of gallstone formation, respectively. The mean weight loss for this 6-month trial was 64 lb for the placebo group, and 67, 74, and 72 lb for the 300, 600, and 1200 mg/day Actigall groups, respectively.
So there you have it! So far so good on the gallstonies for me...but perhaps some of the newbies may want to inquire about these from their docs!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Creamy Black Bean Soup
Hi readers! What a beautiful Tuesday morning! I thought I would share my Creamy Black Bean Soup recipe with you guys! I made it last night in my attempt to be kind to Tina. I nearly chopped my thumb off while chopping the onion, but not to worry...I didnt need the tip of it anyways!
I do have to admit that there is one problem with having a blog for over a year (which in lapband dog years is like...7 years). I have a tendency to forget what I have posted. I am pretty sure I posted this recipe before, but I will do it again...because I am a rebel like that!
Here is my hand blender that I received from my mama at Christmas time. I use this sucker ALL.THE.TIME! I use it with my pumpkin soup, tomato soup, this soup, etc. They are super handy for creaming things up!
I do have to admit that there is one problem with having a blog for over a year (which in lapband dog years is like...7 years). I have a tendency to forget what I have posted. I am pretty sure I posted this recipe before, but I will do it again...because I am a rebel like that!
Here is my hand blender that I received from my mama at Christmas time. I use this sucker ALL.THE.TIME! I use it with my pumpkin soup, tomato soup, this soup, etc. They are super handy for creaming things up!
And here is my recipe for the soup.
1 medium onion, diced (watch your thumbs)
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tbls olive oil
3 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups chicken broth
1 can Rotel
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin *
Lime juice
Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium/high heat for 4-6 minutes until tender. Add beans, broth, rotel, chili powder. Cover and bring to boil. Remove lid and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Squirt in some lime juice. Puree with hand blender (or regular blender). Serve with cheese, sour cream, blue chips, etc!
* I did not have cumin so I used half a package of Hidden Valley Ranch dry seasoning (I use it for my taco soup so I figured why not?!)
End product (not a picture of MY soup)
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