Poor Choices

I've always said that I'm not going to completely eliminate any foods from my diet while I lose weight. It's unrealistic to restrict certain foods completely & then not crave them more.

This strategy has worked well for me as long as I continue to moderate my calorie intake.

The last couple days have been iffy. I've been eating several Sweet Moments Fudge bites each day and now I'm having sugar withdrawals. Last night the storms kept me up and I ate an entire Totinos pizza myself.

I've worked off the calories but the sugar & sodium are setting me back today. It's a good reminder that moderation is key.

Katy

Jenny Craig vs. Nutrisystem

Check out this great MSN video: Jenny Craig vs. Nutrisystem

I purchased some food from Nutrisystem about a year ago, hoping that would be easier to store in my desk at work without breaking the calorie bank. The majority of it is still crammed in an Aldi's bag sitting in the corner of my living room.

The portions are TINY and the flavor is not very good. There were a few items that weren't too bad but most of the packaging reminds me of the MRE's they use in the military (although the MRE's probably taste better).

I found this video of a taste test of these 2 plans and thought it was interesting. Could be helpful for anyone on the fence about trying one of these plans.

My opinion? REAL food is so much better! Save your money and eat what you like...in moderation!

The packaging of the Nutrisystem food is not good. Anything boxed comes in a white or brown plastic "bag" as pictures below.  The picture on the box is always appetizing but the actual food is not.

Activity Goal - March

My February activity goal of 410 minutes was attained. For March I'm increasing that goal to 500 minutes. I'm only counting intentional exercise such as DVD's, walking outside, treadmill, etc. Cleaning and other household chores don't count.  I want to make sure I push myself to get in some workouts that are a little more intense.

The goal for March is 500 minutes. That's an average of 15-16 minutes per day and is very attainable.
TOTAL = 678 minutes
3/1/11 = 34 minutes
3/2/11 = 35 minutes
3/3/11 = 0 (resting)
3/4/11 = 0 (not feeling well)
3/5/11 = 66 minutes
3/6/11 = 210 minutes (spent 4+ hrs painting a house)
3/7/11 = 55 minutes
3/8/11 = 135 minutes (plowed dirt, put down fertilizer & grass seed, moved furnature)
3/9/11 = 30 minutes
3/10/11 = 30 minutes
3/11/11 = 83 minutes
3/12/11 = I WILL WALK TODAY...it's nice outside!

Weigh In 02/26/11

This week I lost 0.8 lbs. Not really sure what happened but I have a sneaky suspicion that I ate things and didn't log them accurately, if at all.  At any rate, I didn't gain so I'm happy with the number.

My mini goal by 3/12/11 is to lose a total of 16 lbs and be at, or below, 270. That is the weekend of my 35th birthday and I figured that would be a good goal spot.  I have 2 more weeks to lose 3.6 lbs in order to meet that goal!  I think it's very possible!

Measurements-Finally

I should have done this long ago and I've started blogs about it but never finished them so today, I'm finally taking some measurements. All entries listed in inches.

Bust - 48
Hips - 57
Waist - 45.5
L Bicep - 17
R Bicep - 17
L Thigh - 29
R Thigh - 28.5

Pre-Weigh In Rituals

While I don't go to extremes like I've heard the cast of The Biggest Loser does, I try to do several things before I step on that scale to weigh in every Saturday morning.
1. Don't eat anything after 6pm the night before (it's a mental thing)
2. Drink as much water as I can handle until midnight the day before (to help #3)
3. Go to the bathroom (1 & 2 if possible) before stepping on the scale (obviously)
4. Walk around for 20-30 mins to loosen the joints & get rid of any swelling from sleep (also mental)
5. Wait to weigh in as long as possible. (Seems I weigh less the longer I wait.)
6. Get naked (I weigh at home...it's ok!)
7. Hold my breath
8. Look at the number

Depending on what I see on that scale, the post weigh in ritual could be one or more of the following.
1. Calculate the change since last week in my head
2. Scream and throw the scale out the window
3. Recall what I ate all week that is still weighing me down
4. Do a happy dance

No matter which way the number moves I will faithfully log it into www.myfitnesspal.com and move forward with the next week.  I know this is going to take time and I can't lose weight every week but that doesn't stop the nervous anticipation I feel every Saturday morning.  This feeling is also what stops me from getting on the scale more than once a week.  It's counter-productive and I will not do it!

What is your weekly weigh in ritual?

1 step forward, 3 steps back

It never fails...just when you think you are making some headway, something happens that sets you back again.  When I learned I was being laid off in January, my plan was to use any extra money I had to pay off my outstanding credit cards so I would be in a better position to take a lower paying job if needed. I'm trying to put every extra penny toward paying off my debts and finally paid off the first card last week.

Today, I had to break it back out to replace the microwave, coffee maker and all my pots and pans.  The coffee maker fell prey to a hoard of ants and I couldn't confirm that they were all removed so I had to buy another. $20, no big deal...moving on.

The microwave got a thorough cleaning this week; however, the paint on the inside of it is now flaking off all over the place. Not to mention that it was only 700 watts and didn't cook worth a darn anyway.  Splurged on a 1000 watt unit, just hope I don't forget to use normal cooking times and burn the first thing I cook. :)

Lastly, my pots and pans are old and have been scratched for years.  Lately, I've noticed black fleck in some of my light colored food which I know isn't pepper because I don't cook with it.  Time to replace those before someone gets sick.  That was the most expensive purchase.  I could have bought the cheap set for $20 but then I'd be right back in this boat, replacing them again in a year or less.

Now, I just need to figure in how quickly I can pay back this money that I've charged to that darn card.  So frustrating because things are going to be very bad if I can't get the majority of these cards paid off before June.

Say What?!?!

Found this on the back of Josh's Old Spice After Hours deodorant. I'm really disturbed that they think pillow fights are what men are doing after hours.

Crazy
Katy

Throw Together Dinner=Yum!

This is by no means an extravagant dish and my presentation was not good, even though I'm a Top Chef fanatic.  Unfortunately, it was just so good I couldn't waste time wiping my plate!

My version of Pesto Pasta w/Chicken & Veggies for under 300 calories
- 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (bite sized pieces, cooked)
- 3 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne
- 1 yellow bell pepper (diced) - any color is fine
- 1 cup button mushroom (diced)
- 1 Tbsp Priano Red Pepper Pesto (Aldi)

1. Cook diced chicken with cooking spray until done
2. Saute veggies with cooking spray until desired softness
3. Cook pasta according to directions, drain. 
4. Add all ingredients together to coat with pesto.
5. Enjoy!

Servings: 2
Calories per serving: 270

I added 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese and was under 350 calories for the meal.  Completely filling and delicious!

Extreme Dieting?

I saw a post today where a woman was going to force herself to exercise so she could have some chicken soup without going over her daily calorie goal...by 2 calories. Yes, that's right...2!

I think it's great that people are concious of what they are eating but to be obsessed about 2 calories is borderline OCD and is not going to help this woman maintain her weight loss once she gets to her goal weight.

For people that are dealing with food addictions, their weight loss and lifestyle change are going to be very hard to maintain if they can't overcome that obsession with food. Seems obsession with eating can become an obsession of not eating. I certainly hope people in this position are able to get counseling and support to resolve their issues with food!

For me, I know what caused me to get fat. I just like food and how it tastes and I eat. Not because of how I feel or something that happened...I just like food and have trouble remember MODERATION! I'm getting better at it though and really hope this is the last time I have to go through my weight loss journey.

I ate @ Wendy's...and WON!!!

We decided to head out for dinner and Josh is addicted to the chicken "wings" at Wendy's.  We walked in and I was confronted with the burgers and breaded chicken that I love.  I wanted nothing more than a burger with a large order of fries and a soda.

I had plenty of calories left because I worked out for an hour today but I asked myself...are you really that hungry?  Turns out, I wasn't.

I ordered a 1/2 sized spicy chicken caesar salad with light ranch dressing and unsweetened tea.  Total calorie count, less than 300.  The salad is a good size and after I finished most of it, I was satisfied.  So glad I resisted the urge to eat badly, just because I had the extra calories! 

If you haven't already tried this, you should.  The greens were fresh, there were several cherry tomatoes included, 1/2 a spicy chicken breast and some shaved cheese as well.  It was actually very tasty and I will definitely order that again!  Maybe with a plain baked potato next time if I need more substance!

HRM Accuracy?

I've been using my HRM for about 2 weeks and I feel like it gives me that extra kick to work out.  I really want to see what the total calorie burn will be once I'm done and it's cool to watch how my heart rate changes during different activities.

I'm just not sure if it's accurate or not.  Based on the HR that is displayed, I'm within range for almost the entire workout time because my HR jumps up pretty quickly once I start moving.  The calorie burn is 2-3 times higher than what any online calculators show so I'm just not sure. 

I'm deducting about 100 calories per hour based on what my normal daily calorie burn is from www.myfitnesspal.com which is 2460 per 24 hour period based on a sedentary lifestyle.  Still, the results seem high.  Based on previous experience with Weight Watchers I'm more convinced it's accurate because I had great success on that plan while eating over my daily point allowance almost daily.  If I actually burn more than their system estimated that would explain why I was able to continue to lose consistently and drop 88 lbs in a year.

I'm just rounding the numbers down to make sure I don't give myself more calories to eat than I should have and will try to stay close to the daily allowed calorie intake of 1430 as much as possible.  So far, varying my intake and exercise calories burned each day is working.  Let's hope I can keep up that momentum!

Darn You Donut Bank

We have a local bakery here in town that has the best cake donuts. They also have fantastic coffee but I think it's because the donut essence permeates what they sell. I've bought their coffee grounds & beans and can't duplicate the taste.

Anyway, Josh had a friend over so I picked up donuts for them to eat...if they ever wake up. I just get a dozen assorted because I don't want to waste time picking out each one.

Usually you get the standard long johns, glazed, blueberry, etc. Today the box included a red velvet cake donut! See top left corner of the picture.

I saw them on the sign but didn't imagine they would possibly include one in the assorted box. I can tell you that not only did I eat the red velvet donut, I also ate the peanut long john (already missing from this picture).

My stomach is not too pleased so the rest of the day will need to be light on food. The red velvet donut was delicious though, and I enjoyed eating it.

Interview Questions

I found this article on Twitter and was a little scared by some of the questions that they say employers are using today during the interview process.  I've thought out how I would answer these but don't really know how I'd respond.  What would your answers be to these questions during a job interview?

* If you were a fruit or vegetable what would you be and why?
* Who do you respect most and who inspires you to strive for more?
* If you were in a movie, what kind of character would you play?
* If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
* If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why?
* What three items would you take to a deserted island and why?

Questions copied from: http://employmentdigest.net/2011/02/some-unexpected-interview-questions/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EmploymentDigest+%28Employment+Digest%29&utm_content=Twitter

Weigh In 02/19/11

This week I lost 2.2 lbs for a total loss of 11.6 lbs since January 1st.  My mini goal of reaching 270 by my birthday weigh on on 3/12 is within reach.  Just 4.4 lbs left to go to hit that mark!

I'm still struggling to fully accept that my HRM is working correctly because it seems to show a much higher burn for most activities than I would expect.  It's always quite a bit higher than any online calculators that use your weight and such to calculate calories burned.

I usually subtract my BMR calories from the HRM number and round it down anyway.  Don't want to have inflated numbers.

NSV-Down A Size

For the last several months I've been wearing my 3X/24W pants and trying hard to breathe in some of them.  Yesterday, I pulled out a couple pair of size 22 pants and they fit.  No sucking in, no squeezing to get them on.  Pulled them straight up and zipped/buttoned them with no trouble.

Still haven't measured yet as my starting point so I need to do this ASAP and get those numbers posted.

February Activity Goal Update

Completed an additional 50+ minutes on 2/27/11 so I think I will call this goal ACHIEVED with a total of 453 completed and a goal of 410.  Check out my recent post for March!

Ticker Updated 02/26/11

Bad Day Over

Yesterday was a bad day for my caloric intake. My daily calorie goal is 1460. I ate 2963 calories and I'm pretty sure there are things that I didn't log at all. I was watching my 7 month old nephew so the only exercise that I got was carrying him around all over the place.  Spent the afternoon and evening with the family going over paperwork so by the time we got home around 10pm I was done for the day.

Today started out ok, then the teenager awoke and it went downhill from there.  He had another "episode" of screaming and rudeness, road in the back seat to school and then had himself so worked up he couldn't even go in.  He's now at home, bugging the crap out of me because he's basically ok.

I'd started out with yogurt this morning but added a biscuit to my normal McDonald's coffee stop this morning.  Gonna have to eat really light today and kick the child out of the living room so I can get in a real workout.  Not to mention that I've got to catch up on TBL from last night.  Sure hope the DVR was set right. 

Maybe I can flip the treadmill around and watch TBL while I burn some calories.  I just have to get the energy up to do it.

Only have a few more hours because I've got to go back to the lender with my SIL this afternoon and then hit up Kohl's for some new workout gear.  This HRM can be quite annoying and uncomfortable when you're wearing an under wire bra!  I guess I'll have to buy my first sports bra in...probably 20+ years.  I don't really like them because they always seem too tight or too loose!  Guess I'll have to try some on!

What happened to customer service?

Do you ever think about how customer service has changed over the years?  I can remember when people took pride in their jobs and worked to do them well.  When people care about their performance, it always seems better...at least to me.  Maybe it's not perfect but you can tell when someone is really trying to do their best and when they are only there to earn a paycheck.

What happened to people that took pride in their performance and managers that actually tried to hire and retain good employees?  I would think in this economy they could be a little more selective with their hiring and actually require people to perform well or be fired.

Some times I think this woman is smarter than some of the people I've received "customer service" from lately.

I think this is going to be a problem for me.  In my previous job, the majority of the people I worked with enjoyed their jobs and did everything they could to be accurate in everything they did.  They took pride in a job well-done. 

Now that I'm looking for another job I'm afraid I'm going to end up working with people that do only the minimum possible to remain employed.  In my mind, that is NOT acceptable.  I don't know why this bothers me so much but this might be a struggle in my search for a new job.

Lord help me have patience and vision to find out where I'm supposed to go next.

Sex Education - 6th grade

It may just be my age but I don't remember covering Sex Ed in Health until high school.  Josh is taking it now as part of his health class in 6th grade.  He told me about the pictures that they were shown and wondered why they had to see them.  I told him they were probably trying to scare them so they wouldn't have sex before they were adults.  Josh said "based on those pictures I don't think I'm EVER going to have sex!".

Then he pulls this pencil out of his pocket that they got in class.  Hilarious! 

To walk or not to walk

I really want to get out and walk today.  The weather is getting nicer and I'd love to get some fresh air and exercise.  The problem?  My joints are still swollen and sore and walking/standing is very painful.  My right knee continues to pop as if the cartilage has torn and is getting stuck between the bones.  Painful and annoying to say the least.

It's still early so I'm hoping the pain will ease up enough for me to get some sort of walk in this afternoon.  If nothing else I can do my Walk Away The Pounds 1 mile in the bedroom.  It will be better than nothing, that's for sure!

Chocolate Treat

I like chocolate but it's not something that is a terrible temptation for me. For that reason, I don't really buy it because I just don't eat it.  That being said, there are times when I crave something sweet and chocolate.

In these situations, I've found that the Jello Mousse Temptations are a perfect fit.  A small serving of sugar free chocolaty goodness that is only 60 calories.  Delicious and enough to get over my chocolate craving.  Heck, even if you eat more than one you haven't gone overboard on calories for a snack.

They've got a fluffier texture than the equivalent sugar free pudding cups so they seem to be more filling to me; however, you could always do the SF pudding cups if you can't find these (or the pudding is on sale).  These are refrigerated so look for them in the refrigerated case near the yogurt!

So far, I've only had the regular chocolate indulgence flavor but the others sound pretty good too.
Chocolate Mint
Caramel Creme
Dark Chocolate

Yumm-O!!!!

Weigh In 02/12/11

It's my 100th post so I felt like I needed to come up with something amazing to say. Unfortunately, no brilliant epiphanies came to me this week so I will just share with you my weight loss for this week.

It appears the purging of the household items that has consumed my entire week paid off in the form of painful joints, a cleaner house and a weight loss of 3.4 lbs!

Sounds like a fair trade to me.  That puts my total loss since 1/1/11 at 9.4 lbs!

Goals for this week are to work out (for real) at least 3 times, keep the house cleaned, take the stuff to storage and be more positive.  Here goes nothing!

Been a rough week

This week was devoted to purging all the junk from my house. I've been wanting to do this for a long time but never made the time. As soon as I was laid off I decided it was time. Unfortunately, I was sick most of the month of January so I just got to the purge process this week.

The last 3-4 days have been spent digging through boxes, filling up boxes and throwing out more bags of garbage than I can count. I also have a car load full of stuff to go to storage.

Needless to say, my legs and feet are sore and swollen. The plan for tonight is to sit back, relax and watch A-Team with my rug rat. Hopefully, that will help the swelling go down before I weigh in tomorrow morning.  So glad the weekend is here!

Still need to go through the drawers in the kitchen and organize those little items that have gathered there but the main spaces that you can see with your eyes are done.  Let's hope I can keep it that way!

Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) Day 2

I got my HRM in the mail yesterday and I was so excited I just had to try it out immediately.  I decided to put it on for a couple hours even though I was just working around the house doing laundry, dishes, etc.  At the end of an hour and 50 minutes, it said I had burned 1300+ calories.  I'm not sure that is accurate because I didn't feel like I had worked hard and my average HR was only 104. I think I may have had the monitor on too tight so it was over exaggerating my results.

Today, I did a short WATP video for 1 mile or about 22 minutes.  At the end, it said I have burned 428 calories.  I then found some information that suggested I should subtract my BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) from that number because I should only be counting "extra" calories burned during my work out.

So, my BMR is 2460 calories, divide that by 1440 minutes in a day and you get the calories burned per minute of normal, daily activity.

In this case 428 calories burned - (22 mins*1.71 calories/min) = 390 calories total (extra) burn.

It appears at this time I burn about 100 calories an hour as my base rate.  Will need to keep that in mind for future work out!

Not too bad for 22 minutes of "walking" in my bedroom.

I want to lose a newborn giraffe

Found this on the MFP board and had to share because it's just too funny!  Her post was entitled "I want to lose an elephant penis".  While I need to lose more like a "newborn giraffe" her headline sure caught my attention. 


It's interesting to see what things weigh, isn't it?  What do you want to lose?

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human’s skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale’s brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant’s penis (yep, weight more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”)
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony



Words Of Wisdom 02/06/11

This doesn't happen alot so you should be excited that I'm able to impart some words that might be considered wisdom in some small circles of the world.

Over the last month I've been faithfully spending time on http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to track my calories in and out and work toward my weight loss goals.  The thing that I notice the most on their message boards is how confused people seem to be about losing weight.  Yes, I've been fat most of my life but not because I don't know how to lose weight.  I'm just lazy and I like food way more than I should.  I live to eat when I should be eating to live.  I'm working on that concept, although I know it will be a life long struggle.

What I'm talking about is people that subscribe to the notion that every person loses weight the same and whatever works for another person, should work for them.  Losing weight for most people is not rocket science.  You need to eat less and move more to lose weight.  The caloric goal; however, will be different for each person.  You can't simply take a plan that someone else is using and expect it to work for you.  Trial and error must occur in the first few weeks for you to really tailor the program to your body and your life.

Also, don't assume eating minuscule amounts of calories is the right way to go either.  If you consume less than 1200 calories a day and work out like a fiend, you will lose some weight pretty quickly.  You may even get to goal in record time; however, that's not a realistic plan for normal life and as soon as you eat normal again, you will probably gain it all back.

Moderation is the key.  Using a site like MFP that is built to give you suggested goals is great but you have to decide what works for you.  The biggest challenge is to pick up good habits that you can carry into your daily life after you have reached your weight goal.  For people that fall into the overweight + category, losing weight is not a temporary thing.  It has to be a lifelong change and you cannot change eating habits to lose the weight and then revert back to old behaviors.  IT'S A LIFE CHANGE...NOT A DIET!

And another thing, I implore the world to learn the difference between LOOSE and LOSE!

Activity Goal - February 2011

Setting myself an activity goal for this month.  Aiming for at least 30 minutes of activity 4 days a week.  I'm only counting actual workouts that I do...on purpose.  Things like cleaning the house and such will not be counted in this monthly goal!

Mini Goal-Birthday Time

I'm setting myself a mini goal to be at 270 lbs by the weigh in after my 35th birthday on March 10th.  That is 5 more weigh in's to lose 10 more pounds.  A bit aggressive but there is no reason why I can't accomplish that.  I'm not working so I have plenty of time during the day to work out and I CAN CONTROL WHAT I EAT!

If I make this goal I will have lost 16 lbs and 5.82% of my body weight.  It will be a challenge but that's what this journey is about.  Challenging myself to make better choices, commit to getting fit, commit to my health. 

I CAN DO THIS!

Once I've accomplished this goal I will set a new one...preferably to be at 250 lbs or less by 6/4/11 which is about the last time that I can plan to receive a severance check from my previous job.  By that point I will need to have a lot of changes in place in order to provide for my family so things have to be on track and ready to go before then.

MINI GOALS:
03/12/11 - 270 lbs
06/04/11 - 250 lbs

Weigh In 2/5/11

Only lost 0.4 lbs this week but I know the reason. I can remember eating things throughout the week that I did not log so I'm sure I was over on several days.

It's ok though...that's 6 lbs total gone since 1/1/11 and I'm testing a mobile app for tracking my calories so there is no more excuse for not logging something.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Today starts a new week and it's snowing...again!

The goals for this week are:
- Don't freak out while waiting for my late severance check.
- Finish cleaning the house...for real.
- Workout at least 3 days this week.
- LOG EVERYTHING!!!

Have a great week folks!

Ouch, did too much

I was feeling pretty good yesterday so I did 2 short workouts.  Unfortunately, I forgot that sometimes too much really causes my arthritis to get irritated.  Today I'm dealing with the shooting pains (like carpal tunnel) that sometimes happens after I've strained my limbs.  Luckily, it's nowhere near as bad as the real thing so it's manageable. Just need to take it a little easy today and stick with the cleaning that won't cause too much impact on the joints.

1-2 inches of snow predicted for this evening so I sure hope my severance check gets here on time today so I can hit the grocery store.  I know 1-2" isn't huge but it is when you haven't been shopping in 2+ weeks and you have a 13 year old boy that might be stuck in the house with you all weekend.  Good times!

Ultraslide...use at your own risk!

I was looking at the biggest loser store online and saw this little product for $300.  I had to laugh because I got one of these for Christmas about 15 years ago and it only cost about $50.  I wish I had saved it now but it's a pretty dangerous piece of equipment when you have balance issues.  Slicker than snot!

http://www.ultraslide.com/ultraslide--7-products-13.php?page_id=25

Muscle Weighs More Than Fat

I will never understand why people say this and use this falsehood to make others feel better when they aren't loosing pounds as fast as they would like.  While a pound of muscle looks much better than a pound of fat THEY STILL WEIGH THE SAME!

Please don't subscribe to this misconception. A pound of anything weighs 1 pound!

Here is a picture to demonstrate what I'm talking about. Google it, you can find tons of other people that will tell you the same thing.

Arthritis & The Weather

I've had arthritis since high school but each passing day it seems to get a little bit worse.  I know the extra weight is the biggest factor in the pain but it is really difficult to lose the weight when you can't work out because you can barely walk.

Right now I'm sitting at my computer, searching for a job and stretching out my extremeties. Hopefully some stretching will make things a little more mobile so I can walk without looking like my grandmother after she had her hip replaced.

I think I'm going to create a grid that I can use to track the severity of my arthritis versus the weather.  I might also include activity levels so I can see if there were other factors (extra walking, workouts, etc) that might have impacted the joints.

I love getting old! 

A life without purpose

Lately I've been wondering what I'm going to do with my life.  Being laid off on the end of December has given me some time to reflect on what I have done and what I'd like to do.  I've worked almost non-stop since I was 14 years old in some capacity.  I worked 2 jobs in high school to pay for my car and insurance.  I was never out of work for more than a week at a time while I moved or transitioned into a new job.  Even when I was pregnant and on modified bed rest, I worked at a kiosk in the mall.  The only time I can remember being unemployed was for 2-3 months after my son was born.

Now that I've been off work for a month I'm beginning to wonder who I am.  I've never been a person that has a special passion for a certain career path.  Necessity has given me the desire to work so I can provide for my family.  I don't really care what that work is, as long as I can pay my bills and I'm not doing anything illegal or immoral.

Unfortunately, I'm not stuck trying to decide what my next career path with be.  The last 12 years were spent in a call center environment that doesn't really offer many other options in this area.  There are several offers for jobs if I want to move but I'm really scared to do that.  All of my family is here, what do I do if I get to Texas or Kansas and something happens?  I'm stuck with no support system to help me.

My severance runs out the beginning of June so I have to decide something before then so I know what to look for and where to start applying.  If the time slips away too fast I may not have any choice but to entertain offers outside Indiana.  That could be a very tough decision and I'm not ready to make it yet.

Feel like I'm living here...