I am having the odd feeling that as I become smaller, I will more vulnerable (to what I dont know) and less significant. Does anyone else have this sensation? It is a kind of fear that is surprising to me.
I need some feedback on this one.
Julie talked about vivid dreams, and that is sooo true!!! I have lots of vivid dreams!
I have the food dreams that I LOVE, and crazy mixed up dreams that make no sense.
But I have noticed something different. Didn’t pay much attention to these until last night. Seems like every so often I have a very vivid dream that takes my today life and mixes in real life, from the past, very upsetting moments, traumatic moments that have happened to me. We are talking troubling things that happened way in the past.
While I am dreaming I am very upset, when I wake up I am very upset and it takes me a while to get the dream out of my system.
Hmmmmm
Do you think this is my minds way of trying to get me to resort to my old methods of dealing with stress and trauma by eating? Or is it because I am 55 and starting with ‘old timers’ disease!!!
I woke up pretty upset this morning and then thought about what I had dreamt about, and really picked it apart. Interesting…
I really wonder if my mind is trying to get me to eat stuff I will NOT eat!!!
Is our minds that powerful, that smart????
WOW!! Scary!!!
I know Julie impressed upon me in classes how smart our subconsciousness is, but WOW!!!
Interesting!!
What are your takes on this??? I am really curious!! (and if you think I am loosing it, I will welcome those comments too!! LOL)
Is this happening to anyone else????
Julie talked about vivid dreams, and that is sooo true!!! I have lots of vivid dreams!
I have the food dreams that I LOVE, and crazy mixed up dreams that make no sense.
But I have noticed something different. Didn’t pay much attention to these until last night. Seems like every so often I have a very vivid dream that takes my today life and mixes in real life, from the past, very upsetting moments, traumatic moments that have happened to me. We are talking troubling things that happened way in the past.
While I am dreaming I am very upset, when I wake up I am very upset and it takes me a while to get the dream out of my system.
Hmmmmm
Do you think this is my minds way of trying to get me to resort to my old methods of dealing with stress and trauma by eating? Or is it because I am 55 and starting with ‘old timers’ disease!!!
I woke up pretty upset this morning and then thought about what I had dreamt about, and really picked it apart. Interesting…
I really wonder if my mind is trying to get me to eat stuff I will NOT eat!!!
Is our minds that powerful, that smart????
WOW!! Scary!!!
I know Julie impressed upon me in classes how smart our subconsciousness is, but WOW!!!
Interesting!!
What are your takes on this??? I am really curious!! (and if you think I am loosing it, I will welcome those comments too!! LOL)
Is this happening to anyone else????
The
picture below is taken in February of 2008, my last trip to Germany, and the
picture above, about 5 minutes ago. Not just the hair color changed .. J I had trouble
finding a picture from "before Julie" because I avoided the camera. I
am enthusiastically continue with my journey, and now, that I have figured out
how to post pictures, I will keep 'em coming. The smile on my face is genuine.
I am so happy that I am losing weight again. Like many of you, I’ve struggled
my whole life and been on so many diets. I love this way of living and eating
and my connection with all of you. I love our support team!
This month marks one year that I have been working on maintenance, and nothing is going to take this achievement away from me. I wanted to touch on a few things that have pushed me along on this 1 year milestone.
First of all, this is the first time in my life that the word "maintenance" has been used for longer than 5 minutes. I achieved the use of the same word when I was with Weight Watchers, but they couldn't stop the food from talking to me, and the food won over again. I now know the power of this word. Extreme power! And there is not one food out there that is going to take this word away from my vocabulary!
If you think of food from an alcoholics point of view, and find it in yourself to tell yourself "most food is poison", and use Julie's help, then you can push these "bad" things away.
The MOST important thing I have been working on this year? Please read on!
Stress will be around every corner, and I use whatever the situation is as a "test". I say to myself "I am being tested" and for the first time in my life, I am pushing through and passing these "tests"! You have to somehow find your strength to be able to say "I am being tested, and I am going to win, come out on top, not give in, push it away", then the tests become fewer and farther between. It will always be around us, these "tests". It is how one accepts the "ism" (foodaholism, how is that?!?!?!) so that you don't feel like you failed. It truly comes from within, and the more you empower yourself, the less the food will talk to you.
The second most important thing I have learned?
When I go on vacation, whether it be for a night, a weekend, a week, I CANNOT, WILL NOT stray from what Julie has simply given me to use every day. It isn't as if the journey has changed because I am not sleeping in my own bed. I did that my whole life. And it got me squat! Well, what it did was get me pre-diabetes and high blood pressure. And I don't want the food to start talking to me again.
Why? I am a food addict! I am addicted to food! IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!! I would also not "drink a drink" while on vacation if I was an alcoholic. Do you think I would be able to stop at just one if I had a problem with alcohol? Would it be ok if the person I was on vacation with knew I was an alcoholic and said "oh come on, you can do it-Just one drink!" Is that ok? Not for me. I know people have said that Julie has told them "when you pack your bags, then get back on". Well, I have never heard that. In fact, I heard the opposite. At my refresher last September, I heard her say that she would never tell someone that, and she doesn't know where that came from! So, if it was said, then IT WASN'T FOR ME. Because I NEVER HEARD IT. This is part of my SACRIFICE AND FREE WILL. And why the heck would I want to cave in to something that makes me feel disgusted and guilty when I can eat an entire steak and a whole lobster if I want to?!?!?!
This is why Julie's behavior modification plan is different from everyone else. She has been able to push the food talk away from us by giving us tools to use, and her talking to our cells. It can and does work. I know it is hard to look at other people and say "they can eat the fucking food (pardon me please, but I have thought it that way, so that is what I am going to write) SO why can't I?" Why do I have to have an addiction? Why was I wired this way? Whine Whine Whine!!!!!! I no longer do that. I smile, eat my pepperoni or my tuna, and say, Damn I Look Good in My Size 6 Levis!!!! I continue to follow this journey to the best of my ability. I say no thank you when I need to, and don't think another thought about it. My commitment is still 100%!!!!!
My chains have been lifted. FOOD no longer controls ME. I CONTROL IT!!!!!!!!
Happy One Year of Maintenance to Me!!!!
First of all, this is the first time in my life that the word "maintenance" has been used for longer than 5 minutes. I achieved the use of the same word when I was with Weight Watchers, but they couldn't stop the food from talking to me, and the food won over again. I now know the power of this word. Extreme power! And there is not one food out there that is going to take this word away from my vocabulary!
If you think of food from an alcoholics point of view, and find it in yourself to tell yourself "most food is poison", and use Julie's help, then you can push these "bad" things away.
The MOST important thing I have been working on this year? Please read on!
Stress will be around every corner, and I use whatever the situation is as a "test". I say to myself "I am being tested" and for the first time in my life, I am pushing through and passing these "tests"! You have to somehow find your strength to be able to say "I am being tested, and I am going to win, come out on top, not give in, push it away", then the tests become fewer and farther between. It will always be around us, these "tests". It is how one accepts the "ism" (foodaholism, how is that?!?!?!) so that you don't feel like you failed. It truly comes from within, and the more you empower yourself, the less the food will talk to you.
The second most important thing I have learned?
When I go on vacation, whether it be for a night, a weekend, a week, I CANNOT, WILL NOT stray from what Julie has simply given me to use every day. It isn't as if the journey has changed because I am not sleeping in my own bed. I did that my whole life. And it got me squat! Well, what it did was get me pre-diabetes and high blood pressure. And I don't want the food to start talking to me again.
Why? I am a food addict! I am addicted to food! IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!! I would also not "drink a drink" while on vacation if I was an alcoholic. Do you think I would be able to stop at just one if I had a problem with alcohol? Would it be ok if the person I was on vacation with knew I was an alcoholic and said "oh come on, you can do it-Just one drink!" Is that ok? Not for me. I know people have said that Julie has told them "when you pack your bags, then get back on". Well, I have never heard that. In fact, I heard the opposite. At my refresher last September, I heard her say that she would never tell someone that, and she doesn't know where that came from! So, if it was said, then IT WASN'T FOR ME. Because I NEVER HEARD IT. This is part of my SACRIFICE AND FREE WILL. And why the heck would I want to cave in to something that makes me feel disgusted and guilty when I can eat an entire steak and a whole lobster if I want to?!?!?!
This is why Julie's behavior modification plan is different from everyone else. She has been able to push the food talk away from us by giving us tools to use, and her talking to our cells. It can and does work. I know it is hard to look at other people and say "they can eat the fucking food (pardon me please, but I have thought it that way, so that is what I am going to write) SO why can't I?" Why do I have to have an addiction? Why was I wired this way? Whine Whine Whine!!!!!! I no longer do that. I smile, eat my pepperoni or my tuna, and say, Damn I Look Good in My Size 6 Levis!!!! I continue to follow this journey to the best of my ability. I say no thank you when I need to, and don't think another thought about it. My commitment is still 100%!!!!!
My chains have been lifted. FOOD no longer controls ME. I CONTROL IT!!!!!!!!
Happy One Year of Maintenance to Me!!!!
Yesterday at the hair salon something awesome happened.
“Man, you look great! You lost a lot of weight since I saw you last”. Yep, those are the words from a lady I hadn’t seen since just before Christmas. We both had an appointment last night at the same hair salon. My hair stylist was in agreement with her and we went on and on, for the next couple of hours about weight, diets, etc. Both of these ladies are familiar with Julie, not just because of me, but of a co-worker, who had lost, according to my friend, had lost a ton of weight and she kept it off for quite some time now. You know, I know I am losing weight because my clothes fit me again and I just feel it, but to hear it is just such a confirmation. Because of the blog and the support group from Facebook I feel encouraged and committed. Thank you to all of you, support group. I’ve learned so much and I continue to learn more. This is not a diet for me, but a way of living. I am not saying I will never have a glass of Wine again or a piece of cake, but for the most part, I am just fine the way things are with what I can consume. Just keep ad it each day and you will be successful.
“Man, you look great! You lost a lot of weight since I saw you last”. Yep, those are the words from a lady I hadn’t seen since just before Christmas. We both had an appointment last night at the same hair salon. My hair stylist was in agreement with her and we went on and on, for the next couple of hours about weight, diets, etc. Both of these ladies are familiar with Julie, not just because of me, but of a co-worker, who had lost, according to my friend, had lost a ton of weight and she kept it off for quite some time now. You know, I know I am losing weight because my clothes fit me again and I just feel it, but to hear it is just such a confirmation. Because of the blog and the support group from Facebook I feel encouraged and committed. Thank you to all of you, support group. I’ve learned so much and I continue to learn more. This is not a diet for me, but a way of living. I am not saying I will never have a glass of Wine again or a piece of cake, but for the most part, I am just fine the way things are with what I can consume. Just keep ad it each day and you will be successful.
I don’t even know how to begin this post! My SHOCK is making me shake!!
Let me explain:
I went to Savers today with my dear friend Luann. We needed to get some stuff for our upcoming trip. Luann is very patient with me, VERY patient with me!
Today I was trying on jackets and just didn’t like any. I felt fat. There wasn’t a good selection in the rack I was in, and I was just batting zero.
Luann found a whole section with lighter weight jackets so off we went. She found a really nice one and had me try it on. She told me to NOT look at the size so I didn’t. When I zipped it I thought it was to snug but she kept telling me it wasn’t. I argued, so she finally told me to go look in a mirror. I headed to the nearest mirror
I turned around to look in the mirror…
I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE THE WOMAN LOOKING BACK AT ME!!!
I started shaking and went back to Luann and she could tell I was shook up about something, so I told her that the store must have trick mirrors because there was NO WAY that was ME in that mirror.
She argued of course, and I went and looked again. NOPE, no way was that me in that mirror.
I made Luann go stand in front of the mirror to see what she saw. She went and said it looked like what she sees everyday. So I looked, and yup, sure looked like her.
So I stood in front of it again.
Much as my mind was fighting me, I had to admit it was me looking back at me.
WHO WAS THAT THINNER WOMAN!!! ME!!??? NO WAY!!!!
Luann went in the dressing room to try on stuff and she left me in front of a dressing room mirror. While she was in there I hit every mirror in the place and looked at myself. I was bound and determined to prove those mirrors wrong, but I couldn’t.
It was me looking back at me!!
WOW, OH WOW!!
Well, I bought that jacket and when I got home I put it on and told my husband to look at me. What did he see? Typical hubby, he saw a new jacket! So I yelled, NO, look at me!! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME I LOOK LIKE I LOST WEIGHT!!!
Then my dear husband says, “you wouldn’t have believed me if I did”!!
Oh, and by the way, my new jacket is a MEDIUM!!!!!
Let me explain:
I went to Savers today with my dear friend Luann. We needed to get some stuff for our upcoming trip. Luann is very patient with me, VERY patient with me!
Today I was trying on jackets and just didn’t like any. I felt fat. There wasn’t a good selection in the rack I was in, and I was just batting zero.
Luann found a whole section with lighter weight jackets so off we went. She found a really nice one and had me try it on. She told me to NOT look at the size so I didn’t. When I zipped it I thought it was to snug but she kept telling me it wasn’t. I argued, so she finally told me to go look in a mirror. I headed to the nearest mirror
I turned around to look in the mirror…
I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE THE WOMAN LOOKING BACK AT ME!!!
I started shaking and went back to Luann and she could tell I was shook up about something, so I told her that the store must have trick mirrors because there was NO WAY that was ME in that mirror.
She argued of course, and I went and looked again. NOPE, no way was that me in that mirror.
I made Luann go stand in front of the mirror to see what she saw. She went and said it looked like what she sees everyday. So I looked, and yup, sure looked like her.
So I stood in front of it again.
Much as my mind was fighting me, I had to admit it was me looking back at me.
WHO WAS THAT THINNER WOMAN!!! ME!!??? NO WAY!!!!
Luann went in the dressing room to try on stuff and she left me in front of a dressing room mirror. While she was in there I hit every mirror in the place and looked at myself. I was bound and determined to prove those mirrors wrong, but I couldn’t.
It was me looking back at me!!
WOW, OH WOW!!
Well, I bought that jacket and when I got home I put it on and told my husband to look at me. What did he see? Typical hubby, he saw a new jacket! So I yelled, NO, look at me!! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME I LOOK LIKE I LOST WEIGHT!!!
Then my dear husband says, “you wouldn’t have believed me if I did”!!
Oh, and by the way, my new jacket is a MEDIUM!!!!!
Part of this weight loss program is learning to eat a variety of foods rather than eating the same thing day after day, week after week. To continue success on my journey, I'm trying new recipes. Cooking doesn't get any easier than this recipe: add 4 ingredients to a crockpot and forget about it for 6-8 hours.
I made this crockpot lemon chicken over the weekend and it was
delicious! The chicken fell apart as I served up my dish. The flavor was
incredible and this is now one of my favorite dishes. I modified the recipe a little by adding a half cup of olive oil with a half stick of butter (instead of a whole stick). I cooked 4 boneless chicken breasts, not the 5-6 pieces as the recipe suggests, so next time I make this, I'll cut back on the butter and olive oil.
 |
| Crockpot lemon chicken with roasted butternut squash. Photo by Theresa. |
Ingredients
- 1 stick of butter (or 1/2 stick of butter and 1/2 cup olive oil)
- 1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
- 1-2 lemons
- 5-6 boneless chicken breasts
Directions
- Stick of butter in bottom of crock pot and allow to melt.
- Lay chicken in pot.
- Sprinkle Italian dressing packet over chicken, drizzle with lemon juice, pop the lid on.
- Cook on high 4-5 hours, or low 6-8 hours
One of the bonuses about the way I'm eating on this program is the quiet place my mind is in relation to food. Food no longer calls my name. I've heard others say this as well. Once in a while the volume gets turned up and when it does, it's usually cheese "calling" me, but sometimes it's yogurt.
There have been times when my inner child rebels and I justify having two yogurts in one sitting. My inner child declares I just ate a ton of meat, so I can have 2 yogurts. Hello? If I ate a ton of meat--am I still hungry or am I eating a second yogurt because it tastes so good? The answer, of course, is the later.
When my inner child wins, a short amount of time after I have the two yogurts, I fall asleep on the couch and I wake up feeling hungover, as if I'd had too much to drink. This used to happen to me after I ate too much sugar, so it seems like a food allergy. This doesn't happen when I eat one yogurt, so I try to remind my inner child of this when she acts out. When she wins, I stop having yogurt for a while. Then I win!
When I have an extra yogurt, or too much cheese, I'm playing with what I refer to as "grey areas." In reality, there are no grey areas on this program. Once I came clean with myself about this, I realized such "grey areas" were the cause of my long plateaus. I'm still working on the cheese issues, but last summer I put an end to eating too much Siggi's, by implementing a couple of rules:
What do you do to turn down the (food) volume?
BTW, I was on the Siggi's website and I discovered what may be the reason why Siggi's is allowed on this program: it has 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.
 |
| Photo source: Food Librarian |
When my inner child wins, a short amount of time after I have the two yogurts, I fall asleep on the couch and I wake up feeling hungover, as if I'd had too much to drink. This used to happen to me after I ate too much sugar, so it seems like a food allergy. This doesn't happen when I eat one yogurt, so I try to remind my inner child of this when she acts out. When she wins, I stop having yogurt for a while. Then I win!
When I have an extra yogurt, or too much cheese, I'm playing with what I refer to as "grey areas." In reality, there are no grey areas on this program. Once I came clean with myself about this, I realized such "grey areas" were the cause of my long plateaus. I'm still working on the cheese issues, but last summer I put an end to eating too much Siggi's, by implementing a couple of rules:
- Only buy 1 or 2 yogurts at a time. The program allows for 1-2 per week and I pass my quota if I buy more.
- Only buy yogurt on the weekend. This helps me keep track of how much I eat.
What do you do to turn down the (food) volume?
BTW, I was on the Siggi's website and I discovered what may be the reason why Siggi's is allowed on this program: it has 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.
Skyr is the traditional yogurt of Iceland. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey, the water naturally found in milk, is then strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier, concentrated yogurt. So to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 3 - 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.
So, it’s that time of the year again. Another year older,
but I refuse to look at it this way. I celebrate pretty much the whole month. Yep, I am that type of
person, where’s the party? But, as we are all aware of, sometimes a little bit of
overindulgence.
I remember Julie saying, when celebrating, or on vacations, sacrifice will lead to a bigger weight loss. I am proud to say that so far I am doing really good by sticking to the plan. For instance, last night in the Restaurant I wanted to order something I never had before. It was a Portuguese dish, including muscles, shrimp and pork with rice. I know that one of my favorite Portuguese dishes “Paella” comes with rice.
What’s a girl to do? I asked the Waitress, to ask the Chef if it can be prepared without the rice, and to double up on the veggies. The meal was delicious. So, don’t hesitate to ask your server. More than likely the Wait staff and Chef’s are happy to accommodate you.
I have to confess that last Saturday, dinner at a friend’s house, was more complicated. I did the best I could, but I wonder what I actually ate. We had Cheese & Crackers (I did not eat a cracker), stuffed mushroom caps. I had some of those. I am guessing there were some breadcrumbs in there somewhere, but I didn’t ask. I was hoping if I don’t know it, it won’t hurt me. There was no meat of any kind or veggies. So, I ate some cheese and stuffed mushrooms and I feel guilty and worried since. For the main meal we had delicious roasted Turkey with veggies (she prepared Cole Slaw for me, which I love), but the French Meat stuffing had little bits of potatoes. I loved it, but was very aware of the potatoes.
Oh, I am not done yet. The party continues right through next week. I promise to be on my best behavior. My clothes still fit, so that’s a good sign. Don’t you agree?
I remember Julie saying, when celebrating, or on vacations, sacrifice will lead to a bigger weight loss. I am proud to say that so far I am doing really good by sticking to the plan. For instance, last night in the Restaurant I wanted to order something I never had before. It was a Portuguese dish, including muscles, shrimp and pork with rice. I know that one of my favorite Portuguese dishes “Paella” comes with rice.
What’s a girl to do? I asked the Waitress, to ask the Chef if it can be prepared without the rice, and to double up on the veggies. The meal was delicious. So, don’t hesitate to ask your server. More than likely the Wait staff and Chef’s are happy to accommodate you.
I have to confess that last Saturday, dinner at a friend’s house, was more complicated. I did the best I could, but I wonder what I actually ate. We had Cheese & Crackers (I did not eat a cracker), stuffed mushroom caps. I had some of those. I am guessing there were some breadcrumbs in there somewhere, but I didn’t ask. I was hoping if I don’t know it, it won’t hurt me. There was no meat of any kind or veggies. So, I ate some cheese and stuffed mushrooms and I feel guilty and worried since. For the main meal we had delicious roasted Turkey with veggies (she prepared Cole Slaw for me, which I love), but the French Meat stuffing had little bits of potatoes. I loved it, but was very aware of the potatoes.
Oh, I am not done yet. The party continues right through next week. I promise to be on my best behavior. My clothes still fit, so that’s a good sign. Don’t you agree?
Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Makes approx 6 doz party size meatballs
Makes approx 6 doz party size meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 1 package blue cheese crumbles (5 oz)
- 2 ribs of celery minced
- 2 T minced garlic
- 1tsp garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup bread crumb
- salt and pepper
- 3T franks hot sauce
Directions
- Mix all together and form into meatballs. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 min
- Sauce: mix together 1 cup of franks hot sauce and 4 Tbs melted butter.
- Add the meatballs and sauce to a crock pot or just could toss with sauce and eat.
For the past few months I've been listening to meditations by Burt Goldman. If you could use 15 minutes of relaxation today, find a quiet space and listen to Daisy Pond Guided Meditation.
Silence is Golden. Unless that silence is killing you. Before I started this program two years ago, I was dying a slow spiritual death of silent humiliations.
This blog includes many stories of my victory over humiliating events. Some of of those stories, and there are nearly 300 of them now, I had never said aloud, even to my
close friends.
In the past few months, I've had a few "ah-ha" Oprah kind of moments that showed me a few issues I faced in silence over the years. These are a few:
When I began this weight loss journey, I had no idea if this program would work for me. I had heard success stories, but all weight loss program have those. Sitting in Julie's class that first night, with 23 strangers, I had no idea that night my life would change.
As days and weeks passed, I was intrigued by what was happening to me. As months passed, and people began to ask for details of my diet, I went silent. This was a different kind of silence than the painful one I just wrote about. This silence was a positive one. I couldn't explain how this program was working or why I no longer craved the foods I had been eating that had brought me to a size 30/32. I didn't want to talk about it because it felt too personal. I told people "If I look different in a year from now, ask me what I did."
Today, wearing my size 18 jeans, I'm not silent about the program, but I don't give a lot of details unless someone really pushes. Most people don't really want the details. I tell them it's similar to Atkins. Any more details and I find myself having to defend what I'm doing. Everyone has an opinion about nutrition, what and how we should be eating. What I know today, is that the way I'm eating energizes me in ways I only dreamed of two years ago. The way I'm eating today agrees with my body. I don't need to defend that.
A year after I started this program I blogged about some of the changes weight loss brought to my life (A Year of Change, 01/25/12). There were many changes during that year and one of them was I no longer needed to promise myself "tomorrow I will start a diet." A year later, I used photos instead of word to share my progress (Two Year Progress, 01/25/12). Before and after volumes speak volumes.
Yes, in one night, my life changed. My journey isn't over yet. I have more sizes to drop and then maintenance to learn. I'm sure to encounter more "ah-ha" moments about my past life as an obese woman. This too is part of the journey. A very personal journey at that. But here I am, writing details on a web blog that (two years ago) I wouldn't share with myself or my close friends.
 |
| Friend's garden on Martha's Vineyard. Photo by Theresa |
In the past few months, I've had a few "ah-ha" Oprah kind of moments that showed me a few issues I faced in silence over the years. These are a few:
- Do I dare join in the others at this party to play piñata or am I too horrified they'll be staring at my backside the whole time? A few years ago I was at a friend's birthday party and they were playing games. When they pulled out the game Pin the Tail on the Donkey, I was not interested. Yesterday I saw people swinging at a piñata on TV show. It was at the moment that I had a flash-back to the party and I realized why I didn't want to play: I was too embarrassed. Seriously? Yes! Crippled by a piñata! I called my friend yesterday to share this story with her.
- Am I being judged because I'm so large? I witnessed a woman at the airport being mistreated by airline staff and it was clear they were judging her because of her size. As I listened to her tell her daughter the story, I wondered how many times I was treated poorly when I was obese. One never keeps track of such things, but I'm sure it happened and I pushed the memory somewhere deep inside.
- Will I be able to keep up with the person I'm walking with? One of the women I work with recently reminded me when we used to walk across campus I needed to stop and catch my breath several times. I had no memory of such pauses on our walks. I do recall being mad that people walk so fast and silently wondering "what's their hurry?"
When I began this weight loss journey, I had no idea if this program would work for me. I had heard success stories, but all weight loss program have those. Sitting in Julie's class that first night, with 23 strangers, I had no idea that night my life would change.
As days and weeks passed, I was intrigued by what was happening to me. As months passed, and people began to ask for details of my diet, I went silent. This was a different kind of silence than the painful one I just wrote about. This silence was a positive one. I couldn't explain how this program was working or why I no longer craved the foods I had been eating that had brought me to a size 30/32. I didn't want to talk about it because it felt too personal. I told people "If I look different in a year from now, ask me what I did."
Today, wearing my size 18 jeans, I'm not silent about the program, but I don't give a lot of details unless someone really pushes. Most people don't really want the details. I tell them it's similar to Atkins. Any more details and I find myself having to defend what I'm doing. Everyone has an opinion about nutrition, what and how we should be eating. What I know today, is that the way I'm eating energizes me in ways I only dreamed of two years ago. The way I'm eating today agrees with my body. I don't need to defend that.
A year after I started this program I blogged about some of the changes weight loss brought to my life (A Year of Change, 01/25/12). There were many changes during that year and one of them was I no longer needed to promise myself "tomorrow I will start a diet." A year later, I used photos instead of word to share my progress (Two Year Progress, 01/25/12). Before and after volumes speak volumes.
Yes, in one night, my life changed. My journey isn't over yet. I have more sizes to drop and then maintenance to learn. I'm sure to encounter more "ah-ha" moments about my past life as an obese woman. This too is part of the journey. A very personal journey at that. But here I am, writing details on a web blog that (two years ago) I wouldn't share with myself or my close friends.
This inspiring article about how to get unstuck and start getting traction again is from the blog post of Michale Hyatt. After reading this, share what kind of barriers you're knocking down these days.
I often meet people who are stuck in one area of their life or
another. They want a break-through, but they can’t seem to get traction.
Contrary to what they think, it’s not about having:
The barrier isn’t something external. It’s something internal—something they have created in their own mind.
Years ago, I heard a speaker talk about a research project conducted by a marine biologist. It seems he put a barracuda in a large tank. He then released smaller, bait fish into the same tank. As expected, the barracuda attacked and ate the smaller fish.
Then the researcher inserted a piece of glass into the tank, creating two separate chambers. He put the barracuda into one and new bait fish into the second. The barracuda immediately attacked.
This time, however, he hit the glass and bounced off. Undaunted, the barracuda kept repeating this behavior every few minutes. Meanwhile, the bait fish swam unharmed in the second chamber. Eventually, the barracuda gave up.
The biologist repeated this experiment several times over the next few days. Each time, the barracuda got less aggressive, until eventually he got tired of hitting the glass and stopped striking altogether.
Then the researcher removed the glass. The barracuda, now trained to believe a barrier existed between him and the bait fish, didn’t attack. The bait fish swam unassailed, wherever they wished.
Too often, we are like the barracuda. The barrier isn’t “out there.” It only exists inside our heads.
Think how many other barriers have turned out to be only mental obstacles:
But if you want to get unstuck and start getting traction again, you have to set your goals on the other side of the barrier. You don’t have to get crazy, but you do have to stretch yourself and push past the invisible barrier in your head.
This is the secret to achieving break-through results.
----- end of Michael Hyatt post ----
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| Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/RainervonBrandis |
- More money;
- More time;
- The right contacts; or
- Better luck.
The barrier isn’t something external. It’s something internal—something they have created in their own mind.
Years ago, I heard a speaker talk about a research project conducted by a marine biologist. It seems he put a barracuda in a large tank. He then released smaller, bait fish into the same tank. As expected, the barracuda attacked and ate the smaller fish.
Then the researcher inserted a piece of glass into the tank, creating two separate chambers. He put the barracuda into one and new bait fish into the second. The barracuda immediately attacked.
This time, however, he hit the glass and bounced off. Undaunted, the barracuda kept repeating this behavior every few minutes. Meanwhile, the bait fish swam unharmed in the second chamber. Eventually, the barracuda gave up.
The biologist repeated this experiment several times over the next few days. Each time, the barracuda got less aggressive, until eventually he got tired of hitting the glass and stopped striking altogether.
Then the researcher removed the glass. The barracuda, now trained to believe a barrier existed between him and the bait fish, didn’t attack. The bait fish swam unassailed, wherever they wished.
Too often, we are like the barracuda. The barrier isn’t “out there.” It only exists inside our heads.
Think how many other barriers have turned out to be only mental obstacles:
- The sound barrier. Pilots didn’t think it was possible to fly faster than 768 miles an hour (the speed of sound at sea level). Then Chuck Yeager officially broke the sound barrier on October 14, 1947.
- The four-minute mile. Runners didn’t think it was possible to run a mile in less than four minutes. Then, in 1954, Roger Bannister ran it in 3:59.4.
- The two-hour marathon. Endurance athletes didn’t think it was possible to run a marathon in less than two hours. Now several athletes are on the verge of breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s world-record of 2:03.02.
But if you want to get unstuck and start getting traction again, you have to set your goals on the other side of the barrier. You don’t have to get crazy, but you do have to stretch yourself and push past the invisible barrier in your head.
This is the secret to achieving break-through results.
----- end of Michael Hyatt post ----
With the promise of a Winter Storm that could go down in the history books of crippling New England blizzards - what's a girl to do with an unplanned day off work? Fill a crock-pot with Italian sausages, onions, peppers, homemade sauce, and while it simmers all day, do other fun things. What's more fun than making ginger-infused Vodka for herself and a friend, even if they have to wait a few months before having a drink?
Here's the ginger-infused vodka recipe I made today:
*To muddle is to combine ingredients, usually in the bottom of a mixing
glass, by pressing them with a muddler (wooden paddle) before adding the majority of the
liquid ingredients.
You don't have to muddle,
but really brings out the flavors.
In the past when I made this infused vodka, I bought a really large bottle of vodka (1.75L)
and waited 6-9 months before I serve it. In fact, the bottle shown below is coming up to a year old; it's very smooth and flavorful. When using the larger bottle, I poured out
a shot or two to make room for the ginger. I didn't
measure, but I used a piece of ginger
about 2-3 inches long and dropped what looked like an obnoxious amount
of ginger in the bottle.
I use the smaller bottles when I give them as gifts. Summer is a good time to make some if you want to give them for Christmas presents.
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| Ginger-infused vodka that I made today. |
Before this program my preferred drink was a white ginger cosmopolitan. The drink had ingredients that are not on program, so I developed my own homemade version of ginger-infused vodka. I added a shot of the infused vodka to ice, seltzer, with fresh lemon and lime. Two is my limit and I never have this if I'm driving anywhere.
And yes it's true: I named my 10 week old rescue kitty Ginger, after the white ginger cosmo. When I adopted her, 3 years ago, I couldn't decide on her name. I was making friends a my ginger-infused drink when the name came to me. Some of her fur is the color of the the skin on raw ginger, so the name seemed perfect. Later I would discover Ginger is one of the most popular of cat names and that it is most common for orange cats. Ah well, her name suits her and now I have this great story.
Now, on to my recipe...
Homemade Ginger-Infused Vodka
 |
| Ginger infused martini |
Now, on to my recipe...
Homemade Ginger-Infused Vodka
Today I used two 750-m bottles of vodka to see if the infusion process is shorter. Bigger bottles are cheaper, but last week I promised my Thai Place bartender friend I would make him a bottle, so the smaller bottles made sense. Before handing it off to him, I'll open the bottle to make sure the ginger has done it's magic. My nose knows when the infusion is right. How do I know? Imagine what this fresh cut ginger in the photo below smells. In a few months, when you open the bottle the aroma will be similar.
 |
| Fresh thinly sliced ginger is essential. |
- slice about 1 cup of peeled ginger into thin match sticks
- remove the lid from two 750-ml bottles of Vodka
- add the slices of ginger until level of the vodka rises to the top
- add the top back to the bottle tightly
- store in a dark and cool place for 3-4 months
- Slice a lemon and lime.
- Place half of each into a sturdy, thick-bottomed glass with 6 or 7 mint leaves (optional).
- Muddle* all of the above and set aside.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour a shot of ginger-infused vodka over the ice.
- Cap the shaker and shake for about ten seconds.
- Pour everything from the shaker into the glass you muddled in.
- Top your drink with a splash of seltzer.
- Ginger infused Martini: place all ingredients in the shaker, shake ten seconds, strain into a martini glass, and then drop a thin slice of lemon rind into the martini glass.
 |
| Muddler |
I use the smaller bottles when I give them as gifts. Summer is a good time to make some if you want to give them for Christmas presents.
 |
| This is the larger size bottle I made a year ago. You can't add too much ginger. |
Regardless of the size of vodka bottle you use, it's worth waiting several month before
serving. I refrigerated my first bottle I made and I do not
recommend this, as it never infused. You could refrigerate or freeze it
after the flavor is released to your liking, but I never have.
So, we are having a blizzard. Everyone panicks! I get worked up and nervous too. But I noticed something with the last few bad storms we have had since I started my Key program.
The food items I stock up on are are not my past normal survival foods, and my behaviors are different too!!!
Being stuck in the house used to mean, baking all kinds of stuff. I won't make a list, but I can tell you baking during a snow storm is FUN!!!
Being stuck in the house used to mean tons and tons of snacks!! Snacking while snowed in is fun!!
WAS FUN!!!!
Now I noticed, yes I still go to the store. Why? Well, I love to watch people. I Love to see what they are putting in their carriages to help them survive the storm.
But I noticed, my carriage is alot different from theirs.
I will still have milk in it, but no snacky things. No breads, no soda, no alcohol, no JUNK!!
hmmm, what has changed.
my whole food attitude has changed. Food is not an obssession with me anymore. I still like to eat, but all that food noise is quiet! So quiet, sometimes I have to really listen to know that I should eat.
I still get excited about some foods, I LOVE shrimp and lobster. I LOVE a good steak!! That can get my mouth watering.
By focusing on all the stuff I CAN eat, I pay no attention to the stuff I CAN NOT eat. I put them from my mind, and if they rear their ugle heads, I tap them away!!
I still LOVE being snowed in and it is still fun!!! I LOVE doing nothing, I love reading, spending time with my family, watching it snow, talking to my parents in Florida as I watch the snow and they tell me how hot it is!
But the food stress is gone! No more eating as much as I can to make the storm worthwhile.
I still prepare stuff ahead of time, but it is Key friendly, not poison!
Stay safe everyone! Enjoy your time snowed in!! But most of all, enjoy yourselves in a healthy new way!! A KEY way!!!
The food items I stock up on are are not my past normal survival foods, and my behaviors are different too!!!
Being stuck in the house used to mean, baking all kinds of stuff. I won't make a list, but I can tell you baking during a snow storm is FUN!!!
Being stuck in the house used to mean tons and tons of snacks!! Snacking while snowed in is fun!!
WAS FUN!!!!
Now I noticed, yes I still go to the store. Why? Well, I love to watch people. I Love to see what they are putting in their carriages to help them survive the storm.
But I noticed, my carriage is alot different from theirs.
I will still have milk in it, but no snacky things. No breads, no soda, no alcohol, no JUNK!!
hmmm, what has changed.
my whole food attitude has changed. Food is not an obssession with me anymore. I still like to eat, but all that food noise is quiet! So quiet, sometimes I have to really listen to know that I should eat.
I still get excited about some foods, I LOVE shrimp and lobster. I LOVE a good steak!! That can get my mouth watering.
By focusing on all the stuff I CAN eat, I pay no attention to the stuff I CAN NOT eat. I put them from my mind, and if they rear their ugle heads, I tap them away!!
I still LOVE being snowed in and it is still fun!!! I LOVE doing nothing, I love reading, spending time with my family, watching it snow, talking to my parents in Florida as I watch the snow and they tell me how hot it is!
But the food stress is gone! No more eating as much as I can to make the storm worthwhile.
I still prepare stuff ahead of time, but it is Key friendly, not poison!
Stay safe everyone! Enjoy your time snowed in!! But most of all, enjoy yourselves in a healthy new way!! A KEY way!!!
I went shopping yesterday as I needed to get some stuff for our vacation that is coming up.
One thing I desperately needed was a new bra.
There is a store at every mall I avoid like the plague!!! I hated walking by this store! My husband would try not to let me see him looking at this store, and I would cringe every time I would see the sign.
Do you know what store would make a fat lady just want to curl up and die?
Victoria's Secrets!
I keep hearing about how they fit you for bras and their bras are so good and so on and so forth. Would never listen because no fat lady in her right mind would ever walk in there!!
Well, yesterday my friend convinced me to go in and get measured. She has told me over and over that I would more than likely fit into one of their bras. Again, my mind is saying "now way!"
Well, the next thing I know, I am in their store yesterday getting fitted for a bra!
Guess what?
I walked out of that store with one of those little pink bags announcing to the world that I had bought something at Victoria's Secrets!
Now granted, I will never never be able to wear any of their other items, no way, but I fit into their bras!
How great is that!
I proudly swung that bag as we walked through the mall!
And then, you know what?
I got two, YUP two bathing suits!
Absolutely unheard of in my past!
Especially liking them!
WHO IS THIS PERSON walking around saying they are? ME!
But that is another blog post (with NO pictures)! LOL.
One thing I desperately needed was a new bra.
There is a store at every mall I avoid like the plague!!! I hated walking by this store! My husband would try not to let me see him looking at this store, and I would cringe every time I would see the sign.
Do you know what store would make a fat lady just want to curl up and die?
Victoria's Secrets!
I keep hearing about how they fit you for bras and their bras are so good and so on and so forth. Would never listen because no fat lady in her right mind would ever walk in there!!
Well, yesterday my friend convinced me to go in and get measured. She has told me over and over that I would more than likely fit into one of their bras. Again, my mind is saying "now way!"
Well, the next thing I know, I am in their store yesterday getting fitted for a bra!
Guess what?
I walked out of that store with one of those little pink bags announcing to the world that I had bought something at Victoria's Secrets!
Now granted, I will never never be able to wear any of their other items, no way, but I fit into their bras!
How great is that!
I proudly swung that bag as we walked through the mall!
And then, you know what?
I got two, YUP two bathing suits!
Absolutely unheard of in my past!
Especially liking them!
WHO IS THIS PERSON walking around saying they are? ME!
But that is another blog post (with NO pictures)! LOL.
The comment was posted to What to Eat" and since that blog entry is a year old, I'm posting it here so more of you will see it. Thanks Anonymous!
Apparently, Siggis yogurt is from grass fed cows. (...remember that whole "free-range" is better for us). That was why we can have Siggis and no other yogurt. I would swear, in our class I remember her saying it was the only kind of yogurt we could have. AND we had to eat it with meat.
Other food ideas:
Apparently, Siggis yogurt is from grass fed cows. (...remember that whole "free-range" is better for us). That was why we can have Siggis and no other yogurt. I would swear, in our class I remember her saying it was the only kind of yogurt we could have. AND we had to eat it with meat.
Other food ideas:
- Taco meat on salad
- Taco meat on cauliflower crust pizza
- Tuna fish mixed w/ mayonnaise & onions or relish.
- Tuna stuffed fresh tomatoes - great in the summer.
- Zucchini lasagna (no pasta in it)
- Zucchini 'fries' and carrot stick 'fries' (baked in over in olive oil and seasonings of your choice)
- Zucchini & yellow squash sauteed with onions and a little butter.
- roasted cauliflower (w/garlic) (have also added onions at times)
- On the go - - take slices of salami, turkey, ham, or roast beef in a baggie w/ raw carrots or celery or radishes or peppers...etc
- chicken breast grilled (after marinating in good seasons dressing, teriyaki, or bbq sauce)
- chicken rolled around a bit of cheese and slice of ham... sauteed briefly on both sides to hold shape then baked (no bread crumbs. Season the outside of the chicken breasts before cooking.)
Even though I know I am down 5 sizes, I have discovered, not only do my eyes not see it in a mirror, I still am thinking like a FAT person.
Let me explain:
When I was at my heaviest:
we would go to a restaraunt, I would panic if the waitress was sitting us in a booth. I won't fit!
we went to people's houses for suppers, I would quickly scan the room and see what chair I could sit in without breaking it.
I am still afraid to go up our attic stairs as the stated heaviest safe weight on them is 250 pounds.
I am nervous about going on an airplane as I have needed seat belt extenders, and then if I am stuck in a middle seat I will overhang on the 2 outer seats!
Now I really know deep inside, all those things won't happen anymore, but it is very hard to convince my mind of it. I still try to hide in a store if I see someone I know, I don't want them to see all the weight I have gained.
It is crazy. I wonder when my mind will catch up with reality. I know I have lost weight, I see my size tags, and people tell me all the time. But my mind won't accept it.
To many years of failure, of gaining it all back, my mind won't let me see what is really happening. It is a constant battle to get rid of those 'first reactions' of the past. But I am working on it, and I am bound and determined, someday, I will see it and my mind will let me accept it!
Crazy stuff isn't it!! I had no idea how powerful our minds are until I went to see Julie!! Absolutely amazing to me!!
I have learned so much from Julie, food wise, mind wise, just absolutely mind boggling!!! But again, I am SOOO THANKFUL for her!!!
Where would I be today if I hadn't gone to see her? I can tell you, I would be a bed ridden person closing in at over 300+ pounds, on my way to dying young, to unhappy with myself to go anywhere or do anything.
So for me to fight with my mind because I can't see or accept the positive changes, well, I will take that anyday compared to where I could have ended up!!!
Let me explain:
When I was at my heaviest:
we would go to a restaraunt, I would panic if the waitress was sitting us in a booth. I won't fit!
we went to people's houses for suppers, I would quickly scan the room and see what chair I could sit in without breaking it.
I am still afraid to go up our attic stairs as the stated heaviest safe weight on them is 250 pounds.
I am nervous about going on an airplane as I have needed seat belt extenders, and then if I am stuck in a middle seat I will overhang on the 2 outer seats!
Now I really know deep inside, all those things won't happen anymore, but it is very hard to convince my mind of it. I still try to hide in a store if I see someone I know, I don't want them to see all the weight I have gained.
It is crazy. I wonder when my mind will catch up with reality. I know I have lost weight, I see my size tags, and people tell me all the time. But my mind won't accept it.
To many years of failure, of gaining it all back, my mind won't let me see what is really happening. It is a constant battle to get rid of those 'first reactions' of the past. But I am working on it, and I am bound and determined, someday, I will see it and my mind will let me accept it!
Crazy stuff isn't it!! I had no idea how powerful our minds are until I went to see Julie!! Absolutely amazing to me!!
I have learned so much from Julie, food wise, mind wise, just absolutely mind boggling!!! But again, I am SOOO THANKFUL for her!!!
Where would I be today if I hadn't gone to see her? I can tell you, I would be a bed ridden person closing in at over 300+ pounds, on my way to dying young, to unhappy with myself to go anywhere or do anything.
So for me to fight with my mind because I can't see or accept the positive changes, well, I will take that anyday compared to where I could have ended up!!!
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| Turkey and Pickle Rolls |
- Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on a slice ham.
- Place a small pickle slice near the center of one edge and roll the ham around the pickle.
- Slice rolls into bite sizes.
- Add toothpicks to keep them together.
A group of us gathered yesterday, at the New 2 You Family Boutique in Sunderland, Massachusetts, and shared an incredible array of dishes. It was inspiring to be in a room full of people who have been successful on this weight loss journey.
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| Group photo by our hostess Julie. |
Julie and Rick were our fabulous hosts. Julie took photos of us and our dishes. I'll post the recipes and then add links to them on the recipe page. This may take some time, but I too want to have access to those recipes.
 |
| Collage of some of the photos taken by Julie. |
Here are just a few of the dishes...
 |
| Top left: deviled eggs Top right: turkey & pickle roll ups Bottom left: spaghetti squash (does not include real pasta) Bottom right: squash soup with Kale |
 |
| This is how good this French Meat Pie Variation was - it went fast~ |
Ingredients
- 2 lbs hamburger
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (sage)
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh nutmeg (1/2 tsp if dried)
- 1 chopped onion
- pepper to taste
- butternut squash
- butter
Directions
- Make mashed butternut squash by roasting the squash until soft.
- Put in food processor with butter.
- Set aside.
- Brown the sausage and hamburger.
- Add onion and spices; simmer 10 minutes.
- Put meats in a casserole dish, top with squash and bake 30 minutes at 350.
It has been a while since I have written on here, time has a way of flying by before I noticed. Time to slow down and 'smell the roses', so time just doesn't keep flying by.
Thank you to the people who were looking for me! Those words meant a lot more to me than you will ever know, I appreciate that tremendously.
One thing I am very pleased with is after almost 16 months on program, I have not strayed once. Did you hear that - NOT ONCE! Now if anyone knows me at all, you would realize that this is a major miracle!
I don't mess with the program at all! Like I once wrote in one of my blog posts: "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" (June 28, 2012).
We are going on a 'honeymoon' in March. We like to do that once a year if we can and have done this for 4 or 5 years now. We go with other couples to places that are relaxing and tropical. It has been almost 2 years since we were able to do this. We couldn't go last year due to one of the couples' son was getting married during when we like to go, and we had a grandchild due.
So, 2 years ago, while planning the trip I was panicking! I had to go shopping because NOTHING fit! Everything was too small. It was horrid, humiliating and depressing!!! I couldn't find any skirts I could fit into, and horrors of all horrors, had to sew 2 of the same skirts together to make one that fit!! My dear friend was the only one who knew about that as she gave me one of the skirts. (I am sure my dear husband knew because of course the colors weren't exactly the same and it was quite obvious to me, but he never said a word)
My friend was having trouble finding stuff to wear too, but no where near as bad as I was!!!! It was 7 months after that last trip that I had my first appointment with Julie.
So now we are leaving in a few weeks. And guess what? I have to go shopping before we go! YUP, nothing fits me again, it is all TOO BIG!!!! I can't even imagine this! This is a dream come true for me! My husband has no problem with me buying clothes now! ( I am so thankful for Savers, great prices for on the weigh down!) I need a new bathing suit. Gulp! Still don't like wearing bathing suits, but guess what, I don't dread it this time. I think I am going to look for some exercise shorts that come down mid thigh and will hold me in, but not strangle me, and get a longer bathing suit top. This is so funny! I am actually looking forward to bathing suit shopping!
I have a couple summer skirts I can take in and use for the trip and I will have to get some tops, and a new bra! My new ones from a few months ago are to big already!
Got to get suntan lotion, and won't need as much because there isn't as much to cover!!!
And remember I told you about that skirt I had to make out of 2 skirts to go on my last trip? Well I burned it!
I may be loosing very slowly, maybe slower than others, I don't know. But at this point it doesn't matter, you see, I got to burn that stinking double skirt so who cares?
Thank you to the people who were looking for me! Those words meant a lot more to me than you will ever know, I appreciate that tremendously.
One thing I am very pleased with is after almost 16 months on program, I have not strayed once. Did you hear that - NOT ONCE! Now if anyone knows me at all, you would realize that this is a major miracle!
I don't mess with the program at all! Like I once wrote in one of my blog posts: "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" (June 28, 2012).
We are going on a 'honeymoon' in March. We like to do that once a year if we can and have done this for 4 or 5 years now. We go with other couples to places that are relaxing and tropical. It has been almost 2 years since we were able to do this. We couldn't go last year due to one of the couples' son was getting married during when we like to go, and we had a grandchild due.
So, 2 years ago, while planning the trip I was panicking! I had to go shopping because NOTHING fit! Everything was too small. It was horrid, humiliating and depressing!!! I couldn't find any skirts I could fit into, and horrors of all horrors, had to sew 2 of the same skirts together to make one that fit!! My dear friend was the only one who knew about that as she gave me one of the skirts. (I am sure my dear husband knew because of course the colors weren't exactly the same and it was quite obvious to me, but he never said a word)
My friend was having trouble finding stuff to wear too, but no where near as bad as I was!!!! It was 7 months after that last trip that I had my first appointment with Julie.
So now we are leaving in a few weeks. And guess what? I have to go shopping before we go! YUP, nothing fits me again, it is all TOO BIG!!!! I can't even imagine this! This is a dream come true for me! My husband has no problem with me buying clothes now! ( I am so thankful for Savers, great prices for on the weigh down!) I need a new bathing suit. Gulp! Still don't like wearing bathing suits, but guess what, I don't dread it this time. I think I am going to look for some exercise shorts that come down mid thigh and will hold me in, but not strangle me, and get a longer bathing suit top. This is so funny! I am actually looking forward to bathing suit shopping!
I have a couple summer skirts I can take in and use for the trip and I will have to get some tops, and a new bra! My new ones from a few months ago are to big already!
Got to get suntan lotion, and won't need as much because there isn't as much to cover!!!
And remember I told you about that skirt I had to make out of 2 skirts to go on my last trip? Well I burned it!
I may be loosing very slowly, maybe slower than others, I don't know. But at this point it doesn't matter, you see, I got to burn that stinking double skirt so who cares?
