A White-Out

Yes, a white-out! As in, blizzard conditions! It was 61 degrees at 11am then, by 1pm it was 20 degrees and visibility was very bad.

Fortunately, Hector weathered the storm just fine.... As you see!

The wind was so bad our swing in the front yard blew over.

For tomorrow -we are forecast to get 10 - 12 inches of new snow.

Hurry, Spring!!

Yay!! 25 pounds!

272 - yes, indeed, I am 25 pounds lighter and it isn't quite the end of January.

I know the weight will be harder to get rid of the longer I go, but I believe if I just hang in there I WILL be able to lose 100 pounds.

I am impressed by the fact the Abs Diet stresses healthy eating habits - not just certain things you can and can't eat. Nothing is off limits.

Just Not Myself

I have been struggling with fatigue for a couple of months. Not my usual fatigue, but something all-consuming that knocks me down so bad I can't get past it.

On my last visit with my doctor he did an extensive blood panel, all was normal. Apparently I am feeling the effects of the normal chronologic progress of NMS. The exhaustion is all-consuming.

I went off of my diet for a little over a week thinking that perhaps it would help. But no. So, at approximately 276 pounds, I resume my diet.

But I'll be open with the fact I am greatly bummed out with the fact my energy is slipping away more. I feel that I am treading water and I just can't stay up.

Size 24

Yes, my size 24 jeans FIT. Not just barely - not squeezing into them - they comfortably fit.

Yaay!!

I put a batch of brown rice i the steamer this morning, along with some frozen peas and carrots. I froze several small containers of them. I can microwave them then add a bit of olive oil and some sliced almonds - YUM! My version of a TV dinner.

Of course, I can also stir-fry some cubed beef with mushrooms and onions to put on top and make a bigger meal.

276.2

Yesterday we had an exciting time trying to get a tiny pill down Hector. I finally got it encased in peanut butter so it wouldn't be so hard to evade and accomplished my mission.

Problem with him is he does not like anything except his dry kibble. What cat doesn't like tuna???

New Scales!

So - starting point: 279.4

The old ones had so much variation in the readings I could never really tell what was going on.

Had some snow today but not enough to even cover the ground and it left as quick as it fell.

Planning is underway for our annual HopeKeepers Banquet. This year the main course is Baked Ziti.

Last year I was too frazzled trying to do too much so I believe I will ask someone else to speak.

Right now I'm getting invitations ready to go in the mail.

276 this morning - doctor visit this afternoon. Wonder what the doctor's scales will read?

It was cold. I'm talking really, really, cold. 8 degrees cold. Late at night I woke up and thought I heard the sound of a goat in distress.

"Maaaahhh... Maaaahhhhh.... Maaaahhhhh...."

I envisioned coyotes - those sneaky varmints I hear yipping back in the woods sometimes - going after the adorable baby goats and I could just picture Nanny being distressed by such a thing, and of course, being a mom myself I couldn't let anything happen to the babies so I jumped out of bed, threw on my big thick terry cloth robe, ran to the back room and slipped on a pair of shoes, opened the door and ran out.

Silence. No goat noises.

I walked a little ways toward the barn. Still silence.

Cold, cold, silence. (REALLY cold...)

I waited a couple minutes. Freezing.

Finally went back into the house, turned the heater up to 9 on the electric mattress pad, stood by the heater for a few minutes, then, still shivering, went back to bed.

Again I heard the distressed goat. This time I raised up on one elbow and leaned over near Rick.
It was HIM!

Okay - sometimes he makes a noise like a cat in a distant room who has its tail caught in a lawn mower (yes, I have been known to get up and count kitties!) but the distressed goat noise is new.

THEN it occurred to me. I just went out coyote-chasing in my nightgown.

Well, any coyote in his right mind would have been running scared of an (almost) 300 pound redheaded woman, wouldn't it?

275 - 22 pounds!! Woo Hoo!!!

The goats escaped yesteday. Fortunately they will come running if they see you heading to the barn because they think you will give them more corn. Yes, they got more corn! Spoiled goats.

Miss Calley got a bath yesteray then her Daddy turned on the heater in the living room so she could lounge in front of it and dry off. He washed her in Garnier Fruictis so she smells nice!

Back to 279 - so the pesky pound went away again. I have a goal of losing 2 more pounds by Sunday, which would make a total of 20.

Phew!! I hope to lose 100 pounds this year. ONLY 82 to go!! LOL!

BTW, Hector this morning decided skim milk was better than no milk, so now he has milk again.

280 today - and that's okay. Last night was my weekly "splurge" meal - the one where you eat anything you want. Especially things you have been craving. So I ate a pork tenderloin sandwich with fries and for dessert Hubby took me to Sonic and I got a Butterfinger Sonic Blast.

The Butterfinger Blast was well worth the pound!

Still going down

Which I find amazing; 279 today - YAY!

On Jan 1 Hubby and I both went on The Abs Diet - but a couple days into it he was staying the same and I was (hee hee!) losing so he went back to Adkins. He has now lost 4 pounds.

Hector the cat has lost 6. Hmm... Probably due to my giving up (*sob*) half and half in my coffee! As you can see - poor Hector isn't too happy about this weight loss business.

Coffee without half and half is sad. Okay - in years past I have convinced myself it is better... but not really! So, many times now I drink tea. It so happens I bought myself a pretty teapot at a yard sale a while back - now I actually use it.

So I have cut out half and half, I no longer eat potato chips by the bowls every night while I watch TV, I no longer eat huge bowls of ice cream - but I DO still eat ice cream. Full fat, full sugar, real-thing ice cream - just not as much or as often.

I eat brown rice, oatmeal, sliced almonds, whole wheat anything-I-can-get-my-hands-on.

This IS, most definitely a lifestyle change. It is doing what I knew was right all along but just didn't want to do.

High fructose corn sweeteners - a lot of cautions in this book about this insidious ingredient which seems to be everywhere in our food. Even in the spaghetti sauce I have been using!

Well, okay. I now do a lot of my food shopping in the nearby Amish Bulk Store. That's okay, the Miller family are all very nice people!

Blech....

I am typing in green today because that is how I have felt for the past 4 days.... Tummy trouble - it's been going around!

On the upside, I got on the scale this morning and weighed in at 281. Okay - I know it will come back because weight you lose while you are ill always does. But I will enjoy it while I can!!

Brrr!!!

11 degrees out this morning; 5 yesterday. Too cold! I would normally stay in and keep warm but since Hubby sleeps late I take the dog out first thing when I get up. Glad the cats "go" inside!

290 today - 7 pounds!!!! Can that be right?? WOW!

Day #2

Down 2 pounds! 295 this morning.

I am actually eating 6 times a day. Last night before bed I was a bit hungry so I had some cereal with skim milk and sliced almonds.

Yesterday for lunch I fixed some whole wheat high-fiber pasta with spaghetti sauce and extra-lean ground beef - not bad! Easy to make. Hopefully I can keep this up.

January 1, 2008

I got on the scales and it said 297.

For breakfast I had a bowl of oatmeal with sliced almonds and skim milk.

Took Dawg for a walk. Hubby is still trying to come up with a name for him.