Quick Update

Just a quick check in as it's late and I've still much to do for my little co-op class tomorrow.

I'm down another pound (for a total of 15 now in almost 6 weeks) and I re-figured my inches lost and I've lost a total of 20 inches from hither and yan.

There is a noticeable difference in how my clothing fits. Last Sabbath I was very pleasantly surprised that I had a bit of bagging in a blouse that usually fits snugly. Also - I was able to get into some jeans that I haven't in quite some time. Just in the nick of time for that one... my other jeans had worn a bit in the thigh region...and they were thin enough that they ripped on me two weeks ago when I stooped down... luckily the rip couldn't be seen - but knowing about it was enough of an embarrassment.

Thanks for all your comments of encouragement on and off blog. I'm really going to do it this time!

Nearly 3 Blobs

That's how much I've lost so far.

"What's a blob", you ask? It's a jiggling, yellow and red capillary-striated mass of rubber created to show you a "solid" example of what five pounds of fat looks like.

They have one sitting on top of the filing cabinet in the office of my gym. You can stare straight at it at while you walk on treadmill number two. And that's what I do whenever I can. When I start to think "20 minutes of cardio is enough... I don't need to do 45 today..." I look up at the blob and remind myself that anything over 20 is blob burning!!!

Yesterday morning I nearly came to blows with a woman probably almost twice my age (and likely in better shape...) She'd STOLEN my number two!!! (my treadmill... try to keep up...) I had put my progress chart, pencil, towel and Reader's Digest on the top of it while I headed to the bathroom to... well... that's enough about that... But somewhere about 2 minutes later I come back and she's ON my treadmill! She'd moved all my things to number three! And THEN someone she knew came over and she straddled the moving belt so she could just stand there and flap her gums... I was getting irritated (I couldn't see my blob...) so I burned my anger by upping my elevation and speed just a little.

And as soon as she was done I hopped off number three and on to number two!

When my cardio was done I proceeded to follow her around the weight machines having to wipe them down before and after I used them... seems that the other gym members can't see the many bottles of green disinfectant and signs all over the walls and machines directing members to disinfect after each use.

I'm not sure... but I may be becoming a gym Nazi.

So today I weighed at the end of my workout and discovered that I'm down 14 pounds (or nearly three blobs...) and more than 14 inches.

• 1 1/2 inches from my bust (still...)


• 4 inches from my waist


• 3 1/4 inches from my lower abs


• 3 1/4 inches from my hips


• 2 3/4 inches from my upper thighs

Yesterday I checked my Spark People account and 10 months ago I weighed 4 pounds less but was bigger inches wise. (Remember - muscle weighs more...muscle weighs more...)

I'm trying hard not to be discouraged by the fact that so far I've only lost weight that I gained since January this year. There's no baby weight falling as of yet - just the baggage from Ben- and-Jerrygate earlier this year.

Well "Yay ME!" anyhow - onward and downward I go!

Just Breathe...

10:00 a.m this morning was the first time in a LONG time that I felt that I could relax for just a second.

I've spent the past several months tending to a very full "plate" around here.

First was the WREB (Western Regional Exam Board) for dental hygiene a week ago Monday (on the 10th). I spent a lot of time studying and about $2,400 on taking the exam… Then my patient was disqualified at the check-in by 1 millimeter. It truly SUQUED – don’t know when I’ll be sitting for them again – first to find another patient – with 1 millimeter LESS gum disease… My only complaint is that the first time my patient was rejected they told me I didn’t have enough qualifying calculus. If they had rejected him because the pockets were too deep I would have scrounged around and gotten someone else to submit for my final shot. And there were some extra patients there…

Oh well. There’s nothing I can do about it now. At least I don’t have to stress for the next four weeks wondering if I passed it! (However - they were kind enough to inform me in writing just in case I wasn't sure... It was in the mailbox when we arrived home on Sunday night.)

I gave it to the Lord and there’s a reason for everything. So I just keep going.

The next day (Tuesday, September 11) we headed to Missouri for my cousin Margie's wedding. We took my mom and sis along - so the van was loaded to the gills. The wedding was very nice. I ended up taking on quite a few tasks. I love the whole wedding process - so I was in my element. Got a real groove going and everything came off without a hitch (except of course for the bride and groom...)

For their wedding gift I've made (am making) them an album. I got quite a bit of it done on the way up in the van. I had a real nice set-up in the middle row - I did about 8 pages. I guess I can never again complain about the amount of space I get sharing tables at a crop. I had my big CM shoulder bag to my right – open and jammed between the middle row seats, my AMM tool bag on top of a cooler just in front of that and a lap desk (that thankfully held a 12x12 page) right up to the back of the drivers seat.

I have photos coming from Winkflash soon – I’ll post pix here when I finish them off. I gave it to them on Wednesday night before the wedding and then took it back so I can finish it.

Homeschool Co-Op classes began this morning. The kids each took 3 classes and I taught a beginner scrapbooking class. I’m looking forward to sleeping in my bed tonight rather than this chair in front of my puter… I spent last night preparing handouts for the class since there just wasn’t time to devote to it before the boards.

So today at 10:00 a.m. (after my class ended) I truly felt like I was able to breathe for the first time in months. Now we gear up for the wedding of another dear friend the end of October. Need to get going again on that wedding gift…

UPDATE:

I will not be appealing the decision about my WREB exam... Their website informs me there is a $500 fee to appeal any ruling. Good news? The next (and only) exam near me is May 2-5, 2008.

There's A Change Comin'

Progress is being made in the WL (weight loss) department. I had a strage sort of set back last week. I have no idea why I dropped to the 10 lbs. lost mark so quickly - but it was short lived. I was up 5 lbs. the very next day. Me thinks it must have something to do with pms... but there was NO (hand on bible) chocolate involved.

The GOOD news is - I continued to lose inches!!!

I'm measuring every Sunday and writing it down on an index card. I've done this before and found a couple of old index cards in my sock drawer. It's interesting to see the past... I usually did this after having babies.

So anywho - I measured yesterday and since my last report I'm down another 5 3/4 inches!!! So far I'm down a solid 8 lbs. since August 16 (that's 18 days) and...

• 1 1/2 inches off my bust
• 2 inches off my waist
• 1 1/2 inches off my lower abs (a measurement all the mommies out there understand...)
• 2 1/2 inches off my hips
• 1/2 inch from my right upper thigh and 3/4 of an inch from my left
• 3/4 of an inch from my right lower thigh and 1/2 of an inch from my left

That's a total of 10 inches!

I'm working really hard, though. I've discovered that when I started at the gym last fall (and then fell off the wagon in January - what's THAT about??? Oooh yea...I forgot about the month of muscle spasms I went through...) I wasn't really working that hard at it. I'd get my heart rate up some and walk for 15 or maybe 20 minutes and do some weight stuff. Then I could go home and change clothes.

Well now I'm dripping wet after a 45 minute bout on the treadmill at 3.9 mph at a slight incline. And the prayer is working miracles. I'm resisting the tempting snacks at night and during the day and the breads and rolls. Oatmeal with apples never tasted so good (cept' maybe in an apple crisp...but if you close your eyes...)

We leave on a trip in one week and we'll be gone for a week... I need to check to see if our hotel has a gym and if it doesn't - make a plan to keep up the momentum!

Watch out... I'm eventually going to add one of those annoying tickers to my blog...