Weekly Update: Jan 22 to Jan 28

Well it seems that I skipped a week in there - oops!  There was nothing really to update.  For the second week in a row I weighed in at 273.6 at WW (on Jan 18).  I was just coming down with a horrible cold that weekend, and I stayed on the couch and drank lots. 



Weight Watchers Weigh-In:

Original Weight: 314.8
Previous Weight (Jan 18): 273.6
Today's Weight (Jan 25): 269.4
Change: -4.2
Total Loss: -45.4

Total Loss since May 2012: -52.8
Total Loss since Nov 2005: -67


SP Weigh In
Previous Weight (Jan 18):  271.2
Today's Weight (Jan 11):  266.4




Awesome Sauce !!  I now weigh less than I did at my wedding in 2010.  I have not been this weight since sometime in the summer of 2009. 

We had a work event on Jan 23 and I ended up walking from Churchill to the Shaw Conference Centre,  then I helped stuff 400 bags, then I walked back to work from the Shaw Conference Centre (admittedly my feet were already sore, so I took the LRT two stops to Bay), then I took the LRT/bus home from work which required a little more walking.  It was over 10,000 steps. 

I took the weekly tracker from our WW meeting home with me - so I was much more conscious of what I was eating and stuck to my daily/weekly points. 

Now if only I could get some exercise back into the equation.  I tried last night but ended up coughing too hard to breathe, so I stopped after less then 5 min.  It's the last thing that is sticking around from my cold.  Stupid premature, asthmatic lungs. 

Sleepy, Stressed, Sad and Sneezy

Well it has been a crazy, crazy few weeks.

A co-worker, friend and fellow member of my department is in the hospital due to complications from Lupus. One of the tips of her fingers is dead and she is in pain - so they are trying to figure out nerve blocks and how to amputate or do some sort of debridement procedure without causing infection. I visited her on Wednesday night and her spirits are still up even though she has been there for 4 weeks.

A university friend/fraternity sister lost her husband suddenly. He fell ill and due to medical complications and was declared brain dead. She has a 1.5 year old little girl and is pregnant with baby #2 (due at the beginning of June). The memorial is Saturday morning.

My dad fell on a really icy sidewalk and broke his ankle. He will need surgery and is waiting to see the orthopedic specialist for a date. We were booked to go to Victoria in two weeks - but I don't think it is happening now. My brother and I moved my parent's bed downstairs to the main floor so he does not have to go up the stairs.

My allergies have been acting up since we have had a bunch of wind and warmer weather. Then my body just succumbed to all the stress and now I have a head cold.  I took some cold & sinus pills but I am still congested, sneezing and have a runny/drippy nose.  Urggghhhhh.

So with all this going on I have not been sleeping well.

I have not been overeating - but I have no motivation to workout in the evenings. I just want to get below 270 but it might not happen until things calm down a bit.

Can I just crawl into bed and hide under the covers for a while?

Weekly Update: Jan 8 to Jan 14

 Oh my goodness is it windy out there today.  Gusts up to 80 km/h downtown.  It was actually hard to walk from the car to the front door of the office.  Crazy.


Weight Watchers Weigh-In:

Original Weight: 314.8
Previous Weight (Jan 4): 273.6
Today's Weight (Jan 11): 273.6
Change: 0
Total Loss: -41.2

Total Loss since May 2012: -48.6
Total Loss since Nov 2005: -62.8


SP Weigh In
Previous Weight (Jan 4):  271.0
Today's Weight (Jan 11):  270.0


So I saw a loss on my scale at home of 1 pound - and then nothing at WW.  Not completely surprising since I saw an actual loss of 0.4 pounds at WW last week when I thought I would be up a little.  Still, I thought I should show some movement on the scale at WW.  It should balance out next week

 I made a really pretty chart showing my weight loss since November of 2005.  Can I go back in time to late 2008 and knock myself over the head?  Sort of like those V8 commercials - except I should have continued to workout and attend WW meetings.  Just because I moved cities and changed my job was no reason to drop everything completely.  Oh well.  I will keep at it and I will see 180 on the scale again and then go even lower. 

Goals for 2014

My goals for 2014 are just a continuation of the post I made in October about my goals for age 36.  I have added more details about how I am going to achieve these goals.

1. Lose weight
- exercise more (30 min a day)
- walk more
- record what I eat
- get more sleep
- drink more water
- stop going overboard on weekends

Ideally I would like to lose 1-2 pounds a week and end up being under 200 pounds around January 10, 2015.  I don't think this is an insurmountable goal, but I do need to pick it up from the average of 0.7 pounds/week lost in 2013.  Since I joined back with SparkPeople I have lost an average of 1.24 pounds/week.

2. Work on my Online Course
- set aside 1 hour each evening
- read the textbooks and make notes
- take tests on schedule


I am finding it really hard to get back on schedule with school.  I have no excuses.  I basically took a vacation from the end of November until now.  Tonight I WILL get started on finishing the Microsoft Office portion of the course as I am really close to completion for that section.  I think I need to make a chart or something to figure out how many hours I should be putting in each week.

3. Get Divorced
- get last couple of financial ties cleared up
- fill out paperwork
- have ex served with papers

It's frustrating, but I think I am just going to keep that Scotiabank credit card in my name and pay it off.  The ex is just such a loser.  His credit is so crappy that he doesn't qualify for a new credit card to transfer the balance.  I just don't care anymore, I want to be free of him for good.

4. Find Balance
 - spend more time with friends
 - pay off more debt
 - move out of parent's house
 - start dating
 - organize days/weeks so I have time for my goals and also for myself.

 Since I moved back to Edmonton in April, I have paid off almost $5000 on my credit card.  I really appreciate my parents letting me live with them rent free so that I can get back on my feet.  I think the plan is for them to purchase a condo here in Edmonton, and my youngest brother and I would pay rent (the mortgage).  Then they will sell the house here and move permanently to Victoria.  I think we will start getting that all sorted out in February.

2013 - Year In Review

1)      What did you do in 2013 that you have never done before? 

I bought and used a fitness tracker.  It is the Spark Activity Tracker and it links to my Sparkpeople page.  Then my parents got me a FitBit Flex for Christmas.  I also used the fitness games I have for the Wii (Biggest Loser Challenge and EA Sports Active 2). 

I signed up for an online course in Law Administration and completed a bunch of modules.  I have, of course taken University classes, but never something that was completely online.

I travelled to Toronto to take a 2-day course for work about magazine circulation.  The whole trip I was on my own - and while I have been on airplanes by myself, and hotel rooms in other cities - this was different. 

2) Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make any more next year?

Yes and Yes – although I would consider them goals not resolutions.  They are ongoing and I will continue to work on them past 2013 and 2014. 

3) Any major life events happen in your life? 

I was all about the major life events.  I separated from my husband and moved back to Edmonton.  I started a new position – same company I have worked at for the past five years, but a new department.  I lost a total of almost 28 pounds this year (definitely something I want to increase in 2014).

4) Where did you travel? 

Edmonton in January and February, and then I moved back here at the end of March.  There was a work trip to Toronto in February.  I went back to Calgary a few times in April and May.  There was a day trip to Wizard Lake.  The real trip of the year was to Victoria in September. 

5) What did you lack in 2013 that you would like more of in 2014? 

Balance – I think this is something that has been lacking in my life for many years.  I tend to throw myself completely into something (or someone) and let other areas of my life fall to the wayside.  

6) What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory? 

Separation (living apart since Jan 19, actual conversation/decision was Feb 11), Move Date (March 23), 5% Goal (Jan 26), 10% Goal (Sept 21) , Dad’s retirement party (Nov 16). 

7) What was your biggest achievement of the year? 

Losing 27.6 pounds and keeping it off.

8) What was your biggest failure? 

Procrastinating - my life would be much easier now if I had made some of the phone calls regarding my separation in February.  Also I should have exercised more and ate less on the weekends. 

9) Did you suffer illness or injury? 

Nope – had enough of that in 2012

10) What was the best purchase you made? 

New laptop

11) What things/people inspired you the most? 

I would have to say that I found a lot of inspiration in myself.  I also started using SparkPeople again, and the people there are so supportive.

 

12) What things/people disappointed you the most? 

My ex – so many reasons why we are going to get divorced, but sometimes it still amazes me at how inconsiderate & selfish he can be, and that apparently he feels no remorse for his actions.

13) Where did most of your money go? 

I am working on paying off my debt.  I am really thankful that my parents have been letting me live back at home rent free. 

14) What did you get really excited about? 

I loved my trip to Victoria in September and I looked forward to it all summer.

15) What song will always remind you of 2013? 

Stompa - Serena Ryder 

16) Compared to this time last year, are you: 

·         Happier or hardened? 

Happier and stronger

·         Thinner or fatter? 

Thinner (and continuing to lose weight)

·         Richer or poorer? 

Richer (my new position came with a raise)

17) What do you wish you'd done more of?

Exercise

18) What do you wish you'd done less of? 

Eating over my calories/WW points

19) What was your favourite TV program? Least favourite? 

 

American Horror Story, Reign, HIMYM, Walking Dead, Glee were all favourites.  If I watch it, I like it, so no least favourites.

20) What was the best book you read? Worst book? 

 

Caster Chronicles (Book #1 is Beautiful Creatures) was fun and enjoyable.  I really have not done as much reading as I would like this year.

21) What was your: favourite song/album/artist (and least favourite)?

My favourite album was Heartthrob by Tegan and Sara.  Unfortunately I still have trouble listening to Adele and Pink as I listened to them a lot when I was very emotional.  

22) Favourite film this year? Worst film?  

Catching Fire was awesome.  I really loved the trilogy of books and I am happy with how they have handled them in film.

23) What was one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

 

Leaving Calgary sooner and working harder at my weight loss goals

24) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

Smaller sized clothes

25) What kept you sane?   

Friends and Family

26) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Fancy the least? 

 

Jennifer Lawrence the most and Rob Ford the least

27) What political issues stirred you the most? The least? 

I am pretty good at keeping up to date on political issues, mostly because my aunt listens to CBC when driving me to/from work - but nothing really stirred me this year.  I did vote in the recent civic election.

28) What news story did you like the most? Hate the most? 

I watch the news every evening while watching tv, and I read the paper every morning.  I can't really say there were any stories that I liked/hated more than others - it is just keeping up with what is going on in my world. 

29) What sports moment did you like the most? Hate the most?

 

It was so hard to be an Oilers and Eskimos fan this year.  I am looking forward to the Olympics.

30) Favourite blog (other than yours)? Blog Posts (other than yours?).  

·                     Fave Blog: The Bloggess  (Dani I still want to borrow her book from you)

·                     Fave Blog Post #1: Creme-de-la-Creme 2012

·                     Fave Blog Post #2: Lego Advant Calendar

·                     Fave Blog Post #3: Depression Part Two

31) Favourite Blog Post (of yours)?   

·                     #3: Venting

·                     #2: Rain & Clouds

·                     #1: Goals for 36

32) Who is your 2013 Person of the Year?   

Me – putting myself first

33) Who do you miss? 

 

Not who, but playing games with the gang in Calgary

34) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

 

I am important and worth it – I am strong and I can do it

35) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready 'cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now"

   - Katy Perry, Roar

 

36) What do you look forward to in 2014?

Trips to Victoria in February and the summer - hopefully also a trip to the Seattle area

Working on my weight loss goals

Getting divorced

Moving into a new place 

Weekly Update: Jan 1 to Jan 7

So I basically took a couple of weeks off from weight loss.  I still tried to eat relatively healthy, but I did not deny myself from the delicious food of the holidays.  I also did not exercise (besides long walks while shopping) during Christmas/New Year's.

I missed one WW meeting - the one on Dec 28.  I could have gone but I forgot to set my alarm and I slept in, so I was back on Jan 4.


Weight Watchers Weigh-In:

Original Weight: 314.8
Previous Weight (Dec 21): 274.0
Today's Weight (Jan 4): 273.6
Change: -0.4
Total Loss: -41.2

Total Loss since May 2012: -48.6
Total Loss since Nov 2005: -62.8


SP Weigh In
Previous Weight (Dec 28):  272.2
Today's Weight (Jan 4):  271.0


So I actually saw a loss at WW - whoohoo !!  Back on track and I hope to see more movement on the scale this week.  I just need to plan for Friday as we are having our company Christmas party (after Christmas party?  Winter party?) with the Edmonton & Calgary offices.  We are going to Gateway Lanes to bowl and play laser tag.  Then we have Tres Carnales bringing in delicious tacos.  My goal is to not over eat and drink lots of water and be active. 

I also looked up the recreation centre and YMCA Aquafit schedules.  I think I will plan to go to a class at both the Jamie Platz and Peter Hemmingway pools and decide which I like better.  The YMCA would be closer to home, but I used to go to the Rec Centre when I lived in the Westmount area and I really enjoyed it there.

What I Did on Winter Vacation - Part II

The next part of the holidays did involve me going to work - but only for a day and a half.

I missed my WW meeting on Dec 28 - mostly because I forgot to set my alarm and I just slept in.  Oh well, I will be back to weekly meetings on Saturdays starting Jan 4.

That evening I went out for dinner with my parents and grandmother, just as we do every Saturday.  I should have got a salad, but the beef dip was calling my name.  I think I was punished for my bad food choice.  Everyone else got their dinner, and the waitress (who was new), did not key in my meal.  So I had to wait about 10min after everyone else.  Second time in a row that Joey's messed up an order.  Last time they forgot the chicken on my mom's pasta.  Just like last time, they took the meal off the bill and the manager came over and apologized.  The food is always delicious and the servers are nice - otherwise I think we would stop going there, lol.

Sunday is was snowing lightly.  I met up with Kristine for a movie.  Passed three accidents on my way to the theatre.  Maybe I should have stayed home?  Oh well.  I just took it slow and it was fine.  Unlike the trucks that insist on going the speed limit or faster.

Monday I had to go to work.  Finished up all the month end accounting and made it balance.  My cousin and her husband and two daughters arrived that afternoon.

Tuesday I only had to work a half day.  When I got home we did a bunch of tidying up, and then my parents had two couples over for New Year's Eve.  We ate lamb braised in red wine & figs with roasted veggies.  Cindy brought a bread pudding made with Ferrero Rocher chocolates - mmmmm so good.  We stayed up to ring in the new year, and drank and played Uno Extreme.  I won three games.

Everyone stayed the night - so I ended up sleeping on the futon in the basement living room.  Not bad, but it was a harder surface than I am used to.

After breakfast everyone left (well after lunch for the cousins), and we had Grandma over for dinner again.  It was Wednesday but it felt like Sunday.

Thursday and Friday I have been back to a regular work schedule.  The last two days that I can use one of the parking spaces behind the office.

Overall it was a great couple of weeks.  Now I just need to get back on the program.  I will have a post with a review of 2013 shortly, along with another one with goals for 2014.  I hope everyone else had a fabulous holiday season!

What I Did on Winter Vacation - Part I

Often in the books I would read as a child, the main character would head back to school and have an assignment to write about "What I Did on Summer Vacation".  I personally cannot recall ever having to do this for any of my classes.  I also did not have summer reading lists.  Sometimes I felt a little left out, perhaps influenced by American television?

I feel like I just got back on schedule after a holiday.  Actually I AM back on schedule after taking a break over the Christmas/New Year's holidays.  It was not all bad eating choices, but I did not do any workouts - although I did do a lot of walking (some of it around the mall) and stairs (mostly in my home).

It could have been worse, but the biggest numbers I saw on the scale had me up over 4 pounds, and this morning it was closer to 3 pounds.  Not bad but I could have done better.

December 20 was my last day at work for over a week, and my boss let us leave at 3:00pm.  The next day was my WW weigh-in and I was down 0.9 pounds.  Sunday I got up and hit West Edmonton Mall when it opened and finished off the last of my Christmas shopping.  Monday I helped my grandmother wrap the rest of her presents.

Then it was Christmas Eve, and my BFF came over to celebrate with my family as her parents live on Vancouver Island (Parksville, BC) and since they had the trip to Italy & Switzerland this fall, they could not afford another flight to AB.  Plus she only got Christmas Day off work, so she would not have had time to spend with them anyway.

So it was Kristine, myself, my two younger brothers, the girlfriend of one of the brothers, my grandmother and my parents.  We had a special dinner, cooking meats and veggies on a hot rock (which is exactly like picture #2, but picture #1 shows how we cook the food better). 

Then we cleaned up, and put out Christmas cookies, and listened to Christmas carols while opening presents.

Of course I was spoiled.  I got a Persona bracelet with two blue charms and a purse charm.  My parents also got my a FitBit flex, which I like because it records how I sleep.  I got a Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as a couple of games, including Pokemon X - takes me right back to 1998/1999 when I played the original games.  Today I tried one of the teas I got in my holiday collection from David's Tea.

There is a K-cup holder that I am going to return so I can get one that holds more cups, and also so it fits next to the Keurig instead of under it, as I do not know if cupboards in a future home would be high enough.

I now have two lights on the High Level Bridge "Light The Bridge" campaign.  That is pretty cool.  I also started reading a new book that was a gift "I Am Malala".   

There is a silly scarf that lights up and plays music.  I also can't forget to mention the greatly appreciated gift cards to Starbucks and Addition-Elle plus money from my Grandma.

On Christmas Day we had delicious sticky buns and eggs and special coffee.  There were "wakie-wakies", which are pineapple juice, orange juice, lemon juice, gingerale and gin.

Christmas Eve the dishwasher started leaking.  There was a crack in the drainage hose.  We tried to see if we could fix it, but it's a German made Miele and no one carries the correct size parts.  My brother tried something, but we just ended up with water all over the floor right before Christmas Dinner.  It's working now (but we are still careful as there is a 1 inch part used where it should be 7/8) and the new part has been ordered.

With my aunt and uncle also joining us for dinner - we moved the kitchen table into the dining room.  This of course required us to flip the heavy oak table, take off the legs, carry it to the dining room and then put the legs back on. 

Boxing Day I woke up at 3:00am - picked up my brother and his girlfriend around 3:30am - and dropped them off at the airport at 4:00am.  I was back in bed at 4:30am where I slept for another few hours.  Tim and Tracy were headed to Bathurst, NB to visit with her family.  The rest of the day I just hung around the house.  We had second Christmas Dinner (which I often love even more than Christmas Dinner), and there is still tons of turkey leftover for turkey pie. 

December 27th I went over to Addition-Elle.  I bought two new pairs of jeans in a smaller size (22), and the size 20s almost fit.  I also got a nice shirt for New Year's Eve.  Since I had a VIP member offer that was mailed to me, plus my gift card - I saved over $60 and only paid $30.   I should have picked up socks and a second pair of yoga/workout pants.  Not to worry - I have two savings cards for Pennington's and one for Addition-Elle.  I just have to wait until February to use them.  It gives me a chance to save up some money.

That was the first week of holidays.  I am always super appreciative that my boss gives us the week of Christmas off of work.