The Healthy YOU Challenge

Hi everyone! A few months ago I mentioned starting a Healthy YOU Challenge to help stay focused on this battle against obesity. I wanted the challenge to be about SUPPORT, not just about weight loss. I wanted to be about getting healthy or making the healthiest version you can of who you are right now.

I started off planning for the challenge to be a part of my blog but the more work I put into it, the more I came to realize that the challenge needed a blog of its own. The challenge needed to be separate from my blog where I share my thoughts and frustrations. With being said, I've created a blog for the challenge. You can visit the challenge blog starting TODAY but please keep in mind, its a work in progress. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated as always.

I want the challenge board to feel like home to you so please let me know if there is anything you would like to see added and of course if YOU would like to join the challenge, check out the blog and follow the instructions for joining by clicking on the button or by clicking here on The Healthy You Challenge link

Thank you everyone for your support, input and patience!

Diana

Hearing Voices or Why I Shouldn't Take Sinus Medication During The Day

Yesterday I was home alone and I had a terrible sinus headache. I knew if I went went into the bedroom, Max and Sadie would sit on the sofa and bark at anyone who might dare to walk past our house. So I decided it was best to lay on the sofa and rest my pounding head on the sofa.

I must have drifted off to sleep for a minute or 20 when all of the sudden I heard someone calling my name, it was a mans voice but it wasn't Ken....
Diana.... Diana...

I barely opened my eyes and I looked down and I saw Max with his happy little face looking up at me and my groggy sinus medicated head thought....Max, you can talk...I always thought you'd call me Mommy not Diana....

Diana.... Hellllllllllllllllllooooo.......Dianaaaaaaa

Now Max is talking but his lips aren't moving....

My eyes jolted all the way open and I sat up quickly thinking I was losing my mind....

I know you are home....pick up the phone....hello Diana

I turned the ringers off on the phone but forgot to turn off the answering machine volume! LOL

But wouldn't it be nice if Max really could talk, I'm pretty sure his first words would be GIVE ME A TREAT NOW!

Denied - Morbildy Obese and Uninsured In America

As some of you know, my husband and I are both self employed. We have been without health insurance for almost a year when he lost his job with employer supplemented health insurance and even though our budget is very tight, we thought the sacrifices we would have to make to pay for health insurance would be worth it in the long run. For those of you who live in countries with National Health or who have it supplemented by your employer, consider yourselves lucky and be thankful you have coverage, even if you think its awful.

We weren't asking for a whole lot of coverage, just something for emergencies and basic wellness. Yes they had a ridiculously high deductible but we thought getting private health insurance would be the responsible thing to do.

They were willing to insure my husband, even though he smokes but when it came to me, they said I DO NOT QUALIFY!! I tried not to cry about this news but if I'm to be honest, I did cry.

They wouldn't even consider insuring me at my current weight...not even with a higher penalty premium. The answer was NO, absolutely NOT!!

I'm 5'8" and I weigh 365 pounds. To even be considered for insurance at a higher premium, I would need to weigh below 220 pounds AND prove that I've maintained that weight for at least one year. To get the non penalty rates (which are still ridiculously high per month) I would need to be below 190 pounds and have maintained it for one year.

Even if by some miracle I were able to lose enough weight to get to 220 pounds by this time next year, they still wouldn't insure me for another year!! That is at least TWO years before I could even be considered for health insurance. Honestly, I've found that many doctors won't even take you as a patient if you are uninsured. Where does that leave me?

In addition to maintaining it for one year, I can't have lost weight with the aid of any weight loss drug or weight loss surgery. They said if I had weight loss surgery they would NEVER approve me. Now I had decided weight loss surgery wasn't for me a while ago. I don't criticize or condemn in any way those who have had the surgery. Do you suppose their refusal to include those who have had weight loss surgery is because the long term effects are still not known? I wonder what their time frame on that would be?

As you all know, I was working on losing weight for many reasons, most importantly for my health. I have faced discrimination at so many levels for so many years because of my weight. I am not going to let this derail my efforts and I'm certainly not going to give the insurance industry credit for inspiring me to lose weight...the inspiration and desire to lose weight was there long before this rejection. This just feels like another form of legal discrimination and yet another kick in the face.

But still, through it all....I will persevere.

Wednesday Weigh In

I've made it through another holiday. Of course the season isn't quite over yet. Friday is my sisters birthday, Saturday and Sunday, we have several friends having holiday open houses and we will stop by each of them for a while.

Monday is New Years Eve and I've decided to cook my traditional New Years Day dinner for New Years Eve so I can start the new year with a fresh start.

I'm really looking forward to the new year, not just for us but for so many of our friends and family. 2007 is a year I'm ready to leave behind. I have so many hopes and dreams for 2008 and I'm ready to make them all happen. This week will be all about laying the foundation for 2008 and putting the plan in place.

As for my Tales from the Scales, weigh in today, I'm very pleased to report that I've maintained from last week.

I just want to wish everyone a very happy New Year, may 2008 be the year all of your dreams come true!!

Christmas Eve Eve at the Marina

Today is Ken's birthday but while he is getting ready for our adventure today, I wanted to quickly post a few photos from last night, Christmas Eve Eve. We stopped by a friends open house holiday party last night but on the way we passed the marina near our home so we took a few photos because some of them had Christmas lights on them and the reflection in the water looked so pretty at night.

the Marina at night

I took a lot more photos of a few neighborhoods we drove around, not sure how much time I'll have later but I'll try to post them tonight or early tomorrow morning!

Happy Christmas Eve everyone and......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEN!!!!

What all the fashionable dogs are wearing this season

Thus answering that age old question:
What do you do with that one piece of long gift wrap that is just too narrow to wrap a gift?

Friday Favorites 12.21.07 - The Doggie Edition!

It’s Friday and it’s time for another round of Friday Favorites!

Christmas is just around the corner and I’ve been out there shopping and fighting the crowds looking for a few gifts for Ken and of course Sadie and Max. Being the good puppy Mommy that I am, I wanted to get a few things for Sadie and Max’s Christmas stocking. Yes, they are good Doggies and they have their own Christmas stockings. Here is a photo of their stockings. They have one each and their photos have since been added to the little white circle. Cute aren’t they? Well, let me tell you something that just might shock you…I wasn’t the one who bought these! Last year was Sadie and Max’s first Christmas with us, as some of you have read on their blog the story of how they came to live with us, you may know that it was the month of January. Last year Ken and I had been out running errands all day and he wanted to make ONE more stop at the local home improvement store and I was just exhausted. He wanted to run in for one little thing to fix a drip in our bathtub. He said “just wait right here and I’ll be right out” So I did….30 minutes later he came out of Lowes with these Top Doggie Stockings!

So what does one put in a stocking for a TOP DOGGIE...Why Cuz's of course!

We’ve had an assortment of toys over the last 23 months but one toy has held up to stand the test of time and Sadie and Max and that has been The Cuz! These toys come in a variety of colors and shapes but the most common are the Good Cuz and the Bad Cuz (note the horns).

The GOOD CUZ

THE BAD CUZ

These are by far Sadie and Max’s favorite toy. They have an awesome squeak and while I’ll admit some of them no longer squeak, they still love them. In this picture of Max you can see just a bit of green from his precious Cuz sticking out. While I realize the pet stores are filled with toys for Top Doggies. My Top Doggies will get what they love the most, a new Cuz each!

The next few days are going to be very busy for me so my postings will be limited. Ken wants to see several movies this weekend and we need to shop for my sister’s Christmas gift as well as shop for the veggies for Christmas dinner. Normally going to the grocery story for veggies isn't worth mentioning, however the weekend before Christmas, the stores are sure to be CRAZY! As I might have mentioned a few times, Ken’s birthday is the 24^th so we will be doing something special on that day. I'm preparing the Christmas feast so I'm sure to be very busy on Christmas morning as well! I'll try and pop in with a few photos and updates when I can.

Sadie

Max

Merry Christmas Sadie and Max, you really are TOP DOGGIES!!

If you haven't read the story of how Sadie and Max came to live with us, you can click HERE to read it on their blog.

Wednesday Weigh In

Time for the Tales From The Scales weekly weigh in. It was inevitable. My maintaining couldn't last. I'm up 5 pounds. Sidebar has been adjusted. I'm okay with that because I know its temporary brought on by a combination of eating too much and medication.

Did anyone watch the biggest loser last night? WOW they all did so great! I'm inspired for sure. I was really hoping a woman would win this year but it looks like the twins worked out with a body builder to eliminate so much fat. I'm sure once they rehydrate they will be up a few pounds but it was for a pretty big prize.

Last night when we were laying in bed, I thought to myself, next year at Christmas time, I'm going to take up a lot less of this bed. Now I'm going to hold tightly to this motivation and let it carry me through the next year!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

A Willpower Award and a Quote

Alison, formerly Moosegirl, currently ShutYourCakeHole has deemed me among the worthy to receive her 2007 Willpower award. She made a cute little graphic to go with it but unfortunately, blogger doesn't seem to like photos this morning so I can't put a copy of it here but you can check it out on her blog and read about her other recipients.

Honestly, I'm so unworthy of this award because honestly willpower has been fleeting at best this year but it’s something I'm trying to learn about, especially where to find it and how to hold on to it.

Willpower has been something I catch a glimpse of and run with for a few days or months and then it leaves me and I'm left with chocolate in the corner of my mouth. For a long time I thought willpower could only come from a place from deep within but now I know better. I've found willpower in many places and its right there in front of you if you know where to look for it.

Willpower can be found in fear....fear for your health when you get sick or see a friend or loved one get sick, it can give us willpower. It can make you say "I'm not going to let that happen to me" and you build on it and use that fear to push you towards your goal.

Willpower can be built with knowledge and information. Knowledge is power. Learn all you can about your plan, learn about your body and what it best responds to. Learn what exercises challenge your body and learn what exercises you'd benefit from and then try them. Seek instruction or professional advice if necessary. Learn how to challenge and reward yourself.

Willpower can come from a friend. There have been days when I've felt like giving up and then I read a blog, an email or a comment someone has left for me and the willpower returns.

I find my willpower in all of these places. I plan on using these techniques and more that I learn along the way to capture a bit of willpower and keep it close to my heart for the rest of my life.

With that in mind, I pass along this willpower award to each and every one of you. It may say 2007 but it really has no expiration. When you are feeling strong, blog about it and share it with the world, seek out others who may be struggling and leave them words of encoragement, when you are feeling weak, blog about it and ask for encouragement and advice, read the blogs of others who are strong and take a few seeds plant willpower of your very own.

And now for the Quote...I was feeling a bit discouraged because the scale was up a few pounds this weekend and my friend BionicWifeandMommy said this to me:

"just wanted you to know that regardless of what the scale says today you will NEVER see that number again in 2008!"

2008 is going to be a great year for losing weight and finding better health!!

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days

I'm headed out to do a bit of Christmas shopping today so I wanted to leave you with a bit of entertainment...not your typical 12 days of Christmas. Make sure you watch the whole thing, you'll be glad you did :-)

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Sadie

Maxx
Sadie on the left, Maxx on the right

Friday Favorites 12.14.07 Healthy Tips

I recently asked for your best diet tips and you all did an awesome job!! These tips were so good, they deserve their own post!

BionicWifeandMommy
Time management
Why time management? We usually think of this as something in the work force right? Something being told by our bosses to use our time wisely - they even hold classes on time management!
Most of us wish we took better control of our lives. We want to manage our time, not let our time manage us.
Remember a time that you set a goal to start an exercise program or develop a healthy eating plan. NOW think of the other tasks in life that you allowed becoming more important than that personal goal.

If you don't have enough time or energy to meet your goals, it may be because you are taking on too many other tasks. Often, people aren't effective about saying no when others make demands or requests.

What helps me is this:
Prioritize your tasks. Assign a number to everything that you want to accomplish. Level 1 ask tasks absolutely MUST get done; level 2 tasks are important and SHOULD get done; level 3 tasks might get done only after 1 and 2 tasks are done. Think about how often you let low-priority tasks get in the way of accomplishing your higher priority tasks (exercise, meal planning, food journaling). What changes can you make?

Now for the visual:
I was reading about an expert on subject of time management. One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration that those students and I will never forget.
As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz."
Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouthed mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.
Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time in the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked "Is this jar full?"
Everyone in the class said, "YES." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.
Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?"
"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "GOOD!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager person raised his hand and said "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point." The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all." What are the big rocks in your life when it comes to losing weight? What do you want to accomplish?
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
As we go into 2008 and a New Year gives us all a fresh, clean slate, remember to make yourself a top priority! Make yourself and your weight loss a LEVEL 1 task (It MUST absolutely get done!)
Hugs to all - WE CAN do this!

POPPY:
Plan ahead. If I know I'm going to eat out, I make sure to educate myself about the menu ahead of time. That way I know what my choices are, and there are no surprised or temptations once I get to the restaurant!

HEATHER:
My best diet tip would be to never cut out any food group. Every food group is important and has its benefits to weight loss as long as its in healthy portions and moderation. so many fad diets are based upon cutting out something like carbs or no fat, but some fats are good for you and there are many healthy carbs out there that should be eaten to give you energy and sustain you.

MADDDS
Moderation not deprivation - those 3 words keep me satisfied - not feeling deprived - knowing if I plan for it I can indulge on occasion, just not every day and not in huge quantities!! I will never go back to the all or nothing attitude!!

BECKY
make your progress VISIBLE. Either with pictures or charm rewards (for time spent exercising or inches/pounds lost). (As for me I will be doing BOTH!) If you can keep track of where you started it's easier when the tough times hit to know you have worked too hard to get where you are now and not willing to go backwards to get where we were.
Another tip - BUDDY SYSTEM! Keep positive and committed people around you to help encourage you in your progress. It so helps not being alone in this battle!

CHUBBY CHICK
don’t bring trigger foods into the house. If you know that a particular food is going to tempt you to overeat or is unhealthy... simply don't buy it.

KRISS - ZOOKINS
Don't forget to do something nice for yourself along the way.

If you feel a binge coming on, promise to reward yourself with something small for not giving in. A little bouquet of carnations, or a new lip gloss, just for staying strong.

HEALTHY HONI
follow a plan that works for you... make sure it is balanced and does not leave out any food group. ( ICE CREAM is not a food group by the way :-) (darn) ) Watch your portions too.. That is a huge component of eating healthy portion control.

LORI
One of the things that help me at work is keeping a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush there. It's really good if there's something sweet but not terribly wonderful.

EXFATGIRL
Never go too long without having something to eat... I eat every 3 hours. That way I get something in my stomach before it starts growling and going nuts... if I wait until I'm really hungry, I tend to overeat!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I LOVE this list of tips so much I thought they deserved their own post! I plan on making this my person guide and reference during this battle against obesity.

Great list isn’t it? Now it’s your turn, go ahead and leave a comment with your favorite tip!

Portion Control Reality Check

Some one emailed this link to a youtube clip. If you count calories, points or measure your food as a part of your diet and or portion control....its definitely worth watching!!



My only problem with this demo is that they are comparing a 1/2 or 1/3 cup measuring cup to grams...of course they aren't the same, they are close but not the same.

1/3 cup equals 43 grams, if you were to level an accurate 1/3 of a cup you'd only be over by 3 grams....

You can't tell what size measuring cup she is using....but I do get the point!

Wednesday Weigh In

Its that time again for the weekly Tales From The Scales Weigh In!! Once again, I'm reporting that I've MAINTAINED!!

I wanted to invite all of my Tales from the Scales friends to check out my conversation with nutritionist Molly Gee and enter for a chance to win a Wrigleys/Biggest Loser gift pack!!

Considering I've been eating or rather inhaling everything in sight for a week, this is good news!! The one constant has been my daily walking! Sadie and Max are better than any clock on the wall, they have a routine they start when they know its nearing walk time. They smother me. One or both MUST sit on my lap. Then they start bringing me offerings of their favorite toys...I think they are actually trying to bribe me because yesterday Sadie brought me her favorite bone and let out a mournful sigh as she dropped it by my feet. I'm actually very grateful to have their little wagging tales demanding a walk every day because there have been days when I'm sure I would have been very tempted to skip the walk if not for them!

Mail Call

Ken got a package in the mail today from China and my first thoughts...

"what a ding dong, with all of the problems with things from China, why did he order something from China"

I signed for it and flipped it over to see who it was from.....

Biggest Loser/Wrigley’s Blog Tour

I promised you all a BIG surprise last week, here it is!!

As you all know I’m a huge fan of the TV show The Biggest Loser and I was so excited when I won the gift pack last week. Imagine my excitement when I was asked to be the next stop on their Wrigley’s blog tour!

As a part of this, I was given the wonderful opportunity and privilege to interview Molly Gee a Dietitian and communications consultant with more than 25 years experience in health/nutrition communications and the clinical management of obesity.

A big thanks to Molly for taking the time to answer my questions and many thanks to Wrigley’s and The Biggest Loser for making this opportunity possible.

I've seen so many formulas used to calculate how many calories you should take in for weight loss, what method do you recommend and how to do you make allowances for exercise, what do you tell your clients?

There are no magic formulas to achieve weight loss. A low-fat, low- calorie diet in the range of 1200-1600 calories is recommended by most health professionals. Health and safety are always the top priority. Keep things simple by cutting 500 calories per day and gradually increasing physical activity. Walking continuously for 10 minutes a day is a realistic goal for someone who is doesn’t usually exercise at all. For those who have a regular routine, adding new exercises can make a difference. Aerobic activity is always a priority but adding strength training is often overlooked. Just these small changes should result in a safe weight loss of about 1 pound per week.

We all find ourselves hitting plateaus. It can be so discouraging, how do you recommend breaking a plateau and staying to keep going through one?

Getting “stuck” at a particular weight in your weight loss journey is frustrating. Being patient, drinking water and increasing physical activity is the recipe for breaking that “plateau.” Two thousand steps are equal to about 1 mile. A pedometer is a great tool to monitor steps taken each day. Social support is another key strategy for staying motivated. Schedule a walk or meals with people that share your goals. Join the “Wrigley Walk and Chew Gum Challenge” for support online. Sign up at www.gumisgood.com/walkandchewgum to register. Special grocery lists and a weekly progress journal can be downloaded to record and track your progress.

I've heard a lot about Super Foods, which of these do you find essential to incorporate into a well balanced diet and why?

All foods bring some nutritional diet. Some foods, however, provide multiple disease-fighting nutrients. (The diseases include heart, high blood pressure, some cancers, and diabetes) For example, eggs are a versatile, economical protein-packed food. They contain 12 vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is needed for brain development and memory.

Beans can help your heart and your gut. The insoluble and soluble fiber helps to lower cholesterol, provides satiety and helps rid your body of waste. Beans are another economical source of protein, carbohydrates, magnesium and potassium. They are great as the centerpiece of a meal, a side dish or as an ingredient in a favorite soup or casserole recipe.

Broccoli is rich in vitamin A, C and K. The fiber helps you feel full and is a great weight-control strategy. Broccoli is available year round and can be enjoyed raw or cooked, according to your taste.

Nuts make the super food list because of their protein, heart-healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber content. An ounce of nuts goes a long way for health. More nuts mean more calories; so moderation is still the key. Adding almonds, walnuts or pecans to my salads is my favorite way to enjoy these delicious health benefits.

Keep in mind that all foods bring nutrients to your diet.

Everyone stresses the importance of water, how much water should you drink and most importantly do coffee, tea or sugar free drink mixes like (Like Crystal Light or Kool-Aid) count towards your water intake?

About 80 percent of people's total water comes from drinking water and all other beverages including caffeinated ones and the other 20 percent comes from foods like fruits and vegetables.

In 2004, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies provided recommendations for water intake based on national data which showed that women take in 91 ounces of total water from all sources and men take in 125 ounces daily. The panel said these were adequate amounts. People who are very physically active or who live in hot climates need to drink more water.

I recommend that people drink water or other beverages at mealtime and as often as possible throughout the day. I never pass a water fountain without taking a long drink (10 gulps).

What is the most common question people ask you about nutrition?

How can I lose weight? Everyone is looking for the magic but it’s about small lifestyle changes in diet and exercise made daily.

What advice do you have for making smart choices while dining out?

Do not arrive at the restaurant or party hungry

Practice portion control by sharing entrees

Choose plain entrees with the fewest ingredients instead of casserole-style dishes

Avoid fried foods

Ask for sauces, gravies and salad dressing on the side

Share desserts

Does gum really suppress your appetite and the desire to eat sweets? What research has been done to support this?

At five to ten calories a piece, chewing gum like Extra Polar Ice can be used as a tool for managing weight when substituted for a high- calorie snack or as an alternative to mindless munching throughout the day. It is economical, portable, comes in a variety of flavors and is fun.

In 2007, an initial study published in the scientific journal Appetite found that chewing gum before an afternoon snack can reduce hunger, diminish cravings for sweets and decrease snack consumption by 36 calories. More research is needed to fully understand appetite. However, small changes over time can result in big results.

Wow, fantastic information! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Molly!

~*~ Your chance to WIN!!! ~*~

In addition to doing the interview, I also have 10 Step it Up with Extra Gum gift packs, just like the one I won, which include a pedometer and Biggest Loser DVD, water bottle and Wrigley’s Extra gum to give away. YAY!!!

In order to win, please leave a comment below with your best diet tip or why you would like to win by Wednesday December 12, 2007 at 5pm EST. Winners will be selected randomly.

NOTE: The contest is open to EVERYONE, regardless of what country you live in (YAY)

MOLLY GEE, MEd, RD

Molly is a Registered Dietitian and communications consultant with more than 25 years experience in health/nutrition communications and the clinical management of obesity. She is frequently asked to serve as a media spokesperson, expert reviewer or speaker by corporations, food companies, trade associations, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies. She has been widely quoted in the media, including USA Today, the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Shape, Health, Weight Watchers and Self.

From 1992 to 2001, Molly reported on nutrition and health on KTRK-TV, the ABC network affiliate in Houston. Prior to health reporting, she was the nutrition expert on “Good Morning Houston.”

Currently, Molly is the project leader at Baylor College of Medicine for LOOK AHEAD, a NIH multi-center clinical trial examining the cardiovascular benefits of sustained weight loss in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Molly is a dynamic leader in the American Dietetic Association. In recognition of her dedication and contributions to dietetics, Molly received the ADA’s Medallion award in 2004. In addition to being on the ADA board of directors from 1995 to 2001, she was its treasurer in 2000-2001. Molly was one of the first spokespersons for ADA and still makes herself available to the group as a resource. She is the co-founder and past chair of the ADA’s Weight Management Dietetics Practice Group (DPG) and is on the Executive Committee of the Diabetes Care and Education DPG. She serves as Chair of Commission on Dietetic Registration’s (CDR) Weight Management Certificate Committee and as faculty for the Weight Management Certificate Workshop. Molly has been a member of many other professional associations and served on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association in Houston.

Molly holds a MEd in Allied Health Education from Baylor College of Medicine/University of Houston. She completed her dietetic internship at Oklahoma State University and received a BS in dietetics from the University of Houston.

Handcrafted Necklace by Me

So I needed a necklace to go with my outfit but I wasn't really finding anything I liked so I made one. I guess if we were playing one of those little known random facts about me games I would mention that one of my hobbies is making sterling wire and beaded jewelery. I typically make them as gifts or sell them. I think one of the greatest compliments is when I leave the house wearing something and come home without it because someone has bought it from me while I was at the grocery store or where ever.

This little creation is made with Czech lampwork silver lined beads (the wavy ones) amethyst (the dark purple beads) and silver peacock fresh water pearls (the lumpy looking beads) along with silver lined Czech glass beads (the smallest beads) with a sterling silver toggle closure.

Adding to my list of things to do...I'm going to eventually make a website to sell my jewelery someday.

So now I really need to learn to use my new camera because honestly, this photo just doesn't do the necklace justice, it turned out so much better than I hoped.

Lane Bryant Right Fit Jeans

Tonight we are going to a holiday party at the home of two dear friends. They specified “casual dress” and I found the perfect top to wear, dressy, trendy but casual but I didn’t want to wear dress pants, because a pair of nice jeans would be more appropriate for the casual dress request.

Honestly, I’m not much of a jean wearer. In the past I’d buy a pair of jeans and they would fit my hips and thighs but would need to be altered at the waist or would gape 3 to 4 inches. At my size I always wear my shirt tucked out but it was often noticeable that my jeans were sagging and really you shouldn’t be able to take your pants off and on without undoing the button and zipper, haha.

So yesterday I wandered in Lane Bryant to look for a new pair of jeans. They carry size 14 to 28 and I have a pair of their size 28’s that fit but they are faded and straight leg, I wanted dark wash denim, boot cut. I walked up to their wall of jeans and started to look for 28’s. I didn’t see 28’s but I saw an 8 and thought it must be a marketing vanity size ploy to make me feel like I’m buying a size 8 instead of 28. Just then the helpful sales clerk asked if she could help me and I explained that I was just looking for a pair of jeans and she pointed to the wall and said, “These are our new Right Fit jeans, I’ll need to measure you”

You’ll need to WHAT? Measure me? Right here? In this store? Ummm, I don’t think so.

“I just need your waist and hip measurements and we can determine your size”

So without further thought to modesty or my stretch marks, I whipped up my top and said “go for it”

She then took the 8’s from my hand and said “you are blue 7 and let’s try the petite on you”

I guess she could see the skeptical look on my face because she added “let me get a fitting room for you”

So into the fitting room I went with these jeans that were in NO way going to fit my ASS, no way, no how. This whole right fit theory might work for the skinnier fat girls but not for me not for this fat fat girl. I spent all day yesterday trying on clothes and out of 40 tops only three fit this fat fat girl.....Oh wait just a minute, maybe…just maybe…up, zip, button…WOW!!!

But there was no gape in the waist, they fit my thighs and hips and my waist. How was this possible? In shock, I whipped open the dressing room door and paraded myself over to the 3 way mirror. Just then my helpful sales woman showed up and started using me as her model to an older woman in the store. “You see, this is how they should fit, we need to get you a pair of 2 petite so your jeans fit like hers” Another sales associate walked away to help the older woman and I was still standing and staring in disbelief at jeans that actually fit MY freaky body.

“So how do you like them?”

“I’ve never had jeans that actually fit before. They fit my waist and there is NO elastic in the waist band”

Then she went on to tell me that 3 or 4 years ago Lane Bryant measured over 14,000 women to come up with the measurements they used for these jeans and they just introduced them earlier this year. I’ve been avoiding retail therapy but when my sister offered to take me shopping for a few early Christmas presents, I’m glad a stop at Lane Bryant was on our list. Apparently I’m not the only one who has been pleased, others have been telling her the same thing.

So how does it work? You take your waist measurement and your hip measurement and put it into their web site and it will give you your size. You can check out your Right Fit by clicking HERE. In the store I visited, they had sizes 1 through 8, however as I played with the measurements on the website, I did see they had some Right Fit things in size 9 and 10. They also had some tops in size 30/32 but I believe the 30/32 is available online only.

Because there are so many different body shapes and sizes, I’m sure they won’t fit everyone as perfectly as they fit me, but let me tell you something…this is a HUGE step in the right direction. They also have work trousers in Right Fit. The only thing that really seemed out of balance to me is that typically I wear average length in jeans, with these, I took Petite length. I do have a longer body and shorter legs on my 5’8” frame but I would imagine that some who are truly petite may still have to have these hemmed.

I actually went home and tried on the faded pair of 28’s from LB in the back of my closet and they were a bit baggy. This isn’t about vanity sizing, for me. In no way to I look at that size 7 petite size tag and believe that I’m a size 7 petite in any universe outside of Lane Bryant Land. But who cares what the size tag says when you find something that fits…rip out the size tag and wear it with pride!

So if you are in the market for a new pair of jeans, you currently wear size 14 to 28, head on down to Lane Bryant and try out their Right Fit jeans…you just might love them as much as I do.

I tried on my new outfit and as I was looking in the mirror, I turned to Max and said "does Mommy look nice?" and his little tail started wagging. So then I said "does Mommy look HOT?" and his little tail wagged even more. I thought...wow, even Max thinks I look nice and then I walked up to him to give him a little pet on the head and then he did it...he rolled over and waited for his belly rub...clearly tail wagging compliments come with a price tag LOL

NOTE: I get tired of writing these disclaimers but I just wanted to mention that I was in no way compensated for writing this post. However if they people at Lane Bryant want to send me Blue Boot Cut jeans in sizes 1 to 7, I’ll be sure and model them every time I drop a size and can fit into smaller jeans in this coming year. If not, I’m sure I’ll be heading back to Lane Bryant in a few months when I’m ready for another pair of the Right Fit jeans in a smaller size LOL

Friday Favorites 12.07.07

Welcome to another edition of Friday Favorites! Just a quick update on my BIG surprise, it’s not quite ready yet so I’ll need a bit more time to pull it all together. It’s worth the wait.

This is such a hard time of the year to stay motivated and on track. I’ve noticed that so many people who blogged daily don't seem to be blogging as much anymore. How do I know this? Because I was so busy last week, I didn't have time to read blogs and when I finally got a chance to read the blogs, I had over 150 posts to catch up on. I’m sure you’re thinking WOW that’s a lot of posts, well actually it isn’t. In the six or seven days that I didn’t have time to read, a few months ago, there would have been 400 or more posts.

So my Friday Favorite today that I’m going to share with you is Google Reader. If you aren’t using a reader service like google reader to keep up with all of your blogs and favorite sites, now is a great time to get organized and get started.

Take a tour HERE and learn all about Google Reader. You simply sign up and then paste the URL for each blog into reader as a new subscription. Once you add all of your favorite blogs, you simply go in and read their updates and respond to their posts. It also shows you trends. You can click on the INACTIVE tab and see who hasn’t been blogging, sometimes you might know they are away on vacation but if you suspect they are struggling, it’s a good opportunity to pop over to their blog and post a few words of encouragement.

Here’s what it says on the welcome page:

• Stay up to date Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content.
• Share with your friends Use Google Reader's built-in public page to easily share interesting items with your friends and family.
• Use it anywhere, for free Google Reader is totally free and works in most modern browsers, without any software to install.

NOTE: I am in no way compensated for talking about Google Reader, I just like to share things I've found that make my life easier.

Its just so convenient to just go to one site and see all of your blogs and which ones have updates rather than logging on to each blog page to check for new posts, let Google Reader do it for you! It also makes recommendations based on the types of blogs you like and your geographical location…not that I have much time for that because I’m so busy keeping up with all of you!!

I’m still fairly new to blogging and I’m sure there are lots of great tools out there to use in conjunction with blogging. If you have a favorite, I’d love to hear about them!

Lost in the translation

Sometimes something happens and it brings back the memories, tonight we revisited this story from when we first moved back to the States. Keep in mind that Ken is from England and not yet familiar with American lingo or abbreviations:

He called me at work and this was our conversation:

Honey, what are gah

I have no idea what you're talking about

Gaaaahhhhh Gaaaaahhhhh

I don't understand what you're saying. Where are you seeing this? What are you talking about? (I look around the office and say "Does anyone know what a Gaaaahhhh is?)

Gaaaahhhh....on the side of the road it says Gaaaahhh Peaches, are they some special kind of peach?

I think they mean GEORGIA, GA is the abbreviation for Georgia when you see two capital letters like that its often a state abbreviation

Well they have it spelled capital G small a, Ga Peaches, written out in spray paint on a piece of plywood and when I asked them Gaaaahhh meant they just looked at me weird.

Honey don't buy peaches from them, they can't even abbreviate Georgia

Oh, I wasn't going to buy any, I just wanted to know what a Gahhhhh was and if it was some special kind of peach thats all.

Which of Santas Reindeer Are You? and a special NEWSFLASH

I always thought it was Donner???? Anyhow, just a bit of Holiday fun :-) Take the quiz and post in the comments who you are so I can recognize you when we are all pulling that sleigh together ;-)

I'm guessing pulling a sleigh burns a LOT OF CALORIES!!!

Which of Santa's Reindeer are you?





Donder


Like Donder you are sensible and a good leader. You know the right things to do at the right time and have people's respect


Find out which of Santa's Reindeer you are

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

I'm going to have the BIGGEST special treat for all of you in the next few days!! So make sure you keep checking back...I'm hoping to have it ready for tomorrow...trust me you won't want to miss out on this one!!

My Scary Day

Yesterday started like any other day, I posted on the blog and decided to make breakfast. I was making a crustless broccoli quiche something I’ve made dozens of times because its perfect to reheat throughout the week. Typically I make it with turkey bacon or ham or just veggies but I had sausage links in the freezer so I thought sausage might be just as good.

These weren’t regular sausages; they were “healthy” sausages. Publix GreenWise Sausage Links or veggie sausage, you know…not really meat but soy. Much lower in fat and cholesterol I thought these would be a great addition to my healthy lifestyle. Apparently my body had other ideas.

The other ingredients were common foods I eat all of the time; eggs, broccoli, onion, celery, cottage cheese, low fat cheddar cheese. I had coffee. I had no exposure to anything else. The only new food was the Publix Green Wise Sausage so I’m guessing it was the cause of my scary day. I put four links cut up into small pieces and in my slice of quiche there were probably about four pieces, I had three and spilt a little morsel of egg and sausage between Sadie and Max. I would say in total I had about 2/3 of one link.

After breakfast I had several phone calls to make and then I was going to go out and run a few errands. While I was on the first phone call, I just didn’t feel right. As I talked, I felt like my tongue was getting very heavy. By the time I hung up the phone, my breathing was starting to feel labored and my throat felt like it was closing. I recognized the symptoms of an allergic reaction and quickly headed to the bathroom medicine cabinet where I knew we had Benadryl. I quickly opened the package and took two pills from their protective foil packaging breaking one in half as I did and as I tilted my head back to swallow them down I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror. HOLY.CRAP. My face looked like botox gone horribly wrong. My lips were enormous and while I always thought my upper lip could use a bit of fullness my lips looked like several bees attacked them. My eyes were huge, my face round as a balloon and my nose…wow, my nose looked like I had just gone 10 rounds with a heavyweight champion. This was bad, this was serious and in the back of my head all I could think about was the fact that I couldn’t call 911 because we don’t have health insurance yet. How stupid is that? Just another indicator of how far we’ve fallen. My sister the nurse already told me she would have taken me to the hospital she works at that is nonprofit where they don’t refuse people without insurance.

In retrospect the fear and panic was probably a good thing. They probably pumped a lot of much needed adrenaline into my system. In retrospect I wish I would have taken photos of my huge lips and balloon like face to share with you LOL.

Within about 10 minutes the Benadryl started to work, with each breath I could feel the air reaching deeper into my lungs. I’m thinking it was probably a good thing that one of those tablets broke in half, it probably allowed the medication to break down that much faster.

The rest of the afternoon wasn’t pleasant with the various symptoms but my sister stayed with me until 1:30 when she had to leave to go to work. I don’t even remember calling for her. I think the most remarkable thing I noticed was how Max and Sadie reacted. They knew something was wrong before I did and once I started to panic, Max followed me around and stayed with me until I was better when I felt lightheaded, he was right there next to me on the sofa, licking my face.

I’ve never had such a severe reaction to food before, I’ve had soy burgers before without incident but perhaps there was something in the sausage that I’m allergic to? I won’t be eating more to find out. I should note that my sister enjoyed a piece of quiche and had no allergic reaction. I won’t be trying the greenwise veggie products again because I have no way of knowing which ingredient caused the allergic reaction.

All I can say is, if you ever have symptoms of severe allergic reaction take action quickly and call emergency services. Severe allergic reaction can result in death. I was very very lucky. My reaction was bad but at least I didn't go into shock and /or cardiac arrest.

Wednesday Weigh In

Just to report in for Tales from the Scales. No change in my weight. I'm maintaining and I'm okay with that. I'm enjoying the holiday season and I will return to my regularly scheduled weight loss blast off in January.

And so the party season begins

We had a wonderful time at the party on Saturday night. The evening started and Ken was terribly bored, not really wanting to put on a fake smile and socialize with people he doesn't know that well. I left him at the table fussing over the camera while I made the rounds around the room. He really isn't a social person in that way and finds it very difficult to make small talk. Unlike me who can walk into a room of strangers and know everyone and their life story by the end of the night. He is convinced I have TELL ME YOUR SECRETS stamped on my forehead LOL

Of course the tables were assigned seats, the hostess's way of making sure there is adequate mingling going on. We were seated with a couple I knew fairly well, a man I didn't really care for prior to the night but his girlfriend ended up being delightful and another woman who I didn't know at all. There were two empty spots at our table directly to the left of Ken as the evening started, half way through the salad, a couple showed up but I had never seen them before.

As we heard them talking to the single woman I didn't know, I heard an English accent but I couldn't quite place where. They both had accents from different parts of England and we did a bit of speculating over dinner as to the specific region. After the main course was served and we were passing around the coffee caraf while waiting for the CAKE (yes I ate cake) to show up, I found a moment and introduced ourselves. It turned out that they were indeed from England and while she was originally from the north, she moved to the south at a young enough age to have her northern accent soften. The man as it turned out was from the SAME place as Ken! Well that was it, he had someone to talk to for the rest of the night. He has lived in the states for 15 years so his accent has softened but once he started laughing and talking to Ken you could hear that accent coming right back out again. We all compared stories about England, life in Florida vs life in England. We all agreed England...nice to visit but we don't want to live there, too bloody cold. I smiled and laughed as they talked with lust in their eyes about Christmas Puddings. We compared shopping tips and where to find all of the English food favorites. We told them where to find Christmas pudding and mince pies and they told us about a fish and chips shop that I know Ken wants to visit VERY soon. Fish and chips are one of the things he really misses. I may surprise him and take him up there after he gets his first paycheck to "celebrate" his new job. I'm hoping they serve something other than fish and chips because while I do enjoy fish and chips, they are far too greasy for me to eat. Yes, our hostess did a really good job putting us with the English couple. I thanked her for that several times.

I also got a chance to see some friends I hadn't seen in almost a year. I heard a few sad stories and got a chance to catch up with some lovely people who I respect and admire greatly. I thought the banquet food would be blah but honestly, I'd give it a 9/10, it was really delicious and the banquet staff were awesome! All in all the night was a lot of fun. Unfortunately Ken brought our little Cannon camera and not my new Sony and the shots didn't turn out that great. As soon as I have time this week, I'll go through them and see if there are any worth posting.

A Must See Inspirational Story

This was on ABC morning show yesterday, the story of Nancy Makin and her whopping 500 pound weight loss without surgery!

Check it out HERE


You can also check out her website

My LUCKY Week!!!

I'm so excited!! I won this gift pack from Wrigleys!!!

Hopeful Loser had hosted the Biggest Loser Blog tour, click HERE to read about it and I was one of the lucky people selected to receive this gift pack!!

Its a water bottle in a carry bag that has a zip compartment big enough for my cellphone, keys and poo bags (for Max and Sadie, not me LOL), an eight pack of Wrigleys Supermint Gum (it really is super minty and delish!!) , a pedometer (I really needed one) and the Biggest Loser Workout volume 2!! I'm just so excited! Yes, its set up on a storage tote, I was sorting winter clothes since they keep promising cooler weather...it was in the 80's again today. I just want low 70's for a few weeks. I have sweaters that MUST be worn because next year, they will be WAY too big! (hows that for a positive mental outlook Monica)

This really has been an amazing week. You know I've never won anything in my life and just this week. This arrived!! I also got the way cool Sonicare toothbrush from Bzzagent and best of all, Ken got a job. I think this means that our luck has finally turned for the better and we are on our way to rebuilding our lives. Maybe we should buy a lottery ticket too, LOL

Tonight we have a banquet to go to. Even though I left the company at the end of October, I was still invited to the banquet. I'm really looking forward to one last party with some of the very good friends I've made over the past two years, its sure to be bitter sweet. Ken will not be wearing a suit and tie this year because its just too bloody hot...still. Typically I'd tell him to suck it up and just wear it anyhow but for this crowd, it won't be necessary. Its held at a really nice banquet facility. Its a sit down dinner. Last year people showed up wearing extremely casual clothes. I was really disappointed for our hostess because she always makes such an effort to give us a nice party. I'm going to wear something with sparkle, something holiday appropriate because 1. I have something that I've never worn and its now or never, next year it will be way too big, 2. Its a holiday party and you should dress nice at a holiday party and 3. I'm giving a speech and I like to look nice standing at the podium stammering over my words. Actually last year when I gave a speech at this banquet, I got a standing ovation, months later, people were still telling what a great speech. Crap I'm a hard act to follow, lol.

I don't know what next year will hold. I just have a feeling its the start of something new, something better.

And because its the first of December, that means a new masthead, I had made a few versions for December but this is the one I settled on in the end, of course I may change things up a bit as the month goes on, just to keep things fun and interesting....I guess you'll just have to check back to see what kind of decorations I put around here in December. Someone always asks about my mastheads, so I'll just say it here, I design them using a program called Adobe Indesign and export them as .jpg files. I'm sure there are designers out there who will point out my flaws and tell me I should be using Photoshop to create these but InDesign is just easier for me, it feels like an extension of my brain. I'm not loving it this month, its dark and moody, sort of reflecting how I felt when I made it a few weeks ago.