Today is a new day

I mentioned at the beginning of 2009 that I was going to make a point to do my daily reading, journaling (and exercising?) every day....not to play catch-up later. I have been doing it. There has been no letting up. I have been neglectful of this blog, but unfortunately, I don't have an epiphany everyday.

Because of the snow day today, I did my daily reading this morning in bed while the kids watched TV. I read a very powerful excerpt from a book titled Hope For Today. "...Coming to terms wtih my history and letting go of it....allows me to enjoy today and to move into the future....I (have to) give my self the chance to have a better day."

Although, not WW material, this really hit home for me, esp. since I have been arguing with myself about my 3/4 journal (you know--the one where I did not write down any of my dinners) and calculating the points for dinner, along with drinking my milk.

All of this almost happened just by accident. I did not mean to forget. I just did. I wrote down everything else. It did not even dawn on me that this was happening until I went back to reflect on what I did this week. I realized what happened BECAUSE of my reflection. Thank God I was writing it down (or not) so that I could figure this out.

Anyway, what .....lost my train of thought....had to go deal with very hyper children.

Today I measured, calculated and documented points for dinner. I still have one left. I know, right? What do you do with one point? Perhaps a glass of wine and some Weekly Points Allowance, but not before a workout.

I know that I can forgive myself for the mistakes I made yesterday and start over today, if I need to.

Today's diddy: "The difference between FAT and FIT is 'I'."--Author Unknown

"If it is to be, it is up to me"

This is so true. I am the only one who can make my lifestyle changes. I am the only one who can lose my weight. I am the only one who can control my thoughts and actions. I am the only one responsible for me.

The following poem is from a leader in Oklahoma:

Changing negatives to positives, that is the key

If I want to get healthy it's all up to me

The plan really works. It's been proven, you see

If I want to get healthy, it's all up to me

I'll set short-term goals, new behaviors I'll see

If I want to get healthy it's all up to me

It's never too late to set old habits free

If I want to get healthy it's all up to me

I'm fee to make choices I understand how

My life will be better starting right now

I'll reward my successes, confident I will be

My new healthy lifestyle shows me all I can be

I love being here for you. I also love being here for me. I hope that you will (if you don't already) feel the same way too.

I have to be the one who makes the decision. Have you made your decision? What are you willing to do to make weight-loss happen for you? What are you willing to commit to today? There is no waiting until tomorrow. Tomorrow will never come. The decision has to be made NOW. You are important NOW. Tomorrow may be too late. What ARE you waiting for?

There will always be a reunion, a wedding, a holiday, a gathering of some kind, someone in from out of town, something that "throws your week off". The decision has to be made to not let that happen. We have the tools. Let's use them.

I am willing to write down what I eat for dinner (some reason this one has been forgotten lately). I am willing to measure out and count up the points in what is made for dinner, EVEN if it means dinner gets on the table 10-15 minutes late. (This too, has been a downfall of mine this week.) I am willing to drink the correct amount of milk each day. (Some days I don't WANT to give up the points for milk, even though I KNOW I should.)

There. Now you have my commitment for the rest of the week. What about you?! What are you going to do?

I found all the answer (in our manual) to the question that needed to be answered. I hope that everyone stays tuned for some good information Saturday.

Stay warm. Be safe. Don't go out if you don't have to. Make a snow angel. Throw a snowball.

Expect a big crowd Saturday, the Tuesday meeting is being cancelled because of the weather.

Today's diddy: "Great works are performed not by strength, but by perserverance." --Samuel Jackson

What ARE you hungry for?

Sometimes I feel like we just don't have enough time in the meeting to cover everything that needs be covered. I hope that what we do talk about is helpful for YOU. I also hope that you don't feel slighted at all, because of this. I try to allow for freedoms without straying too much for those who want to hear the message.

JUST one of the many things I love about this job is that people come up to me after the meeting to talk. I love being there for you. I hope that it helps. Today one very "on track" woman came up to me after the meeting to tell me a very powerful story. (So don't get mad if I repeat this next week, OK?)

A very caring woman was working with a group of overweight teenagers. These were not just "average" overweight teens, they were hundreds of pounds overweight. (Side note: I cannot relate with being THAT overweight, because I have not been there. However, I CAN relate to being so overweight that I was depressed. I was disgusted with myself. I had low self-esteem. I was just not happy. You know what I am talking about, right?!)

At the beginning of this very powerful, moving journey that this woman spent with the teens, she asked in her most caring voice, "What are you hungry FOR?" Make sure to put emphasis on the 'for'. Think about this.

This is kind of what we were talking about today. Is it really food? Or is it companionship? is it the "feel good" feeling? is it happiness? is it comfort? is it dreamy (you know as if you are someone else somewhere else)? Perhaps it is another feeling or emotion you are wanting to feed.

Is food the answer?

WOW!!!!! THAT is some powerful stuff right there. That is so powerful, it could leave a mark.

I will let you ponder that for a bit as I need to do some additional research on the points question from this morning. I have part of my answer from my manager, but need to find the rest of the answer in our manual. I will have good stuff to share with you Saturday. I hope you are there. We could all use some good information.

In the meantime, today's diddy is:
"What are you willing to do this week in order to lose weight? DO IT!!" --Dorothy Young, Receptionist

Apply Past Knowledge

Isn't this what life and WW is all about? If we don't learn from our mistakes, we don't learn. Remember when you were trying to teach your child a life lesson or just something simple. I suppose to the really young ones, something simple IS a life lesson. You know, like don't put your hand in the hinge side of the door while closing it...your fingers will get smashed. Or, pull your pants down all the way before you go potty.....or your pants will get weeeee'd on. (boy or girl) Or, tie your shoes all the way....you may trip. How about: use your words instead of your fists.....you'll get a lot more accomplished.

At our house we call them learning opportunities or learning experience.

What do we learn in WW from which we can learn?

• I learned that I do better on each day when I take my vitamin.
• I learned that if I don't track what I eat, I will OVEReat.
• I learned that exercising makes me feel good.
• I learned that I HAVE to be held accountable with someone else.
• I learned that Measuring out my food and weighing it helps me keep my portions the right size.
• I learned that when I do weigh my food, I generally get more food for the points.
• I learned that I have support at my WW meeting.
• I learned that there are people I can call if I need to who understand how I am feeling and what I am going through.
• I learned that it is easier for me to do the right thing when I ask for help from those around me.

And all of these things, I have learned from making mistakes. Some were easy to spot, others I needed someone to point them out. Some were easy to fix, some not-so-much.

Let's all try a little harder to keep our fingers out of the doorway, so we don't get pee'd on.

Today's diddy: "I've never made a mistake. I've only learned from experience." --Thomas Edison

Slacking....or just out of things to say?

I am not sure what is happening to me lately. I know. I used to blog daily. Not so much anymore it seems like, huh?

Saturday we were really busy putting together new electronic equipment. For whatever reason, this took the better part of 5 hours. I had to meet with a friend later and still be a (step-) mom to everyone in the house until then. Sunday we had church, groceries, cleaning and dinner at my mom's.

You know what is fabulous? My mom and her husband made a dinner and actually took my WW program into account. I did not realize that I spoke this much about it to them. Maybe I don't. Maybe I just work it and they "see" it. I did not gorge on as many cookies this Christmas as I had in the past. Maybe they saw that.

Anyway, we had pork steaks, mashed potatoes, corn and gravy. I know, right? Fat, starch and starch. What a meal. And how do I think that they took me into consideration? Well, my mother's husband asked if my son needed a smaller plate. I said, "He doesn't, but I do." I was accommodated. It was nice. I ate only what I "needed"....less than one steak, 1 spoonful of potatoes, and one also of corn. No seconds. The best part is: no one balked at me and my plate size.

Dessert: Sugar-free jello with strawberries and whipcream. YUM.

Then, I got to educate my (nurse) mom on diet. I know that she knows this stuff, but I suppose we forget when we don't use it regularly. Her and her husband are trying to lose weight. Of course, he is doing better than she. Isn't that the way it always goes. Guys before gals.

She is frustrated because she had a big bagel with cream cheese and an orange for mid-morning breakfast so she did not eat lunch. What is wrong with this picture? No lunch. Big bagel. Cream cheese. Gee, mom. Let's look at this again.

I want her to do well. I think it would be worth her while to make it to a WW meeting. I'm not sure she would ever listen to me when I say that. She really likes to eat when she wants, what she wants and how she wants.

Today has been a good day so far. Lunch was fun. I had what felt like to me a HUUUUUGE bowl of fruit for zero points. I weighed out each individually, each equalling zero. YUM. Naturally, I supplemented with a sugar-free chocolate pudding. Later, the kids want me to make smoothies. 2 plastic (Solo) cups for 2 points total. More YUM.

This coming Saturday we will be finishing our fourth week of the year. How are you doing with your goals? Are you making it? What major change have you made in order to make that happen? Are you being consistent? Are you being faithful to yourself? Are you taking time for you?

Re-evaluate your progress every 3-4 weeks. Check that you are on track, making progress.

I will tell you that I am getting ready to complete my 4th goal of my new journey. I know that it will happen this week, along with consistantly staying at my 10 pound loss. (You know how one day it is here, and the next it is gone, but then returns a day or two later.)

Today's diddy: "Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. " --John Heywood.

Just a simple poem...

The Bottom Line

by Anonymous

Face it.

Nobody owes you a living.

What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime

is directly related to what you do

or fail to do.

No one chooses his parents or childhood

but you can choose your own direction.

Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome

but that too is relative to each individual.

Nothing is carved in stone.

You can change anything in your life

if you want to badly enough.

Excuses are for losers.

Those who take responsibility for their actions

are the real winners in life.

Winners meet life's challenges head on

knowing there are no guarantees

and give it all they've got.

It's never too late or too early to begin.

Time plays no favorites

and will pass whether you act or not.

Take control of your life.

Dare to dream and take risks.

If you aren't willing to work for your goals,

don't expect others to.

Believe in yourself.

I thought this was motivational enough to be THE blog and the diddy. I hope that you get as much out of it as I did. Love you.

Relay For Life

I would like to get a group together to participate in Relay For Life. There are two to choose from. May 1-2 or May 8-9. May 1 is in Festus at the high school track. The other is at the high school track in the Northwest R1 school district.

Free to sign up. Booths and things to pay for along the way. It is all to raise money. Stay as late as you want. Party ends at 6am. Plenty of things to do for the whole family.

Think about it and we will talk.

I might be back later, so I am not giving you a diddy yet.