Getting up!

T'was the week before Christmas... dinner parties, family gatherings, cookie baking frenzies... you'd think all this leads me to overeat and throw in the towel once and for all.
Well, all this is showing me that I can't go on like this anymore.
These last few months have been such a struggle for me, even to just get up in the morning, let alone plan a healthy menu for our family.
I really want to change, I have been so miserable.
SO....

I signed up for a challenge today.
Accountability is something challenging all on it's own, but being accountable to others who depend on me to participate... wow!
I really hope Mir picks me to join!
That's all for now!
Casey

My Birthday Gift!

This morning for my 41st Birthday, I stepped on the scale after avoiding it for quite a few weeks.

My gift to myself is awareness and a plan for better health.

Stay tuned...
Casey

Same old, same old

Well, the numbers aren't moving much, but then neither am I.
I hate posting the negative so this will be short.
The last 2 weeks have been busy and stressfull.
- Husband was hospitalized with a nasty stomache virus.
- Had a VERY stressful situation with my mother-in-law. It ended ok, though. With her apologizing for the first time since I've known her!
- Had a routine dr. appointment, which ended up not so routine. She put me on BP meds, which I frown upon!! Also, she wants me to have a mammogram, my first, and I will probably dislike doing that too! But my appointment is for tomorrow morning, so I'll just do it and be done! Then she wants me to see a plastic surgeon to remove a sore in my nose - I've had it for months and she says it needs checking. She said another surgeon could remove it, but since it's my nose... she wanted a specialist doing it!
- And it's cold here. Since we are in the southern hemisphere, it's winter now and I'm cold. Hardly anyone has central heating in their houses down here. We just make sure we have A/C for the summer. So we've got fireplaces, portable electric heaters and the A/C turned on warm to stay toasty. I usually like the cold, but the last few years I just don't like it very much.

And last but not least, my weigh in
Beginning weight:  279 lbs
Last week's weight: 253.7 lbs
Todays weigh in: 254.4 lbs

Floating around the 250's! Blah!

But even still, have a great week!
Casey

Weigh-In!

Weigh-In!

Yesterdays post that wasn't!

Monday weigh-in!
It was awful, people!!
My bad habits have finally caught up with me on the scale.
I guess I figured since I wasn't gaining with all my slip-ups, I could just cruise on the way I was up until now.
Well last Monday already showed me a gain, which then went back down the next day. But I haven't been on the scale since then and yesterday was in for a shock... 259.2lbs. Today could be better, but I decided not to get on the scale this morning. You know why? Well, I needed that almost 6lbs gain from my lowest weight to remind me that I can't keep doing this the easy was,... because it doesn't work!
If I really want to lose weight, I need to work harder at it.
The renovation work in my kitchen was a reason/excuse to not eat as healthy as I could have, and it was hard getting exercise in with all the people working in my house.
No more! My kitchen is done and I am so excited about all the healthy cooking and baking I'll be doing in there.
Some things I struggle with and want to work on this coming week are...

1. tracking my food - started that again yesterday and want to keep it going.
2. plan my menu - not only for my benefit, but I know it'd be good for my whole family
3. make time for a daily work-out - mornings are best for me, and I want to really try to make this happen

These might be a little too general, but I really am looking for ways to implement the plan.
Hoping to report great progress throughout the week!

Casey

New Kitchen!!! Before and After Pictures

I would be really embarrassed to post these before pictures if I didn't have an after.
We have been living in this house for 10 years and never had the money to have a kitchen installed. We borrowed a countertop and cabinet from my parents, bought a cheap sink (still had to put bowls in to wash the dishes because they leaked), and had a bunch of wicker shelves to help me put stuff in.
Even looking at these before pictures today, only a week after clearing the kitchen for the new stuff, makes me wonder how I could have lived this way for so long!
Since we don't have alot of building codes to follow here it's not unusual for new homeowners (at least when you build your own home) to cook in makeshift conditions like this.
So, after 17 years of marriage and 10 living in our own home, I now have my dream kitchen. I am so overwhelmed, and I even feel a little guilty enjoying all these new appliances. But like everyone tells me, I deserve it!! :)

This is all the same portion of the wall. The before, the during and the after!

It was so hard to keep the kitchen neat and tidy the way it was. I grumbled about it at least 3 times a day! Now I have to remember to be grateful for it at least as often. Somehow I don't think that will be difficult!

So, there it is! Finally finished. This dream of mine has come true, and it more lovely than I even imagined!
Hoping to cook real healthy meals here, and not too many brownies and potato casseroles!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!
Casey