Day 444 - March 21, 2009

I'm Back !!!

Wow I know if has been a long time, and the last time I blogged was back in January where I told all of you that I was back on track, yada, yada, yada.... Well Here I am 444 days into this weight loss extravaganza and still have not reached my goal.. the only setback in all is me.. no one else, just plain old me...

I try to over analyze what it is that I am doing wrong and why it's so hard for me to realize that doing this will only save my life and will help me live a longer life.. and I need to do it for me.. no one else.. just me...

Here is my commitment.. That I will reach my goal by the end of this year... That I will start taking seriously my health and start taking care of myself first and foremost... I will stop looking for the miracle to help me reach my goal and just stick with the basics of eating healthy meals, counting calories, keeping my journal and exercising.. Spring is here ( even though you wouldn't think that from the 40 degree weather we are having, but yes.. I am on track again, and this time it's for good...

Anyone want to join me on my goal to leading a healthy life style??? Thanks again for all your support and encouragement !!

Day 368 - Jan. 5th 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Well here is it 2009... and guess what? I am not 100 less... nope didn't make it... Some of you will tell me that it is because I set my goals too high.. some will tell me that I do not have the will power to make this happen, some will tell me that you need to take it one day at a time.. and all is good and true, but the truth comes down that the reason I did not make it is because I put the wrong foods in my mouth and in the wrong quantities.. Point blank.. Why lie and why make up excuses... This is the reason..

So what am I doing differently in 2009 to reach my goal? Well.......

1) On Monday Jan 12, 2009 I will be starting a new program called CINCH.... I won't give you more details than that as I want to stick with it for 2 weeks and then share the results with you...

2) More Water and More Exercise.. Yep the secret to weight loss that so many of you have shared with me...

3) Just get off my butt and make do it....

I can sit here and apologize as to why I have not written for so many days.. but again with the excuses... the holidays, new job and a new year.. and doing a lot of traveling with the new job, that time just goes by.. Look how fast time goes by... one whole year from when I started blogging and the only thing I accomplished was writing.. yeah I did lose 30 + pounds but I should have lost more, and the only reason I did not is because I let my self talk take over my thoughts and my wants and desires... So here is to a new year and a new me...

Let's make 2009 a year to remember !!!

Come back soon for more updates and soon for pictures of my journey to my new healthy life !!!

Day 337 - Dec 5th 2008

Happy Friday... Well let me bring you up to date on this crazy week that I've had... First of all as many of you know I started a new job on Wed. at a company called Saladworks. Its been a fun 3 days so far... and the best part is that all I've eaten these past few days is SALAD !!!

You think that I lose weight??? Today I walked almost 10,000 steps as I was touring stores with a fellow business consultant and we walked the Cherry Hill mall.. Now for those of you who have not had the pleasure of visiting the Cherry Hill Mall... they are in the process of remodeling, so when you want to reach the food court you are walking for miles... When you finally reach the food court you are famish, so hence.. a SALAD is outstanding...

So with all the walking that I have been doing the last few days, the long drive to Pennsylvania everyday and only eating 3 meals a day, and enjoying a balance breakfast, lunch and dinner.. you know what??? Think I will be celebrating my success of losing those pounds very soon....

So here you go.. you are all up to date with what's been going on... I am looking forward to a weight in tomorrow.. as my pants are falling off and I know for sure that I have dropped a few pounds.. Hoping that I can share that great news with you tomorrow...

Enjoy your weekend !!!

Day 334 - Dec. 2, 2008

Hello... yes I know if has been a very long time... too long since I've blogged... Honestly there is no excuse. I don't even know what to say.. Except of course I hope that all of you had a wonderful "Thanksgiving".

So where do I start... Do I start with the lecture that I got from a dear friend who told me to stop all the baloney and start doing... Here words went something like... " you know you can write up a storm, and share all these great tools and websites, and you share all these wonderful things that you learn, but what about action... Take action.. what are you doing... You are blah, blah , blah and nothing... where are you today from 334 days ago.. No where different.. Yeah you learned a lot, but so what.. what did you do with all that information you learn.." - cindy mason

Well you know what she is right... I can write and write, and unless I do... nothing will change.. I won't lie, I learned a lot about what I am doing wrong, but did that change my habits.. no of course not.. did I start drinking more water, or walking.. no of course not.. there is no one else to blame except me.. What can I say - nothing honestly... she is 100% on the money...

So what does that mean for me... a new year is soon approaching.. a year of blogging and nothing new to share in my success.. Yeah I lost 30 pounds but I fell short of where I wanted to be by the end of this year... So where do I go from here...

Well one thing is to realize that I cannot make such a big audacious goal.. I need to take little steps that will become habits and make a last impact.. So in that I have changed my thinking about water consumption and understand the importance in weight loss.. I have started moving a bit more.. and with a new job in just hours... the next 5 weeks will be more moving than I care for... but in the long run it will be great for me...

Eating habits.. as I am eating ask myself if this is what I really need and don't deprive myself of the food that I love.. just need to manage how much I eat.. and I do that already...

So with that said.. as I embark on a new chapter in my life... ( New job in a salad place - think it might help?) I am also making that re commitment that the next time you see me you will say... wow she is following thru on her commitment...

So until then keep coming back here to check up on me, and I promise this time I won't let myself down, as I need to do this for me......

Make it a great day !!!

Day 314 - Nov 12, 2008

Happy Wednesday.. Here we are mid week.. and did we make any progress... NO !!! so what am I doing wrong.. Well let me share something that made so much sense to me:

“This diet will change your life!” You’ve heard that one before, haven’t you?

The problem is, these diets do not change your life, even if they do help you lose weight. They don’t change your life, because they don’t change your LIFE STYLE. When the diet’s over, you end up with the same habits and daily routines that caused the weight gain in the first place.

Dieting without a lifestyle change is like patching a flat tire!

I was introduced to SparkPeople.com to help me make that Life style change... It goes thru 4 stages and the first stage I am starting tomorrow... It's simply setting 3 small goals. ( Cindy you listening.. small goals to reward myself and not fail)

My goals are as follows: drink 8 80z glasses of water a day... Do 15 mins of exercise and write in my "food journal" every day... They are simple and achievable... So this week I will be following and blogging to let you know how I am doing in achieving my first week's goals...

If you get a chance go visit www.sparkpeople.com and join me in my quest for a new life style change...

See you there...!"

Day 310 - Nov.8th 2008

Hello everyone... Here we are on the weekend.. I haven't weigh myself, so I can't share any successes with you, but I can share a a bit of wisdom that a dear friend shared with me... It went like this... She was yelling ( Ok holding me accountable) for not blogging daily and was concern about my posting goals which she felt were setting me up for failure.. Her comments were as follows:

I just read your blog, I see you have set a new goal ! Why do you put the pressure on so hard. You have the rest of your life to deal with these issues. Take the time to do it. Why put so much on your plate that you set yourself up for failure. I used to do that too. I have learned over the past few years to make tiny goals and when i meet them i REWARD myself. I find that when i do that and i take the time to enjoy the wins the losses just don't hurt as much. You have to live life and lets face it depriving yourself of things cant work for any length of time. Just learn to make the (better) choice each and every time. Life is to be lived and not just pushing thru the day to get to the next. So slow down and give yourself some slack enjoy each day as it comes and just make good choices !! (Cindy Mason)

Well talk about a wake up call.. If I take one day at a time I probably will make the right choices instead of looking at a big audacious goal... So what has this done for me... As I think about eating I ask myself what is this going to do for me... ? if it's not something beneficial, then I skip it... and look again.. Yeah it tough but at least I can say that I made a right choice...

So that is where I am today.... taking it one day at a time, and looking forward to a life of daily choices, and the power to choice is the greatest power we have... If I make the right choices on a daily basis I will get to April and be celebrating and I won't be disappointed..

Lesson learned. - Take it one day at a time and make the right choices... ENJOY !!

Day 303 - Nov 1st, 2008

Well Hello everyone.. It's been a while since I've blogged.. Boy where do I start....

We had a wonderful time at my parent's 50th Wedding

Anniversary.... You can tell by the picture that the event was a huge success.... That's me and my Brother Joe...

My parents look awesome as well....

So where do I start with the reason I started this blogging thing.... My goal on January 1st 2008 was to lose 100 pounds by Dec 31st.. here we are on day 303 and only 62 days left till the end of the year and I am no where near my goal..

So I had to make a new goal and celebrate the 30 pounds that I took of to date...

My new goal is now April of 2009. there is no looking back.. Funny thing exchanging emails with my friend Rosie she mentioned to me that I can't give up.. That I came a long way and that I had accomplished so much.. Why turn back now... You know what Rosie.. you are 100% right.. She's been one of my many supporters who yells at me when I don't blog, or I am ready to run to McDonald's for some fries.. and she always reminds me that I am the one who's asked for that support.. Thanks Rosie...

So here we go.. April 1st 2009 it's only about 150 days away.... That's about 1/2 a pound a day... 10,000 steps a day and limiting my caloric intake to 1200 - 1400 a day.. can I do it... Oh yeah !!!

So on we go... Today Nov 1st 2008 I declare my new goal and here I come 70 pounds more.. ( yeah I will not thing that we have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years to binge on..) Nope my goal is set and you will see.. I will make it this time around...

I'll be back.....