2013, a year in photos

March 2013 -- HORRIBLE HAIRCUT!

May 2013

May 2013

September 2013

October 2013

December 2013

Day 160

So today I haven't exercised because I have been on the go all day. I'd say I've burned a few calories with all the walking I did. I didn't track my calories, but I really haven't ate that much. So I think I'm ok. I'll be back home in my normal routine tomorrow. So hopefully, I'll get to work out and track calories. I did drink my 8 glasses of water though. Bai took a pic of Michael and I today, just thought I'd share.

Day 130 and Day 131

Yesterday was Day 130 of this journey to health and happiness. The boys and I spent the whole day here at home and Michael opened at work. During the summer I love when he opens. This means we get to spend the whole evening together. Even if that means working around the house, we are together, and that makes me so happy.

Food was eh, not the best in the world. I didn't have any structured cardio, but I did do Tone Up Your Arms. My right foot felt like I was starting to get a blister on the bottom front. Then my left ankle was tender and I could barely bend my big toe on the left foot. I think that walking almost ten miles in two days was just too much at once. I believe I may be landing on my foot improperly. I had this happen in high school and needed physical therapy for a few months. I still remember most of the exercises to strengthen the muscles, so I'm going to start doing them before bed and see if it helps.

On a more positive note, I noticed that I am starting to get a muscle in both my forearm and bicep. I was ecstatic. I have very little upper body strength, but I really hope to change that. Someday, I'd like to be able to do real push ups and even a pull up when I have lost enough weight.

But seriously, I need to get my eating in check. No joke. I have to get this crap food out of this house and get a truck load of healthy food in here. I'm going to the grocery store tomorrow. I don't care if I have to walk!

I was suppose to go shopping today. Which happens to be day 131. But Michael's truck is messed up again. We changed the coil pack, plugs, plug wires, and rinsed out the radiator. Yeah, it starts, it runs, but now the idiotic thing is overheating. Michael thinks maybe he put one of the hoses to the heater core (I think is what he called it) back on wrong. So hopefully we can get that lined out tomorrow while he is off. I just pray it didn't destroy the truck when it overheated. That'd be our luck. Anyway, he had to drive our other car today and he worked 11-8 so my grocery trip didn't happen. Tomorrow.. one way or the other.

My feet were feeling better today so I hopped on the treadmill. I walked a mile and a half before the bottom of my foot started to feel sore again. I didn't want to push it any further than that. I don't need a blister. That'd ruin my walking for a week. I also did Tone Up Your Arms. Food wasn't ideal again today but it will be tomorrow. I'm going to try really hard to clean up my eating.

After working out, I took a quick shower and grabbed some lounge pants and my favorite ol' ratty tank. When I put them on, I noticed that they are starting to get pretty loose and that feels great. I had Bailey (my ten year old) snap a couple pics of me. I know the scales haven't moved since the last time I took pics, but I do feel thinner.

This is the same shirt in the before and during photos. 

 

What do you think? Honestly?

READY FOR SUMMER Challenge Week 6 Check-In and Week 7 Goals

Sorry I am late to the game this go-round. I've not been my normal self the last few days. Just to show you I did at least attempt a little exercise this week... here is a pic of DH an I after a small hike in the mountains here around our house. 

Weight Loss :: Lose 2 lbs.  

Success or failure? Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it.  Last Sunday I weighed in at 284.0. On Friday morning I was at 282.9. A 1.1 lb loss so far for the week. Then, Aunt Flo showed up a week early. I've been beyond bloated and an emotional nutcase. On Saturday morning I was 287.0!  Over a 4 lb gain over night! So who knows.

Sunday, April 29 :: 284.0 
Monday, April 30 :: Didn't weigh 
Tuesday, May 1 :: 284.0 
Wednesday, May 2 :: 283.4 
Thursday, May 3 :: 283.4 
Friday, May 4 :: 282.9 AF 
Saturday, May 5 :: 287.0 AF 
Sunday, May 6 :: 288.0 AF

I'm going to go with what I weighed on Friday and just wait it out til next week and see where I land. 

SW: 293.8
W1: 292.8 (-1)
W2: 292.0 (-0.8) 
W3: 292.0 (-0)
W4: 289 (-3)
W5: 284.0 (-5)
W6: 282.9 (-1.1)
CW:282.9 (-10.9) Total so far.  

NSV :: Make it 3 days without Diet Coke. 

Yeah, this didn't happen. Not even close. 

Exercise :: Attempt P90X Plyometrics with my husband again. Make it further than the 21 minutes we made it last time.  

Nope. Didn't do it. 

Nutrition :: Track every single calorie. Even if I eat out, even if I eat crap, even if I go over.. track it! Be accountable for my actions! 

Haha. No, not even going to go there.

Now that week 6 is over, I'm ready to pull my self back together and get on with it. I'm praying week 7  is a good one. I'm not reaching for the stars this week. I'm just hoping to make it through. 

Weight Loss :: Manage to land on anything below 282.9. Any loss at all will thrill me. 

NSV :: Try not to be a nutcase all week and get my motivation back.

Exercise :: Put a serious effort into getting some form of exercise, everyday!

Nutrition :: Try not to eat crap.

Good luck this week!

Day 124

I haven't felt top notch today. My allergies are killing me. I think the pollen count must be high. My nose has been runny, my ears hurt, my eyes are watering and itching, sneezing like mad, and if that isn't bad enough I've had a headache from down below.

Bai and I went back to bed after we got Dalt off to school. The public school was having field day all day today, so I let Bai take it easy too. Well, at least for 1/2 of the day. The rest of the day he spent on his end of the year math assessment. He did ok, 84%. He could have done better, because the problems he missed weren't even the hard ones. They were the very basic ones. I'm proud of him though, because at the beginning of the year, when we first took him out of public school, he had a low 50% on the very same test.  Tomorrow he does his reading assessment.

When I picked Dalton up from school today, he was soaked to the bone. His entire body was wet. He said the last 15 minutes of school they played some sort of wet sponge game on the football field. It was very hot here today. 86* but it felt much hotter. The humidity was insane. Five minutes outside and your clothes were sticking to your body. So, I am sure they had a blast getting soaked.

I did the whole cook and clean thing until Michael came home from work. After we ate, we took the boys for a hike. I don't know the exact distance, but I'd say it was a good mile. We went out around the hill to where they strip mining company has been rebuilding the road. It's been dry the last few days, so the mud was pretty well dried up or it wouldn't have been possible.

Before we left the house, Dalton found himself a little friend. I thought he was going to take the little one along, but he tossed him soon after.

He of course had to pull his socks up before we could go for a hike. He pulls up on his socks more than anyone I have ever met in my life. We've tried every brand on the market. None will stay where he wants them.

Oh, look! Another little friend.

Finally, we are on the move.

Maybe a 1/2 mile up the hill from our house we saw this. No clue who made it or why. Bai said it is Big Foot's Hut. However I assume it is some of the local teenagers who like to come into the mountains and have a good time.

Michael brought a shovel along to try and ditch some of the mud puddles. Bai thought he had to help on the way down to the pond.

This was taken standing in the same spot as the photo above. The road splits. You can go down to go to a pond or on up the road.

My men are checking out the muddy pond in this one. The strip miners had to clean out the mess they made in it. Now it looks like one big mud puddle instead of a pond.

There were a few deer tracks along the way, but no actual deer.

After a hike up the mountain that caused our hearts to beat like drums, we made it to the end of the "road" . Well, the dozer had went on up to the main top of the mountain as you can see in the photo, but the "road" wasn't cleared enough to bother trying to climb up this evening. So we stopped here.

Bai took this photo. He said the holes in the rock were a cross. I wouldn't have noticed. He pays a lot of attention to detail.

Michael and I... all sweaty and skanky.

On the way back down, Michael ditched a few more muddle puddles which were huge and never going to dry up. We found this little guy as the water drained out.

 Michael was in deep thought as he watched the water clear out.

 Not long after, we headed back down the hill and to the house.

Sorry, I don't have more photos of Bailey. He would not put his shirt on long enough for me to take pics. He was roasting. Like I said, the humidity was insane and we were drenched with sweat by the time we got back to the house.

I didn't do any further walking tonight. I just haven't felt up to it. I did get my water in, but food has been so-so. Hopefully I can get lined back out tomorrow.

Day 123

Yesterday was day 123. It was a long, busy, and emotional day. I helped Bai with school work, cooked, cleaned, done dishes, picked D up from school, and then cooked and cleaned a little more. I also bathed our Shih Tzu Sophie, again! She is the craziest Shih Tzu I've ever seen. A wonderful inside dog while she is inside, but the second you let her outside she hits mud puddles or sand piles wide open. She doesn't just splash through them. She rolls in it. I love her to bits, but I just don't have the time and energy to try to keep her clean. We can't let her hair get over an inch long or it is matted in a couple days. There is no way I could bath her every single day and it wouldn't be good for her either. So, we keep her hair short... which eventually runs into money. So I've taken on cutting her hair myself. I've been doing it for about a year now. It by no means looks professional, but it is easy to wash and doesn't get matted.

I walked a mile on the treadmill last night, and did so only because I made myself. I had no desire to walk at all. I was too emotional. I cried a lot yesterday over the transplant issues. Food wasn't great, but the scale stayed dead even this morning. At least there wasn't a gain. I didn't binge, but I ate more than I should have.

Happiness and Sadness

Should I start with the good news or the bad news?

Ok, I'll go with the good news. My sister Opal is going to be crossmatched and possibly give my Mom a kidney very soon. Today is my Mom's 69th Birthday, what gift is better than that?

Now, for the bad news. The transplant center called me around 10:30 this AM. They said that I am their first choice out of us girls (Opal, Missy, and myself) to try to crossmatch. I have the best overall health. However, I am still about 20 lbs over the BMI cut off. The doctors won't even attempt to crossmatch me until I have a BMI under 40 because it is an elective surgery. So they are going to crossmatch Opal. I cried my eyes out. I don't care who Mom gets the kidney from, as long as she gets one. However, it is devastating to hear that you are the first choice but you are too fat.

Yikes! Motivation!

When you are lacking motivation... look through old photos.

I went from this: 

 To this:

by emotional eating.  Pretty scary!

Here is a current photo. At least 50 more lbs to go before I get back to that 1st photo. But, I can do this!

Day 105

I have got to stay away from the campground! On the upside we did play 3 games of horseshoes and I walked 1.25 miles.

I'm the one in grey holding the bright pink dot in between turns.

 

This is a horrific side view of myself with my niece's hubby.

Myself and the pink dot (my great niece) up close.

Thanks to my sis for the pics :) 

READY FOR SUMMER Challenge Week 2 Check-In

The end of week 2 ... it has been a very long week. Preparing for Easter has been absolutely exhausting.

My goals for this past week were:

Weight loss :: Lose at least 2 lbs. More would be great, but I really want to lose at least 2 lbs this week.

My weight on Friday morning was 289.0 (-3.8). That put me down 40.2 lbs and was the last time I had a chance to weigh this crazy holiday weekend. I did weigh this morning (Monday) but AF showed up during the night and I am bloated like a balloon 292.0 (-0.8). 

NSV (Non-Scale Victory) :: See a change in my measurements. Even a tiny change. You can see my progress so far, HERE.

I'm not doing measurements with AF here. Even my fingers are swelled. I did have a NSV though. I easily fit into my non-stretch, no-elastic waist, button up, size 24 jeans from Maurices.

THEY FIT!

Exercise :: Work out at least 5x.  

I didn't make it 5x this week. I got in 4. However, one of those days  I walked 4 miles which was a new record for me.

Nutrition :: No eating out, count my calories everyday, and stay within my pre-set goals on My Fitness Pal.

Ok, so this one didn't go so well. It's Easter weekend!

I'm ready for WEEK 3. I think I will keep my goals the same as they were this week. It is going to be great. Good luck everyone!!

Day 99

Easter! Lots-o-Food, not so Lots-o-Exercise.

Michael and I after church. 

THEY FIT!

On an upside.. I comfortably fit into my size 24 non-stretch jeans from Maurices!

Day 85

Today has been a good day. I wish I had got up and went to church, but I didn't. I was just too tired and maybe too lazy. I slept til almost noon. Yes, noon!!!

Michael, the boys, and I went to Mom and Dad's to eat dinner with the family. I ate too much I am sure, but I haven't ate much since so maybe it will be OK tomorrow when I weigh in.

I managed to get all my water in today and only had a sip of a Diet Coke. I'm pretty proud of that. I really really love my Diet Coke. I don't know what it is about it.. but it just makes my day to crack a cold one open.

I didn't work out this afternoon as Michael was working on my treadmill in the middle of the living room floor. He adjusted the belt and for now it isn't slipping. It is just a quick fix and we will need a new belt in the future, but it works, for now. When he finished, he looked at me and said "There you go, honey! Walk until your little legs fall off." LMBO! He is pretty great.

As if getting my treadmill back in working order didn't make me happy enough... my KENTUCKY WILDCATS advanced to the FINAL FOUR!! Go Cats!!!!

I'm not sure who this photo originally belonged to... but someone has shared it on FB and I couldn't resist posting it here.

"Cardinal: Oh no way, not UK again !!! (Sniffing)

Pitino: Oh shut up, stupid bird !!!!"

Haha!! Watch out Louisville!!!!

READY FOR SUMMER Challenge Week 1!

I normally do my official weigh-in on Sunday, so for week one I am starting out at 293.8 lbs. You can see all the ultimate goals I have set for the 10 week challenge, HERE.

Here are my goals for WEEK 1 ::

1. Weight loss :: Lose at least 2 lbs. More would be great, but I really want to lose at least 2 lbs this week.
2. NSV (Non-Scale Victory) :: See a change in my measurements. Even a tiny change. You can see my progress so far, HERE.
3. Exercise :: Work out at least 5x. 
4. Nutrition :: No eating out, count my calories everyday, and stay within my pre-set goals on My Fitness Pal. 

There is also a mini-challenge for this week. It is ::  Try a new vegetable, fruit, or other healthy dish of your choice, that you've never had before.

 Current Measurements

Neck: 16.5

Right Wrist: 6.75

Bust: 54

Band: 49

Waist: 56

Hips: 60

Right Arm: 17

Right Thigh: 29

Right Calf: 18

Right Ankle: 10

Good luck, everyone!!!!

I found some old pics!

These are from my weight loss journey last time (2007)

Before pics.. around 307 lbs..

 These were after I lost about 50 lbs. I'd say around 250 lbs.

 I'd kill to be that size again... I will be and even smaller someday.. Sad thing is that I was much smaller than these photos before I started gaining it back. Ugh..