A Little Change for Big Results

Hey everyone, it's been a while.  If I said I have done nothing post worthy since March it would be a complete lie, so let's just say I have been too preoccupied with life to sit down and ramble.  A quick blurb to catch you up and then we will get to the meat and potatoes*.  (*stay tuned for the irony)
The Lincles is now THREE.  Seriously where does the time go? It seems like yesterday we were teaching him how to walk, or even celebrating his first tooth.  Now he goes to school (preschool twice a week) and is LOVING it - much to my chagrin (I wanted him to stay my little boy forever - an impossibility I know).  We have taken two trips to Florida this year - Stinks is a great flyer - in addition to our many NH and ME trips.  The new Campy had its inaugural trip just a few weekends ago!  We FINALLY painted some rooms in the house (5 year mark).  All in all we have been keeping busy and HAPPY.

And now that you are semi caught up - the reason for this post.  Recently I decided to tackle the whole weight loss issue again.  As with most people, this is NOT my first time to the buffet (tee hee I couldn't resist).  I have tried Weight Watchers, I have done Curves (which if it wasn't so far away, open short hours and therefore I would need to find a sitter for Linc and a weird time of the day, and SO DARN EXPENSIVE - I would definitely be back at a Curves.  I enjoyed them), I have done regular Joe Schmo Gyms.  There has been discussions with my doctors about different programs and benefits of said programs.  I honestly think that if it out there and not SUPER CRAZY I have tried it.

**Let me stress this now and be done with it - I am NOT trying to turn myself into a size 2 (or hell even size 6) skinny bean pole.  I have never been teeny tiny and I have no ambition to be.  I want to be comfortable and healthy.  I know that the extra padding I carry is not something to be laughed off, especially not the with the health complications swimming in my gene pool.  I want to be fit, not a number.  Let's face it, I would love to follow in Nana's footsteps and live to the ripe old age of 95, spewing advise and creating mayhem where ever I may be. :-D**

Moving on... Brian and I have decided on an ulterior means for keeping our selves on track.  The programs that I have mentioned previously are all well and good, but they cost money - and in some cases LOTS OF IT.  With that in mind, we are determined to be one another support and to "pay" ourselves.  We have set REALISTIC goals (mine is 20lbs in ~3 months) and have rewards outlined for our goals (if, I mean WHEN I reach my goal we get to book a getaway at the Adventure Suites - something that you must know I love).

I have taken to counting calories.  In the beginning I would look up everything I ate.  I noticed within a week that, like you always hear, portion control was a BIG thing with me.  I could easily sit and eat a bag of Jax, not because I was hungry but because it was there.  (My biggest issue is that I LIKE to eat - not that I am hungry but I enjoy eating - lots and lots of water (96+ oz a day) and gum have helped me with this.)  I have curbed those "whole bag snacking" impulses by making my own little snack packs.  For dinner, I would make my plate using measuring cups - finally I got used to the sizes and now don't need the cups anymore.  I was that crazy person at the restaurant that asks for a doggie bag as soon as the meal is brought in order to divide my meal into healthy proportions - DO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE THE CHANGES YOU NEED.  NO ONE CARES IF YOU ASK FOR A DOGGIE BAG AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR MEAL - IF THEY DO THEN YOU CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR OPINION!!!!!!!

I decided on calorie counting for different reasons - 1.) I HATE having to convert things into points.  2.)  I downloaded an app on my phone called MyFitnessPal - I love it.  I have been recruiting people to join with me and I use it as my own little "Weight-loss Facebook" and it is a calorie counter.  3.) Calories are something that are easily determined and it doesn't limit the kinds of food you eat - I didn't want to start something that wouldn't allow me to each cheese, popcorn, or even that occasional piece of birthday cake.  It is all in my control and I determine how to use them.  4.)  Unlike points, I don't use my calorie count as a do or die line.  Some days I might go over by 5 or 10 and I have had days where I am under by 100+.  That line is not a brick wall - it is a guideline, and therefore not the end of the world if you miss the line by 5-10 calories.  (That doesn't mean that EVERY DAY going over your calorie count is a good thing!!)  That was something that I needed to learn as well.

I know I am rambling. I promise, I'm almost done.  Given my new approach to food (and lets face it I LOVE food), I have found myself trying new recipes.  Some are healthy recipes, made for their low calorie count, and others are just things I have stumbled across and want to give a whirl.  I am going to apologize now because my blog might turn into a type of food blog in the coming months.  I have been making so many different recipes and some of them I have a real urge to share.  I will most likely be writing about my ups and downs as well.  Bear with me please :-D

It is probably best that I point out that I have started myself on an exercise regiment as well.  For those that know me well, you know I have been having some serious feet issues lately (let's look back at that gene pool again and give a giant "thanks" to my father's side :-D) .  That being said, for many many many months just walking on a treadmill would have caused me pain to the point of hysterical crying (and I have a fairly high threshold of pain).  With the addition of Chaco's to my life my feet are starting to slowly like me again.  I decided to press my luck the other day and did a mile and a half SLOW jog on the treadmill.  It wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, but the next day my feet were killing me.  I am determined to find something though and with that in mind I have dug out my old Gazelle.  I will keep you posted on how well that goes.

I am not an expert and I am certainly at the very beginning of my journey, but thanks for helping me with it!!