As my son says “What the H-E-double hockey sticks?!”

Okay, maybe I’m being stupid and just don’t get it.  Maybe somebody can shed the light on the subject.  I actually use the food journal and it works great!  I use the exercise log from time to time…because I am frustrated. Does that thing just not calculate right?  Or is it me?

 I tried entering a new entry and have to toggle the numbers to get the right calories.  I got my calories from the machine at the gym.  I actually walked/jogged on the treadmill which give you your miles and calories burned after you enter your info.  Is it just me or am I working it wrong?  HEEEEEEEEELP!

Walk 60 miles…are you crazy!

            I am sure I am going to hear this one a time or two or even just hear the word “Wow!” to this statement.  But yes…I’m going to walk 60 miles.  I am sure you are asking “What for?” or “Why?”  Well, trust me it’s for a good cause.  I bit the bullet this weekend and signed up for the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk that will take place on November 6-8, 2009 here in Dallas/Ft. Worth.  All the money I raise will benefit the Susan G. Komen breast cancer research.

            So I will answer the “Why?” and “What for?” with one simple answer…my mother.  I lover her that much and am that grateful that she is a breast cancer survivor.  The least I can do is walk 60 miles and suffer a little pain for what her and millions of others have been through.

            I will never forget how I felt when she told me they had found a lump and that she was diagnosed with cancer.  I stayed calm while screaming in my head.  Screaming cause I was scared but calm so she wouldn’t cry anymore than she was while telling me and to be strong for her.  To show her that we can handle this and that we are strong women and to let God lead us and show us the way.  I stayed calm and kept telling myself when it’s time to fall apart then it’s okay to cry.  But show her no weakness because she needs somebody strong to go through this with.  It was hard because I live in TX and she lives in CA.  So be strong 1200 miles away…yeah right, but I did it.  I stayed calm through her surgery, her radiation, her phone calls of checking up on her to see how she was doing and hearing how tired she was after radiation.  Finally…the day came when she was considered cancer free.  She will have been cancer free for 2 years this coming April.  I praise the Lord for all the research that has been done and the knowledge the doctors are equipped with to beat this disease.  But it isn’t always beaten…

            That is why I’m going to walk.  Walk to raise even more money for even more research.  Walk to show how happy I am my mother survived in honor of her.  Walk for the people I know who have family who have dealt with the same issue.  Even walk for my boss’ mother-in-law who didn’t make it a year once diagnosed.  Walk so that everyone can survive.

            So if you like…you can help me during my training and sponsor me.  If you’d like to donate and help me reach my goal of $2,300 (the minimum they require) please visit my website at the 3-Day and you may make a donation.  It’s tax deductible!  And I know the economy is hard but remember breast cancer doesn’t care about the economy.  Thanks so much for your support.  http://www.the3day.org/goto/sami_walks

Double SHOUT OUT!!!

Okay I have two shout outs for today.

 First, my hubby went and bought me some workout clothes that I saw and wanted so bad because they were purple.  I got an extra pair of sweats because they were so on sale and couldn’t pass it up.  But I actually bought an XL size in the regular department.  OMG!  Cause I was living in the Plus size section at 3x when I started all this.  I got back down to 2x and was glad.  But to go to the regular department and fit my big ol’ bottom into an XL and they fit…it made my heart soar.  I was flying at the Walmart…look out down below!  Anyway, I look forward to getting in to even smaller sizes but I’m happy with that for now.  I’m sure many folks can identify with wanting to be in the regular size department.  Plus means harder to fit and find and also spending more cash.

 Second shout out…and she does not come to this site but I want to give her credit anyway.  My friend had to lose a few pounds (cause she is tall but thin) and her doc had her eating good and exercising.  I saw the weight loss and asked her what she was doing for it.  She said walking to videos at home that she got cheap.  I checked them out and I am using them myself.  Without her and her motivation…I would have never started the walking.  I actually don’t mind it now.  I can do it at home and it is paying off.  I mean there are days I don’t WANT to exercise, but I do it cause I know it helps and I get results.  So thanks Vanecia for your workout advise.  (I’ll publish this to myspace so she can read it).

 To all those out there losing weight and struggling…just don’t give up.  I haven’t and it’s slow but successful.  This place is a great place where you can lose weight and not be criticized or made fun of.  People here understand all your going through and I’m so glad I happened up it in my Google searches!  You all are some great buddies!

Who remembers the movie “Rocky”?

Okay, so I have a 12 year old boy that is going to be 13 in January and he loves movies like I do. So from time to time we get a classic. Of course not all classics are black and white these days because I’m not getting younger and classics include Star Wars, Breakfast Club and even Home Alone (1990). It shows a different time era, even if it was just 20-30 years ago. You get my drift right? So the last movie we got was Rocky and I was about 5-6 when that movie was released but how can you not love the underdog hits it big story??? One good thing about showing him these movies is that when a joke is made or we use a famous line “yo Adrian”…he understands his mother’s sense of humor and gets it and I don’t have to explain.

So…this brings me to the title of my blog. I pulled a “Rocky” this weekend. I had hit a plateau and I was really getting frustrated with it. This plateau has been going on for about a month or more and it’s really ticking me off now. So I Google “how to break a plateau” and I got all sorts of exercise ideas and diet advice. Diet is NOT an option because I’m pre-diabetic and I feel sticking to that is important so I went for the exercise angle. I walk 3 miles in my home to a video in 47 minutes. So I figured I could walk/jog a 3 mile track in 47 minutes. All I have to say is that I did not use the same muscles in my walk/job as I do in my walk at home. Not only that, my heart rate (of course) was higher in the walk/jog. I was in physical pain and mentally pushing my body. Not anything bad…but I do believe in “no pain, no gain”. From time to time I believe that and Saturday during my Rocky moment I was totally into that belief. My son was timing every lap and counting them down for me. I have asthma…so you can imagine my lungs were SCREAMING at me to stop. My heart was tickin strong and it did me some good. Needless to say, of the three miles I jogged 1 ½ of it and walked the other 1 ½ . THAT is an accomplishment for me.

When I got done I held my arms above my head in the well known “Rocky” fashion and did my little jog and imagined myself on those steps in Philly! I DID IT!!! Then I kinda sang the Rocky theme for my son who smiled and understood my pain and accomplishment. How that underdog held his ribs in pain up those steps for the first time but on the last, just before the fight, held his arms in victory because he had defeated and surpassed his limitations. (Rocky theme in backgroud). So whenever you think you CAN’T do it…just remember Rocky (and me too) and you too can accomplish anything. This is written by someone who 4 short months ago was 30 lbs heavier and a couch potato. So…Yo Adrian…get out there and just do it for your own health.

Help someone…anyone?

Okay, I have to put this out there because the situation I am going to explain is about to drive me crazy and inside my head I am freaking out!  I’m freaking out because I am worried about my 12 year old boy.  My son loves to eat like the rest of us and over the years I have noticed he has a bad sweet tooth.  Bad…like worse than mine and I would say I am at a 7 and he is a 9 and maybe 10.  He is a tad shy of 5′ and weighs 140 lbs.  He wears a size 18 in boys and if you don’t know…that’s the last size in the children’s section and then your on to the adult sizes.  Some stuff I have had to buy in the adult sizes.  He does play football and when my husband and I dieted together the hubby and I lost 20 lbs and my son lost 5.  We noticed food missing too and after consulting each other realized it was him.  He wanted to diet too so it wasn’t like we were making him.  He has lost 1 lb since football and is now in a 16 because he has gained some muscle mass.  And I’m SO proud of him for that.  Now, I do know that kids change and boys (girls too) eat a lot.  BUT…he needs to eat healthy and I provide healthy and I preach healthy and I eat healthy.  I practice what I preach so to speak.  The weight isn’t a huge problem…but hind sight is 20/20 and I’m pre-diabetic and staring diabetes in the face.  Lose weight or get diabetes…that’s my sentence.  As you can see I’ve lost 25 lbs and counting.  It’s hard and nobody knows this more than me.  He works out at school and still goes on walks with me after work.  We have taken away the Playstation, DS and tv time and are more active and he goes next door and does active playing with the kids…he is actually I think, finding an alternative to the sedentary lifestyle of us “fluffy” Americans.

So what is the problem you ask?  He sneaks food constantly and does not fess up to it.  When confronted he won’t fess up still.  It’s obvious it’s him because there is no one else.  My problem is that it is bad stuff.  Hubby bought a pie and about 1/2 of it was consumed by the 12 year old in  a 2 day period.  Scary!!!  So hubby says he won’t buy it anymore and if he wants something he will buy a single serving for himself.  I told him good idea but we both agreed this is expensive but maybe necessary.  The pie is an example of most of the sweets in the house, when we have them.  So, I’m thinking make my low carb, sugarless sweets and only keep those on hand.  If it is something I can put in my room (I hate to say it) it is locked in there while we’re gone.  (sugar-free hot cocoa has to be locked up or he’ll consume 2-3 cups a day and not drink his water)  I would say we are at about a 90-95% junk food free home.

I am worried about the sneaking food and hiding it.  That is like closet eating to me and a form of a disorder.  I say this because I know in the past I would eat like this, with nobody watching or nobody to share with so I could have it all for myself.  But he has healthy choices if he is hungry and chooses to eat the bad ones.  He is educated.  It’s not like he doesn’t know.  Is this bad to lock food away?  Or does anyone have any ideas?  I need some help and guidance and I think the people on this website are the bomb!!!  I am just so worried and this is a road I don’t want him to travel cause I already traveled it.  You guys are great!  Any suggestions are helpful.