The good news for today – I’m feeling better (tired, but better). The bad news is that my appetite has come back with a vengeance. It’s amazing how easy it is to not eat when you’re sick. Between feeling like crap and taking all those decongestants, I simply could go all day without food and it wouldn’t phase me. Today, however, my hunger is BACK and it’s all I can do to not eat the entire pantry full of goodies down the hall. It doesn’t help that I could also fall asleep right here at my desk either. I’m truly exhausted for some reason . . . maybe I will sneak in a nap after lunch . . . I wonder if anyone would notice or care? 
The cruise is a short few days away! WOO HOO! I got excited looking at the Royal Caribbean website last night, although I’m a bit concerned about the water temperatures. It may be quite chilly still, which is awful because we have snorkeling and a dolphin experience to look forward to! Bummer! But, I’m not going to let a bit of nippy water kill my fun!
Now, to batten down the food hatches and stick to the plan for the week! Wish me luck!
I’m a southern girl – born and raised in South Carolina. I now reside in North Carolina, which is as far north as I’d agree to live (my husband hails from balmy MN). I’ve enjoyed North Carolina because, overall, it’s a bit milder than the heat I experienced in South Carolina, but it still has the nice, even seasons that are mild, yet recognizable.
Well, this year has blown that right out of the water. Today marks the FOURTH snow we’ve had in two months. That is just plain NUTS! Now, for those of you who live up north, let me explain how it works down here when snow/ice/sleet come to town. The weather folks immediately go into “STORM WATCH” mode sending their poor anchor folks out to interview one of the four DOT workers who spreads the “slag” on the roads to prevent icing. Then, everyone and their grandmother runs to the store for “milk and bread” (I suppose to avoid starvation when they get “snowed in” by the whole inch to inch and a half we usually get). Lastly, everything shuts down – schools, businesses, etc. Which, actually, is a good thing seeing as though southerners can’t drive in the junk to begin with.
Okay, so, that is the nightmare I am living through . . . for the fourth time. It’s funny, really. I used to love the winter for no other reason than the fact that I could wear baggy sweaters and jeans over my layers of fat. Now, ironically, as I see the continued icy weather outside, I can’t wait to wear SHORTS and TANK TOPS! Why is it that now that I’m thinner, I have to endure yet more cold weather? The fates are cruel indeed 
.
Regardless . . . in a few days we’re off the Florida. Simply can’t wait to feel some heat for a change!
I know my readers are getting tired of hearing this, but, yes, I’ve been sick AGAIN! Another nasty respiratory virus that had me down and out. This one was particularly nasty because it has attacked my inner ear, so for a gal who is naturally sensitive to moving objects (i.e., I get car sick very easily), this has been no fun at all. The only plus, however, is that I have NO appetite thanks to a queasy stomach 24/7. I’m getting better, slowly but surely.
In six days we’ll be on the road to Port Canavarel, FL. I just can’t wait! This will be a trip to remember, so I’m trying to make sure we’re all healthy and able to enjoy ourselves! My hubby is feeling a bit run down and we’re praying that he’s not coming down with something. But, for the most part, we’re all ready to go have some FUN! I keep dropping weight, which is fabulous! I’m not feeling as addicted to food as I once did, so that’s good as well. I’m a bit nervous about having all that food at my disposal on the cruise, but truthfully I’m not going to stress myself out over it. I think I deserve to enjoy myself a little .
I won’t be able to post next week, but when I get back I’ll treat you to some pictures!
165.6
Losing weight is great, but it leaves you with a real problem . . . your clothes begin falling off of you! all of my jeans were falling off of me and looked awful on me – I looked like a ragamuffin wearing these huge pants! So, yesterday Old Navy was having a sale on jeans and I decided to go check it out!
I grabbed a size 12, 14, and 16 to see what fit. Keep in mind that I usually wear a size 18 (and for a while I was having to get the “women’s” size 18 so my fat stomach would fit into it), so I had no clue which size to grab. I tried the 16’s first. They were too big . . . I could reach around to my lower back and pull 3-4 inches of the waist out. They were too baggy and didn’t fit well at all. Then, I put on the 14’s . . . these fit well and I like them, but I was still able to grab fabric off of my back and pull it out (just not as much). The 12’s were too tight and gave me horrible flashbacks of high school and zipping my pants up with pliers. So, I got the 14’s! I couldn’t believe how great it looked and felt to have properly fitting clothes AND to not be ashamed to wear things that actually fit me as opposed to putting on something huge and baggy to hide my fat! Steve took us out to dinner last night and he looked so proud to show me off YAY!
I’m sporting the pants right now, actually, and I look and feel great! I’m excited to be down to a size 14, but I’m also looking forward to being in single digit sizes. How great will that be??!! Only two more weeks until I’m cruisin! WOO HOO!
166.8
You’d think working from home would be so wonderful and relaxing, wouldn’t you? Well, working from home yesterday was awful. I was excited about being able to do that so I could relax in my sweats, do some house cleaning, spend a little time with the kids (they had the day off from school for President’s Day), and get some much needed church work done. I got no house work done. I spent ZERO time with my kids, and I endured hours and hours of church work and stress. Things are tense right now with the church’s financial situation and it felt like all I did was argue with the finance chair via email all day long. Cutting this ministry and cutting that ministry and my arguments against cutting this ministry and that ministry . . . uhg!
Weird thing was that I woke up yesterday with heartburn/indigestion. I haven’t suffered from that since I was pregnant with my son seven years ago! I didn’t eat anything unusual Sunday, so I have no clue why I felt that way, but I suffered with it all day long! I truly think it was stress. My chest was tight and I felt awful. I lifted weights a little to burn off some steam, and had to stop becuase my chest was getting tighter and tighter (and, I had a laundry list of work items that needed attending to so I couldn’t focus on my workout like I needed to). Anyway, got through yesterday only to find hope today. I don’t have the room to give all of the details, but let me just say that God is GOOD! I hope that doesn’t offend you, the reader, but I believe in the power of prayer and yesterday my prayers were answered and today they are still being answered in one obvious way after another. Hope was served to me on a silver platter over and over again – thank you LORD!
Reading back on all of these blog messages I realize how trivial weight loss really is. All of the whining I do because I gained weight here and didn’t lose enough there and I’m starving for this sweet or that carb is all just so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I have a job (for now), I’m healthy, my family is healthy and happy, my husband is employed, our church is phenomenal, and God is good. And, I must add, we are heading off on a once in a lifetime cruise in March. Life really is good so I need to quit the trivial junk and just focus on what matters. Yes, I need to lose weight. But, I need to keep my feet grounded in what’s important as I keep my eye on the prize!
166.4
So I get on the scale this morning and I’m 167! I was 166.4 the morning before. How can this be? Yesterday I stuck with the “no carb” thing just like I have been with NO cheating at all and yet I am almost a pound heavier this morning! This SUCKS! Yesterday I ate 3 slices of bacon and a 2% cheese stick for breakfast, peanuts for snack, a 1/4 lb hamburger patty with 2% cheese melted on the top for lunch, pistachios for snack, and a spoonful of peanut butter when I got home because I had no time for supper. That’s it – that’s all I ate! Of course, I drank three bottles of water, too. Either my metabolism has slowed dramatically or I”m retaining water. This is the start of PMS week for me, so I guess that can be it.
Tomorrow I’m granting myself a cheat day. After two weeks of this low/no carb thing, I’m done and ready to eat normally (albeit still healthy and low calorie). I hope that boosts my metabolism a little and gets me back on track. I was hoping to get down to 160 before the cruise! Tomorrow marks 21 days until we leave to drive down to FL (we embark on 3/7). Anyway, my sweet husband sent me the nicest email today – at least I don’t have yesterdays ickiness to deal with today. Just wish I could lose the weight and be done with it
Okay, it’s official. I’m an emotional eater. I’m proud of myself for not eating the entire bag of Lay’s potato chips that sit in my closet because judging from how I feel right now, I want them desperately.
I was fine, really I was. I was sick last week, but felt better this week. My husband and I argued a little, but it was all okay, or seemed okay. My sinus stuff came back last night, my husband ended up on the couch again, and now things are awful between us. I’m over here worried that he’s mad at me, feeling loads of guilt for him sleeping on the sofa and my not feeling up for “alone” time with him last night. Meanwhile, he’s cold and snappy with me this morning and on the phone later today. It’s obvious he’s upset with me, but I don’t know what to do. So, I want to eat. I want to eat the chips. I want to have a candy bar. I just want to give up on trying to be beautiful and thin . . . especially when a big part of why I’m doing this is for him. I hate emotions. They are the devil for dieters . . .
On a happy note, if there is such a thing, I am down to 166. So there’s that. But I feel awful. This sucks. Praying tomorrow is a better day.
