It has been too long

Well, some medical problems got me off track. I won't go into that yet, but just say some prayers. I ran 3 miles a few times this week which was great! Today we went to Sesame Place too and I was on my feet for 5 hours!!! Great time though. Okay, more tomorrow.

Catch up

It has been a few days since I last posted and so much has happened. Wednesday we buried my grandfather. It was so sad mostly because I am the most emotional person in my family. I felt a bit alone in my grieving because of it.

We have also eaten out a lot but I managed to stay the same last week. This week begins week 5 of the training and I am very frightened. It is 8 minutes at a clip of running which is way more then I have ever done. I know I can do it, I just forget to breath and that doesn't help!

Today I flew to Chicago for training for 4 days. I am most afraid of the food. I already ate too much cheese and crackers which is annoying! I was good for dinner, so that should help me and I was really good for lunch. Tomorrow I have my cereal if I cannot find anything good. I came prepared. I do miss the kids and Eric so much, but the days are flying by so far.

Eulogy for Grandpa

Well, I was given the honor of saying something at grandpa Joe's funeral. I figured I would put it on paper...

Anyone that has ever crossed Joe Koenigsberg's path all knew the same thing. His smile and love could fill a room. He touched every person's life he ever came in contact with. Grandpa was the most kind hearted individual I have ever known. Whether it was helping a neighbor who needed something fixed or doing all the dishes after a meal with the family (even if grandma redid everything he washed), he was there and always ready to help. He was never a rich man, but he did not need money to make his life full.

We were lucky enough to spend a lot of time with our grandfather when we were growing up. He would call my mom nearly every day even if it was just to say have a great day bobalink (not sure what that meant).

When my friends came over he knew them all and always made us laugh. We would watch him shave and laughed when he put the cream on our nose!

The other huge part of our grandfather was religion. He was proud to be Jewish and always went to temple on Saturday morning and prayed every day. I am starting to think that is what kept his body going for 100 years and made him bounce back so many times. I only hope I can teach my kids everything he taught me about being a good human being and having religion in their lives. He was there when I graduated high school and college and then when I got married. I am very blessed that he got to meet my kids and the smile on his face was priceless when he saw them. We explained to Allyson that grandpa Joe's body is tired and he went up above the clouds and will always watch down on them to make sure they stay safe.

I love you grandpa. You are now at peace and can once again see your brothers and sister and parents. I will always miss you and you will always be in my heart.

Week 4 - C25K crazy!!!

This morning was a major challenge. I am proud to say I was successful! This was today's workout.

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

I actually went 2.25 miles in 30 minutes. It is crazy how much more I can do in 30 minutes now. The last few minutes were really tough, but I swear I kept saying....I think I can, I know I can. Such a dork! To a great week of running.

Awesome Weekend

Well, Friday night could have been bad news for the week. I had an amazing dinner at Sara and Rob's house. Rob is going to French culinary school and made crab cakes, mozzerella with tomato and basil and other cheese, roasted chicken and veggies and mashed potatoes, and then ended with a chocolate mousse tort. OMG! It was so amazing!!!! Then Saturday we had a BBQ at my dads. Luckily I started my day with a 2 1/4 mile run! I behaved so well there that I actually lost 1.6 pounds this week. So much success.

On to Week 4 of C25k tomorrow. A little scared:)

Recipes

One of my friends asked for my favorite recipes because she was bored with what she was eating. I was happy to share! I am a firm believer in making new recipes every week. I try for at least 2 and the rest of the week are our favorites. That way it doesn't get stale. For any of my "followers" let me know if you want some new recipes and I will send them your way. Of course if you have any send them right over to me. They don't have to be low in points, because I have become really good at modifying recipes!

Interesting Oprah

Well, Oprah had a show maybe two days ago regarding why we are fat. They were talking about food masking the pain of something in your life. They said food doubles the pain because then you get upset about the food you ate. It is a lot what I have gone through in my head the last 15 months. I needed to think of food as something that I have to eat to survive rather than needed food to help heal something. Really hits home. I need to get this book! I could have written it though:)

I finished Week 3, Day 2. I am taking tomorrow off since I worked out 2 days in a row. I will finish week 3 Friday and then I am ready to move on to week 4. Cannot believe I am running for so long!

Week 3, Day 1

It is funny how when you are emotional it is so hard to get started working out, but once I do, I am like a mad woman! I ran/walked 2 miles in 28 minutes. Thought that was pretty good. This was a tough week as they had you do two 3 minute runs. They also said 400 yards in 3 minutes which is like a 10 minute mile. I am not looking to win the fastest award, so I slowed it down a bit. I got to 400 yards, but a little slower then their pace. I am hoping for 40-45 minutes for the 3 miles. I think that should be easy enough based on this program.

I am really struggling this week to stay on track. Sunday was hard because it was a lot of picking at the party. Although before I probably would have consumed 50-60 points for day at least with a party, I only consumed about 30 for the entire day.  That is approximately 1500 calories. Not really a terrible day I guess.

We are just waiting for the call regarding my grandpa, so I hope he is at peace.

Positive Changes?

I am trying to be more upbeat today. I re-read some of the blogs from the last few days and I am changing the tone starting now!

This weekend was awesome. I rode my bike, I did a yard sale, went to a birthday party and girls night out. That was only Saturday! Sunday I put together a 25th anniversary party for my parents so on my feet all day. The good news is with all that eating out,  I stayed the same on the scale which is a total success! Good thing I worked so hard during the week!

The problem is I was exhausted this morning. I couldn't even move. So I have to begin week 3 training for my C25K tomorrow morning. If I get the energy maybe tonight, but I am not counting on that! The good thing is I only need to train for running 3 days in a week. I am trying to fill up the other days with biking, ellipticals, playing with the kids. Last week I worked out 5 or 6 days I think. Normal weeks only 3-4 days.


To a great week ahead!

Long but great day

The day started at 7am with me heading to Randolph for a "mulitfamily" yard sale. For some crazy reason, I was up at 5am. So I got up and on my bike for the first time. I am pretty good once I get started, but starting is hard for me. I ended up going about 5-6 miles for 45 minutes. So back to the yard sale. My sister and step-mother did it with me. I was there most of the day, and barely made anything. Then I took the kids to a birthday party and went straight from there to girls night out at the Bridewater mall. So needless to say, if I don't lose weight at my weigh in, I may go crazy! I had to have burned thousands of calories for sure!

My grandfather is hanging on still, but hasn't eaten in days. My other grandpa died very suddenly when I was 1, but he just had a heart attack and there was no suffering. This has to be horrible for him. I only hope he just goes to sleep and that is it.

Week 2 over!

This week has been extremely emotional. I ended up taking a mental health day today because I am so drained! I am happy to say I finished week 2 of the C25K successfully! Now onto a tough week 3. Hopefully this weekend is filled with joy and celebration of my mom's 25 anniversary. We are taking each day as it comes. Hopefully he is not suffering and he just goes to sleep. I am not a very religious person, but I have asked many times in the last few days for my grandparents to look out for my grandfather. Hopefully they are!

Waiting Game

It's funny how I used to "pig out" when I was sad and probably consumed at least 2000 calories during those explosions. Last night I was sad and I went 1-2 points over for the day. For those not in the Weight Watchers world, that is around 100 calories. I felt so guilty but really needed it. We are just waiting to see what happens with Grandpa Joe. I just want him to go peacefully. A friend at works grandfather passed away this morning so I felt a little like that was a sign. Who knows. He has been known to just bounce back, but not sure this time. My mom seems pretty certain this is it. I just need to stay focused and not let this bring me back to my old ways. It is really hard though. It was a 34 year habit.

I was thinking about when it all started. I think when my parents got divorced. I needed an outlet and food was comfort for me. Some say it could have been drinking, drugs, etc, so food isn't a big deal. First I was six so I would hope drinking and drugs wouldn't be an option, but you never know! I say food is just as dangerous. It would have killed me at a young age, and was already causing me to have early diabetes. It is an addiction of a different type. It is, I mean was, my crutch.

My family/friends ask how much longer I will be on Weight Watchers. I find it funny because I look at is as my AA. It is forever for me. It is so easy to just fall back into those habits. It is harder in a way, because you need to eat to live. So I can "taste" what I used to love unlike drinking or drugs where you have to go cold turkey. It is a tough balance for sure!

Bad week continues

This week has been so emotional. Now my grandfather is in the hospital and we are not sure if he will make it this time. He definitely has 9 lives. His kidneys are failing though, so not sure if this time he will pull through.

On a very postive note though I just finished Week 2, Day 2 of the C25K and it was very successful. I even did 250 situps after! I am determined to get rid of this baby gut and tone my arms. With such a large weight loss though it is really not easy. I just need to have patience.

I am also in love with my Hungry Girl cookbooks. I highly recommend the latest one. I make eggs in the microwave (eggbeaters) every day and they are so amazing! That is my product plug of the day:)

Bad Day... What do I turn to?

111 pounds ago emotionals were easy to deal with. I would just eat. That would always make me feel better. Now I have to change that habit and it is not easy. Most of our eating is emotional eating. We eat to celebrate, we eat when we are sad, depressed, angry... So last night when I had a bad day, I just went to bed. It was the safest thing for me to do. I am too lazy at night to go back down for food which also helps! I just want to lay on the couch and do nothing. So I passed the test last night. No extra calories and I got up this morning to go to the gym. I did however blow right by the gym (not my normal branch) and was almost to work when I realized I was in my workout clothes! So I got a good laugh and headed back. Now I am ready to start the day fresh.

Before Picture

October 2008Very pregnant but you get the picture

This is fairly recent (4th of July). It is so weird to look at the berfore and after.

Week 2, Day 1

Yesterday I was excited to see that I was down another 1.2 pounds. That was surprising since I am so close to that "goal" weight. I am trying hard not to focus on that final number, but that is a hard thing. So I started to focus on a new goal. I will be doing a 5K with Wendy for Northeastern on September 18th in Boston. Very excited about this journey. I started the Couch-to-5K program last week. For week 1 it was 5 minutes of warm up, and alternating of jogging for 60 seconds and walking for 90 seconds for 20 additional minutes. I ended up doing 5 minutes of warm down for 2 miles! This week it was the 5 minute warm up and 90 seconds jogging and 2 minutes walking. It was definitely harder, but halfway through started getting easier. I will keep this updated with my new "running" life. Never in my life thought I would say that!

Changing the journey

In May of 2009, I had my second child. Something just clicked for me.


Just some history...I had been over 100 pounds overweight for probably close to 16-17 years and I am only 34! I had tried Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Atkins, and Medifast and there are probably more I don't even remember. I have what is known as PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It actually affects like 10% of pre-menapausal woman. It is sort of like diabetes where I cannot process sugars. I was considered insulin resistant, but not diabetic. So carbs were definitely not my friend! I was told I couldn't have children at age 14, but that was before more was known. Weight loss was what eventually helped me get pregnant.

Fast forward again... I only gained 18 pounds with my last pregnancy. I say that, because since he was born, I am now down 111 pounds. I actually hit 100 pounds 3 days after his 1st birthday. When he was 6 weeks old we strolled into a Weight Watchers meeting. 1 year later, I have only gained two weeks and that was 4 ounces one time and 3 pounds the next time, and I have barely missed a meeting. I took both of those off plus some the next week! I look so different my family doesn't recognize me at family events! I am very proud of my accomplishment, and have only about 17 pounds to reach my "lifetime" goal at Weight Watchers.

At work we have a 20 Ton Challenge. This challenge came at a good time, because I try to keep things interesting during this weight loss journey. I consider it a lifestyle change which also included adding the gym 3-4 times a week. I always create fitness and weight loss goals which are short term so that I can stay focused. I always focused on 100 pounds rather than 1 pound at a time.