Thin Mints are a creation of the devil.

skinnymichell — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:00:33 +0000

That’s all. Enough said. (Well that and the fact that I GAINED 2 lbs. last week.) Thus the title of this post. Thank goodness they’re all gone. Back to regularly scheduled programming………..literally!

Still kickin’

skinnymichell — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:23:53 +0000

I’m still around, my skinny sisters. And still on the wagon – although it’s moving at a freakishly slow pace. (Freakishly is one of my son’s new favorite words. It’s kind of growing on me. He says it to describe a multitude of things. Such as “I am freakishly tired.” He’s twelve; that explains it.)

I actually thought before I ever started this blog that it was probably not a good idea for me. I knew it would be one more thing that I wouldn’t get done that I’d feel guilty about. But I have to say, even though I do feel guilty because I SUCK at blogging, the benefits have well outweighed the guilt. When I’m having a bad day, even if I don’t have time to post myself, I can sneak in five minutes to check on things with my girls. It really helps keep me on track. So for those of you that are faithful, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!! Even on the weeks where I’m not losing (but thankfully not gaining either) – or when I only lose a single pound – I’m learning to appreciate and celebrate those tiny victories. Just have to keep on going – one day at a time.

I never thought I would hate weekends

skinnymichell — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:05:30 +0000

What is it about the weekend that makes me want to throw all caution to the wind and “reward” myself for being so good throughout the week? As if sabotaging all that self control could be a reward. I’m really baffled by this. In the beginning, I was devoted 24/7. But lately I’ve noticed that I want to take a “break” from being good on the weekends. I CAN NOT DO THAT! I’ve got to break out of this mindset that this is a lifestyle that I have to live “most” of the time. It’s a lifestyle, period. And while I firmly believe that no food should be completely off limits, I do think the frequency with which we eat some foods and certainly the quantity, needs careful consideration. If I want to have a chocolate chip cookie, fine. Have one. But don’t have 4! Because then I’ll start that negative thinking that goes like this: Well, screw it – I’ve already messed up, might as well have a few more. And that’s where I get into trouble. I just want to be able to eat a stupid cookie and not give it another thought. I had one because I wanted it. I don’t want to feel guilty. What I really want is for Monday morning to hurry up and get here because for some reason, I have no trouble saying no to cookies on weekdays. Go figure. (I told you that some days were going to be boring posts – and also completely random.)

Just a day

skinnymichell — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:00:33 +0000

I don’t have anything exciting to report today. It was just a day. But I want to try really hard to follow Regan’s advice and blog every day, just for the support it gives me. Some days, it may just have to be a boring post. I did pretty good with eating. I’m trying to make myself eat yogurt and I just really hate that stuff. But the one thing I’ve really struggled with since beginning these changes is my digestive system. It is really protesting! Right now I’m trying one with probiotic cultures that’s supposed to “restore the balance” of digestion. I sure hope it helps. Here’s a link to a coupon, if anyone else wants to try it. http://www.yo-plus.com/products.aspx It’s actually not bad (for yogurt). If all that was TMI – sorry! Just keepin’ it real. :D

The pounds go on, the pounds go off

skinnymichell — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:41:14 +0000

This week, they’re back off. The past month or so has been so hard. It was easy to stay motivated at the beginning when the pounds were steadily coming off. But I seemed to have hit a plateau a few weeks ago and the scales weren’t moving at all. During the ice storm I even gained 2 pounds. I tried to get right back on track. I wasn’t doing anything differently, as far as eating. But I wasn’t doing anything as far as exercising either. I know that I’m going to have to take things up a notch if I want to stay on a downward path. At the beginning of this little journey it was actually difficult for me to do much in the way of exercise, except walking. I’m still a long way from running a marathon. I do have a Wii Fit that I haven’t used “in a while.” I decided to drag it out tonight and was so happy I did. For one thing, my BMI has gone down 4 points since the last time I used it. And looking at that graph with the downward slope just seemed to motivate me again. I want to keep seeing that thing go down! I know that this is probably laughable as a serious workout to most people – but for someone who has been sedentary, the step aerobics just kicked my butt. I think I’ll sleep good tonight.

P.S. I’m down -43 pounds as of today.

I’m back!

skinnymichell — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:25:27 +0000

I just spent 10 minutes typing a post only to somehow lose it, dang it! So I’m going to paraphrase briefly, because I’m tired and need to get my butt in bed. I’m still around and still trying. Got a bit sidetracked with work stuff and then the ICE mess! Managed to gain 2 lbs. during that fiasco, but I’m not going to worry about it. Considering the circumstances, I can live with it. I’m gonna shake it off and get back in the swing with more determination than ever. Today I walked over 2 miles! Not a big deal to most, but for an old chick that gets little or no exercise, I was pretty proud of myself. I really enjoyed it too!

Blogger Misfit

skinnymichell — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:59:03 +0000

I had the best intentions – really I did! I think about blogging every day. Unfortunately, sometimes that’s as far as it gets. I’ve been pretty long-winded in my emails to my Skinnyme sisters lately, so I think by the time I get all that out, I’m not sure what to blog about. Maybe I should go back and put some of that stuff from the emails on here anyway so that I can easily refer back to it later if I want. (Or if by some freak chance, someone else wants to.) The important thing is to keep making the effort because it really does help me feel more plugged into this process. Regan and Karrie have to take top honors for their faithful blogging – ya’ll inspire me! (Jenn – you’re a close runner up!) This has been a hard past couple of weeks and it’s been very encouraging to log on for a few minutes and be able to share in your experiences. It helps me not feel so alone in mine. So thanks for staying on track! I’m going to try and do better!!!

40 Down….

skinnymichell — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:53:08 +0000

I’m officially at 40 lbs. weight loss. It’s amazing how much better I feel! I must admit though – the first 20 lbs. were so much easier than the past 20. I know it’ll get tougher from here, but there’s no way I’m going to give up now. And thanks to the Skinnyme’s I’ve got the best support system in the world! Since I’ve been on a research kick lately for all things health related, I figure someone besides me might benefit from and be interested in some of the stuff I’ve been finding. Today’s tidbit - Basal Metabolic Rate. Ever wonder why it gets harder to lose weight as we get older? Or why the weight comes off easier at the beginning of your diet, but the more you lose, the harder you have to work to keep losing? My doctor mentioned the Basal Metabolic Rate to me at my last office visit and I’m so glad she did! Finally – something to explain all that!

It’s a Blah day….

skinnymichell — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:51:11 +0000

It’s cold outside, I just don’t feel well (stuffy, achy, sore throat), and I’m bored….and I want to eat something GOOD. Not good, as in literally. I mean good as in…….sinfully bad for me. I want brownies, or cheesecake, or anything else with 4 million calories! I thought when you’re sick you shouldn’t want to eat. I probably couldn’t taste it and wouldn’t enjoy it anyway. I actually looked in my cabinets earlier for some Brownie mix to see if I had any. Thank goodness – I didn’t! I’ve done pretty well over the past few months, and I’m proud of that - but for some reason my will power is being tested today. I think I’ll go find a good book to read. It’s hard to read and eat at the same time!

Getting healthy

skinnymichell — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:00:49 +0000

Although my main goal this year is weight loss, I really want to improve my health overall. I’ve done more reading and research in the past few months than I have in years! I know I’ve heard about or read about many methods for weight loss and improved health - but I guess if I’m honest, I have to admit that maybe I wasn’t ready to seriously APPLY those things for the long haul until now. You know the old adage about leading a horse to water and all! (But you can’t make them drink!) I’m actually very excited about the changes I’m making. I just know 2009 will be the best year ever!

One thing I’m learning more about is the health benefits of drinking wine. I was surprised there were so many! I don’t know much about wine – I just know what I like. I’m not much of a drinker, but I enjoy a good glass of wine with dinner occasionally. I recently discovered a wonderful store in Branson, MO that carries a great selection of wines. The guy that assisted me was very knowledgeable and made a recommendation for a wine he thought I would enjoy. OMG - did I ever?!?! This stuff was a little bit of heaven in a bottle! Although this is a dessert wine, my husband and I enjoyed this with our very simple dinner tonight, the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich. I started with olive oil, brushed onto whole grain bread, then layered Havarti cheese and tomatoes. The result is YUMMO! “Dieting” like this doesn’t feel like deprivation at all – the wine was approx. 130 calories, and sandwich approx. 380 calories. It would have been better to add a salad, but neither of us was that hungry. Hmmm….maybe we should have had the salad anyway and only half a grilled cheese! I’m definitely not a food photographer, but had fun shooting for no reason other than to share with my friends. I love ya!