SlowMotion

Time flies… It’s been over a year since I’ve logged on this site.  Long year in some ways… not so much in other ways.  I have kept on track with food choices… exercise, so-so.  Medical issues have kept me down.. nothing life threatening, (vertigo due to fluid in ears) so not very physically active.  Well… I’m dizzy all the time, so I think I’m moving alot… but it’s all in my head… LOL

 I did get down to 180 lbs, but only because eating was making me feel sick.  That’s not a good thing, but medication helped the “dizziness” and I did gain back some weight to 194.  Still not the 214 I started with.  Seemed to level at 194 (should be 140 - goal).   Now that I’m feeling a bit better, I should try, again, to reach that goal.  I must admit that even with the weight gain, my jeans are not tight; so not sure why the scale shows higher.

To all a very happy holiday season… a time to enjoy the good things in life… family & friends.  Enjoy sensibly.. but don’t beat yourself up for a little extra indulgence.  After the “New Year” all will get back to normal.  Life is short… live it  :-) 

But well worth it.  Quitting smoking is, I think, the hardest change I’ve ever made in my life.  I’ve been slacking on this site, going to ‘becomeanex’ site (just like this one, but for smokers… and I reccommend ~again, thanks to Harleygirl7 ~ to anyone who may be interested)

So it’s been two weeks since I set my sights on that change, and I have done well in that respect.  Each day seems to get a little easier to get through… but now it is time to ‘wean’ myself off the Black Licorice twist that became my ’substitute’.  At 1500 calories a bag and half a bag a day.. well, there’s about 3 lbs accounted for. 

Weight loss, smoking… it’s all about recreating habits.  It takes time to do that, and I’m feeling good about this overall.  A couple more weeks and ‘good eating habits & not smoking’ should finally be blended into a normal routine.

Be back soon… ‘SloMo’

OK… beginning of day 5 not smoking.  Emotional roller coaster… but I know the ride will even out, so I am forgiving myself for the weight gain.  I started out OK with the “veggies” when I craving in the beginning… but then it just turned into “eat”.  So it’s day 5 and the nicotine is suppose to be out of my system, so now it’s time to get back to the ‘good’ habits all the way around.  I’ll get back on here before the weekend and catch up with other blogs…. but just wanted to update.  ‘SloMo’

This morning is the beginning of day 3 of not smoking (and I am going absolutely crazy (or in other words: just way to focused on just one thing..)  In a previous post, I said I didn’t have a problem substituting food for a cigarette…. I LIED!!!!   I just never quit long enough to get to that point.

So… I’ve gotten to day 3.  Each day I get in is more incentive to keep at it.  I am letting myself eat ALL THE VEGETABLES I want.  As much as I don’t want to substitute food, this is the HARDEST habit I have ever tried to change.   Even if continue eating a vegetable everytime I feel the ‘urge’… I don’t see the harm.  Imagine me driving down the highway with a big fat carrot hanging from my lips…..

The boss just called…. Gotta go… SloMo

PS.. Harleygirl7… thanks for the ‘become an ex’ site suggestion.  Very helpful..:)

It’s been a long day & tired tonight.  Sitting here picking at a salad with chicken strips.  Not really hungry, just tired.  Thanks for the support with my new “Quit Smoking” venture.  Great advice that I have listed and posted on the fridge.  I’ll see how this ‘hypnosis’ works tomorrow night, and I have the Chantix to back me up. (Not nicotine, but a blocker).  I’m not as anxious, and feeling positive about it… just like my weight loss.  I’m thinking this will actually help me lose the weight as I’ve decided that anytime I feel the urge… I’ll walk it off (and drink alot of water).

I went to the gym today, as planned, and easily getting back into routine.  I do have to work on making sure I get my breakfast in.  Just not hungry in the morning, but I know it makes a big difference throughout the day.  Ok… going to call it quits for the day. (Big yawn)

My best to you all… ‘SloMo’

This is a bit off tract, but feel the need to post anyway.  I’m a smoker, so if you’ve never been a ’smoker’ (which is GREAT), it will probably be hard to relate to some of this.  The good part is that in the past when I’ve tried to quit, food was not a substitute.  On the other hand, if I feel hungry, I’ll have a cigarette.  I’ve tried to quit several times in many different ways.  No matter how hard I’ve tried to kick in some “will power”, I’ve never made it beyond 24 hours.  Even with the patch… I wanted the stupid cigarette.  I tried stuffing straws with cotton just so I could feel that ‘ pull of the puff’.  It didn’t work.

It’s funny how life works sometimes.  Yesterday, while at the gym, I’m thinking to myself I’ve really got to try to quit smoking.  The people on both sides of me were running full force on the treadmill… but I smoke!  I’d be out of breath in 30 seconds… pass out due to lack of oxygen… cause a big scene… and be embarrassed for the rest of my life to ever go back to the gym again.  I’ll stick with the brisk walk!

TODAY.. one of the girls I work with is going to a hypnotist this Thursday to “Quit Smoking”.  It’s a group thing and I said “Count me in… but you’ll have to pick me up or I’ll back out.”  I know myself well enough to know that “left on my own”, I’d find an excuse not to go.  It’s one thing I haven’t tried yet, so why not??  One of our boat Captains did this about a month ago and has not smoked (taking his word for it) since, so I feel there is hope for me this time… but somewhere inside my head I have already started my anxieties.  I just saw the Dr. yesterday, but called her today to get a script for Chantix… kind of like an insurance policy.

I’m already feeling like a nut case over this… actually scaring me more than trying to lose weight.  I’m telling myself now… more time… more oxygen… better health… but OMG!!!  I’ve tried this before… I can’t even find a word to describe it… but like ’stressfully painful’ is the closest I can get.

It’s addiction… it’s awful.  I’m getting ready to do this… and I can do this… and I will do this!!!  I’ve put it out there now… and God help me… I hope this works.

Thanks for listening… SloMo

Summer is over and life here is (finally) starting to slow down a bit.  I have a little more ”Me” time and ready to get ‘Back at it’.. back to where I left off in MARCH!!!  But to be honest, the time has flown by.  When I wasn’t working, there were ‘places to go… things to do…’ and I enjoyed every minute for the most part.  I did take a moment one day during the summer to check things out & write a ‘blog’.  I told myself to get back here at least once a week, but it just didn’t work out that way.  Most of the time when I walked in the door at the end of the day, all I wanted to do was crash on the couch, chill out, grab a bite and go to bed.

Way back in March, I wrote on my calendar - Oct. 1 - RESTART.  I had the weekend to get through (working)… but today, Oct 5, I got myself back to the gym.  Felt GOOD!!  Taking it easy to start… Gotta get back in the swing of things.  Summer, overall, I did OK.  I had a Dr. appt this morning with a weigh in.. which I compared to the scale at the gym… and again on my scale at home , and all are in sync.  190.5 lbs at the end of a summer.  I did not gain, and considering all the ‘Fried Food’ and ‘Fast Food’ I consumed, it’s a small miracle.  I must admit, summer here is busy enough to burn off all those extra calories; but had I stayed with my “Good Eating Habits”, I’d probably be at my goal weight now.

Now… I have 5 months of winter work and more time for self.  My goal is 20 lbs… 50 would be nice, but not going to push it.  When I reach the 20 mark, I’ll reset my goals.  No hurry… as long as I go down and not up, I’m happy.

Losers can be winners…..   Mo

PS…. Nancy- Guess I’m still obliged to getting those push ups in my program.

Wow… how time flies!!  Taking a full day away from “work” today and thought I’d see how all are doing.  Very few blogs I recognize after 3 months of my”slacking off” on this site.  Probably won’t get back to the habit until October when things slow down a bit (at work).  Hey Nancy… you are the rock I look for.  I never did get to the push up’s to full capacity.  I challenge myself to meet that goal once things slow down for the season & I can get back to the gym, and a daily exercise routine. 

Overall… doing good.  Eating habits I started over the past winter (when I had time to spare) have helped get me through this summer season.  Nothing I would recommend as eating habits (missing meals, eating late, occasional fast ‘fried’ food, etc… ), but have managed to maintain previous weight loss and shed 2 more lbs.  Stress eating has always been a concern, and I still fall to that habit.  Fortunately, I have learned to eat better ’stuff’; like a REALLY big salad.  Easy to pick at and crunchy.

Although I’m not on here much at this time, I thank all who helped me over the winter with advice & support.  It has made a big difference in how I look at eating now.

C U later…  Liz

I made up containers of veggies ( and a container of cubed chicken and a container of shrimp ) to throw together for a quick ‘meal’, and it has worked out great.  Still have not gotten to the gym.  Too much going on, but have been physically active with alot of running around stuff.

New challenge!!  All the restaurants in the area have opened this weekend for the upcoming summer season.  I walk outside and all I can smell is ‘french fries’.. and it makes me hungry for fried food.  I hope in a week or so I won’t notice it anymore, but for the moment .. it is painful.  OH… and the Dairy Queen is open and I want a Hot Fudge Sundea or Chocolate Milk Shake… (We hit 80 degrees today… Fake summer), but Ooooooooooooooooh, the temptations are right out in front of me.  I did not fall today… (just took a moment to look at the scale… 194.. no lose, but no gain).  I’m OK with that.

Tomorrow’s another day.. You all take care… Liz

First of all.. to Nancy.. I felt that ‘kick in the Bootay’ to get back on track all the way from the West coast to East coast… and Thank you.

I have to go back to the beginning of this journey…start over.  Things have changed in my life, and I have to adjust.  Plan ahead.. so this afternoon I made a new food plan and went shopping.   Think ‘Fast’ food.. so I started with salads (easy) make 1.. make enough for 3.  I had the time today, so I created my own little salad bar.  Cut up veggies & put in separate containers.  Grilled up some chicken, cubed it & ready to go as a topper on a salad.  Two minutes to put together.  Made 4 “Egg McMuffins” into the freezer to get me through the weekend (1 egg, 1 egg white, 1 thin slice ham, lowfat cheese, multi-grain lowfat english muffin)  No butter, no salt, & pepper to taste.  Apples & pears in the office (because they hold up well.)  Hard boiled some eggs if needed, plus I have solid white tuna/water packed in a can.  All fast fixes and the best I could do at the moment.  Better than skipping meals.  AND I always have my V8’s…

It’s a start… and next is getting back to the gym.  It’s really hard to explain all that my job entails… but it is very high stress from April thru September.  This will be the hardest time for me stay in control of  ‘my life’.

Gotta go.. 4:00am alarm goes off.