Sept 27 - 278.2

I have less than 100 pounds to lose!!! Woohoo!!!

I decided I really needed to go buy a new pair of pants. I had three pairs that fit. All three are Capris. One is a jeans capri with no pockets. The other two are very light cotton. Way too cold for this weather!!! I don't think we hit 60 today.

So, I drove down to Kohl's. Wasn't sure what size I was going to get. I was thinking 24. I know the size 26 shorts my friend had given me were too big. And my one pair of capris is a 22/24, but they were crinkle, so would stretch out a little.

I took a couple pairs of 24s to the dressing room. Didn't like the way they fit. They seemed to be a little loose. So, I tried some 22s. There was one pair I really liked. I wasn't crazy about the color (it's kind of a steel grey/green) but I really liked the fit. So, I went back to look for a different color. I checked the style info and discovered that it was a size 20!!! Wow!!! Unfortunately, they didn't have another color. So, I have a new pair of pants (for $30) of a not too great color. But they fit great and they are MUCH smaller than anything I have worn in a LONG time!!! Very exciting!

I still need to be exercising. Scott mentioned yesterday that he is impressed at how little sagging I have on my butt and thighs. I seem to be absorbing that just fine. It's my upper arms and abdomen that really need work. I was doing a little reading on the internet about excess skin from quick weight loss. Even the most severe excess skin still has fat attached to it. So, as long as you increase lean muscle mass and decrease fat, you will lose the excess skin. Yes, there are exceptions (aren't there always?). But, in general. So, I seem to be losing it fairly evenly all over. But, when I was at my heaviest, I didn't have a single problem area. I was a well proportioned fat. So, it's appropriate that I lose proportionately.

At least it seems like I am getting down to a muffin top rather than a loaf top!!! :)

Welcome to any new readers I have! Dr. Myers posted my blog on his website. My whole goal for this blog is to be brutally honest with myself. And, therefore, with you. Feel free to ask questions. Reviewing helps me remember where I am and why I'm here. Talking about my journey with someone else helps me stay focused. My final decision to definitely have the surgery was the best thing I have ever done in my life.

September 26, 2010 - 279.0

Woohoo!!! I have less than 100 pounds to lose!!! 96 days left in 2010 and I have lost 116 pounds. Wow. If I could average a pound a day, I'd be 3 pounds away from my goal by New Year's!!! Isn't going to happen, but kind of neat to think about!!!

I need to focus on the fact that I need to be at my goal by March 30, 2011. Most of the excess weight you are going to lose, you lose in the first year. So, I want to be at 180 by then. Only 99 to go!!! "only"

I have definitely slowed way down. Yesterday I had two of my protein shakes, a piece of pizza, and a bowl of Cub Scout Cheddar Cheese Popcorn. Well balanced day!! At least I had two protein shakes in there! And I did have water and Fuze to drink during the course of the day.

Busy day yesterday. Was at a Girl Scout Camporee. Taught 100 girls Archery in 3 hours. Wow. I was overwhelmed and exhausted. But, it was fun. And my girls all had a good time. Which is even more important. And, my girls showed that they are really maturing. Four of them noticed that the canoeing person needed help stacking her canoes, so they stopped and helped. Didn't know the woman. Just saw she needed help. Awesome!!! And, the whole troop helped younger girls all day. And enjoyed it! Yay!!! So, we are counting this as time towards their Leadership Pin. They need 25 hours total, so this will be 8 hours for them. And, they earned an Interest Project patch for the day. yay!!! We're up to two earned!!! Since fall of 2009. :)

September 23, 2010 - 283.7

Had my 6 month appt with Dr. Myer. Wow. Can't believe it has been 6 months! And I've lost 112 pounds! Woohoo!!! Now to lose another 100.

Been going to the gym. My schedule does not always work well for that. But, am doing the best I can. This week, we went on Monday. Wednesday, late start messed me up. And Friday, I am manning the garage sale. I hate garage sales. But, we need money. And I'll be selling Cub Scout popcorn. :)

Scott told me the other day something that had me in tears. I knew he was worried about me, but we never talked about it. He said: "6-8 months ago, I was crying myself to sleep wondering what I would do when you were gone. How was I going to handle the kids? How was I going to pay the bills when I don't even know where the passwords are for the accounts? I had no idea that our lives could change so much in 6 months. Everything is so much better. You are a better person. We are better."

Wow. If that doesn't make me realize how much my life has changed with losing 100 pounds, nothing does.

Pumpkin Muffins

I'm going to have to try these. They sound yummy!

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Shelly's Pumpkin Protein Mini Muffins 

1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar Free Pumpkin Torani Syrup 
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
3 Tablespoons Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
Pinch salt

2 Tablespoons Shelly's Glazed Pepitas
1 batch of Shelly's Cheese Filling

Mix egg, milk, syrup, pumpkin and oil and combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix pancake mix, coconut, spice, protein powder and salt. Tip dry into wet and stir till combined. Pour into a non stick 12 cup mini muffin panthat has been sprayed with Pam. 

Sprinkle with glazed pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) 

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or till toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 12 moist, delicious, mini muffins. 

Allow muffins to cool slightly. Using a drinking straw poke a little hole in the center of each mini muffin and pipe Shelly's Cheese Filling inside.

Shelly's Glazed Pepitas

1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (any flavor - I used SF Vanilla)
1/4 cup Pepitas (raw shelled pumpkin seeds)

Saute seeds and syrup in a pan stirring constantly for a few minutes till you hear popping. Remove from heat and cool. Top Pumpkin Muffins batter before baking.

Shelly's Cheese Filling

1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 teaspoon Sugar Free Jello Cheesecake Pudding Mix, dry
2 teaspoons Sugar Free Vanilla Torani Syrup 

Mix till well combined. Spoon into a piping bag or a Ziploc that has the corner snipped off. Seal baggie with tape. Pipe into mini muffins. If you don't want to pipe it you can always slice them in half and smear it in the middle. This filling is also great on sliced apples. 

Hospitality turns tragedy to opportunity for retired OSU staffer

Hospitality turns tragedy to opportunity for retired OSU staffer

This article was originally published in February, but it is an amazing story that I never heard about. In honor of the horrific events of nine years, remember that a lot of good has come out of that tragedy. Each of us has the potential to make a HUGE difference in other people's lives. How will you make a difference?

No change

Well, I should say, no change in weight. I haven't lost any more pounds since I've started at the gym. However, I have seen a huge improvement in my treadmill use. I started out with a speed of 2.6 being about the best I could manage for a decent pace. Now, I go at 3.0 with an incline of 1.0. The 3.0 is about the fastest I can manage without having to jog (not ready to try jogging, yet) so I up the incline to make the pace more difficult. An incline of 1% doesn't seem like much, but it goes up in increments of 0.5, so I'm at the second increment. I'm impressed with myself!!!

I've been walking to and from school in the morning. Today we were able to walk in the afternoon, too, because the weather was so much cooler.

My mom asked how much I've lost. I told her just under 110. She said: Aren't you embarrassed to tell people that? I said: No, I'm quite proud of it! She said: I would be embarrassed.

What do you think? Should I be embarrassed? I'll happily tell everyone how much I've lost and how much I still need to lose and what my goal is. Yes, that means they can add things up and come to the realization that I let myself get to almost 400 pounds!!! That's the part that is embarrassing! Not that I've lost so much.

Anyway. I guess I just need to write that off as another mom thing.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!!!