Thursday Thought Part II

Like my shoulders.

Just like I like Roy Williams, WR for the Dallas Cowboys, and his arms...I digress.

See, I stared at myself ,in the mirror, as I wore my sundress today. Shoulders exposed. I liked what I saw. ALOT. Way back in the long ago day, I'd never wear anything that showed shoulders or my arms. Too flabby--too something I reckoned. I'd wear short sleeves--but never >gasp!<>

A few years ago, a Big Girl I worked with regularly donned a sleevless shirt. I couldn't believe it! This for all the world to see--especially this particular night, because she was (and is) a stand up comedian. And about to head on stage. I asked her how could she expose her arms like that? Big Girl looked at me like I'd lost my mind. Her response, "Baby, I do not care. And I look good!"

The next day, I ventured out in colorful, sleeveless top. A bit hesitant. Yet comfort eased through me and admitted to myself, I liked what I saw. Sleeveless was hear to stay!

Back to Roy E. Williams and those arms-because tonight I'll be glued to my TV tonight. It is the first Dallas Cowboy 2009 pre-season game and Roy needs to catch a pass or two. Will quiet some of the critics. Not quite the real season--but it is close-you can hear the roar of the crowd...

In the meantime, show some shoulder. Does a body good.

Thursday Thought

Stepped on the scale. Sets firm where I was the other day. Hmm. Since I had a sinus/cold thing going on, I didn't head to the rec center to exercise. And I can feel it. Now I feel more like me. So back to that daily routine. Can tell inches have melted-and I like that.

And I guzzled my 74 ounces of water yesterday and will today.

In the meantime, I got to thinking bout an old love of mine. In fact, I've mentioned him a few times on the blog. Bear--is what I call him. Hit me in recent times how much of a grump o' Bear he's turned out to be! See, he got ticked how I wrote stuff on his Facebook Wall and didn't think to ask HIM if it was OK. Really? It's FACEBOOK-not some secret code spot for the FBI (is it?) What do you do on FACEBOOK? Oh, it was rated G stuff, like "When ya gonna post a pic?"

Even if you're networking--you write on Walls. Well, when this little ditty sunk in, and after I asked Bear if he instructed other friends to ask permission to scipt on his Wall (which I've yet to receive a response), I had an a-ha moment. How it's all about control. His over me.

Makes sense. In all the time we've known each other, Bear has always been so pissed at me. For just about everything. And me? I thought we could work out anything. Heck, love was a many splendored thing. Bear thought so too--if he ruled all the roost. Now, I'm all for the man being head of the household. However, that doesn't mean you're always mad when I quite never do what you think I should and >gasp!<>

That happened alot. Which was alot of the problem.

Oh well. When you have those a-ha moments, you mix a sliced banana and mix with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream. Trick is to have just a few spoonfuls of ice cream--not a PINT, like I use to do-at one sitting. While that cures what ails you-let a cat nap in your lap.

Priceless.

41 Pound Weight

That's what's hangs on my hips. Thighs. Chin. Waist. You name it. The 41 pounds of weight is there.

You see, I'm a full sized girl. Zeftig. Rubenesque-Whatever adjective you want to use. I could say fat. Guess, I am. Yet, it doesn't sounds a groovy cool at zeftig. Sounds put downish, and I ain't nothing about being put down. The deal is, I've had this blog since 2008--right before I bought this house. Adventures along the way, yet at present, kinda stalled on the blog front. A friend asked me if I was going to keep up with it. I knew I wanted to. Life has alot of dips and such. But I didn't know what I wanted to write about. Doing this blog had become dull. I cannot tell a lie, however I wanted to continue.

Sure, there are things going on: politics, football, teen idol crushes from once upon a decade, could be commented on. But what is my blog's purpose? In my new favorite movie, "Julie and Julia" (starring phenomenal Meryl Streep as Julia Child) the husband of Julie (not Julia) asked her what was most important to her, when Julie asked what she should blog about. I sat in the theatre and had my 'A-ha' moment, which I'm sure Oprah would be so proud.

All of life is important to me. Yet the one thing, that hangs all over me is 41 pounds of weight. I've mentioned before my mitral valve replacement surgery in March 2006. In fact, I had a 6 months check up last week with my cardiologist. Such high marks I received. My doc was thrilled-alas, my blood pressure was a bit high. It always is, when I see her.

My weight. I'd recently lost a few pounds, but I never put my full weight on my bathroom scale. Denial. I've been back exercising-walking and treadmilling. And will do aerobics tomorrow. The truth is, I'd lost 70 pounds. Still a full figured girl. I was a 16/18, with a goal of 14, which is the average size of a woman. Around the time I bought the house, job went haywire, and my exercise regime fell to the wayside. As that fell, my weight climbed. I don't know if I actually gained all of the 70 pounds back. A good chunk landed on my hips though.

I do know I had to get over the denial and put my feet down. Both of them. So as of this morning, I'm 41 pounds away from where I was after surgery. When Movie Man first saw me in real clothes when he came to take me home from the hospital that chilly day in March 2006, "Where did you go?"

That's what this blog's new phase will entail. The journey we'll take together to lose 41 pounds. I want more--yet, let's get to where we were before. Why share it with you?

Why not? You'll keep me accountable. We'll help each other. I'm not into Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers (which I've done years ago) or anything else, however if you are and they work for you--then Do It! We can talk about it. You and me. I'm not gonna lie and say, "I will NEVER eat another onion ring or ice cream!"

Get real. Eat in moderation. Know what you're putting in your body. I did it before. I can do it again.

And I will still have something to say about Donny Osmond and any other teen dream I had, plus any current one. And anything else I feel like chatting about, but first and foremost, I'll tell you how the day went when it came to munching--like today, instead of my usual old fashioned oatmeal you fix on the stove, with a spoonful of brown sugar and sliced fresh strawberries, I savored a peanut butter sandwich on 100% wheat bread, which I've chowed for years, with whole fresh strawberries. See, you make me accountable!

Do I have a deadline? Sure, I'd love for this 41 pound weight gone by my next cardiologist visit in January 2010.

You just never know.

This is life.

Live it!

Two

Inches. Count em. Two.
Measured my hips this morn and two inches were gone. Outta here.
Thrilled me!
Don't get me wrong. I love my hips--like I've said, always been and will be a full figured girl
Yet, my hips needed some help. Weren't lookin as good as I wanted them to
See, after the initial shock of weight gain instead of weight loss,
Since my recent exercise regimen-yea, it is common, but that doesn't thrill me.
Noticed my hips had changed.
Had to have a reason to not eat ALL the dee-lishus pint of Blue Bell Cookies n Cream ice cream
Yet could still savor a few spoonfuls-
Instead of my step on the scale and then my scream loud enough for neighbors to hear-
To measure said hips became the decision
There was a visible difference-even if I didn't have on my glasses or my contacts in
A difference--maybe not to anyone else, yet to ME!
When I wrapped the tape around my hips
Swore wouldn't pull it so tight circulation would be cut off
Nope. Honest wrap around
Two inches gone
Thrilled me!
Listen to poet Lucille Clifton while she gives Homage to My Hips
Because this is how it oughta be!

Wonder

Why you just can't wake up and pounds can be gone from your body? The exercise and less food are working. In fact, during lunch yesterday one of my co-workers asked if my 'rabbit food' would satisfy me. Too funny. I munched on a Healthy Choice meal. Sure, it wasn't all pasta, garlic bread and tiramisu--yet it was good.

To lose weight is like when you gain weight--it doesn't happen over night. I try to not be angry at myself that it happened at all. When I lost all those 70 lbs in 2006--I just KNEW it wasn't coming back. I loved swimming in my clothes. I knew I would always be a full figured girl, but being a healthier full figured girl was my goal.

And I stuck to it until I realized I had to start this new chapter.

Stay tuned.

So

I stepped on the scale this morning. Imagine my glee when it didn't scream nor buckle as much as before! Like that ALOT! Can tell inches had eased off the hips, especially from the bike. And my legs aren't as tired and just happy on the things I'm seeing. More energy during the night to complete projects and sleep like a rock. Well, I sleep like a rock anyway a more peaceful rock.

I do hate exercise. Yet I like what exercise does for you, so I recommend it. Trust me, you'll hate it too, but like what it does for YOU.

So if you'll excuse me, gotta get in the rec center before I get on with my day.

Enjoy this Saturday!