Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Whew!

Sitting on the couch, watching the Simpsons.

The couch begins to shake... my pulse goes through the roof...

EARTHQUAKE!!!!!

Oh... it's Ellie. She's leaning into the back of the couch while she *vigorously* scratches behind her ear!

Dumb dog.

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Thanksgiving!

So, today we did the following:

1. Took the doggies to visit my husband's parents.
2. Took the doggies to visit my parents.
3. Came home and chilled.
4. Took 3.5 mile walk.
5. Went to Jack-in-the-crack for dinner for my husband.

We're both dieting, but my diet is a bit more restrictive. The whole turkey dinner and gravy and etc., etc., would have been too much for us right now. :P

So we are experiencing a turkey-free Thanksgiving. It's a little weird, but so are we. :)

Meanwhile, I've also been reading my new OCD books. The book "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders" by Steven Levenkron has been speaking to me very deeply. It's a trip. I've also got Steven's book on "Cutting". Both are very good and very insightful. I think I may finally understand how my whole OCD thing started.

Am trying to get a women's OCD group started in my area... or to find one that already exists! :) Am realizing it's very theraputic to talk to people with similar problems.

Hoping everyone else's Thanksgiving's are peaceful and enjoyable, and not too fattening. :)

Monday, November 21, 2005

Things I'm looking forward to

Things I'm looking forward to:

Seeing these movies:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Aeon Flux

Putting up Christmas lights.

Purchasing and decorating the Christmas tree.

My Sister and her boyfriend coming to visit at Christmas, bringing his dog Sheila.

Losing another 10 pounds before Christmas.

Finishing my current project at work.

Starting a new project work, hopefully the one with Dennis. He's alot of fun to work with. :)

Seeing my Dad at work, as he's working as a security guard, and the security company has assigned him to my company! So, if I'm working in the "other building", I get to eat lunch with him. :)

Finding out what other clothes in the closet now actually fit. [I found out all kinds of gorgeous blouses now fit, especially the shiny red blouses! Whoo-hoo! Found out a very pretty skirt now fits, and another one is now way too large!!!]

Enjoying the improvement in my libido, from weight loss.

Enjoying the fact that my husband is enjoying the improvement in my libido. ;)

My Sister taking my surf kayak away, making more room in our garage. [I'm more into surfing with a board than with a kayak.]

Having a garage sale, getting rid of some clothing that is too large and some books I won't ever read again, and other junk.

Hopefully finding out my ski boots now fit ... as my calves are getting thinner.

Enjoying the fact that I can walk 3.5 miles in an hour w/o coming home exhausted. [Instead, I could probably walk it a 2nd time!]

Enjoying other people noticing my weight loss, and wanting to know my secret, and getting to share that secret, so hopefully other people can get healthier as well.

[Secret == HMR, http://www.hmrprogram.com ]

Enjoying the here and now, relaxing on the couch with my husband and our 2 german shepherds, watching Fox news, with the fire going in the fireplace.

Thankful for my husband, our dogs, our home, my job, my husband's job, our health, my parents, my Sister, my husband's parents and siblings and family, all our friends.

Thankful that the latest plane to have landing gear problems landed safely by the Grace of God, today. Phew!

There's more, but I need to go do some laundry and take the stinky trash out. :P

God speed, everyone. :)

Monday, November 14, 2005

Losing weight

Just a word to all my fellow overweight friends out there:

If you are having problems losing weight, you are obviously not alone. I tried on my own for the longest time.

I will confess. I am a 37 year old married woman. I am 5 feet tall.

15 weeks ago, I was 183.5 pounds. I am now 158.5 pounds. That's a weight loss of 25 pounds in 15 weeks!

My goal is to be somewhere between 110 and 120 pounds, and stay there.

How'd I finally start losing weight?

I watched 2 of our friends go on the HMR program which was being sponsored by the Center for Wellness at our local clinic. I watched them lose a tremendous amount of weight and feel MUCH better, and look much better.

So, I went on it. My husband went on it to support me. Two of our friends went on it about the same time. And another friend joined the bandwagon a few weeks later.

See, it's like this:
I tried to take a Calculus class on my own once... I just needed to complete 2 units in order to make my 2 semesters of 2nd year calculus (taken at a junior college) to fully transfer over to my quarter-system 4 year university. It was self-paced, and when you were done you had to take a test. There were tutors, but no homework that needed to be turned in... I think. It's all rather fuzzy. Let's just say that unlike my normal Calculus classes, where I had a professor and daily classes and homework that was due, I did really crappy in this self-paced Calculus class.

Point being, it's alot easier to learn, say, Calculus with a professor, classes, fellow students also taking the class and studying with you, and grades, rather then learning it on your own w/o anyone razzing you when you don't do your homework!

So, you need help. Weight loss is a learned skill, and can be a "long class". You need to do it with others, and be challenged by hearing how far others have come. There needs to be some friendly competition, and a coach (professor) helping you along.

And, in order to assist you, you need the right "material" to make eating healthy, smaller proportions easier, i.e., meal replacements. And the right documentation to help you keep track of what you are eating, how much you are exercising, and what your weight loss per week is.

I don't know if Jenny Craig or Nutri Systems, etc., are similar to HMR, but they probably are.

The HMR program has the following requirements, for the program I'm in. [I'm not in the most aggressive weight loss version... that one required weekly blood tests, and I'm not down with needles!]

1. Every day, eat at least 2 of their entrees.
2. Every day, eat/drink at least 3 of their shakes. You may blend them with fruit if you like.
3. Every day, eat at least 5 fruits and/or vegetables.
4. Every day, drink at least 64 ounces of water.
5. Every week, exercise at least 2000 calories.

And you have weekly 1 hour conference calls. Other versions of this program require going in for a 1 hour meeting with your fellow "classmates".

Anyway, go check it out. You may be able to have insurance pay for it.

I purchase entrees/shakes every 3 weeks for myself. it usually costs me... about $250 to $270. Of course, I still have to purchase my own fruits and vegetables. But I figure it works out as far as normal cost of groceries is concerned.

I believe they also charge $40.00 per month to be on the program.

I normally would scoff at stuff like this. But it bloody works! I feel so much better! It is so nice to be fitting into smaller clothing!!

I've still got a long way to go, and it has been tempting to cheat (and I have cheated several times), but in spite of that, I am losing weight and feeling healthier.

Here's a web site with information on HMR:
HMR Program

Good luck and Godspeed! :)

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Yet another new set of addictive Vader sites!

Ok, you have to check out the following sites:

Darth Vader

And also

iharthdarth

Go check them out when you get the chance. ;)

Friday, November 11, 2005

Latest Addictions

Sorry for not posting recently...

Snoopy got very much into 2 new Vader fan-fic blogs! Must add them to my list of addictions. ;)

Living With A Sith Lord
Me, Myself, and Vader - Discussions with a Sith Lord

Check them out... they rock!

Saturday, November 05, 2005

My dogs



Our dogs, Boss and Ellie. :) [Ellie on the left, our female. Boss on the right, our male.]