Saturday and a glimpse of Snow

Unlike most people, other than skiers or snowboarders, I came to BC to find some snow.  As a born and bred Albertan I'm missing it.  This morning I woke up to what is commonly called a skiff.  It's better than nothing and now the sun is shining so it may not last.  I'm grateful for the glimpse of what must be coming soon.

And making the previous sentence my attitude as I wait patiently for weight loss is my goal, remember I have no scale so I can't weigh in, rats!  Didn't that exclamation mark make it "seem" more sincere? 

Todays Question:  "Why is it so hard to be grateful during the slow process of weight loss?"

I am starting to understand why people get their tummies tied.  I mean quick results and the only major complaint is emotional issues.  I've had emotional issues for years, bring it on I say. I find it funny, in that sad kinda way, that people get praise for having their tummies tied and losing weight.  It's like they actually had something to do with it, I mean besides the surgery.  I know that it's the healthier choice if you can't control your eating, I know for the obese it saves their lives.  I'm glad for that.  But it's not a praise worthy task to lose weight when you have your stomach tied is it?  I think that even I could lose weight fast if I went that route, however, I don't qualify, maybe that's why I get annoyed. 

I guess for me success is defined as something I have to work hard for.  The pleasure of succeeding at something you put all the energy, effort and brain power behind, is what makes the victory sweet.  If I had plastic surgery to improve every flaw, in what may seem to most of you to be a perfect face, do I get the credit or does the surgeon?  If I snuck off to Africa where lipo suction is cheap and then came back and blogged of my great weight loss...was it truly my success? 

It seems I'm pondering the honesty factor this morning of how I'm doing.  I may need a reality check.  I did exercise yesterday, walked very fast with speedy gonzalus, aka my husband Gord, for over 20 minutes....outside.  I didn't overindulge, although the veggie burger and salad I had for lunch left me feeling way too full.  I rejected several chocolate bars that I was sure I saw my name on.  I avoided the bakery in Radium altogether, way too many temptations there. I'm working hard to stay focused and doing my very best to avoid that blank zone where I convince myself I don't know what I'm doing. That innocent victum frame of mind so many of us dieters love to embrace.

This morning I'm going to keep working at succeeding, it is work.  There are simple solutions to everything, want a new car, get a loan, want a new outfit without the money, credit cards.  We live in a world where we can get what we want if we have credit. Even weight loss can be purchased, however, I'm going to painstakingly earn these fifty one pounds and "when" I succeed...I'll know I actually earned it.  And I know that in the end that will feel wonderful.

Be blessed with success in everyway.

Freedom

The good news is, no scale at the condo.  Can you hear the glorious shouts of freedom ringing through the BC mountains across the peaks and valleys to the plains of Edmonton.  I bet you can.  I feel like a weight has been lifted this morning and I don't have to write according to the numbers on that scale.

Todays Question:  "Do three mornings of freedom mean louder screams on the fourth?"

Oh I hope not.  I think I have figured out that the common denominator in my weight gains after vacations is...me.  Blast I wish I could find some other cause that would declare my innocence to all, unfortunately I'm the problem.  Turns out I've always been the problem and if I don't make changes I will return home, once again, at the end of a wonderful break to a scale that only seems able to move in the upward direction.  At that point I will hurl the scale from the second storey of my home in a fit of rage.  I will then need to go back to Costco to purchase another scale and that will annoy me because as much as I'd like to pretend the scale I own is a liar, the luggage I weigh before travel always weighs exactly the same at the airport as it does at home, stupid truth telling scale. 

I plan to pray more this weekend, before during and after meals.  I plan to be more physically active, I plan to enjoy myself and dare I say, I plan to "not" let this little break finds its focus on food.  I'll focus on other things, for example:

1.  People and conversation.  I found it remarkable that I didn't eat a ton of snacks on the way down, I talked with my husband from Beaumont to Radium, almost non-stop, and for a change I wasn't the only one talking.  Amazing what you can learn if you shut your mouth.

2.  I didn't start eating when I walked into the condo, I decorated it for Christmas instead.  It was so much fun and I'm still enjoying it this morning.  Unlike over-eating, only pleasant during, not after.

3.  I'm going to go walk in these beautiful mountains, instead of just looking at them from the car window.  Well I'm going to walk on the roads, I'm too chicken to walk with the mountain sheep.

4.  I'm going to make a very big effort to find better things to do than eat.  I hope you know that was hard for me to write, it's hard for someone like me to come up with better things to do than eat.

5.  I'm going to reward myself with good behavior.  Truly, acting properly is rewarding.

6.  And I'm going to see if I can find others to bless

Those are my goals for this weekend, I will to make them reality.

Be blessed with a wonderful day and God help you to reach your goals.

Days like this.

I'm getting a little tired of reporting that I'm still the same, I am glad I'm not gaining.  Why does this process of weight loss take so much longer than it does to gain weight.  According to the experts I should be seeing those instant results now that I've started to exercise.  Okay it's only 15 minutes a day, but three days ago it was nothing, a pound or two loss would be nice.  We've all seen those magazine articles tauting 10 pound losses for one week of walking...hello!  (WARNING!  Nobody better make a comment about how muscle weighs more than fat, that would be bad timing.)

It's days like this that make me want to dive into a bag of potatoe chips and never come out.  I keep thinking that if I'm not seeing results, what's the point of this.  I mean really.  Yesterday I ate, breakfast bar, slice of pumpkin loaf, sandwich, pumpkin loaf, veggie pasta, pumkin loaf.  That's it.  I went to the stable, I did housework and I exercised. 

Todays Question:  "Does anyone out there feel as sorry for me as I do?"

I doubt that's possible really, but if you do thanks.  I seem to need some sympathy this morning.  What's wrong with having people feel sorry for you, I don't mind pity.  Especially when I feel pitiful.  Do you know that if this continues it will take me two years to lose fifty one pounds.  Can I come up with two years worth of blogging material, you can see the downward spiral I'm already on.

Oh I enjoyed that pity party, I'll stop now.  There is an old song it goes, "Momma said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this momma said."  So I'll take out one or two of those pieces of pumpkin loaf, continue to eat less, and I'll try to keep the pity parties down to one every two or three months. For your sakes not for mine, it felt kinda good on my end.

I see the sun is rising out my bedroom window and the light of the day is overcoming the darkness.  I'll be alright, I can do this. 

Be blessed with a wonderful day.

Remembering

As all my Canadian friends know, today is Rememberance Day.  It is a stat holiday in our Country and I'm so proud we acknowledge and give honor to the people who purchased our Countries freedom with their lives.  War is not for the faint in heart and I know if our freedom somehow got into my hands, we'd be hooped, as the basketballers say.  So I praise God for those who are called to protect, which leads me to...

Todays Question:  "Shouldn't we have a stat holiday that honors the police, firemen, prison guards, our military and any other man or woman who willingly put their lives on the line to protect us?" 

I am so grateful that I live in a Country where I can pick up a phone and get help.  I'm so glad that so many  are called to protect.  I am a chicken, some of you may not know that about me, there is no way I would run into a burning building, in fact I seldom run.  I would not go into a dark room looking for a bad guy, I would not guard the murderers in prison, I'd be too afraid of seeing something gross if I were an ambulance driver and I'd be way too nervous to fight in a war.  I can't stand seeing people in pain, I don't like the thought of having a gun if someone was rude to me because they were speeding.  Not sure what I'd do with too much power, not sure I want to find out. 

We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people called to serve.  My brother-in-law Dave is a police man, he absolutely loves it.  When he talks to my husband or son about things he deals with I have to leave, can't even stand to hear about the things he sees from day to day.  Makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about how many horrible situations he's dealt with.  And yet, I have this overwhelming sense of gratitude that God has called people like Dave to do what others could not.  I am so grateful for the people who serve and protect...so grateful.  I hope you are too.

This is a weight loss journal so I am the same weight again, down ten pounds.  I exercised last night for fifteen minutes and amazingly lived to tell about it.   I'm pressing on in spite of the slow motion movie I seem to be the star of.  I will see results, I have great faith.

I pray that today you remember not just those who died for our freedom but those who continue to fight for it.  Not only those in the military fighting foreign enemies but those in our own country who have the misfortune of protecting us from our own people. 

God bless the men and women who protect us....watch over their lives as they watch over ours.

Be blessed with a wonderful day.

Lest we forget!