Weight Loss Help...with The Chunky Monkeys!
Lounge By TexasSugar Updated 28 Oct 2011 , 1:50pm by TexasSugar
My weight loss has slowed down over the past few months. We went to Orlando Florida for 8 nights in November...DisneyWorld for 4 days, Universal Studios for 2 days and SeaWorld for one day. I lost 3 lbs from all the walking, despite eating VERY well at excellent restaurants.
We got home on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The Wednesday before T'giving we drove 12 hours to Iowa to see my mother-in-law who is ill. We came home on Saturday after T'giving.
My son lost his apt.lease, so we spent 6 days in the first two weeks of December moving him back to our house and his stuff into a storage place till he could find another house/apt. I lost 2 lbs during all the moving and cleaning his apt. This week, he and a friend signed a lease to share a house, so we will be helping him move...again...:sigh:
I haven't gained any since then, so I am glad the holidays were not unkind to me. That brings my total loss to 103.5 lbs. Slow is good. Slow loss stays off longer. Keep that in mind when you are losing slower than you like..
Good luck to all who are struggling!
Gavi, just keep in mind that you do know what to do and what works for you. I'd think about the things that did work for you when you were losing weight and compare that to things you are doing now.
Did you go on some super strict diet that is hard to keep up wtih realisticly in the long run? If so, maybe you can incorporated some of those things with things that can be done from now on.
If someone told me I could never eat pasta again I could probably go a while with out it, but then I'd crave it and I'd give in and then I'd have a huge bowl of 1000 calories worth of pasta. Instead when I am craving pasta, I have a small portion of whole wheat pasta.
If your 'diet' wasn't anything super restrictive, then I'd look at the things that derail you. As we all know stress and emotional eating can be our down fall. That and just giving in completely when we do slip up and eat more than we should instead of getting back on track.
That is one of the reasons I know I keep losing and gaining. I'll lose weight by avoiding fast food and planning ahead so I have food plans. And then I'll slowly get lazy and instead of coming up with something for lunch I'll give into fast food. And then I'll do the same thing a few days later then a week later I realise that I haven't been to the store and I have eaten fast food every day. And while I'll start trying to pick 'better' options off the fast food menu, or smaller sizes of things, I'll slowly find myself not 'caring' any more and ordering just what ever.
I think to be successfull at this, we have to pin point not only what works, but what doesn't. Keep doing what works, and figure out alturnatives for those things that don't.
One of my 'plans of action' this time around is that if I do get fast food, because I know there will be times when I will, that I get small instead of medium or large. So if I do get fries to get a small fry. While I know they wouldn't be 'good' for me, atleast I can feel better knowing that I ate less calories. And really who needs to eat a large fry all the time?
I also life doesn't always go according to plans, last night would be a great example of that for me. We didn't get home from grandma's house until 9:30 last night. We stopped and got sandwichs on the way back to my parents house and by the time we ate I was just ready to go home and go to bed, and not even bother with the store, or baking the cake I need for class tonight. I'm hoping I'll be up for going to the store tonight after class, but I won't be getting home again until after 9, so it will just depend.
I did pick fruit over chips to go with the french dip sammy I got, so I know that I did save some calories. And that is just what I will have to do until I do make it to the store.
I've got some other things on my 'plan of action' list that I hope will help me get back on track and keep going. I also have a friend that has made up a list of 10 things to change when it comes to eating. She's working on one item for a week or two and then will add in another. She said that that way she doesn't feel overwhelmed and since she knows what is coming up she can always do those things now and then too.
I think it is a good idea. And since I'm working on changing several areas of my life I am trying not to get overwhelmed with making a ton of changes at once. That's why I am making actually plans or things I can do to make the changes that I need. Rather than just saying I need to lose weight, I am saying to lose weight I need to do this, this and that. Instead of saying I'm going to save money, I know I have to do this, that and then some to actually be able to save money.
. . . .
I haven't gained any since then, so I am glad the holidays were not unkind to me. That brings my total loss to 103.5 lbs. Slow is good. Slow loss stays off longer. Keep that in mind when you are losing slower than you like..
Good luck to all who are struggling!
GOOD FOR YOU!! 
That is wonderful!!! I had a good day yesterday, it's a one day at a time thing!! I am going to have to get a dress soon for my DD's wedding and that just terrifies me!!!
Anna, I totally believe in losing slowly. While I'd love to lose 3-5lbs every week, I know that to do it in a healthy fashion, I am for 1-2lbs. They add up, just like the rest of them.
Karen don't let shopping scare you! Lose what you can (the right way) then shop for what fits your current figure.
I TOTALLY love the wii Fit Plus!!! It is so much fun. I won't be joining the gym!
I'm really happy with how I'm doing. I'm really watching my food, but I am going to start a food journal, that really helps me. And I've been riding my bike with my DD. And we've been playing the wii! Did I mention that I love that thing!?!
I have regained all the weight that I lost last year. I'm disappointed but I'm not beating myself up over it. I'm just starting over again.
Dinner tonight is a brown rice and lentil casserole, lunch was a very yummy salad. I'm still working on getting good food into the kids - that's tough.
Now I'm off to try to get the house clean before the hubby gets home.
Melissa
Melissa I am with you with the re-gain. But I've decided I can either let it get me down, or I can say screw it, that was last year and this is this year.
I still have not made it to the store. I ended up having 10 people in class last night, and we started late so by the time I got my stuff cleaned up I was already 9:30 when I left the store. Went to my parent's house and thankfully they were nice enough to save me some dinner. Of course it was fast food and fried chicken because momma hasn't been to the store either since we got back.
I'm really hoping I manage it tonight, but at the moment it isn't looking so good. Back in October-ish I was trying my best to clean my house out. Well like normal behavior for me I got distracted along the way, so everything I sit aside to go, is well, it is still in my dinning room and living room. This wouldn't be such a big deal... except for the fact that I decided yesterday I wanted my grandparent's dinning room furniture. They are having a sell this weekend for her stuff. So what we wanted really has to be out of the house, tonight.
I'm either going to have to take off early, or at least go straight home and clean out the dining room. Which also means finding a home (outside of my house) for a medium sized roll top desk, and also for a wicker table and chair set. I know the table and chairs will probably end up in the storage room, maybe the desk too. I just have to figure out what to do with all the stuff surrounding them.
It is times like these when I wish I would complete a big project (like cleaning out my house) instead of setting it aside or that I was like 'normal' people that have a clutter free house and switching out furniture was a quick and easy process rather than I 'umm yeah, and where am I going to put that and how am I going to get to that' process.
Of course being more like 'normal' people when it comes to a clutter free house is on my list of things to work on this year.
Yesterday I was feeling very stressed out. This whole week I have been very emotional. Part of that is pms, the other part of it is going to my grandma's house and going through her things. It's like I said to my brother a little while ago, everything in that house was her, and after this weekend, it will be gone. I'm very happy I got the items I did, including her china, because then I know that a part of her will always be with me and in the family. But it's all very overwhelming and even more final.
I'm also frustrated that I haven't been able to really start on eating better, because there just hasn't been enough hours in the day the last two, and I was hoping tonight would be better. Maybe I'll end up at the store at 10pm tonight. I guess we will have to wait and see. At this point instead of day by day, I feel like I am just looking at hour to hour.
Tracy, it will all work itself out. Once you are able to slow down a little bit and get to the store, you'll be able to get things as you need them to be. I know you set a certain date to get yourself back on track but sometimes things just don't work out the way we plan. But it will work out.
I keep seeing that you and I have quite a bit in common. When my mom passed away, I took her dishes. I want so badly to use them but I just haven't been able to yet. I know that she would want me to but there's just something holding me back. I still have them in the attic wrapped up. Maybe it's like you said, it will just feel final and I'm sure I don't want that. One day I will be able to though. Most things work themselves out in their own time. I know how difficult it is for you to go through her belongings. It's a very tough thing to do. My heart goes out to you.......
I still have not made it to the store either. I've had so much work to do so far this month. I did get my Weight Watchers calculator and 3 month journal in today. Haven't had a chance to look at it yet though. I still haven't signed up to W.W. online yet. I had full intentions of doing that yesterday. Food wise I've been doing really good this week. Unfortunately I've had a headache for 3 days in a row now. I think it may be because I'm coming off of sugar.... I ate so much fudge leading up to this week and now, I'm pretty much off of sugar. Wonder if that could cause a headache? Kinda like coming off of caffeine?
I'm hoping to have some time over the next couple of days to write up a menu and look over some recipes. So much to do, so little time..... Home made soup, that's what I need to make.......
Alrighty, gotta get back to work... Hope everyone is having a great day and hope to hear from more of our chunky monkey friends.....
Hello everyone. My name is Mistie and I am a chunky monkey. (sounds like an AA meeting lol) I would love to get down to the weight I was when I got married 12 yrs ago and 2 kids ago. At this point in time I weigh 280 lbs. My goal is to lose from 5-10 lbs a week. It has taken my 12 yrs to put it on now it's gonna take some time to take it off. My biggest challenges are 1) I love to bake. 2) My husband loves to cook. 3) I love to eat his cooking. So here is what I am going to do to fix it 1) I will start riding my bike 5 miles a day. 2) I will eat healthier portions. 3) I will get whatever I bake out of my house. I think my skinny FIL is about to gain a lot of weight lol. 4) I will drag my kids with me on their bikes. I CAN DO THIS. I GAVE BIRTH TO 2 KIDS, I AM A HOMESCHOOLING MOM, AND I AM A 4H MOM, SO I KNOW I CAN HANDLE THIS.
Margie, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to use these dishes either. I want them displayed, but I know that behind the glass doors they will be safe. I'd be afraid that if I used them I'd break one, ya know? I've actually handled them many of times for her. In the last 5-6 years I'd go over there before Thanksgiving and switch out these dishes for the Christmas dishes, then switch them back for her after the holidays. But there is something different about them now.
They are my grandparent's wedding china brought over from Germany. She actually also had my great grandmother's wedding dishes, again brought over from Germany, as well. I had a pick between the two, and decided that while my Oma's dishes were older and probably more of an hairloom, I don't remember her as well. And I wanted a piece of *my* grandma. My Aunt and Uncle got the other set and plan to pass it down to one of their granddaugther's so they will still be in the family.
I'll be excited when we get the floors done, and the china cabinet in place and I can unpack these and put them back in her china cabinet where they belong.
One of my poor friends has been dealing with me today through text messages. He knows I'm stressed and thankfully he isn't the type to say suck it up and deal with it. So he's 'listened' to me freak out all day, which is what I need.
I know if I don't make it to the store tonight there is always tomorrow. And if all else fails I'll use the weekend to regroup and start fresh next week.
Hey Tracy, give it some time and you will be able to deal with all of this. I was very - very close with my grandmother, and I have her dishes, and dining room set. It took a little while, but now I look forward to the times I get to use them. Even this year, without my mother, I found it comforting to use the set for Christmas Dinner. It will take time, but it will get better. 
Welcome, Mistie, Nice to have you!! 5 -10lbs a week is a bit ambitious, but good luck!!! I try for about 2lbs a week, but then I am happy with any loss!! 
Mistie, welcome! Sounds like you have a plan going on there. I love to cook too, and before never paid attention to calories or serving sizes. I still enjoy cooking and sometimes it can be a fun challenge to great a meal that is low in calories. Yes we do have to give up some things, but it doesn't mean we have to eat plain, bland food.
Good luck with the 5-10lbs, but just remember the story of the turtle and the rabbit. Slow and steady wins the race.
I know shows like the Biggest Loser (yes I know, here comes my rant again) show the world that you can lose such huge number in short time frames, but keep in mind those people aren't living in the real world while they are doing it. They aren't working, taking care of a family and dealing with everything else that we do on a normal daily bases.
Karen, thank you for sharing that. I know it will get better as time goes on. I was really close to my grandma, being the only girl grandchild didn't help. I know I'll always miss her, but I also know that there will be times when I will be comforted by having these things around me.
And here is my long winded (I actually started over trying to condense and it was still long winded) up date on last night, plus some...
My dining room got cleaned out to make space for the new additions of furniture. Lets just say I made just enough space and that the room is FULL! There is a walk way through it, but other than that it is full! If youd like a visual of how full the room is, let me know and Ill paint a picture for you. I will have to part with a few pieces of furniture to make room for the new stuff, but thats okay with me.
After they moved the furniture in and left I had an emotional moment and ended up sitting there crying. I'm sure it is a combination of being hormonal (pms/period), frustrated and overwhelmed by the mess of my house, and seeing her furniture in pieces in my house and not put together in hers.
Thinking of all the possibilities of the room with the new furniture did make me feel better later on. I have a good reason to change the feel of the room, to replace the curtains, to bring new life to a room that I let get over run with cutter. And I will use the reminder that the furniture is too pretty and too special to be covered with clutter to help me curb that bad habit of mine.
It is very possible that starting next week they will want to start redoing my floors (finally), so my goal this weekend is to get all the things that have been set aside to go into the garage sell out of my living room. I will also have to clean it up and out so that it is primarily just furniture that they will have to move out while they work on the floor. The dining room is next up on the list, but since 90% of that room is currently furniture, there isnt too much Ill have to do there so that lets me work on other rooms in the house.
Tonight though, I am going to the store. It is pretty much a must do thing and I can not put it off any longer.
This afternoon I'll finalize my menu plan so I'll be able to make my grocery list. I'm debating shopping for two weeks instead of one. My theory on that is that the fewer times I go to Walmart a month, the less likely I am to give into impulse buys. Spending is another issue of mine Im working on. I just have to figure out how that works when I want to buy fresh veggies and fruits to eat. I may have an idea there though.
The rest of my evening will be spent putting my kitchen back together. I had it all nice and cleaned up back a few months ago, but Christmas cookie supplies have taken over and they need to be put in their place. Which needs to be somewhere other than on the kitchen counters and table.
There are a lot of changes going on in my life, some in my surrounds, some in my head and some in preparations of things to come in the future. Yesterday I know I let all of it really get to me and stress me out. Last night on facebook I posted the following as my status:
Trying to take a step back and put things into perspective. I'm not going to accomplish anything if I keep overwhelming myself with unrealistic expectations.
I know that to get to where I need to be, with my eating, with my spending/saving and in other parts of my life, I need to plan and follow the plans, but also allow flexiablity. Because as much as it throws us for a loop, things do not always go as planned and life sometimes gets in the way.
I also need to remember that to fully make (permenent) changes I need to focus in on specific things I can realisticly do now, rather than everything in every part of my life that needs to be changed. Other wise I will be overwhelmed, and then I wont get anywhere, except maybe in front of the kicthen cabinet eatting my eay through the 24oz bag of chocolate chips that didnt get use on the cookies last month.
While Id love to say that I will come up with a step by step, year long game plan this weekend, I know that just is not possible with everything I have going on. What I can do though pick one thing from each main change (losing weight, saving money and my house) that I need to make and focus on them one at a time. If I plan them right they will actually work together, you know like pieces to a puzzle.
So Ill end this with saying that I feel like I am finally in a better place mentally than I have been all week. I had a crazy, emotional, no time to myself to do what I wanted to start to my week. I have decided that I will finish my week in a more relaxed and hopefully less emotional mood while I get some things checked off my forever growing to do list.
I guess today is my day to be down. I should be happy, I actually made my goal for this week and lost 2lbs, Yea!! Guess I should have stopped there, but no, I found 3 dresses I liked for my DDâs wedding (April 2) so; I took my measurements to order one. And . . .thatâs when it went down hill!! How can I lose 35lbs and still have these measurements!! 
It's easy when you are not exercising! I am not exercising because the neighbor kids, broke my Bow Flex (my 1yr old tread climber) yep! No, I didn't have the heart to tell my friends. I know - I know! Needless to say, I am NOT ordering a dress. I think I need to just focus on the fact that I did loose what I wanted to, and just keep going, but man it's hard!!!! My head says, go get some diet pills, they work fast, my experience and common sense, knows better! They are not good for you and you will just gain it back fast, been there - done that and I want a new way healthy life style!! Ok - gotta get out of this funk and go finish my cake for today!!!!
Oh Karen! HUGS!!
First of all remember, losing weight isn't all about the numbers. It is also about how we feel. At -35lbs don't you feel better? Don't you notice how things are easier to do now than they were? It is amazing how much losing a little weight can effect you.
You still have some time before getting a dress so don't get discouraged. Save the information for the dress you want and you never know those inches may be different in a month.
As far as the diet pills. Last fall my mother did some, I considered it, then decided that I could do it with out. Even though I tired to convince my mother otherwise, she stayed on them. I think when you have to take all kinds of vitamins because the limited food doesn't give you what you need that is a key that it isn't a good idea. And my mother who before this had strong nails, (and had to take vits for hair and nails with the diet pills) is now fighting to get her nails back to where they were. Now they just peel and peel and break because they are so weak and thin. And yes she's gained the weight back since she stopped taking the diet pills.
Anything we do, has to be something we can do for the long run. We just have to find the right combinations of what works for us.
Contrats on your two pound loss! Focus on that, and forget the measurements for today. Celebrate what you have accomplished!
Of course being more like 'normal' people when it comes to a clutter free house is on my list of things to work on this year.
Hey, TexasSugar, a lot of "normal" people have cluttered houses! Have you ever looked into FlyLady? She has a plan to get us out of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) one little Baby Step at a time. Honestly, I do it a little differently, and I am far from there, but I got some great ideas at her site. We have an open floor plan in our new house, so I have a goal everyday of keeping the "open area" free of clutter. Sometimes it means piling stuff in my bedroom, but we are working on the bedroom in little baby steps now. Our problem is clutter, we really need to get rid of a TON of stuff, but I tend to hang on to it, "just in case." My almost 2 year old in wearing my ten year olds' clothes from when they were 3!
As far as weight goes.....currently I am fatter than I have ever been, at about 165ish. I don't own a scale, but I can't button jeans that I used to be able to side over my hips without unbottoning, so I know it is a ton. I was last weighed at the Dr. in the summer and it was about 159. And I haven't walked in 6 months!
I never have had to lose weight before, this is new to me! I packed it on after my last baby and he is almost 2. I just naturally lost all my baby weight plus 10 to 20 pounds extra after my first 2 pregnancies. But I have had a bunch of stress with my DH I would rather not share, and it makes me feel like I am not good enough no matter what, so I feel nasty regardless, but my bones hurt being this heavy. I want to lose 30-35 pounds.
I have a stack of clothes I can't get over my thighs, and I just want them to fit! I love to shop, but I refuse to buy bigger clothes, so I stay in my pajamas a lot to be comfy. I don't know what to do!!!
As far as weight goes.....currently I am fatter than I have ever been, at about 165ish. I don't own a scale, but I can't button jeans that I used to be able to side over my hips without unbottoning, so I know it is a ton. I was last weighed at the Dr. in the summer and it was about 159. And I haven't walked in 6 months!
I never have had to lose weight before, this is new to me! I packed it on after my last baby and he is almost 2. I just naturally lost all my baby weight plus 10 to 20 pounds extra after my first 2 pregnancies. But I have had a bunch of stress with my DH I would rather not share, and it makes me feel like I am not good enough no matter what, so I feel nasty regardless, but my bones hurt being this heavy. I want to lose 30-35 pounds.
I have a stack of clothes I can't get over my thighs, and I just want them to fit! I love to shop, but I refuse to buy bigger clothes, so I stay in my pajamas a lot to be comfy. I don't know what to do!!!
18 months ago, I weighed 260. I had been obese my whole adult life, especially after my son was born. He's 23 now. Then I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I started walking, JUST walking, and counting carbs, NO MEDS...and I have lost 103.5 lbs. I am now a very fit 156.5! So 156-160 is not a TON to me, but a miracle. I have a ways to go, and it's slow, but I am thrilled (so is my MD) with my weight.
However, weight is just a number. It's how you feel and what you can do that makes the difference. I feel better than I have in my entire adult life. I can walk a hill or up stairs without getting out of breath. We went to Disney World for 8 days in November and walked our legs off. My husband kept wanting to sit and rest, but I was eager to keep moving. We had a blast. I lost 3 lbs and he gained 5 lbs while we were there.
So get off your butt and walk! It's free! It gives you time to think, or listen to music.
Btw, I'm Anna too...AnnaBakesCakes was one of the first business names I considered. LOL
18 months ago, I weighed 260. I had been obese my whole adult life, especially after my son was born. He's 23 now. Then I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I started walking, JUST walking, and counting carbs, NO MEDS...and I have lost 103.5 lbs. I am now a very fit 156.5! So 156-160 is not a TON to me, but a miracle. I have a ways to go, and it's slow, but I am thrilled (so is my MD) with my weight.
However, weight is just a number. It's how you feel and what you can do that makes the difference. I feel better than I have in my entire adult life. I can walk a hill or up stairs without getting out of breath. We went to Disney World for 8 days in November and walked our legs off. My husband kept wanting to sit and rest, but I was eager to keep moving. We had a blast. I lost 3 lbs and he gained 5 lbs while we were there.
So get off your butt and walk! It's free! It gives you time to think, or listen to music.
Btw, I'm Anna too...AnnaBakesCakes was one of the first business names I considered. LOL
Annabakescakes is just my name on here, I have a secret business name, lol! I haven't trademarked it and I don't want it taken before i start my business (soon)! I was the only Anna I knew when I was growing up. Everyone else named Anna was dead, apparently! I heard all the time that someone "used to have an aunt named Anna" or "that was my Grandmother's name" lol! Now there are a million little girls names Anna.
I am accustomed to weighing no more than 140, and like 130, and I can't seem to catch my breath. I feel like my weight is crushing my lungs. My knees hurt, my ankles hurt, and even my shoes are tight. I am miserable. Plus, my husband is 5'10" and 155. He is solid muscle and very defined. Has an 8 pack and his arm muscles look like grapefruits. He looks like Disney's Tarzan! So I feel like a blimp next to him, unless I am really thin, but thin looks bad on me, so I am happy weighing 20 pounds less than him. He eats junk food all day long. I pack his lunch and he eats 2 sandwiches, 1 Hot Pocket, an apple, a baggie full of chips, a pudding, a yogurt, a nutty bar, 2 cup cakes, a brownie, and a 2 pack of sausage biscuits. Plus a handful of Halloween candy. And about 6 coffees. I'd explode.
I do want to walk, but it is FREEZING out, and I have 4 kids. I can't leave them by themselves, (If i took them, it would take an hour to get them all ready and I would be exhausted before I walked out the door!) and there is only an hour of daylight after DH gets home. I won't walk in the dark, even though we live in a tiny neighborhood in the country. I would want mace, a tazer and a knife and a gun, I am so paranoid, this world is a crazy place.
I could really benefit from drinking water though. And once I have the business, I will be running around a lot. Right now I sit on my butt in front of the computer all day. I worked in a bakery and lost 8 pounds while I worked there!
Anna, I do realise that alot of normal people have clutter in their house. But my clutter isn't a normal amount. It I don't put a stop to it it will hedge closer to hoarding status rather than clutter.
I did FlyLady years ago and got annoyed with all the emails she sends out. Plus I'm so not a morning person so there is no way I'd get the toilet cleaned before I went to work, and I hate the idea of putting dishes under the sink just so they aren't visable.
I know in my head that I have to just get rid of things, and not feel guilty about it because so and so gave it to me. And I know that by getting rid of a forth or even half of what I have, I can really cut out some of the issues I have. The other issues, well that will be a matter of ignoring the procrastinator side of me and just getting up and doing things, rather than putting them off until the next day.
Today me and my nephew did carry out most of the to be garage sell stuff that was pilled up in my living room (from the cleaing out I did back in the fall). We also carried out the wicker furniture and I sent another cabinet on wheels to my brother's house today. I still have a desk. chest of drawers, and wicker rocker to leave my house, as well as possibly a bench. I'm going with my theory, the less places I have to stick things on or places to put things, the less things I will hold on to.
I'm going to a realization that I will actually have to pair down my cake stuff too at some point. But for right now, since I did do purging in that room in the fall that I will focus on the other rooms in the house.
Don't compare yourself to your husband or what he eats. Men typically burn more calories a day than we do, because they generally have bigger muscles. So who cares what he eats? What you have to do is focus on what you eat.
You also can't use him as a gauge for your self value. If you have a daughter, what would you tell her if you heard her say that about herself? I found a simple but meaningful shuffle status on facebook the other day. It simply said: Be your own beautiful!
How awesome is that idea? To me beautiful doesn't have to be a perfect body, with prefect teeth, and perfect hair. To me the start of beautiful is actually someone's attitude out themselves and life. We all need to found our own beautiful for ourselves and not for other people.
When it comes to exercise it doesn't always have to be a big affair. Even though I have problems with exercise videos they can be a way to get exercise indoors, when it is cold outside or rainy outside. There is also one that involves mostly walking in place with some moves that can be done in limited space. Or you can always turn on some music and get up and dance with the kids. I think that exercise doesn't always have to be typical exercise. You just need to find things that get up up and moving. Cleaning the house will burn calories. Playing tag with the kids is exercise. Just find something you can do to get up and get moving around.
I know I will have to get back to exercise myself. But this next week I am going to focus mostly in on my eating habits. Hopefully starting Monday they will finally be putting down my new floors. I won't know how many rooms they will get done before they have to take break, and I will have some painting to do before they get to the two bedrooms, which should done be last. When I get off here I will be packing up the odds and ins in my living room, and finding a save place for my grandma's stuff. I need to pretty much just have furniture in that room come Monday, so that is all they will have to move out and move back in. Next up will be doing the same to the dining room, then kitchen.
I'm excited about the new floors because it is giving me a chance to move things out and around and make some changes. No more thoughts of, "I'd like to do this in this room, one day, when I get around to it." I am doing it. I feel like my motto for 2011 is "Out with the old, in with the new." So far this year is bringing some changes to my life. Good changes, much needed changes, and the push to make changes.
Where oh where did the weekend go? Yesterday I spent the day in my living room. Why is it you start a project and you don't think it will take that long and hours later you are still at it? Of course I didn't work solidly, and did take breaks to check out what was going on on facebook on my phone.
When I went to bed last night I was tired but I had accomplished what I set out to do. The living room and dining room were cleaned and as much stuff as I could move was removed. This morning, the living room furniture was shoved in the dining room, carpet was removed and the floor is down. They still have to put down a strip of molding before the move the furniture back, but I'm excited! Now the cat on the other hand, I think is freaking out.
I'm guessing the dining room will get worked on this afternoon, and that means tonight I will need to clean out another room and get it ready. I am hoping that the kitchen, bathroom, and or hall will be next. I need more time on the bedrooms since I'll be painting them.
Eating went pretty well this weekend. I had momma's chicken and dumplings last night, but I hadn't eaten a ton all day so I think it balanced out in the long run. And since I was busy the last three days I haven't done any mindless snacking. And with all the bending, squatting and moving things around, I'm counting that as exercise. I sure felt like I had exercised when I went to bed last night.
While I'm not as on scheduled with me eating as I would like to be I am feeling better about things in general. The beginning of last week was rough for me, but things are going better now. And while eating may not be top priority for me right now, I know the other things I am doing will help me get to where I need to be in the end of everything. Getting my house cleaned up, cleaned out, changed around is good for me mentally. And improving myself mentally will help when it comes to other areas. I'll feel better about myself all around in general.
It feels good to clean out and declutter some. I'm not sure I will ever be totally, completely clutter free and one of those super organized people, but I did enjoy walking into my living room last night and not feeling stressed by all the stuff in it. Or course, since I moved alot out of my living room it is sitting in other rooms to be dealt with. But I'm working on that too.
My plan is after the furniture goes back into the room I will only put certain things back in. No putting things on the built in shelve just cause they need a home. I'm only putting things on it that I love.
My hope is that since I will have to clean out each room to do the floor that I am only going to put back what I really want to put back. When it is all done I know I will have a pile of things to sort through. I'd love to say I will be able to dump it all into a to go box, but I'm being realistic here. I do hope that a big portion of it will go in the to go box, and what is left will have homes, real homes.
The thought is also, that the less I have in the house, the easier it will be to keep it cleaned. Oh please, please tell me that is so!
Absolutely right, Tracy. The less you have, the less you have to clean... That's why I don't have many nic knacks, etc. Can't stand all the dusting of little things. If it weren't for our attic, I'd have a good amount of "treasures" in areas where there really is no room. I dread the day that we move and have to sort through everything in that attic. 
Eating went well this week. Still haven't gotten around to the exercise but I know I need to make time for that this week. It's been super busy. I weighed this morning and I did lose quite a bit but I know that was water retention. Still makes me feel better about the number though. Trying to find the time now to get a grocery list together. Next, to find the time to go grocery shopping. Can be a challenge.
OK, break time over, hope everyone has a wonderful week. Later........
Hey Margie, good luck finding the grocery store time!
I do currently have a stocked fridge, but haven't eaten at home. 
Last night I ended up going shopping with my parents. Went to look at fabrics to get an idea of what I wanted to do in the dining room, and then went to Penney's with them. Ended up at a sandwich shop for dinner, so I guess it could have been worse. Plus I have alot of breakable things on my kitchen counters to keep them save from all the furniture moving around while the floors are going down. So it'd be hard to cook anyway.
I ended up staying home today to clean out my bedroom, since I wasn't home last night to work on it. I did the kitchen last night, but that was all I had the energy for. I'm about to go tackle the middle bedroom, which has a closet full of boxes! Have class tonight so I want to do as much as I can in this room while I can. They will be ready to start laying the floors in it tomorrow, then the hallway, bathroom and cake room. And they will be done and I will be left piecing my house back together. Sigh.
I'm tired, stressed (nothing like seeing everything in your house shoved in a few rooms) and ready for this to be over. I was excited about the change, still am, I was just thinking that the rest of the changes (painting and such) would move along with the floors. Not that the floors would go so quick and I'd be left trying to figure out if I put rooms back together or leave it all clumped together so I can paint, at some point, when I get time.
How is everyone doing out there??
Hello everyone!
So much catching up to do! Tracy, you sound SO much like me. I have issues with \\'stuff\\'. Money issues, feeling overwhelmed and then just shutting down and not doing anything. I really liked what you wrote on FB - about stepping back and putting things into perspective, I wrote it down. I think I want to make a poster out of it and pu it all over the house! So I have decided that today I will pick one important chore and get that done. One of my problems is time management. I have so much to do, just like everyone else. But our schooling takes so much of the day. This year I\\'m homeschooling 6 kids! That\\'s a huge chunk out of my day. I\\'m just going to have to start getting up really early. And set up a good schedule and do my best to stick to it.
Cleaning out all the clutter in my house is one of my goals for this year. Our oldest moved out a few months ago and we\\'re still working on getting all of him and his wife\\'s stuff out of their room. Then we\\'ll move the girls into their room, redo the hardwood foors in the girls old room, then move the twins into that room and redo those floors. And with all of the moving we\\'ll be getting rid of ALOT of suff. At least that\\'s my plan! I have a really hard time letting go of things. I\\'ve gotten rid of things and then been really sorry that I didn\\'t keep them. But I have also gotten to a point where I would rather let something go if I have it packed up and I\\'m not getting any joy from it. I would rather let someone else enjoy it. Then just hold onto it.
On to the weight stuff - I\\'m still loving the wii, but I need to step it up. I\\'ve lost a little weight, about 1 1/2 lb. But I\\'m not where I wanted to be. So I have to face up to the fact that I\\'m taking in too many calories and not burning enough off. If I want to lose at a faster rate, I have to work harder. Alot harder. I\\'m hoping to go get the Biggest Loser workout for the wii. I like how the wii keeps track of my workouts - it keeps me accountable. And I have to start my food journal - I know I keep saying that!
Ok, off to work on...something! I\\'ve got sick kids to take care of, Olivia (our 7 year old) had a tooth pulled this morning. So there went our morning school! But I\\'m going to just accept the fact that we\\'re going to have to cut our school work load down some for today. And I think my goal for today is going to be gettin two baskets of laundry folded and put away!
I hope that everyone has a great day and makes healthy choices! Thanks for listening to me!
Melissa
Melissa let me ask you this When you look around at all the stuff surrounding you in your house do you just feel bogged down? Thats the point I am now. Ive known for a while that I have to get rid of stuff, I even started last fall trying to get rid of stuff. But let me tell you, there is nothing like moving boxes of stuff from one room to another, to another, to make you realize that you havent even looked through the container of papers in forever and you really dont know what is in there. I had a moment Monday night where I wanted to pull out the trashcan and start dumping containers into it, but I didnt because there was that what if going on in my head. I am working on getting rid of those what if thoughts.
When I was boxing up the stuff in my bedroom yesterday I kept flashing to visions of what I want it to be. And let me tell you, clutter wasnt in the visions at all. I actually want to try to keep the room more simple. I am hoping though, that I will love the finished room and that love will keep me keeping it nice, so I will be more mindful about piling clothes on top of the dresser.
Even though boxing everything up and moving it out of the room is a pain in the behind, Im just pretending it is like those clean sweep shows. Kick everything out and only bring in the must keeps. I just have to get strict with myself when it comes to putting things back, storing them somewhere, and sending them out of the house.
I do currently have a pile of boxes in my kitchen (floor is done and has no furniture) that are going out to the storage building. Hopefully before the night is over Ill have more added to it. Ive got to clean out a closet tonight. In it is boxes, A LOT of boxes, in the boxes are big clothes that I havent worn since I originally lost weight 4 years ago, and holiday decorations that havent been put out in years because there always too much stuff laying around.
How old are your kids? Are there chores, like gathering the laundry and maybe even getting it in the washer for you to come through and start? You can also try to involve them in folding the laundry and putting it up. Thatd help you out, and itd teach them things along the way.
Im not sure I have the self discipline to home school myself. Im real good at putting things off, and am not a morning person so itd probably be afternoon before we even got started. Have you checked out any blogs from other home schooling moms? Maybe you can find some time management help, and ideas how to get things done around the school schedule.
And check out the blog A Slob Comes Clean. She deals with clutter, in a way to me that is very real. I see pictures on some peoples blogs that I am like seriously, your before you cleaned an area picture looks like my man I wish my space was that clean picture in my mind. But when she posts a before picture, I can soooo relate to it.
Tracy - Sometimes I look around and feel so overwhelmed and depressed that I just shut down. My house really isn't too bad. There just seems to be alot of piles of stuff. And I have storage containers and grocery bags full of things - all paper stuff. Where I've 'cleaned' off a table and not known where to put it! I'm afraid to get rid of stuff - what if I need it one day? I'm getting better but it's a very slow process. And when you have seven kids there's always a lot of stuff!!
I think you're doing a great job. Just keep at it, and keep picturing your house the way you want it. You'll get there before you know it!
I need to have my kids help out alot more. That's one of the things I'm working on. Letting them hel, making them help is more like it! I know I'm not doing them any favors my doing everything for them. But like everything else, I'll just keep working at it and one day I'll get there!
As I was putting laundry away today I started thinking that I was almost done so I thought I would just quit. Then I hear this voice saying 'who told you it was ok to stop before the job was finished?'. I never finish anything. And I never realized that I tell myself that it's ok to quit. I'll get almost done and then just stop working. Not because I'm tired. I guess I just have a short attention span - one of the trademarks of a dyslexic! So is being unorganized and unfocused. Maybe I'm on to something here! Do other people have to talk themselves into finishing what they start? Most of the time I'm not even aware that I'm quitting. I'll have to think about this.
Well, it was a horrible day for food! I have eaten too much junk and nothing that was good for me! I did something that I haven't done in a long time - I finished my kids dinners instead of eating my own. I even ate toast all day just so I didn't throw it away! I'm a little disappointed in myself, but that's ok. tomorrow is another day. And I get to start all over again.
And if anyone has a Lifeway Christian bookstore near them they have the Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds dvds for $5.00. Maybe you can order them online. They're great when you're stuck inside and want to exercise.
I hope everyone has a good night. I'm off to have some coffee and make a plan for tomorrow!
Melissa
I really understand it. I cant tell if it is because I grew up in a house where you kept everything, or if it really is just sort of a personality trait, and maybe it is a little of both. I get that for some it is even more than that, but Im not to the hoarder status.
I have little shoe boxes where I clean my purse out and put the stuff that doesnt go in the new purse in them. You buy a new lip gloss and realized that you have too many in your purse, so you pull out half of them, and then stick them somewhere, because well, they are still good arent they?
Then you go and move things around and find that box and go ummm, what is this stuff, ohhh, okay I know what it is. And instead of cleaning it out you sit it aside again, because maybe there is something in it that you will need. You know something you will need from the purse that you cleaned out last year that you wouldnt be able to find the things when you needed them because you forgot that you even had it. And if you did remember that you had it youd never be able to find the box it is in.
And when you type all that out you realize how irrational it sounds, but for some reason in your head it makes sense. Not to mention when you go to clean out those boxes and you arent sure what to do with the stuff, but how do you throw away perfectly good lip gloss, or the wallet that you changed out for something bigger or smaller that, hey you may need some other time down the line.
Thankfully I think I am pretty much to the point of, it has got to go! There are some things that I dont plan on getting rid of, like the serving platters and bowls I have been collecting for the last few years. But they are all white, so they will go with any color dishes I have down the line. But I know things like the boxes of loose paper recipes have to be condensed down and a big portion of it tossed out. I will have to do the same thing with other items.
I am even trying to figure out how to deal with my cake stuff. I havent done a whole bunch of cakes lately, but I do need easy access to stuff that I used for the classes. I also dont want to get rid of all of it, because I have spent a lot of money on it, and I do plan on having a kid. So one day I will have a child to make cool cakes for, and I am not going to go back and re-buy everything.
I also can feel you on the starting something and not finishing it. Ive done it with weight loss but also with other areas. Im great at making plans to do things. Even get started on the plans, then not finish it. I get started on a project then lose momentum and months later that project is still undone and still laying through out the house. It is kinda of like the painting of the rooms in my house. I know if we setup the dining room furniture itll be months or longer before I get back around to having them move the furniture and painting it. And I dont want to do that. I want to get it done and be done with it. Plus the sooner I get the rooms done the sooner I can really place things in it, then the sooner I can get rid of things that arent really needed. And I want to do that before I lose momentum to finish cleaning out things.
As far as the kids and chores, remember if you involve them where you can, you can make group or family projects out of it. Give each kid a clothes basket and remind them daily to put their clothes in it. They can even carry them to the laundry room on laundry day. Have the older ones fold their own clothes, and the little ones fold towels (since those are easier to fold than clothes) and then have everyone put their stuff away. You can do prizes for who ever does the best job, or the fastest (but still neat job).
There are other things that they can do to easily help out around the house. Everyone can remover their plates from the table, older kids and can dishes or put them in the dishwasher. This will save you a little time. And all that little time will add up.
Here is a post from A Slob Comes Clean, complete with her bathroom check list that she did for her kids last summer.
http://www.aslobcomesclean.com/2010/05/bathroom-cleaning-checklist-for-kids.html
She wrote up a step by step list for them. There are some other posts on the same topic where she made them their own cleaning tubs and stuff. While I dont have kids I think it is a great idea. It teaches them to follow through with something and finish it (something we can both admit we have problems with) and it gives them a check list to follow so they dont have to try to remember every step to complete the job.
Having lived in a house with my nephew, I can totally understand how there are many times that it just seems easier to do the cleaning for him. I knew I could go into his bed room and clean it up a lot faster than he could. But then when he didnt have to clean it himself there wasnt a lot of incentive for him to keep it clean either. And he didnt learn how to clean his room, so when he did have to, he never knew where to start.
We wont even talk about my eating. I still have stuff all over my kitchen cabinets. It is frustrating and annoying, but there isnt a lot I can do about it. I even had to pass on doing my best friends daughters birthday cake this weekend. Shes the one I use to babysit for when she was a baby. My friend was nice about it. She was like I know your house is turned up side down, and you are busy, so Im going to order her cake this year. Im thinking after I get the kitchen back to functioning I may make a small cake to send her so that she can have a Tracy cake. My friend would push the party off some, but she was like, she knows its her birthday this time. When she was one, we actually celebrated her birthday two weeks late so her great grandma could be present.
Tonights project in my house will be the moving everything out of the cake room. I have to move all the current to go pile out of the kitchen first, so I have room for it though. If I get that done early enough I will either go through the boxes of holiday decorations and pick out what I really like, what I sort of like and what I just have.
I also have to separate the feelings of keeping something for sentimental reasons or because I feel guilty about getting rid of it, because it was so and sos or so and so gave it to me. I told my momma that this morning. She was like well Im never gonna give you anything again. I told her it wasnt like that, but that I cant just keep holding on to stuff that I dont really need, use or put out just because.
I have some Christmas decorations of my grandmas that she gave me when she moved 5 years ago. I havent put them (or any other Christmas decorations) out in years, mainly because of all of the clutter and no place to put them. There are things in there like her mouse stocking holders that always held her and grandpas stockings that I know I will keep. Then there is the village set, that I really dont think I have a place to put it, that I feel like because it was hers I should keep it, but then it is like, does it make sense to keep something like that, that will probably never get put out, just because it was hers?
Yeah I have issues, I know I do. But I am trying to work through them!
Tracy - just a quick thought on your Grandma's village, why don't you keep one piece as a remembrance and let the other stuff go to someone that can really enjoy it.
I'm making a fresh start on the eating today. I've started my food journal. And I started the Biggest Loser on the wii - that's going to really motivate me and keep me in line! And it's lot harder than the wii Fit Plus. Hopefully I'll see some good results pretty quick. That will really keep me going.
Ok, I'm going to go clean up the kitchen. Talk to y'all later!
Melissa
Mellisa I am do that, I'll have to see. I do have plenty of her things to remind me of her. Besides the furniture I do also have some vases, cake pedestal and her thick glass mixing bowls. Those are things I'll be able to use through out the year, and display where I can see and enjoy them.
Yea! on the fresh start! You can do it! Good luck cleaning the kitchen up.
Hey everyone. How's everyone doing? It's been a while since I've been online. Life has been really busy. Hope all are doing well and working hard at reaching their goals. As for eating and exercising, I'm doing pretty well. It's been 2 1/2 weeks now since I started watching my diet, etc and so far so good. I did make a dessert the other night that I thought I would share. Very simple, good and low in calories.
one box (1 oz) of Jello instant fat and sugar free vanilla pudding
beat in 2 cups of skim milk
add in approx 4 oz of crushed pineapple (drained)
let sit in fridge overnight
next day you can enjoy a 1/2 cup serving topped with 2 Tbsp of Redi Whip whipped cream.
Serves 4 at 115 calories each
Trying out a new salmon recipe next week. If it's good, I'll post..... Have a great afternoon everyone....
We won't even talk about how I have been doing with food! When you have 6.5 rooms of items and furniture (minus one bed) compacted into just 3 rooms it is hard to think of anything else.
I'm hoping to finish the painting in my bedroom tonight. I just have the closet and doors to paint in it. Then I can move on to getting the other room ready to paint.
Maybe by the end of the month I'll have more things put back in place and feel better about it all. Until then, the cat and I are both completely stressed out.
Oh Tracy, I'm so sorry. But it does sound like progress is being made in your house and soon things will be able to get back to normal. I so recall how things were when we had some much needed work done in our kitchen and bathroom. Yep, it was a stressful time. We had stuff everyone and none of it was where it should have been.... Just think ahead to how much better it will all be in the near future. Try not to stress so much. I know easier said than done. But ya know, it really does absolutely no good. Doesn't make anything go any faster. It just makes life a bit more miserable than it already is with so many changes being made..... A great big hug for you.....
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