This was Christmas day

Joan & Bob, on Christmas Day. Happy New Year all.

12-31-09.....NEW YEARS EVE.

For all those that may drop by, hope you have a wonderful New Years Eve, and I hope you all have a very blessed 2010.

This morning in my Weight Watchers e-mail, I told my Sister/Friends, to write down some goal for 2010. They don' t necessarily have to be weight loss goals, but we all need something to work toward.

As I mentioned yesterday it has been an amazing year, and I for one am heading into 2010 looking for new adventures.

12-30-09.....The last Wednesday of 2009

I have to sit back and wonder, ''where on earth did this year go?" So many things have gone on here just this year.

In January of this year. We had an ice storm, that had our power knocked out for six days. All we had for warmth was the fireplace. Bob and I were the only two people in our building that stuck it out. The outside temperatures dropped to 3 above. I had then began going off sugar as well. Had us a little Coleman cook stove on the patio to be able to make coffee and meals. I remained sugar free. Bob and I survived the ice storm of 2009.

I made my trip to Oregon, wonderful time. Best two weeks, I've had since the first time I got to go. Did really good on that trip, did not fall off my healthy eating wagon, due to my friend was watching what she ate as well.

In July I became a Weight Watcher Lifetime member, and so far have been able to remain 10 pounds under the goal I had set for myself. Yes, these last few months have been somewhat of a struggle, but I am rebounding, and that feels wonderful.

In September, we celebrated Bob's 90th birthday with a huge party. Great time, great birthday cake and great mixed drinks. That was my first sugar since January of this year. From there it has been a constant battle, but as of this morning I have 4 full days without sugar, and even though I am tired from the withdrawals, I know each day I will become stronger and more in control.

Most everything that has happened to me in 2009 has been good. Sure there are some bad things, but I chose not to ponder on those. I want to look only at the positive things, and plan for new adventures in 2010.

12-29-09..........Tuesday

I did it!!!!!!!! I did it!!!!!!!!!!! I have three full days without sugar, had some splenda yesterday in a diet soda, but even that was only one diet soda, and not six as I had been known to consume. I have noticed my belly is not as bloated feeling. Also noticed that yesterday I seem to be in a bad mood most of the day. I know it is from the sugar withdrawal.

Have no idea what goals anyone that drops by here may have for the coming year, but why wait for 2010? Why not begin to incorporate those things this very day. Sorta like getting a jump start.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. So end this year with a new beginning, a new focus.

12-28-09...........Monday..again

It is Monday and I have two full days going without sugar, have even given up the Splenda, so I feel really good about that as well.

I am thinking of a new goal to shoot for in 2010, but have not decided what its going to be. But, first I will go to the gym this morning, making sure I do something that is good for me.

12-27-09......Sunday

This year is coming to an end, and as I look back there have really been many more happy time for me to celebrate than there have been sad times.

In January of this year, I made a decision that ''this is my year to reach my goal weight at Weight Watchers." On July 18, 2009, I became a non-paying lifetime member. In May I flew to Oregon to visit with my best friend & TISSter. I spent two weeks out there, and it was amazing. We celebrated Bob's 90th birthday, with a big party and all that goes with that. I have been able to spend some time with my sister which is always great. I look back at 2009, and yes I have been blessed.

I wonder what 2010 will bring? But I normally wonder what just the next day will bring as well, lol lol. All I do know is I can only take it one day at a time, while keeping my eye on the goals I have set for myself.

Today I can make anything happen.

Christmas Morning 2009

This has been a super busy week for me as I am sure it has been for everyone else as well, but I wanted to be sure and stop in to wish anyone and everyone that might drop by a very blessd and Merry Christmas.

We are here. We have made it to the infamous holiday that for weeks, not only have we been preparing for, BUT, we have also been trying to ignore it as well, but only due to the holiday treats that come alone with it. Today I am not going to tell you to eat before you go to the big dinner, I am not going to tell you to pass up Aunt Maude's best cookies in the whole world. I am not going to tell you any of these things today, cause I know you already know what your going to do today, what you plan to eat. What I am going to tell you is this.

Today give love with your whole heart. So what if the in-laws, outlaws, kids or the Step kids get on that very last nerve, trust me, they can and they will. But for today, let's try and look pass those faults and look at the true meaning of today. It may have a different meaning for each of us, but look for the positive instead of searching for the negative. Sure someone is going to tell you, "Oh just a little of this won't hurt, besides it's Christmas." Someone will no doubt say, ''oh, your still on that crazy diet?" You just never know, but someone may even say, ''you are too thin," that line I want recorded, ha. Someone may even say to you...."I am just so glad you are part of my life..." Whatever today brings at your house, or wherever you spend today, just remember how quickly it can all change. Look around cause you never know who will not be there this time next year.

May today bring you Love, Peace & Joy,

12-22-09..........Tuesday

We are another day closer to Christmas. I love this time of year, but have to admit, I will be glad to see it end. My thing after Friday will be getting off the sugar again, and trust me I am not looking forward to doing that, mainly due to for 3-4 days, I feel like crap. However, after those few days, I feel great. The key to all of this, is I am going to have to come to terms with, ''sugar is not my friend, sugar is my drug of choice." Since I have never drank, taken up smoking or have ever done drugs, it pisses me off that sugar has to have such a horrid effect on my.

Off to the gym, to try and undo some of the damage I continued to do yesterday.

12-21-09........Monday

Here we are four days until Christmas. Since I am up I count this day as almost over, lol lol.

Yesterday I began my day, with a healthy breakfast, then getting busy with cleaning out the pantry, cabinets and the 'fridge. I was feeling pretty proud of myself, but before the day was over I had given into some old evils. This is the thing I hate most about myself, is I just cannot seem to resist the sweet stuff, and I know the effect it has upon my body. Not only weight gain, but mood swings, body aches and pains, but yet, for that moment of sheer essence, I give in. Strange to say the least.

Today is a new day, I get a ''do over'' so I am off to the gym in a bit and will try my best today to do what is right and good for my body.

12-20-09....Sunday

Here we are the week of Christmas. So many things going on, and even though Bob and I have no little kids to really have that big Christmas feeling, I still get caught up in all the goings on this time of year.
Our little front porch looks as if Clark Griswold was the decorator, but you know it does bring joy to our neighbor's, and right now as I look out at it, the lights shining and all is still out there, it brings me peace.

I do not want material things this holiday, I just want our family and friends to be well, and happy, I just want everyone to have peace within themselves. So if you are reading this today, that is my wish for you, that you have Peace within yourself. I believe if we find Peace within ourselves, everything else will fall into place.

Make good choices today for a lighter tomorrow.

12-17-09..........Thursday

This morning as I was in the closet looking for what I wanted to wear today, and it dawned on me. For the very first time that I can remember, all my clothes are the same size. I have no fat clothes, no in the middle clothes, no clothes waiting for me to get to that size. I stood there and had to ask myself, ''when did that happen?"

Something I did this time, that I had never done before and that was I got rid of all those big sizes as I got out of them. I have nothing in my closet right now that if I put on five pounds will be comfortable.

If you have not gotten rid of your crutches, now is the day to get rid of anything that may sabotage your efforts.

12-16-09....Wednesday

The closer it gets to Christmas the busier the world seems to become. Today I did the pool exercises again, this time 3 other people showed up as well, so I was not in the pool by myself very long.

Someone told me today they felt like a failure. Sometimes I wonder if people say things such as that for sympathy or do they actually feel that badly about themselves. I am a firm believer in ''a person can only be a failure if they truly give up all together." I have know a few, and it has been a very few true failures in my lifetime, so when people call themselves failures, I have to wonder.....have you never made any contribution to life????

Another thing I have noticed about people and this time of year, is how depression seems to run wild. I have stated before, I love the holidays, it is a time for giving, not of material things, but giving of your time, your talents, just giving a kind word.

Karen, hope you have a wonderful holiday as well, and I hope only the best for anyone and everyone that drops by to read my thoughts.

12-15-09...........Tuesday

I decided to take a stand, this morning at our gym. From the time I joined the gym, going on two years now. We never were told ''you cannot use the pool alone." In fact, the first time I ever went into the pool, I questioned the staff on ''being in the pool alone." I was told, ''no problem we can watch you on the screen here at the desk." Now I am not a swimmer, I walk in the water from one end of the pool to the other, and I use the water weights. Great for my joints, and since just last year I had both a hip replacement and a total knee replacement, the water exercise is just perfect.

Now I am one of those 5 a.m. people that goes to the gym, and that is my time, my time to do the pool. So back in the Summer the gym announced ''according to the city no one can be in the pool by themselves." So long story short, I have not been able to do the pool, due to 5 a.m. or earlier is my only time. I have been seeing others in the pool by themselves, and I am one that totally believes in rules and regulations, and I firmly believe those rules and regulations are there for our safety, however, I also believe those same rules and regulations are for EVERYONE. So this morning, I decided, 'I need the pool, I am gong to do the pool", and that is exactly what I did.

Sometimes we just have to stand up for ourselves.

12-14-09.........Monday

To make sure I stay true to myself, I got up and went to the gym. Sitting on my butt wishing and hoping I don't gain over the holidays is not enough, I have to put ACTION, to those hopes and wishes.

So many people say, ''I really admire that you get up so early and go to the gym." I always thing to myself, ''no reason you cannot do the very same thing." We all have to decided what is important to us, how badly we want something, and how much effort we are going to put into achieving what we are after.

I am here..

This was and is a very happy picture for me. It was the day I became a full fledged lifetime member of Weight Watchers, and I am so pleased to announce, that in six month's I have not had to pay one single penny to Weight Watchers.

Staying focused, and keeping my eye on what is important to me.

12-13-09.........Sunday

I am putting this picture in, due to I want to remind myself, that ''I NEVER EVER WANT TO LOOK LIKE THAT AGAIN!" This was the picture I had taken the day I joined Weight Watchers. That weight was 277 pounds and some change. Size 26-30 in the largest women clothes I could find.

How do I NOT get back to the ''old Joan?"

1. Portion Control
2. Tracking
3. Exercising
4. Taking care of myself and that means taking time for myself.

I think everyone needs to go back and ask themselves, ''why did I begin this journey?" Be honest with yourself as well. In all honest, I never thought in a million years I'd ever look any different that this picture I have downloaded.

12-12-09....Saturday

I am so happy that I stayed exactly the same this week. I was worried, but I knew i had not stayed on plan, nor had I been tracking, nor had I been prepared with meals ahead. All the things that are sure to make one fail.

Our meeting is really growing and that is a good thing. We even had 4 people to join today, and I thought, ''they are doing the right thing, join now, and be more aware of what you put in your body." I should listen to what I preach.

I am, I will do better this week. Time to get down to business....no excuses.

12-11-09.........Friday

I have sturggled this week, and I really don't have any excuse for it at all. Sure it is the holiday's but they come around this same time each and every year. I feel as if I have become lazy on my journey to better health and maintaining my weigh loss. As I have said before I have reached my goal and now I don't know what else there is to shoot for. Oh, I know to maintain this goal I have to work at it, and that should be my goal.

Someone said to me the other day, ''you miss the excitement of losing the weight each week and everyone telling you how great you look." That may be part of it. I've never considered myself a person that needed to compete with others, but maybe I am.

I feel stagnant right now. I used to plan my meals, I knew exactly what I was going to eat at each and every meal, now it's more for dinner anyway, ''just whatever I can find." I need to sit down with pad and pen and get myself back to square one.

12-10-09...Thursday

Something I realized yesterday, and that is. I never want to have to ever again buy a size bigger than a size 14. Now with that being said, this means I have to work hard to stay in control. No point in beating myself up when I do stumble and fall, but that does not give me permission to screw around just because I'm not going to beat myself up.

Someone said to me yesterday, ''I don't want to feel like a failure." The way I look at this is ''we cannot fail until we stop trying." I will hits detours, and bumps in the road, I will have a binge on sugar from time to time, but I won't fail due to I will not stop trying.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is promised to no one, all I have is today. Today, is brand new.

12-09-09.........Wednesday

I think, no, I know I am searching for something. I am hanging on by the tips of my finger's, trying to stay on track, I am tracking, but I am falling back into those old habit's of mine. You remember the ones, where Bob leaves the room and I'm in his candy, Bob goes to bed, and I have an orgy with food. I keep trying to think what sparked me in January when I go on fire with this? All I can remember, was, thinking about the people that are slim and control their weight, they never stop, they never sit down. Now I no long watch TV, I read, but you know what? I can read and eat, that is no problem there at all. I feel like such a fraud sending out the w.w. morning e-mail and knowing myself that I am not following the guidelines that I should be. I wonder will this end when the holiday's are over. Cause me and my inner child's thinking is, ''it is the holiday's, so therefore we are suppose to have every treat there is out there." I have tried my best to bitch slap the inner child, but you know me, just not into being abusive to her, and not only that I keep asking myself, do I really want her to stop rearing her head?" Now we have just opened an entirely new box here.

I don't need to make anymore excuses for myself, but I do think one thing that is wrong is I have reached my goal weight, and as Bob has mentioned, well, now your goal should be keeping the weight off. Well duhhh, ya think?? I know he's trying to be helpful, BUT, I feel as if, ''what am I suppose to do now?" I so can understand why people after getting to goal put the weight back on W.W.'s or no other plan for that matter tells us what we need to do. This is so very frustrating. So here I am, I have been to the gym, I did weight's and 30 minutes on the treadmill, I've come home gotten a shower, and having a pear and some black coffee and wondering what is today going to be like?

12-08-09.....Tuesday

"Good Things happen when you take action. Bad things happen when you neglect."

John Addison

This was sent to me by another blog site, I have and I just thought it was great. So today I'm sharing it with all that drop by.

1. My sleeping pills haven’t worn off yet – it’s medically impossible. 2. It’s a blistering 70 degrees and sunny – I’m out of sunscreen. 3. There’s no proof that exercise works for me. 4. I’ll just monitor my diet. 5. Mmmm… couch. 6. I can’t find my favorite support garments. 7. My running shoes are old. 8. I am old. 9. I don’t want to miss a call from a huge blog sponsor and movie producer. 10. After I hit the Mega Millions I’ll put Jillian and Bob on Staff – so get off my back. So yeah – we’re on it – today 20 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of pilates. Meet us back here tomorrow with ibuprofen.

We can all come up with a dozen excuses why we can't get up off our butts to exercise. Mine, since I've been married had always been, ''I have to take care of Bob." Ok, I am the caregiver, so that just means I have to get up earlier, if I want to workout before Bob gets up. So what is my reason's for not staying on track? I am still tracking, have been since Friday, but my portion's have been bigger than I really need. So if your just not motivated, I found a few things that might help us figure this out.

1. Try a short workout. A 10 minute workout is better than nothing at all.

2. Tray a new recipe, or a new food. Yesterday I tried something I have never, ever had, and that was a pomegranate. It was quite tasty.

3. Get that breakfast in. Remember, it is the most important meal of the day.

4. Drink your water. It is very important to keep ourselves hydrated.

5. Talk to other's, you may not know this, but I just bet someone out there has stumbled around with the same stumbling blocks as we have.

6. Track! Track!! Track your food!!! I don't know about you, but if I don't write it down, I don't consider it's been eaten.

7. Check out your progress. Look back to where you were this time last year. Are you in better shape? Are your clothes fitting better? If the answer is no, then you know what has to be done. If the answer is yes, but the scale is not showing you the number's you want, look at the feeling better and better fitting clothes as a N.S.V.

8. Share your goals with someone you trust. Even go as far as to write those goals down, and go back at least once a week to refresh your memory of what your working toward.

9. Take picture's of yourself on this journey. Before, during and goal pictures. That is the one thing I have done, that I am so pleased that I did. When I am feeling defeated, and in my sabotaging mode, if I just look at those pictures, they give me hope again.

10. Maybe we need to just start at the beginning again. We that have reached our goal, may well be thinking, ''now what do I work toward." Yep, I have ran into that as well. I think we as a group need to have a challenge going on. Have no clue what it should be, but if we put our thinking caps on, surely we can come up with something.

Our journey has been a learning process. The longer we are on this journey the more we should learn. Weight loss is a temporary thing, good health takes a lifetime.

12-07-09....Monday

Here we go, it's Monday again. I am up dressed and ready for the gym, but I keep wondering if it's time for me to look at another gym. I've been going to Urban Active for nearly two year's now. I began as soon as they opened up the new one here. They have a pool and I was using the pool at least twice, maybe three times week. The resistance exercise was great for my joints. Now they won't allow us in the pool until 8 a.m., well since I am there at 5 a.m., that just does not work for me.

So now I am thinking, ''since all I do is either some weight's and the elliptical, then why not go to the place that I can get into anytime I want?" The monthly fee is less as well. The place is not as large, but for what I need what does that really matter?

Always something to think about here. I know I have to go to the gym, it's something about having to actually leave the house and go there. I've had the equipment here at home before, but it always became a place to hang my laundry.

Maybe it is a time for a change.

Yum....food

We ate points friendly and everything was so wonderful and so good.

November Calendar Girls'

Left to right..

Sister Lisa, Sister Cara (Our Hostess), Sister Mama Clare (Randy's Mom), and Sister Once A month Amy.

These ladies all have birthday's in November, and Cara and Amy's are on the same day.

Yoga, Anyone??

Randy and Christiane, they are such beautiful ladies, and talented as well.

12-06-09....Sunday

This is part of our Saturday morning Weight Watchers group. I have no idea what I would do without these ladies. In fact, I doubt I would have made it to my goal without their support.

12-04-09,,,Friday

Do you ever wake up some morning's and ask yourself. Why do I do this? Why do I work so hard at exercising, trying to eat healthy, and then turn right around and sabatoge myself. Do you ever do that? Bet you do, we all have done that at some time or another, especially if you have been on this journey for awhile. To me the trick is NOT to let those slip ups be your downfall. Life happens, life get's in the way. We have obgligations to tend too each and everyday. So if you are experiencing some hard times right now with your eating, then just step back, assess the problem, take a deep breath and take one step forward, and you will be on your way to a better day.

No one every told us this would be easy. I believe those friends of mine that have been lifetime member's for a long time, they struggle just like I do. I may never know their struggles, and I know their struggles are different than mine, but rest assure we all struggle. We are human, that is the bottom line.

The good news is......today is a new day, the slate has been cleared again.....today we can begin fresh and new again.

12-03-09.........Thursday

"Most days we measure our progress in inches not miles."

BJ Gallagher

During the last leg of the Bermuda Triangle I think if we can measure our progress in inches, then we are ahead of the game. So whatever you have done, whether it has been tracking, maybe even parking a bit further away from the stores, or just taking that one less handful of candy from your co-workers desk. Pat yourself on the back. It is the little things we do that will help us to survive this time of year.

If you are falling down and having trouble getting back up, I assure you, ''you are not alone." For whatever reason yesterday I just could not get enough to eat. I had gone to the gym, had to rush to get Bob ready for the day, since I had my mammogram scheduled for 8:30. With all my rushing around I forgot to eat breakfast. I had my banana before going to the gym, even had an apple on the way back home, but the protein was missing. Yesterday I ate all around the house and could not get full, and it never dawned on me until I was ready for bed last night what my problem was. I have to have my protein. So today, I am making sure I get my protein in. I was mad at myself, due to it was dumb of me, but then I thought about it and decided, ''I did do other things yesterday that were on the good health guidelines." It is a never ending battle, one that we all will conquer at times and at times it will conquer us. Ask yourself this question today....what two or three little things can I do today that will move me forward?" For me, the gym, making sure I eat my protein, and making sure I drink my water, which here lately has been suffering. We have to remember ''the little things we do add up; the small steps become giant steps."

12-02-09........Wednesday

"Our journey of live is called progress, NOT perfection."

BJ Gallagher

Here we are second day of December, it's Wednesday, so how is your week going so far. Are you still fighting off all those office & school goodies that everyone continues to bring in? It is a battle, one we have to fight every single day, whether it's a holiday or not. Even if it were not December, we all know there would be something at work, school or just in life we would have to be celebrating and grant you food would be at the center of that celebration.

I have come to terms that no way we are going to be perfect on this journey. Oh there will be some weeks, we will actually be the poster children for Weight Watchers, but I believe the best we can hope for right now is just to be progressive. Doing our tracking, getting in our activity, and trying our best to just take one handful of those red and green M&M's that our co-worker feels the need to have sitting on their desk.

Remember this....It's not about doing one thing 100% better; It's a matter of doing 100 things, 1% better each day.

December 1, 2009.....Tuesday

"Some succeed because they are destined; others because they are determined."

Unknown

As I was reading the other day, I ran across an article asking, ''how has your life changed since you've lost weight?" Maybe that is what we need to be focusing on during our travel through the Bermuda Triangle, how far we have come.

Yesterday I had an appointment to see my Internist, nothing wrong with me, but since I had not been in to see her since Feb. she must have missed me, ha. So yesterday while the doctor was looking over my chart, she looks back to Feb.'s weight and then said, ''do you realize you have lost 32 pounds since I last saw you?" To be honest I did not know that. I knew I had lost quite a bit, but had never gone back to get a real total. So for that I am extremely happy.

So what are some of the things that are better for you, now that you have lost your weight. It does not have to be a lot of weight, but even a few pounds health wise makes a difference. So since I am no doubt the only one up at this time of day, I'll begin my list.

First off, I just feel better.

My belly does not even come close to rubbing the steering wheel anymore.

No heartburn.

My thighs don't rub together anymore, and if you have never had that experience then trust me, you are not missing anything there.

I used to park as close to any store I was going into, I now park the furthest away. Even at the gym now I part at the other end of the parking lot.

I exercise now because I enjoy it, and I don't look for excuses not to exercise.

Now those are just a few of the things that have changed since I havelost weight. Bet if you give it some thought you will be able to list some as well. Try it, you may well be surprised and inspired.

I think that is everything for today. Hope everyone has a great day. Almost forgot, I did get back to the gym yesterday, and I did 55 minutes on that elliptical. I was so looking for the one legged man to show up to inspire me, but he never did, so I was on my own, and I found the door to my wall.