Half Way Over

Can you believe it's already the middle of the month? For me this month is FLYING by! Who am I kidding? The last couple of years have flown by for me. People always told me that time passes even quicker once you have kids. I thought they were crazy or just exaggerating but I'm here to tell you, IT'S TRUE!

So, some of you may know that I jumped on the Lent band wagon and decided to see if I have the discipline enough to let something go for 40 days. Well, it turns out (so far at least) I do! :0) I was originally considering giving up sugar or bread or something like that but after reading a few post on FB about the meaning of lent I didn't think that would be enough or more accurately: the right thing for me to give up.

I am not Catholic and don't really know much about Lent if I'm honest with myself. I know only that you are to give up something for 40 days and something about not eating meat at certain times. LOL For those of you reading this that are Catholic I'm sure you're rolling your eyes at me right now. ;0) To the point: I decided to give something up and after reading some stuff about Lent and looking to Jesus while doing it I figure it's something like a 40 day fast with maybe a few extra rules. With that in mind I dug into my heart to try to find something I could give up that would truly be difficult for me to do. When I did that I realized it was more like Starbucks that was a sacrifice but going even deeper... DRIVE-THRUS!

I know what you're thinking, "drive-thrus?!?!?!?!?!" I've had several people question me about that but here's the thing. By nature, well at least lately it seems, I'm a relatively "lazy" person. Why walk inside when I can just drive up to the window. I wasn't really like that before but with the addition of my little one and my crazy busy schedule I find myself at the drive-thru a lot. Do you know how much effort and energy goes into unloading the baby and walking into Starbucks? Keeping a hold of her while I order, pay, wait for my drink and then pick it up? Then to get her wiggling body and my coffee loaded back into the car without dropping one or the other? It may seem silly but IT AINT EASY! LOL At least not when you can just zip up to the window, order, pay and receive your drink all while the baby is happily playing in her car seat.

Additionally, by making it Drive-thrus rather than just Starbucks it means I'm not hitting up any restaurants for that fast food quick fix. No gas stations for that quick soda or sweat treat. No run to the local establishment for an ice cream sundae. By eliminating drive-thrus I eliminate the ease and convince of lazy behavior.

Some have argued that it's quite stupid because if I really want then all I have to do is get out of my car and walk inside. SO TRUE! But guess what!... I haven't had any of those things. No Starbucks (or any other coffee shop), No fast food, No soda, No ice cream sundaes!

It hasn't been easy. Almost daily I'd say I'm thinking about one of those things and weighing my options. But by simply taking the convenience out of the choice it requires me to ACTUALLY think about what I'm doing. It gives me that extra minute to determine if this is something I really want to take the time, effort and energy to do AND more importantly; it gives me the time to figure out if it's something I really want to consume.

I'm not a fan of denying yourself every one of life's pleasures in an effort to lose weight. But I am a big proponent of at least affording yourself the courtesy of making an informed decision. (ie. looking at the Girl Scout Cookie box, counting the calories and then deciding if you'll eat the whole thing.) Buying on impulse, in the spur of the emotional moment so to speak, hardly ever works out in your favor.

We'll see how this 40 days goes but I'm seriously considering the possibility of giving up Drive-thrus for good. The way I see it so far, only good can come from it.

Would it help you? How often do you find yourself driving-thru for a quick fix? How much money would you save? How often would you talk yourself out of that guilty pleasure?

Just something to think about!
Be blessed!

One Week In

Well here we are nearly 1 week into this months competition and i'm having mixed results. I planned to get right on track and kick some serious trash but then what happened...?....? GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!!

DARN THOSE LITTLE GIRL SCOUTS!
It's totally a trick. Like a month ago I ordered those darn things not thinking much about it. TEN boxes to be exact and what do you know... they arrive right when i'm ready to kick this thing into high gear. What happened after that? I had a crappy day and ate the WHOLE BOX! Yep that's right all 940 calories of freaking amazing Girl Scout Cookie Wonder.
You're probably wondering if i looked after the fact in some rash moment of feeling guilty. NOPE I looked before i popped that first cookie in my mouth. I did the math figured out the total damage shrugged my shoulders and said WHAT THE HECK! LOL And i loved ever crumb! Well needless to say after a bit of a stomach ache i pondered what'd i'd just done.

It was one of those moments where i could do one of two things... hate myself for it OR get over it. So i shrugged, put on my walking shoes and went for a walk. :0) I figured, it was not the best move i could have made but rather than dwell on it or think, "well i already ate one why not go for two?" I did what i could to counter balance the event.

I have to say I'm not feeling guilty at all.

When i give my daughter a cookie she gets SO excited. She says yum, yum, yum the whole time she's eating it. It's such a pleasure to watch her because it's obvious she's enjoying it SO much. She oo's and ah's the whole time and when she's finished she says, "Ma ma. Cookie Yummy!" and then "mo mo's?" which is what ti sounds like when she says "more?" Sometimes i'll give her another just so i can watch her eat it. Every time i do it think to myself. I can't remember what that's like. Feeling that shear pleasure that comes from eating something wonderful. That uncensored joy at the flavor. The excitement of the special treat. She doesn't know what it is to count calories or feel guilty about eating food. She just does it. But you know what else she does? When she's full, when she's satisfied, she stops eating. Doesn't matter if there are 7 cookies sitting there un-eaten. When she's at her limit she stops.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could hold on to that? Not get food all mixed up with emotions and restrictions. Not be constantly analysing what we're eating and how it's going to effect us. more importantly. Wouldn't it be nice if when we had reached our limit we could stop?

I've decided i want to try to get back to that. I realize that i've got 31 years of mixed up emotions attached to food so it's not going to be easy but, i'm going to give it my best shot. I wan to eat food that i enjoy and not worry about the guilt. with that i'm going to stop eating when i feel satisfied. I want to re-learn how i "feel" about food.

I believe it's possible.

On a positive note. I had a belly dance performance today and at the beginning of this week i was COMPLETELY unprepared! Because of that i spent every night this week for HOURS dancing my little butt off! My calorie burn is back up! My metabolism is back up! I'm geared back up about exercise and that makes me VERY happy. I can't wait to see what next week brings.

Hope you're all doing well!!!

To Compete... or NOT Compete... This is the question!

Here is the skinny girls as of right now there are only TWO of us that are eligible to win the prize for this competition. Only TWO of us. Well some of you are now wishing for a bend in the rules so that you can stay in or get back in. Quite frankly I’m kinda at a loss!!!

I know this month has had some ups and downs for us all. In fact this competition has been like that from he beginning. I was asked today if I'm going to do it again and honestly I'm not sure. It seems that no matter how simple or how complicated or how technical this rules are for this competition someone is always look for a loop hole.

I DID!

Last month when I weighed in with some freaking amazing weight loss I was pissed at myself that I hadn't met the blog requirements. I was just lucky because most of you weren't having good months and were looking forward to get some more time to work harder. I've been less successful this month yet I've met the blog requirements so I’m thrilled to death to find that I’m one of only two that are still eligible for the money. But, some of you are fighting for an opportunity to win because although you haven’t met the blog requirements you’ve managed to show some big losses.

I’ve been asked to make exceptions or extend the competition again. But it makes me wonder….

When do we stop? Do we postpone the pay off one more time and give everyone one more clean slate? OR do we weigh in now and not give credit where credit is due to those that had big losses?

When do we stop?
Next month?
Next year?
WHEN?
When do we finally pay out?
When all of us have met all the requirements and actually posted large gains so we feel worthy of winning?

Will that ever happen??????

After much discussion with Karilynn I feel as if I’m left with only one option so here it is:

Weigh in is March 1st @ 6PM

You MUST

(NO EXCEPTIONS)

Have your scale pics and full body shots to me at

mindylburton@yahoo.com

by Tuesday March 1st at 6PM!!!

If you want a shot at the fat cash! :0)

Please make sure you're wearing the same clothes that you had on in your original pics.

Although these pics will be

NEW STARTING POINT

pictures.

That’s right.

EVERYONE

in this competition has

ONE MORE CHANCE

(and I do mean ONE!!!!)

If you would like a clean slate and a chance to win this money you must

weigh in with me by March 1st at 6PM.

If at that time only Marinda and myself weigh in we will end the competition

and the money will be split 70/30.

If however, any of you want a chance to take the money you must also weigh in.

We are starting over.

Starting from scratch.

Staring again!

This means. Any weight you’ve lost or gained the last two months does not count for you or against you. We will all be starting over from March 1st and weighing in the final weigh in on April 1st at 6PM.

Competition rules are the same.
NO PILLS!

(if we find out about ANYTHING you’re OUT!)
NO FAD DIETS!

(if I hear about ANY fad diets… you’re OUT!!!)
YOU MUST BLOG 4 TIMES IN MARCH

(if you don’t… YOU’RE OUT!)
YOU MUST HAVE NO MORE THAN

10 DAYS BETWEEN BLOGS!

(you know what I’m gonna say. LOL)

~Blog post will be determined by the date stamp of each blog~

NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!

NO STARTING AGAIN!!!!!

NO EXTENSIONS!!!!!!

THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE

If you want this money, you want the glory, you want the opportunity this is it.

If you have any questions or problems getting your pics to me please call or text me by 5PM so that we can figure out an alternative.

The object for the weigh in this month is a roll of toilet paper! LOL

Just pulled that out of my ear.

FYI: ALL OF YOU have told me what your current weight is. You must weigh in on March 1st within 3 poiunds of that weight to be elligable. No putting on ankle weights to tip the scales in your favor. LOL

GOOD LUCK!

People Make Excuses, Not Decisions

Wow! So... the last few weeks have TOTALLY sucked! I'm getting my butt handed to me at work, my daughter has been SICK SICK SICK. I'm tired and run down and frustrated. I haven't seen the inside of a gym or felt a track or treadmill under my feet for DAYS (who'm I kidding... it has been weeks) To top all this wonderful off I got hit with a rocking migraine today and I'm praying to God that I did not get whatever it is my daughter has been fighting off. I have so much on my plate tomorrow at it's almost scary and I should have been in bed an hour ago. BUT, I find myself sitting in front of the computer typing this blog instead.

I have been trying to come up with a great blog about something I heard but until tonight I just didn't seem to have it in me. Truth is I'm EXHAUSTED right now so I may still just sound like a mumbling idiot but I guess that's what you all get for reading what is basically just my journal. LOL... I digress.

So here it is. I jumped on the scale today and it would be fair to say I’m less than satisfied with what I saw. I'm frustrated that I had such a rockin month last month and this one has been pretty much a FLOP. (Especially since I would have almost certainly have taking the cash on last months competition and this one is turning out to actually be a challenge for me... probably not the point but, there it is anyway.) As I stepped off my scale shaking my head trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do now I heard myself say, "I don't know what to do!" (yes it came out in that whiny poor picked on me voice that we often use when we're feeling all bummed and stuff.)

Almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind I heard this little statement in my head,

"People make excuses, not decisions."


I know! Totally worth chewing on right? I was having this amazing conversation with a good friend the other day and he said that to me. It's so true. We spend our lives making excuses don't we? "I couldn't go to the gym because..." or "I didn't stick to my diet because..." or "I didn't finish that assignment/job/task because..." How often do we say, "I chose not to go to the gym today." or "I chose to eat off menu today." or "I'm sorry sir, I chose not to do that."

We don't say stuff like that because??? Why? I don't know... maybe because society has taught us that we MUST have an excuse for EVERYTHING. How many of you can't say NO? If someone were to come up to you and say, "Hey! Can you come over and help me move on Saturday?" How many of you could say, "No" and leave it at that? When they ask, "Why?" How many of you could say because I choose not to".. ? Can any of you? NO WAY!!! We'd say, I can't cause I've got this happening or that happening or blah blah blah." Why? Why can we not just make a decision, and live with the choice that we make? Because that person would what? Not like us anymore? If that's true then they probably didn't like you much to begin with. So why is it so hard to make a decision?

I choose not to go to the gym.
I choose to eat this chocolate chip cookie.
I choose to not eat chicken again for-like-ever!

Sure, those choices have consequences. But at least I'll be facing those consequences head on and saying. Yep, I gained 10 pounds because I made those choices. Not just making a thousand excuses about the thousand excuses I made to not do the things I said I’d do.

I don't want to make excuses anymore.

I'm haven't lost weight this month because I have made a thousand excuses not to work on that part of my life instead of making one decision each day, each meal, each hour if that's what it takes. Because really there is only one ultimate choice to make. I choose to make me a priority. No longer will I make an excuse to explain away the fact I am not a priority in my own life.

I choose me.





So, here’s the reality of that statement… at least for me, in my own life. I can not do everything. I’m fighting tooth and nail to lose scale weight and losing sight of what is really important to me. My health. I'm tired of being disappointed by a number which leads me to a bunch of excuses and even more frustration. It's a vicious cycle and I choose not to do it anymore.

Last year although competing (more for the support than for the money) I was working toward a goal that was not connected to my weight loss. I’m revisiting those goals that I have made this year, walk/running 1000 miles and running at least 7 miles of my half marathon. My first is June 11th. That’s coming soon so I’d better get working on it. Those are the things I’m going to be focusing on.

I am not going to focus on losing weight anymore. I choose to focus on strength, distance and speed. I think the weight will follow. I choose to throw that damn scale out the window. I will not longer be a slave to a number.

Starbucks and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why is it when I'm trying to do my best all I want is Starbucks and Chocolate Chip cookies? There must be some chemical imbalance to explain it... some synapse misfiring or SOMETHING that means more than I'm weak.

Have you ever heard some say, "she's looking at you like a fat girl looks at chocolate cake"? You know... she's looking at you like you're finger licking good! Or she's looking at you like you're something sweat to eat. For me it would be she's looking at you like she looks at a triple grande White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks.

I love Starbucks. Way to much. My mom got me one of those single serve coffee dispensers and although it has helped reduce the number of times I'm indulging in my Starbucks treats it has not stopped it all together... If only Starbucks got together with Keurig and made K-Cups. Hm? Maybe they have!?!?!?!?!? I'd better get online and check.

Did you know that McDonalds has some of the best chocolate chip cookies around? Hm? Do you? Well it's true. When I was pregnant I went through a chocolate chip cookie phase. It was short lived because Chocolate gave me all kinds of heart burn but, I had one none the less. It was then that I realized these warm chewy-gooey treats were available. Day or night, rain or sun... The golden arches have at the end of them some chocolaty goodness. I love that goofy clown.

Do you know what's better than either of them?!?!?!?! It's the combination. A triple Grande white chocolate mocha with warm chewy chocolate chip cookies is simply delightful!!!

No reason for this blog other than trying to convince myself I don't need either right now.

IT'S NOT WORKING!

Guess I'll go to bed instead.

Good night

A Hiccup

This last week at work has been MORE than stressful. I've been tasked with a whole bunch of new work to do and I found myself spending most of the week frustrated and exhausted. In addition to that the extra work kept me from my much needed stress relief/gym time. One of the amazing things about working up on base is that they allow us 3 hours per week to exercise. I've been taking advantage of this time for the last little bit and I'm pretty sure it's one of the major reasons, not only have I been able to lose what I have but it's also helped me keep a level head. With that precious time gone all of that level headedness is going out the window.

For those of you that have been following my blog... or my life you know what that looks like...

YIKES!!!!!

Well, This week I'm determined to get back to the gym. If it means I've got to go into work early and use my own time I've got to get there. I just can't wait till the weather warms up and I can start running outside with Jade. Today was SOOOOO beautiful she and I spent about an hour just playing outside in the sunshine. It was still cold though and her little nose turned bright red before we got inside.

ANYWAY, Overall I'm not doing bad. Not busting bum like I was last month. Maybe the idea that I'm ahead has made me complacent? I think that's a bad thing... So I guess I'll step it up this week.

Later dudes! LOL

Competition Extension

You all know by now that we're extending the competition end date. The reason for this is there was a lot of talk about not doing very well and wishing there were more time to be had. LOL Although I didn't make my goal of 20 pounds I am VERY proud cause I got VERY close! I'm 15.6 pounds down to be exact! WHOOP!

I have to say that there was a week in there that I lost almost nothing and was getting VERY frustrated cause I thought I was going to be stuck FOREVER. But I kicked my diet into high gear and got moving again. :) I'm really proud of myself for not giving up or giving in.

Since we've decided to extend the competition I'm giving everyone a clean slate. Other than the weigh in amount that last month is over. Starting today we're starting fresh. What does that mean exactly? Well, if you haven't blogged because you didn't think you'd win so you gave up... START TYPING! If you stopped working hard for the same reason... START WORKING!

You've all got 4 more weeks to kick it into high gear and make your goals. I'm pretty sure I've got the upper hand at this point. I DARE YOU TO BEAT ME!!! :P You can all do math and I'm pretty sure you can figure out what percent I'm down and work to get there. I have to lose 2 times what you all have to lose to get to the same place so you can catch up if you try.

I know this month is going to be great! We got this ladies... Get up and move your butts! LOL

Blog counts start now! So, just to make sure everyone is on the same page. You must blog at least 4 times this month with no more than 10 days in between entries. My goal is to do what I used to do and blog every Sunday. For me picking a day and doing it that day every week works best. Put it on your calendar or whatever it takes. I wanna pay out some dough for some serious percentage of weight loss... So get 'er done!

(PS. One of our contestants didn't pay in so the cash at the end is $100 distribution will be in the same percentages)