kyfriedchick1

First off, let me say that I didn’t get to weigh in today like I had planned.  I’ll do that tomorrow.  Fun, fun…

If you live in the Cumberland Gap area, let me just say that you are doing yourself a major injustice if you do not go visit Gap Cave, formerly known as Cudjo’s Caverns.  It was amazing.  This was the first cave I have been into & it definitely will NOT be the last.  I have not been an outdoorsy person ever in my life, but that is going to change this summer.  I completely amazed myself today.  I am proud of what I did.  The cave trip was intense.  Super intense.  It was only a 1/4 mile hike but if you have ever been in this cave, you’ll know how hard that quarter mile is.  There is one corridor that you have to go down that is only 3 feet tall and about 4 feet wide and it lasts 75 feet.  You cannot touch the limestone in the cave so no touching of the walls or roof.  In this area, there is no guardrails for you to hold to.  Then you go from there, literally straight up for 45 uneven, water formed steps with a guardrail to hold to but steep turns and inclines with bats flying overhead and salamanders at your feet.  I had a blast.  It was hard.  It was only 53 degrees inside the cave, but I sweat bullets for the entire two hour tour.  The fact that I got through this cave — without having a heart attack — gives me so much confidence.  Go me.  LOL

So anyway… I’m going to go & crash now.  I am EXHAUSTED.  I desperately need a shower & then I’m headed to bed.

You don’t know how happy I am that it is FRIDAY!  I weigh tomorrow morning — hopefully.  I’m dreading what the scales say.  I haven’t done great this week.  But I haven’t done horribly either.  I have still made “better” choices though they haven’t been as good as they were when my husband was in town.  But, he’ll be back Wednesday.

Anyway, in case you don’t know, my daughter had an audition for a commercial this week.  We didn’t get the call back but that’s okay.  She knows that the casting director was “crazy” for not picking her (her words, not mine.)  This is just the beginning of an acting career, I’m sure.  The child is mucho talented when it comes to anything dramatic.  She was going to tryout for cheerleading tonight but changed her mind.  Honestly, I think she was afraid of rejection twice in one week.  Whatever the reason, I let her make up her mind about it.

Tomorrow, we go caving!!!  A group from my church is going to Gap Cave tomorrow in Cumberland Gap.  It used to be known as Cudjo’s Caverns.  I think it will be fun.  I want to be more active so this is a good way to get out with my babies & do “something.”  And it’s cheap — I don’t have to buy gas — so we are getting up early in the morning, I’m going to go weigh, go eat b-fast at the church, then we hope on vans & head southeast to the cave.  It should be a blast & the kids are looking forward to it.

Well, I’ve rambled enough.  I have to go research colleges to go to next year (long story…).  I’ll check in tomorrow evening after we get home!

Last Saturday, on his birthday, my husband got released from the hospital.  He had been having burning in his chest & went to the ER.  Well, he was admitted… tests were done… it was found that he had a blockage in one of his arteries.  The cardiologist said that it was a small blockage & nothing needed to be done surgically for it.  The blockage would reverse with weight loss.  That was the turning point for us.  We had talked & talked & talked about losing weight but when I would try to lose weight, he would sabotage it EVERY SINGLE TIME.  He’d bring home ice cream, or cookies, or something like that.. knowing I could not have it.  Well… now he doesn’t have a choice.  I told him that we lose weight together & get healthy together because I could not — and would not — go through that situation again.  I’m only 34.  I’m way too young to be a widow.  And I’m too young to have to worry like an old woman.

This week we have been eating healthier — cutting out fried foods and sugar.  We’ve cut back on white bread & started eating wheat bread.  We’ve added veggies to every single meal.  And we are no longer drinking pop — soft drinks, sodas, whatever you call them in your neck of the woods.   We haven’t started exercising yet — but I have increased the number of steps I walk each day — I park as far away as possible from my destination & walk… or at work instead of picking up the phone to give someone a message, I’ll walk back to their office.  It’s small steps I know.  But this time it is not all about the weight loss.  It’s about making a healthy change and being around for a long time.

So… being too fat for my scales (how sad is that?), I went somewhere else (not telling where here cause I feel so freaking large) and weighed.  I’ve lost three pounds this week just making those changes.  I don’t know what hubby has lost.  He’s now on the road & working in Virginia for two weeks.  He won’t be back until the Wednesday before my graduation.

My goal this week  is to step it up & start exercising.  I have more energy & my head doesn’t feel as fuzzy.  I wouldn’t think that food would make that big of a difference but it does.  I’d like to be in better shape by the time they get back.  I think the Saturday after my graduation, a bunch of us are going to go to the park & cook out & play volleyball all day.  I’d love to halfway be able to keep up.

So that’s why I’m back.  Even though it isn’t about the loss as much as it is the health, I still need as much motivation as I can get.  Especially when I’m running out of new foods to try & that same old chicken is getting boring.

Okay… no time to explain the sordid details of why this  happened… just know for now, that it happened.  I’m back.  I’m motivated.  I’m ready to go.  Let’s do this.

(Details will follow after I get off work when I have time.)

I went to the doctor this week for a check up on the Adipex I haven’t been taking. Last time I went to the doc, she gave me a rx because I mentioned how frustrated I was that I haven’t been able to lose weight regardless of what I do. Well, I took it twice; didn’t like the way it made me feel; so I quit taking it. Well, like I said, I went to the doc & of course they weigh you when you go in (groan….) and I had lost 13 lbs!!!

Go me!!!

Well, hope everyone of you is having a productive year so far.  Let’s just say, that mine has been far from dull.  My office is moving to our new location, school is keeping me on my toes, one of my best friends just moved — with me helping redecorate, of course, and hubby & I are getting ready to move to a new house.  Well, not a new house, but a new place for us to live.  I barely have time to breathe.  Unfortunately, I have not been doing well on my weight loss — I pulled a muscle in my back helping Misty paint & move, so exercise has not been pleasurable (so I just haven’t been doing it).  I know… I know.  I HAVE GOT TO get back on track.  I just honestly don’t know where I’ll FIND the time.  I know — excuses… if I want to succeed, I have to MAKE the time.  I dunno… we’ll see what happens…

Okay… I think this is something everyone does as the year comes to an end, I don’t know.  But I always like to think back on the year & see how I’ve progressed (or not) as a person & how I am different now than how I was at the beginning of the year.  Anyway… I don’t post a lot on myspace anymore so I will be reflective here.

My marriage definitely isn’t any better now than it was at the beginning of 2007.  In fact, it’s worse.  Anyone who knows me, knows that it has been a struggle for years going back & forth from happiness to misery.  Now, he works out of town & is gone for extended periods of time so we get along better when he is on the road than when he is home.  In 2008, we are going to begin counseling (I hope).  This is my last option before thinking about the big D.

I quit my full time job in September and can say that it was definitely a change for the better.   Now I’m working part time for a couple of lawyers and am in school full time.  I will graduate in May 2008 with my associate degree and begin in August to get my teaching certification.

I have had a lot more changes this year.  I made the decision to finally get healthy based on the fact that I got to know me a lot better this year.  I have always had a very low self esteem and for that reason, never tried anything seriously — whether it was weight loss or school full time or whatever.  With my husband working on the road and never being here, I realized that if I can raise two children on my own without killing them, keep my house off the condemned list (LOL),  maintain a 3.5 GPA with 12 college credits, work full time, and keep the little things running smoothly — and doing all of that WITHOUT a man — that there is NOTHING I cannot do.  And ya know what?  I found out that I like who I am.  I’m proud of who I have become.  Losing weight is hard.  But ya know what… this year has been hard.  And time is going to pass regardless.  I might as well do something to make myself healthier along the way.

The one thing that I do regret in ‘07, is that I let myself get out of church.  I know that not everyone believes in God and that’s their right — I’m not here to push religion down anyone’s throat or to preach a sermon.  But God is a very important part of my life.  And my relationship with Him was something that used to pull me through so many hard times.  Since I have been back in church, I have been more at peace with everything going on around me.  And that peace is more valuable than all the Klonopin (nerve pills) in the world.

I know that 2008 is going to be a happier, healthier, more productive year.  And next December at this time, I’ll be sitting here reflecting and feeling better about myself than I do right now.

Hope y’all have a wonderful end to ‘07 & a great beginning to the new year!

Well, I may have passed my finals but I have failed completely this month.  I’m up 5 lbs from where I started December.  I got off track during finals week & have gone completely downhill since then.  It’s time to pick myself up, dust off & get moving again.  We are planning a beach vacation the week of the kids’ Spring Break so I’d like to get under 300 by then.  I won’t look *great* in a swimsuit but anything to make me feel less bad about myself.

Looks like I’m going to have to break down & buy my exercise video that I wanted.  I won a bid on eBay for the Biggest Loser DVD & then the jerk jipped me &  several others by not sending our DVDs & now he is no longer a registered user on eBay.  Sucks cause I was really looking forward to getting the DVD in the mail.  Oh well… maybe I’ll get my money back from PayPal — I filed a complaint & so did nearly everyone else.  It’s just $10 but still…

Well, I’m outta here.  I have errands to run & stuff to get done.  Busy weekend!

BTW.. hope all y’all had a wonderful Christmas & a great remainder of 2007!

Well, school & finals are over until January 14th & it’s a good thing.  I haven’t  done anything at all healthy this week.  I haven’t exercised or eaten right — I only cooked at home one day the other days were eating out.  I didn’t overdo it like I normally would have but I still know that I didn’t eat well.

I did buy myself the Biggest Loser Workout DVD that I’m all the time raving about so I can finally take this one back to the library & pay my late charges!  LOL  I can get started back today & am ready to.  My scales are still not showing a change but they only weigh up to, I originally thought 335 but I am beginning to think they don’t go that high.  I may check out some new scales today.

But anyway, what I was starting to get at is that I had a pair of jeans that used to be extremely tight on me, well, yesterday apparently they weren’t as tight as normal because when I saw my mom, she commented that I looked like I had lost weight.  Of course she is going to make sure that she comments on the Adipex — that I’m not taking but she thinks I am.  She is all for the quick fix.  I did take them for two days & felt like I was going to die!  So, I quit.

So… I’m going to go for now.  I have some things to do before my kids come home.  I had a CHILDLESS night last night!!!  Mom took Nate with her to stay & then Charlie’s dad called & asked if he could keep Courtney.  I was able to take my last online exam in peace & quiet.  It was disconcerting… LOL  I couldn’t fall asleep without my babies here.  I guess I’m too dependent on them.  They’re growing up too fast.  I’ll soon be an old lady without my babies here.  Okay.. I have to stop before I start crying.

Time again for motivation — and no stress!!!

Why does eating healthy have to be so damn expensive? I mean really!! Had to go to Wally world today to get my thyroid & blood pressure meds filled. We decided to eat at Subway while we were in Walmart. I had a 6 inch sweet chicken teriyaki sub with baked lays and a caffiene free diet coke. The kids each had a personal pizza and drinks. Do you know that this was over $20.00?!?!?!?! Now, had we gone to McDonald’s or BK, we would have spent half that to eat! Makes me sick!!!!

Then a little later, I had to go to KMart to pay for Christmas layaways since Walmart got rid of them … grrr … and I was in a snacky mood (TOM will be visiting this week). I bought a box of the 100 Calorie Oreo Crisps. That was almost $3 when a bag of oreos would have been a little over 2 bucks!

I don’t understand. If the government wants to lower obesity rates like they say they do, then for the love of pete, lower the costs on the healthy foods and put some kind of fat tax on the unhealthy ones!!! Um… hello? How hard is that to figure out?!?!?

Sorry for the rant… like I said, TOM will be here this week & I’m definitely feeling the PMS. My kids have actually shut themselves up in my son’s room to play a board game… this NEVER happens!!! LOL

The weather here is nasty. It’s windy & cold. I don’t think they are giving snow since it was almost 70 degrees here today but it is just depressing outside. The wind was blowing so hard earlier that it knocked my 75 gallon trash can down!

Well, I need to go get clothes out of the dryer and change into my workout clothes. I just fixed the most delicious homemade veggie soup that I have ever fixed & now I’m stuffed!

I don’t know if I mentioned on here yesterday or on the message board I visit — www.3fatchicks.com — but I plan to double my exercise everyday. Tonight, I think I’m going to start out with my Pilates video and then do my Biggest Loser strength training. Tomorrow would be Pilates again — cause I love pilates!!! — and cardio.

Anyway… talk to y’all later!!!