Day 90: Fiddlesticks!

I feel terrible for missing yesterday's blog. I should have done it in the morning when I was home, but I spent all my time cleaning house. Then I went over to Springfield for a family get together. And then back to my parents' place because Adam is in town visiting. The only problem is, they have used up all of their Internet for the month, so they are operating at a slower than dial-up speed. I don't really understand how their Internet works over there, but if you want to know more about it you can ask my dad; he loves coming up with new analogies to try to explain it.

So today is Memorial Day. We're going to do our traditional family cookout with the Gorbett side, then Adam and I are heading over to Springfield to hang out with the Jeffers side for a while since they haven't spent much time with him. I figure it's important for them to get to know him since he's going to be my husband and all.....

I'm going to try really hard not to overeat today. I don't have to keep eating all day long, but I can focus on enjoying the company rather than having to have a plate of food in front of me at all times.

Sorry for the short blog again today....I'll be back on track tomorrow. I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day.

And I would like to thank you to anyone who has served our country in any way. Your service to our country makes it possible for us to enjoy the luxuries we often take for granted.

Day 88: A Personal Question

Ladies, as most of you know this wedding planning stuff has been a breeze for me. Everything is flying into place and we've managed to stay organized through the entire process and I'm really not worried about anything wedding-related.

However, one issue has really gotten me stressed, worried, upset, and freaked out.....Birth Control!

I've never practiced any kind of birth control before because, well, I've never had a reason to. And once we're married Adam and I are looking forward to having children...probably a lot of children. But we would both like to get a handle on being husband and wife before we start to throw children in the mix. We also want to be in a better financial place because we would like for me to stay at home once kids come in to the picture. So we want to wait at least a little while before we have a baby.

The problem is we're finding a ton of conflicting information and it's all really overwhelming.

Our convictions are that life begins as soon as an egg is fertilized by a sperm, which would rule out many (if not most) popular forms of birth control. From my understanding, birth control pills typically have 3 mechanisms in which they prevent pregnancy: first, they decrease the possibility of ovulation, so that an egg can't be fertilized by sperm, secondly, they change the cervical fluid so that it is impossible for the sperm to reach the egg, and failing those two mechanisms, the pill prevents an already fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. That's where we have a problem. We do not believe it is okay to destroy an already fertilized egg. So we need another option.

Because of that, I started looking into Natural Family Planning and the Fertility Awareness Method. With these methods, there is no need to take any medications or use any contraceptive devices regularly because you pay attention to your body's signals and determine when it is safe to have unprotected sex. The problem is that this method requires copious attention to detail and charting. We only have 2 months until our wedding and I've never kept track of my cycle before, so I'm nervous about determining the way my cycle works with only two months of charting to use as a sample. I'm not sure that my limited experience in charting would be enough to determine my regularity, and to ensure that I'm observing the signals properly. So that has me super nervous.....I mean, really, super nervous!

So we found a website that is written by Christian people who hold the same convictions as we do. They say that there are in fact some birth control medications that prevent the woman from ovulating at all so that there is no chance of an egg being fertilized. And they provided a list of pills that would be "okay" to take, according to them.

The problem is, you can't believe everything you read on the Internet. And we don't just want to read one article on one website and determine our course of action from there.

So I'm wondering if any of my lady friends have struggled with this issue before. Does anyone practice natural family planning or the fertility method? What's it like? Does anyone take any kind of birth control? What should I expect with that?

We're just kind of at a loss and we're at a point now where we really need to make a decision either way. So I'm really wanting some advice and some information from women who have been there before.

I have an appointment with my doctor to talk about all of this next week, but I still want to hear from some other women about their experience with their method of choice.

Once again, thanks for reading and responding. It means a lot to me!

Day 87: Survival Strategies - Cruise Food!

So I think most of you know by now that we'll be heading on a cruise to the Bahamas for our honeymoon.

I've heard horror stories about cruise food...how great it tastes, how they have such a variety, how it's available.....ANY TIME YOU WANT IT!

I'm not going to spend every waking hour fretting about how many calories I'm eating, but I also don't want to come back 15 pounds heavier!

Do any of you seasoned cruisers have any advice for me while we're away?

Day 86: The Early Bird Sweats Less

So I've gotten up twice this week an hour early to workout. I have to say, it feels really good to know that I've started off my day by burning some calories. And it's extra special to me because I can go throughout the day knowing that I've already completed that task and I don't have to fit it into my schedule.

The only problem is I HATE getting out of bed in the mornings. I mean hate it. Almost as much as I hate beans. My bed is so comfortable. And sleep is so good. I just have to absolutely force myself to take off those covers and hop to it.

I think I'm going to stick with my 3 day per week early rising workout schedule for now. Then I want to get in 1 or 2 additional workouts during the weekend.

Actually, I should say that I've done morning time workouts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays I would like to get in a workout with my weights in the evenings. I think this will help me to get a better toned and build some muscle.

When do you guys prefer to exercise? Do you find that it's a better time for you in the mornings when the temperature is a little cooler and you can take care of it first thing? Or do you prefer to wait until later in the day when you've had a chance to wake up and go through an entire day of work so you can come home and use your workout to give you an extra jolt of energy to make it through the evening?

I think I'm starting to kinda like these morningtime workouts. The only part I hate is that first five minutes where I'm trying to convince myself to get my butt out of bed!

Day 85: Wedding Wednesday

Today I can talk about a topic I'm actually excited about, rather than a topic that's been riddled with guilt and shame....I'm slightly joking...sort of.

But I do get excited about discussing my wedding with everyone. I'm really looking forward to the wedding, but more importantly I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with Adam!!

Let me tell you what has happened since last week:
I received a contract for my chairs, only find out that the bill was going to be 66% more than the quote I had been given (nobody bothered to tell me about the delivery charge).

So we're going with a different chair company; I'm going to see some chairs tomorrow and the total bill should be much cheaper than that!

I also met with my florist and I'm very excited about my beautiful flowers! I'm getting exactly what I wanted and I think the flowers make me even happier than my dress! What's even better is that we're going to come in at around half the amount we budgeted!!

Right now we're dealing with our guest list which has become a thorn in our sides lately. We originally said we wanted to have a very small wedding with just immediate family and a few close friends. But I keep thinking of people I feel like I should invite and so the list just keeps growing. Finally I just called my mom and she talked me down. She helped me figure out who I really wanted to be there and who would have to wait for the reception. I just hate to hurt anyone's feelings, but we just don't have the space for 300 people in my parents' yard! So we're working it out. I'm sure there will be a few tweaks here and there, but I think we're pretty set on a total of about 130 people or so, and then many, many more at our receptions.

I've also reserved a block of hotel rooms for our out-of-town guests at a hotel that's only about 10 minutes from my parents' house, so that's exciting.

So that's the haps for now. Thanks for checking in!

I'm so grateful that things are coming together so smoothly for us. It almost seems like it's too good to be true, but I love the way things are falling into place.

Day 84: Weeky Weigh-In

I'm sick of coming on here to make a post and having to confess all of my sins to you guys. I apologize that the blog has been a little bit of a downswing lately.

My mom and I skipped our meeting last night because neither of us had stellar weeks. So we've decided that there's no more crapping around. We are sticking with the program and staying serious about it until at least after Rachel's wedding...hopefully after mine.

I haven't even weighed myself lately, but I'm sure I'm up a pound or two from last week. That's really disappointing and I hate to even have to look at those words as I type them.

But we're getting back on track and staying disciplined with it. I would be so disappointed if my wedding got here and I had gained all of my weight back, or even not lost anymore. Eleven weeks is a long time and there's a lot of weight loss that can happen in that short time. My goal is to have a total of 30 pounds lost by the time my wedding rolls around, which means I have 17 pounds to go from my weight last week.

I'm confident I can do it as long as I get disciplined and make myself behave. It's tough. And it's more fun to eat cheeseburgers and french fries. But my body is going to thank me if I can make healthier choices and become a healthier person.

Day 83: Champion Chow -- Grapefruit

What's better on a hot day than a cold, juicy grapefruit? That was my breakfast this morning, and that is my blog topic today.

Did you know that grapefruits are so named because when they're growing on trees they hang in clusters, like bunches of grapes?

We've all heard the rumors about so-called Negative Calorie Foods. These foods, including grapefruit, are said to require more calories to burn them than it they are actually worth. This may be true on the surface, but that doesn't mean that eating 14 grapefruits a day along with your normal regimen of deep-fried grease and sugar-filled glazed cream jelly donughts will result in weight loss.

Obviously, grapefruit and other vegetables and fruits are astronomically better for you than a hot fudge sundae. But don't count on eating crap, then compensating for it by eating other foods that will burn more calories because it just doesn't work that way.

This is particularly true if you're like me and you can't resist pourin' some sugar on your grapefruit. Just a teaspoon or so per half, to give it a little sweetness and crunch.

In addition to being super low in calories, grapefruit is also high in vitamins like Vitamin C.

Be careful of grapefruit juices and juice cocktails, though. There's a reason why the grapefruit juice is mysteriously so much sweeter than a grapefruit itself. Fruit juices and especially juice cocktails are loaded with extra sugar that pretty much cancels out any nutrition you'd be getting from the fruit.

If you want more information on the myth of Negative Calorie Foods, click HERE.

Day 82: Shortie

Well today was yet another crazy chaotic day. And this whole week is already booked up for me! I'll be looking forward to when my life settles down again and I can take a breather.

Once again I have no recipe for you today. All I have is to offer sincere congratulations to my brother and all of his friends who graduated from MacArthur High School today. He has a great group of friends and I'm glad they all got to celebrate together.

Day 81: A Day in the Life

Today was yet another crazy day! My brother's graduation party, paired with a ton of family to visit with, and another big graduation party to attend this evening.

I didn't stop until 9:00 tonight!

I did take some sage advice and start off my day right by reading my Bible first thing. That was a good way to set the tone for my day. I need to keep up that habit. If not reading the Bible, at least starting the day in prayer, thanking God for everything that's going on in this crazy life of mine, and asking him to help me to keep my priorities straight throughout the day.

The eating and exercise, on the other hand, fell by the wayside once again. One of these days I'll get it straight.

I've been dealing with a little bit of...how shall I say....being stopped up lately, and I'm trying to figure out what to do about it.

I'm thinking I may try a raw diet or something just for a week as a little bit of a cleanse. I never deal with these kind of issues, so I really don't know what to do. Any advice from frequent "irregular bowelers?" This is a strange thing for me as I'm usually on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Obviously, getting my eating back on track will help, but I feel like I need to do something more than that. I'll keep you posted on what I decide to do.

Day 80: Priorities

Oh boy. This has been a crazy week, and especially a crazy last couple of days. I feel like I'm running around constantly. It's good because I'm getting things accomplished, but it's bad because I've allowed my priorities to fall a little out of whack.

My first priority can't be all wedding all the time. I have to make myself remember that life continues even after my wedding is over, and so I need to continue to adopt the same priorities I should have during my "regular" life. Wedding is an added responsibility, but it shouldn't take away from other responsibilities.

God
Adam
Family
Friends
Health
Work
Etc.

I need a realignment of my priorities.

I think the things that are suffering in my life right now are two of the most vital aspects of my life I should focus on: my spiritual heatlh and my physical health.

I need to get back in the Word. It is a lamp to my feet and light for my path.

And I need to get back on the bandwagon with my exercise and nutrition. They are what gives me energy and the ability to do everything else I need to do.

I have only exercised once this week, and I ate horribly yesterday. And I feel bad for it. I feel like I could be a couple pounds lighter than I am right now, had my priorities been right.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how you balance it all? I'm not usually a high-stress person, so I'm not really used to having to juggle all of these crazy things in my life. I'd love to hear from you about how you maintain your sanity and your priorities when life gets hectic.

Day 79: Short and Sweet

I'm hanging out with Adam today so I'm not going to take a lot of time to make a post.

We went to Conan last night. It was awesome. My face hurt from laughing so much.

I have done well this week except for today when I overate by a long shot. I'm going to be good over the weekend, though, so I can have a successful meeting on Monday. It seems like I've fallen into a pattern of losing one week then gaining the next, and I want to break that cycle.

That's about all I have for today. Thanks for stopping by. I'll have something better for you tomorrow!

Day 78: Wedding Wednesday

Well things are still coming together way more easily than I thought they would. At the rate we're going, we're going to have the entire wedding planned and ready to go by the end of next week!

That's a great place to be considering how overwhelmed I felt at the beginning of all of this.

Adam has all the honeymoon arrangements taken care of. He is so good to me! We're going on a cruise to the Bahamas!! And he got a really good price! I'm really excited to spend my honeymoon with my honey, Moon! I've never been on a cruise before, so I'm a little nervous, but I think it will be a lot of fun!

We are also officially ready to announce the dates. We will have a very small, intimate ceremony on August 7th. And we'll have follow-up receptions where we can celebrate with everyone. One in Tennessee on September 4th, and one in Illinois on September 11th!

We are really looking forward to the wedding and enjoying our special day, but even more than that we're just ready to be married and do life together every single day.

Today Adam and I are going to Chicago to see Conan O'Brien! And we've both decided that we're not going to discuss wedding stuff at all!

Day 77: Weekly Weigh-In

I'm not sure what happened with the scale, but my weight this week was up 3 pounds from my weight last week. This week I weighed in at Weight Watchers and last week I weighed in at home. Plus, I don't remember for sure, but I probably weighed in the morning last week, whereas it was about 4:30 yesterday.

I didn't really track my foods properly and I didn't have many chances to exercise, so that may be a contributing factor, as well.

All I know now is that with my sister's upcoming wedding and my impending nuptuals, it's time to really be serious about getting healthy.

I'll tabulate my results for you this week according to my Weight Watcher's record, which indicates my weight loss from 2 weeks ago, since I skipped last week:
This week: -2.2lbs.
Total: -13.0lbs.

I also reached a milestone in the program, which I can't really tell you about because it will give away my actual weight. Everyone knows that is a closely guarded secret

So, I need to keep on going. I really want to have lost a total of 30 pounds by the time my wedding rolls around. I feel like that's an achievable goal, but I won't achieve it if I keep doing things the way I have been for the last two weeks.

Here's to starting over! And thanks for reading...some days my only motivation is knowing that I have people checking in on me.

Day 76: Champion Chow - Ground Turkey

Most people think of turkey as primarily a Thanksgiving food, or a light deli meat for sandwiches.

But I have grown to love using turkey as a substitute for other meats.

Turkey is much leaner than ground beef; it has half the fat and 30% fewer calories.

Turkey even comes in sausage and bacon forms so you can still enjoy those breakfast meets we all love, but in a much healthier way.

But I want to talk about ground turkey today. I usually buy the Honeysuckle White brand, which you can find at Wal-Mart for sure, and possibly Kroger and other stores.

Ground turkey has a good flavor. It's light; it has a light flavor. It doesn't taste like the roasted turkey you eat at Thanksgiving. It just has a light, meaty flavor and texture. Because it's so lean, you will want to use some olive oil if you're browning the meat in a skillet because it doesn't have enough fat to keep it from drying out.

I made turkey spaghetti the other night, and you would have never known it was turkey. It tasted just like regular ground beef spaghetti, only it contained much less fat and fewer calories.

I also use ground turkey in my Asian lettuce wraps, tacos, meatloaf or even hamburgers.

You simply season the meat like the same way as you would with ground beef and your meal will be just as delicous as ever.

This is a very simple swap that can help you on your way to great results. Give turkey a chance!

Day 75: A LARGE Victory

I had a wonderful experience today. I decided it was time to do a little clothes shopping because I'm going to need some casual dresses for upcoming wedding showers and other events.

So I went to Kohl's (it is slowly becoming my favorite store) and I walked straight to the plus size department, where I have shopped for the past several years. I looked around at their meager selection of dresses and found one or two that I didn't hate. I thought to myself, "Well, I guess this will have to work," and decided to go try them on.

On my way to the fitting rooms, though, a couple of "regular sized" gowns caught my eye. I picked up several of them, figuring that they wouldn't work, but I might as well give them a shot.

Well, the plus size dresses were too big for me, and some of the regular ones looked great! I actually ended up buying a really pretty maxi dress in a size....get this.....Large! This is the first time in my adult life that I've bought a clothing item without an "X" in the size! What an incredible feeling!

Now granted, the maxi dresses are stretchy and I probably could have fit into a variety of sizes, but I'm counting this a LARGE victory and it's going to keep me motivated on the way to my goal.

This morning when I weighed myself I was exactly 20 pounds lighter than my starting Weight Watchers weight. I'm not expecting these results tomorrow because I always weigh a few pounds less in the morning than I do later in the day.

But I feel so good to have been able to shop in the departments with the cute clothes and that I was able to fit into a large!!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Day 74: Woopsie!

Guess who forgot to make a blog post yesterday! Aww man, I feel like someone punched me in the gut! I can't believe I missed my first day. I'm sad.

This week has been crazy. There is so much going on and unfortunately my diet and exercise have fallen by the wayside. I'm glad, though, that this hasn't reflected on the scale.

Like my Aunt Cindy said, I may not be doing perfectly with my diet and exercise, but at least I'm not sitting around eating all the time. I have other things to occupy my time.

I just need to learn now to balance everything going on in my life. I need to MAKE time for exercise every day...even if that means I need to get up an hour earlier. And I need to REQUIRE myself to record points values for anything I eat.

It may not be convenient. But I'll be really disappointed if my wedding gets here in 12 weeks and I'm the same weight or more, and 12 weeks of my life will have been wasted.

I know I'm not going to be perfect with Weight Watchers; I never have been. But I need to force myself to be more diligent with my health regimen. That means it needs to be a priority over the wedding stuff. Maybe I'll need to save a couple of phone calls for the next day. Everything will get done (we already have A TON of stuff accomplished so far), and it doesn't all have to get done right now.

Part of my problem is that I'm a very task-oriented person. When I get a roll I don't like to stop until it's all finished. But I just have to overcome that.

My goal for this week is to workout 5 times, and it has to be a GOOD workout! Another goal is to be diligent about my tracking. Starting Monday I want to track every morsel of food that enters into my mouth throughout this next week.

I'm going to do it. No question. Check back with me next week to see!

Day 72: YIKES!

Ok everyone, it's time to make a confession: my blog and my fitness have taken a back seat to wedding and marriage preparations this week!

I have GOT to get myself back on track. I want to look and feel great for my wedding day, and I need to stay focused on my goal, which will need to be something I continue even after I'm married.

I haven't been following my challenges very well this month. And I've been eating okay, but not tracking my foods.

It's time to get my butt back in gear, people! Here we go!

Day 71: Wedding Wednesdays

I thought I would change things up a little bit on the blog here, and take one day a week to talk about how the wedding plans are coming along. That way I will be able to stay focused on my health goals, as well as share a little bit of the information about what's going on with the big plans.

We have a date that's almost firm. But we're not officially saying it yet. I will say it's August.

And the location is a little bit of a sticky situation, but it should be worked out pretty soon.

I never knew how much wedding planning consumes of your life! Adam and I talked on the phone last night like we always do, but we didn't realize until 40 minutes into the conversation that we had ONLY talked about wedding stuff. It's a huge wake up call and I'm trying to make sure I focus more on the marriage and the happiness that comes with it, than planning out one day of my life.

We do have a photographer almost set, too, which is really exciting. This photographer is excellent, and she comes with a videographer as well, which is something that's really important to us since not everyone will be able to be at the wedding.

Right now we're working on formulating a bridal party. And I'm almost set on my color motif for the day.

I have a cake mostly squared away, too, which is nice.

So that's where we are with the planning....it's a big job that we have to do in a very short amount of time, but it will all be worth it when I'm married to the man I love.

More announcements to come soon!

Day 70: Weekly Weigh-In

Sorry for the late post today. My life has suddenly become chaotic!

Somehow I managed to still lose weight this week. I'm down about 5lbs. from last week, which puts me at a total loss of 15.8lbs.!!

I'm really not sure how I was able to lose that much over the past week because with all of the busyness and the stress, I really didn't make exercise and tracking a priority.

I chalk it up to the fact that I was SO busy, and didn't have the time to eat as much junk, while my body was still able to burn off the calories I was consuming.

I know that weeks like this won't always happen, though, so I need to make sure to get myself back on track. I've still had a rough time of it this week. I can't get back into a consistent schedule and I desperately need to make a trip to the grocery store.

So I'm grateful for the loss, but staying mindful of the fact that I need to get my butt back in gear. I have all the more reasons now to get myself looking and feeling better.

Day 69: Champion Chow

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you're like me, though, breakfast is usually an afterthought that occurs somewhere between realizing you overslept and rushing out the front door with wet hair.

I would say that on about 4 out of every 5 mornings I grab an English muffin and head out the door for work. I always buy the whole wheat variety because they are packed with fiber and much more nutritious than the enriched flour ones.

They're low in calories and fat, and, depending on your topping of choice, they can make a deliciously filling breakfast.

I use reduced fat peanut butter, apple butter, or just good old-fashioned light butter.

The whole-wheat English muffin by itself will cost you about 2 points for most brands. Most regular bagels will set you back 5 or 6 points, and that's without toppings! Even the whole-grain bagels are 4 points.

If you're in need of an occasional bread fix I would highly recommend English muffins. They're quick and easy, they taste great, and they won't bust your gut!

Day 68: Corn Panzanella Salad

With summertime fast approaching, this Weight Watchers salad will be a delicious and refreshing treat for a cookout or even a light dinner. The sweetness of the corn mixed with the tart dressing lends an interesting flavor to the dish.

You'll have to forgive me for not putting a picture up, but I couldn't find one of the recipe, or anything that looked remotely like it.

Corn Panzanella Salad

Makes 4 (1 cup) servings

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tsp. Olive Oil

1 tsp. White Wine Vinegar

1/4 tsp. Table Salt

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

1 1/2 Medium Scallions, or 1 Large, Trimmed and Finely Chopped

1/4c. Plain Fat-Free Yogurt, Greek Style

Salad Ingredients:

12 oz. Cherry Tomatoes, Halved

2 Small Bags Frozen Corn, Cooked per Instructions

2 Tbsp. Basil, Fresh, Shredded

1/4 tsp. Slat

1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

3 oz. Cornbread, torn into bite-sized chunks

Instructions:

For the dressing, combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir well. Add the yogurt and scallions and stir, then set aside.

In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, corn and basil; season with salt and pepper. Add dressing and mix gently but well. Mix in the cornbread pieces and serve.

Points Value: 3 (for a 1 cup serving)

If you don't use the cornbread, it's 2 points for 1 cup.

Day 67: What a Week!

This post is extremely late I know. Today has been insane.

This was probably the best week of my entire life, and I'm in such a happy place right now. I couldn't imagine anything better.

Today we had a wedding shower for my sister. Things got a little silly (thanks, Janine). But it was a lot of fun.

Immediately after the shower we started preparing for a prom dinner my parents put together for 19 of Mitchell's friends. It was crazy!

Tomorrow we're doing a Mother's Day dinner for a bunch of family members, which will be a nice way to honor the women in the family.

After all the chaos of the day Adam and I finally got the chance to sit down and be together. And I finally made good on a bet I had lost a long time ago. I watched Tommy Boy. It wasn't as torturous as I thought it would be, and in fact, I found myself laughing out loud at a couple of points in the movie. So that was nice.

As far as my weight this week, the scale seems to demonstrate that I've dropped a few pounds, which is wonderful. But unfortunately, with all the craziness of the week I haven't had much of a chance to get in all of my workouts or track my foods. I'm considering it a special blessing for this week, though, and I have to remember that I can't always expect these results with so little effort.

Next week I will get back into the swing of things (along with the addition of a wedding to plan into my daily routine), so hopefully I'll be able to really stay on track with my food and exercise.

Thanks for reading and supporting me in all of my adventures!

Day 66: He Asked Me to Marry Him

I'm sure all of you know by now about my impending wedded bliss. I thought I would stray off my normal topic a little today and share the story of the magical way in which this came to be.

It all started earlier in the week when Adam requested that we stray from our normal Friday night date night routine and meet on Thursday night instead. He said he wanted us to get together sooner so we didn't have to miss each other as long. I agreed, and didn't really give it much thought.

So Thursday rolled around and Adam said he wanted to eat at Olive Garden, which happens to be the place we went the very first time we met, and the place we went on the night he asked me to be his girlfriend. I thought it was a little strange because we hadn't been there since those two times, but again, I dismissed it and agreed to go.

Adam showed up at the restaurant and presented me with a dozen red roses, which are absolutely beautiful. I thought it was really sweet, but I didn't catch on that it was a special night or anything because he frequently spoils me with flowers and little presents. So I put the flowers in my car and we headed into the restaurant.

After dinner Adam drove around for a little while and we ended up at Miller Park. The very first time we met we spent hours there just sitting on a bench by the water and talking. We drove around Miller Park for awhile, looking at the geese and their babies. There were a ton of people at the park, though, and our bench was being used, so we continued to drive on.

We drove around town for a little while longer, until we ended up at another park. O'Neill Park is where Adam asked me to be his girlfriend. We ended up at the exact pavilion where he asked me before. He had brought along his "new speakers" that he wanted to "try out", so he put his iPod on and started playing music. I didn't catch on until later that he had created a playlist of some of my most favorite romantic songs that we've listened to together. While the music was playing Adam asked me if I would get up and dance with him, even though it might be a little silly. I hesitantly obliged and there we stood in the pavilion dancing to my favorite songs.

While we were dancing Adam talked about how this was so nice and he wanted to have this forever. And how we might look silly, but he wanted us to be silly together for the rest of our lives. And the next thing I knew he was down on one knee asking me to marry him!

What happened next is kind of a blur. My eyes became a fire hydrant, gushing out gallons of tears. And I remember asking him if he was serious, then staring at the ring in disbelief, then kissing him and saying yes, and crying some more. And I think at some point Adam had to tell me to put the ring on because I was so stunned.

Then he surprised me even more by telling me he was coming back to Decatur to spend the weekend with me at my parents' house! He said he had taken the time off from work, and he had even made arrangements for my car to get back to Decatur so we could ride home together.

Adam said he wanted to have our own little celebration before we told anyone the news, and that he wanted to take me to Cold Stone for ice cream. So we hopped in the car and headed in that direction. We walked into Cold Stone and got in line, and then I turned around and saw my family standing there! I couldn't believe my eyes. I instantly started crying again and hugged all of them and showed off my ring. I still have no idea how they all pulled this off without letting me in on the secret. They're good!

So we all ate our ice cream and my sister drove my car back home so I could ride with Adam.

We spent the rest of the night making phone calls and text messages, and then announcing the news on Facebook. It was so great to hear from all of the people we love so much. It means a lot to know just how many people are excited for us during the best time of our lives so far!

It was a perfect proposal with the perfect ring and a perfect night with my perfect fiance. I am so thrilled to spend the rest of our lives together and I know the best is yet to come!

Day 65: 5 Changes

Last week I wrote a post encouraging everyone to come up with 5 changes they could make in their lives to impact their health.

It's important to look at your life and reflect on what you're doing in contrast with what your goals are.

You can't keep doing the same old things and expect to make changes in your life.

A lot of us get caught up in these habits or addictions that we think we need. But when we challenge ourselves we realize that they really aren't as much of a crutch for us as we thought.

Here are my 5 changes:

1. Water - I am really focusing on making this change in my life this month. Before I would rarely drink anything throughout the day, and have maybe a glass of water in the evening along with a glass of sweet tea or diet soda. I've never been a person who really drinks a lot of water. I just don't think about it, and I don't feel thirsty. My eyes were opened to the hazards of my lifestyle a couple years ago when I developed an excruciating kidney stone. Dehydration is one of the causes of kidney stones, and I'm fairly certain that not getting enough fluids was definitely a contributing factor in mine. Now I want to drink water, not only to prevent kidney stones, but for my overall health. For this change, I am going to make it a daily goal to drink 64 ounces of water. I bought some 64oz. reusable water bottles to help me achieve this goal. It's been a little difficult at first with my body getting adjusted to taking in so much liquid. The first couple of days of drinking 64 ounces I found myself making ridiculously frequent bathroom trips. But things have calmed down since then, and I can say that I really feel better with this change. I've found that I don't get hungry as quickly when I have a belly full of water.
2. Fast Food - Before I started this weight loss journey I was eating fast food every single day. It was convenient, cheap and it tasted good. But it was also making me groggy and sluggish and moody. I would find myself grumpy in the middle of the afternoon, and there were many days I would come home from work and require a nap. Obviously, kicking my fast food habit has helped me trememdously. I've lost weight, I'm eating more nutritious foods and I have more energy. I know it's not realistic to expect myself to give up fast food completely. But I am going to make sure that fast food is an occasional thing. Sometimes it's a necessity to run through a drive-thru when you're in a hurry or traveling somewhere. But I'm going to make sure that fast food doesn't become a crutch for me. Fast food will be a rarity in my life instead of the norm.
3. Sweet Tea - I have a thing for sweet tea. My grandmothers and my mom make the best sweet tea I've ever had. A close runner-up, though is McDonald's. Did you know a large sweet tea from McDonald's has a whopping 5 points? I figure it's time I cut some of the sugar out of my life and focus on getting more nutrition. For this change I will only allow myself sweet tea a couple times a week, and only after I've finished my 64 ounces of water for the day. There's no reason I should require a huge glass of sweet tea every day. And it's a silent calorie bomb because you don't think about the calories and sugar since you're not eating it.
4. Parking Far Away - This was a challenge I did in April. I parked in the back of the parking lot wherever I went to try to get a little more exercise. I found that parking so far away really didn't inconvenience me too much, and I felt great about the extra steps I was getting in. I want to make this a permanent change in my life. Since April has been over I've actually been slacking a little bit on this one, but it's time to get back into action. I'm going to park at the back of the lot now as a general rule.
5. Do It Now - I can be a procrastinator at times. It's easier to be lazy and stay where I am than it is to get up and take care of whatever it is that needs attention. I want to make the word "Later" a curse word in my life. I am going to start noticing the areas in which I procrastinate and adopting the attitude of taking care of it now. This will probably be the toughest change for me to to make, but I know it will help me in achieving my health goals.

So what do you think of those changes? What changes are you going to make in your life?

Day 64: Woops!

Oh. My. Goodness. I almost forgot to write a blog today! If it hadn't been for my incredible, handsome, loving and caring boyfriend, I would never have thought about it! (by the way, check out his very own daily blog, from which I stole the idea....www.AdamGodfrey.com).

I had a crazy day at work today, and that's what I blame for my absent-mindedness. You see, I misplaced a very important folder that contained very important information. I subsequently spent over two hours tearing my office apart looking for it, only to come up empty-handed and nearly in tears. I had just sat down in my office chair and let out a huge sigh when my dad walked in, asked if I still hadn't found the item, proceeded toward the file cabinet, opened a drawer, tinkered around for approximately 27 seconds, and casually said, "Here it is." Jeesh! I hate when stuff like that happens...but I'm glad he found it.

I absolutely did not want to workout today after all the stress. It was actually the last thing I wanted to do. But I forced myself off the couch and dragged my sorry butt to the front of the TV screen and did the full 30 minutes of the Jillian Michels 30 Day Shred. I actually felt better after I did it, but boy, I really had to get over my emotions telling me I didn't feel like it.

It was a small victory, but I'll take it and celebrate just the same.

What do you do during those times when you don't feel like doing the thing that you need to do the most? Maybe it's eating right, exercising, housework...whatever. How do you make yourself do it? Or do you?

Honestly, I can go both ways. Sometimes I lack the will power or the drive to pull through and do something I don't want to do. But other times I force myself and feel great about it. I just have to work at making sure the times I force myself are more frequent than the times I let it slide and opt for laziness.

Day 63: Weeky Weigh-In

Well, I posted another gain this week. I'm not thrilled about it, but I also take it in stride because I think the gain is due in large part to womanly issues. So hopefully next week I'll be back on track with my loss.

This week: +0.8lbs
Total: -10.8lbs

I didn't do great with staying on my plan and tracking my foods last week. But it wasn't horrible. I didn't get in a lot of exercise either.

I'm not sure what it is, but PMS really affects me when it comes to trying to stay healthy. I crave any kind of junk food I can get my hands on. I want fried things, sweet things, breaded things...you name it. And I just feel tired and my body doesn't want to exercise.

Has anyone heard of ways to combat PMS? How do you get over those crazy emotions and cravings and make yourself stay on track?

I've been saying that my gain this week didn't really count. But I am determined to have a good week this week and to get in my workouts and eat well. Next week I WILL post a loss.

More importantly than any of that, I want to really encourage everyone to pray for Middle Tennessee and the Nashville area. I used to live down there, and I have some friends there. And Adam is from there, so his entire family is there, along with a ton of friends. Tennessee is devastated by this awful flooding. They've never experienced anything like it before and most people don't have flood insurance. Adam has written a couple of posts about this flooding in his hometown and the surrounding areas. Please check it out www.AdamGodfrey.com.

Day 62: Champion Chow -- Frozen Yummies

I love having a frozen treat in the evenings and I have come across a little gem that will change your life! Well, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I think you'll find them incredibly enjoyable and satisfying. Most Fudgesicles you find aren't too high in calories and fat, but most other brands are pretty small compared to the Weight Watchers.

These Weight Watchers Giant Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Bars are HUGE! And delicious! And only 1 Point!

They're almost too big....and they will most assuredly satisfy your screaming inner chocoholic.

I have seen these bars at Kroger and Wal-Mart and they're priced pretty reasonably.
The giant ice cream bars also come in other varieties:
Latte (1 Point)







Chocolate Cookies & Cream (2 Points)





Wildberry and Orange Creme Sorbet (2 Points)







I've tried the Wildberry and Orange Creme Bars as well, and they're excellent. I haven't tried the others, but I'm sure I will soon! If you're like me and you crave ice cream occasionally, you don't want to miss out on these great and guilt-free indulgences.

Day 61: The Most Delicious and Easiest Dinner You'll Ever Make

My Aunt Diane sent me this recipe earlier in the week and I was very impressed with how great it tasted, and how easy it was! It's low in points, high in nutrition, and bursting with flavor.

Shredded Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken:
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large jar salsa (mild, medium, or hot, depending on your preference)
1 small bag frozen corn
1/2 c. chopped onion
Seasoning
8 8-inch whole wheat tortillas
Reduced Fat Shredded Cheese
1 can black beans


Directions:
Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker and cover with salsa. Add corn and onion. Cook all day on low.
About an hour before serving, remove chicken breasts and shred them. Taste the mixture and add seasonings like cumin, garlic, salt and pepper.
To serve, scoop shredded chicken onto a tortilla, and add cheese and beans.

Makes 4 2-tortilla servings

Nutrition Info:
About 4 Points per serving, depending on how large your portion is.

May Day Mayday!

Ok, so the real title of this post should be April 30th Mayday. I ate horribly yesterday! Adam was in town visiting, which means he stayed at my parents' house (the Mecca of junk food), and we had a bunch of my sister's friends here camping, which meant even more junk food was in the house than normal. For some reason all of those factors made me think that it was acceptable to eat any food within eyesight. I'm not sure why I did that to myself, but it was bad.

And then we went out to dinner that evening and I ordered a lot of cheese. My stomach had a knot in it and I was so bloated afterwards. I wondered why I had allowed myself to eat so much food, and why I would sabbotage my weight loss like that.

I guess old habits die hard as they say, and I'm just going to have to remember what it feels like to eat crappy food and be miserable after. Yuck.

Quite honestly, I'm not completely back on track today. I haven't been keeping track of my points, and I'm having a few gummy worms as I type this (don't tell). BUT, I haven't overeaten at all today, and I've made fairly reasonable choices. I also worked out and helped my mom with some gardening.

I'm looking forward to May and all the changes I'm going to see take place due to all of the lifestyle changes I'm making.