HASAY Update Week 6 - I can get my butt up - but I can't keep my mouth shut!

FUTILE. VAIN. FRUITLESS. Those are the three words that sum up my efforts during my first week in the HASAY challenge. Nice words, no? Maybe they wouldn't sting so much if they were describing my attempts at something that didn't matter all that much to me - like changing the oil on my car. Unfortunately, they do describe my weight loss efforts this week and that sucks because I was hoping to do better than I did -but I just couldn't keep my dang mouth shut! Every time I turned around I was shoveling big 'ol handfuls of Pirate Booty, or spoonfuls of delicious apple pie or Rocky Road ice cream right smack into my gaping pie-hole. Nice mental picture.

So, yes I exercised some this week but my crappy eating reversed any good the exercise might have done. I took a couple of long walks, had an early morning romp with Bob Harper and his Cardio Max DVD - but it was all in vain. All in vain. In the end all I did was cancel out the bad eating I did all week because I sure didn't lose any wieght.

So right here, right now I am vowing to do better -to keep my mouth shut and my ass moving (except on Thanksgiving Day when the only thing moving will be the fork going from my plate to my mouth)

And before I go I just want to says thanks to all of you awesome gals out there in HASAY-land for being so welcoming, funny and encouraging. Knowing that you are all fighting your fight too will keep me motivated to do better.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

The HASAY Challenge -first assignment

I just learned about a weight loss challenge created by a little chicklet named Casey at halfasgoodasyou. Sorry Casey - hope you don't mind being called a chicklet - I thought it was better than Beotch - and sorry again, but I don't know how to link to your blog so if anyone reading this can educate a newbie on the finer techie points of blogging I would really, really appreciate it.

Anyway, HASAY stands for Half As Small As You and it's an online diet and fitness group. You can read more about HASAY and join if you are so interested by visiting halfasgoodasyou.com. All the info and directions are there so if you're looking for some friendly motivation and company, like I am, I think you'll find it there. So, in the interest of wasting no more time, I am going to get on with my first assigment and that is to answer the following questions.

1) What motivates me and why do I want to do this challenge?
Feeling and looking good motivate me. Being able to keep up with my boys motivates me. I want to do this challenge because I think losing weight and getting in shape are more fun to do with others.

2) What is my long term goal?
I would like to lose 20 lbs and I would like to FOR ONCE not feel like Nanook of the North when I visit my two super skinny size 0 sisters-in-law.

3) What tools are available to me?
A Gold's Gym membership and a great, hilly neighborhood for weekend runs.

4) How often can I exercise?
At least three times a week. I have been getting to the gym at 5 am three days a week before work. I can also run once during the weekend with a friend.

5) What do I plan to do?
My workouts already go something like this. Tuesday and Thursday - 30 mins of cardio, 40 minutes of weights. One day I will focus on tri's bi's and legs, another day will focus on shoulder, chest and back. Fridays are typically my cardio only day when I will do an hour of cardio.

6) What has worked for me in the past?
Weight Watchers has worked twice for me. I lost about 15 lbs a long time ago before my first son was born and then I lost 20 lbs again after my second son was born. I am now back at my original pre-baby weight but I want to lose more. I don't want to join WW again though because I can find all sorts of things I could spend $40 a month on. And I just got tired of tracking points.

So there you have it - my first assigment for HASAY is done. I feel stronger, leaner, and fitter already.

A Halloween Wrap-up

Yeah, yeah I know Halloween was like a week ago and everyone else in the entire blogging universe posted about Halloween the very next day, but it seems like I'm behind on everything these days. Thankfully the only thing that hasn't dropped into the "behind" catagory is our mortage and bill payments!

Anyway, this was the first Halloween where the boys actually got to trick or treat together and they had a really good time. The weather was just perfect and our street was PACKED with trick-or-treaters dressed to the nines in all kinds of cute/scary/funny costumes. I even saw more mommies and daddies dressed up this year than ever before.

The Destroyer petered out around 8:00 and went home with Daddy to "help" hand out candy to the mobs of trick-or-treaters and I took Captain Crazy to a few more houses before we called it quits for the evening.

Overall it was a really fun time, probably one of the best Halloweens so far and I was sort of sad at the end of the evening when everything was over and I started thinking about the long wait till next time. At least that gives me a lot of time to create my next costume.

Goodbye, Sammy

You died on a Saturday. You were 16 - very old for a doggie. Your health had slowly declined over the past year so I thought I was prepared, but letting you go was the hardest thing I have had to do in a very long time. I sat with you most of the day and stroked your head and your silken soft ears. I cried and told you how sad I was going to be without you in my life. You just laid there quietly, no doubt trying to hang on just a little longer.

The vet came to the house and sat and cried with us for a while too. The boys said "goodbye" and gave you one last kiss.

At the end of that very sad and difficult day, I was comforted by several things. First, I was happy that at least you passed surrounded by your family and in the comfort of your own backyard. Second, I know you had a long and happy life - you were well cared for and very loved. What else could a dog want? And lastly, I knew that you were going to a better place - a great big beautiful dog park in the sky where you won't hurt anymore and where you could play fetch without ever having to stop.

It will be a long time before this family will be able to open our hearts and home up to another pet, but when we do it will have some mighty big paws to fill.

Thanks for being such a great friend and pet - you will be in our hearts forever.