Whew, Almost Finished?

It turned out that hitting goal was a milestone not the finish line for me (whoa - I can't believe it's been four years since hitting my goal weight!). The modifications I made to get to my goal pretty much have continued with more flexibility in exercise and food choices overall. For me, that means some, and at times a lot, of conscious effort.

Another thing I learned about when I was honest with myself is that at goal some not so healthy trends were re-emerging. It was a vicious cycle. Lose X amount, maybe I need to lose Y more. Fit in size A, maybe I need to fit in size B. Don't get me wrong, this was an important part of my journey initially, but at some point it had to stop. I had to say it was enough, accept it, and figure out the long haul.

I try to focus on:

• Acceptance of food as mainly fuel and not escape from something else. That doesn't include indulgences at holidays, celebrations, etc., it's the stress/emotional eating. But I do pretty much eat what I want when I want it. I guess it's intuitive eating? Whatever you want to label it, it boils down to me eating when I'm hungry (still following my personal number one band rule of portion size) and doing a quick check if what I am hungry for is not the most healthiest of choices to make sure it's not to avoid a feeling.
• Accepting myself - being "enough"; stopping negative self talk; and focusing on the positive of my own self perception.
• Divorcing the scale. 

Change is hard. Especially considering until my 30's I was pretty much viewed as thin with up/down to a bit fluffy, but my relationship with food and exercise has always been far from healthy behind the scenes. That's a lot of years of practice with some unhealthy behaviors! There are still days now and then that I think man I should lose a bit more or fit in a smaller size, find myself veering toward food to escape some feeling, and thinking negative things about myself, but in the whole scheme of things I am getting better and the frequency of these behaviors is decreasing.

And on some days, I even find that it doesn't take any conscious thought at all. Ah, progress. : )

Related posts:
Hunger
The 5 W's
Divorcing the Scale
Motivation

Coleslaw In Summer

Source

It seems that coleslaw is pretty much a staple during the summer when grilling and my house is no different, so I set out to come up with a decent recipe that was also easy. Well, not only is this decent and easy, it's actually pretty fantastic! And then I took it up a level one time (channeling Emeri1) by adding a couple tablespoons of blue cheese one time. Guests and my husband couldn't stop talking about it or believe that it was a lower calorie version. Verdict: Super Yum. So, I'd thought I'd share...

• 1 bag coleslaw mix (I get the finally shredded one - more band friendly to me - that has the carrots and purple cabbage in it as well.)
• 2 packets sp1enda or equa1(I wouldn't recommend using sweet n 1ow - I figure it would give it an after taste.)
• 1 cup low fat He1lman's mayo **This one actually has better stats than the low calorie!
• 2-3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• Optional: couple tablespoons of blue cheese

Dump bag of slaw mix in a bowl. Sprinkle on the fake sweetener. Dump in the mayo. I mix it up a bit at this point. Add 2 tbsp of vinegar. Taste and add more vinegar if needed. I refrigerate it a couple hours or longer to give it time to "brew" and if I am adding the blue cheese add that about an hour before (doesn't really matter when you do it, but I like to give it a bit of time to add flavor as well). Serve!

easy peasy.

What a BEATING!

First, anyone that sits through the TEN hour class deserves a CHL license. There's about 20 mins of shooting and the rest is all class. And lunch, that time doesn't count as part of the ten hours either. With about 4 hours left, I started doodling...pictures of me with a gun to my head. My husband caught me and started laughing. Turns out he felt the same way.

I passed the shooting part with no issue. The target was larger and the distances were much closer for the actual "test" than what I had practiced. So, I did well (for me anyway). My husband knocked it out of the park. There was one big hole in the center of the target and that was it. Showoff  :)

I zipped through the written test - as in so fast that I was done 10 mins or so before the next person - I figured I missed 1 or 2, but knew that it wasn't worth worrying about or straining my brain with the double negatives in the two I wasn't sure about. Yah, maybe not the best attitude, but let me just remind everyone TEN hours. Bottom line - I passed the entire thing and can move forward with applying for a license. I may or may not. It's TBD.

Miscellaneous thoughts:

1. There are quite a number of risks with carrying a gun, but in reality they also apply to having and using a loaded weapon in your own home.
2. In this state, since September 2007 you can have a loaded weapon in your vehicle without having a CHL. Eh, it's Texas. With or without it being legal, people that want to carry a loaded weapon were most likely doing so prior to 2007 anyway.
3. Ten hours is a long day on one subject period. Especially if it isn't one that you are extremely excited about and you may in reality be attending the course because (a) it was 2 for 1 and (b) earned you a huge pile of brownie points with your husband (not that either of those apply to me or anything)
4. There may have been some people in the class that may not have gotten the point of the class...use of a gun should be a last resort and to stop an imminent threat to your person that cannot be addressed otherwise. I stared at these people e during the last 4 hours to burn their images on my brain in case of any future encounters.  
5.  My husband was beyond thrilled that I completed this course and did well...I see some new shoes in my future...which makes the ten hours not so bad.  : )

Fluffy out.

Source

Bodyguard in The Making?

Check this out:

I did my best Texan impression last Sunday by going to the gun range with my husband. I think that's how Texans roll on a Sunday by the crowd that was there. Go to church and then go shoot off some guns!

That's my target using a handgun - small holes 22; some sorta 45 glock thing for the larger - hey, it was an impression remember? And nope, never been before. But get this, there was a LivingSocia1 for a 2-1 deal to get CHL training (concealed hangun license). My husband didn't renew his license (stupid since it's free) and has to take the course again. I figured he would be thrilled if I took it with him and since it's "free" for the training for me as we would have had to pay for his anyway, I figured what the hell.

The "wife restriction" I imposed on my attendance was that if/when we got to the gun part of the course and I didn't wanna or got scared that I'd be done. Well, I thought about that and decided I didn't want to sit in a classroom for 8 hours to then find out no way was I doing the shooting part, so that's how the range visit came about. I went again this week to practice some more and might try to get in one more practice session today. No way am I going to look like an idiot at this class! : )

So, by next week, I might be licensed to carry....hilarious! --- OK state of Texas, but there are some other states it applies to.

So, you know with all these fine looking women that will be going to b00bs,  I think I might have just found my job! B00bs bodyguard!!! : )

I'll let you know how it goes...

Source

What? WLS & Exercise is Possible?

All I can say is DUH to this article. : ) And as far as the next step of "can it actually help them to maintain that weight loss"...My vote: Yes. For me I would not have gotten to where I am today or maintained the loss after all this time without exercise. Plus, in addition to being thinner, I really want to be healthy and strong. I'm not sure how those goals can be achieved without exercising (related post). Anyway, I thought someone else might want to read the article.

Hot Out?

My tips for hot-weather-outside workouts:

• Water is your BFF. I take a bottle or two of water and freeze them. The night before I need it, I move it to the fridge to melt a bit. Then I take those and some cold ones from the fridge to camp. As an added bonus, the frozen ones feel lovely if there's time to put them on your wrist, forehead, neck....OK, anywhere!
• Listen to your body. Feeling light headed? Thirsty? Short of breath? Stop, slow down, or whatever, but listen to your body! Give your body what it needs otherwise you might find yourself having a fun experience like one poor gal at camp who was puking her guts out. Personally, there are no heroes and it's not a competition. Do what you gotta do.
• Sweat can be your enemy. There have been a couple workouts that I sweat out too much "good stuff" (hey, I'm not a doctor or a professional trainer) and have felt a bit light headed. To counter this, I take with me some Gatorade G2 which I will sip on and off. 1/2 water 1/2 Gatorade is another option. Too much makes me feel yucky, it took some trial and error to figure out what worked for me.
• Bring a towel. No duh, right? Except the other day I forgot mine because I was actually washing it (miracle) and it sucked!
• Dress appropriately. Screw it if you aren't a size zero or a fitness model. You're there to workout. Wear some shorts, a tank, or some sort of moisture wicking shirt. Don't add to the misery by dressing in too many clothes.
• Refrain from negative self talk. (I can't do it, it's too hot. I'm gonna die (not you aren't, it just feels like it, ha). Blah, blah, blah.) You can do it and you are! I find a hot workout much more mentally challenging and sometimes have to gut it through and mentally kick myself in the a$$. Heck it's only X number of minutes or X number of sets, right? So, if it's 10 jump squats, 15 pushups, 40 mountain climbers, and run a loop, I know that the time on average will be 3 times minimum for me. So I just cheer myself on and switch my focus to surviving getting to 3.
• BE PROUD! You are out there and you are doing it. You're awesome!

Have something else to add?

Don't Wannas

I. Did. Not. Want. To. Go. To. Boot camp. This. Morning.

Know what I did?

I got up and went....suck it up buttercup!

And after - as I expected, but it is just sooooo hard to believe when the "don't wannas" hit...

I. Was. Glad. And, I felt good. : )

Wellness Goals - 2nd Quarter Results

The heat is killing me! Boot camp at 5:30 in the morning has been easily averaging 85 degrees without even adding the humidity. 5:30 AM??? Ridiculous! But a good workout *sigh*. This is impacting my original goals, because I have embraced that I am not a hot weather runner. So, I have officially sidelined running until the weather cools down. I refuse to do something I hate it and that's OK.

1. Boot camps. Goal: 200 camps. Stretch Goal: 240.

• So far: 115 camps
• At the rate I am currently trending, I'll hit my goal and depending if I add any extra days when it cools down, I might hit my stretch. 

2. Training/Race Total Miles. Goal: 416 miles. Stretch Goal: 520 miles.

• So far: 108.92 miles
• HA - laugh with me. NOT hitting this goal. Unless I turn into F. Gump where he takes off. I would be happy if I hit 208 miles "ish" by the end of the year. I figure that by mid-September it might be cool enough where I feel like hitting the road again.

3. Half Marathon(s). Goal: 1. Stretch Goal: 2.

• So far: 1 - Goal completed. : ) ... stretch goal - right now, I can tell you I have no interest. It could be because it is so dang hot here though and the thought of running a half is the last thing I want to do. It's possible that I could get one in before the end of the year *if* when the weather cools down I have some interest.

4. 5K or other races such as obstacle races. Goal: 3. Stretch Goal: 5.

• So far: 1 5K completed; Signed up for: 1 obstacle and 1 5K. I should hit this goal. Stretch goal up in the air.

5. Calorie Burn. Goal: 130,000 Stretch Goal: 150,000 (note: this is only "dedicated" exercise)

• So far: 87,044
• This goal might be set too low. Even with the cut back in running, I should still hit the stretch goal. I'm going to have to revisit this one next year if I use it for setting goals again.

I am strangely OK with where I am at this point. With all my whining about the heat, it might seem like I should try to find something inside. But while the heat makes me whine, I still love boot camp and just have to suck it up. This is definitely personal growth for me. I really am not beating myself up about the running. I did push myself to do some runs to be sure, but once I was, I just was. The rest, I'm good with where I am so far. HA - at nearly 43 years old, I actually might be getting some of this stuff!

Summer Watermelon Salad

Watermelons are super yummy in TX right now. On our trip to San Antonio, we went to a super fantastic restaurant for dinner. They had a watermelon salad on their menu which we both thought was great. I thought that I could duplicate tweak it more to our liking, so I did made it the other night. I try to make an "exciting" side item as it is 89234897234 degrees here, so it's grill only for protein.

Ingredients:

• Watermelon cubed **A good seedless watermelon is going to be key
• Cheese - They used feta, but I used gargonzola (like a stronger cheese)
• Balsamic reduction
• Basil - They used leaves that were cut up. For me, I find that basil goes bad before I can use all of a fresh bunch, so I tried chopped organic basil in a tube!

Now for the extremely tough directions. Cube the watermelon. Throw some in a bowl (your call on how much). Drizzle on balsamic reduction. Throw on some cheese. Dot on the basil in a tube. (Husband comment: What's the bird poop?) Ya, it was that easy and just as yummy as the one from the restaurant. Theirs looked waaaay fancier : ) When I can rescue get the pictures that are currently trapped on my husband's camera, I'll post the picture of the one we had at the restaurant for a good laugh of how ugly mine truly is.

**UPDATED**

Balsamic reduction: Seriously easy guys. Get some balsamic vinegar, a good pot/saucepan, and a heat tolerant whisk (If you don't have one of these - go get one now! ha - a spoon will work just fine). Measure a cup of vinegar, dump it in the pan, and cook the hell out of it on high stirring constantly (or you can lower the heat to have it simmer, but you need to stir it frequently). I'd estimate it takes about 10 minutes, but whatever amount of vinegar you start with, you want it to pretty much reduce by half. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Voila! Balsamic reduction.

Other tips:

• Most recipes will say something about sugar. The vinegar actually sweetens as it reduces. Personally, it's sweet enough for me, so I don't add any.
• Uh, this kinda stinks. Turn on your overhead fan  on your stove if you have one. Oh, and don't hover over the pan, otherwise you will end up wearing eau de balsamic vinegar. Nah, that has never happened to me or anything. I just heard about this tip from someone else. : )

Should yogurt require instructions?

After a weekend of too much food (not stellar choices) and about 2 or maybe it was 20 :) adult beverages, I am back on the wagon. I feel sluggish and "fluffy", but I expected to from all the crap I consumed. Nope, I didn't get on the scale. I just got up and went to bootcamp bright and early, I will get back to making more healthy food choices than not, and I will cut out adult beverages (during the week anyway).

I do think I've gained some weight in the past 3 weeks. My teeter totter just got a little off balance. I don't feel as lean and a skirt that fits well (as in no spare room at all) feels a bit snug. But I am sticking with where I want to be in maintenance at this point and not getting on the scale. I know what I need to do to get the fluff off and will just tip the teeter totter the other way for a bit without any extreme action or freak out. And honestly, it feels good, really good...and weird to say that too! Now for some thoughts on yogurt...

I think Fage is the best Greek yogurt on the market. Yep, it's expensive, but many times I can find it on sale and I just load up. I grew up on Greek yogurt so "normal" yogurt is runny to me and grosses me out. I have been excited about the Greek yogurt hype as it has made it readily available without having to go to a "special" store. Drum roll for the whammy....

BUT I HATE the fruit thing!!! Seriously, I can't get all the fruit out and it's a pain in the a$$ to mix in to the yogurt in that little side thing. I guess it's the purist attitude that the yogurt maintains it's integrity and all that, but seriously??? And guess what? I am such an idiot I didn't even realize that you were supposed to pour the fruit from one side to the other. Was I the only one?

OK maybe I am, but it doesn't work well---at least for me, so maybe it's user error, but I don't think so. And I am still left scraping the fruit out and trying to mix it in the other side. And get this, look at the side of the container. There is a "suggestion" to "Please Do Not Stir". Have you tried the fruit alone? It's sweet---too sweet for me to have a glob with the yogurt unmixed.

And one more rant - why does it seem that the "exotic" flavors are in 0% fat and the "standard" are in 2%? I don't want blueberry something or other, I just want blueberry dang it!

I feel so much better now that I'm off to get one from the fridge. : )

Dear Social Media Fage Person:
If you happen to be reading this, please note my email address is on the right ---->.
I'd be happy to publish your response to my feedback.

Life & Stuff

While my life isn't really "a dashing and bold adventure" (shocking, I know!) the last two weeks have been very hectic for me---work, my husband's work obligations, social obligtations...just stuff. I was able to get in 3 bootcamps last week, but it looks like it will only be 2 this week. I'm not sweating it (obviously - ha), but it does put me a bit off kilter eating and stress wise. This weekend is our wedding anniversary, so we're trying to figure out what we are going to do for that. I'm planning to get back into my normal routine next week---including posting. Life happens, right? Until then, I want to wish everyone a happy:

Canada Day

Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day

International Joke Day
I Forgot Day
World UFO Day
Build A Scarecrow Day - first Sunday in month
Compliment Your Mirror Day
Disobedience Day
Stay out of the Sun Day
Independence Day (U.S.)
National Country Music Day
Sidewalk Egg Frying Day

(These are all holidays between July 1-4 that I found listed on the internet. That has to make them real, right?)

Not Mo Jo, but Mojito

It all started with one really good mojito. (ok maybe it was two)

Who doesn't want a couple pygmy goats? (You can't have just one, they get lonely.) I figure we can house and crate train them to get around the home owner's association and the city oridinance that they are farm animals and not allowed. Who'd be the wiser right? Check these two out and you'll see why I want them.

You want one, I mean two, now don't you? Before you think I've lost my mind. Here's what my husband wants:

I don't know what his deal is with big dogs. The bigger the better in his book. We've been trying to come up with a dog we can both agree on, but we haven't landed on one yet. We did take a trip to a breeder to see some labradoodles here in TX.

Awwwwww, right? Too bad they don't stay that size. Needless to say, no goats or a puppy were purchased. We're sticking with the wild kingdom in the backyard for now.

And you thought this wasn't band related? I have a new slogan I'm a B.A.D.E, pronunciation - bad eeee. What is it? Bandster Against Drinking and Eating of course! (Yah, I blame it on the mojitos too)

Do your part! Become a B.A.D.E today! Don't drink & eat!!!

(and yah, don't drink and drive either)

~~~~~~~
Thanks for all the great comments on "motivation"! Look at what Banded Bella said "...Motivation, to me is a mind over matter thing....when you stop minding it ceases to matter. We should always mind gaining weight or not exercising so that it always matters." I think that's great. Thanks Bella!
~~~~~~~

Motivation Comment

LapBand Gal, I am now your official stalker. I tried 8,234,123 times to get my comment on your blog post on motivation with no luck. No joke - check your stats!. Lots of blogs have been discussing motivation in addition to LabBand Gal. Finding it, keeping it, losing it, etc., so I thought I'd chime in.

Motivation is a philisophical thing for me. It's like: Which came first the chicken or the egg? Or, do you get wetter running or walking the same distance in the rain? (Think about that one. It will drive you crazy debating with yourself! OK, it does me.)

Motivation is something that ebbs and flows for me. In various posts you will see references to "funks", "slumpville" and "sloth". A component of these for me is just plain ol' lack of motivation. What happens? Life. There's just ups and downs in life and I don't think that it's realistic to always be "on" or motivated. And, I also think that's alright. At least for me it is. ; )

But let's talk about motivation and exercise. I workout my fair share. Do I always want to? Nope. In fact, I have determined that I hate running in the Texas heat. Yep, me no likey. So I'm not doing it. I'll run when I feel like it (believe me there's a ton in bootcamp, so I'm not missing out) and pick it up again with the longer distances when it's cooler.

So what do I do when I'm lacking motivation? I take the: just do it, put my big girl panties on, I'll feel better after I do it, pull myself up by my bootstraps, fake it until I make it, get your ass out there, suck it up buttercup, whine a little (or a lot), there is no valid excuse approach. It's a million dollar question in my book that doesn't have just one answer and varies from person to person....hmmm, sounds like something else, huh?
(weight loss, banding, etc.)

Ultimately for me, motivation is like what I choose to eat. It's the law of averages. I need more days of motivation and healthy eating than days that aren't. Balancing the teeter totter that way (ooooo, another cheesy graphic!) has kept me at a steady goal weight for over 3.5 years.

This isn't a diet. Behavior modifications such as exercise and what I choose to eat are not temporary and to me that's what sets this journey apart from a diet. These life changes are never done and they have to continue. I refuse to have wasted my money, time, and effort...and most annoyingly for me personally to be a statistic that supports the "WLS surgery doesn't work" camp.

Why yes, I was going to put this entire thing in LapBand Girl's Comments. ; )

Flashbacks to a few posts

Today is a new day! Thanks for the nice comments yesterday.

When I get an email from someone that is considering or new to banding, there are a few posts that I suggest checking out on my blog. I thought I'd point them out as they are buried in the postings at this point and there are quite a few new followers (Thanks!).

Of course, these are my thoughts and opinions. You should always follow the guidance of your doctor or ask questions of him/her, but if you have a question and want an opinion, please let me know!

• My thoughts on protein and some other opinions
• Restriction
• Golden(?) rules

Weekly Round Up

• 6 bootcamps
• Calories: 3620

Acknowledging and moving on...

My husband is very squishy on the inside. While he may not always know how to express himself well, he is very sensitive and kind hearted---one of the things I cherish most about him. Most people don't know this or see this because of his profession, experiences, etc. and I think at times misinterpret his reactions because he tends to go inside himself when he's hurt or sad.

Yesterday he put off calling his dad to wish him a happy father's day. He loves his dad - very much in fact - but there have been many times that his dad has hurt him with his words and he doesn't know which dad is going to answer the phone. Unfortunately yesterday was one of those days that something was said that hurt my husband. Needless to say when this happens, I get pissed. I try to take the high road and provide the other perspective (his dad is joking, didn't mean it that way, etc.). Problem was, this time I was also hurt by what was said.

I was too shocked by what happened at the time to recall exactly what my husband said his dad said, but he said something to the effect of I guess I'll never have to get you a card for father's day. I had heard my husband say during the call some reference to there being plenty of children to adopt, but didn't know how that surfaced at the time, so this was the missing piece.

Anyway, I had cancer. Repeatedly I tried to address it without having a hysterectomy. But it just wasn't working. Living 90 days to 90 days with some it's clear reports to be followed by "it's back" was taking a toll on me after nearly two years, so I made the decision to solve the problem entirely by having a hysterectomy. Plus, my doctor at this point wasn't even sure if I continued down the current treatment path if I could carry a child. I was not married to my husband at the time, but we were dating again. It's funny how when I was choosing not to have a kid became so different than when the choice was made for me. It took my power away I guess.

Prior to marrying my husband, we had a long discussion about "You know I cannot have children. It's not a possibility. You are giving up having a child of your own." My husband said at the time that he didn't want children and if that changed we could consider adopting. I brought up that I was concerned that HIS clock hadn't really set off yet and wanted him to know that if he changed his mind that I would be willing to adopt. So, it's out there and we both know it's an option. One that we may or may not choose to pursue. Right now neither of us knows.

What I do know is that I'm just very upset today. Upset that was said to my husband by his father (I think my husband took it as a criticism and that somehow he has failed or disappointed his father). Upset that he may be missing having a child of his own because of me. Upset that I don't have a choice anymore to decide whether or not I want to have a child. We talked about it quite a bit yesterday, but while I was pissed and upset at the time, I was so concerned about my husband that I didn't realize just how upset I really was. Today I do. It sucks. But I also know that I am cancer free, I haven't let him down, and there are other options...and, I haven't been eating my feelings. I will allow myself to continue to be upset today, but tomorrow I will move forward.

Milestone & That's what BFFs are for?

Milestone

I realized, fluke really, that my last post was my 500th! It's hard to believe that my first post was October 9, 2005. In so many ways it seems like it was just yesterday and in other ways not. Well, here's to the next 500 posts and thanks to each and every one of you that take the time to read and comment!

My BFF

So my BFF found a picture of me. She thought it was just sooooo hilarious that she HAD to send it immediately. The email subject:: "Who the hell IS THIS???"

It's funny to hear her say that she didn't realize how big I was until I wasn't anymore. Since she sees me often, it was a strange kinda thing. She really didn't notice my weightloss until I had lost a lot and it really didn't hit her how fat I was until she saw me in past pictures. (She actually met me when I was thin.) Since then she'll come across pictures now and then and freaks out. It's pretty funny actually.

The picture was a bit small, but I did my best to do a side by side comparison. I can tell you this though that t-shirt in the original picture is a man's XL and I also fill out nicely(?) the XL loose fit (supposed to be) elastic waist capri sweat pants I had on. The other side XS and size either 2 or 4 pants.

 

Weekly Round Up

• 4 bootcamps
• Calories: 2687

Banging = Stomp = Husband

My husband likes to bang on things...pretty much constantly. Oh, it's not annoying at all (HA), but I have to say he does have some rhythmic skills. Thankfully the drum set is still not setup for him to add that to his banging routine.

I saw Stomp several years ago, but knew he hadn't and they had made changes to the show since I went. So we went over the weekend. After the show he said we should go to these more often and I was thinking in my head whether or not I can see him enjoying a full on musical. I think he's more Stomp, Cirque, Lion King, but who knows. We might just have to try it!

Weekly Round Up

• 4 bootcamps
• Calories: 2687

Fear

First and foremost, thanks for the nice comments on my picture on my last post. Please know that I am not trying to diminish or seek additional comments, but want to write about how I am feeling since that post.

Surprisingly, I felt fine in my bikini in Mexico, but I seriously would have felt like I had made no progress if I felt otherwise when I didn't know anyone there other than my husband. But having the picture on my blog makes me feel insecure and uncomfortable. I don't know, it just does. I know it is there and I feel naked. Which sounds stupid when I remind myself this blog is anonymous. I knew the post was outside of my comfort zone, but I decided to do it anyway because I used to look like this:

And it sure would have been helpful to know that getting from that to where I am today was a possibility back in 2005 when I was seeking people that already had a band. So, I will focus on the good things about doing the post that I need to remember:

• The comment on my paleness is a true feeling I was experiencing in Mexico (albeit a negative one, but  that I successfully told myself to get over and I did), but it wasn't about my body in the bikini really. This was a step forward for me.
• I also edited from that post some negative comments about the photo itself. The negative comments flowed from my brain to fingers so quickly that I didn't even notice them until I reread the post before publishing. But I did call myself on it and deleted them.
• Reality is that my body is not perfect and I need to try and stay on the side of the teeter totter that my imperfections are OK more so than not. My goal was to get healthy and at the end of the day I need to remind myself (give myself a good kick in the a$$) that I surpassed what I had originally hoped by a long shot. And frankly, my surgeon put 85lbs as my stretch goal and I landed at 107.
• That chair - see how I filled it up so nicely? I take about half that amount of space now.

So the work continues on this journey...

GOOOOOOO MAVS!!!!

Vacation Bullets

• It was the first week of the "rainy season". I was a bit scared and the forecast showed rain. Whew, we had awesome weather! It started pouring on the last day when we were getting ready to leave, but that made leaving easier. ; )
• We didn't have an agenda. We went to bed when we wanted, got up when we wanted, and ate when we wanted. It was perfect and just what I needed. I was pretty sad Sunday night that I had to return to the "real" world and am looking forward to going somewhere again.
• I didn't workout on my vacation. I did some active "stuff", but nothing strenuous. I just didn't wanna and that's OK. Regardless, last week I still got in 4 bootcamps for 2690 calories.
• It felt like I ate a lot, but I think it was more so that I wasn't as active as I normally am and felt a bit slothlike. I mentioned how much I ate toward the end of the trip to my husband and he busted out laughing. He said he was amazed at how little I ate. Funny how it's all perspective.
• The pool was deep everywhere -- 5.5" for the most part. Which wasn't over my head, but I don't know how to swim (hangs head in shame). My husband who swims like a fish towed me around the pool the first day. The second day we stopped by one of the shops and I got a kids floaty ring. It was big enough that I thought I could hold onto it or lay across it. I didn't think there was anyway I could fit in the center. Imagine my surprise when that floaty fit around me! seriously shocked
• I have some pictures, but I haven't messed with them and I think they are mainly scenery pictures anyway. I wore my bikinis to the pool and little dresses/skirts the rest of the time. I felt a little bit self conscious when we got to the pool the first time, but honestly it is because I am so pale. Which I told myself is STUPID. While I wish there was something I could do about it, there isn't. So I just got over myself! (Me and sunscreen are tight!)

Non-Vacation Related, but I just can't help myself...

• Weinergate - *gigglesnort* - I didn't believe him from the get go. There has always been something about him that has always made me feel "oogie" as a woman. Personally: Resign already dude. You only did what you had to do (no "responsibility" was taken in my book). You were caught in the act and are now trying to do a mea culpa and get away with it. And, for me the basis is not so much because you're a slime ball, but because you LIED and frankly you're an idiot for doing what you did and thinking that you could get away with it. (Oh, and honey, please at least separate from him.)
• The bachel0rette. Yes, I watch it (hanging head in shame, again!), but there's really nothing else on. I find her to be very insecure, but found the most recent episode to be even more cringe worthy. There is NO way they didn't know what a slime ball that bentley character was, but it's all about the ratings. The things he said - HARSH! It will make for a good reunion at the end though I'm sure.

Whoooossshhhh!

That's me driving by! Things are hectic with me trying to get everything done before leaving for Mexico. So, just a quick post and I'll be back next week!

Weight. I forgot. While I divorced the scale, the nurse was adamant that I had to weigh. I explained to her why I didn't want to, but she was honestly a bit of a )(@#*$)@(#$* so I just stepped on the scale. I had clothes on and weighed 130 lbs, so this no weighing stuff is really working for me. The last time I had weighed, I was 129 lbs in my b-day suit (nekkid).

Oh, and the doctor did say that was horse crap and would note it in my file for the next time so that it would be my choice if I wanted to weigh or not. She's very happy with my journey and how I have maintained my loss (ob-gyn). She has other patients that also have a band and I guess it hasn't been a smooth ride.

Slumpville. Ya me! My stretch goal for the "slump" week was to get 4 camps in. Working through my slump on my blog just seemed to work me out of it and I put on my big girl panties and got to it! : )

Nails. I had that gel nail polish put on my nails. It's not supposed to come off like regular nail polish and grow out. I thought they'd be perfect for time in the pool. Um, 2 days. That's right. 1 day in the pool and sure nuff those puppies started peeling off. Grrrrr! I think there was something wrong with the application. I am going to try and fit in a trip back, but not sure I have the time between now and when I leave.

Exercise & eating. I am planning 3 camps minimum before I leave. If I have room in my suitcase, I will pack workout clothes, but I don't have any plan to use them. But if the mood strikes me, I'll have the clothes to do it. I find the water aerobics and other "active" activities to be a hoot, so I plan to participate in those. The objective for this short trip is to relax and be "off the grid". I plan to eat and drink what I want and do a whole lot of hanging out, reading, and napping. I can hardly wait!
 
Nos vemos la próxima semana! Adiós por ahora!
 
Disclaimer & soapbox thought: I am not fluent. I speak brokenly and usually have a ton of errors, but I think it's better to attempt to use the native language than not at all. It amazes me (appalls actually) that Americans go to Mexico and are upset because everyone isn't fluent in English. Um, it's Mexico????

Weekly Round Up
•6 bootcamps
•Calories: 3503

Clothing Coupons Pay Off!

I went to 0ld Navy. Now, I don't think it's the highest quality, but what I get there is usually so trendy I really only want to wear it for the current year anyway. Personally, I think their "original" prices are high for what you get, but when on sale or clearance, it's pretty good!

I picked up 8 items for a total of $136.28. All items were on sale or on clearance, but my final price was $63.14! HUH? So, here's how it worked out. I knew that all clearance items were marked down an additional 50% off. Add to that I had a one day coupon for an additional 20% off with no exclusions and WHAM-O, SCORE! : )

Here's a picture of the loot:

I didn't realize what an idiot I was in my last post. After mentioning about my car, I should have told everyone that I am just fine! Thanks for the concern though. : )

If you have an 0ld Navy close by, I'd go check out the clearance section! I believe the sale is still on...uh, what are you waiting for??!!! (oooo, and post your loot if you go!!!)

Hmm, they multiplied!

Well here's what happened. I bought one bikini and my husband loved it! I didn't really want to wear the same one the entire time, so back to the store I went. Surprise! They were now even lower priced! So, the one turned into three (mix and match line). I am sure every woman would have done the same thing...right? : )

Um, I may not have mentioned a few of the sarongs that are with the suits to the husband. A couple I had, but a couple are new. Shhhhhh...

OK, this seriously is NOT a whine. This week has turned hilarious. In other words, all I can do is laugh at this point.

The spa part of the pool emptied for some unknown reason overnight. The pool is not my job. Here's what I can tell you about the pool. "Hey, there it is!" Needless to say I panicked and my husband is out of town all week. Mysteriously the pool service doesn't know why it emptied either, but thankfully it has stayed filled since they came out and checked it out. Who knows.

My phone died. I took it to get it repaired and decided to just drop it off to get back quickly and back to work. Eh, not a big deal. Have a phone plan. Well, then on the way home, I was rear ended. Yep, I couldn't make this stuff up!

Thanks to all of you that read and comment on my blog. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to meeting those of you that are able to go to B.O.O.B.S. I have my plane ticket, roommate, and we have our hotel reservations!

Yup, it's confirmed...

I desperately need a vacation and I swear my hormones are out of whack. Evidence:

• I am grumpy to co-workers. (Oh, and kinda HATING my job right now!)
• I was talking to my husband on the phone today and started crying for pretty much no reason...niiiiceee!
• I swear I am having hot flashes, but I've never had one to know for sure, so I'm not sure. Women have tried to describe what it feels like to them and I kinda think it sounds like it, but then not really....arrrggghhhh!
  • Recently visited the doc and all hormones, vitamins, and other such full workup crap is totally normal. While this is good, I really wanted something to be off to explain what is up with me!
  • And more TMI on this bullet, I had a hysterectomy and experience fake periods, but all of this is just different.
• This is manifesting itself during a super bad (no not the movie, although I highly recommend it) time as this is an off week for camp. The trainers have been a bit flaky, so I only have 3 days of camp, but am trying to see if I can get a 4th day.
• Why yes, I could get my a$$ out and do something on my own or *shudder* go to the gym, but please see other bullets as to why that just ain't happening at this time. : )
• I haven't been reading blogs! The horror!
• Eating for the right reasons is very hard right now. (aka - I want to eat crap food all the time)
• I'm whining in this post!
• Unfortunately, I think my first stop toward making it to my vacation destination is Slumpville....*SIGH*

OK, so I'm over it. : ) Well not really, but I will be and I am working through it...Anyone have any cheese?

Weekly Round Up

• 5 bootcamps
• Calories: 3064

Coming up this week *drum roll*

• No more posts with whining!
• Get caught up with blog reading.
• Camp 3 times minimum
• By request, a picture of the swimsuits.
• A post about why coupons are good for clothes shopping! OK, it's really about the clothes that I got super cheap 'cause it's quite a pile even for me the queen of bargain shoppping and coupons. : )

And I will leave you with another creature that appeared in the yard:

It's hard to tell because, go figure, I didn't have a ruler with me to put next to the turtle, but the shell was about 15 inches in length! (The turtle is sooo over me taking the pictures can't you tell?)

This just in...

I bought two bikinis for my trip to Mexico. I will wear them...by leaving all other swimsuits at home and having no other choice. I don't know anyone there except my husband anyway, right? But yet, it still makes me feel a bit self conscious. I've always been shy, so when I would wear a bikini in the past it has always been with board shorts.Hmmm, I better leave those at home. Oh well, there will be plenty of liquid courage at my disposal to help me get to the point of not caring. : )

That is all...

Wild Animals

This year I decided I wanted a bird and a squirrel feeder in our backyard. The bird feeder has been awesome from the get go and we now have two pairs of cardinals, a woodpecker or two, and some other wild birds that are visiting frequently. But the squirrel feeder is another story.

The squirrels were hilarious jockeying for a turn to sit on the ledge and open the lid to get a treat in our first feeder. But every night by morning the feeder would be empty. Well, there had to be something eating it and I figured it had to be an o'possum (yes, there is an "o") or a raccoon.

Enter squirrel feeder version 2. There's just NO way the night eater is getting in right?

And the first night:

Why yes, that is Rocky with his arm shoved in the feeder. BUT he can only get whatever he can grab through the little hole and not all the treats in the glass part.

Or, so we thought, until we checked the next morning and saw this:

As long as we only put enough food out in the morning for the squirrels, it seems like the situation is managed. Here are some more pictures because I think they are hilarious!

The squirrels get really pissed when I'm stalking them with a camera. One got all worked up flapping his tail and eventually went up to a limb and started belting out a war cry to his friends...luckily there was no one in range and I was safe, but here s/he is looking ferocious:

Yes, I too am wondering why I went to Fossil Rim when I have the wild kingdom in my backyard!

Farewell my friend

Well, my friend the chipper left.

Check out this comment from Justaflower. I about peed my pants:

Okay, there should be some unspoken rule that if a blogger is having a chipper at their house for a limited amount of time we get a heads up!!! I have no time to find a way to get my "unwanted" there before it is gone!!!

No worries my friend. I anticipate that the chipper will be back this same time next year. Please start planning now. I've reserved you a room here at my casa!

And, check this out:

Voila! It's gone! (yes, the chipper ate it)

Saturday (little bit snug pants be damned), I went shopping. And, it's a miracle, I even bought some stuff. I have totally gotten over my pale not so good legs. People can just suck it! I'm wearing skirts. It's going to be hot and I'm wearing them. And that's all I'm saying about that. : )

Sunday I had a really nice visit with Beth Ann (who continues to shrink before my eyes!). I wore a very light colored khaki wrap to lunch where I proceeded to spill stuff all over the arms. I'm not even sure how I did it. Thankfully Beth Ann was OK with me dipping my sleeves in my water to try and keep the stain from setting *sigh*. Next time, I will be rockin' one of these plastic rain ponchos!

Tread Lightly!

There's a wood chipper in my yard. For real. The trees are getting a haircut today.

Excuse me sir, but can I take a picture of your chipper? Nope. I'm a whimp and couldn't let them see me taking a picture, so I took it from inside the house. But nobody better be gettin' on my bad side today 'cause there's a chipper in my yard! : )

They will also tackle this dead tree:

I'll let you know how many bodies end up it goes with the chipper. My chipper fascination started with the movie Fargo. : )

Other news:

The desserts are officially catching up with me. I wore my best fitting slacks to work yesterday. A pair that provides absolutely no room for forgiveness and they were a bit snugger than normal. Nah, not sweating it or getting on the scale, but I do need to cut back a bit (no desserts to my desserts!) and tell myself no. The thought of  trouncing around (why yes, I do "trounce") in a swimsuit in less than 3 weeks should also help hold me back a bit!

I am meeting up with the fantastic Beth Ann tomorrow!!

Weekly Round Up

• 5 bootcamps
• Calories: 2854

Booked!

All this talking about vacation gave me the bug! A 99 hour sale popped up for Texas, so in less than 20 days, I'll be going to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico for 3 nights / 4 days!

Estoy apagado practicar mi español. ¡El viernes feliz todos!

Shhhhh, Dirty Secrets

When you have a band, there are some rules. They tend to vary a bit from surgeon to surgeon, but I follow most of what my surgeon requires. I've covered quite a bit what I do, but not so much what I don't. So...

• While I try to generally make good choices, I do eat quite a bit of crap---it ebbs and flows how much. I think I had candy or dessert 5 times the week before last. One day, I had a dessert to my dessert. That single-serve mac & cheese that you microwave? Check, love that alien orange cheese now and then. I manage this though with portion control (hard at times!) and being sure that I really want the crap and there isn't something else going on with me that I am hiding from.
• I don't track calories or protein intake. I just try to generally eat a balanced diet. I do take daily gummy vitamins.
• I drink soda now and then. It's diet, but it's soda. Yesterday at Target diet orange soda kept staring at me at the checkout stand. So, I drank it!
• When I go out to dinner, I will have wine or some other adult beverage. Sometimes my drink is booze and soda! (I find that if I stir it up with the straw, I can knock some of the carbonation and don't have any issues.)
• Since my band is essentially empty, I don't eat little itty bitty bites of food. They are pretty normal sized.
• Most people think I workout a lot, but in addition to the health benefits, I do it to manage stress. My morning workouts make a huge difference in stress management through the day. If I go for a second workout, it's usually because I am in a bad mood or don't have anything better to do.

I don't really think these are "dirty secrets", but I liked the title and thought I'd share my reality. Does that mean maintenance will look like this for you? Or if you are in maintenance you "should" be doing the same? Hell no! Figure out what works for you and remember don't compare. Just because it works for me, doesn't mean it will work for you. And, that's OK! : )

Jefffffreeeeeeyyyyy!

This past weekend we went to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. You drive through the park in your car with the windows open and feed the animals. It was my first time to vist, but my husband had been before. We left early in the morning to get there when they opened, the animals were hungry, and the heat wasn't high.

This was a smart ostrich. Right there at the start!

There were other animals.

Zebras, but instead of black stripes, they had brown.

These guys were aggressive! And their horns while rock hard as you would expect, but they had super soft hair all over them.

But then, my main reason for being there, the GIRAFFES!!! Toys r Us used to have giraffes as their mascot. The name of one of them was Jeffrey. So, here's Jeffrey.

I dubbed this one his wife Josephine.

It was a ton of fun and the weather was perfect. It wasn't the most active weekend for me, or for that matter workout wise, but that's OK now and then. I felt pretty sloth like on Sunday, but not enough to go do "real" exercise. All the rest helped me kick it up a notch at camp this morning though!

Weekly Round Up

• 4 boot camps - 2628 calories

Cinco de...

Ugh, let me just say that as I get older my ability to drink goes down. It's an inverse correlation or whatever the right term is. While Cinco de Drinko was really the joke goal we set for our girls outing, after two I was d-o-n-e. I switched to water, but with a late night and what I did drink boot camp was not in the cards for me this morning.

Ironically, when the alarm went off for camp, a dog pretty much started barking for the next couple of hours. How is it that the owner doesn't hear that? Hmmmm, maybe it was a sign that I should have sucked it up and gone to camp??? 

We walked around the event and went into various shops. I saw a pair of jeans that I thought were very cute and two of my pals saw me looking at them. None of these gals knew me before or even know that I've lost all this weight. They just see me as I am now.

One of the girls said to me, "What are you a size 0?" I wonder what my face looked like and I'm afraid that it wasn't good and she may have perceived it as snotty or something, but I was really just shocked and embarrassed. She's very sweet and intended absolutely no harm with her comment---it's all me.

I am still adjusting to how people see me as well as how I see myself. I have struggled my entire life with seeing myself as bigger than I am (dysmorphia) and that unfortunately continues. I wonder if it is something that I will ever conquer, but I try to use pictures and looking at my clothes (not while I'm in them) as suggested in counseling, but it's still a struggle.

Thanks so much for all the comments on the scale post. It's interesting to see everyone's thoughts and different approaches. As with most of this banded stuff, I don't think there's a "right" answer to it and the answer is whatever works best for you. I realized that I didn't really flat out say it that separating from the scale was very scary and hard for me. It was.

Happy Weekend! : )

Six Month Separation - A milestone.

I. Don't. Know. What. I. Weigh. And, go figure, it's not because I am hiding from it!

My journey evolved into much more than weight loss. When I started in 2005, I was clinically despressed and I believe I had hit bottom. Since then, I have come to terms with several things personally and professionally that led to personal growth and improved mental health.

Striving for a lower number on the scale was a big incentive, goal, and way to measure my progress. But over time I started feeling that number was influencing my mood, adding stress, and even a little obsessive thought. It seemed to be turning counter productive for me as my maintenance journey progressed. In November 2010, I decided that it was time for a trial separation from the scale.

I told myself I could weigh before Christmas if I wanted. I didn't. I told myself I could weigh after the first of the year. I didn't. And so on. Why? I am actually smaller than I was in November at 129 lbs. And, reality is that if the scale said that I weighed more than 129 lbs would it really matter? Logically, hell no. I'm thinner, fitter, stronger, and healthier than I was in November. But my pea-sized brain doesn't always stay in logicland. So for now, I just don't need to know the number, but again logically I know I have to be right around that same number (come on pea-sized brain!) .

I'm not sure if this separation from the scale will lead to divorce or not, but for now it's working for me to focus on how fit and healthy I feel and how my clothes fit. Sometimes I miss my scale and I even open the cabinet door to look at it and have a "should I or shouldn't I" conversation, but so far I just sigh and close the door. It's funny how the journey takes you places you couldn't imagine going...embrace and enjoy it!

What Size am I Today?

I find clothes shopping a lot of the time to be frustrating. I just want to know that I am a certain size and be able to pick things off the rack with some comfort that it should fit without having to take 2-5 sizes into the dressing room with me.

I agree with the article posted below in the sentiment that trying on 10 pairs of jeans at times does make me feel like there is something wrong with me! At times, I just hit this point that "nothing fits" and am over shopping. There is a bright side though, it's good for my pocket book. : )

Ironically though, I have put some effort into finding some summer clothes and had some luck in finding a few things. If I could get over being a bargain hunter, I'm sure that would also help.

Anyway, if one of these scanners shows up in TX, sign me up! The entire New York Times article follows. Has anyone tried one? Source.

One Size Fits Nobody: Seeking a Steady 4 or a 10

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

In one store, you’re a Size 4, in another a Size 8, and in another a Size 10 — all without gaining an ounce.
It’s a familiar problem for many women, as standard sizing has never been very standard, ever since custom clothing gave way to ready-to-wear.

So, baffled women carry armfuls of the same garment in different sizes into the dressing room. They order several sizes of the same shirt online, just to get the right fit.

Now, a handful of companies are tackling the problem of sizes that are unreliable. Some are pushing more informative labels. Some are designing multiple versions of a garment to fit different body shapes. And one is offering full-body scans at shopping malls, telling a shopper what sizes she should try among the various brands.

“For the consumer to go out and navigate which one do I match with is a huge challenge, and causes frustration and returns,” said Tanya Shaw, an entrepreneur working on a fit system. “So many women tie their self-esteem to the size on the tag.”

As the American population has grown more diverse, sizes have become even less reliable. Over the years, many brands have changed measurements so that a woman who previously wore a 12 can now wear a 10 or an 8, a practice known as “vanity sizing.”

In men’s clothes, the dimensions are usually stated in inches; women’s clothing involves more guesswork.

Take a woman with a 27-inch waist. In Marc Jacobs’s high-end line, she is between an 8 and a 10. At Chico’s, she is a triple 0. And that does not consider whether the garment fits in the hips and bust. (Let’s not get into length; there is a reason most neighborhood dry cleaners also offer tailoring.)

Ms. Shaw, the entrepreneur, is chief executive of a company called MyBestFit that addresses the problem. It is setting up kiosks in malls to offer a free 20-second full-body scan — a lot like the airport, minus the pat-down alternative that T.S.A. agents offer.

Lauren VanBrackle, 20, a student in Philadelphia, tried MyBestFit when she was shopping last weekend.

“I can be anywhere from a 0 at Ann Taylor to a 6 at American Eagle,” she said. “It obviously makes it difficult to shop.” This time, the scanner suggested that at American Eagle, she should try a 4 in one style and a 6 in another. Ms. VanBrackle said she tried the jeans on and was impressed: “That machine, in a 30-second scan, it tells you what to do.”

The customer steps into a circular booth, fully dressed. A wand rotates around her, emitting low-power radio waves that record about 200,000 body measurements, figuring out things like thigh circumference.

Next, the system matches the customer’s measurements to clothes in its database. MyBestFit currently measures clothes from about 50 stores, including Old Navy, Eddie Bauer and Talbots.

Customers then receive a printout of the sizes at each store that ought to fit the customer best. The retailers pay a fee when they appear in the results, but they cannot pay to be included in the results; the rankings are based solely on fit. (The company saves the data, with ID numbers but not names, and may give aggregate information to retailers as feedback.)

Don Thomas, who manages the Eddie Bauer store at the King of Prussia Mall outside Philadelphia, said the system was helpful to shoppers. “Nine times out of 10, if left on their own, they will choose the wrong size pant,” he said. With a printout, “if it says they’re a 4 or a 6, they’re a 4 or a 6, generally. So it’s really good for the customer who’s time-starved, which we all are.”

Ms. Shaw says there are plans for 13 more scanning machines in malls along the East Coast and in California by the end of the year.
The sizing variations are a big contributor to $194 billion in clothing purchases returned in 2010, or more than 8 percent of all clothing purchases, according to the National Retail Federation.

The scanners are a modern solution to an old problem. Studying dress sizes in Vogue advertisements from 1922 on, Alaina Zulli, a designer focusing on costume history, found clothing sizes have been irregular for decades.

A woman with a 32-inch bust would have worn a Size 14 in Sears’s 1937 catalog. By 1967, she would have worn an 8, Ms. Zulli found.

Today, she would wear a zero.

Plenty of people have tried to address these arbitrary sizes. Advocating a labeling system called Fitlogic over the last few years, an entrepreneur, Cricket Lee, discovered just how difficult it is to change manufacturers’ approach to size.

Her labeling system divides women’s bodies into three shapes, straight, hourglass or bottom-heavy, and a Fitlogic label carries both the standard size and the shape.

Ms. Lee did tests in the mid-2000s with manufacturers like Jones Apparel and retailers like Nordstrom. But retailers said consumers had trouble grasping the concept. “The manufacturers were so afraid of producing more than one fit in the very beginning,” she said.

Still, she said, she will soon try to sell the sizing system again.

Some brands are taking their own approaches to make the fitting room less demoralizing. Mary Alderete, vice president for women’s global marketing at Levi’s, said, “When we try on 10 pairs of jeans to buy one, the reason you feel bad is because you think something’s wrong with you.”

Last fall, the company introduced Curve ID, a line that offers three styles, depending on how rounded a woman’s backside is — slight, demi and bold. (Levi’s is now testing a fourth style, called supreme curve.) Each of the three styles includes about 29 fits and colors, and dozens of sizes. Ms. Alderete said the company had sold more than one million pairs of the Curve jeans.

Marie-Eve Faust, the program director of fashion merchandising at Philadelphia University, called the Levi’s effort “a good start.”

“The next step is to have the major players sit together, manufacturers, retailers, brands, and say ‘This type of label should be appropriate for all of us. Let’s standardize,’ ” she said.

Dr. Faust said she had been discussing a new kind of label that takes into account the wearer’s shape, but expected retailers to bristle.

Still, Dr. Faust said, change is needed.

“It would be nice just to take the pant, look at the label and say, ‘That should fit me,’ ” she said.

Bah! Monday?!

Wishing Friends.com

The weather yesterday and today is getting to me! It has been cold, stormy, and very dark. I'll just say it, it's Monday, I'm grumpy, and I would like to just go back to bed!

Weekly Round Up

• 7 bootcamps
• Calories: 4706