The Former Gymnast

Sorry it's been so long

2008-04-23T10:43:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! Sorry, I know it's been a while. After my surgery, it took me a long time to recover well enough to get back on the treadmill. Once I got over my physical pain enough to get back to it, I found that it seemed to really help me deal with my emotional pain. Emotionally, I am doing much better, but it's still a work in progress. I think I will always miss the baby that never was and I'm okay with that.

Now for some good news: We found out that we are expecting again. I'm about 9 1/2 weeks along and everything looks great this time! It was really worrisome at first but I'm starting to relax and enjoy the pregnancy.

I will be sure to keep you all posted.

Much love,

Megan

Sad news

2008-01-26T20:02:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, my husband and I found out that we lost our baby. It was an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. I had to have surgery and have been recovering from that, dealing with the emotional loss and catching up on schoolwork.

I have been taking short walks around the house (just a few minutes at a time) to make sure that I don't get completely out of shape. Somehow, I managed to lose 12 pounds in 2 weeks--dont' ask me how I did it, because I haven't the faintest idea.

I will be sure to keep everyone updated on how things are going. Healthy eating is still a priority. I will be adding in more exercise as I feel up to it.

My Ah-ha Moment

2007-12-29T11:53:00.000-05:00

One thing that I have found interesting since finding out that I am pregnant: Suddenly, it is acceptable for me to be overweight, eat whatever I want to, and not be active.

Now this isn't saying that this is what I want to do. However, it's suddenly okay in the eyes of others for me to have an unhealthy snack. "The baby wants it." Hello! If it's not healthy for me, then it's certainly not healthy for my unborn child. Also, every time I try to do anything, people tell me that I shouldn't be doing that. What's wrong with being active? As long as I have my doctor's approval, I can do everything that I was doing before I got pregnant.

I think that I will really have to watch myself and make sure that people with the best of intentions don't derail me from my lifestyle changes. I've worked too hard to give up now.

Mystery Solved!

2007-12-21T19:18:00.000-05:00

The past few months have been quite the emotional rollercoaster for me. We have been trying to conceive for a really long time now. Every month that it didn't happen, I was heartbroken. We went to the doctor and discovered that I hadn't been ovulating every month, so I started a regimine of meds to try to help us out. Still no luck.

Then I noticed that I have just been exhausted and I chalked it up to stress. I had tested a few days before and wasn't not pregnant. My doctor was going to up my dosage and at my Mom's suggestion, I retested. I was looking for confirmation that I wasn't pregnant, so that I could safely take the medication. Boy, was I shocked, when I found out that I am indeed pregnant!

So how will this effect my lifestyle change? I don't see how it will. I will still continue healthy eating (maybe even more so now) and I will still continue to do my exercises.

I already know that I am going to have a wonderful Christmas and I hope that everyone else has a wonderful Christmas as well!

Much love,

Megan

Post-Thanksgiving

2007-11-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I did, in fact survive Thanskgiving. I followed all of my steps and was really glad that I had planned accordingly. I even got in a 3 mile walk when we got home in the evening (even though I really just wanted to sit and veg in front of the t.v.)

How I am Going to Survive Thanksgiving...

2007-11-22T14:24:00.000-05:00

10. I am going to use a small plate.
9. I am only going to have one serving of dinner.
8. I am only going to have a small slice of my Grandma's pumpkin pie.
7. I am going to start my meal off with a salad.
6. I am going to remind myself how hard I have worked to get to this point--I'm not going to give up now!
5. I am going to remember my one pair of fat pants that is stored away in my closet, never to be used again.
4. I started off the day with a power shopping morning (Who knew Thanksgiving day would be the best time to hit the discount stores--noone was there, except employees and last minute food shoppers!)
3. When I get home, I'm going to get in a 3 mile walk.
2. I won't use the tryptophan in the turkey excuse to get out of exercising.
1. I'm wearing the tightest jeans that I could find (not stretch jeans either!) to help remind myself that my stomach isn't as big as my eyes.

And with that, I'm heading off to my parent's house to have dinner with my family. I hope that everyone is having a wonderful turkey-day!

I thought this was cute...

2007-11-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

I'm still considering entering a 5k next year, but it just depends on what direction life takes me. I will definately keep you updated.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T15:23:00.000-05:00

So how are you going to avoid the tempting holiday treats this year?

My plan is to avoid the kids Halloween buckets like the plague. In addition, we didn't buy any candy to give out to trick or treaters this year. We bought a whole bunch of fun and goofy party favors--pencils, spiders, bugs, princess tiaras ect... I won't gain weight from having those sitting around the house long after Halloween has come and gone. Plus, I can still use any leftovers next year!

This is only the first of many holidays that cause myself and many fellow dieters/lifestyle-changers much distress. Next will be Thanksgiving and all of the yummy food to go along with it. Then it will be Christmas and all of the sweet cookies and other goodies. Then, let's not forget New Year's Eve and all of the empty-calorie filled drinks that we will consume and the snacks that go along with it.

But I actually feel ready for the holidays this year. They don't feel daunting anymore. They are what they are. I will have to be prepared to turn down things I might not have turned down in the past. I might have to jog a little longer on the treadmill to make up for a transgression. But I'm really heading in the right direction and feel confident about the upcoming holiday season.

I lost HOW many inches?!!!

2007-10-31T15:19:00.000-05:00

My jaw dropped this morning when I looked at my measuring tape! I measured myself around my waist and discovered that I have lost 7 inches! 7! 7 whole inches... Just the other day, I was telling my husband that I thought my butt was getting smaller. He confirmed that I'm getting smaller all over, although it's most noticeable in my face. I guess I was right! Woo-hoo!

In related news, I put on a jacket today that has always fit--it was just a little on the snug side the last time that I wore it (in the Spring). However, today, it fit perfectly--with room to spare. Although I will never be needing the extra room again!

A New Start

2007-10-27T14:33:00.000-05:00

I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on different things. I think that I was too focused on what I was eating. While I agree that planning can be a good thing, I feel as if I was obsessing about my points or calories. I started the day eating as little as possible; After all, I need to save my points, right? Then I would end up overeating at dinner. So I have been trying to eat a larger breakfast and since then, I have noticed that I have automatically decreased the amount of food that I was eating for lunch and dinner, without consciously making the effort to do so. My husband, Karl, and I have invested in a treadmill for our home. I think this was the best decision that we have made in a while. It gives us another option if we can't get to the gym and gives us something to do on the days that we don't go to the gym. Who wants to go to the gym everyday? Not me. My time is very precious to me.

I have also made some other small changes. I joined www.runnerplus.com and have entered into different challenges. They have been keeping me motivated to get on the treadmill, even when I don't feel up to it.

I haven't been good about getting to weight watchers, although I need to. I have been keeping track of my weight at home and am going to do something that I have never done before. I'm going to tell my weight! Gasp! At my highest, I was between 235-240 pounds (I wasn't exactly getting on the scale at that point, so who knows how much I really weighed. I was in total denial at that point.) When I told my husband that I wanted to join weight watchers, I weighed 225. When I joined weight watchers, I weighed 220.

I now weigh 193 pounds. Despite all of my setbacks, I'm back on track again. I'm making healthy choices and still allowing myself the occassional treat. I'm not journaling what I'm eating, but I'm very conscious of my portion sizes and what I'm taking in each day. I have been getting on the treadmill anywhere from 4 to 5 times a week and pushing myself.

It feels like a brand new start for me.

I'm still here...

2007-10-03T01:22:00.001-05:00

Well, I have been really bad and had fallen off of the wagon, but am back on track now. Life has been so crazy that going to the gym has been impossible. We bought a treadmill that sits proudly in our family room, so that we can use it when we can't get to the gym or on days when we aren't going to the gym. Going to the gym six or seven days a week just isn't possible.

Good news though: I haven't gained any weight back. I'm still toning up. My wedding rings are falling off more often. But I don't want to get them resized more than once, so I am waiting until I am closer to my goal weight.

I need to clearly state my goals. If I tell them to someone, than that will make them more real and I will be more likely to follow through. I will be posting those in the next couple of days, so check back soon!

Nicole Richie's Weight

2007-08-24T09:35:00.000-05:00

Okay. I admit it: My guilty pleasure is following what the celebrities are up to. I don't waste my money on the magazines, but I do follow certain websites like The Smoking Gun, People, & x17 Online. I was very surprised at some information that was revealed due to her recent stint in jail. At 5 months pregnant, she is five feet, one inch tall & weighs a shockingly low 105 pounds! Now for a non-pregnant woman with a small frame, her weight range should be between 106-118 pounds! And when you compare her mug shots from her jail stint to her original arrest, they really aren't that different. (unless you count hair color)

I just think that it's sad how many young girls look up to these celebrities & want to look like them! How sad! I hope after serving hard time for a whopping 38 minutes, that she will be able to turn her life around & eat a cheeseburger for cryin' out loud!

Things are crazy!

2007-08-18T13:46:00.000-05:00

So I still haven't had time to get to the gym, since Karl's release from the hospital. All of my time seems to go towards driving to different appointments, the kids, family time, pets, basic housecleaning, cooking & studying. I'm hoping things will settle down soon & I will be able to completely catch up on my reading & then will be able to devote more time to fitness.

So where do you fit in your workouts? What
kinds of exercises do you like to do while on the run?

I take the stairs whenever I can. (sometimes while carrying one or both boys... that's about 50 extra pounds of weight!) I do heel raises while doing dishes & fit in a little stretching whenever possible. We have a tri-level & I will often take several trips up & down. I figure anything is better than nothing.

Post Secret Video

2007-08-13T20:13:00.000-05:00

I always look forward to each & every Sunday, when Post Secret posts their new secrets. Some are funny. Some are weird. Some are very touching. It takes a very brave person to bare his or her soul & admit their faults, their secrets, especially to the world.

Hello again

2007-08-08T14:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, so things didn't go exactly as planned. My husband is finally home, after spending 2 weeks in the hospital.

I was dreading getting on the scale after 2 weeks of eating on the run, virtually no exercise & often times, forgetting to eat. But I stayed consistent. During that time, I lost 5 pounds (unofficially--I haven't gone to my ww meeting yet). I was really proud of myself. I took the stairs up & down whenever I came & went. Karl was on the 2nd floor, so that was a lot of stairs every day.

Now, I am just trying to re-adjust back to "normal life".

FYI: I had midterm exams last week & aced them, which felt like such a HUGE accomplishment, with everything that's been going on.

5 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

2007-08-08T14:43:00.000-05:00

I came across this article on yahoo & thought I would share with everyone. And afterall, we can all probably use some tips for boosting our metabolism!

Joy's Healthy Bite

Provided by

Five Ways to Rev Your Metabolism!
Posted by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
on Thu, Aug 02, 2007, 5:18 pm PDT

While it's true your metabolism naturally slows down by about 2 to 5% per decade after age 40, there are plenty of things you can do to fight back.
Exercise is key for immediate - and lasting - benefits.

Engage in aerobic exercise 4 to 5 days a week: It's obvious that aerobic activities like running, brisk walking, swimming, and bike riding burn calories and increase metabolism while you're working out. But interestingly enough, several studies show that aerobic activities cause your metabolism to stay increased for a period of time after exercising.

Work your muscles:Lifting weights and/or other strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis (at least 2 to 3 times each week) will boost your resting metabolism 24/7. That's because these activities build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. In fact, if you have more muscle, you burn more calories - even sitting still.

When it comes to food, keep your metabolism revved with these 3 tips:

Eat enough food - at least 1,000 calories: Your body and metabolism thrive on food, so when you fast, crash-diet, or restrict calories below 1,000, your metabolism will slow down in a response to conserve energy.

Eat every 4 to 5 hours: Because our bodies work hard to digest and absorb the foods we eat, your metabolism revs in response. This is called the thermic effect of food. Take full advantage and schedule meals and snacks every 4 to 5 hours.

Incorporate lean protein with every meal: Eating any food creates a thermic effect and boosts metabolism after consumption. However, the consumption of protein has the absolute greatest metabolic boost when compared to carbohydrate and fat. Plus, eating the appropriate amount of protein will ensure you're able to maintain and build muscle mass (the more muscle mass you have, the greater your metabolism). The Daily Protein Requirements in grams for the average healthy person is approximately 50% of your weight in pounds (for example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you'll need 70 grams protein each day). Some of the best protein sources include: fish, chicken, turkey, lean sirloin steak, skim milk, nonfat yogurt, eggs and egg substitutes, tofu, lentils, and beans.

Update

2007-07-20T11:47:00.000-05:00

My husband is going under the knife on Monday July 23rd for his bypass surgery. I will have to try to be very careful about what I am eating at the hospital. It can be very easy to just grab something from the vending machine on the run or go a local fast food joint. I will plan ahead. Maybe pack a lunch. I also have to watch emotional eating, because I know that I am prone to that when I get stressed.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also, if anyone is interested, I updated our family blog.

Splenda is not so bad, afterall

2007-07-20T11:44:00.001-05:00

So I tried splenda in my coffee a couple of times & was so disgusted. But then I finally made the switch to diet sodas. So last weekend, I tried some splenda in my coffee again. Guess what? I liked it. I just didn't put in as much as I would sugar. And it tasted great.

I think as long as I make all of these little changes, one at a time, it's much easier to stick with them. I'm not sure what goal to try to conquer next. Maybe drinking more water?

Bye, Bye Fat Clothes!

2007-07-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

Here are 2 large boxes that contain clothes that no longer fit me anymore. If I had other clothes to replace them, the pile would have been even bigger. I donated them to Goodwill & it felt great to see them go!

Guess it's time to go shopping again!

And Let Them Eat Cake!

2007-07-12T20:23:00.000-05:00

My 26th birthday was a couple of days ago. So of course, I had a little bit of dessert. And before my parents left for vacation, they threw a birthday party for me (complete with a chocolate ice cream cake from DQ!) My oldest son, Dalton will be turning 4 in a week, so I will probably bake some sort of cupcakes for the occassion. And when my parents return from their vacation, they want to throw Dalton a birthday party, so they can celebrate with him also. I'm assuming cake will be on the menu.

The bad news? I feel bad for having so many sweets.

The good news? I have really been watching my portions.

When I do have cake & ice cream, I only have a very small amount. My delicious ice cream cake, was shared with my Mom's dog (she said I could give it to her). I always prefer to bake cupcakes over cake whenever possible, because I only eat one cupcake, where as with cake, it's easy to be tempted to eat a serving that is more than needed. And I always choose Edy's (or Dryer's, depending on what part of the country you live in) slow-churned ice cream (The sugar-free mint chocolate chip is de-lish!)

All this sweet-talk makes me want to hit the gym!

Dalton helped me blow out the candles on my birthday cake!

Shopping

2007-07-08T15:33:00.000-05:00

I forgot what it was like to go shopping for fun. Boy, as I lose weight, I think our bank account will be hurting. Okay, not really. I'm too frugal for that to happen.

So here's the story: Currently, I have 4 pairs of shorts. 1 fits GREAT & the other 3, I thought were just a little big. 2 of the shorts were dirty. So I tried on the other 2 & I was swimming in both. I had been putting off buying shorts, because hopefully next summer, I will be in much smaller shorts.

So I gave in & decided to go shopping for a pair of shorts. For the last 3 years, I have only shopped at Lane Bryant (or Motherhood Maternity during my pregnancy days). But I thought, "You know... It might be fun to see if clothes will fit me well at JC Penny's." And guess what?!! They did! I found 2 pairs of shorts that are really cute.

And then, just for fun, I tried on some shirts & it was great to look at myself in the mirror & say "Cute shirt, but it needs to be a little more fitted." When was the last time I went in search of a fitted item of clothing? I don't remember, to be honest with you. But it sure felt good to be able to think that.

And despite being completely swamped by schoolwork, kids, husband, pets, housework & yardwork, I feel like I'm doing really well. I am staying on points. I am getting to the gym or if I don't get to the gym, then I am doing something around the house to earn activity points.

I am even trying to work ahead in my classes, so that if I fall behind, while Karl has his bypass surgery, I really won't be behind. I can't wait until I can actually take a break & breath. I will do my best to continue posting on my progress.

I'm even considering posting my starting weight & my current weight (something I have never done before). No one knows my real weight, except for the people who weigh me at ww meetings. Not even my drivers license has my real weight on it.

And life goes on...

2007-06-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

So I had another weigh in last night. I didn't stay for the meeting. I didn't want poor Karl to have to deal with the boys for too long, since he is still recovering. But I am happy to report that I am down another 2+ pounds (I don't remember the exact number). I have less than half a pound to go & then I will have lost a total of 20 pounds. I'm feeling great, other than the fact that I have picked up this horrible cold & have been crazy-busy on top of that. But I have more energy. I love that I can run around & play with the kids. I'm anxious to lose even more & feel even more energetic.

Thanks again, to everyone who has been so supportive & left such sweet comments for me. And I'm so very happy to say that Karl is doing really well. He gets tired much more easier than he did, but hopefully, after his bypass surgery, he will be right back to his normal active self!

100th Post!

2007-06-21T15:43:00.000-05:00

And confetti falls from the sky! Okay, not really.

I wish that I had some better news to report. My husband had a heart attack last Saturday. He had a couple of stents put in & was released from the hospital on Monday afternoon. However, he will be back in the hospital in about a month to have bypass surgery.

The good news? We have been doing everything right. So we really don't have to change our diet. And this will definately keep me from "cheating" on occassion.

This just goes to show how strong that family history gene is! That & his years of living the single life & living off of frozen dinners, ramen noodles & pizza.

NSV

2007-06-15T10:35:00.001-05:00

When I went to the airport to pick up Karl the other day, I was SO proud of myself! I took the stairs every chance I had (even though we had temperatures in the 90s outside!)

Plus, I was trying to work off the Mocha Frappechino made with skim milk that I had right before I got there!

10 Ways to Outwit Your Appetite

2007-06-15T10:27:00.000-05:00

I found this article on yahoo & thought it was interesting. I'm always interested in reading articles about food, dieting, exercise & weight loss. It's always great to get another person's perspective & ideas about these topics.

10 Ways to Outwit Your Appetite
Posted Mon, Jun 04, 2007, 8:28 pm PDT

You don't have to be smarter than a quiz show fifth-grader to learn how to control the urge to eat. Just follow these ingenious tips:

1. Feed it protein for breakfast. You'll be less hungry later on and end up eating 267 fewer calories during the day. At least that's what happened on days when St. Louis University researchers gave overweight women two scrambled eggs and two slices of jelly-topped toast for breakfast rather than about half that protein.

2. Make it climb a flight of stairs. At home, store the foods that tempt you most way out of reach. For instance, Cornell University food psychologist Brian Wansink, PhD, keeps his favorite soda in a basement fridge. "Half the time I'm too lazy to run down there to get it, so I drink the water in the kitchen."

3. Sleep on it. People who don't get their eight hours of zzz's experience hormonal fluctuations that increase appetite, report researchers.

4. Give it something else to think about. When scientists scanned the brains of people eating different foods, they found that the brain reacts to fat in the mouth in much the same way that the nose responds to a pleasant aroma. So if you feel a craving coming on, apply your favorite scent.

5. Never let it see a heaping plate. The more food that's in front of you, the more you'll eat. So at a restaurant, ask your waiter to pack up half of your meal before serving it to you, then eat the extras for lunch the next day.

6. Put it under the lights. You consume fewer calories at a well-lit restaurant table than you do
dining in a dark corner. "In the light, you're more self-conscious and worry that other patrons are watching what you eat," explains Wansink.

7. Talk it down. Entertaining friends with a great story doesn't give you much time to eat up, so you'll probably still have food on your plate when they're done. Once they're finished, call it quits too.

8. Offer it a seat. If you sit down to snack -- and use utensils and a plate -- you'll eat fewer calories at subsequent meals.

9. Satisfy it with soup. Start lunch with about 130 calories worth of vegetable soup and you'll eat 20 percent fewer calories during lunch overall, say Penn State experts.

10. Give it little choice. Packages that contain assorted varieties of cookies, candy, dips, cheese, etc., make you want to try all the flavors. The effect is so powerful, says Wansink, that when people are given 10 colors of M&Ms to munch on, not seven, they eat 30 percent more!
Oh, and one more thing: Feeding your appetite a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as four years younger. Sweet.

Where have I been?

2007-06-12T23:50:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. I have been super-busy with life. I feel like I have been doing well at my eating & my exercising. My husband, Karl, has been out of town all week. Everytime Karl goes out of town overnight, I throw myself into some sort of home improvement project. This time, I tackled stripping wallpaper, painting, planting flowers, rearranging furniture, reorganizing the house (poor Karl isn't going to have a clue where things are anymore!), chasing after the boys, the cat & the dog, dog training, plus the usual upkeep around the house, like cleaning, dishes, laundry ect... Whew! I feel tired, just thinking about all that.

I haven't been sleeping well. This is partly due to working around the house after the kids have gone to bed & partly because I often have insomnia, but it's been worse without Karl here. I have been falling asleep after 4 am & up with the boys at 8 am.

I have also been dealing with some personal things, but hope to have some good news soon & will surely keep you updated.

And last, but not least, after graduating from high school, 8 years ago, I have finally made a decision to go back to school. I am taking 100% of my classes online, which is great for us. I can work around the boys' schedules. I will be studying Criminal Justice & am very anxious to see where this path will take me.

Thanks for listening to me go on & on. Sometimes, I have a really hard time, opening myself up to people. So thank you for listening, hopefully without judging me.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Do you cheat?

2007-06-12T23:45:00.000-05:00

So what do you do to "cheat" on your diet? Sometimes, I try to make excuses in my head, saying that it's okay to have a little extra. But I catch myself & go find something else to do. Then the feeling passes & I have a sense of pride in myself for not "cheating" on my diet.

Back on track

2007-06-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting, partly because I just have felt like I haven't had anything good & interesting to report. I felt like I was stuck in a rut. I have been doing well on my eating. But not so good on exercising. But we broke the mold today & got back to the gym. It was a great workout & I'm really glad that we went. I was really proud of myself. Normally, my husband Karl works out at a faster speed & covers more distance. But today, I actually went faster than him & covered a larger distance. Now I know that it's not a competion, but he definately kept me motivated. I always strived to keep close to him in stats. And I'm looking forward to our next workout on Monday.

A letter to Mother Nature

2007-05-18T20:51:00.000-05:00

Dear Mother Nature,

I am writing to inform you that it is almost June. It's nearing summertime. And it's frosting overnight & chilly during the day. I am sure that this must be an oversight on your part, because I know that you would never intentionally bypass spring, which is my favorite season. The springtime is the perfect time to do things outdoors but yet it's not too hot & humid & icky feeling.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I'm sure you will be correcting this weather pattern shortly!

Sincerely,

Megan, the former gymnast

Jeans are fitting even better!

2007-05-18T20:45:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, I was able to fit into a pair of jeans that I had never worn. They were a little tight, but they zipped & buttoned! I bought them & they didn't even zip up all the way or button. I kept them, because I thought, sooner or later I will get into them. Now today, it was still a little chilly (stange, I know!) so I decided jeans would work. All of my other jeans are too baggy, so I thought, let's try them on again. They fit perfectly! I was SO thrilled!

A taste of humor

2007-05-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

You have to have a sense of humor about dieting every now & then. Although, I don't think of myself as being on a diet, I am making a lifestyle change that I will have to continue with, even after reaching my goal weight.

Another weigh in

2007-05-17T14:42:00.000-05:00

I had another weigh in last night & was down another 3 pounds, bringing my total weight loss to 17.2 pounds! I'm so shocked that I have continued to consistently lose weight, because this last month has been very hectic, with the kids suffering from different illnesses & we haven't been able to get to the gym. Imagine: my weight loss could have been even greater, if I had gone to the gym like I was. But I am not going to beat myself up over it. It's in the past. I can't change it. The only thing I can change is the present & prepare better for the future. I am very anxious to get back to the gym. Hopefully tomorrow & maybe again over the weekend.

Outdoor exercise

2007-05-12T18:32:00.000-05:00

Since the weather has been nice & we were waiting for the kids to get over all illnesses, we have been taking advantage by going for walks outside & playing with the boys. I do miss going to the gym & definately want to add it back into our weekly routine as soon as possible, now that Braden is definately out of the woods & doesn't appear to have any lasting side effects since his seizure.

We discovered that there is a trail that runs through the city & went for a 2 mile walk today. It was really nice & enjoyable. And I was proud of myself--I didn't feel winded, even at the end of our trek.

Also, I have had straight diet coke finally. Now that I have switched to all diet sodas, I am definately avoiding regular sodas, because I don't want to go through all the pain to switch back to diet. I am still amazed that I am able to drink it, after the many times in the past that I had tried diet sodas & failed. I guess I just had to be mentally ready to make that change.

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-12T12:20:00.000-05:00

To all fellow Moms who read this blog, I hope you have a wonderful & RELAXING day tomorrow!

In honor of my Mom, here is a Top Ten list of things that I love about her. These are in no particular order.

10. My Mom has a great sense of humor. She always laughs at my jokes--no matter how corny they are!
9. My Mom has an amazing love for animals.
8. My Mom is able to fix just about anything around the house.
7. My Mom has a great smile.
6. My Mom is a strong woman.
5. My Mom is an excellent Grandma. My boys can account for this one!
4. My Mom teaches me something new almsot every day.
3. My Mom can always calm me down, when I am upset.
2. My Mom is extemely supportive of me & my decisions.
1. My Mom is my best friend!

On a personal note...

2007-05-07T20:50:00.000-05:00

I may have mentioned that we have had one illness after another running through our family for a month now. I had the flu, a cold & an irritating cough. My husband, Karl has had the flu & an irritating cough & sore throat. My oldest son, Dalton, has had 2 colds & 2 bouts of the flu, one which we rushed him to the ER, because his temperatures were running in the 104-105 range. My baby, Braden, had the flu 3 times & a cold. Every time he had this flu, he had VERY high temperatures, but after getting information about how to treat the fever from Dalton's ER visit, I handled it the first 2 times fine. Then last Thursday, he was running a low grade fever. I honestly thought that it was just teething-related & he would be fine. Suddenly, in the early afternoon, Braden collapsed on our kitchen floor & had a seizure. Apparently, his fever spiked too high, too fast & his body didn't have any other way of dealing with the sudden rise except through a seizure. We rushed him to the hospital, via ambulance. I was told that this can happen, even if his fever went from 99 to 101, that if it spiked rapidly enough, he still could have had a seizure.

Then on Saturday, we took him to Urgent Care (I didn't even know we had one & it's SO close to us!) because he was still running a high fever & had also developed some really bad congestion. We were then told that he had an ear infection & a sinus infection, which probably was contributing to the high fever. He was put on antibiotics & is now back to acting like his normal, happy 2 year old self, much to our relief!

I just wanted to make sure that every parent or anyone who knows any parents will not take even low grade fevers lightly, as I mistakenly did. I don't want anyone to go through what I did.

I have conquered another victory...

2007-05-07T19:58:00.000-05:00

When I first started Weight Watchers back in January of this year, my friend Nate told me to "Make friends with diet soda". I thought he was nuts, but I reluctantly began to try just about every diet soda out on the current market. I was so disgusted & decided that I would allow myself the 3 point Pepsi every now & then. Sometimes, I did really good & avoided soda for a couple of weeks & sometimes I had one a day.

Finally, last week, I decided that since I have been losing weight, I am now allowed less points per day than before. And I still want the occassional soda, but I don't want to burn 3 points, just to drink it. I thought, I will get some regular pepsi & some diet pepsi & mix them together until I have gotten used to the diet soda. So we went to the store & I chilled some caffeine free diet pepsi in the fridge & took out some to try. I took my first sip & thought "You know, it's really not that bad. I can do this." And I did. I drank the whole thing, without an ounce of guilt. I also tried the Sprite Zero & actually liked it better than I liked the caffeine free diet pepsi.

I remember, when I was a junior in high school & was probably too thin, I tried some diet coke & thought it was the most disgusting thing that I have ever tried! Yet today, I did have some diet coke. I had a glass with half coke & half diet coke & it was good. I figured if I am going to be drinking diet soda, I better get used to diet coke, since that is pretty much the only diet soda that you can find when you dine out. I feel as I am well on my way.

Oh--I almost forgot! I am down another pants size!

My personal blog

2007-04-26T22:15:00.000-05:00

For anyone who is interested, I have finally updated my personal blog. Sorry it's taken so long. Thanks for reading!

Posting comments

2007-04-26T20:21:00.000-05:00

You know, we are all different human beings. What works for one person, does not always work for another. I truly believe in embracing our differences. I really enjoy a good debate, as long as both parties are able to be respectful to one another. Please feel free to voice your opinions to me, because I voicing my opinions to you every time I add another posting to this blog. I always listen to comments & suggestions. Sometimes, I really use those suggestions & sometimes, I read them & say "Okay. That's not for me, but I appreciate the comment anyways."

So comment anytime, guys!

To go core or not to go core?

2007-04-26T14:18:00.000-05:00

That is the question! Yeah, corny, I know, but I couldn't resist! So anyways, I have been considering trying core for a while now & I thought that I would do it this week. But then I realized something that REALLY needs changed. We usually doing our shopping on Tuesday mornings. I weigh in Tuesday evenings. If I learn about any great products or get any meal ideas, I have to wait a whole week to try them out. This is very hard for me, as I can be a little impatient at times. So we decided to change our shopping day to Wednesday mornings. And also I will try the core plan next week, so that I can shop appropriately.

I can be a little nutty, so I LOVE when things fall into place! Or at least, until I decide to change something else! So has anyone else tried core? What did you think about it? What did you like and dislike about it? And for those of you who have tried flex, what are your opinions about that plan?

Pear Shaped Girl made a great point, when she told me that she lived for comments. And I realize, I do to! It's nice to know that someone is actually reading my little blog & that they care enough to give their opinion.

Last night's weigh in

2007-04-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

So I had my latest weigh in last night & lost 4 pounds since my last weigh in, bringing my total weight loss to 14 pounds.

I am thinking that I am going to try the core plan this week, because I have been really bad about journaling. Especially recently--one or all of us has been sick every day for the past week and a half. It's been very exhausting. Both kids are on round 2 with the flu, running fevers in the high 104 range. I was hoping to get to the gym today, but Braden has taken a turn for the worse. I can't wait until we are all healthy & can get back to daily life!

A Fat Rant

2007-04-23T16:54:00.000-05:00

I came across this on another blog that I read often, Starling Fitness & thought it was so great! I had to share it with all of you! It's over seven minutes long, but well worth it!

Thank you guys!

2007-04-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks, guys, for all of your support! It really does mean a lot to me, to know that I am not going through this alone. I think I was also a bit down, because I was pms-ing & in the process of getting the flu. Eww. It has not been a great week at our house. The boys were both sick Tuesday & Wednesday. And Karl & I were sick on Thursday & Friday. I am very anxious to get back to the gym, even though, I know not to push it, because my energy level is still VERY low.

And my moral is back again. I feel as though I have worked through this rough patch & am ready to keep plugging away at this.

NSV: I was eating some pasta this morning (first thing I have had to eat in a couple of days). I was almost done eating, something in my head said "Stop! You are full!" And yet, I took one more bite, I did really stop. I was very proud of myself for this. And it got me to thinking. What makes a person want to overeat? I knew that I was full & yet, I still wanted to clean my plate! Why? I am still pondering this question, but would still be very interested in hearing some of your answers!

Feeling discouraged

2007-04-18T22:00:00.000-05:00

I have been really struggling lately. I really don't like weighing in on Tuesdays. I feel like I don't have enough time to recover from my weekend. I know that I didn't put on this weight overnight & that I am not going to lose it overnight. But it's very discouraging to be losing it SO slowly! With some people, the weight seems to just fall right off. But I am going to keep trying & fighting for this.

Also, I am going to continue going to my weight watchers meetings, but I am going to try attending a few overeaters anonymous meetings, to help me deal with some of my other food issues.

The more support & information I can get, the more likely that I am going to beat this! If this was easy, everyone would be thin! Because, hey, let's face it: no one chooses to be fat. I didn't wake up one morning & say "Damn it! I am sick of being thin! I want to put on some weight!"

Also, congrats to Nate for losing 100 pounds with Weight Watchers!

DVD update

2007-04-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

I just did the Sizzling Salsa dvd (see previous post) & I had SO much fun! It was challenging, yet fun. It didn't feel like exercise! I really recommend it to anyone (especially if you have trouble getting in your workouts) My 2 sons even joined me & were dancing around with me!

My new love

2007-04-09T22:10:00.000-05:00

In addition to getting to the gym 3 days a week, I have also been adding different workout videos, like Step aerobics, Tae Bo, Yoga, Pilates & also continuing with my punching bag & stability ball. Today, I bought this dvd, Dance Off the Inches Sizzling Salsa. I can't wait to try it out!

What kind of exercises do you do at home? Do you have a favorite video?

Dear Fazoli's

2007-04-09T19:57:00.000-05:00

Dear Fazoli's,

Why do you tempt with me with your unlimited free, freshly baked breadsticks? And what's worse, is that I thought your breadsticks were only 1 point each, but then was horrified when I arrived at home, only to find out that they are 3 points each (or 2 points each, if I ask for them dry). But let's be honest... who wants to eat a dry breadstick? Maybe I should ask for them dry, so that I don't eat ANY! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Your friend,

Megan, The Former Gymnast

P.S. I hate you! No, I am sorry, I don't really mean that! Please forgive me!

Okay, seriously though, I am so depressed. I did SO great all week long & the day before my weigh-in, I do THIS?!!! I still have flex points to use (21 to be exact), but I have never gone so far into my flex points.

On the good side of things, I had a really good day. I started out by doing a Tae-Bo video this morning, then went to the gym, where I have been slowly increasing the number of minutes that I run & decreasing the minutes that I walk on the treadmill. I also did some weights too.

So far this week

2007-04-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

Not too much going on here. I got some new running shoes (good ones this time) to help me train for my upcoming 5K run. I have been sticking to my points & exercising regularly. I have been journaling & I have been drinking my water.

In preparation for Easter, the boys' easter baskets each contain 1 chocolate & carmel cadbury egg & a handful of jellybeans & gummy bears (I bought them in bulk, rather than bags, so I don't have a ton of leftover candy sitting around, tempting me). I figure, they won't even know what they are missing! In the future, they will thank me for it!

Have a great weekend & a Happy Easter, everyone!

Last night's weigh-in

2007-04-04T08:57:00.000-05:00

Well, it finally happened. I had a gain. It's a small one, but it's a gain. But I am really okay with it. It's a good wake-up call to keep me on track. And also, it's my TOM (all women will understand this!)

It's dissappointing, but I refuse to let this little setback get me down. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Now I just need to accept it & move on. Speaking of moving... I am off to the gym!

Non-scale Victories

2007-04-02T20:52:00.000-05:00

So I feel like I have had a fantastic week! I can't wait to weigh in tommorrow & see if my efforts will be recognized on the scale.

I have journaled my food every day this week, which has been really tough for me the past few weeks. I have gotten to the gym often & have been doing lots around the house.

Last week, I even was able to play soccer with my kids (& the dog too!). I didn't expect to be able to do that so soon. It was so much fun! And they really seemed to enjoy me running around with them, rather than sitting off to the side, watching them.

Changing it up a bit

2007-03-29T11:06:00.000-05:00

I am considering running a 5K race in July, so I thought I would do some training & see if I will be ready for it. So yesterday, instead of doing the elliptical (my favorite cardio machine), I walked at a brisk pace (almost a jog) on the treadmill for the same amount of time as I would normally go on the elliptical. I didn't go as fast, or as far, or burn as many calories, but MAN-- do I feel it today! There is definately more impact on a treadmill than on an elliptical machine. Plus, I hurt my ankle doing kickboxing last week & it was still bothering me yesterday. I am going to continue to walk on the treadmill & slowly add minutes of running to it. And if I end up walking for part of a 5K RUN, oh well--at least I am going to finish. Now, next year, is a whole different ball game!

Forgive Me

2007-03-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

Forgive me, for I have sinned. The past 2 weeks, have been extremely challenging for me. I have had trouble with just about everything. Okay guys... bear with me, while I vent.

1. I haven't been getting all of my water in. I have been so sick of drinking water & decaf iced tea & hot teas that I have allowed myself more pepsi's than I should. (And before you suggest it, I have tried every single diet soda out there (literally--this is NOT an understatement) & I just can't stomach it. Also, I am really not fond of the taste of splenda or any other artificial sweeteners.)
2. I have not been getting in all of my fruits & veggies like I should.

Now that I have told you everything that I have done wrong, let me tell you some things that I have been doing right.

1. I have been increasing my exercise. It has been tough getting to the gym (both boys still have the sniffles) but I have made sure that I have been doing things at home, such as Kickboxing, Tae Bo, crunches, steps ect. (Also, if anyone is interested in doing crunches with me, daily or every other day, please let me know. I have not posted my progress, because no one else seemed interested in joining me.)
2. I have been watching my portions.
3. I haven't given in to old eating habits.
4. I survived another birthday & birthday cake & ice cream. (Happy Birthday Mom) My Mom bought Edy's (or Dryer's, depending on which part of the country you live in) Slow Churned 1/2 the fat ice cream. I made the birthday cake. Instead of using oil, I used the same amount of applesauce. And when my Mom served the cake, she cut them into nice, small pieces! I was so happy!

I had another weigh in today. I lost another pound, bringing my total weight loss to 11.2 lbs! Now, I know that it's not as impressive as some people, but I am very proud of this! My clothes are fitting better (or were so big that I have had to get rid of them & go shopping--darn! ;) ) & I am feeling better.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! My Mom told me that I have lost a significant amount of weight & that I look much thinner!

Punching Bag

2007-03-22T15:44:00.000-05:00

I have found that it's really easy for me to get bored with things & I often rotate what I do (whether it's exercise or eating or just my daily routine around the house). So to ensure that I keep exercising & do not quit (because I am doing SO well. I have never continued with exercise for as long as I have, unless you count when I was thin), I decided to pick up kickboxing. Karl got my punching bag put up & I got to try it out yesterday. And let me tell you, I am amazed at how many muscles I worked! Every one is feeling it today!

The boys decided to help me workout!

Spring Challenge

2007-03-21T21:42:00.000-05:00

Today is the first full day of Spring. I have decided to really challenge & push myself by doing crunches everyday until Summer. I am a really competitive person & it will definately help me, if I have other challengers join me, every day.

Here's the deal: I will do my best to post everyday & report my progress. You can report your progress under comments. We can do crunches on the floor, a bench, an exercise ball. My personal goal, to start out, will be to do at least 100 crunches everyday. As time goes on, I will increase my crunches. You do not have to do 100 a day. Just pick a number that is going to challenge you, without overwhelming you.

I did my 100 for today & then some (I was listening to music & was enjoying myself so much, that I decided to keep going, but stopped counting).

Come on now, who's with me?

How Not to Use an Exercise Ball

2007-03-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

I found this on youtube & thought I would share!

My weekend

2007-03-18T08:37:00.000-05:00

I feel like this has been a really challenging weekend for me. My brother turns 15 today (Happy Birthday, Conner!). Yesterday, he had football party with his friends that included chips & pizza. And I had some Doritos (major weakness for me.), some pretzals (not too bad of a choice) & some soda. Now, on the plus side of things, I only ate 2 slices of pizza. This is a major accomplishment for me! I was going to go to the gym last night, but we have a long day ahead of us today. We have a cookout to go to (I think burgers & fries will be served. But I am going to cut up carrot sticks to take & I won't eat any fries--I promise!) Then, this evening, we will have my brothers actual birthday party, complete with cake & ice cream. But I think I will do okay here, too. I am going to go to the gym tonight, no matter what, because I have been feeling like 3 days a week isn't enough anymore. And I feel ready to add an extra day of exercise.

My music dilemma

2007-03-18T08:33:00.000-05:00

So I decided to ask my 17 year old sister, who would be good to listen to, while working out. And she gave me this huge pile of cd's to download onto iTunes. I am 8 years older than her & usually end up feeling like an old fart, compared to her. But not yesterday! I had actually heard of some of bands she had mentioned & even actually owned a couple of the cd's that she was going to let me borrow. Isn't it nice when you suddenly feel "cool"?

I haven't blogged since Tuesday?!!

2007-03-17T09:11:00.000-05:00

That was a shock to me, to find out that I have't posted to this blog since Tuesday! I have been keeping busy, which is the cause for my delay in posting. I sincerely apologize!

Braden is still fighting off a runny nose, so Karl & I have't been able to workout together in a
week and a half! Braden is still fighting off a runny nose, so Karl & I haven't been able to
workout together in a week and a half! It's been strange. Most of the time, I really look forward to working out & really enjoy my workouts. But sometimes, I really struggle to go. And knowing that Karl wants to go, forces myself into going. And 99.9% of the time, I am glad I forced myself to go.

In related news, I finally made a decision on an mp3 player to take to the gym. I decided on a blue iPod shuffle. (I really wanted the Green but they didn't have it). And I LOVE it! It is just what I wanted. Now I just need to find some more good music to get pumped to.

What is your favorite music to listen to, when you workout?

I guess my answer would be called "angry girl music", but I like to think of it, as Empowered women, singing strongly about life.

Tuesday Weigh-In

2007-03-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce that I have finally lost 10 pounds. 10.2 to be exact! It feels great! I can look at a sack of potatoes & think "I am not carrying that around anymore!"

Also, in related news: I bought some new jeans today. It feels good! I figured that I was down 2 sizes in my jeans. And I thought that maybe my shirts were starting to look a little too baggy, so I tried on a smaller size t-shirt & it fit! It feels SO great to be able to do that!

So what are you celebrating this week?

Today's lunch

2007-03-12T23:05:00.000-05:00

So I decided to make pizza for lunch. I know... not exactly points friendly. I think that the most important thing that I have learned from weight watchers is that I can have a slice of pizza. I don't need to over-indulge. So anyways, I popped out the refridgerated pizza dough & tried to stretch it out & it just wouldn't. The dough kept tearing & I ended up with this odd-shaped pizza that made me laugh. I hope you get a kick out of this too!

New Shoes

2007-03-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

Last night, I got new shoes. I used my old ones to work in the garden this weekend, so now they are now considered my "garden shoes". I don't think the gym would appreciate me wearing my dirty garden shoes, to workout on their nice, clean equipment. So now I am off to the gym, to check out these new shoes. Sometimes, you really can't tell how good shoes are, until you actually use them.

My dad emailed me this comic & I found it to be so funny, I just had to share!

Pop-up Update

2007-03-11T22:29:00.000-05:00

The pop-up problem appears to have cleared up. Tag-boards, however cool they are, seemed to be the cause of those pesky pop-up ads that we all loath so much!

Pop-up ads

2007-03-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

It was brought to my attention by Nate that this blog was getting pop-ups on it. I am not sure what happened. Maybe it was because of some add-ons that I tried out. I didn't notice this, because of the pop-up blocker that I have on my computer. I will continue to work on this problem. Sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused. Please let me know, if you continue having problems so that I can be sure that this problem is resolved.

Thanks!

Megan

My weekend workout

2007-03-11T11:04:00.000-05:00

My weekend workout has consisted of yardwork. Lots of yardwork. I have picked up TONS of sticks & placed them into large piles. Then we took the large piles & made littler bundles to put out with the trash on Monday. It was just like doing squats & quite honestly, my buns feel like I did real squats. I also raked an ungodly amount of leaves. But not just any leaves. Wet leaves. My arms are feeling it today. But it's really nice to see the yard coming together. And I feel good about what I have done, not only for the yard, but for me too! I am hoping to earn my 10 pound star on Tuesday, when I weigh in.

What goals to you have this week?

New Jeans

2007-03-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

I am finally at a point where I am ready for new jeans. I am down 2 sizes from the time that I started the weight watchers program. This is such a great feeling for me.

Happy dance time!

Weigh In

2007-03-07T17:29:00.000-05:00

I had another weigh in last night. I was down another pound! I always manage to be so surprised to find out that I am losing weight. And I don't feel deprived. How many other times have I tried to lose weight, only to feel starving & eventually overeating & not making wise eating decisions? Every time. But not this time. I have been on the weight watchers program for about 7 weeks now. I have had a loss every week. That includes dealing with birthday parties, superbowl, a Hawaiian vacation. And I am still losing.

I guess I can actually say with a smile "I am glad I am a loser!"

Just another day

2007-03-07T16:54:00.000-05:00

Dalton got sick this weekend & passed it on to Braden. So both are miserably sick today. I am feeling the sniffles myself, so I think some vitamin c is calling my name! Because of them being sick, Karl & I had to work out separately again today. And probably on Friday too.

So today, I worked out, listening to Pink's "I'm Not Dead (clean version)" and did the weight machines, listening to TLC's "Greatest Hits" or something along those lines. I discovered when I listen to more milder music, I end up going slower & not pushing myself as hard. I am thinking about making a mix, just for at the gym.

I am also still debating what kind of a smaller mp3 player to get. Opinions are all over the place on the ipod nano & ipod shuffle & whether or not itunes is easy to use. (some say yes, some say no. One person said you have to download something that comes with your ipod, before you can use itunes) I am even more confused now, then I was before I started my search for a small clip on mp3 player.

Also, I was having a hard time balancing what I wanted to write about (weight loss, exercise, diet, fitness, kids, life, pets, husband ect) So I created a 2nd blog. Feel free to check it out. I hope everyone enjoys both blogs, as much as I enjoy reading all of yours!

http://adayinthelifeofablondebombshell.blogspot.com/

Working out to music part 2

2007-03-05T11:20:00.000-05:00

Is I Tunes easy to use? Can I download my cd's to itunes, so that I can put that on an ipod?

Thanks!

A little bit of humor...

2007-03-04T22:54:00.000-05:00

It's good to have a slightly twisted sense of humor every now & then! I can't help it: I get it from my dad! :)

This really made me chuckle!

I hope you enjoy too!

Working out to music

2007-03-04T22:07:00.000-05:00

I love working out to music. I currently have a Phillips mp3 player that I love. But I am not really feeling the love for it, when I am at the gym. I am looking for something that clips on, preferably not run off of a battery, is lightweight & durable. It doesn't need to hold a lot of songs. I am really considering the ipod shuffle. Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?

Thanks, in advance!

Celebrating Braden's Birthday

2007-03-03T19:25:00.000-05:00

Today, we celebrated Braden's birthday. He actually turns 2 tomorrow. But we had his party today. His favorite present was this toy broom that we found at Toys R Us. He is such a neat freak. My husband says he gets it from me. It was a really fun day. Both kids were in a really good mood, which is really nice, especially on a day like today. Dalton wanted a present too, so Braden gave his older brother one of his presents to open. It was so sweet. We also got Dalton a Lightning McQueen car, the size of a matchbox car, that was from Braden.

We ordered a Subway Party Planner, with a variety of different 3 inch subs for lunch. It was great. It was so easy. And much healthier than ordering pizza. And I didn't have the hassle of cooking, which normally I don't mind. But today was hectic. And we are a big family. When everyone gets together & no one brings any friends, there are 10 of us.

Instead of birthday cake, I made cupcakes. I love making cupcakes over cake. Less tempting to eat too large of a serving. I also served reduced fat ice cream, which everyone commented was really good & creamy. Little did they know, it wasn't as full of fat as they thought it did.

Happy Birthday Braden! Mommy loves you!

My commitment to a healthier lifestyle

2007-03-03T19:16:00.000-05:00

I am at a point where I really need to focus on my commitment. I am finding that I am having a really hard time staying on program. I am not as good about eating all of my fruits & veggies, like I was. I am still losing weight each week, but not as much. My goal, starting right this very moment, is to really concentrate eating better.

As for exercising: I feel like it's going great. I am really enjoying it. I never thought I would say that. When I was thin & in great shape, I think I really took for granted how easy it was to do simple, every day things in life. But I am getting to a point, where I am finally able to have more energy & stamina. It feels good & makes me proud.

It's Amazing

2007-03-01T21:40:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how much things have changed in the past 2 years. Two years ago today, I was preparing for the birth of my second child. I was a mess, emotionally. I was newly divorced & scared. I was terrified of the thought of going through labor & also motherhood, on my own. I knew that I had to do it. That my children were going to need for me to be strong. My oldest, Dalton, was 19 months old. He needed me. And his little brother needed me. On March 4, 2005 (03-04-05 my ob-gyn pointed out before delivery!), my supportive parents drove me to the hosital to be induced one week early, while my sweet grandma stayed with Dalton.

We arrived at the hospital. I was so nervous. I had a c-section the first time around. It was quick, but the pain while healing was horrific. I had a hard enough time, caring for Dalton, when he was born. I knew that I wouldn't be able to go through that & take care of two children. I was given the medicine to start contractions. After the contractions started & got to be strong, I was given an epidural for the pain. A few hours later, Braden Mitchell was born. Both of my parents were there, to hold my hand. (I just had a funny thought! All of the men reading this are saying, "No, for the love of god, STOP!!!)

Braden turns 2 on Sunday. I am feeling really emotional about it. I know that he has to grow up. But he is my baby. Probably my last child. And he is growing up. I think I really know how my parents must have felt, as I hit all of my major milestones in life.

It's good to be back online

2007-02-28T23:03:00.000-05:00

My laptop decided to quit last week. I was running on battery operation & I it down, to save the battery. Then I decided to log back in & for some reason, windows wouldn't load properly. It was extremely annoying. This was Thursday night. Friday morning, I took my precious laptop into Circuit City. I felt so lost without it. My kitchen counter looked so empty, without my laptop sitting there. So I waited & waited & waited. Waiting is not one of my strong suits. I can't help it. I try. I just really have a hard time waiting. So I called Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday, when they finally told me that it was just about ready. So now I am back online.
What have I been up to this week? Let's see... I felt like I didn't really have a great week. I skipped going to the gym on Monday & missed doing my crunches a couple of days. I also didn't feel like I ate as well as I should have. I was expecting a weight gain & seriously considered skipping my ww meeting Tuesday night. I still lost .6 lbs. I was thrilled! So now I am back on track. I didn't really want to go to the gym today. My back was aching & I was feeling really tired. But we went anyways. But everything felt great once I hopped onto the elliptical machine. My back stopped hurting. My tiredness went away. I happily... I am not sure what verb to use for using an elliptical machine. It's not really running. It's not really cross-country skiing. What do I call it? Elliptical-ising? Elliptical-ing? I digress. I was on the elliptical machine, happily listening to TLC on my mp3 player. I just closed my eyes & concentrated on not singing out loud. How embarrassing would that be? It was a great workout. No, it was an awesome workout. My machine decided to have a mind of it's own & change the resistance settings, but it felt great. I think I may not have been pushing myself enough. But now I know that I am ready to move on to a more challenging level.

A weight loss?!!!

2007-02-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

As you know, I jusst returned from a 10+ day vacation in Hawaii. I didn't keep track of what I was eating, which is very bad, I know. And of course, I had to indulge in some chocolate covered macadamia nuts, while I was there. Plus the bag that I brought home with me. Thank god it's gone & is no longer sitting around, to tempt me. So I was hoping to maintain my weight, while I was gone. And if I even lost .1, I was going to be thrilled with that. My goal was not to gain more than a pound. So I went to my meeting with that mindset & thinking of all of the food that I had eaten & how I haven't been to the gym since we left for vacation, at the beginning of February. The anticipation of waiting to find out how much I had gained was driving me nuts. I patiently waited in line, for my weigh in. Now, this is not an easy thing for me to do. I am not a patient person. I just wanted to find out my current weight, so the wait would be over. (No pun intended!) Finally, it was my turn. I timidly walked up to the scale, removed my sweatshirt (don't worry... I had a t-shirt on under it!) & also my shoes. I took a deep breath & boldly stepped up on the scale. And waited... See? I'm really not good at this whole waiting thing. Finally, the receptionist looked up at me & smiled.

Two pounds! That's 2, as in T W O. As in, I am 2 pounds less than I was before the superbowl. I am 2 pounds lighter than I was in Kauai. Even with my not alway so good choices, I am down 2 lbs.

Don't worry though. I am already writing down everything I eat again. Back on track finally. We plan on going to the gym tomorrow, to get back into our routine of going three times a week. We didn't go yesterday. But we did shovel snow for over an hour & had a snowball fight. So I did get some activity in yesterday.

Happy Fat Tuesday, everyone!

Getting back on track

2007-02-17T20:12:00.000-05:00

Okay. I am now back to the real world & need to get back on program. I have to admit. I didn't track my points at all, the whole time that we were on vacation. I know... it was "bad" to do that. But I did make sure that I watched my portions & made healthy decisions most of the time. I even took one of my exercise balls, so I did anywhere between 200 - 350 crunches every morning. Plus walking during the day & swimming most days. If I allowed myself a treat that I normally wouldn't have, I made sure I did some sort of exercise that evening.

When we got back yesterday, we went to Burger King for lunch (since we hadn't gone to the grocery store yet). I was really tempted to get a burger & fries, but I didn't. I got the Tendergrill chicken salad & iced tea.

I am glad that we came home when we did. It would have been really easy to let old habits slip back into my life. If I go on a vacation again, I will definately write everything down again. It keeps me on track.

My next weigh-in is Thursday & I am very anxious to see how I did. If I even lost .1 lbs, I will be thrilled! My goal was to maintain my weight, while on vacation. And if I did gain, I will not let it get me down.

I'm back!

2007-02-17T12:06:00.000-05:00

I am back from a wonderful vacation. It was warm & beautiful. We even missed the blizzard that hit home. 17 inches of snow! Wow! And some wonderful neighbor cleared our driveway for us... twice!

I felt like I did really well on vacation. I actually didn't get to a ww meeting. I had forgotten to take the address with us. But I still feel great about how I did.

For anyone who saw the anonymous comment under my post "Fat Denial", all I can say is... that person is the one who needs help. I am trying to change my life to get healthy & being thin is just going to be a great bonus! I decided to delete this comment, because I don't need negative comments. I am also not going to allow anonymous comments anymore. If someone has something to say, they should have guts enough to say them without hiding behind being "anonymous".

Thanks again for everyone's support! It really helps me to know that I am not doing this alone!

God Vs. Satan

2007-02-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, green, yellow, and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Kreme Donuts. In addition, Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" Moreover, Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "And as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." In addition, they gained 10 pounds.Satan smiled.

God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. Woman went from size 6 to size14.

Therefore, God said, "Try my fresh green salad." Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons, and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake,"and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might losethose extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin, sliced the starchy center into chips, and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-centdouble cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?"And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good."

And Man went into cardiac arrest. God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs!

Fat Denial

2007-02-03T12:46:00.000-05:00

A while ago, I had decided that it was okay for me to be fat. That I just didn't have enough strength & willpower to get myself thin & healthy. And besides, those who really love me, will love me for exactly who I am. I accepted that & just tried to do other things to make myself feel good. I tried to do my make up, which I find very difficult with 2 toddlers. I tried to make sure that I did my hair, another difficult task. I tried to be flirtatious, since, at the time, I was single & gosh darnit, anyone who was going to date me was going to love me... fat & all. Then I eventually got remarried. And I would say, "Megan, you should get in shape." So I would overambitiously join a gym & go way too often for me to start out. Then I would say "See? It's just too hard to do this. I am happy with myself & I am healthy. My husband loves me. So why bother?" But I was lying. I lied to myself, which is heartbreaking. I wasn't happy with myself. And even though, I currently don't have any health problems related to my weight, I know that it is a very real possiblity that I could end up with heart problems, joint problems, diabetes, ect. I tried to lie to myself, that that wasn't going to happen to me.

But I am seeing things clearly now. I am being honest with myself. I know my weight has been holding me back. Before gaining weight, I was such a vibriant person. I haven't been that person in a long time, but I hope to get that person back. I was a thin teenage girl. Then I was a fat adult woman. Now I am going to be a thin adult woman. Hopefully, a little more wiser & a lot more careful with my eating & exercise habits.

I was in Fat Acceptance. No... it was more than that. It was Fat Denial. But not anymore.

My day of rest

2007-02-01T16:58:00.000-05:00

I decided that today was going to be my day of rest. I went to the gym on Monday & then also Tuesday, to help make up for eating fast food on Monday. Wednesday was a normal workout day, so we went then too. I am anxious to go tomorrow, after resting today.

It's really freezing outside. I can't wait to be in Hawaii & soak up the warm sun! I really dislike the cold weather. I am doing lots of planning, to help me stay on track, while we are there. We will be doing lots of walking & swimming (in safe coves, of course!). I am thinking about deflating my stability ball, & taking it with me, to make sure I stay really active. I think it will be okay. It will definately be a challenge, to be good though!

Working out

2007-01-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

Today, I had to really make myself go to the gym. Normally, Karl & I go together, but we have had to go apart the last couple of times, because of the kid being sick. I was all excited about going, early on. But as the morning wore on, I just didn't really want to go. But I forced myself to go. And it was a really good workout. I realized, today, that I find it much easier to workout now. I used to really have a hard time, doing cardio. So today, I was on the elliptical machine & I just hit this stride. I was going at a nice, fast pace, my heart rate was up & I thought "I am actually having a good time."

Happy Dance Time!

When kids are sick

2007-01-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

Well, Braden's sniffles, turned into the flu over the weekend. As a mommy, there is nothing more frusterating, then when your kids are sick & there isn't a darn thing that you can do about it. But luckily, today, he is acting like his usual cheery self! But just in case he is contagious, we are working out separately again.

I don't want to catch whatever Braden has had, so I have been taking Airborne, in hopes of not getting sick. How awful would that be if one of us got sick before & during our vacation? Not to mention, that is a LONG flight!

I have my next weigh in tomorrow. And I am very proud of myself... I followed my goal this week & didn't step on our at home scale once! Happy Dance time!

Braden just brought me a book & said "Mommy, read this to me!" and then a "Please" when I just looked at him. So I am going to read a story called "The Girl Who Lost Her Smile". Have a wonderful Monday!

Going to the Gym... Alone

2007-01-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

Both kids had a slight runny nose today, so we knew they shouldn't go to childcare at the gym today. So we decided to go separately today. It was the first time that we have ever done that. I had a haircut appointment this morning & then I just went straight to the gym afterwards. I had a really good, hard workout. I pushed myself a little, which was good. Then I drove home & when I walked in the door, my youngest son, Braden, came running up to me & wanted to be picked up. It was really nice--he doesn't do that very often. :)

We have no plans for the weekend, so far. But who knows... something fun might come up!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A Healthy Weight

2007-01-26T00:31:00.000-05:00

I absolutely can't stand America's obsession with being "perfect". Recently, there have been lots of stories & pictures circulating of Tyra Banks & her reported weight gain, since quitting modeling. She says that her current weight is 161 lbs, which for her 5 foot 10 inch frame is still in the healthy range. (weight watchers website says her max should be 167)

I applaud her for saying that she is healthy & for fighting back against her critics. Now she is a role model for young girls to look up to!

My scale

2007-01-23T21:28:00.000-05:00

I think that your scale can be your best friend (if you are losing weight) or your worst enemy (if you are gaining weight or staying the same weight, when you want to lose weight).

My scale at home is driving me INSANE!!! It's sitting right inside my bedroom door. It's the first thing I see, as I enter my room & the last thing that I see, before I leave my room. It's sitting there, taunting me, "Megan... come stand on me & see if you lost any more weight" Ugh! The past couple of weeks, I have realized that my scale (probably any scale) changes ALL day long. Or rather... my weight fluctuates ALL DAY LONG! So I am making it a goal this week to not step on my scale at all this week. At least until my next ww weigh in. It doesn't matter what that number says anyways. I know that I am eating the way that I should & exercising more & more. My wedding band & engagement ring are already starting to feel really loose. (It makes me nervous, when I swim!) And I can see that I am thinner, in my face. I am fitting into jeans that I haven't been able to wear comfortably for a while now. I am making progress. That scale will do nothing but drive me nuts... so I am not going to let it tempt me anymore.

Weigh in

2007-01-23T19:24:00.000-05:00

I am down another 1.4 pounds, for a total of 4.8 pounds lost so far!

I know, I know... focus on my non-scale goals. But at least I can see my weight dropping. More on part two of my non-scale goals later.

Changes

2007-01-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

My next weigh in is tonight. I am a little nervous that I haven't lost any. I know that I shouldn't judge my successes by the scale. So, with that in mind, I am going to recap my recent achievements:

I have been going to the gym consistantly & also do exercises at home.

I have more stamina than I have in a long time.

I have more energy to play with my children.

I am able to get more things done around the house.

I have been eating healthy foods.

I have been eating healthy portions.

I have been teaching my children about healthy eating.

What changes have you made that you are proud of?

Crunch Challenge

2007-01-23T11:08:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, I joined an online challenge. You are supposed to do 100 crunches a day, every day until Spring. I thought "Great! This will force me to do something every day" I did my 100 on Sunday with no problem. I did my 100 on Monday with no problem. Then we went to the gym & I got over-ambitious & did some more ab work with weights. UGH! Big mistake!

I feel good today... just a little sore. That is, until I try to do a crunch & I hurt so bad. I am hoping to get in at least some crunches tonight.

Superbowl

2007-01-21T22:55:00.000-05:00

I am not a huge football fan, but I can stand to watch a game or two a week (or parts of it). And of course, being from Indiana, I watched the Colts tonight.

Colts fans are often "fairweathered", depending on if the Colts are winning. Indy is definately hopping tonight!

All I can say is, "Go Colts!"

My mood matches the weather outside

2007-01-21T17:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, I feel as though, lately, most of my focus has been on eating right or exercising. I have also been really busy with family life.

I guess that as my new lifestyle change becomes more automatic, I will think about it less often, and it becomes more natural.

I think I just have a case of the Blahs today. I had a rough night, early this morning. My youngest son, woke up crying. Even though, I was able to easily get him back in bed, it took me over an hour to get back to sleep. And the weather has just been dreary today. It snowed maybe an inch overnight & now most everything has turned to this dirty slush. I fear that, as the temperature drops, everything will freeze, since it's SO wet out.

Maybe I will go do some exercises, to help boost by mood.

It's kind of funny, as I just typed that last sentence, I remembered a line from one of my favorite movies, Legally Blonde. I will recap, for anyone who has not seen this movie. Reese Witherspoon's character was going on & on about how this person is really well known for her exercises & is also on trial for murdering her husband. She says that "Exercise creates endorphines. Endorphines make you happy. Happy people do not kill their husbands!"

Okay... not that made me smile!

What do you crave?

2007-01-20T23:03:00.000-05:00

What kind of cravings do you have? Salty or sweet?

I generally don't really crave either that often, but when I do, it's either & it's a really strong craving.

Today, I went to my brother's all day swim meet. There were lots of opportunities for me to stumble & fall. The vending machines & concession stand are just Oh-So-Tempting. But I knew what to expect, so I went prepared. I brought fresh fruit & also sandwiches for lunch for all of us. And I sat there & just about drooled on every single person that walked by with a soft pretzel with cheese sauce. My mom pointed out that one probably wasn't bad, so I checked & sure enough... one was only 3 points & I figured that if I chose cheese sauce, that would be another point. So I allowed myself this tasty snack & then I was fine for the rest of the meet. I didn't care that other people had it. I didn't feel deprived. And best of all: I didn't use any of my flex points or activity points.

Happy dance time!

Also... anyone have any idea what the intensity level for weight machines are? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Patience, patience, PATIENCE!!!

2007-01-19T22:56:00.000-05:00

Patience is not one of my strongest suits. I try, I really do. But I just have a hard time waiting for things. Once I decide to do something, I am ready to do it. To jump in with both feet.

I decided that I was ready to get my life totally in order & lose this weight & get fit. I am steadily working towards that goal & will continue to work towards that goal. I know that my life depends on me succeeding. My children need me. Failure is not an option for me this time.

I know that I didn't put this weight on overnight & that I am not going to lose it overnight.
I just need to have... ugh!... P A T I E N C E ! ! ! ! ! ! !

I am hoping for a slow & steady weight loss. But I am still very anxious to really SEE the results of my efforts.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

My new motto, that I came up with tonight:

It's better to let food on my plate go to waste, then to go to my waist!

I Faced My Demons & Won!

2007-01-17T18:26:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been trying to realize how I was able to gain so much weight. If I can figure out how it happened, then I can prevent it from happening again.

So far, I have come up with several reasons.

One. I have not been as active as I should have been.

B. I allowed too much of my entertainment to revolve around eating & sitting (tv, reading, scrapbooking, crafts)

3. I consume more regular soda, than I should. I used to drink 1 - 2 pepsi's a day, but I haven't had any since starting weight watchers.

Four. I was eating portions that were WAY too big for me. I am now eating off of the small plate in our set & not going back for seconds. I am watching what I cook, to make sure that I don't cook too much for all of us.

E. Now this is a big one for me. I was eating fast food too often. Before I had children & was working, I would just go out for fast food everyday that I worked. And it shows now. And recently, I haven't always planned ahead & it was just quick & easy to go out to eat. Now, I think ahead about what I am going to do for my meals. And I have gotten into the habit of taking an apple with me, when we go to the gym, so I can munch on that & not be starving, when we get home.

So anyways... I digress. Back to facing my demons. We had to pick up my Grandma today, from her eye doctor (she had to have cataract surgery). When we got there, she still wasn't out of surgery, so we decided to go & grab a bite to eat, since all four of us needed to eat. And we went to Burger King. I used to just order one of the numbered meals (sandwich, fries & coke). But not anymore. I ordered a Tendergrill Garden Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing & a small iced tea. I was SO proud of myself. I even counted how many points my dressing was going to be & was SHOCKED that for the packet of dressing that they gave me would be 7 points! 7 out of my precious 31 points! (I am starting to get stingy with points & find that I have a REALLY HARD time eating them all!) Anyways, so I looked at that packet & thought... you know, this is really way too much dressing that I would need anyways. So I tore a tiny hole in it & drizzled a small, but enough amount on my salad. I think that most of it was still left in the packet & I figure I probably only had 2 points for the dressing (if that much).

I even ordered the healthier choice for the kids meals. Normally we order them chicken or a cheeseburger, fries & drink (usually hi-c or orange soda). But I want for them to learn now, what it took me 25 years to learn. If I can stop them from going through this, I will. And you know what? They were happy with what we gave them. And I was happy with what they were eating.

The hardest part about today's trip, was Karl's drink (and watching him eat a burger, fries & coke!) When I went up to fill my iced tea, I was going to fill his coke, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It would have been too tempting to just fill my drink with coke also. So I didn't.

So now, I am doing my Happy Dance, because I faced my fast food demons & they didn't overcome me. I hope everyone can find them same sense of pride in themselves, as I felt today!

Non-scale Goals Part One

2007-01-16T23:26:00.000-05:00

I think, as a woman, it's really hard not to focus on the number on the scale or on the size of my jeans. I really do want to be healthy, but let's face it: I can't wait to fit into some really cute clothes!

I am very tired of my weight keeping me from living my life & the more active that I am, the more that I will be able to do.

Okay... I am going to try very hard & follow some good advice that was given to me. *See comments on previous post.

1. I want to be able to run, without my knees hurting.

2. I want to be able to keep up with my 2 children. They have an endless amount of energy & I need to be able to keep up with them.

3. I want to be able to fit comfortably in some chairs in public, such as an airplane seat.

I think I have to work on these goals & try to add to them. I try to think about what I want to gain in my life by losing weight, but I keep coming up with a weight range or a certain size clothes that I want to be in.

2nd meeting

2007-01-16T19:56:00.000-05:00

I lost 3.4 pounds this week!

I feel like doing The Happy Dance!

But my dinner is waiting for me, so I will do the dance later! FYI: dinner is baked tilapia on a bed of rice with broccoli on the side.

The First Snowfall

2007-01-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

It was the first significant snowfall of the winter. We only got an inch of snow & temperature in the twenties, but this is how our mailbox faired.

Luckily for the poor mailbox, my husband was able to get it back up & standing straight again.

On the brighter side of things: I can't wait to get all bundled up & take the kids out, to play in the snow. My oldest son doens't like walking on new things. Dalton didn't like walking on grass, but he got over it. He didn't like walking on sand, but he was getting better at it (a good thing too, since we are going to Kauai in less than three weeks now.) Dalton came downstairs, this morning & said "Is that 'no out there?" And then "I want to go build a 'no-man out there!" So hopefully, it will go well & he will have a good time.

I am going to go out & teach my boys how to build a snowman, er... 'no-man!

Ignore this post

2007-01-15T23:21:00.000-05:00

Picture test

Weigh-in day

2007-01-15T21:39:00.000-05:00

Well, tomorrow will be my very first weigh-in since being on the ww program. According to my scale, I have lost 4 pounds. I may very well take Brian's advice & just throw my scale away.

I am very anxious to just get the weigh in over with. I wish that it was first thing in the morning, rather than evening. Oh well.

I also, went searching for ww meetings in Kauai, since we will be vacationing there in less than a month. I found one on the whole island. But I am definately going to make sure that I go. I want to make sure that I succeed & the meetings will help keep me on track.

We went to visit my family tonight. One of our beloved family cats is nearing the end of her life & I wanted to make sure that I got to say my goodbye. My whole family is being very supportive of me, in my weight loss efforts. Dad was bringing home pizza for everyone, for dinner tonight. He also brought me a delicious salad, so I could eat that & some pizza tonight too. It was very thoughtful of him, to consider me. Mom also stopped my sister from making cookie dough (which I LOVE!!!). "You'll make your sister blow all of her points," she told her. Although, I think I would have been okay. I might have taken a spoonful & counted how many points it would have been. I have only used one flex point & one activity point this week.

Goodbye Christmas Tree!

2007-01-14T16:30:00.000-05:00

It's almost the middle of January. It's well past time to take down our christmas tree.

But let me tell you... it was a pain in the butt to put up. This is a nine foot tall tree that we spent about 3 hours, just putting the tree together. And that's not counting the additional 5 hours that we spent decorating the tree the next day.

So I figured that I was going to get as much use out of this tree as possible.

I think that Shelby will be mad at me, because by taking the tree down, I am taking away her hiding spot! When the boys are chasing her, she runs up the tree to hide.

A part of me is sad, to take the tree down. But I always am really happy to get out all of the christmas decorations, the following christmas. So Goodbye Christmas Tree... until next Christmas!

Running in the cold

2007-01-14T16:19:00.000-05:00

I am convinced that people around here are CRAZY!!! This morning alone, I saw about half a dozen people out running & ALL of them were in SHORTS! One guy was even SHIRTLESS!!! Don't they realize that it's the middle of JANUARY!!! And that the temperatures are at or just above FREEZING!!! The weather forecast was calling for freezing rain & then snow. And these people are out running in SUMMER clothes in the middle of WINTER!

Okay, all kidding aside... I admire their dedication to their health & fitness.

My clothes have a weight?!!!

2007-01-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know that I should just stay away from the scale during the week, so I don't get frusterated my weight fluctuations. But I can't help it.

I always weigh myself in the morning, in my nightgown. And I did today again too. I was down another 1 1/2 lbs. I was really excited & then I got dressed & just wanted to make sure that I had read the scale correctly. Then I was up a litte. I discovered that my jeans & shirt weigh 2 lbs! TWO!!! I wonder if they will let me weigh in naked at my next weight watchers meeting?