I'm Baaaaccckkk

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.....yet, that is :) I've just been extremely busy with working & life, so I put this blog on the back burner for a while....just like I put myself on the back burner. But.....I'm baaaccckkk :)

When I went to PA to visit my family at the end of August, I told my sister & Dad that unfortunately, I've been struggling with losing more weight because for one, I'm battling one of the wonderful changes of womenhood called menopause. I also started taking HRT a few months ago & of course, one of the side effects is weight gain :( But my sister said to me "that's just an excuse!" When she first said that, I just kinda ignored it because I know what my body is going through right now. But then the other day, it hit me.....she's right! It IS just an excuse! I shouldn't let menopause stop me from continuing on my weight loss journey! I'm going to face it head on!

I know I've set goals for myself in the past.....some of them I've made, some of them I haven't. And in the past 11 months (since my Mom passed away), I've gained back some weight :( I haven't been pushing myself as hard as I used to.....I'm not going to the gym as often as I used to......I'm not being as careful about what I put in my mouth anymore, either. But that is all going to change.....right here, right now! And tonight was a start to that change! I went to the gym & worked out for 1 hour & 25 minutes! And damn it, it felt GOOD!!!

So here it is, in writing, my new goal: By next summer (June 21, 2011), I will be down another 40 pounds! That gives me just over 7 months to lose those 40 pounds in! It's definitely doable.....I just have to push myself & DO IT! And I WILL!!!

Keep movin' & keep pushin' off the pounds!
Benita

My Magic Bullet

Okay, first of all, get your mind out of the gutter! I know that as soon as you read the title to this post, that's where it went! I'm not referring to a new sex toy.....trust me. I'm referring to this Magic Bullet:

Probably the best invention since sliced bread! I've been wanting one of these things ever since they first came out, but the price was always out of my budget.....weren't they like over $100 at first? Now that they are only $49.99 (which is still a little pricey to me), I decided to buy one & got 20% off of it using a coupon at Bed, Bath & Beyond. If you're into drinking smoothies or protein shakes, then this is a definite must! My protein shakes turn out so much thicker over doing them in my regular blender. And I like the fact that it comes with extra cups so I don't have to worry if the main one isn't clean at the time. Plus it makes just enough for one person. I also love using it for making omelets....I just put the eggs in the cup, add a tiny bit of milk & blend for a few seconds. The omelets come out so much fluffier! YUM! If you don't have one of these Magic Bullets in your kitchen, I highly recommend getting one! You won't regret it!

On the weight loss front, I was doing really good getting back into my workouts.....that is, until I ended up hurting my left shoulder.....again :( I was reading an article online that said that women tend not to lift heavy enough weights, so I decided to pump mine up a little. Well, apparently, I pumped it up a little too much :( So after almost 2 weeks of pain (hoping it would just go away on it's own, but didn't), back to the doctor I went. He wrote me a prescription to go back to physical therapy. I wasn't too happy about it at first, but I knew I needed to do it. I decided to find a different PT this time, though as I just wasn't very comfortable with the last one. And boy, am I ever glad I did find a new one! This PT is SO much better.....and should I mention cute, too! LOL But seriously.....I feel like I'm getting a much better treatment this time. First, he puts heat on my neck & shoulder areas, then he gives me the best massage followed by some stretching & then exercises. I've only gone 3 times so far & I can already tell that it's helping. Unfortunately, he doesn't want me lifting any weights or doing any cardio where I have to use my arms right now :( He said I can do the treadmill & the elliptical without the arms, plus I can still do weights on my lower body, but that's it. Darn it! Why is it that when you try to get healthier, something always seems to get in the way?

Luckily, I have been very careful with my eating lately. Almost everyday, for breakfast & lunch, I've been eating a bowl of Special K cereal instead of waffles & other junk that I would normally eat. I feel that the Special K makes me feel fuller longer & therefore, I've been eating less snacks throughout the day as well. So it's been a win-win situation. And, I have finally started losing again :) Slowly, but steadily losing.

Until next time....keep movin', but do it safely!
Benita

Slacking

As hard as it is for me to admit this, I've been slacking.....a LOT! BUT, I do have a reason.

On December 7th, 2009, my best friend, my Mom, passed away :( It was a day that I tried to prepare myself for, but wasn't prepared for at all! I got the call from Linda at 4:00 am telling me that Mom went into cardiac arrest & they weren't able to revive her. The day before, she was complaining of stomach pains, so the nursing home took her to the hospital. The doctor said she had an infection in her bowels, treated her with antibiotics & wanted to keep her overnight for observation. I prayed & prayed that night for God to watch over her.....I guess he answered my prayers by taking her to be with him so she would be out of pain, finally.

Her death has really been hitting me hard, which is why I've been slacking & just really not caring that much about my weight. And because of that, I've gained some weight back. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the stress I've been under, not to mention the fact that I've been eating everything & anything to try to 'comfort' me a little.

But 2 weeks ago, I started to get a little worried. I guess you could say it was the fact that I had to lay on my bed to zip up my jeans! SCARY! I realized that my Mom wouldn't have wanted me to give up. She was so proud of me for the weight I had already lost & that meant the world to me! All I ever wanted was for my Mom to be proud of me! That very day, I got myself back into the gym & worked my butt off! I felt like a kid riding a bike.....you never forget how to ride once you learn, right? Right.....except when you haven't done something for a while, your body lets you know it! 2 days later, I was so sore, but I didn't let that stop me. I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly again & it feels so good to be back!

Now....to get off that weight I've gained back & to continue losing until I reach my goal! Ah yes.....the fun part! I'm setting a new guideline for myself.....to reach my goal by the end of 2010. Wish me luck.....I may need it!

Keep movin'
Benita