How to get skinny

The night before, you lay out your clothes (including socks), or sleep in them.

You've put a couple water bottles in the fridge the night before too.

Wake up to the alarm, turn it off, get out of bed get dressed.

It's cold, you're tired, but you've decided you want this.

You've already made lunches, had everyone get their things ready the night before, and gotten up an hour before the first one in the house is up, so quickly set the table for breakfast.

You go outside and walk/run. You don't care if it's cold, snowy or rainy. You must do something for yourself, and this is it.


You come home after your 10, 15, 30, 45 minute workout. Hey, anything is something more than nothing.

If no one is up, quickly jump in the shower.

If they're up, make sure they're eating and then go take a shower.

(Your day will go better if you have taken a shower before everyone leaves.)

Kids are off, you make yourself a bowl of oatmeal, and whole grain toast. Sit down at the table and eat. Still hungry? It's oatmeal, have some more and add some fruit.

While eating, you make a plan to stay busy during the times you are the hungriest. Call someone on the phone you haven't talked to on the phone, and fold laundry. Go to the playland at the mall, meet a friend at the park, go to the library, or run errands.

You don't forget to grab healthy snacks and stash them in your purse. You are allowed to snack, just on the right food.


Noon. Sure, you're a little worn out, but after a couple weeks of exercising, you'll be blessed with added energy. It's okay to take a nap or do something for yourself. Paint your toenails, shave your legs. Drink water.

1/2 before the kids get home, you make something you can all snack on together. Fresh veggies and fat free ranch? 94% fat free popcorn? Bran muffins? Pineapple?
Something quick and delicious.

Dinner has been thrown in the crock pot in the morning, or is planned out. You've thought about it ahead of time so you don't give into fast food or boxed meals.

After homework is finished, you make sure everyone makes their lunches, and lays out everything for the next day.

Before the Kids go to bed, they help you put the house to bed. It's so much easier to face the morning if you're not overwhelmed with housework.

After they go to bed, mommy time, you watch t.v. but you lay on the floor and do leg lifts or crunches. Maybe you sit and crochet to keep your hands busy. Maybe you choose to read a book instead.

You go to bed at a reasonable time because you know you have to wake up early.

You pray and give thanks for what you did accomplish, even if it wasn't perfect.

Tomorrow is another day to try again.

When you fall down, you get back up because you don't like staying on the ground.

Can't walk/run a mile or two? Get a calendar and work yourself up to it. Set a goal. One week you'll walk/run 1/4 mile, the next week you'll run 1/2, and so on. Make it a goal to run in a 5k this summer, or sign up for a fundraising walk and work towards that. Get someone to join you.

In four months, when summer comes you can either be heavier, the same weight, or skinnier. The good news is, you can choose which one you want to be.

“Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted”

I am not perfect. I gain weight, I lose weight. We all have bad days, weeks, months. The important thing is that you try to better yourself.

I'm going to have to give up the blog. It's been fun, but it's just not something I can keep up anymore. Hey, here's an idea! Why don't you start a blog about your weight loss? It just might give you the motivation you need.

Thank you and good night.

How To Get Fat

Wake up to the alarm, turn it off, go back to sleep. "Too tired."

Wake up to the sunlight, realize everyone is late, run around shoving food in various children's faces, locate backpacks, make lunches for everyone but yourself, find the lost shoe. No time to eat breakfast.

Kids are off, busy day ahead breakfast for you is the left over food items in the various bowls and plates before the dishes go into the sink. A combo of frozen waffles, eggs, and cheerios. Not too bad, kind of delicious, no portions, couldn't be too big, just the little bits of left overs.

Forget to pack healthy snacks in purse for you - way too busy, way too rushed.

Noon, stomach is growling, there was no snack and now I am STARVING. What to eat? Can't make it home, mind is stressed, seek out most comforting food available (super tacos at Jack-in-the-box)and a milkshake. Justify it by the thought that this is just once, and an emergency, and you deserve it. Besides, what harm can one bad lunch do?

Home, time to make after school snacks, cheap and fast is easier and tastier than healthy and time consuming. Hmmm, looks good, one bite can't hurt, two, three, lose control, immediate gratification is way better than some idea of skinny you can never achieve. Give up on diet the rest of the day is shot.

Dinner is fabulous frozen lasagna, figure -"already blew it, I will try tomorrow."

Kids go to bed, its mommy time, TV, computer, no work out- way too tired. Find hidden emergency stash of peanut m&m's and ice cream. Think of the tough day you had figure "I deserve this," eat right out of the carton. Up too late. Don't set out running clothes for morning, can't find ipod, don't know where other shoe is - promise to find it in the morning. Hit pillow too late and way too tired.

Morning. Can't wake up. Too tired. Can't find clothes anyway, Without ipod I will be too bored, I will go tomorrow. Hit snooze....

Next post: How To Get Skinny

resolutions

My natural man is really an enemy to God, sometimes I think more than most. My problem is that I am secretly lazy. If I allowed my natural self to have its way I would be parked, watching old movies and eating, I might get up, and get bored, but I would just change to a different form of entertainment. With one pregnancy while stuck in bed, I read up to 3 sometimes 4 books a week. Except for the pain I was in, I was pretty content. That is what concerns me. Deep down I aspire to be a lump.

So alas, my struggle is evident: The good vs. the bad, Darth vs. Luke, Bo Duke vs. Boss Hogg, and Lazy me, vs. Busy me.

That is where friends come in handy. It is hard to find a good work out partner, but life is so much better if you can. It is nice to have someone to check me on my lazy spots and make me get out of bed on my worst days. Heavenly Father is the best resource. He knows just who to pick. Six times I got down on my knees and asked for help and each time the lord provided the best walking partners: Laura, Ronda, Kelli, Kim, Sloan, and Reena. He showed me who to ask, and each time they became my best friends, therapists, and companions.

Because of a crazy schedule, I have been without a partner for a long time. I realize now that I need someone to work with because it is increasingly tempting to stop. I got back on my knees. I received a prompting. I let my new partner know. And this morning he accompanied me at 5:15 for the start of a beautiful relationship. Heavenly Father picked my husband. It was fun to inform Mel that the Lord made him a New Years resolution, I am excited to see what we have in store.

new year new post

I am always going to be on the roller coaster of weight loss. I took off the extra weight, but I battle the same 5 pounds every day. They just want to be back where they are comfortable. So I have to work at it constantly.

Heavenly Father is amazing. I strive to hear the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I plead with Father in my morning prayers that he will open my ears to hear and recognize those promptings. In the evenings I plead for forgiveness, I am showed what I did wrong, and instead of feeling defeated He makes me feel excited to start fresh and see what course corrections I need to make. I strive to surrender each day to Him and the days I am successful I find that His plans fit me way better than my own.

Oprah said on her best life show something to the effect that her over eating is a sign that she needs balance. We look to her and other celebrities, biggest looser, weight watchers to give us that balance, so that we can become healthy.

We get blinded, loose perspective and forget James 1:5 - "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not." It is only God who can truly help.

There is no way for me to find balance get healthy and loose weight, without the Lord in my life. I ask, he gives. I complain, he comforts, I am lost, he guides.

He has shown me talents that I didn't even think I could per sue. He keeps my hands busy so that I cant mindlessly shovel food into my mouth. I love Him, and unbelievably, I find He loves me more.

Self Talk

There is really no reason to buy your Halloween candy early. Stores will still have candy for you on October 31st. You know it, I know it. There is no real justification for the early purchase other than the fact that you are going to keep it hidden from your kids and in times of stress hide yourself with it. You are not fooling anyone. The chocolate stains on you blouse will give you away. Stay away from the Hershey bars, we know who you are buying it for - whether you are conscious of it or not. It is a known fact that chocolate is for moms, gross sour cheap candy is for the kids.

And if you are carrot, my sister and wittnessed my disgraseful begging for and scarfing of chocolate kisses this past weekend, well just keep quiet. It was just "that time" I swear I am turning over a new leaf.

Yes, I know, at least you aren't as old as me.

Happy Birthday Carrot!

Lame that I am putting this on one day late, but really carrot, who doesn't love to celebrate for two days in a row? Besides, I celebrated with you two days early soooo, it stands to reason that this is right on time.

Image of my father

I had a dream the other night that a girl in my ward came up to me and said "you think you are so great, but you still could lose 10 more pounds - why have you stopped? What is wrong with you?"

A few years ago I went to pick up my mothers dry cleaning. The owner of the shop knew and loved my mother. Her praises were eloquent: "Oh your mother is so beautiful so fun, she dresses so well, she looks so young and classy!" After a short pause she added as an after thought... "you look like your dad I think" That was it.

There is an invisible crowd of imaginary people that I sometimes feel are watching me - judging me - giving me an impossible line I cannot reach. Those imaginary people I try to please and when I fall short I say WHO CARES! and then to prove to them that I DON'T CARE I shove as much food in my mouth as possible, basking in my independence laughing because "I WILL SHOW THEM!" Somehow I have imagined a battle and in my imagined fight have hurt myself. Those people I feel are watching me and judging me probably feel the same way about me.

The very phrase "WHO CARES! that gives me permission to eat until sick assumes the answer is that no one cares how fat I get or how miserable I am and if they do care they aren't going to help anyway. I mistakenly assume I should find comfort any way I can and eating is a quick easy fix.

That is why I love dieting with prayer. In the morning when I pray, I ask for help to overcome the temptation to solve problems with food. I am taught that that HE CARES. When I remember that I get on my knees and he shows me comfort, help, love and direction.

1 Nephi 21:14-16: "But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.
15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;"

my CREATIONS

Following Elder Uchdorf's advice (see post below) I copied pictures from Archie comics and a story book of my son's. I think Cartooning is the way to go because there is no shading and no perspective stuff. Now If I can just draw a duck...

The Devils Workshop

"Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children."

There is a sedentary part of motherhood. I oversee piano lessons, drive and wait for kids in the car, oversee homework and computer time - you get the idea. Add to that watching TV programs, books, computer time and phone conversations and my Heine gets plenty of sit time.

I have to admit that I enjoy the sedentary part of my life. The only problem that I can see is that lounging pairs itself effortlessly to eating. The old quote: "idle hands are the devils workshop" could also be changed to idle hands and a sitting bum are Ben and Jerry magnets.

Elder Uchdorfs talk inspired me. If my problem is that I eat when I am still, creating, and keeping my hands busy can keep my mouth empty. I brought back out my crochet hooks and during conference I crocheted a lace edging around a fleece blanket. I felt immensly satisfied because I created and stayed away from the peanut m&m's.

I now want to gain a skill. I want to draw like my brother. My tallented family intimidates me and make me embarrassed to try. Drawing a duck for my daughter depressed me when I had to explain just where the beak was.

A few weeks ago I grabbed an Archie comic book and started cartooning. If I do say so myself I have got Betty and Veronica down. I attempted Ethel but have a bit of work to do on her. You would think she would be easy, but ugly is hard.

I titled my spiral note book "I Wanna Draw" and last night watching the biggest loser I filled up 8 pages of doodles. It was so much fun, very satisfying and completely calorie free. I have found that creating really does have a bigger payoff than eating...Who Knew?? I am so thankful for inspired church leaders. Heavenly Father did not leave us alone to figure it out. I feel very loved!

p.s. Thank you to you all for reading my ramblings. Your comments have meant a lot to me, I am amazed that you all came back! I really needed to do this, I have lost another 2 pounds. Being accountable to an invisible audience works wonders.

Product placement

I had a blueberry cobbler left over from Sunday that my mom gave our family. I had it in a Tupperware at eye level in my fridge. Each time I opened my fridge my eyes landed on it and I was forced by reason to grab a fork and have a taste.

Pretty soon I was seeing a pattern. I open the fridge hundreds ( I exaggerate a bit) of times each day, each time getting a taste of the satanic cobbler. The goods were shrinking in the bowl and I realized I was the one making it disappear. When my eyes were opened to my folly I took the cobbler and put it on the lower shelf behind the chicken and ketchup thus making it invisible to my lustful eye. There I hoped that it would suffer the fate of other lost refrigerated goods and grow a nice beard of moldy blue. "Out of sight out of mind" really works for me.

Last night at dinner I offered the goods to my family and what they didn't eat I forced into the sink, flooding it with water. I just didn't know for how long I would remain safe, I had to get rid of the crack cocaine of the dessert world.

Grocery Stores know that product placement is very important - putting the more expensive items at eye level. We the consumer have no idea how gullible we are. When I put goodies at eye level I feed into my own trap. The kitchen feels like my home. I am cooking and feeding myself and others all day. I have got to make it safe.

"Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not" (Moses 1: 16)

hence (hns)
adv. From this place; away from here: "Get you hence!"

I deserve to eat breakfast

This morning in my prayer I told the Lord that I was turning the day over to Him and I asked Him to guide me. I listed my weaknesses I knew I would face and overeating was one of them.

Getting 5 kids ready and off to school is crazy and when I dropped the last school kids off I got my first impression. "You deserve to eat breakfast" As usual I had fed the kids but forgot to feed myself. Grabbing a quick bite was my instinct and the left-over brownies on the counter were the logical conclusion. The idea that I can make a meal and eat it slowly while chaos and children abound seems wrong.

I made a beautiful breakfast of whole wheat cereal and strawberries on top, using splenda as a sweetener. I set it nicely on the table and amidst the chaos I prayed thanking Heavenly Father for that meal. I wouldn't have had it had I not been given that prompting and that permission.

I don't know what it is about me that makes it seem selfish to take the time I usually dedicate to the family and kids and spend it on me, but I know now that Heavenly Father thinks I deserve it, and that makes me feel Amazingly Special.

I am down 2.5 pounds so far.

A Plan

My hubby told me that to make an airplane lighter and more fuel efficient engineers find small ways to make ordinary things lighter, arm rests, seats, dinner carts are all analyzed to see how they can shave off excess weight.

In order to make myself lighter I am going to analyze and shave off excess.

Today it will be Hot Chocolate with torianni syrup (peppermint or almond). I have been using that every day as a way to stay away from chocolate bars. Lately I have been making my cups fuller and have been indulging more often. Today I am going to buy sugar free hot chocolate and some no calorie sweetener.

That should be simple. Tomorrow I will tackle the graham crackers I dunk inside the hot chocolate.

Baby steps.

Alma 37: 6
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Back to Skinny School

Yesterday it was 7 this morning the scale said 9. last week it said 6 - Pounds. I have gained. I figure I average about 8 pounds total that I have put on. Well on my way to a new dress size.

My half hearted attempt to lose is not working, I must make a plan before everything splats in my face... and then attaches to my waist.

Being skinny doesn't come natural for me. Base line I am fat. I am sure of it. Some mornings I even wonder why I should try, the feeling of food sliding into my gullet is a comfort that pays off better than a mirror. If I wanted to be thin only to fit into skinny jeans then it just wouldn't be worth it. That motivator alone just may send me out shopping for fat pants. The tourniquet that is my skinny pants must serve not as a motivator but a reminder of - "a bright recollection of all (my) guilt. Alma 11:43

I need to remember and recommit to my weight loss motivators.

Family. As a mother I set the tone of our house. When I eat at world record pace and then go for a second term - my children race to keep up.

Self. I love the feeling of being healthy, I just do, enough said.

Blog. Silly, but I need the feeling of being accountable, even if no one reads it, I am out there for all to see

Spirit. Alma 37:47
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things (ie - my body), yea, see that ye look to God and live.

So, it is back to skinny school for me. I am getting back on the health bus, and if you will excuse me, I have an elliptical to ride.

One Step Back - Two Steps Forward

I heard once that life is like a spinning plate act. Our goal is to keep all of the plates spinning at the same time. When one starts to slow you rush to it and give it the attention it needs.

Some plates spin easier than others - some are larger and some smaller. At different times in my life I have to spend more time on some and less on another - Just when I get some plates nicely spinning I have to dash off and give a different plate attention. Some women can spin so many more plates than I can - I watch them every Sunday with envy, but when I am watching their act my plates drop.

I have to stop spinning some plates because other plates are requiring more attention right now. This blog is one of the plates that I have to drop.

I have loved doing this. Thanks everyone for your love and support. I have been lifted by all of your comments - I have been edified by your examples. I have been amazed that you all have continued to read my ramblings. It has been so fun to have this invisible family to muse to and to renew my commitment to healthy living.

I truly know that without Heavenly Fathers help I could never have accomplished my goal to get healthy. I am constantly trying to keep my yoke on so that he will continually help me pull.

"Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you..." Alma 34:39

Love,
Calamity

Happy One Hundred!

This is my 100th post, so with that thought I am going to tell you of some people that had they lived would be in their 100's. During the start of the depression my grandma and grandpa got married. They wed in the brides home and spent their first night together there as well. The bride has brothers, many of them, who thought a good joke was priceless.

The bed that grandma and grandpa were going to sleep in was complete with a fishing line attached to the end of their blanket, the other end attached to a fishing pole out the window held by her brothers. All during the night the blankets would slowly creep off of the newlyweds and go toward the window. At first the couple had no idea what was up and spent the better part of the night pulling up their blankets. Eventually they caught on and the line was severed but until then they had quite the evening.

In my journal I wrote when I was 16 I wrote of that experience and likened it to my young testimony. I said that sometimes when I am not noticing my testimony slips and that one day I hope that I will just be able to cut the lines that pull me away from the iron rod. It seems that everything the Book of Mormon tells me to remember I somehow manage to forget if I don't stay vigilant.

Of course I can liken that to my quest to stay healthy. I find myself forgetting my healthy new life. I say "It won't matter if I don't go out running today, or, Just one - no two krispy kremes, a box of chocolates, orange soda, cake and chocolate milk wont hurt just this once.

One thing that I find invaluable is my "Runners World" magazine, or the magazines and books that talk of others successes. By getting little tips and ideas I get back on my road that I need to be on. Believe me when I say the natural me would rather be on my bed with a good book and a bag of m&m's, I have to decide daily who I am going to be, and reading ways to be healthy is a big part of that decision.

Abraham speaks of his flight from Canaan and says "Therefore, eternity was our covering and our rock and our salvation..."(Abraham 2:16) Grandma and Grandpa had strings that kept them uncovered, once the strings were severed I am sure that their night was blissful. My strings that need to be severed are ignorance, justification, and not being equally yoked with the Savior. I am an emotional eater, if eternity can cover me with the peace I need I can then overcome trying to find peace through a large slice of cake. "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;" (D&C 121:7)