Amber's Get Healthy Journal (Comments Welcome)

[Foxfiregrrl]

Good morning!

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I didn't really get any exercise in but it was hot and I was LAZY!
Lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup w/ sweet tea
Dinner was grilled hamburgers w/ pepperjack cheese on onion rolls, potato salad, and baked beans
After dinner was 2 vanilla vodka and cokes


I wanted to tell you guys a little about my beloved kitties! Raven, my oldest (by 2.5 weeks), brought in her first big gift today.... a chipmunk! The poor thing is dead but she has been frantically playing with it for a good 15 minutes now! She is having the best time! I took it outside and she played out there for a couple of minutes with it, then brought it right back in! Puff, the baby, seems interested, but she wants to sniff it first and Raven won't let her.
I need some PD for my kitties too. I have been reluctant to post this because it seems silly next to the things going on in other people's lives. My baby kitty, Puff, is sick. The vets don't know what is wrong with her. We took them both to be fixed about a month ago and they found that Puff was anemic. They gave us vitamins to give her, which we did. After two weeks not only was she not better, but they said she was getting worse. They said that her white and red blood cell counts are decreasing. They have tested her for feline AIDS & Lukemia and said she doesn't have that. They did a Lot of expensive blood work and did not come up with anything conclusive. They said that they had hoped that it was a blood parasite, because that is easily treatable. Since they were unable to come up with an answer for what is wrong, they are having us give her antibiotics for 2 weeks to see if that helps. If not, they said the next course of action would be to draw some bone marrow and see if that tells them anything. I am worried abut her. For the most part she seems to be ok. The main time that I notice anything is that she doesn't always play outside when she has the opportunity. Raven will play for a long time and Puff will come inside and lay down. She has been fairly active though for the last two days so HOPEFULLY the antibiotics are helping! Anyway, I LOVE my two kitties and they are such good friends! I really don't want anything bad to happen to my Puff!

Ok, I am very sorry that all my threads end up seriously depressing! I promise I'm working on that! I just don't have a whole lot of people to talk to, so you guys are who I depend on for everything, not just the wonderful encouragement you offer for my weight loss attempts! I appreciate you guys sticking with me during this time when I know that I haven't been doing what I should on the weight loss front. I have really been off track and I have to get going with the exercise again! I know they say that it takes like 2 or 3 weeks to make something a habit, but not that long to undo a habit. I haven't been doing my regular exercise routine in a month. I am afraid I am out of the habit now. I WILL get back into the habit though!! I must!! I have my future babies to think of! Oh, yeah, I read something yesterday that said that giving birth is like a marathon! I thought HMM.. all the more reason to get my butt back in gear and work on my training more!!

Well, gonna go play with my kittens now! Hope you guys are having a great weekend!!

 

[lindalinda]

Aww some PD for your kittie! I hope she gets better soon!

My cat brought us a most delightful mole a couple of days ago. Somehow, I am just not as charmed as she would like by this!

Have you heard anythign yet about the new position you were hoping for? Or is that just a matter of waiting it out? If it is I hope time flies on by for you until you can transfer.

Later girl!

 

[kmp1191]

Hey Amber.....P&PD on your kittie...I hope she's(he) gonna be ok. Keep us informed!!
Yeah...let us know about the job too...I know what it's like to be in a crappy place...not as crappy as Linda's, but crappy nonetheless!

Hang in there girl...
marie


ps-I failed the challenge...

 

[lindalinda]

So...we're all agreed that I work at the crappiest place! Thanks guys! I am so proud! I think possibly that Ambers job is the hardest tho, and I'm pretty sure Marie works waaay too much! So, at least we have established our "whine" parameters.

I could actually do your alls challenge, but it wouldnt be hard for me because I hardly ever eat out anyway...so it would be kinda like cheating for me to say that was a challenge.

Hope Hufflepuff is feeling better!

 

[ScoJo15]

Hello!!

Just getting caught up on your journal....you must be so excited that the house is coming along so well! The painting really signifies how close it is to completion and must really give it that 'new home' kind of feel!! Congrats!

Hang in there on everything else and don't worry about being depressing....everyone is here to support you, that's what makes these boards so great!

Hope you have a great day!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Hi, guys! TGIF!! and for me Thank Goodness its the END OF MONTH!!! I still have to start over again next week, but it is done for now and I have a chance to plan better for next month.

Had a pretty good day today after having a REALLY long and HARD week! I worked late EVERY day this week. This morning when I went into work I was all in a panic because I didn't think there was anyway that I would possibly finish everything today to close out the month. BUT thanks to a brilliant coworker, I was able to knock out a huge portion of what needed to be done by talking to ONE person in our building for like 30 minutes! It was Awesome!! (I have to get collaterals on all my clients, so I asked the worker about their medicaid cases!) That made it where I had hardly anything left. By 10am I was feeling really good about my chances. I was able to do pretty much everything today. I only didn't see one client and that is cause she moved and is avoiding me. SO YAY ME!! I did IT!!

I even had time to go to the baby shower that they had today for my coworker! It was nice and a good happy thing to do this afternoon. I still ended up staying late, but that was really more by choice than necessity. Figured I'm already getting overtime I might as well get a little more work done.

I did OK this week on the diet and exercise.
My TaeBo instructer is back and I was stoked!! I made it to Taebo on Monday and it KICKED my butt!! I was still sore yesterday!! But it felt SO good to get back into it. Tuesday DH and I did a quick mile around the lake. After that I was too overwhelmed by work to get to the gym or feel like walking. I promise to build on this week and do better next week!!

Food was pretty good. We had leftovers every night this week!! It was Awesome! Let's see: spaghetti, curry stew, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches. breakfast was cereal as always and lunch for the most part was Healthy Choices (too lazy to fix a lunch). Had some fruit and a snack bar. OH, YEAH, my grandma made another chocolate cake and since I have been on call this week (therefore, no drinking ) I have had a piece of cake after dinner 3 days this week.

Back to the no drinking thing.... I don't think that I have a "problem" but I do realize that because of my job stressing me out, I turn to alcohol WAY too much these days. That is evidenced by the fact that I have been seriously when I have come home from work Late and been stressed and then not been able to have a drink. I am going to try to monitor it a little more closely and just be careful with it.

Anyway, no big plans for the weekend. Oh, Except probably cheating on the No eating out challenge Btw, Dh grilled out tonight so we did not eat out!! For the Second Friday in a row!! BUT, tomorrow is Dh's day to get together with his buddies and game. Last time we all met at Red Lobster for the All you can eat shrimp for lunch before the gaming..... Well it is still going on so they are all meeting up to do it again! I just can't resist.. must have shrimp...must eat it all... I am considering trying to just go with one of the meals and bringing my leftovers home, but I will most likely cave in and go with the all you can eat. Um.. so I would Totally be breaking the rules Ok, when I lay it out like that it makes me want to try to do better.... we'll see.

Gonna chill out tomorrow... probably veg. and watch tv

Have a GREAT weekend!!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Ok, I did cave in and eat the all you can eat shrimp at red lobster. I had two servings of fried, one scampi, and part of a shrimp pasta. I did eat my salad first and only had one and a quarter of those Yummy biscuits.

For dinner yesterday I had a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. For a late night snack I had a granola bar. So in all my calories probably weren't too far over normal.

No exercise yesterday. I took it easy. I watched tv, read magazines and rented a movie. Since DH wasn't here I got Brokeback Mountain, cause I've been wanting to see it and I knew he would not want to see it. I thought it was a really good movie and Very sad at the end.

Today I will try to get some exercise in. I haven't been outside yet but I'm hoping it will be a nice day Gonna see if DH's best friend wants to bring his girls over to hang out. I bought some finger paints for them yesterday! That should be fun!

Anyway, Have a great day!

 

[lindalinda]

For dinner yesterday I had a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

This is one of my all time favorites! I wish I had one right now!

Have a good week at work!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Hi, gotta do a quickie and get back to work.

Mon - 45 minutes TaeBo
Tues - 30 walking
Wed - 45 minutes TaeBo
Total so far - 120 minutes

No eating out challenge.... I'm afraid I'm failing...

DH and I were off yesterday doing errands that have to be done during work hours. We ended up getting lunch out. I couldn't help it I just REALLY wanted to get something out. Afterwards I regretted it, but then it was done. Not only did I eat out, but I broke other rules too. I had Buffalo chicken fingers with fries and No salad I promise to try to do better! BUT I have to warn you that it is FAIR season and it is almost impossible to go to the fair and not eat! That is next week, so I will probably be bad then.

I haven't done too bad food wise other than the eating out. I had beer Monday and Tuesday, but not last night.

Have a good day!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Ok, so I'm doing really well on my Exercise Challenge, but the whole Eating Out Challenge isn't working out so well for me

First the good stuff:
Thursday - 15 minutes walking (DH & I were set to do more, but the bug spray truck came and ruined our plans!)
Friday - no exercise
Saturday - 45 minutes Taebo!
Today - 55 minutes of walking (3 miles!) and 5 minutes of stretching and situps to round out the hour!
Total for the month - 240/750 not bad for the first week! Now I just have to keep this momentum!

SO... the eating out thing I already 'fessed up to eating lunch out on Wednesday. Well, Friday was one of my co-worker's birthday. We always go out for everyone's birthday. Well, I took the lunch intake shift (which means you have to stay in the office and take calls), so that I would have an excuse not to go. I was trying to give myself some external will power. Well, that didn't work. They waited and went later and then insisted that I go with them. SO.. I caved in and went. BUT I did get the Weight Watchers chicken salad (it was Applebee's) so I wasn't too bad.

THEN!!! I swear I can't win for losing!!! This was just a BAD month for this challenge!! Ok, so DH's best friend has a wife that NEVER goes anywhere or lets him go anywhere ( I think I have mentioned her before) well... turns out she is seeking help and trying to do better.... SO this weekend for the first time in probably a year to a year and a half... they called and invited us to go out to eat lunch with them and their 2 kids! This is HUGE because usually even when they say they want to "eat out" it means get take out and eat it at their house. Anyway, at first DH said no cause of my challenge, but then we agreed that we should go anyway, cause this is SUCH a rare occurance! So we had mexican They picked the place. I had a burrito and a quesadilla, lots of chips, salsa, and some cheese dip. I didn't do too great on my choices.... but my justification is that the taco salad is SO loaded with sour cream, cheese, guacamole, etc that it would be as bad as what I really wanted to eat, so why not just get what I want

So I was bad on my challenge this weekend!! AND the fair is in town!! We are going next Sunday, so I know that I will be bad then as well. But I promise to try to do better for the rest of the time!!

DH's best friend, wife, & kids also came over yesterday afternoon to hang out and have dinner with us. We had already planned mexican before they picked the lunch spot, so that is what we had. DH grilled chicken and we had corn, spanish rice, black beans, and guacamole. Then we made soft tacos or burritos, whatever you want to call them. It was really good!! and a lot less fattening than lunch!! Oh, yeah, the guacamole was homemade and YUMMY!! OH, Then of course they had brought ice cream as their contribution to the meal (gee thanks ) so I had some chocolate moose tracks!

We have planned out our meals for the week and they should be yummy and healthy!! I think we've been doing fairly well on our food lately. I am too busy/lazy these days to record everything, but I will try to give at least some details this coming week. I am going to try to be more careful about my foods and calories!!

Well, Have a wonderful afternoon!!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

I'm struggling to get through the workday today, so I thought I would take a quick breather and post here. Had yesterday off so today should be better, but it just seems hopeless that I will ever get any semblance of caught up. Oh, well, I just have to try not to get too overwhelmed.

Yesterday I went to Taebo and did my 45 minutes. He is changing it some and we will start hitting punching bags soon. We did a sample yesterday. It was AMAZING how much difference the bag makes! It felt good to hit that bag, too!!

Monday's food:
B - cereal w/ milk, 16 oz of coffee
L - 2 bean burritos
D - Zucchini Lasagna, handful of snack mix ( I made it for this weekend and had to sample it), tea
S - chocolate cake w/ milk

So not great but not too bad.

Well they are calling for me so I'd better go! Have a good day!

 

[kmp1191]

HEY AMBER!!!
Don't worry about the EOC (eating out challenge)...I blew it too!!!
I've blown it seveal times over!!

Taebo sounds cool!! Kick the heck out of it!!!

Great job on hangin in there!
marie

 

[kmp1191]

ok Amber.....did you fall off the face of the earth with Linda???

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Yep, and it's kinda nice out here!

 

[CJK]

Hey, that's cool about the punching bags in Taebo. I do the tapes so I haven't done any punching bags. I bet it really brings it up a knotch!! Have a great weekend!

 

[lindalinda]

I just got this vision of me and amber floating in space...ala Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Ok, I'm here. I had a busy week and been pretty busy this weekend also.

I have not exercised since Monday I plan to get back on track tomorrow. We are going to walk around the fair today... I wonder if I can count some of that walking? I might, cause we will do a BUNCH!

Food was pretty good during the week. Friday though we went out for Mexican w/ one of DH's friends from out of town.

Yesterday, they had their usuall gaming day get together. The gaming group is getting HUGE these days. Everyone wanted to have a cookout, so DH & I got everything and made up all the sides this week then grilled hamburgers and bratwursts yesterday. Everyone chipped in and we had a ton of food! There were about 15 of us and we had 32 hamburgers, 30 brats, potato salad, mac n cheese, baked beans, corn on the cob, potato chips, & snack mix! We made it for lunch and then everyone had it again for dinner and munchies all day & night. It was fun!

I also had a wedding shower that I had to go to yesterday. I ate one petit fore (sp?) and that was it!

Today, as soon as DH gets home from his mom's, we are going to the fair! I love the fair! We will eat lunch there! YUM! I usually get polish sausage, but since we just had brats yesterday, I may try something else. I may break down and get my FAVORITE fair food... a Giant Cinnamon Bun!! YUM!!!

Oh, yeah, back to yesterday's get together. It was at DH's mom's as usual because she has some room and doesn't mind having everyone invading her house. Well, as soon as our house is finished we can start having everyone over there!!! I can't wait!! She has a double wide trailer and there just isn't room for the 11 gamers plus me and the other watchers! In our new house we have a HUGE room that will be set aside for computers and hobbies, Dh's main hobby being his gaming. He is planning to build this big gaming table that will hold like 8 people and has little pull out trays for their books and pull out cup holders. It sounds pretty cool. He is considering having to make 2 of them though because right now they have around 10 to 12 gamers per session and that is a LOT of people. I enjoy hanging with everyone, but it will be nice when I can hang for awhile and then still be able to do whatever I need to around the house.

Well, Dh is home now, so see ya'll later! Have a great day!

 

[lindalinda]

Exciting about the house Amber! Things are gonna be so great when you get moved!

What exactly is "gaming?" I was thinking computer gaming but that must be wrong. I was just wondering about the tables.

Are you gonna join our no- chip challenge. Its gonna be a tough one for me.

Later!

 

[CJK]

I was wondering what gaming was too. I was thinking card games? Very exciting house news. I remember when we moved into our house, I just LOVED having all that space - still do almost 5yrs later.

How's that exercise going today? Hope you're off to a great week!

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Hi guys! Thanks for coming by to visit me! I kow that I have been slack lately on posting and on the diet and exercise.

So, Gaming is mostly role playing but also games such as Magic the Gathering, Munchkin, Lunch Money and other nerdy games I play all but the role playing games. DH and his friends usually play GURPS role playing games, but recently they had been playing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RPG and are now playing some new system. Basically they each create a character and it has certain attributes and abilities. Then one person is the GM or leader and makes up a story line and adventure. They each take turns saying what their character would do. There is almost always some sort of fighting scene involved. I don't really get the whole deal so I don't play. I do really enjoy playing Magic, but just haven't ventured into the RPGs yet.

The table will have little pull out shelves or trays (like the keyboard pull out on a computer desk) that they can put their papers and books on. They will also have pull out cup holders so that the cups don't spill on the table. Dh is really excited about having a customized table. He is going to have a friend help him build it.

K, So for the diet and exercise thing..... UH, Not really doing that great so far this week. Monday I was really stressed and emotional at work. I almost got home in time, but I would have been like 10 or 15 minutes late for a 45 minute class. So I opted not to go. Yesterday I worked til 7:40 so I didn't get any exercise in. Today I am taking a Co-worker home (her car broke down). I told her we are leaving here at 4:45 to make sure that I make it to Taebo in time. I WILL GO TODAY!!!

Food - At the fair Sunday I had a footlong chili cheese dog and a cinnamon bun w/ milk. Did better cause usually I would have had that PLUS fries or fried cheese! For dinner Sunday & Monday we had leftovers from Saturday... burger, sausage, beans, potato salad, corn, mac n cheese, etc. Not all of those at both, but some combination. We will have that again tonight. Like I said we had LOTS of leftovers! Last night I had leftover zuchini lasagna and a croissant. For lunch I've been eating leftovers or a sandwich. Today we had a big company potluck lunch for Staff Appreciation. I ate too much, but not as much as I would have in the past.

So, I have been struggling a bit. I aim to get back on track, but work really keeps me sidetracked. I try to take care of myself to counteract th work stress but sometimes it is just too much. I have my little counter in my siggie though and I counted the actual work days earlier this week. I have like 50 work days left. Hopefully it will get better before then though!

Well, I should actually do some of this work that I am complaining about now

Have a good day!! I promise to try to get around to everyone's journals by this weekend!