Social life!

                                                                                                                                                                                        I went to the High Museum last night with my two friends and we had so much fun. It was storming but we were inside so it didn't matter to us once we got downtown to the Museum.

My friends "T" and "J"..."J" on the right is the person who is planning on moving to Paris in the future! Maybe the next time I can post a picture of the real Eiffel Tower!

The event was the Dans le Moment and the artists was Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901)

I absolutely fell in love with this print ..I'm not sure why but it just speaks to me. I truly have no taste when it comes to art but every once in a while I will see something different that I really like..most of the pictures in my house are scenery type pictures (how boring!) .

Some of the artists models

Oh la la...these Mademoiselles knew how to dress for  the event!!!



Quirky hat..I loved it!



Challenge for Me!

Last night I watched Season 10 The Biggest Loser first episode...Now understand that I'm not one of the shows "biggest" fans (lol)..I was faithful for the first 2 seasons but got tired of the unrealistic way they did the show and all the "drama"...but I do like to see the first episode to see who is going to "the Ranch"...to hear the contestants stories..how they got to thier size and what is motivating them...then I'll tune in every once in awhile just to see how they are doing..I say "unrealistic" because I don't believe that anyone can lose as much weight as they do on this show WITHOUT help...6 hrs of exercise a day..who can do that..you definately need a medical person on staff with you...
Anyway back to the show...TBL went to 7 cities (Atlanta included) and had 3 contestants from each city in competition against each other to see which 2 would go to "The Ranch" (I figure the 3rd person will eventually end up on the show sooner or later)..Now understand each of these contestants are at least 100 pounds overweight (if not more) and they expected them to either do a 1 mile run or 500 step-ups on a platform..That would be like a normal person doing it while carrying a 100 # bag of something...I cringe just to think about it...

I'm not sure I could do the 500 step-ups.(even without carrying anything)..so it got me to thinking about Challenging myself to see if I could..Since I don't have a Platform (and I don't want to do this at the gym) I looked around the house to see what I had that would work...and the closest thing I could find is step up out on the back patio. I've been doing the Stair"Monster" at the gym but I really don't pay any attention on how my steps I actually do..I just put my time (20 mins) in and then get off..It kicks my butt everytime..So MY

CHALLENGE to myself is to see IF I can do 500 step-ups and how long it takes me..I did do 100 pretty easy today just to see if the step would work but didn't time myself..I figure I'll do it in the morning before coming here and going to work...then as I get better at it..I'll move over to where it's a higher step..until I can do that..this is a great workout for the butt..and I've been b*tching lately (to myself)  about how WIDE and SAGGY my butt is...

Back to the show...one of the things that was said last night that made me stop and think(I think Bob said it) is that "Obesity has surpassed smoking as number one cause of preventable deaths in this country"..This is not only sad but SCARY...we are literally EATING ourselves to our deaths...Being a child of the 60's I can remember all the hoopla that came out when the Surgeon General declared smoking hazardous to our health and how everyone jumped on the bandwagon to quit..second hand smoking was and still is considered hazardous...I can see how Eating can be "hazardous" also but it's something we need for our bodies...so maybe we could say "UNHEALTHY"  EATING is Hazardous to our health..

I actually cried a couple of times during the show...(I know I'm really a softy at heart)..one was when Corey a 27 yr old man with dreadlocks (in Portland) actually collapsed 20 yds from the finish line of the 1 mile challenge..I was so cheering for him..he needs help so much..he weighs 391 pounds and is sooo young..to think that he couldn't even make 1 mile makes me cry for him...

The other was when a young mother Lisa in Oklahoma City was telling about having to take her young daughter to the emergency room because she couldn't see..She found out that her daughter was very dehydrated and was literally starving herself because she didn't want to be heavy like her mom..and the sad thing is the stats show that this child has a reason to worry...Jacksh*t blogged about this today. I know that when my daughter was growing up it was a BIG worry for me, but not enough for me to change our (my husbands and mine) way of eating..I used my husband as an excuse but that's exactly what it was..Now I see my daughter (who has gained extra weight in the last few years) doing the same thing..although her daughter isn't heavy (yet), my g'son has the potential to be heavy..this worries me that it's all my fault that she is heavy now and that the g'kids will carry that tradition into their lives..It's not a good thing..

Today is the first day of Fall...why is it still hot here in Atlanta...of course pretty soon I'll be bitching about the cold..so I guess I'll just go an enjoy the heat while I can..

I'm off to find something comfortable to wear this evening on my hike..Hopefully I'll see the moon again tonight...it was so pretty last night.

A fun time was had at the Wedding!

Last night I went to my friends Marcia & Nelson's wedding and I got to bring home this beautiful flower arrangement that was on the tables at the reception. I love them and I also realized it's been YEARS since I've been given flowers..hmm what's up with that? Whatever...they look really nice on my table and I'm enjoying them.

The wedding was held outside and of course it was beautiful..including my friend Marcia...When I first met her 6 years ago I was so jealous because she although she wasn't "skinny", she was the size I wanted to be..I was still about 20 pounds from my goal of 149 pounds at that time (a goal I never did reach). Well, the years haven't been good to Marcia as far as her weight is concerned...but they have been good to her in that she found the man she loves and who loves her no matter what. Although she weighs about 50 pounds more than she did a few years ago, She looked beautiful in her long wedding gown..she looked so happy..I know that she has been struggling to lose weight before the wedding date and just couldn't do it..I'm happy for her (not that she couldn't do it LOL but that she is so happy)...(and I'm not jealous of her any longer).
The reception was fun...they had lots of food of course, but I never have trouble eating at any events..I had a small plate with salad and a shrimp/rice dish..I also had a carrot cake bite for desert...I did have a couple of glasses of wine..Again my problem isn't eating out in public..in fact I NEVER overeat when there are people around..I am what I call a "secret" eater..I had people say they didn't understand why I'm the size I am because they never see me eat anyway but healthy...Some of my problem is I know that anytime I eat I will end up coughing for a least a half an hour and it's just easier for me not to eat..but then if I don't eat I also end up coughing because the acids in my tummy back up (acid reflux is hell)..So I do try to be careful what I do eat when I'm out with my friends...
Back to the reception...they had a "photo booth" like you see in the mall..with all kinds of hats and boa's..normally I would stay clear of this kind of thing..but last night I did pose with a couple of friends..trouble is I don't have a scanner so I can't post it here....they actually didn't turn out too bad..and I had fun...Of course I danced a little..I thought about wearing heels but ended up wearing a pair of flat shoes just so my feet wouldn't end up hurting..and boy was I glad..Hey I even wore a dress and make up..I felt good about myself for a change!

September's a busy month!

I'm looking at my calendar for this month and am amazed that I have so much to do. It started out with my End of the Summer Party I had this past Friday. A fun group and a fun time had by all.

I also have 3 birthdays (my grandson's 12th tomorrow, Princess Val's next week, and my Daughters at the end of the month), a baptism on the 12th, a wedding on the 18th and the 5K to run on the 26th....

So with all this to do how am I going to stay on track to getting fit? One day at a time!

   One of my friends took this picture of me at my party. As I've said before I HATE pictures of myself because in my mind I don't look like that.. I always make a weird face, like that's going to distract from my body..I try not to do this anymore but as you can see from this one..I'm still doing it..What's with that? I kind of like that the picture here is distorted, in the original I look fatter. It's like a fun house mirror. Maybe I need one of those in my bedroom...you know the farther away you stand the taller and skinnier you look..LOL..problem is I would probably get one of those that makes me look shorter and fatter..OH NO! I never realize how short I look until I see me in pictures. I think I'm going to have to start wearing long sleeve shirts because my arms are getting age spots on them..I try to pass them off as freckles but they are getting to big for that. Oh Well. I have friends & family (most of them in fact) that are very photogenic..they all know just how to pose to look good and none of them make weird faces. I've never been photogenic. It's a challenge to who ever is taking my picture to get a good one of me. I'm not worrying about that anymore. I just do the best that I can and live with the results.

I did weigh myself this morning and was surprized that I had not gained but actually had lost 1 pound..I know 1 pound doesn't sound like much but it's still better than gaining, which I thought I had. I keep telling myself that it doesn't matter if I don't lose weight as long as I am doing all the things I know that I should be doing..eating healthy, drinking water and getting exercise. Truthfully IF I really was doing all this I would be Losing the weight. Since I've started this Blog I have actually gained So I need to take a LONG HARD look at where I am today and quit lying to myself and saying it doesn't matter..Because It does.

I haven't been posting my weight because (1. )I'm ashamed that I weigh so much. (2.) I refuse to let the # rule me..As I've said before (or if not in writing I'm saying so now). My weight does not define me..It is not WHO I am. .(3.) I do not weigh on a regular schedule but when I do weigh it is at the same time of the day, first thing in the morning. (4.) My weight has been fluctuating between 3 pounds.
I will probably start posting WHEN I start losing on a regular basis. My immediate goal is to get under 200 pounds before Christmas. I have clothes that I would love to get into by this winter.

I went to the gym last night for the first time in over a week. It felt good but I really had to talk myself into it..my inner voice kept coming up with all the excuses why I didn't need to go..but I didn't give into it.

On the Positive Side...Sometimes being forgetful is good. The last couple of times I've gone to the grocery store my inner voice has talked me into buying a candy bar (Three Musketeer is my fav..) but when I get up to the check out I forget..then remember when I get out to the truck and it's too late.  This has happened to me the last 3 times I've gone. Not a Bad Thing..

Step 2. Fit the dress!

7.Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, and that feel good to your body. From 20 ways to love your body .
For so long now I've refused to buy bigger clothes...told myself that I would lose weight so I could wear the clothes I already have..but in the meantime I've been miserable...the clothes I have are too tight and I definately look FAT in them...I look in the mirror and give myself the negative talk because I hate how I look in them.. Step one for me was to clear out my closet of all the clothes that don't fit me anymore...which I wrote about here...  This was back in June (how time flies).

 For some reason since I gained the extra weight I've been buying ALL my clothes at WalMart...and absolutely refused to go to the Big womens sizes..so nothing was comfortable on me. I feel like most of the clothes I buy there do not say "this is me".. they were just something to wear..

So Step 2.. I've taken a good hard look at myself this past couple of weeks and decided to get my head out of my ass...and admit..I'M BIG!  I weigh over 200 pounds so of course I'm not going to fit into my size 12 & 14 clothes anymore..Even most of size 16 are tight on me...Even when I was in size 10 pants my tops were still Large..because I have heavy arms and large shoulders..this is who I am..doesn't mean that I can't look good..it just means that I don't have and never will have a model type body..

Now that I've gotten the new job and have a few extra dollars I've been buying a few clothes at Ross's Dress Barn...this was my all time favorite place to buy my skinny clothes at a great price. I can usually find tops that I feel fit my style..not old lady clothes or things teenagers wear.. I started out buying size 1X but even they are  tight on me so the last couple of blouse I bought are size 2X..I probably won't be able to wear them once I start losing the weight but they are comfortable (but not baggy) on me right now and I feel like I look good .

I got my hair cut today and went to Ross's and bought a couple of shirts (yes they are size 2X), I like the style and fit of both. I started to say that they looked better on the hanger than on me (more negative talk) but damn I feel good .  I even took pictures of myself with my cell phone..and you know I hate pictures of myself...( figure if I take enough pictures I will get to where I can actually like looking at them...lol).

I'm going to wear this tonight since I've gotten up the nerve to go to the AOC Monthly Social.. I haven't been for over a year because this is my Outdoors group and they are mostly all young and fit..but I love the energy these people have and find that I really miss them..I follow them all on Facebook but it's not the same...I'm making myself get out of seclusion and putting myself out there..