3 weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers Online. 3 weeks ago I weighed more than I was comfortable weighing (127) and I didn't feel good in my clothes. 3 weeks ago I totally slacked in the exercise department. 3 weeks ago, I took control. In the past, I've done Atkins (very successfully) but I just can't sustain that lifestyle. The thing about WW is that it teaches you how to eat. It teaches portion control and helps you indulge smartly, rather than irrationally. It's totally what I needed. Now, instead of pigging out because it sounds good, I think twice about whether I really need that piece of chocolate cake or not? I'm cooking healthier and using better products, yet still enjoying what I eat. It is so easy and in 3 weeks I've lost 7 pounds. 7 whole pounds! I'm working out, I started Pilates again and for the first time in a few months I feel great about myself.
Sometimes I hate that I have to try so hard to stay thin, I really have to watch what I eat and stay active. But, when you think about it, what's wrong with that? It makes me healthier than if I didn't have to do that, right? Plus I am a good example to the kiddos. They are more aware of what they put in their mouths too. They often ask if something is healthy and I'll answer yes or no and offer an alternative.
Now, if only winter would end and I could really get outside and enjoy this new body! That would make things complete!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Project Life
There's been a lot of hype going around about Becky Higgins Project Life. In my opinion, it is a great way to easily document your family's life. I take a million pictures and yet never really print them or scrapbook them anymore. I'm so far behind on this that I am completely overwhelmed with the task. So, I jumped on the bandwagon and purchased my very own kit! It should be here tomorrow and I am sooooo excited to get started!
You may know that I have started a project 365 over here, and so far I am doing fabulously for 2011! Well, now I have a place to put my pictures. I am so excited to have this to remember the little things about our wonderful life.
Becky Higgins makes this so simple. She includes the album, the page protectors, the inserts for journaling, the monthly dividers, paper, etc. It's fabulous. All I have to do is fill in the blanks! No cutting, no gluing, no embelleshing! It's wonderful.
Becky Higgins is helping me with one of my resolutions and for that, I thank her!
You may know that I have started a project 365 over here, and so far I am doing fabulously for 2011! Well, now I have a place to put my pictures. I am so excited to have this to remember the little things about our wonderful life.
Becky Higgins makes this so simple. She includes the album, the page protectors, the inserts for journaling, the monthly dividers, paper, etc. It's fabulous. All I have to do is fill in the blanks! No cutting, no gluing, no embelleshing! It's wonderful.
Becky Higgins is helping me with one of my resolutions and for that, I thank her!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Mother's Little Helper
Mother's Little Helper
(Jagger/Richards)
What a drag it is getting old
"Kids are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Mother needs something today to calm her down
And though she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day
"Things are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag
So she buys an instant cake and she burns her frozen steak
And goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And two help her on her way, get her through her busy day
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
"Men just aren't the same today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy, You can tranquilize your mind
So go running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimize your plight
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
"Life's just much too hard today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore
And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
They just helped you on your way, through your busy dying day
Recently I took the gigantic step of asking for help in the sanity department. I've been putting it off for months and even attempted to do some Yoga and take some B Stress Complex to help combat my anxiety and it just wasn't cutting it. On New Year's Eve, we were all sitting down for dinner and I had a panic attack. You see, this panic attack was completely unwarranted and I knew of no trigger at that moment of time. It scared me and I took it as a sign that I needed some professional help.
I've had anxiety my entire life, I am a worrier and I've come to accept that. However, my worries have escalated to ridiculous heights and I just can't live like that. My fears over silly things haunt me each night and while I'm embarrassed to admit it, it's true and I need to accept it.
The first thing I tackled this new year was calling the doctor. The nice man on the phone administered the anxiety quiz, with a 4 or 5 being normal and anything above that (up to 21) was considered to be an anxiety disorder. I scored a 19. Yep, I almost had a perfect score! Nothing to be proud of I know, but at that moment I knew I took the right step. I kept my appointment and the Dr. was certain I needed some chemical help so he prescribed Zoloft. I was told to give it 2 weeks but boy, do I feel better already. My patience level is normalized, I no longer have horrible thoughts late at night about bad things happening, I smile more, I'm calmer and overall I'm a happier person.
My aunt told me about the Rolling Stones Song, Mother's Little Helper and I immediately knew that song was meant for me. No more hiding behind a fake smile and no more pretending that I'm ok. This is something that I can't help, it's a chemical imbalance in my brain and I need the medication to stabilize those chemicals and that is ok. I'm not ashamed and I'm here today to share my story with you so that you know that it's ok to ask for help.
Being a woman is tough work. We already have to deal with hormones, but the pressures that exist in society of how to act, how to look, how to raise our children make it that much more difficult. Add on top of that the stress that comes along with having a job, children, family commitments can just become too much. If this isn't you, don't judge, just offer a kind word. If this is you, know you aren't alone.
Offer a hug to someone today!
(Jagger/Richards)
What a drag it is getting old
"Kids are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Mother needs something today to calm her down
And though she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day
"Things are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag
So she buys an instant cake and she burns her frozen steak
And goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And two help her on her way, get her through her busy day
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
"Men just aren't the same today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy, You can tranquilize your mind
So go running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimize your plight
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
"Life's just much too hard today,"
I hear ev'ry mother say
The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore
And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
They just helped you on your way, through your busy dying day
Recently I took the gigantic step of asking for help in the sanity department. I've been putting it off for months and even attempted to do some Yoga and take some B Stress Complex to help combat my anxiety and it just wasn't cutting it. On New Year's Eve, we were all sitting down for dinner and I had a panic attack. You see, this panic attack was completely unwarranted and I knew of no trigger at that moment of time. It scared me and I took it as a sign that I needed some professional help.
I've had anxiety my entire life, I am a worrier and I've come to accept that. However, my worries have escalated to ridiculous heights and I just can't live like that. My fears over silly things haunt me each night and while I'm embarrassed to admit it, it's true and I need to accept it.
The first thing I tackled this new year was calling the doctor. The nice man on the phone administered the anxiety quiz, with a 4 or 5 being normal and anything above that (up to 21) was considered to be an anxiety disorder. I scored a 19. Yep, I almost had a perfect score! Nothing to be proud of I know, but at that moment I knew I took the right step. I kept my appointment and the Dr. was certain I needed some chemical help so he prescribed Zoloft. I was told to give it 2 weeks but boy, do I feel better already. My patience level is normalized, I no longer have horrible thoughts late at night about bad things happening, I smile more, I'm calmer and overall I'm a happier person.
My aunt told me about the Rolling Stones Song, Mother's Little Helper and I immediately knew that song was meant for me. No more hiding behind a fake smile and no more pretending that I'm ok. This is something that I can't help, it's a chemical imbalance in my brain and I need the medication to stabilize those chemicals and that is ok. I'm not ashamed and I'm here today to share my story with you so that you know that it's ok to ask for help.
Being a woman is tough work. We already have to deal with hormones, but the pressures that exist in society of how to act, how to look, how to raise our children make it that much more difficult. Add on top of that the stress that comes along with having a job, children, family commitments can just become too much. If this isn't you, don't judge, just offer a kind word. If this is you, know you aren't alone.
Offer a hug to someone today!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Connections
One of my resolutions for the year is to rekindle connections in my 'real' life. The internet has afforded us so many options to make connections; blogs, Facebook, message boards and so many more but how often do we actually connect with the actual person on the other end of that social network? My bet is that it's not all that frequent. This day and age, life is so rushed and hectic. We've got a million places to be and only 24 hours/day to get there. Sometimes the people we truly care about get left behind, even if only for the moment. And then there is the coordinating of schedules. It's a task in and of itself to actually pick a date to meet up. It's next to impossible when there are more than 2 people involved.
This year I resolve to make an effort with my family and friends. I want to spend more time alone with Brian. We have a wonderful relationship, we get along so well and laugh a lot but we rarely get time alone, away from the house. I want date nights, dinners, time to be together without kids screaming in the background.
I also want to see my girlfriends more. We need to re-establish our book club, aka food and booze club. We have so much fun together and all we really need is great food, some beer and wine and each other. I'm very lucky to have a close knit group of ladies that really understand me and accept me for who I am.
Lastly, I want to make new connections. I want to put myself out there and make new friends. It seems to be a foreign concept to us grown ups. Why not actually "be friends" with some of my Facebook friends? Why not make a playdate with some moms from preschool or ECFE? Why not get to know my neighbors better? There is no reason not to and I resolve to change that.
What are your resolutions this year? Do you feel a lack of connections in your real life? How can you make time for the loved ones in your life?
And on a totally unrelated note (although another resolution), go check out my Project 365: Oh Snap. I'd love to hear your comments and feedback. And link up if you are doing one too! I love checking out all the wonderful pictures!
This year I resolve to make an effort with my family and friends. I want to spend more time alone with Brian. We have a wonderful relationship, we get along so well and laugh a lot but we rarely get time alone, away from the house. I want date nights, dinners, time to be together without kids screaming in the background.
I also want to see my girlfriends more. We need to re-establish our book club, aka food and booze club. We have so much fun together and all we really need is great food, some beer and wine and each other. I'm very lucky to have a close knit group of ladies that really understand me and accept me for who I am.
Lastly, I want to make new connections. I want to put myself out there and make new friends. It seems to be a foreign concept to us grown ups. Why not actually "be friends" with some of my Facebook friends? Why not make a playdate with some moms from preschool or ECFE? Why not get to know my neighbors better? There is no reason not to and I resolve to change that.
What are your resolutions this year? Do you feel a lack of connections in your real life? How can you make time for the loved ones in your life?
And on a totally unrelated note (although another resolution), go check out my Project 365: Oh Snap. I'd love to hear your comments and feedback. And link up if you are doing one too! I love checking out all the wonderful pictures!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
My word(s) of the year
If you haven't read Nicole's post about her word of the year, go check it out. It's totally worth reading. And if you haven't coined your word for the year, what are you waiting for?
This task really takes some deep thought and I have a lot on my mind about what I would like to accomplish this year, so it was close to impossible for me to narrow it down to just one word, and I think I'm ok with that. I have 5 specific words I want to focus on this year:
1. Sanity
2. Connections
3. Patience
4. Creativity
5. Health
I know, that's a lot to take on but I've taken stock of my life and while I am pretty blessed and a very lucky lady with all that I have, I know that I have a lot I need to work on.
Number one being my sanity. By nature, I carry a high amount of anxiety in my life. I worry about everything despite how irrational it may be. I am in a constant state of worry and almost always have that knot in the pit of my stomach. As of late, I've been working hard on de-stressing through natural means, however after a recent and extremely random panic attack, I will be seeking professional help. I know when it's time to ask for help and now is the time.
Number 2 is connections. Connections meaning the people in my life. I want to make it a point to see the people I care about more often, rather than just through electronic means. I also want to make it a point to go out with Brian more. We have a wonderful relationship and enjoy each other, it's just that we don't really make enough time for just the 2 of us. Not anymore, this changes this month.
Number 3 is patience. I'm hoping that by working on number 1, this will come a little easier for me. Besides being anxious and a worry wart, I am also very impatient. I have to try very hard to remain patient with my kids and I really need to make patience a priority in my life.
Number 4 is creativity. This is simple, I want to take some time this year to expand my photography vision. I want to dig deeper, challenge myself and take my photos to a whole new level. I would like to take some workshops or find a mentor that can help me achieve this. I am also attempting a 365 on a separate blog. I want to try and document our lives, the little things and not just the pretty pictures I am known for. While I cherish those portraits, I think I love even more the shots of our everyday lives.
Number 5 is health. I want to get back on the workout train and eat healthier. I want to learn to relax and de-stress. I want to start taking pilates classes again and start yoga to regain some flexibilty. I would love to remember to take my vitamins daily. Lastly, I would really love to train for another race.
I have lofty goals for the year and I think I can really make these happen with just a little determination. I know I can accomplish a lot with a positive attitude and a supportive community. What are your goals? What is your word or words of the year?
This task really takes some deep thought and I have a lot on my mind about what I would like to accomplish this year, so it was close to impossible for me to narrow it down to just one word, and I think I'm ok with that. I have 5 specific words I want to focus on this year:
1. Sanity
2. Connections
3. Patience
4. Creativity
5. Health
I know, that's a lot to take on but I've taken stock of my life and while I am pretty blessed and a very lucky lady with all that I have, I know that I have a lot I need to work on.
Number one being my sanity. By nature, I carry a high amount of anxiety in my life. I worry about everything despite how irrational it may be. I am in a constant state of worry and almost always have that knot in the pit of my stomach. As of late, I've been working hard on de-stressing through natural means, however after a recent and extremely random panic attack, I will be seeking professional help. I know when it's time to ask for help and now is the time.
Number 2 is connections. Connections meaning the people in my life. I want to make it a point to see the people I care about more often, rather than just through electronic means. I also want to make it a point to go out with Brian more. We have a wonderful relationship and enjoy each other, it's just that we don't really make enough time for just the 2 of us. Not anymore, this changes this month.
Number 3 is patience. I'm hoping that by working on number 1, this will come a little easier for me. Besides being anxious and a worry wart, I am also very impatient. I have to try very hard to remain patient with my kids and I really need to make patience a priority in my life.
Number 4 is creativity. This is simple, I want to take some time this year to expand my photography vision. I want to dig deeper, challenge myself and take my photos to a whole new level. I would like to take some workshops or find a mentor that can help me achieve this. I am also attempting a 365 on a separate blog. I want to try and document our lives, the little things and not just the pretty pictures I am known for. While I cherish those portraits, I think I love even more the shots of our everyday lives.
Number 5 is health. I want to get back on the workout train and eat healthier. I want to learn to relax and de-stress. I want to start taking pilates classes again and start yoga to regain some flexibilty. I would love to remember to take my vitamins daily. Lastly, I would really love to train for another race.
I have lofty goals for the year and I think I can really make these happen with just a little determination. I know I can accomplish a lot with a positive attitude and a supportive community. What are your goals? What is your word or words of the year?
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