Adventures in Waiting

Adventures in Waiting - A Non-Weight-loss Blog
It is day two in my quest to locate the elusive mythical creature called 'AT&T Repair Tech.' I'm honestly doubting all previous tales of this being's existence. I think I'm more likely to spot Nessie swimming in my bathtub but never the less I push on. Hope springs eternal and all that.

I'm currently lying in wait, hunkered down quietly in my humble abode trying to find ways to pass the time. It is amazing the revelations one can make when they are stuck at home without their three children running amok to keep them busy. Did you know it is humanly possible to splatter coffee six feet up a kitchen wall? Well, it is. I found proof just earlier today when I went to take out the garbage. I'm not sure when that happened but said proof has since been removed from white wall. What truly boggles the mind is how I'm the only one who drinks coffee in this house and I'm only five feet tall... Hmm. And also, have I mentioned that a home without children present stays neat and tidy for more than twenty minutes! And even better, I haven't had to remind a single soul to put the seat down or stop wrestling in the living room. All in all, my apartment is eerily quiet. If only I could here the pitter-patter of repairman feet on my front step... Well now, what I really meant to write about is this:

I love forced productivity. I'm not talking about the kind where someone is standing over you nagging you to clean your room or else... No, I'm referring to the kind that only happens when you can find absolutely nothing else to do but BE productive. For example, the Wednesday morning dishes that usually reside in the kitchen sink until I return home from school that evening are currently loaded into the dishwasher. And said dishwasher has already been run. Unbelievable, I know. I'm slightly startled by this every time I enter my kitchen.

Oh! And another gem of productivity I tackled thus far: mopping. As many of you may already know, I detest mopping my kitchen floor. I find it disgusting, pushing a dirty mop full of once clean but now thoroughly dirty water across the floor where it will undoubtedly pool beneath the baseboards. Yuck, yuck and yuck! Well, it turns out, when you have nothing but time on your hands and all the slightly more pleasant tasks that need doing require leaving your home (which is an absolute no-no since that is exactly the time the repairman will decide to show up) your kitchen floor gets scrubbed... by hand. Yes, she said by hand. And did you know that Cascade dishwasher detergent makes a wonderful floor cleaning agent? I didn't but as it turns out, my delightful children used all the Spic and Span (for lord knows what) and since I cannot leave my home for reasons previously mentioned, I was forced to be creative. My kitchen floor is quite literally clean enough to eat off of! Well, at least, in theory. But please, don't tell my children that, since I'm sure one or two would be inclined to test such a theory out but back to the story at hand...

Once the laundry was folded and put away, the apartment vacuumed, the kitchen mopped, dishes done and still no sign of the repairman, I was in need of other time consuming tasks. As they say, when the cat's away the mice will play... well, in this case it was vice-verse. This cat decided to play with the mouse's new keyboard. Did you know that playing piano is much like riding a bike? It's all about good form and once you know how, you never forget. (Thanks Dad, those lessons way back when are still paying off!) After an hour of awkward practice and a few dozen horribly wrong notes (sorry neighbors) I'm able to play Fur Elise like a pro! OK, more like a fifth grade, third year piano student but hey, it's still music. Sort of. And not only have Beethoven and I bonded but I whipped out a mean Mozart Rondo, a melodious Moonlight Sonata, and just for kicks and giggles, I unearthed the sheet music for the Beverly Hills Cop theme song! My son will be so thrilled! Now I say 'unearthed' because literally my front bedroom remains a hard-hat required disaster zone. I will take desperation beyond what I've encountered today, to motivate myself to tackle unpacking all those boxes and sorting through all those toys. Of course, the day is young... and as of yet (3pm) still no repairman so who knows, the desperation my come yet.

Now a few of you may be wondering, "Why isn't she exercising? This is a perfect opportunity to burn some calories!" To this I say, Ah... no. My luck would be that at the exact moment I'm midway through my workout, and I've worked myself up to a startling shade of red that implies need of emergency medical assistance, would be the exact moment my wayward repairman would arrive. So, no thank you. I'll have to wait for another perfect opportunity that doesn't mix copious amounts of sweat with strange people in my home.

Well now, I've killed about half an hour rambling here. And no, the tech has still not arrived, so I'm off in search of more ways to entertain myself. I wonder if Addie will mind if I organize her My Little Ponies magnets.... Hmmm. Well, tah-tah for now. Stay tuned for more Adventures in Waiting! Maybe I'll have photographic proof to sell to the tabloids if this so-called 'AT&T Tech Repairman' ever decides to show up!

Weighing In - Week Seventeen

Seventeen has always been my lucky number...
It's official! I've passed the 30 pound milestone! It was just on February 21st of this year (seventeen weeks ago) that I started this blog and was weighing in at 193 pounds. Although I've still got about 38 more pounds overall to go, I'm just 3.5 lbs away from the half way point of my total goal and already I feel like a new person! Almost daily, somebody will comment on how much weight I've lost and each time it happens, I swear I stand just that much straighter and smile that much brighter. It's a wonderful feeling.

Now, I won't lie. I haven't been working out as much as I should. I'm not sure if it's just the stress of this particular time of year, the overwhelming exhaustion of working in the salon 30 hours a week or plain old me being lazy but at the end of the day (even the beginning of it, if we're honest) I'm just too tired and unable to motivate myself to workout. From about Mother's Day through the end of July, every year without fail, my life is overloaded with various events. I feel like I'm always rushing from one thing to the next without a moment of downtime. Life slows down considerably once summer is over and the kids are back in school so I'm expecting to get back into my regular workout schedule once that happens. Of course, the working 10 hour days in the salon won't change so I may continue to run into the problem of coming home each night barely able to stand let alone be coordinated enough to kick-box without causing myself serious injury. Fingers-crossed that as time goes by I'll get accustomed to the grueling go-go-go of working three to four clients a day. Time will tell.

And since I'm confessing, I should also mention that these past few weeks of birthday parties, holidays, and various end-of-school-year-events have been wreaking havoc on my healthy eating choices. As some of you may know, I had a day this week when I succumbed to the awesome deliciousness (and totally unhealthy goodness) of Panda Express. Not only did I consume enough sodium to mummify myself from the inside I out, but I ate chow mien, white rice, and orange chicken. All of which are on my naughty list of foods. But most surprising, for the person who had given up meat on Mother's Day, eating chicken was a huge no-no. And while I felt rather ill and insanely guilty that night (my stomach wasn't used to such heavy foods), I've since forgiven myself. I think my body needed a good binge but I'm back on track again. All things considered, I'm doing pretty good about not overdoing the naughty foods. At one point this week, I had three different cakes in my fridge (two birthday, one graduation) and I'm happy to say, two of the three are still there. That's not to say that I haven't eaten any of the cake myself... I have. It sounds gross but after a long day of scrubbing peoples feet and cutting hair, I really enjoy a small slice of cake and a big glass of V8. Hey, I'm balancing out the good and the bad with that snack! Oh well, I look forward to the end of birthday season in my family so these temptations won't be calling my name every time I open my fridge.

Overall, it's been a good week for my weight loss journey. I can't complain with results like this. And although I would like to proclaim that I'll be working out daily, I won't make any promises. I'm taking each day as it comes... baby steps. Now it's off to clean some house and then take the kids up to the Merry-go-Round and Steam Trains. Happy Father's Day to all you Dads and Moms-Who-Also-Play-Dad. Have a wonderful day! Have a wonderful week! See you next time!

Weekly Weight Loss: 2.8 pounds
Overall Weight Loss: 30.6 pounds

Weighin In - Week Sixteen

I can't control all that happens to me, I can only control what I put into myself as a result of such happenings.
This past week has been a lesson in control. Control of temper. Control of emotion. Control of self doubt. Control of schedule. And ultimately, control of my diet. I found myself tested and tested and just for good measure, tested again... and it appears, I still remain in control, if of nothing else, then the most difficult self discipline I've been developing lately- my eating.

This was my first full week out on the school's salon floor. For those not in cosmetology school, this translates to my first week of working entirely on the public and not on a mannequin head. Believe me, real people are way different than doll heads. There is an indescribable nervousness that goes with taking peoples hand, feet and heads literally into your own hands and altering them. Whether it be as simple as nail polish change or as complex as a hair color retouch with highlights and then a cut, you've been given an enormous responsibility that is both an honor and a test of self confidence. The best example of the level of stress that goes along with this vocation is that after my first full day on the floor, I came home with four new pimples. Just like that, BAM, four little stress friends on my forehead. For the most part, I was pleased with the results I had created on my clients but I definitely need more practice if I'm going to successfully control the little panic attack that accompanies each new client.

In addition to feeling a wee bit overwhelmed at school (Ha! Understatement), I was having some gigantic problems with the kids' daycare situation. The short and not-so-sweet of it all was that I was suddenly NOT going to have any daycare which meant that I was going to have to take a leave from school. Needless to say, after investing close to 450 hours in my schooling, and just getting to the good stuff (the actual clients) I was not remotely happy with the thought of falling behind and extending my schooling well into next summer. In this, the control of my temper was tried and although I was able to get the results I desired, no, scratch that, the results that were absolutely necessary for my continued happiness and schooling, I am not all that happy with the way I had to go about getting them. I truly hate having to pull the raging 'b*tch' card and strong arming people but sometimes it's the only way to get other people to truly follow through. Unfortunately, I spent most of the week a total emotional wreck, trying to arrange then rearrange the finely tuned schedule of my life in the thought that I would have to accommodate three kids without daycare for the summer. There wasn't any way to fix it, something (my schooling) was going to have to go. I literally was on my way to the school director's office to apply for a leave of absence when the call came in stating that the child care situation was going to be rectified. You can't imagine how much of a relief that was.

And finally, this week was my oldest child's birthday. There was up early baking, and up late gift shopping, throwing my sleep pattern all out of whack. A sleep deprived Mommy makes for a slightly unstable individual all on it's own. Not only was I grumpy and off kilter for most the week, but then there was the stress of planning a party, finding 'cool' gifts for the kid who has almost everything and then funding the whole thing when funds are particularly tight this year. As many know, when there are three kids, there is NEVER enough of the green stuff. It get's a bit trickier when you've taken the year to go back to school and you're only working part-time. It makes occasions like birthdays, that much more stressful. All I can say is that I found the perfect birthday gift and I'm glad that stress is over. Of course, I have one more birthday party to plan... in about, Oh, three weeks. So I'm sure I'll be a nut case again real soon. Oh well, that's the breaks when you've got kids.

So, the point of this blog today is this- There are times when life is going to become almost unbearable... and if you only gain 0.2 pounds that week, then I think you're doing pretty darn good. I should know - I've just been there, done that. Here's hoping that next week runs smoother, that I get a chance to do some sweating on the elliptical, and of course that I am able to continue my self control when it comes to emotional eating and food in general. Thank you to everyone who cheered me up and made me laugh when I wanted to cry, this week. You guys are awesome! Thanks to everyone who has been following and encouraging me on this bumpy weight-loss ride, thus far. I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you! Until next time, have a wonderful and hopefully stress-free week!


Total Weekly Weight loss: 0.2 pounds gained
Total Overall Weight loss: 27.8 pounds

A Totally Non-Weightloss Blog: Letter to My Son on His 11th Birthday

I normally don't blog on Tuesdays. Actually, I only blog on Sundays but today is special. Today is my son's 11th birthday. So, in honor of him, I'm writing a completely non-weightloss-related blog. You may not be interested in reading this and I'm OK with that. I promise to write again, on Sunday, all about my journey down the road to a thinner and healthier me but in the meantime, here are some of my other equally as important thoughts.

"Dear Skyler..."

Notice I'm writing this as a letter. If you're a parent, you know that sometimes it's difficult to express your true feelings and thoughts to your child. It may be because they are too young to fully understand them or maybe it's due to the fact that there are a million other things on your mind at the very same moment, like the chocolate pudding stains on their shirt or gobs of unknown substances stuck in their hair. Sometimes it's just because when you do begin speaking from the heart they stare at you like you've grown two heads and then tune you out. The latter happens more often as they get older. About the time they learn to roll their eyes and sigh heavily. About the time they turn 11.

My answer to this dilemma- alternate forms of communication. I've learned over the years, when I want to organize my thoughts before serving them to others to be consumed, it's best prepared on paper. Or in this case, on the computer screen. It is here that I am able to pour out a jumbled mess of bits and pieces, rearrange them like magnets on a refrigerator door, eloquently change the hue and tone of my masterpiece and then present it like a gift to it's intended recipient. See below...

"Dear Skyler,

First off, let me say, thanks for having a birthday! I love an excuse to eat Snickerdoodles for breakfast and blow off my diet for the day. Oops, I forgot, no weight-loss talk. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. But seriously, I love sharing these carefree and out of the 'norm' moments with you. I hope when you're older and have kids of your own, you'll fondly remember these special traditions with your wacky and zany mom, and of course, carry them on.

Now for the nitty-gritty...

Eleven. Wow! You're eleven! You're probably thinking, 'What's the big deal with eleven?' I know, I know- Ten was a big deal because it meant double digits, and thirteen will be a big deal when you're officially a teenager but eleven... Well, eleven is special in so many ways! I could go into all the esoteric numerology mumbo-jumbo about the number eleven, but I won't. Just know that the significance of the number eleven is huge as a Master Number and of course, you'll only be eleven, once.

God, eleven years... It's crazy how I can remember almost every single moment of the day you were born. The smell of the hospital, the stupid soap operas on the TV which couldn't compare to the excitement I was feeling about becoming a new mom. The fire engine sounds your father made as we were wheeled in the O.R. and of course the first time I heard you cry.

As I fast forward through the years, I smile... as I remember your first ride on a merry-go-round in Tilden. The year you invited your entire kindergarten class to your birthday party in the park. The year you spent Easter Sunday morning in the John Muir pediatric ward. I remember when you first learned how to read and how excited you were when you came home from your very first guitar lesson. I can honestly say that every single day with you has been a wonder. You truly amaze me on so many levels. If I don't say it enough, let me remind you... I absolutely, positively, without a doubt love everything about you.

I love that you can tell me exactly how many miles Venus is from the planet Earth. I love that you know the longest word in the English language is a chemical compound I couldn't even begin to pronounce. I love that you have beaten nearly every video game you've every played. I love that you love reading Discover magazine and that you want to stay up late to watch Isaac Asimov specials on TV. I love that I can brag, "My fifth grader is smarter than your college grad" and mean it. I love that you always have time to help your little brother with his homework and your baby sister with putting her shoes on the correct feet. I love that you know who the Beatles are and almost every word to every one of their songs. I love that you're one of the few people in the family that can hold an intelligent conversation with your "Mensa Member" grandfather and that you created, what we in the family now call, the "Skyler Burger".... Bun, meat, lettuce, tomato, three pickles, ketchup and a bun. In that order, thank you very much! Oh, Skyler, you are truly an awesome kid!

And although we don't always see eye-to-eye, don't you worry, in another 6 months I'm sure we will... literally if not metaphorically. By the way, even when you're a foot taller than me, you'll still have to go to bed when I say.

I know that you've had some rough patches over the years, and that's OK, but I want you to know that every little bump in the road has been worth it and they have made the trip, thus far, that much more special (is that even proper English? I'm sure you'll correct me if I'm wrong.) Yes, I know, I'm using that word again. Special. All through your life, people will try to use that term as a negative label. Please remember that you are special but special in all the right ways. There is nothing wrong with being different. What it comes down to is this: You are good. You are kind. You are brilliant, scratch that, you're darn near a genius, so of course you're special. Just tell them, 'Thank you for the compliment!' and keep in mind that the people who don't understand, don't matter, and the people who do, are the ones that truly love you.

So, ultimately what I wanted to say was, I wish you a Happy Happy Birthday! As you finish up the fifth grade next week and get ready to hit Junior High this fall, remember, I'm your biggest fan! Continue to wow the rest of the world with your uniqueness and creativity! Stay true to yourself and always know that you're loved.

Love Always,

Mom."

Weighing In - Week Fifteen

"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." I feel like The Little Blue Engine That Could, chugging along, slowly but surely. It's truly amazing how the pounds are just melting off and I'm really not even thinking about it!

On that note- no, I haven't worked out this week. In fact, my poor elliptical has been gathering dust since I've become so busy getting ready for another birthday party, a fifth grade graduation and the end of the school year in general for the other kids. I'm hoping to reconnect with my friend, the elliptical, in the next few days but I make no promises.

This week I moved from the classroom (phase 1) to the salon floor (phase 2) at school. Instead of sitting at a desk, learning cosmetology theory, for most of my day, I'm on my feet for nearly nine hours straight. Thank goodness I've lost a significant amount of weight or my feet and back would be killing me right now! I foresee continued weight loss due to the amount of moving around (hair cutting and coloring is really a full body activity!) I'll be doing for the next seven months.

And of course, the heat has finally come to town and so I've been drinking water like there's no tomorrow. Water... it's such a life saver to the dieter! And Oh! How I love summertime. It's shorts and tank top season which in itself is motivation to hit the gym! Definitely my goal for this week - work on the arms. I could use some more definition and a little less padding in the upper arm areas.

I should mention, I hit a couple of major milestones this week besides graduating out of the classroom! When I started this blog back in February, I was wearing a size 16 pant. What got me truly motivated back then (beside my doctor's scoldings) was that those pants were getting uncomfortably too tight. On Friday, I did something I rarely do. I bought myself new clothes. Ask anyone, I hate shopping. I especially hate shopping for myself. In fact, I was only going to go to the store to buy a belt since my regular school pants were in the wash and I had to resort to wearing my size 16 slacks to school, which were on the verge of falling off all morning. I was literally able to pull them off and on without unbuttoning or unzipping them. Upon arriving at the store, I had a moment of genius. I decided that since I NEVER want to wear a size 16 again I would buy a new pair of pants instead of a belt. I'm thrilled to say that I am a very comfortable size 12! Believe me, I did a little happy dance when those suckers slid on without hopping around or sucking in to zip them up! But not only am I two sizes smaller in pants, I did something last Monday that I haven't done in over four years. I bought a swim suit! This is a MAJOR accomplishment for me. It's like I'm a whole new woman! I'm no longer buying XXL or shopping in the plus size sections anymore! I'm able to wear the L size in the regular departments! I have made a goal that I would like to be down to a size 10 by my birthday in August. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it but I believe that it is achievable and that is half the battle. Fingers crossed!

As for my diet, believe it or not, I stopped counting calories awhile ago. I really couldn't tell you what my intake is at this point. All I know is that nearly all the foods I eat are healthy and good for me in one way or another. I no longer have a problem passing up the bagels and doughnuts that are so often brought into school and if I do splurge it's in real moderation. I'm telling you, it's been a serious lifestyle change and one that I don't even really notice that much anymore!

I just started using these "fake meat" alternatives to cook some "regular" or non-diet meals. They're all soy protein products that naturally have less fat and low calorie counts. So far, my favorites are the "Meatless Grounds" (like ground beef) and "Morning Star Farms Soy Protein Grillers" (like hamburgers.) The Safeway by my home doesn't offer much of a selection of meat alternatives, so I'm going to go investigating today (while the kids are at a birthday party) and see how the other local grocery stores compare in price and selection.

I must mention that trying to eat "real foods" again such as tacos and burgers (the vegetarian way) has been a shock on my system. I've been eating light foods, such as soups and salads, for so long that a whole veggie burger is too much for me and I get that uncomfortably full feeling half way through. This being the case, I don't think I'll be eating these heavier meals very often. Maybe once a week.

Well, another week, another couple pounds lost. It's off to get some cleaning done around the house so I can spend some time at the pool this afternoon. Thanks to all my wonderful friends, family and fans who have been supportive since day one. You're the best. Here's to wishing all of you a happy and wonderfully sunny week!

Weekly weight loss: 2 pounds
Total weight loss: 28 pounds

Weighing In - Week Fourteen

I'm back on track.
This week's goal was to get in some good workout time after about ten days off. I did just that. I started doing 40 minute kickboxing workouts in the evenings and I think it's working!
I continue to make 'wise' food choices each day which is surprisingly something I don't even have to think much about. I've trained myself to seek out the healthiest foods available, so it's almost second nature. When everyone else is eating Chinese take-out or food from the local drive-thru, I'm eating my salads and drinking my water. I've found that the smell of greasy McDonald's is no longer even appealing to me! Which, honestly, this is a huge accomplishment!
On Friday, I gave myself a 'free' day. We had a potluck party in class and instead of avoiding the wonderful goodies everyone had brought in, I balanced my naughty foods with the good-for-me items. My biggest indulgence at the potluck were two servings of homemade Spanish rice. Rice has been big no-no food, so I decided to give it a go. It was crazy good (Thanks Monica)! About 20 minutes after eating the rice and some nachos... and chips and bean dip.... and pasta salad... and chocolate covered strawberries... and crackers with spicy hummus... and some root beer (another big no-no, the carbonated drinks) I think my body went into shock! I literally was feeling intoxicated from the food! That afternoon I even allowed myself a real-sized piece of birthday cake (in honor of my teacher) instead of my usual sliver of cake without the frosting! It was great! That evening, at another party, I allowed myself another indulgence: alcohol. I must say, thank goodness I had been eating all day because after months of eating mostly salads and abstaining from alcohol, I've become a bit of a lightweight!
Once the festivities were over, in other words, once Saturday dawned, I was back on track. I've returned to my normal eating habits and will be kickboxing again this evening. It's crazy to think that just about six months ago, eating right and regularly exercising was like pulling teeth! Now, if I don't live this healthier way, I find myself out of sorts and clawing the walls to burn some calories!
Well, I'm off to go assist with my very first 'real' wedding party up-do's. When I say real, I mean these are not friends or family but honest to goodness clients that my teacher offered to have me come work with her on! I'm extremely excited to have been given this opportunity and can't wait to see what magic we'll be able to weave! So, it's off to work for me, on this absolutely beautiful Sunday morning. As always, big thanks to all my supporters, you guys ROCK!
Until next time, have a wonderful week!

Weekly weight-loss: 1.6 pounds
Overall weight-loss: 26 pounds

Weighing In - Week Thirteen

I'm holding my own. Even though I've been surrounded by deliciously fattening treats this week, I've been able to control myself. Between Open House for one child, a pre-school graduation ceremony for another and then a birthday party on Saturday, complete with cake, ice cream, chips, dip, potato salad and all, I'm still below 170 pounds. This is an accomplishment.
As I'm sure you know, with all these little events comes stress and chaos in a household. Stress leads cravings and the awful urge to binge. That has been my personal battle for the week and one I'm proud to claim, I've won. My schedule in itself is stressful but with late night shopping and early morning projects, I found myself wanting to snack more and more. What saved me were the mini bags of baby carrots and natural popcorn I keep in constant supply in the kitchen. When overcome by the desire for something a bit more "naughty" on my diet, I chose strawberries and light whipped cream instead of the potato chips or Rocky Road ice cream. All in all, the goal this past week was to make wise decisions. I think I did well.
On the other hand, I'm not proud to say that I've gone 10 days without working out. It's been crazy around here and unfortunately (as is usually the case) something had to give. To make time and leave the energy necessary for pulling off all these various events, my personal 'Mommy Workout Time' was dropped from my schedule. This, I am feeling acutely. Adding my workout time back into my schedule is the goal for the week. I may not be able to go back to twice a day workouts but if I can pull off at least four to five sessions this week, in total, I'll be a happier woman. And maybe I'll have some real results on the scale next week.

Thanks to all my supporters. Until next time, have a wonderful week.

Weekly weight loss: 0.8 pounds
Total weight loss: 24.4 pounds