***Sappiness Warning***

So prior to J I had said that the guys I was with were always "I love you, but..." guys. And with J there was never a but...just "I love you" until last night. We're laying in bed getting ready to go to sleep and our routine is three kisses followed by "I love you and I hope you sleep well." Last night J changed this up on me in a very sweet way. He said "I love you, but...I'll love you more tomorrow." My heart melted. I am a lucky woman. And I know it.

Weight Watchers Weigh-In Week 6 - Topic "Tap Your Resources"

So I did much better this week with food. I ate my fruits and vegges and didn't have four cheat days (only one). But there was cake in the building and I have NO willpower when it comes to cake. Store bought chocolate cake with sugar icing cannot be beat. And that is a case of yes it does in fact taste better than thin feels (in my mind). But none the less I did stay on plan and follow the guidelines. And I don't eat perfectly but that is a reality that will occur for the rest of my life. What I like about Weight Watchers is perfection is not a requirement. So my weigh-in went much better.

Weigh-In: -0.8
Total: -6.8

I admit I got to the meeting late because I tried to fit too many things into my morning before I left for the meeting so I missed some of it. But the topic was

"Tap Your Resources"

• Take Care of Yourself
  My leader discussed how we need to take care of ourselves because we cannot expect others to do it for us.
  
  
  
  My thoughts...I think part of what gets many of us to the point of being overweight is that not only do we not take care of ourselves by eating healthy, exercising, getting enough sleep, etc. we don't think we deserve to be taken care of. We need to love ourselves first before we can love others. And yet many of us take care of others before ourselves and would be appalled if anyone treated our friends the way we treat ourselves. It is a hard journey sometimes but we deserve to be happy and healthy. So take some time and take care of yourself.
  
  
• Ask for Help
  My leader reminded us that we do not have to do it alone. There are many people and resources available if we just ask.
  
  My thoughts...I stink at asking for help. I can do it myself and really why would anyone want to help me. Or at least that is how I used to think...now I realize I need to ask for help. I cannot do it myself. And people who care about me want to help. And really it does make it much easier to have help. In the past when I have tried to lose weight I have not had significant others who were on board with it. It can be done without a supportive loved one but it makes it easier. And in my case this time I'm blessed. J is doing Weight Watchers with me. Although I'm the only one going to meetings he is benefiting from the meals, helps check points in a grocery store, and is aware of eating points and activity points daily. And even when I gained he just said we'll do better next week. He is great. And if your significant other can't be there for you...what about a sibling or a parent or a dear friend. Everyone needs a cheerleader now and again.
  
  
• Prepare Yourself
  My leader reminded us to know our points before we eat something. If you know you are going to a meal that will be heavier in points eat accordingly the rest of the day to have some in reserve. Look for similar foods that have lower points values. And focus on other things other than food for the event.
  
  My thoughts...don't psych yourself out. I have a tendency to do this. I think about a situation with my friends for example and think to myself I'm going to eat a lot of unhealthy food because that is what we do. Well it doesn't have to be...we can eat healthy, we can involve non food related activities, we can focus on conversation, etc. There are many options. And I admit it is very important to me this time around to know what I've eaten points wise instead of just guessing. Because you can guess way off. And I have on occasion been shocked. So plan ahead with food...know the points value...remind yourself that you can eat healthy even if your friends/family are not...if it is at someone's house bring a dish...most of the time my friends don't even know it is healthy until I tell them. And then they want the recipe.
  
  
• Allow for Forgiveness...(this is mine) you are not going to be perfect all the time so forgive yourself and move on. As J would say..."no one's losing a life over this it's not a crisis" and although it may feel like it you can get past it and learn from it. I'm just saying...

And the final quote from the meeting...
" You cannot afford to wait for perfect conditions. Goal setting is often a matter of balancing timing against available resources. Opportunities are easily lost waiting for perfect conditions." ~ Gary Ryan Blair (www.thinkexist.com)

Another post...but it will be my last for today.

Amy over at Amy's Quest to Skinny is having an awesome Pampered Chef give-away. If you love PC like I do this is a good one to enter. Good luck!

Amen!

Church Membership Class lesson 4 - Baptism

Last night at our church membership class we learned about the United Methodist's belief about baptism. Most of it I knew but I did learn a few things along the way. And in honor of it I want to share a YouTube clip. In this clip a child cannonballs into the baptismal font. And the pastor is caught off guard. It is a humorous clip. But the clip isn't what got my attention the comments are what got my attention. People are getting into a very theological discussion about how if this youth doesn't take his baptism seriously he shouldn't get baptised, etc. And I look at it very differently but I often do... I think all of us should have that enthusiasm about becoming a child of God. I for one think that baptism is a celebration and should be fun. We are becoming a part of God's family. God is claiming us and if it is an older person we are claiming God. If that isn't a reason for celebration I don't know what is. Besides who said faith and church have to be serious? Shouldn't we be having fun? I for one think my faith is fun and my God is one who most definately has a sense of humor.

Addictions

Hi, my name is Megan...and I am a sweets addict. It has been less than an hour since my last sweet. I have been a sweets addict since I was a child. Sweets were bribes, rewards, pick-me-ups, just because, celebrations, and sometimes even secrets. My family is a group of eaters. We love food, we love to eat, and we have an addiction to sweets. So we always have sweets: candy bowls on the counter, desserts galore at every holiday, and we would often have a carton of ice cream in the freezer...sometimes two. I tell you this in a bit of tongue and cheek...but in all seriousness I know that I have an issue with sweets. If they are available I think about them. I want them. I can almost taste them. And I don't want people to judge me for this so I will sometimes sneak them. We currently have a cake in our workroom. I tried to fight the good fight against it but I lost. I just can't say no to it.

So I am trying to work through this by coming up with alternate ideas instead of eating cake. So here are some of my thoughts...
~ throw it out...but I doubt my co-workers would be on board
~ ignore it...but it is very persuasive
~ move it to another room so I don't see it...I would still know it was there
~ eat something else so I don't want it...this is where the adage "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" should come in but somehow the instant gratification still wins out for me
~ wait 15 minutes and see if I still want it...this is the option that I'm leaning towards

Get behind me Satan...

There is a cake, strawberries with whipped cream/chocolate, apples with caramel, etc down in our workroom. I know they are there....they are calling my name. I am ignoring them. I just ate lunch I'm not even hungry. This too will pass.

Weight Watchers Weigh-In Week 5

So...it turns out that you can't eat whatever you want and still lose weight...what the heck? Seriously I usually allow myself one day a week that is a "free day" I make healthy choices but I splurge that day without beating myself up about it. Usually that day is Saturday or Sunday. Last week that day was Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday. And the scale tattled on me. So I went in early on Saturday to weigh in because we had to take puppy to the vet for his final shots. And the results....

Weigh-in: +1.4
Total: -6.0


The gain instead of sending me spiraling sent me into a challenge mode. I will beat this...I will win in weight-loss. This is a big step for me...in the past I would have gotten angry and said screw it. Now I realize that it is my doing and that I can make the changes needed to help me lose weight. I love food. I love to eat. Eating has always been an emotional thing for me. I need to find new ways to deal with my emotions. Fat and happy is not for me. I just want to be happy.

Movie Monday

So...I like movies but don't get a chance to watch them as much as I used to...but I've seen a couple lately. So here are my thoughts...


X-Men Origins Wolverine...a good movie for both guys and girls. Action for the guys and well hot Wolverine for the girls. Seriously though I thought it was a good movie that helped explain how Wolverine came to be Wolverine.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans...a good movie that gets you to where the first one began. You saw hints of the story in the other Underworld movies but this gives you all the details. Again I think it is good for both guys and girls so a good date movie. But be aware it is a vampire/werewolf movie so there is blood and violence.

The Spirit...well it had potential to be a good movie...but somewhere in the middle I fell asleep so I'd have to say it didn't really keep my attention. But J said it wasn't bad. He just felt it wasn't as good as it could have been.






The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...well it lives up to its title. It is a curious movie. And it was well done and enjoyable. But it had some creepy points in the movie because of age of love interests, etc. But it worked somehow. And overall we liked it.

Great finds...

OK so I love finding new stores online or in person and I thought I would share them. I love all things girly smelling...Bath & Body Works, Victoria Secret, and Molton Brown line my shower so I can rotate. J still does not understand the need for variety but likes the result so he lives with it. (He uses the same shower gel every day...and he buys in threes so he uses the same scent for a while) So when I saw this store I fell in love and had to share. Not Soap, Radio is a great site with wonderful looking concoctions of bath gel, shampoo, make-up, etc. and since they have themes like Greek life, bridal, diet, pick-me-ups, etc. how can you go wrong? When you have some time take a look...it is a great site.

The second one involves my other love...clothes...Fred Flare it too is a neat site with an interesting mixture of clothes...some vintage, some new, all nifty. Enjoy!

10 Things I Wish I Could Say

I'm borrowing this idea from SoMi Speaks I personally think it is brilliant. You write 10 things you wish you could say but don't feel comfortable saying or possibly would fall on deaf ears. So here are mine...

1) Stop behaving like you are still in high school, we are adults so confront the situation as an adult instead of asking so and so what they think it meant.

2) If you love someone tell them often...life is short and those that you love need to hear it.

3) I really want it to work this time but I know I'll need help.

4) I feel like a monkey could do my job. So I don't need to be micromanaged.

5) I love you and want you to be happy, but I think your husband is not the man you think he is, nor will he be.

6) Focus on the log in your eye, before dealing with the splinter in mine.

7) I love children a lot. But I do not want children. This does not make me a horrible person.

8) Pets and children should be disciplined. It makes you a responsible parent.

9) Just because you smoke, doesn't mean I do so please respect my air space and I'll respect yours.

10) It is not all about you, but it is OK to think so...we all have days like that.

Being Supportive

Sunday at the church where I work is Armed Forces Day where we thank and honor active duty and retired military for their service. That is what brought the idea for this post to me.

J is in the Navy. He was in the Navy when we met and he made it clear since he'd been in 15 years he was going the other 5 to make 20. I grew up an Air Force brat (some days more so than others) and so I have no problem with the military life. Heck it is what I know. And frankly it is my comfort zone. I think we will be fortunate and he will remain stationed in this area for his final five years. However, that does not mean he will be in this area for the next five years. Currently he is on shore duty but next year he will have to go to a new assignment. He could go to a boat which means six months home, six months away for the next few years. He could go to Bahrain for a year which is considered to be hazardous duty as far as pay but isn't as hazardous as some other options. But he would be gone for a year.

And the final choice which is his personal favorite...the Riverines. Which is a group of Navy soldiers that drive a speed boat (of sorts) up and down the rivers of Iraq or wherever they are needed. They guard the river and more importantly offer back up to other military branches. It is a dangerous job much like the Navy Seals. Because I know it is what he really wants to do I will support him in his decision and in his career but I admit there is a part of me that already stresses about it and we're not even there yet.

He and I have had discussions about him going to Iraq and he doesn't (didn't) understand how my life would change. I could still walk down the street, I could go out to eat with friends, I could sleep in my own bed, I could have a drink, etc. he was the one who's life would change. Until I explained to him that my life would change because he wouldn't be here for any of those things. And because part of me would hold my breath every time the phone rang hoping it was him while also hoping it wasn't a commanding officer. And because every day I went to bed without the doorbell ringing would be a good day. And that yes I had lived without him in my life for 31 years but I didn't really want to figure out how to live without him permanently any time in the future. I told him that my life would change maybe not as drastically as his but it would change none the less. And he did what he did best (because I'd started to cry) he held me in his arms and told me he loved me. And he admitted he'd never thought of it that way before. So now he and I have an understanding about if and when he goes in to a dangerous area. And we will respect what the other is going through because we have a better understanding of the other side. And I know our faith in God will get us through whatever may come.

He also explained to me why he wants to go...he wants to go so that we don't have to fight the war in our backyard...he wants to go because there are people who can't fight for themselves...he wants to go so that other younger guys and gals don't have to...as his favorite quote says...

" We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. " ~ George Orwell

With that I want to thank all the American military who are fighting around this world to protect our freedoms and so we can sleep safe. I also want to thank the families of these men and women for their love and support so the soldiers can do what they need to do. Thank You!!!

Weight Watcher Weigh-In Week 4

So I admit Friday night I had a wonderful, delicious, amazing meal that was not really that Weight Watcher's friendly but it wasn't horrible. Regardless I was a little nervous about my weigh in on Saturday. But I had a very pleasant surprise...I think because I was good last week as far as points. But I digress...so when I weighted in I was down by 2.2 lbs for a total of 7.4 down since I started. And more importantly to me...I haven't had a week where I was up. Even if they have been little losses they have been losses none the less. And I have to say it is an incentive to keep at it. Now that is not to say I don't have days where I'm all over the place food wise but I look at those as a learning experience and try to do better tomorrow.

And I'm still looking into the Y but I am trying to get my rental house settled first. So hopefully it will happen soon. Until then walking works.

Weigh in: -2.2
Total lost: -7.4

WW Weigh-In

I've decided to start publishing my weigh-ins as sort of a check-in and a way to keep me honest so to speak. Today would be my weigh in day but I have to work late so I won't make the meeting. Unfortunately because of my work schedule and the schedule at my center I won't be able to go until Saturday. But actually I view this as a blessing last week was a little rough food wise. I wasn't horrible but I ate a lot of things I didn't need to because of stress, moodiness, etc. And I feel like this week will give me a chance to recover and get back on the plan and make up for last week a little bit. Today has gone well...so I feel like I'm headed in a positive direction.

I Received an Award!!

Thanks to Chitown Meg at The Randomness of Meghan
I have received the following award:
The ♥adorable♥ Blog Award Rules:
♥Include the award logo in your blog or post. ♥Nominate as many blogs which you like. ♥Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. ♥Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
♥Share the l♥ve and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.
And the nominations are (in no particular order):

d.a.r. @ Just Another Day in Paradise
Bonnie @ The Browns
Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks
Shasta @ Bergdorf Blondes
Erin @ Blue-Eyed Bride
KBear @ Confessions of a Wannabe Fashionista
Melissa @ Cool, Calm & Collected
Lyndsau @ All things Fluffy...Fashionable...and Famous

Yummy Chocolate Fix

I love chocolate and I love ice cream and to be honest I don't say no to them very well. So I've been looking for something that would fill the bill and I found it with the Weight Watchers Giant Chocolate Fudge Bar. It is so good...you don't feel like you're eating low points at all. I was really satisfied with the size and the flavor. It was really creamy. I highly recommend you try some with the summer coming up it is the perfect cool treat. Enjoy!