Absence Makes...The Butt Grow Bigger?!?!?!

Well, if you read my most "recent"  post (written in May...posted in June), then you realize that I have already failed tremendously with the last item on my post...But how about letting me post twice in the same day...does that count?

Since the half marathon on April 30th, I have gained (yep, you read that right...GAINED) eight lbs.  I was up to 238 at one point.  As of yesterday's weigh in, I am down to 230.2...so I guess that it's a pseudo-success.  The other good news relating to my weight loss journey, is that my husband has joined Weight Watchers.  I will say that it's has been refreshing to have him conscientious about the Points Plus values along with me.  He was always very supportive of my journey--but now that we are doing this together, I am hopeful that we can lose this weight once and for all (so that neither of us will have to pay for our Weight Watchers memberships, although I am quite sure that my fees over the past three years are helping pay Jennifer Hudson's income from Weight Watchers...:)  (That being said, I still believe in the program...when I am on plan--I do very well...and now that J.J. is on it with me...I plan to be a success story sooner rather than later).

So, all is well on that front, I suppose...or at least getting better.

We had to make a hard (painfully, tearfully hard) decision this weekend.  My boy, Albert, returned for his three month follow up visit to the oncologist on Friday.   It was nothing but bad news...the tumor in his neck had grown and he had additional nodules of cancer in his lungs...more than before.  The doctor at Georgia Veterinary Specialists advised that we could do another round of chemotherapy treatments (more aggressive than the first round we went through) to buy us more time with him.   However, the potential side effects, if Albert experienced any of them, were more severe and these treatments would cost anywhere from $280-400 each.  The kicker was that there was only a 50/50 chance of limited success.  As much as I wanted, those odds just were not good enough for me to put him through it...again.   So, together (J.J. and I), we made the decision that we would do the humane thing.  We took him to the vet on Saturday one last time.  I know that I did the right thing by him...that he is no longer suffering, but I miss my sweet pumpkin.  He was a good boy who came into my life almost five years ago (we adopted him after my mother passed away after seeing his super cute mugshot posted on one of the boards at the hospital while my Mom was there.  J.J. just wanted to help ease some of my pain...so Albert was brought into our happy household).  For almost five years (well, four years, and 363 days, to be exact), he brought me much joy and such unconditional love...so I can't be all sad...just selfish, because I would have wanted five more years of that.  For any of you with four-legged family members, I know that you know what I mean.  I am sure that another four legged canine is in our future...but no one can replace my Prince Albert!  Rest in peace, my loyal boy!

Okay...let's move on to something not so depressing...

I did make it to the gym this a.m.  I did 2.5 mi on the treadmill.  I am going to look into the group classes...since there are three of my gyms in close proximity to home/work and see what new (mis-)adventures I can get into.   I will be doing this alone--as my husband would only consider doing the belly dancing class to watch, in his words, "the hot instructor".  (And just so you know, we exited the gym together this morning with him demonstrating all that he had observed in the class while he was doing his free weights...his demo was much funnier and less polished than the instructors, let me assure you.  (Again, I think that he's just trying to keep my mind occupied...I have been an emotional wreck this weekend.).

So...my goals for this week...

1. Track every single item that I put into my mouth...this is much easier since J.J. is doing this along with me.   My plan is to bring lunch every day this week to work, too...so hopefully the fast food temptation and crazy lunches will save me points plus values (not to mention $).
2. I will make it to the gym at least three more times this week.  I hope to be able to go in the morning before work at least twice...but I am NOT a morning person.
3. I will take Bally (our border collie) on a walk every evening, too.  Usually J.J. does this alone...but now we can consider this more family time together.

I think that I had better leave this list at just these three items.  I will update you on progress/completion...

Until next time...

Reality Bites...

NOTE:  I wrote this post back in May...the beginning of May...


Or does it?  (I happen to love, love, love this 90's flick...with Ben Stiller, Winona Ryder, and Ethan Hawke!  Just thought that it would be an equally captivating title to this blog).  If you are still around and reading...thanks!!!  I have had a horrible couple of months...and have started many blogs (at least in my head)..but have never actually gotten them off the ground or posted in cyberspace.

Reality:  I LOVE reality television.  I guess this is one of my guilty pleasures.  Why?  I guess that I love to think that these folks on these cheesy shows ("Biggest Loser", "American Idol", "Survivor", "The Voice", "Real World", "Judge Judy", etc.) are all real...how could any of this be scripted?  (That was completely rhetorical, by the way!).  I am a t.v. junkie...my DVR is constantly filled to dangerous levels...thus explaining the long periods of time spent on the weekend in a comatose state.  :)  What can I say?!?!?!?!

Reality:  I have been so super busy at work that eating on plan has been well...an afterthought.  I have been attending my meetings at Weight Watchers and weighing in...it's just that nothing has been, well, worth reporting.  I guess that it's "keeping it real" that when a blogger seemingly disappears, nothing good can come of it.  I guess that I am living proof of that!

Reality:  I completed the Country Music Half Marathon on Saturday, April 30, 2011.  So, while my eating and weight loss may have suffered over the past couple o'months...I stuck with it..and did it!  I am super proud of myself.  I rocked Nashville...and plan on doing this event again next year!  (And if you are wondering where my newfound "I am awesome!" attitude comes from, it's because I had every chance to bail out of this event...my friend that was doing it with me decided she couldn't/shoudn't/wouldn't be doing it...so that took care of our "free" place to crash...so I had to hustle to find a hotel room (nothing was available in Nashville for less than $225/night!) and figure out the logistics of how I was going to get to the event (our "free" place was going to be volunteering at the event, so we were hitching a ride w/him to the event and back).  I ended up spending a whole lot of extra cash...but it was SOOOOOO worth it!  (Truth:  I have always had a buddy (or two) at previous events when I have participated...so I was a bit nervous about doing this one on my own...but folks...I rocked the heck out of Nashville!!!!   I am ready to seek my next event out...with our without a buddy!  I have now completed my second half marathon...so can I say that I have done a full one?  Nah...I am only half crazy!  :)  Actually, to quote the aforementioned movie, "This girl is cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!!!"  (Nah, not really...prefer real chocolate instead of a chocolate cereal.)

Reality:  I am baaaaaccccckkkkk!!!!!  I am going to make a concerted effort to post at least 3x per week...if not more often.  I realize that you may/may not be able to read that often (or that I may not have anything worthwhile to say in these posts)...but I seem to do much better when I am held accountable...and you, my dearies, are helping me through all of this.  I hope that my ramblings will, at the very least, not put you to sleep.  If so, just think of this as good bedtime reading.  :)

Until next time...let's all keep it real!!! :)