Why does food have to envelop the whole essence of the holiday season? I've come close to losing forty pounds and with that I've become a little ocd about not gaining it back. So for me Christmas has become a little more about food watching and a little less about enjoyment. I've been worried about it for weeks. We were spending Christmas Eve with my family this year and Christmas day and the following day with my husbands family. Christmas eve was a source of anxiety for me because I knew my mom was making lasagna and I know that's not really allowed on WW, at least not the version my mom makes with tons of noodles and cheese. And as if lasagna wasn't enough I knew there would be other things to eat and there was.
Christmas Day, I knew, would be even harder to get through. My husbands family does not eat healthy. At all. And for me, that is a problem because I don't usually have anything healthy to choose when I'm there. So we had a huge spread of food for lunch and dinner consisting of tons of unhealthy food. I didn't want any of it but what can you do?
And to top off the already anxiety I was having about food and weight gain add a sister in law who hands you a glass of wine that's probably 20 oz. full of your fave wine drink and a vicious period that wants you to stuff yourself full of all the food your brain is telling you you can not have. I went into Christmas telling myself I wasn't going to gain weight and I was starving all day and I ended up throwing caution to the wind and pigging out! Yes, I had one glass of wine, although it was more like 2 because it was so big, and I decided to enjoy Christmas day and not worry about it. So that's what I did. I enjoyed myself and had a great time with no ocd thoughts of food, what I could or couldn't eat, or gaining back what i've tried so had to erase. Today the scale says I gained a few pounds back like I knew it would.
Christmas shouldn't be about having anxiety over food. I really wish it hadn't been like that for me. I think if I was in a spot where I was happy with my weight then I would have been more apt to not really care about eating not so healthy for one day, but I'm not there yet. I'm still trying to lose weight and that's where it gets hard for me.
My husband was so sick 3 days before Christmas with a stomach bug, and I know it's wrong, but I couldn't help wishing to catch it so that I could lose a few more pounds by not eating. That's such a bad thing to wish for but it is what I was hoping only because I knew how hard Christmas was going to be for me. Of course I didn't catch his bug so it's back to working out and losing the healthy way.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Backhanded comments
You know you've all gotten them, the stares- the looks of envy because of something someone else is jealous of. I'm pretty sure everyone, at least once in their life, has also been the victim of the backhanded comment. I'm not really sure why people give these out. Do they not know that we are smart enough to realize that it's not really a compliment? Well, I was the recipient of a backhanded comment at Thanksgiving time from none other than my mother.
"You look great," she said, "you look really skinny for you." Well, thank you so much for telling me i look like I've lost weight but that I'm still fat, that's just what i needed to hear to keep me motivated. Then she talked about how she weighs like 120lbs now. To be honest, I was like really pissed about that comment for a week. Really pissed. I'm still annoyed about it, but I've let it go for the most part. I don't need that negativity in my life. I don't normally allow people like that in my life but she's my mother- it's not like I can cut her out of my life. What do you do when you family makes backhanded comments to you?
"You look great," she said, "you look really skinny for you." Well, thank you so much for telling me i look like I've lost weight but that I'm still fat, that's just what i needed to hear to keep me motivated. Then she talked about how she weighs like 120lbs now. To be honest, I was like really pissed about that comment for a week. Really pissed. I'm still annoyed about it, but I've let it go for the most part. I don't need that negativity in my life. I don't normally allow people like that in my life but she's my mother- it's not like I can cut her out of my life. What do you do when you family makes backhanded comments to you?
I'm Thankful for...
I'm Thankful that I joined WW when I did because I didn't realize how fat [and unhealthy] I was until I see pictures of what I looked like LAST holiday season. Holy smokes. Although I still have a long road ahead of me, I have also realize that I have come a long way. I do wish it was coming off a little faster because, lets face it, I like to see and feel results-just like everyone else.
Lets do a little comparison shall we. Last New Years:
I know it's not a full body picture, but look at my face and my humungo boobs! Although I don't have a picture of this year's new years because we did something different and I didn't have my camera, here is a recent picture of what I am looking like now:
I am aiming for a goal of a healthy BMI for me and I have quite a long road ahead but it's becoming shorter and shorter with every day. And as an added bonus, I don't hate the camera anymore.
Lets do a little comparison shall we. Last New Years:
The Wall
First of all, I'm sorry I haven't been actively blogging in a few months. I haven't really had anything major to report and I don't always make time to blog if I don't have anything to say. My weight loss slowed way down after my last post and I hit a serious Plateau. The weight just wasn't coming off like it had. Perhaps it was the fact that it started getting colder and I cut out my daily walks with the dogs, or perhaps it was the holidays (which I know aren't over yet), or perhaps I was getting a little too comfortable with the weight watchers plan and maybe I wasn't tracking *everything* and that added up. I was still losing just at a very slow pace. Some weeks even remained the same weight. I was really getting frustrated with my non-big losses. In retrospect, blogging about it probably would have made me feel a little better.
Other things in my life remained the same as well- I'm still unemployed. I had two interviews for my dream job, and waited patiently to hear from them only to find out they gave the position to the other person. I was pretty heart broken, but still I'm moving on. There must be something better for me out there.
My mom remains annoying as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but everything with her is a competition and I didn't want my weight loss journey to be like that and it has become that to her. She keeps asking me how much weight I've lost and then decided she needs to lose weight (which she totally does not) and is doing it in the most unhealthy way ever-- major calorie restriction. And then she brags to me about how she weighs 125 lbs now or 120 lbs. I guess I'm happy for her(although I don't think she should lose anymore and she still does), but it's also annoying to hear about how she's losing weight and what she allows herself to eat or not eat and how her way is better. I know her way may be working for her because she's not really eating much, but I also know that won't work for me. I'd be starving all the time and then binge and it just would be a big unhealthy mess. And it's not healthy to eat one clementine for lunch. The whole reason I didn't want to tell her I joined Weight Watchers was because of her whole *competition* issue that she has. She ALWAYS has had to be better or thinner than anyone else, not that I'm anywhere near 125lbs-believe me I wish I was. But for me, this isn't a competition, this is my life and I'm trying to get healthy and so I remain on Weight Watchers doing it the healthy and slow way.
Other things in my life remained the same as well- I'm still unemployed. I had two interviews for my dream job, and waited patiently to hear from them only to find out they gave the position to the other person. I was pretty heart broken, but still I'm moving on. There must be something better for me out there.
My mom remains annoying as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but everything with her is a competition and I didn't want my weight loss journey to be like that and it has become that to her. She keeps asking me how much weight I've lost and then decided she needs to lose weight (which she totally does not) and is doing it in the most unhealthy way ever-- major calorie restriction. And then she brags to me about how she weighs 125 lbs now or 120 lbs. I guess I'm happy for her(although I don't think she should lose anymore and she still does), but it's also annoying to hear about how she's losing weight and what she allows herself to eat or not eat and how her way is better. I know her way may be working for her because she's not really eating much, but I also know that won't work for me. I'd be starving all the time and then binge and it just would be a big unhealthy mess. And it's not healthy to eat one clementine for lunch. The whole reason I didn't want to tell her I joined Weight Watchers was because of her whole *competition* issue that she has. She ALWAYS has had to be better or thinner than anyone else, not that I'm anywhere near 125lbs-believe me I wish I was. But for me, this isn't a competition, this is my life and I'm trying to get healthy and so I remain on Weight Watchers doing it the healthy and slow way.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Ch-cha-cha- changes
My body has gone through some changes these last months. I'm actively trying to lose weight and I am doing just that. I don't always see the changes that have been made. It's hard for me to see the "new" me when I look in the mirror. I still see the old fater version of me but I'm learning to let go of her. I'm learning to see what's in front of me and not what I think is in front of me.
People ask me how much I've lost and I tell them like it's no big deal because I'm not exactly at the spot I want to be at. I'm not at goal, I'm not close to goal but I AM getting closer every day. If I sit back and actually think about how much I have lost, 30.5 pounds, it IS a big deal. I've worked really hard to get that number to go down. And I should be a lot prouder of myself than I am but for some reason I haven't been. Thirty pounds! It doesn't sound like a huge amount to me, but in reality that's a lot of weight! I was thinking it wasn't a lot but an event that took place the other day kind of placed me back into reality.
The other day, I bought the big bag of dog food for my dog. I hiked it up on my shoulder and carried it from the car to the house. I struggled walking up the steps because it was so heavy- i thought to myself that it must be a fifty pound bag, but it wasn't. I looked at the weight of it when I put it down and it was 35lbs. That is 4.5 pounds more than what I've lost so far. And I thought about that. I thought about how I used to walk around that much heavier and couldn't believe that is what 30 lbs feels like! (okay, i know it was 35 pounds but close enough for my comparison). That is the day that I realized how much of a big deal it really is. I should be so proud of myself for shedding that unnecessary weight off of my body. I have more energy and more desire to do things now and it's because it is easier for me to move! When I had that bag of dog food on my shoulder it was HARD to walk up the stairs. That is, in fact, what it was like for me everyday when I had that extra weight on my body, only I didn't realize that. I honestly couldn't believe that's what I've lost, but it is. And it made me proud of myself. I am happy with the changes I have made so far and I should be.
There is also another event that took place this week which made me realize how very far I have come. I was packing some of my summer tank tops and shorts away and I came across a pile (4 pair) of pants that I kept in hopes of fitting into them again someday. Two pairs of jeans and two pairs of work pants. My favorites of all time that I have not been able to wear in oh---about 5 years. I decided to pull them out and look at them. To be able to wear them again has always been a goal of mine- that's why I've hung onto them for so long. I impulsively decided to try them on, knowing there was no way I was even close to fitting into them again. And. They. FIT. At first I thought I was hallucinating but pair after pair fit me. My favorite pair of jeans fits me again, however, they will fit and look better if I lose another 5 pounds, but the point is-that they fit and I didn't quite think I was at that point yet.
I did a happy dance around the room...and then I took them off and put them in my drawer instead of in the pack away box and that felt really great.
People ask me how much I've lost and I tell them like it's no big deal because I'm not exactly at the spot I want to be at. I'm not at goal, I'm not close to goal but I AM getting closer every day. If I sit back and actually think about how much I have lost, 30.5 pounds, it IS a big deal. I've worked really hard to get that number to go down. And I should be a lot prouder of myself than I am but for some reason I haven't been. Thirty pounds! It doesn't sound like a huge amount to me, but in reality that's a lot of weight! I was thinking it wasn't a lot but an event that took place the other day kind of placed me back into reality.
The other day, I bought the big bag of dog food for my dog. I hiked it up on my shoulder and carried it from the car to the house. I struggled walking up the steps because it was so heavy- i thought to myself that it must be a fifty pound bag, but it wasn't. I looked at the weight of it when I put it down and it was 35lbs. That is 4.5 pounds more than what I've lost so far. And I thought about that. I thought about how I used to walk around that much heavier and couldn't believe that is what 30 lbs feels like! (okay, i know it was 35 pounds but close enough for my comparison). That is the day that I realized how much of a big deal it really is. I should be so proud of myself for shedding that unnecessary weight off of my body. I have more energy and more desire to do things now and it's because it is easier for me to move! When I had that bag of dog food on my shoulder it was HARD to walk up the stairs. That is, in fact, what it was like for me everyday when I had that extra weight on my body, only I didn't realize that. I honestly couldn't believe that's what I've lost, but it is. And it made me proud of myself. I am happy with the changes I have made so far and I should be.
There is also another event that took place this week which made me realize how very far I have come. I was packing some of my summer tank tops and shorts away and I came across a pile (4 pair) of pants that I kept in hopes of fitting into them again someday. Two pairs of jeans and two pairs of work pants. My favorites of all time that I have not been able to wear in oh---about 5 years. I decided to pull them out and look at them. To be able to wear them again has always been a goal of mine- that's why I've hung onto them for so long. I impulsively decided to try them on, knowing there was no way I was even close to fitting into them again. And. They. FIT. At first I thought I was hallucinating but pair after pair fit me. My favorite pair of jeans fits me again, however, they will fit and look better if I lose another 5 pounds, but the point is-that they fit and I didn't quite think I was at that point yet.
I did a happy dance around the room...and then I took them off and put them in my drawer instead of in the pack away box and that felt really great.
Points, Points, Points
Some of you may be wondering what all this points and Weight Watchers garbage is about. I haven't really gotten into how it all works so here is your crash course. When I joined Weight Watchers online I learned what all this "point" talk was about. All food is given a point value determined by calories, fat, and fiber. You are also given a target point value for the day. You must eat food and track how much of what you are eating to add up to your target point value for the day. You are not supposed to eat less than your target point value or it won't work. Believe me, been there, tried that.When you eat less than your target point value you are in a sense starving yourself-your not eating enough-therefor your body goes into starvation mode and won't budge. Obviously you shouldn't be eating more than your target point value either. You also get an EXTRA 35 points a week to use any way you like it. You can use them on a night out, throughout the week, on drinks, on whatever your little heart desires. If you don't use your weekly points it does help you shed weight faster, but it does become harder to not use those points as time continues.
All the food you ever need to look up is in the weight watchers food bank. If you can't find the food you are eating, you can still find out the point value of it by entering the calories, fat, and fiber into the points calculator. Then you add it to your day! So simple. After awhile, you learn how many calories and fat roughly equal how many points. I'm not to bad at guesstimating the points values when I'm out on the go and aren't close to a computer to look it up. I think that's the point. In all this tracking and figuring out points, you learn yourself what is good to eat and drink and what is less desirable.
If I know I'm going somewhere specific I like to plan ahead. I look at their website and get an idea of the menu and calories and fat of the items and then figure out what I like, how many points I can spare, and what I'm going to order. This is very helpful when eating out because most places don't include calories and fat on their menus. Weight watchers is ALL about planning ahead. Planning is very important for me now. When I used to just eat on the fly or grab something from the store for lunch, now I have a highly thought out eating plan. It doesn't take much effort, just a little time.
Weight watchers is all about learning to eat healthy and learning to get healthy. It also encourages exercise. For all the moving you do you get points to. Every activity point you earn is determined by how long you did it for and your current weight. I'm not exactly sure how they figure this out using these two things, but that is what happens. If you use all of your 35 extra weekly points, you then can use your activity points you've earned. I always find, for me, that if I use my extra points AND some of my activity points I don't ultimately lose a lot. BUT if I rack up activity points and I don't use them, I lose more.
Finally, I want to say that for every 10 lbs I lose, I lose another point value. So for example, if my target point value was 23 and i went down to the next weight bracket, I would lose 1 point making my new target point value 22. Then I would stay at the point value of 22 until I lost another ten pounds and then it would go down to 21. Losing ten pounds doesn't happen overnight for most so your body has time to get used to this adjustment just fine. Now, I'm still losing weight so I'm not sure what happens when you are in the maintaining phase, but I will do a little update, when I get there!
So there you have it, the basic idea of weight watchers online! If you are thinking of joining, I highly suggest it. It has really helped me to become an all around healthier person and happier.
All the food you ever need to look up is in the weight watchers food bank. If you can't find the food you are eating, you can still find out the point value of it by entering the calories, fat, and fiber into the points calculator. Then you add it to your day! So simple. After awhile, you learn how many calories and fat roughly equal how many points. I'm not to bad at guesstimating the points values when I'm out on the go and aren't close to a computer to look it up. I think that's the point. In all this tracking and figuring out points, you learn yourself what is good to eat and drink and what is less desirable.
If I know I'm going somewhere specific I like to plan ahead. I look at their website and get an idea of the menu and calories and fat of the items and then figure out what I like, how many points I can spare, and what I'm going to order. This is very helpful when eating out because most places don't include calories and fat on their menus. Weight watchers is ALL about planning ahead. Planning is very important for me now. When I used to just eat on the fly or grab something from the store for lunch, now I have a highly thought out eating plan. It doesn't take much effort, just a little time.
Weight watchers is all about learning to eat healthy and learning to get healthy. It also encourages exercise. For all the moving you do you get points to. Every activity point you earn is determined by how long you did it for and your current weight. I'm not exactly sure how they figure this out using these two things, but that is what happens. If you use all of your 35 extra weekly points, you then can use your activity points you've earned. I always find, for me, that if I use my extra points AND some of my activity points I don't ultimately lose a lot. BUT if I rack up activity points and I don't use them, I lose more.
Finally, I want to say that for every 10 lbs I lose, I lose another point value. So for example, if my target point value was 23 and i went down to the next weight bracket, I would lose 1 point making my new target point value 22. Then I would stay at the point value of 22 until I lost another ten pounds and then it would go down to 21. Losing ten pounds doesn't happen overnight for most so your body has time to get used to this adjustment just fine. Now, I'm still losing weight so I'm not sure what happens when you are in the maintaining phase, but I will do a little update, when I get there!
So there you have it, the basic idea of weight watchers online! If you are thinking of joining, I highly suggest it. It has really helped me to become an all around healthier person and happier.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Satisfying Snacks
Since I've joined Weight Watchers I have had to change my eating habits completely, including what I snack on. Of course the best snacking options are going to be healthy ones like fruits and vegetables... but I've stumbled across a few snacks that keep me going when I am wanting something sweet.
Skinny Cow white mint truffle bars- these are seriously amazing and at only 2 points a bar there is no guilt associated!
Quakes Multigrain Blackberry Pomegranate- these are the perfect mix of sweet and crunchy and at 2 points for 13 quakes it's a great little filling snack.
Vitalicious Vitatops- These are a little expensive but oh so worth it for a chocolate craving! You can find them at Price chopper or stock up on their website and enjoy a whole lot of flavor options. My favorite is the mint chocolate! Only 1 point for a vitamuffin and there is no need to feel guilt for eating this chocolaty treat because it is packed with all sorts of good vitamins and fiber.
sugar free, fat free instant pudding made with fat free milk. Low calorie, great taste and at 1 point you can't go wrong.
Funky Monkey- Applemon. I found this at Target one day and decided to try it because it sounded like a healthy snack. I wasn't disappointed. Funky Monkey is freeze dried fruit in a pouch. One pouch is equivalent to three servings of fruit! I have to say it doesn't look like much but it is definitely filling! They sold three different flavors at my target: applemon, bananamon(bananas and cinnamon) and carnival mix. I've tried all three and the applemon(apples and cinnamon) is my favorite but they are all good and worth a try. Great for bringing on a car trip for healthy snacking!
Weight watchers chocolate raspberry bars- I like chocolate and these are raspberry ice cream covered in a hard chocolate shell. Very good, but a small snack for 2 points.
Only 8 Frozen Yogurt-I found an ice cream stand near me that sells the brand Only 8. Only 8 means there are only 8 ingredients in the yogurt and 1 CUP, yes I said 1 cup, is only 1 point. The ice cream stand near me has about 40 different flavors. I've been getting it all summer (not every day of course) and I haven't gotten the same flavor twice. This yogurt is seriously to die for and a must for me when I want soft serve. If you have an independent ice cream shop near you (not a franchise) click on the link to see how you can get your store to carry Only 8 and if you see it offered anywhere don't feel guilty getting served up a full cup's worth of this amazingly low fat and low calorie treat.
Well there you have my favorite "sweet tooth" snacks. Suitable for anyone. Go ahead and try something new, I know you want to!
Skinny Cow white mint truffle bars- these are seriously amazing and at only 2 points a bar there is no guilt associated!
Quakes Multigrain Blackberry Pomegranate- these are the perfect mix of sweet and crunchy and at 2 points for 13 quakes it's a great little filling snack.
Vitalicious Vitatops- These are a little expensive but oh so worth it for a chocolate craving! You can find them at Price chopper or stock up on their website and enjoy a whole lot of flavor options. My favorite is the mint chocolate! Only 1 point for a vitamuffin and there is no need to feel guilt for eating this chocolaty treat because it is packed with all sorts of good vitamins and fiber.
sugar free, fat free instant pudding made with fat free milk. Low calorie, great taste and at 1 point you can't go wrong.
Funky Monkey- Applemon. I found this at Target one day and decided to try it because it sounded like a healthy snack. I wasn't disappointed. Funky Monkey is freeze dried fruit in a pouch. One pouch is equivalent to three servings of fruit! I have to say it doesn't look like much but it is definitely filling! They sold three different flavors at my target: applemon, bananamon(bananas and cinnamon) and carnival mix. I've tried all three and the applemon(apples and cinnamon) is my favorite but they are all good and worth a try. Great for bringing on a car trip for healthy snacking!
Weight watchers chocolate raspberry bars- I like chocolate and these are raspberry ice cream covered in a hard chocolate shell. Very good, but a small snack for 2 points.
Only 8 Frozen Yogurt-I found an ice cream stand near me that sells the brand Only 8. Only 8 means there are only 8 ingredients in the yogurt and 1 CUP, yes I said 1 cup, is only 1 point. The ice cream stand near me has about 40 different flavors. I've been getting it all summer (not every day of course) and I haven't gotten the same flavor twice. This yogurt is seriously to die for and a must for me when I want soft serve. If you have an independent ice cream shop near you (not a franchise) click on the link to see how you can get your store to carry Only 8 and if you see it offered anywhere don't feel guilty getting served up a full cup's worth of this amazingly low fat and low calorie treat.
Well there you have my favorite "sweet tooth" snacks. Suitable for anyone. Go ahead and try something new, I know you want to!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
You rock my world
Since Joining Weight Watchers I have found some pretty amazing foods that rock my world. Some of them are nothing new, they've been around for quite some time, but they are new to me and I don't think I can ever go back to being oblivious about them. Some of them are quite simple but simple is good:
Broccoli- So simple, so filling. I absolutely adore broccoli. I would eat it everyday if my husband would too! one cup = 0 points. Zero. Zero is good. Actually any green vegetable is good for you to eat and most don't have any point value so stock up and always eat your veggies first-it'll fill you up before the main meal.
Bocca Burger- These make for a filling, quick and easy lunch. Pair with a low fat roll and you've got a meal that will last you all afternoon for very few points. 1 point but adding condiments and roll will add a few more.
Thomas's Healthy Start light multigrain english muffin- 1 point. Good for breakfast. Put a little spray butter or soy butter on and you have a filling low fat breakfast.
Soy butter- For someone with a peanut allergy soy butter is like heaven in a jar. I was using a low fat one witch was 2 TBS for 2 points but be careful, not all soy butter is created equal. I recently bought a different brand and discovered 2 TBS = 4 points! Yikes!
Black beans- I'm not a big bean person but I've recently discovered my love for black beans. They can go in everything and really are quite filling. Try making some black bean brownies for a fiber filled chocolaty treat!
Cabot 75% reduced fat Cheddar- I Looooooove cheese so giving it up is not an option, but this is something I can work with.
Spray butter- butter is great but I have a heavy hand so this little spray kind is easy to control the amount i'm using.
Egg beaters- substitute for eggs but well worth it and with the salmonella break out in eggs right now you may want to consider picking some up instead of your eggs. 1/2 cup = 1 point.
The laughing Cow cheese wedges- didn't I say I loved cheese? yes, here is another great cheese find. 1 wedge= 1 point.
Crystal Light- A zero point drink. Helps me to get all my water in for the day.
Turkey anything: turkey sausage, turkey bacon, ground turkey, turkey peperoni. Turkey is so good.
So there you have it. My list of must have power foods, but I also have some must have snacks that I will fill you in on tomorrow. You didn't think you were getting all my secrets in one post did you?
Broccoli- So simple, so filling. I absolutely adore broccoli. I would eat it everyday if my husband would too! one cup = 0 points. Zero. Zero is good. Actually any green vegetable is good for you to eat and most don't have any point value so stock up and always eat your veggies first-it'll fill you up before the main meal.
Bocca Burger- These make for a filling, quick and easy lunch. Pair with a low fat roll and you've got a meal that will last you all afternoon for very few points. 1 point but adding condiments and roll will add a few more.
Thomas's Healthy Start light multigrain english muffin- 1 point. Good for breakfast. Put a little spray butter or soy butter on and you have a filling low fat breakfast.
Soy butter- For someone with a peanut allergy soy butter is like heaven in a jar. I was using a low fat one witch was 2 TBS for 2 points but be careful, not all soy butter is created equal. I recently bought a different brand and discovered 2 TBS = 4 points! Yikes!
Black beans- I'm not a big bean person but I've recently discovered my love for black beans. They can go in everything and really are quite filling. Try making some black bean brownies for a fiber filled chocolaty treat!
Cabot 75% reduced fat Cheddar- I Looooooove cheese so giving it up is not an option, but this is something I can work with.
Spray butter- butter is great but I have a heavy hand so this little spray kind is easy to control the amount i'm using.
Egg beaters- substitute for eggs but well worth it and with the salmonella break out in eggs right now you may want to consider picking some up instead of your eggs. 1/2 cup = 1 point.
The laughing Cow cheese wedges- didn't I say I loved cheese? yes, here is another great cheese find. 1 wedge= 1 point.
Crystal Light- A zero point drink. Helps me to get all my water in for the day.
Turkey anything: turkey sausage, turkey bacon, ground turkey, turkey peperoni. Turkey is so good.
So there you have it. My list of must have power foods, but I also have some must have snacks that I will fill you in on tomorrow. You didn't think you were getting all my secrets in one post did you?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Motivation
Motivation to eat right and stay on track is different for everyone. My motivation is seeing a loss. The more I lose the more I want to continue doing what I'm doing, because it's working. There are weeks when I stay the same and don't have a loss, but I see how far I've come and I keep myself motivated to stay on track because I know I have a long way to go and eating healthy is the only option.
I have a mini weight goal which I hope to hit before the holiday season and a bigger weight goal which I probably won't hit until next year but my ultimate goal is to live a healthy lifestyle. Weight watchers has opened my eyes to eating foods that are going to keep my mind, body and soul healthy for life.
The thing about weight watchers is is that it's a lifestyle change, not a diet. I'm not dieting right now. I'm changing my life and hoping to rub off on my husband. My husband is not heavy at all but the food choices he makes are really unhealthy. He could live off of pepsi, frozen pizza and doritos. My husband loves all junk food and eats plenty of it weekly. He works away from home so he is forced to eat out all week for breakfast-dinner and then when he's here he devours a whole frozen pizza for lunch on the weekends. I worry about his health and how eating out all the time is going to affect him in the long run. I do know that I've rubbed off on him a little bit as he has been ordering vegetables on the side at the restaurants-- something he never would have done before.
Weight watchers has a ton of healthy eating tips and recipes on their site. I'm always finding new things that work for me and my junk food loving husband would never know the difference if I didn't tell him.
Up next: some foods that rock my world
I have a mini weight goal which I hope to hit before the holiday season and a bigger weight goal which I probably won't hit until next year but my ultimate goal is to live a healthy lifestyle. Weight watchers has opened my eyes to eating foods that are going to keep my mind, body and soul healthy for life.
The thing about weight watchers is is that it's a lifestyle change, not a diet. I'm not dieting right now. I'm changing my life and hoping to rub off on my husband. My husband is not heavy at all but the food choices he makes are really unhealthy. He could live off of pepsi, frozen pizza and doritos. My husband loves all junk food and eats plenty of it weekly. He works away from home so he is forced to eat out all week for breakfast-dinner and then when he's here he devours a whole frozen pizza for lunch on the weekends. I worry about his health and how eating out all the time is going to affect him in the long run. I do know that I've rubbed off on him a little bit as he has been ordering vegetables on the side at the restaurants-- something he never would have done before.
Weight watchers has a ton of healthy eating tips and recipes on their site. I'm always finding new things that work for me and my junk food loving husband would never know the difference if I didn't tell him.
Up next: some foods that rock my world
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Twenty-Five
I don't know what it feels like to be completely content with the way you look when you look in the mirror and I don't know if I ever will.
I joined weight watchers in April after trying to do it on my own for so long without seeing results.My BFF came over one day and was super excited about her loss and started showing me all about the new weight watchers online. No meetings, no weekly weigh in's in front of people--you do it all yourself online. You track your food points and weight daily and weekly. Couldn't be easier. She logged into her account and showed me exactly what she does and how simple it is.
I joined the next day. The best part was it was during a promotional period and I didn't have to pay the registration fee! Eating the weight watchers way is great because you can eat whatever you want. Seriously, if I want to eat ribs for dinner I can... in moderation. Moderation is the key. Being honest with how much you are eating is also important. Tracking everything you put into your mouth is important in really keeping track of your points.
The first 2 weeks were really hard. I was hungry. I was really hungry. I guess I never realized how much I was eating and weight watchers really helps you to re-see what a serving size really is. And a serving size is a lot smaller than what I imagined and what I was consuming. I started dropping weight immediately.There are days now when I find it hard to eat all of my "points." Your body gets used to eating less.
I was so happy that something was Finally working for me. So I've stuck with it for months. I will continue to stick with it until I reach my goal of a healthy weight. I love weight watchers. It has given me back my power to control what I eat and the knowledge to make the best possible choices.
I eat a lot more vegetables and fruit now than i used to.I still enjoy the benefits of having a low carbohydrate diet so I still keep my carbohydrates to a minimum and it all works for me. I lost ten pounds in the first month and after that the weight loss slowed for me. I'm still losing, just at a slower rate than I'd like to but even so as of yesterday, my official weigh in day, I have lost a total of 25 pounds. I fit back into my favorite jeans and that is a great feeling.
I still have a ways to go to reach the weight I would love to be at. I know I will get there. It takes time, but so does everything worthwhile in life.
I joined weight watchers in April after trying to do it on my own for so long without seeing results.My BFF came over one day and was super excited about her loss and started showing me all about the new weight watchers online. No meetings, no weekly weigh in's in front of people--you do it all yourself online. You track your food points and weight daily and weekly. Couldn't be easier. She logged into her account and showed me exactly what she does and how simple it is.
I joined the next day. The best part was it was during a promotional period and I didn't have to pay the registration fee! Eating the weight watchers way is great because you can eat whatever you want. Seriously, if I want to eat ribs for dinner I can... in moderation. Moderation is the key. Being honest with how much you are eating is also important. Tracking everything you put into your mouth is important in really keeping track of your points.
The first 2 weeks were really hard. I was hungry. I was really hungry. I guess I never realized how much I was eating and weight watchers really helps you to re-see what a serving size really is. And a serving size is a lot smaller than what I imagined and what I was consuming. I started dropping weight immediately.There are days now when I find it hard to eat all of my "points." Your body gets used to eating less.
I was so happy that something was Finally working for me. So I've stuck with it for months. I will continue to stick with it until I reach my goal of a healthy weight. I love weight watchers. It has given me back my power to control what I eat and the knowledge to make the best possible choices.
I eat a lot more vegetables and fruit now than i used to.I still enjoy the benefits of having a low carbohydrate diet so I still keep my carbohydrates to a minimum and it all works for me. I lost ten pounds in the first month and after that the weight loss slowed for me. I'm still losing, just at a slower rate than I'd like to but even so as of yesterday, my official weigh in day, I have lost a total of 25 pounds. I fit back into my favorite jeans and that is a great feeling.
I still have a ways to go to reach the weight I would love to be at. I know I will get there. It takes time, but so does everything worthwhile in life.
Fast Forward
I started gaining weight again when my now husband and I began dating. Part of it was from eating out, part of it was from drinking, part of it was from just being content and not really watching what I was eating. This weight gain was different than weight gains in the past. It wasn't due to eating sweets. I had my own place and didn't allow myself to put sweets in it -but eating out so much and drinking when I hadn't been drinking started to play a huge role in why my pants were no longer fitting me.
I knew I had gained some weight, but I think I was in denial. I didn't realize how much I had gained until much later in the game.
Every time we went to visit my husbands family I came home 5 lbs heavier. Yes, I said it. Five pounds. I'm not kidding you, that is really what the scale and my pants told me. It is so hard to control what you eat when others are preparing it-- but 5 lbs- really? I started to really resent going to visit his family but it wasn't their fault. It was mine. I was eating way to much and not getting any exercise. Did I mention that I love food. And I love cooking food. And I love home cooked food. And my husband's mother has some very yummy food that she cooks. I was quite eager to eat it up.
My waist and pants kept expanding and then the kicker--I quit smoking. I gained ten pounds when I quit. I know part of it was because my metabolism was self regulating but I also was snacking more to keep my mind off of not smoking. It's so easy to blame other things when really it is my fault for letting it get so out of hand, so out of control.
I became obsessed with losing weight. It was all I thought about, all I dreamed about, all I wanted to do and I started working out a lot. Nothing changed really. I lost a few pounds but not much. I tried Atkins. It started to work, but the thing about Atkins is is that it is REALLY restrictive. I was doing really well on it for awhile, but I like to drink wine and I like to have a glass or two on the weekend with my husband and wine has carbohydrates. So having wine would knock me out of ketosis and I would have to start all over again. It began to not work for me. I wasn't eating carbohydrates and I wanted them. I craved them. My body craved them. The scale was stuck on gaining and losing the same 5lbs.
Then I lost my job right before the holidays. I was upset. Depressed. Feeling worthless. And food was there to comfort me through two Thanksgivings and two Christmases(because we had to celebrate with both families).
Then two things happened. I reached a weight which I told myself I would NEVER reach and I saw a picture of myself. I cried. I looked horrible and I was tired of it. I hated my round face and my rounder body. I began working out harder than I had in a year and not eating any sweets. I thought I was eating good and working out enough. No weight was lost. In fact, it moved up which really stressed me out because I was already over the weight in which I never wanted to reach.
I felt like I was doing everything in my power to lose weight and nothing was happening. I was not happy. It made me feel sick to my stomach to look in the mirror. My BFF asked me if I wanted to join weight watchers with her because she was also struggling. I told her no. I would do it on my own. I had a plan. So she joined and I was determined to lose weight on my own. She lost 10 lbs in a month. I lost... 1.
Although I was happy for her and her loss, I'm not going to lie, I was extremely jealous. And after struggling to lose weight for well over a year unsuccessfully, I decided maybe I could use a little help. Maybe saying you need help isn't such a bad thing. So I joined weight watchers too and it's the best decision I've made in a very long time.
I knew I had gained some weight, but I think I was in denial. I didn't realize how much I had gained until much later in the game.
Every time we went to visit my husbands family I came home 5 lbs heavier. Yes, I said it. Five pounds. I'm not kidding you, that is really what the scale and my pants told me. It is so hard to control what you eat when others are preparing it-- but 5 lbs- really? I started to really resent going to visit his family but it wasn't their fault. It was mine. I was eating way to much and not getting any exercise. Did I mention that I love food. And I love cooking food. And I love home cooked food. And my husband's mother has some very yummy food that she cooks. I was quite eager to eat it up.
My waist and pants kept expanding and then the kicker--I quit smoking. I gained ten pounds when I quit. I know part of it was because my metabolism was self regulating but I also was snacking more to keep my mind off of not smoking. It's so easy to blame other things when really it is my fault for letting it get so out of hand, so out of control.
I became obsessed with losing weight. It was all I thought about, all I dreamed about, all I wanted to do and I started working out a lot. Nothing changed really. I lost a few pounds but not much. I tried Atkins. It started to work, but the thing about Atkins is is that it is REALLY restrictive. I was doing really well on it for awhile, but I like to drink wine and I like to have a glass or two on the weekend with my husband and wine has carbohydrates. So having wine would knock me out of ketosis and I would have to start all over again. It began to not work for me. I wasn't eating carbohydrates and I wanted them. I craved them. My body craved them. The scale was stuck on gaining and losing the same 5lbs.
Then I lost my job right before the holidays. I was upset. Depressed. Feeling worthless. And food was there to comfort me through two Thanksgivings and two Christmases(because we had to celebrate with both families).
Then two things happened. I reached a weight which I told myself I would NEVER reach and I saw a picture of myself. I cried. I looked horrible and I was tired of it. I hated my round face and my rounder body. I began working out harder than I had in a year and not eating any sweets. I thought I was eating good and working out enough. No weight was lost. In fact, it moved up which really stressed me out because I was already over the weight in which I never wanted to reach.
I felt like I was doing everything in my power to lose weight and nothing was happening. I was not happy. It made me feel sick to my stomach to look in the mirror. My BFF asked me if I wanted to join weight watchers with her because she was also struggling. I told her no. I would do it on my own. I had a plan. So she joined and I was determined to lose weight on my own. She lost 10 lbs in a month. I lost... 1.
Although I was happy for her and her loss, I'm not going to lie, I was extremely jealous. And after struggling to lose weight for well over a year unsuccessfully, I decided maybe I could use a little help. Maybe saying you need help isn't such a bad thing. So I joined weight watchers too and it's the best decision I've made in a very long time.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Flashback
I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. This is a brief synopsis of my struggle with weight.
I was always the fat kid in elementary school. Yes, I was chubbier than my skinny friends, but just because I had a little extra padding didn't mean I deserved the treatment that I got. I was teased and taunted beyond belief in elementary school and middle school. In high school people stopped the teasing but I still had the scars from the past burned into my psyche. I tried to lose weight. I failed. I tried again. I failed again.
A large part of the failure was due to my own lack of self control but I also blame my mother for part of it. I grew up eating cookies, little debbies, chocolate and ice cream. Instead of having fruit in the fridge my mother had a cabinet full of disgustingly good snacks. And I ate them when I was alone. After school everyday I hit up the cabinet like it was my job. I acquired some serious bad habits that I'm not proud of.
I asked my mom to stop buying the junk because I realized if it was there I would eat it and I really didn't want to. But she wouldn't stop buying it. She has always been obsessed with her own body image and it gave her pleasure to watch others eat the foods she wouldn't allow to enter her lips. Along with her buying food for me to gorge on I had to listen to how "fat" she was at 105 lbs. Yeah, what a heifer. It made me feel worse about myself knowing she thought she was fat. I ate chocolate when I felt like that. Chocolate made everything better for the moment, but then I'd need more and it was a bad cycle that kept replaying.
Through my own discipline and desire (and joining a gym) I lost a lot of weight my senior year of high school.
I gained some of it back my freshman year of college. Then I lost some of it over the summer. Then I gained some of that back the following year. And, you guessed it, I lost some of it over the summer. Do you see the pattern here? Gain some, lose some... never quite losing it all. By my junior year of college I was pretty disappointed with myself again and BFF and I joined a gym.
BFF and I pushed each other to reach our goals and to work out. We both ate healthy and eventually started seeing some great results.I learned that Eating healthy + working out = weight loss.
After college I was at my thinnest, well the thinnest I had ever been in my adult life. Then I started dating my now husband. Eating out, drinking beers and having a new relationship definitely started to creep up on me. It was pretty sneaky and I didn't quite realize how bad it had gotten. I was happy, I was in love and I was enjoying life.
Fast forward a few years and I have a problem. A big one.
anyone else out there struggle with a weight problem since they were a child?
I was always the fat kid in elementary school. Yes, I was chubbier than my skinny friends, but just because I had a little extra padding didn't mean I deserved the treatment that I got. I was teased and taunted beyond belief in elementary school and middle school. In high school people stopped the teasing but I still had the scars from the past burned into my psyche. I tried to lose weight. I failed. I tried again. I failed again.
A large part of the failure was due to my own lack of self control but I also blame my mother for part of it. I grew up eating cookies, little debbies, chocolate and ice cream. Instead of having fruit in the fridge my mother had a cabinet full of disgustingly good snacks. And I ate them when I was alone. After school everyday I hit up the cabinet like it was my job. I acquired some serious bad habits that I'm not proud of.
I asked my mom to stop buying the junk because I realized if it was there I would eat it and I really didn't want to. But she wouldn't stop buying it. She has always been obsessed with her own body image and it gave her pleasure to watch others eat the foods she wouldn't allow to enter her lips. Along with her buying food for me to gorge on I had to listen to how "fat" she was at 105 lbs. Yeah, what a heifer. It made me feel worse about myself knowing she thought she was fat. I ate chocolate when I felt like that. Chocolate made everything better for the moment, but then I'd need more and it was a bad cycle that kept replaying.
Through my own discipline and desire (and joining a gym) I lost a lot of weight my senior year of high school.
I gained some of it back my freshman year of college. Then I lost some of it over the summer. Then I gained some of that back the following year. And, you guessed it, I lost some of it over the summer. Do you see the pattern here? Gain some, lose some... never quite losing it all. By my junior year of college I was pretty disappointed with myself again and BFF and I joined a gym.
BFF and I pushed each other to reach our goals and to work out. We both ate healthy and eventually started seeing some great results.I learned that Eating healthy + working out = weight loss.
After college I was at my thinnest, well the thinnest I had ever been in my adult life. Then I started dating my now husband. Eating out, drinking beers and having a new relationship definitely started to creep up on me. It was pretty sneaky and I didn't quite realize how bad it had gotten. I was happy, I was in love and I was enjoying life.
Fast forward a few years and I have a problem. A big one.
anyone else out there struggle with a weight problem since they were a child?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Kenneth Cole Contest
I'm pretty sure no one reads this blog, but if you happen to be reading be a pal and click on the link below and vote for me in the Kenneth Cole contest on brickfish. It sure would be great to win a shopping spree of Kenneth! Thanks in advance!
Love
Love
Monday, August 16, 2010
Did You Really Just Say That?
Sometimes even the smartest of people say something and it makes you wonder "did that really just come out of their mouth?"
I lost my job last November. It was a huge shock and quite annoying as it was right after my wedding and right before the holidays. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't heartbroken. I wasn't feeling like I was living up to my potential and I was quite bored working where I was so I tried to look at it as an opportunity. An opportunity to finally get the career of my dreams.
Since then I've been actively searching for new employment. Every week I apply for jobs that I could see myself doing and enjoying. I have gotten a few interviews but not nearly as many as I would have gotten if the market was in better shape.None of the interviews have panned out.
I was under the impression that someone with a Master's degree and a skill set like mine would have an easy time finding a job. This has not been the case for me. I've gone to the employment office where I live and taken free courses they offer and I even signed up to take online training courses for the field of work I hope the be employed in. I've applied for countless numbers of jobs, only to get rejection letter after rejection letter in the mail without even getting the option to interview.
It is frustrating and has taken a toll on my self esteem. Every week that more and more people lose their jobs a little glimmer of hope of finding a job fades slightly for me. Still I push forward and try to have faith that there is something better out there for me.
The hardest part of not having a job is meeting new people or seeing people you haven't seen in a long time. My husband has a large part of his extended family that I have only met once, at the wedding. They live down in the south and we never see them. Recently they came to NY and we made the effort to visit them and hang out. I knew the question was coming, the one I always dread because it makes me feel like a loser especially after all this time.... "what do you do?" and then it came, and I had to answer that I was unemployed.
There really isn't a reason to feel the way I do about it. I shouldn't be ashamed the way I am because I didn't get laid off for being a poor worker. I have always surpassed the greatest of expectations that my bosses had for me. I got laid of because the economy took a dump and that dump affected the small business I worked for. These are facts I know and yet I still cringe a little inside when people ask me what I do and I have to tell them I'm unemployed.
I totally understand people wanting to know what you do for a living. But what I don't get is when you tell people that you got laid off and are currently unemployed and they sit there and look at you and then open their mouths and this comes out, "well, are you looking for a job?" I seriously can't believe that people ask me this time and time again. I'm not going to lie, I get pretty angry when people ask me this.
Here I am- someone that got laid off due to the economic bad times and they are sitting there thinking I'm just hanging out with my free time not doing anything. I wanted to work. I didn't choose to quit working. And yes, I am looking for a job -thanks for asking.
If anyone is out there reading my blog and you meet someone who is currently unemployed, I beg of you, don't ask them if they are looking for a job. Most likely they are, unsuccessfully, and you will just remind them of this fact.
What are you least favorite questions to be asked while unemployed?
I lost my job last November. It was a huge shock and quite annoying as it was right after my wedding and right before the holidays. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't heartbroken. I wasn't feeling like I was living up to my potential and I was quite bored working where I was so I tried to look at it as an opportunity. An opportunity to finally get the career of my dreams.
Since then I've been actively searching for new employment. Every week I apply for jobs that I could see myself doing and enjoying. I have gotten a few interviews but not nearly as many as I would have gotten if the market was in better shape.None of the interviews have panned out.
I was under the impression that someone with a Master's degree and a skill set like mine would have an easy time finding a job. This has not been the case for me. I've gone to the employment office where I live and taken free courses they offer and I even signed up to take online training courses for the field of work I hope the be employed in. I've applied for countless numbers of jobs, only to get rejection letter after rejection letter in the mail without even getting the option to interview.
It is frustrating and has taken a toll on my self esteem. Every week that more and more people lose their jobs a little glimmer of hope of finding a job fades slightly for me. Still I push forward and try to have faith that there is something better out there for me.
The hardest part of not having a job is meeting new people or seeing people you haven't seen in a long time. My husband has a large part of his extended family that I have only met once, at the wedding. They live down in the south and we never see them. Recently they came to NY and we made the effort to visit them and hang out. I knew the question was coming, the one I always dread because it makes me feel like a loser especially after all this time.... "what do you do?" and then it came, and I had to answer that I was unemployed.
There really isn't a reason to feel the way I do about it. I shouldn't be ashamed the way I am because I didn't get laid off for being a poor worker. I have always surpassed the greatest of expectations that my bosses had for me. I got laid of because the economy took a dump and that dump affected the small business I worked for. These are facts I know and yet I still cringe a little inside when people ask me what I do and I have to tell them I'm unemployed.
I totally understand people wanting to know what you do for a living. But what I don't get is when you tell people that you got laid off and are currently unemployed and they sit there and look at you and then open their mouths and this comes out, "well, are you looking for a job?" I seriously can't believe that people ask me this time and time again. I'm not going to lie, I get pretty angry when people ask me this.
Here I am- someone that got laid off due to the economic bad times and they are sitting there thinking I'm just hanging out with my free time not doing anything. I wanted to work. I didn't choose to quit working. And yes, I am looking for a job -thanks for asking.
If anyone is out there reading my blog and you meet someone who is currently unemployed, I beg of you, don't ask them if they are looking for a job. Most likely they are, unsuccessfully, and you will just remind them of this fact.
What are you least favorite questions to be asked while unemployed?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Growing up fast
Good news, Reno is feeling better! Now that he's gotten a little bigger, Reno and Remmi have become the best of friends. Reno has been observing Remmi's actions on a daily basis since we first brought him home. He's gotten a little bigger and a little more rambunctious and curious.The good thing about having two dogs is that they learn from each other and specifically the second one learns from the first. He began copying her moves recently. Boy am I gad that she is trained because if she wasn't I think we'd have a problem on our hands. Reno knows how to "sit", "shake" and we are working on "stay." He also knows that "hurry up means to go to the bathroom" and "in the house" means to go inside. He's a quick learner and picks up on things pretty easily.
Reno kind of amazes me sometimes at how easy going he is. Last weekend we went out on our boat and brought the pups along with us. While Remmi loves going on the boat, she is very afraid of the water and swimming. We got out to a spot on Lake George that we wanted to stay in and anchored down. As soon as the boat stopped moving Reno was on the move checking things out. He went right in the water and swam for the first time in deep water! He did great. He swam all day both days while Remmi sat there watching and wondering but not swimming. We tried to get her to come in the water with us since it was a beautiful day but she is more of a land lover than a water dog.
The hubs and I brought both the dogs for a walk yesterday afternoon and although Reno hasn't really been before he did pretty good. He was trying to keep up with his big sis and was doing a good job with it, however, walking on a leash is the one thing Remmi really needs to work on. She pulls like crazy and I don't want Reno learning her bad habits. This morning since it finally wasn't too hot out, I brought Reno for a little walk by himself. And then I brought Remmi for her longer walk. As annoying as it was to walk them separately, at this point I think it's important for him to learn on his own from me how to walk on a leash. I started late with Remmi and she ended up being a pain in the butt to teach. She still needs some work but has gotten a little better. I plan on taking Reno more by himself so he can learn the correct way to walk on a leash and then hopefully I'll be able to bring them together and perhaps she will learn from him.
Reno also had his first night sleeping outside his crate. He loves it. I'm really enjoying having two GSD's.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I could really use some sleep right now
For the past two nights I have gotten little sleep due to our little addition, Reno. Reno had been sleeping through the night quite nicely after our second week together, but as of two days ago he began waking up several times through the night, and by several I really mean every hour on the dot.
I noticed the other night before bed that he kind of exploded when I took him out and that the poop wasn't of normal consistency. I wondered if he was having a bad reaction to the treat I had given him and thought nothing of it really until he woke up every hour that night to go and explode.
Luckily, he had a vet appointment yesterday so I brought along a sample and told them about the change. I kind of knew what to expect and I was right. They found one ringworm egg in his poo and since I told them about the change, they gave me a wormer for him. So I crushed up the pill and put it in his dinner last night, which he gobbled right up.
I remember when Remmi was a pup and she had worms. It was the worst experience ever because I was working and had no idea the poor thing had gotten sick all day. My mom had stopped by for her usual mid-day visit and called me to tell me Remmi had puked in her crate and then she brought her out and she had the liquid poo. Since I was at work and couldn't leave there really was nothing I could do about it. I had a date that night with my grandma that I really didn't want to cancel on either. So when I stopped home after work and Remmi hadn't pooped or thrown up again, I thought that she was fine and it must have been an isolated event. I fed her dinner and played for a bit then went over to grandma's for some dinner myself. By the time I got home that night (because my husband works away from home so no one was here) and walked in the door, I knew something was very very wrong. The smell hit me as soon as I opened the door. And there was liquid poo everywhere. Remmi had exploded some poop all over the carpet and surrounding walls and she was cowering in her crate thinking she was going to get in trouble. The poor thing was covered in poop herself. Everything smelled horrible. I moved the crate outside and set up a bath for Remmi. Put some gloves on (essential to have when you have pets) and got to work giving her a bath on my own. She was covered in poop and didn't like it so she actually let me bathe her for once. She wanted to be clean and gave me a kiss once she was clean-- I like to think of it sort of as a "thank you." As soon as we were done there I got to work cleaning and deodorizing the crate and the carpet and walls. It was not a fun experience. She woke up every hour that night to poop too. I didn't make it into work the next day. She went to the vet and they didn't find anything wrong with her poop sample I brought. She still was having problems a few days later so I brought some more poop in and then they found the worms. She was immediately put on a strong de-wormer and soon got better.
I guess I was expecting it to work magic right away on Reno, but no such luck. The little guy woke up every two hours last night to release. I guess it's better than every hour like the night before. I sure hope my little one starts feeling better soon!
I noticed the other night before bed that he kind of exploded when I took him out and that the poop wasn't of normal consistency. I wondered if he was having a bad reaction to the treat I had given him and thought nothing of it really until he woke up every hour that night to go and explode.
Luckily, he had a vet appointment yesterday so I brought along a sample and told them about the change. I kind of knew what to expect and I was right. They found one ringworm egg in his poo and since I told them about the change, they gave me a wormer for him. So I crushed up the pill and put it in his dinner last night, which he gobbled right up.
I remember when Remmi was a pup and she had worms. It was the worst experience ever because I was working and had no idea the poor thing had gotten sick all day. My mom had stopped by for her usual mid-day visit and called me to tell me Remmi had puked in her crate and then she brought her out and she had the liquid poo. Since I was at work and couldn't leave there really was nothing I could do about it. I had a date that night with my grandma that I really didn't want to cancel on either. So when I stopped home after work and Remmi hadn't pooped or thrown up again, I thought that she was fine and it must have been an isolated event. I fed her dinner and played for a bit then went over to grandma's for some dinner myself. By the time I got home that night (because my husband works away from home so no one was here) and walked in the door, I knew something was very very wrong. The smell hit me as soon as I opened the door. And there was liquid poo everywhere. Remmi had exploded some poop all over the carpet and surrounding walls and she was cowering in her crate thinking she was going to get in trouble. The poor thing was covered in poop herself. Everything smelled horrible. I moved the crate outside and set up a bath for Remmi. Put some gloves on (essential to have when you have pets) and got to work giving her a bath on my own. She was covered in poop and didn't like it so she actually let me bathe her for once. She wanted to be clean and gave me a kiss once she was clean-- I like to think of it sort of as a "thank you." As soon as we were done there I got to work cleaning and deodorizing the crate and the carpet and walls. It was not a fun experience. She woke up every hour that night to poop too. I didn't make it into work the next day. She went to the vet and they didn't find anything wrong with her poop sample I brought. She still was having problems a few days later so I brought some more poop in and then they found the worms. She was immediately put on a strong de-wormer and soon got better.
I guess I was expecting it to work magic right away on Reno, but no such luck. The little guy woke up every two hours last night to release. I guess it's better than every hour like the night before. I sure hope my little one starts feeling better soon!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The First Time
Since the husband and I have had Reno for a few weeks, we figured it was time for the first Vet visit. I set up an appointment for him and brought him in the afternoon for his first check up. I was not quite sure what to expect as the husband was the one who brought Remmi for her first check up.
Reno was wonderful. He did so great and of course, everybody loved him. He was the superstar patient. He was so calm and didn't really seem to mind the poking and prodding and shots.... he just laid there as calm as could be-that is until the doctor tested out his joints.
He squealed in pain each time the doctor tested any one of his joints. It is cause for concern because Shepherds are known to be effected by hip dysplasia and joint problems. It can be quite costly and devastating if this is the case. I'm not sure if he squealed because he's a wimp and didn't want the doc pulling on his leg or if there is a problem that is going to be more prevalent as he gets older.
We got Reno from a breeder in VT. They are very sweet people and I don't believe they would have knowingly given us a dog that is not in tip top form. I would like to believe they wouldn't anyway. When we got him they discussed the "hip guarantee" that they offered because they were certain none of the pups would have a problem. The hips on our puppy are guaranteed for 1 year, however, if there is a problem with the hips instead of fixing them (because I don't believe there really is a fix) we would get a new puppy instead. That sounds all fine and dandy, but we have already bonded with Reno and so has Remmi and to be honest, we don't have a big enough house for another Shepherd.
I'm hoping that all will be fine with Reno in the long run and that perhaps he was just having a rough day and really doesn't have any problems! We are going to have the joints re-tested in 3 weeks when he returns for the rest of his shots. Poor guy. I hope that his poor joints are doing better by then!
Have you ever had a scary first experience at the vet?
Reno was wonderful. He did so great and of course, everybody loved him. He was the superstar patient. He was so calm and didn't really seem to mind the poking and prodding and shots.... he just laid there as calm as could be-that is until the doctor tested out his joints.
He squealed in pain each time the doctor tested any one of his joints. It is cause for concern because Shepherds are known to be effected by hip dysplasia and joint problems. It can be quite costly and devastating if this is the case. I'm not sure if he squealed because he's a wimp and didn't want the doc pulling on his leg or if there is a problem that is going to be more prevalent as he gets older.
We got Reno from a breeder in VT. They are very sweet people and I don't believe they would have knowingly given us a dog that is not in tip top form. I would like to believe they wouldn't anyway. When we got him they discussed the "hip guarantee" that they offered because they were certain none of the pups would have a problem. The hips on our puppy are guaranteed for 1 year, however, if there is a problem with the hips instead of fixing them (because I don't believe there really is a fix) we would get a new puppy instead. That sounds all fine and dandy, but we have already bonded with Reno and so has Remmi and to be honest, we don't have a big enough house for another Shepherd.
I'm hoping that all will be fine with Reno in the long run and that perhaps he was just having a rough day and really doesn't have any problems! We are going to have the joints re-tested in 3 weeks when he returns for the rest of his shots. Poor guy. I hope that his poor joints are doing better by then!
Have you ever had a scary first experience at the vet?
Sometimes I think we are Crazy
My husband has been talking about getting another German Shepherd dog for quite some time. I'm not opposed to it, although I am opposed to all the dog hair sticking on the carpet. Yes, I know that sounds silly, but I'm somewhat allergic and my allergies go all haywire sometimes from Remmi so I can't imagine what adding another dog to the mix would do. I have a good vacuum so it's not that, it's just that dog hair gets embedded in carpet. There is no way of getting around it. My condition to getting another dog was that we need to rip out the carpet in the living and dining rooms (the upstairs is carpet free and the dogs don't go into the rooms in the basement). I never thought my hubby would agree to the condition, but then one day he did.
My hubby likes the soft carpet but he wanted another dog more. And then one day about three weeks ago we went and looked at GSD puppies. They stole our hearts. There was one male in particular that my husband was all about, and so we got a puppy!
His name is Reno and he's already a great dog. Remmi loves having a playmate all the time. I'm not going to lie, the first two weeks were REALLY hard. Reno was not crate trained and not house trained which we anticipated but still it was hard to get used to a puppy peeing and pooping in the house again. I think my husband was having a fit. I just kept reminding him that it really doesn't matter since we are taking the carpet out eventually anyway!
Crate training was essential since he wasn't house broken. We didn't want him peeing and pooping all over the house at night or when we went out. Also he doesn't know all the rules yet so leaving him unattended to roam free is so dangerous for him. The first week I got NO sleep. He liked his crate and would go in it but as soon as we left the room he whined. And I'm not talking about a little whimper, I'm talking about a full on spaz attack of loudness. After keeping me up for hours whining I couldn't take it anymore and came downstairs where we was. As soon as he saw me he stopped crying. So I layed on the floor and slept next to his crate the first night. He did much better with me and Remmi there so the next night when it was the same thing, Remmi and I were back on the floor. As soon as he passed out I snuck back up to bed. The hubs was mad that I was down there with him, but I needed some sleep so badly! He had no problem sleeping through the big whine fest but I couldn't. After the first two nights I didn't sleep downstairs with him anymore, I let Remmi sleep next to him though and that helped. And finally, after the first week there was no more whining all night. He has such a small bladder that he couldn't hold himself all night so he does whine in the middle of the night to go out, but it's a lot better than all night whining.
Reno was pretty easy to break of peeing in the house and learned quickly that going to the door after a nap was essential. And that when I asked if he "wanted to go out" it meant to pee outside. And he picked up in the first week that when I told Remmi to "hurry up" it meant to go to the bathroom and he started peeing when I said "hurry up" as well. Breaking him of pooping in the house was a lot harder. He would do it when I turned my back for a minute and I just couldn't seem to catch him in the act! But once I got his pooping schedule down and started taking him out before it happened he did really well. Of course lots of praise was involved when he peed or pooped outside. Two weeks was all it took and he hasn't had any accidents indoors since. He runs to the door when he needs to go out. Although he doesn't wine at the door (and neither does Remmi) he sits in front of it and waits for you to take him out.
Reno is at this really great stage now where he just copies everything Remmi does. And she's a pretty good dog to copy. They say training your 2nd dog is easier than the first because they learn from the first dog. I can see how this can be both good and bad. If the first dog is properly trained, training the second one can be a lot easier because they will copy the first one, but if the first one is misbehaving and allowed to misbehave then I can see the second dog picking up bad bad habits! I'm glad the hubs and I took the time to teach Remmi to be a good girl when we did. And I can't wait to see what a good boy Reno turns out to be.
My hubby likes the soft carpet but he wanted another dog more. And then one day about three weeks ago we went and looked at GSD puppies. They stole our hearts. There was one male in particular that my husband was all about, and so we got a puppy!
Crate training was essential since he wasn't house broken. We didn't want him peeing and pooping all over the house at night or when we went out. Also he doesn't know all the rules yet so leaving him unattended to roam free is so dangerous for him. The first week I got NO sleep. He liked his crate and would go in it but as soon as we left the room he whined. And I'm not talking about a little whimper, I'm talking about a full on spaz attack of loudness. After keeping me up for hours whining I couldn't take it anymore and came downstairs where we was. As soon as he saw me he stopped crying. So I layed on the floor and slept next to his crate the first night. He did much better with me and Remmi there so the next night when it was the same thing, Remmi and I were back on the floor. As soon as he passed out I snuck back up to bed. The hubs was mad that I was down there with him, but I needed some sleep so badly! He had no problem sleeping through the big whine fest but I couldn't. After the first two nights I didn't sleep downstairs with him anymore, I let Remmi sleep next to him though and that helped. And finally, after the first week there was no more whining all night. He has such a small bladder that he couldn't hold himself all night so he does whine in the middle of the night to go out, but it's a lot better than all night whining.
Reno was pretty easy to break of peeing in the house and learned quickly that going to the door after a nap was essential. And that when I asked if he "wanted to go out" it meant to pee outside. And he picked up in the first week that when I told Remmi to "hurry up" it meant to go to the bathroom and he started peeing when I said "hurry up" as well. Breaking him of pooping in the house was a lot harder. He would do it when I turned my back for a minute and I just couldn't seem to catch him in the act! But once I got his pooping schedule down and started taking him out before it happened he did really well. Of course lots of praise was involved when he peed or pooped outside. Two weeks was all it took and he hasn't had any accidents indoors since. He runs to the door when he needs to go out. Although he doesn't wine at the door (and neither does Remmi) he sits in front of it and waits for you to take him out.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Shenanigans
My birthday is on the 4th of July. It was always a fun birthday to have growing up, but as I get older it becomes more and more difficult to celebrate it the way I want to. My parents always want me to go over for a cookout, my husband always wants to go out on the boat, and I always just want to spend it with my friends. It's impossible to please everyone.
For the past few years my husband has been winning this one. I love going out on the boat and seieng the fireworks over the lake,but... But I also want to see my friends and family and there isn't room on the boat for all of them! This year we rented an island on the lake to camp on and my two sister in laws, brother in law and their kids all came down to celebrate with me.
We had rented the island for 3 days and had planned on going out on the lake on Sat. Whenever there is a big trip like that (3 days is a long time for camping in my book) there is always TONS of food prep I need to do beforehand to be ready. I usually plan the food and then put the food together the day before we go out. However, this year my BFF Amanda insisted that I hang out with her. She hadn't seen me in two weeks, just found out she was pregnant and wanted to give me my birthday gift. I have to admit that I was really annoyed she wanted to do this on Friday when she knows exactly how much time I need to get things together. I kind of told her I had a lot to do, and she said to try to get it done Thursday because she really wanted to see me.
I'm not sure if I noticed how pushy she was being about it but I really wanted to see her since it had been a few weeks and celebrate her good news. So I tried to get most things done on Thursday so we could hang on Friday. Turns out it was all a big cover.
My wonderful husband, BFF's, and family had gotten together and schemed up a big 30th birthday celebration for me. And I really had no clue. I think back now on things and wonder how I could have missed that clue, but I'm glad I was so oblivious- it made it so much better to not know!
Amanda took me out for the day while my other BFF Erin and husband set up the house with decorations, food, and liquor galore! Then while I was out with Amanda she kept secretly texting them telling them the 411 on our location. When we pulled on my little private road and I saw tons of cars parked on the lawn, I knew something was up and then I looked up and there was a slew of people on the porch waiting to greet me and wish me a happy birthday!
It was really amazing. My husband and friends all did such a great job planning and executing the party for me. I had a blast. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday surprise! So this year, I got my wish- to celebrate my birthday with friends and family AND we still went out on the boat to enjoy the fabulous weather for the 4th. The in laws and family weren't coming until my actual birthday on Sunday, so my BFF Erin and her man came out with us on Sat. and we had a blast. We had perfect weather this 4th and we fully enjoyed it with friends and family.
Has your husband ever done anything sneaky for your 30th birthday?
For the past few years my husband has been winning this one. I love going out on the boat and seieng the fireworks over the lake,but... But I also want to see my friends and family and there isn't room on the boat for all of them! This year we rented an island on the lake to camp on and my two sister in laws, brother in law and their kids all came down to celebrate with me.
We had rented the island for 3 days and had planned on going out on the lake on Sat. Whenever there is a big trip like that (3 days is a long time for camping in my book) there is always TONS of food prep I need to do beforehand to be ready. I usually plan the food and then put the food together the day before we go out. However, this year my BFF Amanda insisted that I hang out with her. She hadn't seen me in two weeks, just found out she was pregnant and wanted to give me my birthday gift. I have to admit that I was really annoyed she wanted to do this on Friday when she knows exactly how much time I need to get things together. I kind of told her I had a lot to do, and she said to try to get it done Thursday because she really wanted to see me.
I'm not sure if I noticed how pushy she was being about it but I really wanted to see her since it had been a few weeks and celebrate her good news. So I tried to get most things done on Thursday so we could hang on Friday. Turns out it was all a big cover.
My wonderful husband, BFF's, and family had gotten together and schemed up a big 30th birthday celebration for me. And I really had no clue. I think back now on things and wonder how I could have missed that clue, but I'm glad I was so oblivious- it made it so much better to not know!
Amanda took me out for the day while my other BFF Erin and husband set up the house with decorations, food, and liquor galore! Then while I was out with Amanda she kept secretly texting them telling them the 411 on our location. When we pulled on my little private road and I saw tons of cars parked on the lawn, I knew something was up and then I looked up and there was a slew of people on the porch waiting to greet me and wish me a happy birthday!
It was really amazing. My husband and friends all did such a great job planning and executing the party for me. I had a blast. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday surprise! So this year, I got my wish- to celebrate my birthday with friends and family AND we still went out on the boat to enjoy the fabulous weather for the 4th. The in laws and family weren't coming until my actual birthday on Sunday, so my BFF Erin and her man came out with us on Sat. and we had a blast. We had perfect weather this 4th and we fully enjoyed it with friends and family.
Has your husband ever done anything sneaky for your 30th birthday?
Remmi
Remmi has a lot of personality. She has a LOT of energy and she craves constant attention. She gets into everything and she can be annoying but she's my girl. Remmi is a bit psychotic at times but we really bonded in November when I lost my job.
I liked Remmi just fine but she was locked in the crate all day (for her safety) and just a huge ball of energy when I got home and let her out so our relationship was a bit strained. Not to mention the fact that my mom would come over most days, take her outside and play with her for hours. Still, she was full of energy when I got home from work. I didn't mind playing with her when I got home, but she wouldn't let me do anything I needed to--like cook and eat dinner-- without causing a ruckus. When I got laid off due to the economy, we really had time to spend together and she became a much calmer dog.
Since I now had time and daylight, I taught her how to walk on a leash and started bringing her for walks every day. The walks help her get her energy out and she really needs to go everyday. It's been nice that I have been able to take her and exercise her the way she needs to be. She loves exploring new places but she is a very strong dog and it is a little difficult when other dogs walk by, but other than that, she is great on a leash now.
My husband began working longer hours further away so to save sleep he made the decision to stay in the work area all week. And since I no longer had a job, I no longer saw people on a daily basis. So Remmi became my new BFF. She's kind of like a person. I never thought I could love a dog that much, but I do.
She's grown up a lot in the past few months also. She just turned one and everyone has noticed that she has calmed a little bit and she listens a lot better. I can't help but wonder if it's because I'm home with her giving her exercise and attention or if it was bound to happen with age. Either way, she's a good dog and I'm so glad she is ours. She's not perfect, but nobody is right?
Have you ever had a difficult dog that you were able to tame in time?
I liked Remmi just fine but she was locked in the crate all day (for her safety) and just a huge ball of energy when I got home and let her out so our relationship was a bit strained. Not to mention the fact that my mom would come over most days, take her outside and play with her for hours. Still, she was full of energy when I got home from work. I didn't mind playing with her when I got home, but she wouldn't let me do anything I needed to--like cook and eat dinner-- without causing a ruckus. When I got laid off due to the economy, we really had time to spend together and she became a much calmer dog.
Since I now had time and daylight, I taught her how to walk on a leash and started bringing her for walks every day. The walks help her get her energy out and she really needs to go everyday. It's been nice that I have been able to take her and exercise her the way she needs to be. She loves exploring new places but she is a very strong dog and it is a little difficult when other dogs walk by, but other than that, she is great on a leash now.
My husband began working longer hours further away so to save sleep he made the decision to stay in the work area all week. And since I no longer had a job, I no longer saw people on a daily basis. So Remmi became my new BFF. She's kind of like a person. I never thought I could love a dog that much, but I do.
She's grown up a lot in the past few months also. She just turned one and everyone has noticed that she has calmed a little bit and she listens a lot better. I can't help but wonder if it's because I'm home with her giving her exercise and attention or if it was bound to happen with age. Either way, she's a good dog and I'm so glad she is ours. She's not perfect, but nobody is right?
Have you ever had a difficult dog that you were able to tame in time?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
I want this one
My husband has long been obsessed with German Shepherd dogs. He was never lucky enough to have a dog while growing up but his grandfather had many German Shepherds. Because of his grandfather's love for the breed, my hubby has always dreamed of having one.
I have always had pretty bad allergies so adopting a German Shepherd was not something I ever foresaw myself doing. The hubs and I had discussed getting a dog after we got married and somehow he convinced me that a German Shepherd Dog (GSD) was the way to go. I'm not really sure how it happened, but it did. And soon after we got back from our honeymoon we found ourselves going on a road trip to "look" at puppies.
Well, in case you didn't know, looking at puppies often leads to purchasing a puppy. There was no "looking" it was more like picking out which one we were bringing home with us. We both liked the same one for different reasons. I liked her because she was full of personality and he liked her because she was biting all the other puppies! It seemed like fate, both of us liking the same one. So we brought her home with us and called her Remmi.
Soon after we got Remmi I knew why puppies are made so darn cute! Raising a puppy isn't as easy as you think. I mean, I know it's not the same commitment as raising a baby, but in a way it kind of is. You need to teach it everything and watch it constantly. I wasn't quite ready for the challenge it brought, but we made it through all the challenges and puppy-hood and we have a great dog now.
Have you ever done something no realizing all the challenges that come along with it?
I have always had pretty bad allergies so adopting a German Shepherd was not something I ever foresaw myself doing. The hubs and I had discussed getting a dog after we got married and somehow he convinced me that a German Shepherd Dog (GSD) was the way to go. I'm not really sure how it happened, but it did. And soon after we got back from our honeymoon we found ourselves going on a road trip to "look" at puppies.
Well, in case you didn't know, looking at puppies often leads to purchasing a puppy. There was no "looking" it was more like picking out which one we were bringing home with us. We both liked the same one for different reasons. I liked her because she was full of personality and he liked her because she was biting all the other puppies! It seemed like fate, both of us liking the same one. So we brought her home with us and called her Remmi.
Soon after we got Remmi I knew why puppies are made so darn cute! Raising a puppy isn't as easy as you think. I mean, I know it's not the same commitment as raising a baby, but in a way it kind of is. You need to teach it everything and watch it constantly. I wasn't quite ready for the challenge it brought, but we made it through all the challenges and puppy-hood and we have a great dog now.
Have you ever done something no realizing all the challenges that come along with it?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
One of "Those People"
I never thought I'd be one of those people. You know the type I'm talking about. I'm talking about those crazy pet people- the people who seem to be so obsessed with their pets that they can't be without them. People who can't leave the house without bringing their beloved pet along for the adventure. People who bike with their pets leash attached to their bike, people who carry their pets around in their purse with them, people who can't bear to leave the house without their pet. Those are the type of people I'm talking about.
Don't get me wrong, when I was a kid I grew up having pets. We always had dogs running around the yard, one of which I had a very tight bond with, but my family never brought them outside of the yard except to bring them to the vet and even then it was a hassle because the barked the whole time in the car and my mom complained about the dog hair the whole time. You see my parents just weren't those type of people and so I wasn't either.
I never really understood how people could want to bring their pets with them everywhere. What would posses someone to do that? to get their car all dirty so their dog could just ride in the back? I just didn't understand who would want to do that.
Last summer I got married and then my new husband and I got our very first pet together. We decided that we were going to get a puppy and since my husband has had a long term love for German Shepherds he convinced me this was the dog for us. My husband had never had a dog before and although I had dogs growing up, this was a whole different experience for me.
We adopted a puppy and have raised her into a wonderfully personable one year old Shepherd.
And I get it now. I do. Honestly, I am one of Those people and I don't care if other people just don't get it.
Don't get me wrong, when I was a kid I grew up having pets. We always had dogs running around the yard, one of which I had a very tight bond with, but my family never brought them outside of the yard except to bring them to the vet and even then it was a hassle because the barked the whole time in the car and my mom complained about the dog hair the whole time. You see my parents just weren't those type of people and so I wasn't either.
I never really understood how people could want to bring their pets with them everywhere. What would posses someone to do that? to get their car all dirty so their dog could just ride in the back? I just didn't understand who would want to do that.
Last summer I got married and then my new husband and I got our very first pet together. We decided that we were going to get a puppy and since my husband has had a long term love for German Shepherds he convinced me this was the dog for us. My husband had never had a dog before and although I had dogs growing up, this was a whole different experience for me.
And I get it now. I do. Honestly, I am one of Those people and I don't care if other people just don't get it.
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