50 Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Week 28, Day 5

Okay, so today came and the world didn't end. I'm living proof that turning 50 is okay. Actually, around 11:30 last night I did have a bit of a pity party and cried for awhile. No matter how okay I've been with it all, 50 takes a bit to wrap your head around, and when it came right down to it, I wasn't quite ready to give up being in my 40s. But Adam texted me at 12:16 to wish me happy birthday and then phoned, and I realized how lucky I am to have a kid who would stay up past midnight so he could be the first one to talk to me on my birthday. It's hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're in the middle of being blessed!

I ate well today -- yogurt for breakfast and a tossed salad with grilled chicken for lunch. Dinner was not quite as diet-friendly, but it was very yummy. Mom made chicken and dumplings with carrots. The dumplings, of course, were the part that didn't fit the diet so well. But ooo they tasted so good! My sister brought sugar-free jello. When Mom and I went to the store this morning, I could tell that my having a birthday cake was really important to her, so she and I worked together to put together a dessert that would be festive and still fit with my diet. I ended up with a very yummy angel food cake topped with bananas, sugar-free whipped topping, and sugar-free caramel topping. It tasted quite decadent, but I feel like it probably had far fewer calories than a traditional yellow cake with frosting.

Today's Tip:

My sister gave me a gift that I think is a great idea. She got me a rainbow colored placemat and matching bowls in various sizes, salad plate for my entrees (smaller size so I eat less than I would with a full-sized dinner plate), and mug. The purpose of the dishes and placemat is to ensure that every meal is a pleasant occasion no matter what I'm eating rather than a mindless boring act. And in another bag she put various treats to enjoy on my new dishes -- soups, bagels, fruits, salad, each having only one Weight Watchers point value. It was a great gift idea, particularly for a single person like me. When you eat alone, it's so easy for mealtime to become a mindless act done off a paper towel in front of the TV or at the kitchen counter. Dishes like this makes mealtime become more purposeful, and thus much easier to be aware of the content of the food, the calories, the nutrition, and the enjoyment of eating. If you know a single person, think about a gift like this the next time a special occasion arises in their lives. It's a great way to let them know how special they are to you!

24 Hours to Go Before OLD?, Week 28, Day 4

This is the final day before I turn 50. Seems like a good day to reflect on how I have spent my 40s and my youth in general. In the short-term, I weighed myself this morning, and I am at 198. So while I did not hit my 50 by 50 Challenge, I did make it under 200 pounds by my 50th birthday. Considering my dad's two stays in the hospitals and the multiple times we came so very close to losing him these past few weeks, I'll count this as a major triumph in my weight loss journey. I began last September at 259, so I've done pretty well. My next goal is to bring my total weight loss to 100 pounds by this coming September. I think that's very doable.

As for the longer-term view and how I spent my 40s, I look back and see some wasted time and some mistakes that distress me greatly. I missed some opportunities and trusted some people I shouldn't have. I didn't trust myself when I should have. I let myself down physically, too, and got huge. On the other hand, I've had some major accomplishments. In my 40s I worked with Senators Kennedy and Grassley, at their request, on the Family Opportunity Act, speaking at press conferences with them, appearing on CNN and CSPAN, doing TV and newspaper interviews, and in 2006, the bill was signed into law. I made a major career shift in my 40s, finding the courage to finally pursue my dreams. Because of that I am now a published author with many dozens of articles, two books, miscellaneous other pieces, and a couple of awards to my credit. It's not just what I want to be, it's what I do for a living. And most importantly, it has inspired my kids to pursue their dreams -- without waiting until their 40s to do so. And in my 40s I launched my kids into adulthood, gracefully became a loving mother-in-law, and enthusiastically became a grandma, letting it make me feel youthful again instead of feeling old. And I have ended my 40s by losing 61 pounds. With my great friends and family at my side, I think I'm ready to be 50.

Murphy is a Dirty Rat Fink, Week 27, Day 3

I'm pretty well convinced that Murphy is a jerk, and he and his nefarious Law can both take a flying leap off a short pier. Dad's surgery was a resounding success, and for that I'm truly grateful, but this past week I've taken Dad to a doctor nearly every day to deal with one complication after another. Rampant diarrhea, thrush, severe allergic reaction to meds to treat thrush --with the allergies causing oozing nasty itchy pustules all over, painful gout, swelling because of the allergic reaction and because he can't get up and walk because of the gout, breathing problems because of the swelling and because he's now out of shape from inactivity -- it just never stops. Yup, Murphy is an evil jerk.

It keeps me hopping, though, and reduces the appetite. So I guess I'm the beneficiary of some sort of twisted silver lining. Plus, to get out of the house for a bit of stress-reduction today, I went out for some walking and ran some errands. I walked at the store with a cart to get some distance and speed, and I walked at the town square on my own to get some stamina. I ate a few cheese ravioli for breakfast, a banana for lunch, and a pork chop and peas for dinner.

Today's Tip:
MSN is reporting that McDonald's is lowering the price of their soda pop in time for summer to boost sales. The article says, "Forget about worries about soft-drinks and obesity. Sell a product at a low enough price and the masses will come." What an appalling thing to say! Wall Street Journal is reporting that McDonald's is hoping the new pricing strategy will help introduce customers to their new beverage offerings, including smoothies and frappes -- all high calorie, by the way. Don't let a cheap price lure you in to this or any other trap! Regardless of how attractive a price may be, remember how UNattractive you will be if you give in to this grab for your money! Stay strong and keep making WISE choices!

Where's My Irish Walking Stick? Week 27, Day 2

What a lovely day and very inspiring for getting out and walking! I'm Irish, I'm much more fit than I was, and I'm happy. And a very Happy St. Patrick's Day to you, too! I ate well today -- yogurt for breakfast, chicken wrap for lunch, 1/4 of a Subway BLT (no mayo) for dinner. I did do some walking. I'm not sure how much since I don't have my pedometer with me, but it was enough to feel good. I'm really pleased with how much more I can do than I used to. And with the weather being so awesome, I'm all the more energized.

Today's Tip:
Yesterday I talked about how to easily trim 100 calories from your diet. But what does 100 calories look like? According to a Prevention Magazine online video, 100 calories is 20 cups of lettuce. Or 5 cups of broccoli. Or 2 cups cubed melon. Or 1 cup seedless grapes. Wanna see the video? Check it out here (be sure to hit the "back" button on your browser and let me know what you think of the Prevention Magazine video!): Videos

Headed the Right Way, Week 27, Day 1

So anyway, turns out I did have time to weigh myself today when I stopped by to see Adam, and I now weigh a measley 207. Okay, so 207 isn't exactly svelte. But it's 52 pounds slimmer than when I started 27 weeks ago, so I'll go ahead and accept it. :) I'm quite certain that barring miraculous intervention by God or some devastating illness, which by the way, I do NOT want, I will not make it to my goal of 184 pounds by March 27. But if I stay diligent, I''m pretty sure I'll get under 200 pounds. It's just 11 days from now -- and I have 8 pounds to lose. I'll have to make sure I work hard and watch every bite that crosses my lips. But I want this a lot, so I'm gonna try really hard. Cheer me on? Please?

I got some pretty good walking in today. Doctors appointments for Dad, some shopping, aisle-walking while waiting for prescriptions to be filled. He took us to a buffet for late lunch / early dinner, and I loaded up on salad and dinner veggies. Since that was mid-afternoon, I was hungry late in the evening and had a bowl of yogurt. So I think overall I ate pretty reasonably today.

Little Man gave me a kiss for the first time the night before last and another one tonight. With all that's been going on with Dad's health lately and nearly losing him, receiving my first kiss as a grandma was the perfect medicine to renew this lady's soul. Little Man is beginning potty training this week, too. Should I feel ...weird... that potty training and kissing his grandma for the first time are both happening in the same week? haha!!! Eh...I'll just focus on the kiss and be proud of him for his progress in the potty training and forget about the synchronicity. :)

Today's Tip:
Looking for ways to easily cut 100 calories from your diet? Woman's Health magazine tells how. Here are ways to cut calories at the drive-thru:

• Pass up a Wendy's baked potato with sour cream and chives and chow down on value fries instead.
Amazing but true.
• Have a McDonald's cheeseburger instead of a Quarter Pounder with cheese.
• Downsize your drink: Trade a large fountain soda (with ice) for a medium.
• Go for grill marks. Order a flame-broiled chicken sandwich rather than one that's breaded (and usually fried in oil).
• Treat yourself to an ice-cream cone at McDonald's instead of Dairy Queen.
• Crunch on one Taco Bell regular taco instead of a Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco. And all the hot sauce you want.
• Slurp a cup of Panera Bread's low-fat chicken noodle soup instead of the cream of chicken with wild rice.
• Make your daily pick-me-up at Starbucks a skinny vanilla latte, not a regular.

To get more tips from Woman's Health, including ways to cut 100 calories at breakfast, at lunch, on your snack break, in the kitchen, and more, visit here >>>
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/cut-100-calories?cat=12597&tip=12594

Shhh....The Sidewalks Have Rolled Up for the Night, Week 26, Day 7

Did I really grow up in small towns? Surely not! If so, what happened to me? There seems to be NOTHING to do in this little burg! I've spent a couple of weeks taking care of my parents nearly non-stop, so tonight I stepped out for about an hour to get some fresh air and do something fun just for me. But I was at a loss. A quick spin around the town square told me nothing was going on there unless I was an avid drinker. A trip down Broadway finally convinced me that the only other thing to do in town was stop by the supermarket and get a walk in. It's a small store, but at least a few trips up and down each aisle gave me a bit of work on my fitness. I haven't done enough since being over here in Iowa, and my back has been paying the price. The past few days it has been excruciatingly painful to get out of bed. So I think I'm going to try to make time each day to head to the store and walk, even if it's only a little time. Beats sitting around watching Fox News for hours with Mom and Dad ( I love them, but really…Fox News ALL day? ). Yeehaw. I’m glad to be here, though. I wouldn’t trade this time for anything. Makes me grateful for family and the blessing of being in one that has always pulled together when needed.

Dad and I head over to Omaha tomorrow for another doctor's appointment. We had one today, too, but it was here in town. I'm eager to get to the city because I'll get to see Adam for a few minutes. I've missed him! This is the longest I've ever gone without seeing him. I've loved seeing First Son, Wifey, and Little Man every day, but I do so very much miss Adam. I hope he's ready for a huge, HUGE hug!

Tomorrow is weigh-in day, too. I'm not sure if I'll have time to fit that in or not. Mom and Dad don't have a reliable scale here, and I don't know if we'll have time tomorrow for me to only stop long enough to give Adam and squeeze and then run off to the drs appt or if I'll have time to pop in and weigh myself, too. I don't know that it matters -- I'm pretty sure I haven't lost anything.

TODAY’S TIP:
Oh my goodness, you definitely gotta have friends! Not just for the rough times in life, but because you’re not always going to find yourself in the most exciting venues on the planet. Surely if I could have called a friend to go for a walk with me tonight, or to just play a game of cards with or chat for an hour, it would have been a more pleasant evening. And certainly workouts and diets are a whole lot more fun when done with a friend!

Staying on Track, Week 26, Day 6

I've managed to make a Subway footlong last four days. Not something I planned on. I just haven't been hungry. A bowl of cream of wheat in the morning, a few bites of sandwich in the evenings seems to suit me fine. I did add a half cup of yogurt this evening. Now if I can add a bit more exercise, I'll be doing okay. I haven't really done any more than just generally taking care of the folks. Cooking, laundry, cleaning, running errands, transporting to doctors appointments, etc. No actual exercise. I need to get more disciplined to stay on track. I've got my resistance bands with me and can do leg lifts. I'm just tired in the evenings, and I hit the ground running in the mornings. Yup, need more discipline in order to get some real exercise in. I can't let my weight loss journey be derailed after I've come so far.

Company came yesterday. Dad's 90 year old best friend in the whole wide world (besides Mom, of course) came to spend the afternoon. It was great to hear the old stories. We think the world is rough and tumble these days, but hearing the stories, I'm pretty sure they had a pretty ornery bunch around the streets 75 years or so ago!

It cheered Dad up to have his buddy come. But he's spent the day in bed today. It's still going to be a few days before he can go out walking with me. And Mom fell the other evening. Clearly, they both still have a ways to go on the road to recovery. I planned on staying here in Iowa for 2 weeks, but it's beginning to look like it will be longer. Those of you who are praying people, please keep us on your list.

I've enjoyed seeing Little Man each day. He's speaking now. Sort of. He definitely has a vocabulary, but only he knows what he's saying. And he has the rosiest cheeks -- like a cherub in a picture. Of course, when he gets tired, his behavior is anything but cherubic. But he's still my little angel. I hope as he gets older he never remembers Fat Oma, only the new skinny me I'm working on developing. :)

Today's Tip:

My friend Sandra recommends this site: SparkPeople.com I haven't checked it out thoroughly, but it looks pretty good so far. She found it while looking for a gumbo recipe. Not only do they have recipes, but they have diet tips, nutrition and wellness info, videos, motivation, and more. Check it out!

Living La Vida Podunk Week 26, Day 3

No more sleeping in chairs, no more sleeping on the floor. I'm in a bed again. But I'm also on someone else's computer, and the darned thing keeps backing up and erasing what I just typed. Yes..it is the computer's fault, not mine. So if you see typos, I do not own them. That's my story, and I"m sticking to it. I also don't have my bike or my weights. I brought my resistance bands with me, though. And I went to the store and walked yesterday. Leg lifts are pretty easy to do here, too. So we'll see how well I can stick to my exercising while I'm staying in Iowa.

Not only did I do some walking at the store yesterday, but I also picked up some of my "diet" foods. Dad is so impressed with the progress I've made that he insisted that I get foods that will help me stay on track. It was then that I discovered how challenging it is to eat the new way I've developed when one lives in a small town. The organic produce section podunk towns is miniscule -- one tiny row with only carrots, broccoli, and some very anemic looking lettuce. No organic frozen veggies. Very few cheeses that aren't processed cheese "food". Very little to choose from in yogurt. The bread selection is various brands of white. That's okay. I got the best I could find. I like knowing enough to make the best choices with what is available. It makes me feel better about myself. I chose frozen veggies, some fresh, asiago cheese, yogurt, whole wheat cream of wheat --which surprised me they had, and stevia. I passed on the white bread. I just can't bring myself to put that in my body.

My daughter-in-heart made dinner last night. Pork chops and mixed veggies. Very yummy and healthy. No desserts, and I'm glad. If I get an urge for dessert, yogurt helps that craving. Then for breakfaast today, I had cream of wheat with some stevia. Through all of the surgery and hospital stay and now that it's over and I'm in Iowa, I have not given in to the temptation to deal with stress by self-medicating with junk food. This is one of the first major tests I've had in a long time, so I'm pleased I'm standing firm. It's not a huge struggle to do the right thing. As I mentioned a few days ago, it's actually kind of therapeutic and empowering. When everything else is out of control, what I do for myself is one of the few things I actually can control.

Dad and I were going to go walking at the hospital each day -- temperature controlled, no pollen, bathrooms, places to sit, medical care if he needed it -- but he isn't feeling well. He still has fluid in his lungs, has some intestinal distress, and now has a sore throat. I took him to the doctor yesterday. Mom, too, since she developed a nasty UTI during all this medical stuff with Dad the past couple of weeks. I got my walk in as I wheeled Dad from the clinic to xray and the lab and back to the clinic, down to the cafeteria for some lunch while we waited, back to the clinic. I'm still looking forward to our walking together and helping him on the road to better fitness. I remember when he was a young man, vital and strong. I know he never will be again. He is an old man, 81 and right now he's frail. But he's also a fighter, and I'm eager to help him in that fight. Until he can get well enough for us to get out to the hospital to walk, he at least is walking a small circuit here at the house. He knows every step helps, and he's determined to do what he can do each day, even if it's only a little bit. I love you, Dad!

Today's Tip:
If an 81 year old man is fighting for his fitness, what's stopping you? Every step helps. Even if you're not as young and vital as you once were, even when you don't feel well, even if you're not ready or not able to run a marathon, every step helps. Do what you can today. Doing that each day will add up to better tomorrows.

Bringing Others Into the Fold Week 26, Day 1

I'm so excited! Mom and Dad are watching Biggest Loser with me tonight. And they are inspired. Because of the events of this last week Dad has decided that he needs to increase his fitness. We've watched the Biggest Loser contestants tonight walking. As Dad started getting better at the hospital, they had him up and walking the hallways, and he wants to do more walking when he gets home. But he's afraid to just go walking around the neighborhood. For one thing, he's still not completely recovered, and for another, he has really bad allergies. I'm taking Mom and Dad back to Iowa tomorrow, and I'll be staying with them for a couple of weeks. They live in a small town with not a lot of indoor places to walk, but their local hospital has the right air quality and plenty of medical help if he has trouble. So Dad thinks it's a great plan for the two of us to go out to the hospital each day I'm there and walk -- to increase his fitness and to keep my weight loss on track. No pollen, plenty of places to sit if he needs to rest, bathrooms, and we can do it together. Perfect! I can hardly wait! Dad and I haven't been walking together since I was a teenager. It's about time we go for a walk again!

I'm packing up tonight, trying to figure what I'm going to need for two weeks away. I guess by the time I get home, it will have been about a month since I've had anything resembling what had been my normal life. When I was younger, I dreaded long periods of time without "normal". But as I have aged, I have learned to embrace them. These times provide a natural opportunity to reevaluate and make changes or improvements in my life, becoming a better me. I'm eager to see how all this shakes out and who I become. What an exciting time in my life!

Today's Tip:
One of the things my friends kept telling me this past week is to take time to take care of myself as I took care of Mom and Dad. It was very wise advice. One of the ways I did that was by making healthy food choices. Not in a stressful "OMG, I gotta do it!" way, but in a consciously purposeful way. It was one of the few things I had control over, and I found it very therapeutic. In years past not taking care of myself got me fat and took a toll on my health. In contrast, I have just come through a very difficult week feeling physically well. It's a much better way to live. Take time to take care of yourself. It really IS important.

The Week That Lasted a Month Week 25, Day 7

I know I usually weigh in on Tuesday mornings, but since I took a week off from worrying about weight loss, this blog, and normal life in general, I weighed myself early. I am now at 210. A mere 11 pounds from being UNDER 200 for the first time in a veeeery long time. I will NOT make my 50 by 50 Challenge and hit 184 pounds by my 50th birthday on March 27. And I'm okay with that. I have worked hard, and I will be solidly under 200 by then. I have done my best, and that's all anybody can ever ask of me. Considering I began this journey in September at 259, being under 200 by March 27 isn't too bad. I'll take it!

What I learned this past week:

1) I am blessed with the best friends anyone could ever hope for. Dad had his surgery on March 1, this past Monday. Though the surgery went fine, complications set in and we came far too close far too many times to losing him. Nearly instantaneously friends --some I've never met, some I haven't seen for more than 30 years-- dropped to their knees and prayed. And they didn't stop. They haven't stopped even now. Dad is home from the hospital, but he has recovery yet to go. And Mom is exhausted. So more prayer is needed, and these dear friends of mine are still at it and will be until we cross the finish line. And good heavens, some even have been with me every step of the way via Facebook and text messages on the cell phone nearly 24/7. I hope God has set aside a special place in Heaven for them to reward them for the blessing they are to me. I can certainly never, ever thank them enough.

2) I tend to be underestimated. My dear cousin-in-law was certain things with my dad were not as bad as I was making them sound, that I was overreacting and not understanding the situation. But I have spent considerable time in the hospital, having scoliosis and severe asthma myself and a son with special needs who has been to over 20 doctors, had 10 operations, and years of physical therapy. I am no stranger to the medical community, and I was not intimidated by the medical surroundings this past week. If anything it was the opposite -- I knew enough to be more scared than most people would have been, I knew how serious things really were. I was underestimated. It's not the first time. Throughout my life people have underestimated me. But that's not the worst of it. The really bad thing is that I have tended throughout my life to underestimate myself. I'm afraid I won't measure up. I'm afraid I will fail. I'm just plain afraid. And I think that has contributed to why I am fat. This week was a reminder that I am strong and capable. Not because I am Wonder Woman or anything special at all. In fact, I am quite weak on my own. But I am strong and capable because I have a God who loves me and because I have family and friends who hold me aloft when my knees begin to buckle. It was that way when my son was going through his many medical issues, and it was that way again this past week. No one should underestimate me when I have my God, myself, and my family and friends to carry me through ANY situation--we're an awesome team. And so I need to quit underestimating myself.

3) Weight loss really can be a lifestyle change instead of just a diet. I was in one of the least natural settings this past week, and I still made sensible choices regarding my eating and fitness. I feel like I did great this week. I felt empowered. I felt in control. I looked at the available choices, and I made selections that were good. It seemed like it was the only thing I did have control over. Rather than being restrictive like a diet would have been, this was liberating and therapeutic.

4) You never know what is ahead in life, so it's better to get in shape NOW. When I began A New Suit in September, I had no idea Dad's surgery was coming up. But thank God I had been walking and doing the weight work with my arms and getting generally in better health. If not, I would never have been able to handle this past week. I would never have been able to wheel Mom around in her walker thingie with a seat (hard to describe, but it's a walker with a chair and wheels, and she weighs 120 pounds -- and I pushed it with her in it as we went from waiting room to Dad's room on Monday, and then made the occasional trip to the cafeteria). I would never have been able to carry my tote bag with my bottles of water, my pillow, my purse, and my personal care items. I slept wherever there was space -- sometimes in the main lobby on two chairs pushed together (which I couldn't have fit on 50 pounds ago), sometimes in a side waiting room on a couch, sometimes in a room upstairs in a chair, and I always had to have my things with me. I could never had carried all that before I began this journey. I could never have walked all over the hospital as I looked for a place to sleep, trekked from Dad's room to the cafeteria, ran errands for Mom, went back and forth multiple times a night from whatever waiting room I was sleeping in to Dad's room during the worst of his complications. I'm so glad I had been "in training" for this for those months ahead of time. I don't know what else lies ahead in my life; I'm going to keep working on this fitness journey so I can always be ready for both the good times and the challenges.

5) Life is too precious to piss away. Dad struggled this week to come back from some perilous situations. And he has made it through this storm. Being morbidly obese is certainly a perilous situation, too. But far too many times people don't take it as seriously. But it will kill you just as certainly as anything my dad faced. Maybe just a bit slower. But it WILL kill you. I do NOT have a death wish. I will keep on this journey for the rest of my life, for the BEST of my life. And I'm not going to procrastinate because time is tick-tocking away. It seems like my parents were my age only yesterday. And now they are old and some days quite frail. I want to get fit and vibrant and stay that way as long as I can. How about you?