texasgidget

I have been forced into this.  For those of you who have not experienced the Migraine Diet, here’s a list of the things I CAN’T have:  no caffeine, no iced teas, no alcohol (red wine and beer especially), no chocolate, no lime/lemon/orange/grapefruit/pineapple/bananas, no artificial sweetners, no sodas, no soy, no MSG, avoid cheese (except for ricotta, cream, cottage, Kraft Singles, Velveeta), meat (nothing processed: no deli/lunch meats/cured/smoked/ages/hot dogs/ham/salami/pepperoni, etc./avoid beef.  Might be okay with: buffalo, non-packaged lamb, kosher beef. Best: chicken seafood, pork.  I have to cut down on Yeast as well.  I am also supposed to exercise for an hour a day.  I’m working on that…but I’ve been following Weight Watchers.  The lack of my ability to eat cheese, lunch meat and those convenience foods make it harder for me, but I’m still trying.  This week I’ve managed with baked potatoes.  I know I can have those and I really enjoy them, but it’s not something I can have EVERYDAY and not get completely bored.  I’m trying to do what I can and still try to stay on plan and lose weight.  I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this at all.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I really hate being sick…nor do I have time for all this sickness!  I figured it up…I have a little over 11 weeks before my wedding day.  I HAVE to stick to WW.  I have to get my workouts in…I HAVE to do this so I feel good about myself on my wedding day.  Aside from that, my future husband is so wonderful.  It looks like we may be HIKING on our honeymoon!  I know it sounds a tad funny to say that, but I think it sounds like a lot of fun.  I know we aren’t going to be spending every waking hour in bed (although I’m sure we’ll do our fair share) and we are not teenagers anymore.  I do need to be in good condition for that!  Okay, as I’m feeling under the weather…the plan for the remainder of the week is to try to follow the WENDIE plan since I can’t really do any hard core workouts right now.  I can move a little but I think I should get past this first day of antibiotics before I think too much about that.  Okay, buddies, if you would be so kind as to help me and tolerate me for the next 11 to 12 weeks so I can at least get to my mini goal to feel good at my wedding, I’d greatly appreciate it!

Good morning buddies!  Well, we’re in for a busy day around here!  Chris is going to look at the CRV (my mess) so we can get packed up to head to Denison and then the country.  We meet with my Pastor this evening…and we’ve still got to discuss finances and all of that too.  There’s decisions that must be made pretty soon.  This is the part that I’m not looking forward to, but it will have to be done.  We are making headway and will be discussing the wedding stuff tonight with my Pastor.  I just hope we can nail some things down and move forward.  Chris’ grandmother is not doing real well right now so that’s a hard thing as well.  Okay, I know this is short, but I have to go get my teeth brushed and all after having breakfast.  Have a great weekend!

I wish I could say that I’d gone to Zumba tonight…for the first time in AGES…but alas, I did not!  I am sitting on my butt watching Grey’s.  I did, however, get on the treadmill for 10 minutes…unfortunately, I was aiming for 3o minutes…I feel like such a wuss!  I used to be able to do 30 minutes.  Oh well, at least I did something to make up for the fact that I woke up late and didn’t get to workout this morning.  I was so frustrated.  I dozed off early and missed Chris’ call and then I woke up at 3:40 a.m. and then took FOREVER to turn my brain off and go back to sleep.  Apparently when my alarm went off I hit dismiss instead of snooze…so I finally woke up at 5:45 p.m.

Well, Chris and I made it through our first visit with the counselor.  I am feeling much better after getting the first appointment out of the way.  I am hoping that we can get finished with counseling soon.  She was supposed to talk to my pastor to see exactly what he wants.  Buddies, I am respectfully requesting y’all keep Chris’ grandmother in your prayers.  She’s not doing so well right now.  I appreciate it.  I’m off for the night!  I hope everyone is well!

As I sit here on my butt watching BL, I decided that I needed to get on BS and send some love to my buddies!  Well, the tribe knows my news…but I haven’t been online to tell the rest of you yet…I’M ENGAGED!  Chris popped the question a week ago this past Friday!  I will totally and completely admit to being stunned.  I love this man more than I ever thought possible.  His daughter made the cutest statement to me on Mother’s Day…she said she wished I could have another baby…as much as I would love to have a baby with Chris…it’s simply not an option since my hysterectomy.  I love that she and her brother both want me to have another baby.  As we will be getting married this year, we’re looking at the end of July/first part of August, I better get my butt moving or I’m not going to lose the weight I need to…and finding the time to do it all in.  Kama’s pointed out that I probably just need to quit sleeping! ;-)  Perhaps she has a point…but I’m thinking the bags I’d have to carry down the aisle on my wedding day would be too dang heavy to carry! :-)  Okay, I’m off to watch the rest of BL!

Looking back on the memory of the past year…when I had my 37th birthday, I didn’t expect to meet this man that I have fallen head over heels for…I didn’t expect to “meet” and get to know such wonderful buddies.  I have to admit that I am so very blessed.  Almost one year ago, I met this wonderful man that loves me just the way I am but supports me in my weight loss journey and being healthier.  I have “met” and become so close to Nancy, Lori, Anj, Debbie and Nicole…Kama and I were already friends.  It’s amazing to me that we are all so close even though we’ve  not ever met face to face.  I know that I have had my trials and tribulations during my 37th year with the migraines and having to be put on blood pressure meds, but in my 38th year, I will get off the blood pressure meds and I will figure out my triggers for my migraines and try to avoid them.  I’m making strides…although sometimes not as often as I’d like, but I’m making them.  In my 38th year, I am stronger than I was in my 28th year.  In my 38th year, I have more knowledge than I did in my 28th year.  In my 38th year, I have the ability to reach my goal weight…here’s to my 38th year!  I never expected to be here, I never expected to be this in love, I never expected to have such wonderful friends and family…but here I am…so blessed!

It’s going to be a stressful week, but hopefully a much better one.  Chris will be meeting my former attorney/boss/friend on Tuesday night.  This will be the first time they have met and she will get to meet the kids.  I’m looking forward to it since I know she will be able to see how we feel about each other when she meets us.  I think most everyone can see it.  This week will include some firsts…I have my first mammogram on Wednesday.  I’m DEFINITELY going to get a handle on things in my 38th year!  As Garth sung so well years ago…I might have missed the pain, but I’d have missed the dance.  I wouldn’t miss this dance for anything!

Okay, obviously I can’t just miraculously wake up and be slimmer…but I think y’all know what I mean.  I had a rough week this week.  Then for some reason apparently even though I’ve had a hysterectomy, my one lone ovary started working some serious overtime and I had ALL the symptoms of PMS!  Really??  I’m thinking it may be time for some natural hormones or something.  I really can’t take the mood swings and such.  Call me crazy but it seems to be a pretty bad thing when you don’t even want to be around you! ;-)  Although, after seeing my honey last night I was feeling a little lost.  Most of you probably know I’m not around too terribly much on Saturdays.  I really was not quite sure what to do with myself.  So I chatted with a friend briefly on IM and then she text me to tell me that she was going walking…so I finished my movie and headed to the lake to walk with her…unfortunately, we only got about a half a mile or so before her knee was hurting so bad she just couldn’t make it around the lake.  We sat enjoying the weather for a bit…then I came home and did a 4 mile walk with Leslie Sansone.  Those who have been around awhile know I love me some Leslie!  I feel much better having got a workout in.  I did forget to take my blood pressure meds last night so I have a slight headache.  I know the workouts are helping a great deal.

Other decisions were made this week too.  I decided that I would walk for my bank’s team for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.  I know there are many that are going through hard times, but if you feel it on your heart to donate, here is the link to my page: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09PL?px=9663135&pg=personal&fr_id=17444&fl=en_US&s_tafId=28942

I will actually give some credit to the “tribe” for helping me make that decision.  I am trying to talk Chris into walking with me as well.  What could be better than having the love of my life walking next to me for such a wonderful cause?  Yep, I hear ya…my love AND my bestest buddies walking with me for such a wonderful cause!  That would definitely be better!  Y’all feel like flying into Dallas for a walk?  LOL

I know there’s much that goes on during the week that I simply cannot seem to catch up on.  Please know that I do try to log on more frequently and do check my email as often as I can, but I can’t get on BS at all anymore at work because it’s blocked.  Kama, Anj, Nancy, Nicole and Lori are copying and pasting things they want to talk about in emails for me because it just makes me crazy.  I’m trying to do better at getting on…but sometimes it seems to be all I can do to log my food and get my workouts in.  Okay…this is going to be a good week…food-wise and exercise wise…it has to be!

Suffice it to say that I’ve missed my buddies!  I talk to the “tribe” pretty much everyday, but I don’t get to log on and read everyone’s blogs and such.  Especially since they blocked it from work.  I’m beginning to think I need to take my laptop and leave at lunch to park somewhere that has free WiFi and log in then! ;-)  That sounds sad, doesn’t it?  Oh well, let’s see to catch everyone up…eating last week was not too great.  But honestly, a splurge for me is not (thankfully) as bad as it used to be.  There are few things I can finish the way I used to be able to because my stomach has shrunk.  I did go to Zumba on Tuesday night…I’ve been trying to walk as well.  I intended to do another workout last night…but apparently, it was NOT meant to be.  About an hour before I left the office, I started getting a migraine.  The kind that hits behind your eyes.  My drive is only 30-45 minutes (a lot of that depends on traffic and my speed).  Let me tell you that was the LONGEST drive home last night!  The sun was shining in my driver’s side window, I thought I was going to be sick.  It was not a good feeling.  The really frustrating thing is that I had planned to go to Sprouts.  For those of you that don’t have it, it’s like a Farmer’s Market in a grocery store!  Wednesdays are double ad days so you get the sales from the previous week and the sales from the coming week in one night.  Unfortunately, was NOT meant for me to do that last night either.  I was supposed to have dinner plans last night, but they cancelled, rescheduled, cancelled again, potentially rescheduled.  Oh well!  What can you do, right?  I came home, walked through the door, I took my contacts out, took my migraine meds and put myself to bed.  No tv, no lights (yes, I covered my eyes when someone needed me to turn on a light)…it was just that bad!  It’s now 2:24 a.m. in my neck of the woods…and I FINALLY woke up about an hour ago.  I can feel the after effects, but overall, the migraine has eased.  I tell you it’s like it came out of freaking no where!  I’m not even sure it was something I ate that triggered it.  I have NO idea!

Oh!  The “tribe” knows, but I haven’t gotten to tell the rest of my buddies!  My Significant Other’s (SO) daughter and I seem to be making great strides.  After almost a year together, my SO’s daughter asked him (she’s only spelled my name one other time and that was months ago) how to spell my name.  I heard her ask but didn’t know why.  She apparently was writing a note that said “I love you Daddy.  I love you Tracey. I love you…The End.”  There were more, but you get the general idea!  That’s the first time she’s really written or told me that she loved me.  Then, after we got back from dinner and all and she was ready to go to bed (my cell phone was charging so I was still there), she asked my SO to have me come in and tell her goodnight.  Buddies, I tell you when I left that night to drive home (although very tired), my heart was SO FULL!  I feel like March is a great month to make strides as I will be a year older this month.  I know that Chris, my SO, doesn’t care what I weigh, but we’ve talked and he does want me to be healthy so I can be around for a long time.  I hope I can get on tonight and catch up with everyone!  Hope everyone has a great day!  I should try to get some more rest or I’m liable to crash and burn in the middle of work!

Today was DEFINITELY  a busy day!  It was a better food day as well.  Not a great food day, but definitely better.  I’m exhausted I must admit!  I came home, changed into my workout clothes for Zumba…and decided that I’d do a little bit of my Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVD.  I WAS SWEATING before I even left to Zumba! ;-)  It was a good thing.  When I started the first routine for Zumba, I could feel it.  When we did my favorite song that has squats in the routine, I was REALLY feeling it.  I do wish my knee was not hurting so bad, but I may have to invest in another brace, I’ve not had one in forever!  Okay…off to bed…tomorrow is date night!  My honey isn’t feeling so good, but he’s trying!

It wasn’t a great food day…I won’t even lie about that!  I had ordered Girl Scout Cookies from a co-worker…they were delivered today.  The new cookie (Dulce De Leche) was AWESOME…but I didn’t seem to want to stop at one.  On a more positive note, my DS got to take the test that the teacher didn’t want to let him make up.  I got a note from her.

Mrs. Williams!
Jarrod made an 88 on the exam today, he surprised me! And yes, I should have had more faith (you were right!) We put it in to see what happened to his grade changed to a 78. We will hold off on the S/D quiz because he has a unit test on Friday that can bring up the grade higher.
Thanks

I have to admit I felt so validated to be right this time!  Jane, I wasn’t rude, I didn’t lose my temper, but I did stand my ground.  I’m very thankful for everyone listening to me and praying with me and for me with this situation.  Tomorrow will be a new day and I will be BACK OP and back to my normal self!  Tomorrow will be Zumba so I’ll have something to look forward to!