What matters more than the number on the scale?

The difference between the photo on the left and the photo on the right is 10 months and 63 pounds. I was no where near my goal in the photo on the right but I felt so much better. It was hard getting to that point. Everyone asked how I did it and the honest answer was diet and exercise. This was the truth and still is; however, what people don't know is that the first 30 of the 63 pounds was brought along by personal stresses in my life at the time & quite honestly not eating like I should. The last 33 pounds that I lost were definitely by eating right and exercise.

Right after the second photo was taken, the holiday season hit! All my stresses from the beginning of my weight loss journey had resolved but now we were under different stresses. We were beginning the journey of moving two states away. The stress of the move, leaving our families and starting in a new place where we knew no one was huge. I stopped going to the gym and pretty much ate what I wanted when I wanted. It is now December of 2014, one year and two months after the photo on the right was taken, and I am now 30 pounds heavier than I was in that photo. Granted, I am not the 63 pounds heavier...like the first photo.

I have tried over and over to get back on the wagon. I have had so much trouble! I have had no energy for exercising, no willpower to turn down food and my cravings have been all over the road! Then something happened...something that even I was skeptical about...this was it....in this photo...do you see it?

There, on the left? Do you see it yet? The ruddy appearance, swollen look, tired eyes. More than that, do you see what is on the photo on the right? Still round but not as swollen looking, the glow, the bright eyes, the energy? These two photos were taken SEVEN days apart, same lighting, same location, same make-up.

What you see in the photo on the right is more than just the girl with polycystic ovary syndrome with out of whack blood chemistry...its a girl who has been able to help regulate what is going on inside of body! What you see is more than a girl who has had more energy than she has had in a very long time...that girl worked 6 out of the last 7 days and spent her one day off Christmas shopping! What you see is more than just the 7.4 pound weight loss on the scale in just ONE week...you see the happiness of someone who finally was about have her appetite suppressed just enough not to want to starve herself but to be just hungry enough to make the HEALTHY choices without a moment of hesitation. The one that was also able to completely eliminate her NIGHTLY sweet snack!

You are probably wondering how I did this and I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't share that information with you. What I must tell you is that a miracle pill DID NOT make me lose 7.4 pounds in one week....regulating my diet did. I know from my experience no matter what you do, you have to decide to make the right choices for yourself. What I can tell you is that taking 2 pills, 2 times a day for the past seven days gave me the willpower to make the RIGHT choice and the ENERGY to get done the things I needed to get done. In turn, what you see in that photo on the right is the happiness of knowing that I have a new co-pilot with TruVision Health to help me stay on track to have a happier and healthier life for both myself and my family.

Do you want to try it for yourself? Email me and let me know that you are ready to have TruChange for Life! You are ready to try this out for 7 days yourself. I promise you, you won't regret it! Contact me via tiffany.ivey.garrett@gmail.com or (210)913-2291. Also, find me on facebook at TruChange for Life. Just send me your email address and for just $20 you can get started with your 7 day sample pack and begin your TruChange for Life.

The Ramblings of an Exhausted Mom...

This past week or so I have not slept well, at all. It is odd for me to have difficulty sleeping because short of a few times of major stress in my life, I have never had trouble falling asleep. My daughter, unfortunately, gets that from me. She is SO hard to wake up in the mornings! The advantage to that is that, even though she is now 16, she slept like a champ when she was little. While other parents complained about being up all night with their kiddos, this mom was kicked back enjoying the good life; however, the tables sure have turned on me & things have backfired now that I have a teenager! I am getting off track here. Where was I? Oh, we were discussing my sleeping issues. I am not sure what it is. I do have a lot on my mind right now with the holidays coming up, attempting to pay off some bills, training at a new job and going to school.

To add to my sleeping issue I, in general, just have no energy these days. I know much of it is because I am out of shape right now. I so bad want to be back where I was physically just one year ago. I know it will happen. I will get there but it is so hard to stay focused right now! I think once Brian gets on board with going to the gym with me, it will make things easier. I am planning on going to the gym in the mornings (before I realize what hits me) after Thanksgiving. Okay, so it won't be the immediate Monday or maybe even Tuesday after Thanksgiving due to our long drive, but it will happen!

So...really, I guess that is all this rambling will be about. I am just tired. I want my energy. I miss it. Please send it home if you find it.

Later, friends.

Hamster Wheel!

 
 

Whew. Here we go...Again. I am constantly dieting it seems. Last year I worked hard and lost 63 pounds but pretty much since last October I have been slacking! I have gained some of my weight back but thank goodness not all OR the all I lost plus some that often happens. However, no matter how much of the weight I gained back, I feel miserable. I am tired. I hate the way I look in clothes. I am not motivated to do much lately. I am sleepy so often!

So here I go again. Back at it...Round #icantevenkeepup...it's tough. I want it bad but I also have to realize I am human & what has worked for others (or maybe even myself!) might not work for me this time!

So that being said, the only thing I am trying to do today...is being better than I was yesterday. 

Later, friends.

Today was a good day...

...admit it. You know you sang along with that blog title! So why was today a good day, you ask? Not really for any reason other than the fact that it is almost 2 pm and I have not once pigged out or taken the elevator. I have taken the stairs four times at work just today. Actually, in the past few weeks I have only taken the elevator twice (& we are on the fourth floor)!

I know all these things are so small but I decided that I am going to start counting all victories...even the small ones! Why not? Why do we only celebrate the bug things? Aren't the small ones just as important? Without all the small things we wouldn't have the big things. The small things are our foundation for success! 

So today...I celebrate the small things...today was a good day...and it isn't even over!

What will you celebrate today?

Hello Friday...Nice to See Ya!

One of the pretty ladies I follow, Aubrey Leigh, has a link on her blog called Fitness Friday. I decided that in my NEED to get back with it, I would type up a little something during my lunch break about how my week has been. This will be a nice accountability tool for me to use! I will report the good, bad & just plain ugly (Like the Whataburger Jr. I had for lunch today!)

So as far as the "fitness" part of this post...well mine had been completely lacking this week! In two different occasions I did walk from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, down & back up, during a work break. I also have been using the stairs every time I come & go. (We are on the fourth floor.) I plan on being able to report back to you all next week about how much better I did! :) 

Meal wise, I brought healthy snacks to work all week, I didn't eat out all week (Except lunch today...gulp). We also cooked at home each night. It helped that I spent several hours last week looking up healthy recipes & bought ingredients for all of those. It made it easier for my husband & myself to just grab things out of the fridge & prepare dinner. Does anyone else get stuck in a cooking rut?

Up Next (Here for link up below):

I thought I would join in one more link up. It is the Friday 5!

So my Friday 5 list for my weekend plans are:

1. Work: I work part time at a local ICU so I will be spending my day there tomorrow! :)

2. Dinner Date: I am excited that we are going over to have dinner with friends tonight! We are going to a friend of mines from work house for dinner. She has the pretties little boys (Yes I know boys aren't supposed to be pretty but they are!) Her hubby & mine haven't met but they have a lot in common so I am excited about the two of them getting together. 

3. Church: We are still looking to find a home church here. Brian has to work but Baylee & I will at least get out & explore!

4. Homework: I have three weeks left in my first semester of BSN program so that is what I will be working on!

5. Cleaning up my act: I need to get my exercise, healthy eating & household cleaning under control! 

So that is all...have a great weekend!

Later babes. 

Follow Through Friday (Yeah, Its Sunday.)

Okay so I know its Sunday...and hey...who knows...I might not even know what I am doing here BUT I came across the ladies on InstaGram who are holding each other accountable and a lot of other awesome ladies are linking up so I figured I would join so lets see if I am doing this right! :)

So basically, these ladies are giving a run down of their weekly plans for fitness from what I can tell...are giving you a run down of their previous week...so here we go. :)

This past week....errrr...ummmm....does packing & unpacking a car count as exercise? How about walking the dog up & down the stairs at our hotel? :) Okay for realzzz....I did okay this week exercise wise. When I wasn't at work I did go to the gym and pump out some weights and cardio a few days. Other than that can I admit here...I was l-aaa-zaaaayyy? Extra a's added for effect if ya didn't know.

Plans for this week?

Monday: #5amclub Hitting the gym for 45 minutes of cardio before work. #12hourshiftprobs
Tuesday: Repeat of Monday.
Wednesday: One hour of cardio; Thirty minutes circuit training/weights
Thursday: Repeat of Wednesday.
Friday: Repeat of Monday.

So there ya go...hold me accountable peeps.

Oh the bestie and I text updates and our weigh ins...which are on Thursdays each week. Scary stuff up in here folks.

My Journey to Fit! ~ Weight Loss ~

This really has been a journey...one that so many struggle with on a daily basis. Over eight years ago my cousin Traci and I started a blog (which I have now imported all the posts into this blog) to journal our weight loss journey. I went back today and read my very first post (found here). During the beginning of that journey my starting weight was 262 pounds! That was so scary to type! On & off for years she and I worked so hard to try to achieve weight loss and we definitely had our ups and downs. As I imported the old blog posts over to this blog I noticed something...I stopped posting my "starting weight" and instead I just posted the number of pounds I gained or loss. The truth of that is, during the time of trying to lose weight I actually GAINED weight...that folks...put me at my ALL TIME HIGH of 285 pounds! That's right people...I was gaining on that 300 pound mark! I don't even know how or why it happened but it did! I think some of it came from my frustration with my PCOS (which is another post in itself)!

This photo my friends was one of the starting photos from our weight loss blog. I was embarrassed enough about this one but last night I found two more on my computer that were way worse!

Who IS that girl anyway? Are any of you reading this looking at these photos and thinking...that could be me...that could be MY starting photo...could it? Well I am here to tell you...that might be what your starting photo looks like but that does NOT have to be the final photo. 

Starting last January (2013) I finally said enough is enough. Enough of using my PCOS as an excuse. Enough of just not trying. I had tried several times for a few weeks/months at a time but didn't see the progress and finally gave in to temptation again. I remember at some point coming across a blog on pinterest and coming across THIS post (go ahead...go read it...I will be here when you get back). Reading that post by Mama Laughlin was an awakening for me. I could have very easily typed every single word written there. I know EXACTLY how it feels to feel better just by hiding your "rolls", I know what it feels like to put on your "best" outfit and still know you are the biggest girl in the room, I know what it feels like to feel like you look your absolute best & put on the fake smile when you are miserable inside BECAUSE of the way you look on the outside. I KNOW how this feels. I STILL fill this way at times. 

I have come a long way in the past 12 months. I have lost 63 pounds...gained a few back...constantly struggle to stay on track or get BACK on track but the biggest thing I have learned the past year is that it CAN be done. IT CAN. There is no excuse big enough to not live a healthy life. I hope that through my blogging I can encourage someone else out there...DO NOT GIVE UP. 

YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN DESTINY. PERIOD.

HERE ARE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS TO HELP ENCOURAGE YOU.

THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME!

I HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN!

:o) T!ff@ny

Robitussin Take Me Away!!!

I feel bad. I mean I don't mean just the regular blahs. I am talking about laying in bed all week coughing and hacking. Brian makes fun of me when we talk because he thinks it sounds like I am barking like a dog. Yup that is how we know when it is bronchitis...Brian barks back. I have drank fluids, I have laid around all week, and I have drank Robitussin the past two days like it is going out of style! I REALLY hope I am feeling better by tomorrow. :( My house is a disgusting wreck. I mean REALLY bad. I haven't done a thing all week because when I move I cough. When I cough it hurts. When it hurts I choke. When I choke I get sick. Anyone that knows me knows I don't handle "getting sick" well. So here I lay...I am actually getting up right now to wash clothes and try to pick up a FEW things so the house won't be such a disaster. I am going to pick Baylee up from USM choir camp and I PRAY I don't start coughing during the middle of the program!!

PCOS

Sooo...it is official...I have PCOS...or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. They say I probably have always had it even before I got pregnant with Baylee but that after I had her the hormones really got thrown out of whack. It affects 5 - 10% of women of reproductive age. It has caused me to have problems with low female hormones, high male hormones which cause facial hair/mail hair, thinning hair, dark skin patches, excessive weight gain, inability to lose weight, insulin resistance, irregular periods/infertility, etc. He said it took so long to diagnose b/c they thought I had thyroid issues b/c my old doctor diagnosed me with that but the last two thyroid test came back normal. So blood work and a physical exam proved I had PCOS. It is sad b/c had we known earlier I wouldn't have had a miscarriage last year. He said when Brian gets home and I am still having problems then he will send me to an endocrinologist.

For now...treatment is birth control and glucophage (anti-diabetic drug). I also will be on a semi-diabetic diet. We shall see!!! I am sad that I have this but glad to finally have answers.

Life List Update

Well this "updating" sure is going slow. Though, I guess a life list keeps growing most of the time!

Just an update:

Places To Visit:
Wyoming
Colorado
New York
California
Vegas!
Grand Canyon
Canada
Alaska
Hawaii
London
Venice Italy
Rome Italy
Madrid Spain
Tahiti
Jamaica
Bahamas
Cancun
Cozumel
Key West
Pennsylvania - Hershey Park & Historical Sites
Bora Bora

Things I Would Like To Do or Learn In My Lifetime:
Play the Piano
Play the Guitar
Fly A Plane
Go on A Cruise
Rock Climbing
Hike Up A Mountain
Snow Ski
Speak Spanish
Learn Sign Language
Swim with Dolphins
Fly in A Helicopter
Fly in A Hot Air Balloon
Finish Nursing School
Get some sort of degree (if not in nursing)
Start A Business
Write a Book
Go to the Oprah Show!
Ride Horseback on the beach!
Pay off 4-Wheeler!
Sell Brian's Truck!
Pay off Tahoe!
Pay off old Credit Card Bills!

Around The House
Organize my closets
Clip & Organize articles out of my old magazines and toss magazines!
Paint my bedroom
Paint my kitchen
Paint my living area
Organize all of my pictures
Scan all pictures in and put the on CD's
Get backyard fenced!
Organize & paint laundry room
Organize all cabinets – bathroom & kitchen
Organize Baylee's room….again!!

Books to Read or Read Again (In 2009):
Dear John – Nicholas Sparks
At First Sight – Nicholas Sparks
Three Weeks With My Brother – Nicholas Sparks
True Believer – Nicholas Sparks
The Wedding - Nicholas Sparks
Predator – Patricia Cornwell
Trace – Patricia Cornwell
I Heard That Song Before – Mary Higgins Clark
No Place Like Home – Mary Higgins Clark
Ghost Ship – Mary Higgins Clark
Before I Say Goodbye – Mary Higgins Clark
Mount Vernon Love Story – Mary Higgins Clark
Yada Yada Prayer Group (Re-read my old ones and catch up on the new ones)
Mitford Series – Jan Karon
Step On A Crack – James Patterson
Judge & Jury – James Patterson
Little Women
The Secret
Twilight Series
Harry Potter Series
The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn
Beloved
The Catcher in the Rye
The Good Earth
The Sound and the Fury

Health Goals:
Teeth cleaned!
Cavities filled
Eat more fruits & vegetables
Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Exercise at least 30 minutes everyday
Lose 10 lbs
Lose 20 lbs
Lose 30 lbs
Lose 40 lbs
Lose 50 lbs
Lose 60 lbs
Lose 70 lbs
Lose 80 lbs
Lose 100 lbs

MISSISSIPPI...YOU ARE FAT!!!

Well Mississippi was in the news again. Come on Mississippi what are we doing here? I mean I KNOW we like to eat. Lord knows momma can cook better than any resturaunt you step foot in but do we REALLY want to have this weighing on our shoulders. I have decided this week I am NOT going to be a statistic anymore. I am working really hard to eat better. Life is too short! I will be 30 next month and I want to enjoy my 30's and not be miserable the whole time.

I hereby dedicate myself to at least 30 minutes of exercise daily!!

Come on Mississippi...Let's Go Walking!!!!

Life List

Just an update:

Places To Visit:
Wyoming
Colorado
New York
California
Vegas!
Grand Canyon
Canada
Alaska
Hawaii
London
Venice Italy
Rome Italy
Madrid Spain
Tahiti
Jamaica
Bahamas
Cancun
Cozumel
Key West
Pennsylvania - Hershey Park & Historical Sites
Bora Bora

Things I Would Like To Do or Learn In My Lifetime:
Play the Piano
Play the Guitar
Fly A Plane
Go on A Cruise
Rock Climbing
Hike Up A Mountain
Snow Ski
Speak Spanish
Learn Sign Language
Swim with Dolphins
Fly in A Helicopter
Fly in A Hot Air Balloon
Finish Nursing School
Get some sort of degree (if not in nursing)
Start A Business
Write a Book
Go to the Oprah Show!
Ride Horseback on the beach!
Pay off 4-Wheeler!
Sell Brian's Truck!
Pay off Tahoe!
Pay off old Credit Card Bills!

Around The House
Organize my closets
Clip & Organize articles out of my old magazines and toss magazines!
Paint my bedroom
Paint my kitchen
Paint my living area
Organize all of my pictures
Scan all pictures in and put the on CD's
Get backyard fenced!
Organize & paint laundry room
Organize all cabinets – bathroom & kitchen
Organize Baylee's room….again!!

Books to Read or Read Again (In 2009):
Dear John – Nicholas Sparks
At First Sight – Nicholas Sparks
Three Weeks With My Brother – Nicholas Sparks
True Believer – Nicholas Sparks
The Wedding - Nicholas Sparks
Predator – Patricia Cornwell
Trace – Patricia Cornwell
I Heard That Song Before – Mary Higgins Clark
No Place Like Home – Mary Higgins Clark
Ghost Ship – Mary Higgins Clark
Before I Say Goodbye – Mary Higgins Clark
Mount Vernon Love Story – Mary Higgins Clark
Yada Yada Prayer Group (Re-read my old ones and catch up on the new ones)
Mitford Series – Jan Karon
Step On A Crack – James Patterson
Judge & Jury – James Patterson
Little Women
The Secret
Twilight Series
Harry Potter Series
The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn
Beloved
The Catcher in the Rye
The Good Earth
The Sound and the Fury

Health Goals:
Teeth cleaned!
Cavities filled
Eat more fruits & vegetables
Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Exercise at least 30 minutes everyday
Lose 10 lbs
Lose 20 lbs
Lose 30 lbs
Lose 40 lbs
Lose 50 lbs
Lose 60 lbs
Lose 70 lbs
Lose 80 lbs
Lose 100 lbs

The Ups & Downs!!

Last week was definitely a roller coaster ride. I had lots of positives and then lots of negatives. I am glad that is over FOR SURE. I suffered a few different types of "loss" last week that at the moment I don't care to share with the wide world web but in due time I may decide to. One thing I did learn last week is I am really getting good at rolling with the punches. I don't really know if that is a good thing or not. I just feel like sometimes the world just throws so many at us that we have a tendency to want to fight back. I have to go back to my faith in God and learn in some instances to turn the other cheek. In other instances I am learning loss no matter how little it seems DOES hurt and it IS okay to grieve over it. I have learned that when God is ready for us to have another baby it will happen in HIS time not mine. He is the all powerful and all knowing and I need to remember that even when something is so close that it is sitting in your hand if God chooses to take it back it is because he is trying to teach me something that I don't understand at the time. After all this life is NOT mine it is his. It is his to live how he wants me to live and my body is HIS temple. This week I am working on better ME for HIM. Not for my own worldly needs or wants or for anyone else. In Christ Alone...

OuT oF sHaPe...

Let me tell ya'll a (scary) true story. So Brian has a bike and Baylee does. Well the other day they are all like PPPUUUHHHLLLLEEEAAASSSSEEEE come ride with us. Baylee said you can even ride my bike b/c the seat is softer. I was like no no no no and then finally I was like FINE. UGH. I took my hand out of the powdered donut bag, licked my fingers, gulped down my WHOLE milk and put on my tennis shoes. Fine. Want. Me. To. Exercise. With. You. Fine. Hmm....I will show you.

So we start off good...seat a little uncomfortable (which is odd seeing how much padding I really DO have back there) but I go for it...pulling out of the driveway on two-wheels like the road queen....turned the corner and took off the back street behind my house..was doing good...patting myself on the back. I am awesome...this is not a problem. So then we approach the hill. I decide to get tricky and I stand up on the bike and start pedaling as fast as I could so I could make it up the hill. Got about ¾ of the way up and had to get off and walk. I was fine but just couldn't go any further. So I tell them (Brian running and Baylee on the other bike) go on I will catch up. Just give me a second. So I keep walking the bike. Well the further they got away from me and then out of my site the more I couldn't breathe.

...wwwwhhhheeeezzzzeeee....wwwwhhhhheeeeeezzzeeee...chest hurts can't hardly move but I know I am getting ready to go down a hill and I am like...okay...I got this. I make it to the top of the hill and jump on and WEEEEEEEEEEEE......all the way down to the bottom. I let the bike coast until I almost stop and then I have to jump back off. THEN I have to walk the bike the rest of the way. I made it the whole mile and ½ but couldn't hang on the bike the whole way. What is sad is they made it all the way back home and then WALKED and met me about 1/2 mile before I got to the house. Geesshh...talk about out of shape. Now I understand why people on the biggest loser literally get sick from working so hard sometimes...I sure almost did. Seriously. I mean I gotta do something about ALLL of this b/c I will die of a heart attack!!

Life List

Here is my first draft of my "life" list. I actually did this back in 2007 but thought I would add it here. I am sure I will be adding more as time goes on but I really can't wait to strike through some of these things! It felt really good to get my goals down in writing!

Places To Visit:
Wyoming
Colorado
New York
California
Vegas!
Grand Canyon
Canada
Alaska
Hawaii
London
Venice Italy
Rome Italy
Madrid Spain
Tahiti
Jamaica
Bahamas
Cancun
Cozumel
Key West
Pennsylvania - Hershey Park & Historical Sites
Bora Bora

Things I Would Like To Do or Learn In My Lifetime:
Play the Piano
Play the Guitar
Fly A Plane
Go on A Cruise
Rock Climbing
Hike Up A Mountain
Snow Ski
Speak Spanish
Learn Sign Language
Swim with Dolphins
Fly in A Helicopter
Fly in A Hot Air Balloon
Finish Nursing School
Get some sort of degree (if not in nursing)
Start A Business
Write a Book
Go to the Oprah Show!
Ride Horseback on the beach!
Pay off 4-Wheeler!
Sell Brian's Truck!
Pay off Tahoe!
Pay off old Credit Card Bills!

Around The House
Organize my closets
Clip & Organize articles out of my old magazines and toss magazines!
Paint my bedroom
Paint my kitchen
Paint my living area
Organize all of my pictures
Scan all pictures in and put the on CD's
Get backyard fenced!
Organize & paint laundry room
Organize all cabinets – bathroom & kitchen
Organize Baylee's room….again!!

Books to Read or Read Again:
Dear John – Nicholas Sparks
At First Sight – Nicholas Sparks
Three Weeks With My Brother – Nicholas Sparks
True Believer – Nicholas Sparks
The Wedding - Nicholas Sparks
Predator – Patricia Cornwell
Trace – Patricia Cornwell
I Heard That Song Before – Mary Higgins Clark
No Place Like Home – Mary Higgins Clark
Ghost Ship – Mary Higgins Clark
Before I Say Goodbye – Mary Higgins Clark
Mount Vernon Love Story – Mary Higgins Clark
Yada Yada Prayer Group (Re-read my old ones and catch up on the new ones)
Mitford Series – Jan Karon
Step On A Crack – James Patterson
Judge & Jury – James Patterson
Little Women
The Secret

Health Goals:
Teeth cleaned!
Cavities filled
Eat more fruits & vegetables
Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Exercise at least 30 minutes everyday
Lose 10 lbs
Lose 20 lbs
Lose 30 lbs
Lose 40 lbs
Lose 50 lbs
Lose 60 lbs
Lose 70 lbs
Lose 80 lbs
Lose 100 lbs

SlimQuick Cleanse: The Beginning

Well as you may have seen from previous post I am very ready to get healthy and lose some weight! I have slacked off for about 3 weeks now but time to get back on the wagon! A friend at work and myself are starting the SlimQuick Cleanse today. I will report back on how it works. I don't take the first dose until right before lunch. Thus far, I have had breakfast, taken my vitamin and had 2 glasses of water. For me having the 2 glasses of water is a HUGE step due to the fact most days I don't even drink water!!!

UPDATE: Prayer Request for Mom

UPDATE: My mom had her stress test yesterday. Thus far, no significant news. Just a scare or eye opener for us all. We are supposed to start next month taking a heart healthy class given by a nutritionist next month at St. Dominics. I am sure I will be back writing about that! Ha!!Thank you everyone for all of the prayers!!!

Prayer Request!!

For anyone that may read this:

I have been out of the office this morning b/c my mom had to go to the hospital last night. She was feeling real “down”, left arm pain, chest pain, face pain, etc. They took her to St. Dominic’s and her blood pressure was very high. It took them all night to get it down. They have taken EKG’s, blood work, etc. They still have more tests to run this afternoon. They said all her symptoms were those of a heart attack and are watching her close. They said with the test it will be one way or the other…if they see something they will do surgery immediately; otherwise, it may have been stressed induced and she hopefully will be able to go home. In less than a year she has lost her mom, had major neck surgery, husband lost his job and just the normal stresses of a working mom/wife. (I still have a 14 year old brother that lives at home.) Please be in prayer for her that perhaps this was just stressed induced and not anything serious. Also, please pray if it is stressed induced that she will be able to get some relief soon.Also, Brian is at the coast this week and I will be leaving to go out of town. I always get nervous when we leave Baylee. I know she is going to be perfectly fine and is in the best hands but…hey…I am a mom. That is what we do…worry!! I will be flying out Thursday morning and coming back Saturday night. (Unless things change w/my mom.) Please say prayers for safe travel.I have a lot to do here at work and at home before I leave so I am not sure how much I will be around a computer/phone so if I don’t respond to emails/calls just leave me a message and I will get back to you tonight/in the morning!!! Love to all! Thank you,

Weight Loss Journey!

Well I am beginning weight loss journey. Yesterday I created a chart to help me keep up with my calories, etc. I went ahead and ate as usal yesterday. I really didn't think it was that bad b/c I really didn't eat alot...but the calorie intake...INSANE! I just ate three basic meals and a snack. I didn't even eat alot at the meals...no more than the regular serving. All of that being said...here it is..*gulp*..I ate OVER 3300 calories yesterday!!!!! YYIIKKEESS!!! I am just in shock. I really don't eat that much but this just goes to prove it is WHAT I eat that is so bad! It is aggravating b/c I know others that eat so much more. I just have to learn that MY body is different and I have to work hard to get it back to where it needs to be!! So here is my "before" picture:

I Must Be Insane

I am attempting to lose weight in the midst of all of these holidays. What oh what is a girl to do? Any weight loss suggestions??