Friend Making Mondays: The Grocery Store

I just recently started following <a href="http://alltheweigh2009.blogspot.com/">All the Weigh</a>, a weight loss blog written by a woman from NYC. I love her stories and I also love her idea regarding "Friend Making Mondays".  You simply answer the questions below and <a href="http://alltheweigh2009.blogspot.com/2011/04/friend-makin-mondays-grocery-store.html">go back to her blog</a> and post a link to your answers.... read a few of the participants blogs and comment on theirs and then hopefully you've made a few friends!  Here's my first shot at it, and it's about our habits when going to the grocery store:<br /><br />1. <b>Do you make a list when you go grocery shopping? Do you stick to it?</b>  I agree with Kenlie on this one!  I do make lists but I hardly ever stick to them.  I always buy what's on my list, sure, but then I buy more!  I especially make lists when I'm making a recipe.<br /><br />2.<b> Do you buy more groceries when you're hungry?</b>   I cannot recall going grocery shopping while hungry, so I would say no to this.<br /><br />3. <b>Coupons. Use 'em? </b> Do I use coupons?! Heck yes!  Joel calls me the "Coupon Queen".  I have 3 coupon organizers, divided into food and non-food coupons.. and categorized within each one!<br /><br />4. <b>Have you ever complained to the manager of your grocery store?</b>  I have not, but have thought about it on MORE than one occasion!<br /><br />5. <b>Do you like to buy groceries at huge chain stores like Wal-Mart and Target?</b> <b>Or do you shop exclusively at food stores?</b>  I prefer Wal-Mart/Target for grocery shopping.  The food prices there are almost always cheaper.  Though because I live in a place where my Wal-Mart is not a SuperCenter, I get what I can at Wal-Mart/Target and hit up Giant/Bloom/Safeway for the remainder. Our Target recently got a makeover and now carries some produce though - score!  <br /><br />6. <b>How much time do you spend reading labels in the grocery store?</b>  I do not spend a lot of time reading labels because I do buy a lot of the same things over and over.  The only time I read labels are when I don't know the PointsPlus value of something because I've never had it before.<br /><br />7. <b>Do you push your own grocery cart to the car and return it?</b> Yes I do and I ALWAYS return it.  I intentionally park my car very far from the store so people don't ignorantly hit it with their car doors and so a cart-return is never close by.  However, I return it because it's a way to add more steps into your day and also, most importantly, it's the right thing to do!<br /><br />8. <b>What is the one food item you always buy at the grocery store that you must have in the kitchen?</b> Milk<br /><br />9. <b>Do you enjoy grocery shopping?</b> I do when I'm back home in the Motherland and can go to the far less crowded grocery stores there.  I also enjoy it back home because I can typically go to one place and will be able to find everything I need (my hometown Walmart SC) instead of having to run to 3, seriously 3!, grocery stores until I can get everything I need.<br /><br />10. <b>How often do you shop for groceries?</b> I try to limit it to once a week but sometimes it ends up being more..

Friend Making Mondays Friend Making Mondays: The Grocery Store

I just recently started following All the Weigh , a weight loss blog written by a woman from NYC. I love her stories and I also love her ide...

Read more »

16th Annual Run/Walk for Hospice of St Mary's

Saturday I participated in the <a href="http://www.runforhospice.org/">5K for Hospice of St Mary's County</a>.  The forecast for the day was rain and thunderstorms, and fortunately both held off for the duration it took me to finish the race.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVdcIYp2WYAd5ttO1CM04HKNI85g4lvw_IncCy3xYNehMqQStZx6eeQFBPlSIhq2CFz3ORUJCsPVJnqVMkAPZPZeMqI3PLwHSsww2C-TUD-cG_kU9UrYfMHhEwNnbM13BaYvfhgHjWso/s1600/run_for_hospice_logo_500px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVdcIYp2WYAd5ttO1CM04HKNI85g4lvw_IncCy3xYNehMqQStZx6eeQFBPlSIhq2CFz3ORUJCsPVJnqVMkAPZPZeMqI3PLwHSsww2C-TUD-cG_kU9UrYfMHhEwNnbM13BaYvfhgHjWso/s320/run_for_hospice_logo_500px.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><br />This race went a lot better than <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/04/1st-annual-peter-mahon-memorial-trail.html">last week's 5K</a>.  For starters, this took place all on paved streets.  I was able to jog for roughly half of the race as a result (off and on).  This was so well organized and fun and I'll definitely do it again next year.<br /><br />I'll have the weekend off for 5Ks this upcoming weekend, so I'm thinking about <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/04/bloooower.html">going back</a> to the <a href="http://www.charlescounty.org/pf/parks_rec/parks/trails.jsp">Indian Head Rail Trail</a> and riding a little further this time.  <br /><br />My next 5K is on Sunday, May 1 and it will be for the March of Dimes! If you'd like to donate please click on the link below - I'm soooo excited to participate in this 5K, as it will be the first one I've ever raised money for.<br /><br /><br /><center><script language="javascript" src="http://www.marchforbabies.org/includes/badge_2011_vert_js.asp?w=4786860&u=hilaryjp248&bt=2" type="text/javascript"></script></center>

5K 16th Annual Run/Walk for Hospice of St Mary's

Saturday I participated in the 5K for Hospice of St Mary's County .  The forecast for the day was rain and thunderstorms, and fortunatel...

Read more »

Bloooower

This was the first week I had tracked ALL week and <b>every </b>single thing I ate in a very looooonnggg time. I was so proud of myself for doing it after so many failed attempts. I participated in a 5K on Saturday and I was active all week long - making it to the gym everyday, adding on an extra 5 minutes to my cardio routine and even incorporating weight lifting into it all. Let's just say the scale did not reveal my hard work! I gained over 3 lbs! After all that, <u>ALL THAT</u>, and I had a gain?! This is not at all what I expected. I know you have weeks where you know you derailed big time and a gain is inevitable, but this week was not one of those weeks for me.<br /><br />I've heard and read many, many times that I should be focusing on the other achievements I had this week, such as tracking and fitness, but I am doing both of those things to achieve weight loss after all.  And when the scale does not show a loss, it's hard to see the light in those other things! <br /><br />I wish I could say I came back with a vengence for the upcoming week, but no. Even though I don't want to have this mentality, I couldn't help but think all weekend "why bother, the hardwork doesn't pay off anyhow!" and the eating pattern sure did reflect that attitude.<br /><br />Saturday I did another 5K (more on that later) and then Sunday I took an 8 mile bike ride with Joel's mom.<br /><br />The bike ride was great! I have not been on my bike in almost 5 years.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5epcHE1gMKeAa8KVXYN6v_YfdR4g06-E6boI1NnwuXa8fx8ib6KiY5hI1GOrLXHRehoMHwNyNwhOaIGtQ8oEPdOcP1XkMnpZlI1PIgwIxnFzbWghowO4ymi4YI-GBsc0bjJugeGIJsM/s1600/Me+Indian+Head.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5epcHE1gMKeAa8KVXYN6v_YfdR4g06-E6boI1NnwuXa8fx8ib6KiY5hI1GOrLXHRehoMHwNyNwhOaIGtQ8oEPdOcP1XkMnpZlI1PIgwIxnFzbWghowO4ymi4YI-GBsc0bjJugeGIJsM/s400/Me+Indian+Head.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br />Other than the issues I had with the seat not staying in position, it felt great to get out and do something other than my normal walk/jog. The trail was AWESOME - both scenic and flat - and I will definitely be going to that place again!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii383rqVkUiVAfi4iyNLOT_Oh6UIkjcwe8498yMqYikH0ehzLllecRNLXjBHfeBkLDhHUIK_Uermeol16BvJnApqZPvJrdMF2bv8NrVOYTgdL4UwXpsUts3YnKuzSn_AygxJ4XdsJI5p4/s1600/bike+weathervane.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii383rqVkUiVAfi4iyNLOT_Oh6UIkjcwe8498yMqYikH0ehzLllecRNLXjBHfeBkLDhHUIK_Uermeol16BvJnApqZPvJrdMF2bv8NrVOYTgdL4UwXpsUts3YnKuzSn_AygxJ4XdsJI5p4/s400/bike+weathervane.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cute weather vane, nice bathrooms!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h_acRpHsRnOTXqcwsPMVYLdzmvOWrrYKzo7weOlP5aU3taxgXmMv5QL-tgBSfxrENbIUg8u_-ncjQW3pqPRbRVDNQStBjYd8KmlRxeFnUFEiDQCufo7ySqKSDtWGVw4SipxvjJa3JdA/s1600/laurie+indianhead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h_acRpHsRnOTXqcwsPMVYLdzmvOWrrYKzo7weOlP5aU3taxgXmMv5QL-tgBSfxrENbIUg8u_-ncjQW3pqPRbRVDNQStBjYd8KmlRxeFnUFEiDQCufo7ySqKSDtWGVw4SipxvjJa3JdA/s400/laurie+indianhead.JPG" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they did a great job with this trail</td></tr></tbody></table>

5K Gain Bloooower

This was the first week I had tracked ALL week and every single thing I ate in a very looooonnggg time. I was so proud of myself for doing ...

Read more »