40 Top-Paying Blue Collar Jobs

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/3x/ar5c5cj6fbhjhm4rhc3x.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/3x/ar5c5cj6fbhjhm4rhc3x.gif" /></a><br /></div>If you turn on the TV, you're probably going to see a character who has one of the following jobs: lawyer, doctor, criminal investigator or generic business professional that requires wearing a suit.<br /><br />Not that we don't love those jobs (and those shows), but the media in general seems to forget about the millions of workers who are in other professions. To give some coverage to other occupations, we decided to highlight 40 professions that are in one of these industries: construction, maintenance, operations, production and material handling. These careers are typically considered blue collar jobs and are some of the top-earning in each field.<br /><br />Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and CBSalary.com, here are 40 top-paying blue collar jobs and their mean annual salaries:<br /><br />1. Aircraft mechanics: $54,506<br />2. Aircraft service technicians: $41,604<br />3. Boilermakers: $50,091<br />4. Brickmasons: $48,439<br />5. Carpet installers: $42,682<br />6. Chemical plant and system operators: $51,464<br />7. Construction and building inspectors: $51,815<br />8. Electricians: $55,188<br />9. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation and equipment: $44,450<br />10. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment: $49,260<br />11. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse substation and relay: $60,700<br />12. Elevator installers and repairers: $66,642<br />13. First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers: $61,280<br />14. First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers and repairers: $59,160<br />15. First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators: $53,960<br />16. Gas plant operators: $64,608<br />17. Line installers and repairers: $54,300<br />18. Locomotive engineers: $70,116<br />19. Machinists: $49,626<br />20. Millwrights: $54,969<br />21. Mining machine operators: $45,570<br />22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines: $44,300<br />23. Model maker, metal and plastic: $44,700<br />24. Nuclear power reactor operators: $73,510<br />25. Numerical tool and process control programmers: $46,360<br />26. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators and gaugers: $54,950<br />27. Power distributors and dispatchers: $58,401<br />28. Power plant operators: $74,061<br />29. Plumbers: $49,169<br />30. Radio and telecommunications equipment installers and repairers: $52,650<br />31. Rail car repairers: $44,981<br />32. Railroad brake, signal and switch operators: $49,400<br />33. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators: $44,870<br />34. Ship and boat captains and operators: $67,730<br />35. Ship engineers: $50,754<br />36. Stationary engineers and boiler operators: $50,098<br />37. Structural iron and steel workers: $47,170<br />38. Subway and streetcar operators: $55,318<br />39. Tool and die makers: $48,180<br />40. Transportation inspectors: $46,984<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

40 Top-Paying Blue Collar Jobs

If you turn on the TV, you're probably going to see a character who has one of the following jobs: lawyer, doctor, criminal investigator...

Read more »

Who Earns More Than The President? - 10 Jobs with better hourly pay

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/86/ar5c6b36p25gqqkrm386.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/86/ar5c6b36p25gqqkrm386.gif" /></a><br /></div><br />President Obama gets a nice little salary. Certainly some CEOs, entrepreneurs and movie stars are earning millions (and in some cases billions) of dollars, so he's by no means the richest person on the planet with his $400,000 annual salary. And he gets some pretty sweet perks -- a fancy plane, an amazing chef and one of the most famous addresses in the world.<br /><br />But if you stop to think about all his job entails, he's never really off the clock. Although he and every president take vacations, they can't completely clock out as long as they're in office. Regardless of where they are, the Secret Service is monitoring their every move and they must respond to any crisis that arises. The only other job that requires you to be on call 24 hours a day without fail is that of a parent, and no one's paying you to do that, unfortunately.<br /><br />We took Obama's salary (not including his perks) and divided it by the 8,765 hours in a year, to figure that he earns $45.63 per hour. Again, not too shabby, but considering what he has to put up with -- constant danger, huge responsibilities, graying hair, people throwing shoes -- it's a tough gig.<br /><br />Here are 10 jobs that, while very important and demanding, probably don't have the same pressure as that of Obama, and they earn more than he does:<br /><br />1. Computer and information systems managers are involved in technology administration for a company or organization. They work with leaders to ensure the company is meeting all goals and standards they have set for technology.<br />Hourly pay: $49.90<br /><br />2. Dentists perform routine maintenance on your teeth and gums, ranging from preventative treatment to certain types of procedures. In other words, they allow you to smile with confidence.<br />Hourly pay: $66.54<br /><br />3. General internists care for and treat adult patients for diseases or ailments relating to internal organs, such as heart or gastrointestinal issues.<br />Hourly pay: $55.61<br /><br />4. Judges and magistrates preside over various legal and civil proceedings in order to assign awards or punishment based on the law.<br />Hourly pay: $59.95<br /><br />5. Lawyers perform a wide range of legal duties, ranging from acting as counsel in a trial or working on behalf of organizations and corporate to ensure they are abiding by the proper laws.<br />Hourly pay: $54.35<br /><br />6. Marketing managers coordinate the promotion and marketing of a product or service for a company. They are involved in all marketing aspects for the company, from the initial brainstorming to the execution of the plan.<br />Hourly pay: $51.26<br /><br />7. Postsecondary business teachers teach business courses in college and universities. Their students are typically working toward an MBA, although they might be studying any number of fields.<br />Hourly pay: $60.92<br /><br />8. Postsecondary physics teachers instruct postsecondary physics courses at universities and institutions and often perform research, as well.<br /><br />Hourly pay: $57.76<br /><br />9. Psychiatrists work with patients to diagnose and treat mental and behavioral disorders or conditions. <br />Hourly pay: $71.93<br /><br />10. Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents sell stocks or bonds to investors in exchange for commission. They are in constant contact with customers to see what stocks or bonds might interest them and find out how they want to proceed.<br />Hourly pay: $53.54<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Who Earns More Than The President? - 10 Jobs with better hourly pay

President Obama gets a nice little salary. Certainly some CEOs, entrepreneurs and movie stars are earning millions (and in some cases billio...

Read more »

Want to Earn a Doctor's Salary with a BA Education?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/36/ar5b0mq6xbqsytg4fv36.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/36/ar5b0mq6xbqsytg4fv36.gif" /></a><br /></div>Everyone wants to earn a hefty salary in their careers and it's no secret that some of the highest paying careers are doctors, dentists and lawyers. It's even less of a secret that those careers aren't easy to come by. They require years of extensive schooling and education -- something that not everyone can (or wants to) handle.<br /><br />But, don't despair. If you want to earn a lot of money, but don't necessarily want to earn a higher education, check out these 20 careers. Although you won't start out earning six figures, with your bachelor's degree in tow, you can easily work your way up with a goal.<br /><br />Here are 20 high-paying jobs that only require a bachelor's degree:<br /><br />1. Chief executives <br />Salary: $160,440<br />Education: Many top executives have a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, liberal arts or a more specialized discipline.<br /><br />2. Natural sciences managers<br />Salary: $123,140<br />Education: Natural sciences managers usually move up to management positions after starting out in as scientists. They may have a bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline.<br /><br />3. Engineering managers <br />Salary: $120,580<br />Education: Engineering managers usually move up to management positions after starting out in as engineers. Nearly all engineering managers have at least a bachelor's degree in some specialty of engineering.<br /><br />4. Petroleum engineers<br />Salary: $119,140<br />Education: Engineers usually earn a bachelor's degree in an engineering specialty. <br /><br />5. Computer and information systems managers<br />Salary: $118,710<br />Education: A bachelor's degree in a computer-related field like computer science, information science or management information systems, is usually required for management positions. <br /><br />6. Marketing managers<br />Salary: $118,160<br />Education: Employers often prefer a bachelor's or master's degree in marketing, or business administration with an emphasis in marketing.<br /><br />7. Financial managers<br />Salary: $110,640<br />Education: A bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics or business administration is the minimum academic preparation for financial managers, but many employers now seek graduates with a master's degree.<br /><br />8. Sales managers<br />Salary: $110,390<br />Education: A wide range of educational backgrounds is suitable for entry into sales manager jobs, but many employers prefer college graduates with experience in related occupations. Most sales managers start out as sales representatives with a bachelor's degree in business.<br /><br />9. General and operations managers<br />Salary: $107,970<br />Education: Just like their responsibilities, the formal education and experience required by general and operations managers vary. Most of these workers have at least a bachelor's degree and considerable experience.<br /><br />10. Human resources managers, all other<br />Salary: $103,920<br />Education: A bachelor's degree is typical to break in to the human resources field. It should be noted, however, that many colleges and universities don't offer degree programs in personnel administration, human resources or labor relations until the graduate degree level. This particular salary applies to human resources managers other than payroll and timekeeping, labor relations managers and training managers.<br /><br />11. Public relations managers<br />Salary: $101,220<br />Education: A bachelor's or master's degree in public relations or journalism is preferable for public relations management positions. <br /><br />12. Judges, magistrate judges and magistrates<br />Salary: $100,450<br />Education: A bachelor's degree and work experience are usually the minimum requirements for judges and magistrates. Many workers have law degrees and some are elected.<br /><br />13. Computer hardware engineers<br />Salary: $100,180<br />Education: Engineers usually earn a bachelor's degree in an engineering specialty.<br /><br />14. Political scientists<br />Salary: $99,320<br />Education: Political scientists with a bachelor's degree usually qualify for entry-level positions as a market analyst, research assistant, writer or policy analyst. <br /><br />15. Actuaries<br />Salary: $95,980<br />Education: A bachelor's degree and a strong background in mathematics, statistics and general business are needed to be an actuary. They're also required to pass a series of exams in order to become certified professionals.<br /><br />16. Advertising and promotions managers<br />Salary: $94,720<br />Education: Employers often prefer a bachelor's degree in advertising or journalism, along with related courses.<br /><br />17. Computer software engineers, systems software<br />Salary: $94,520<br />Education: A bachelor's degree is normally required for software engineering jobs, although a master's degree is preferred for some positions. <br /><br />18. Purchasing managers<br />Salary: $94,300<br />Education: Most employers hire applicants who have a college degree and who are familiar with the merchandise they sell and with wholesaling and retailing practices. Workers may begin as trainees, purchasing clerks, junior buyers or assistant buyers. <br /><br />19. Personal financial advisors<br />Salary: $92,970<br />Education: Personal financial advisors must have a bachelor's degree. Many go on to earn a master's degree in finance or business administration or get professional designations. <br /><br />20. Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents<br />Salary: $92,050<br />Education: Most positions require a bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting or economics. An MBA or professional certification is helpful for advancement.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Want to Earn a Doctor's Salary with a BA Education?

Everyone wants to earn a hefty salary in their careers and it's no secret that some of the highest paying careers are doctors, dentists ...

Read more »

5 Ways to Shake Up Your Job Search

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mh/ar5b50n6gcj5tb010hmh.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mh/ar5b50n6gcj5tb010hmh.gif" /></a><br /></div><br />With 2010 in full swing, things are hopefully starting to look up for those who had a tough time in 2009, professionally or otherwise. While the hope is that those who have been unemployed in recent months have found a job, recent numbers show us there are still a large number of people looking for work.<br /><br />Out of the 15.3 million people reported to be unemployed in December 2009, 6.1 million have been unemployed for more than 27 weeks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In December, 4 in 10 unemployed workers were jobless for 27 weeks or longer. That's a long time for anything, especially to be out of work.<br /><br />This year, try doing things totally different than you've been doing in the past. Write a new résumé, revitalize your cover letters and kick up your job search a notch.<br /><br />Here are five ways to shake up your job search in 2010:<br /><br />1. Instead of job searching where you live ... try relocating<br />We know it's not easy to just pack up and move somewhere for a new job -- we're only suggesting that you think about it. Assess where you are, personally and professionally -- if there's nothing keeping you in your current city, expand your job search to other areas and see what you get. It's no secret that some cities have been hit harder than others, so try looking in thriving areas. It definitely won't hurt.<br /><br />2. Instead of networking with only friends and family ... try broadening your network<br />Everyone knows that one of the best ways to find a job is through friends and family -- hiring managers are more likely to pay attention to a résumé from someone they trust than by searching through hundreds of applications. If you've been doing this, but your job search is still coming up short, it's time to cast a wider net. Reach out to former co-workers and managers, old college professors or members of clubs or associations you belong to. Take your job search to Twitter or other social networking sites, so everyone knows you are on the hunt. Become a fan of your desired employer's Facebook page and engage with it.<br /><br />3. Instead of only applying to "new" companies ... try revisiting old possibilities<br />You might be hesitant to reach out to companies you have already applied to for fear of seeming impatient or nagging, but we beg to differ. It never hurts to get back in touch with people you've already contacted. You can let them know you are still looking for work to see if they know of anything that might be up your alley, or you can specify the type of position you were hoping to find in their company. Even if you interviewed with an employer, reach out to them and get feedback on why they didn't hire you. If they chose a more experienced candidate, for example, maybe they have an open position that is more fit to your qualifications.<br /><br />4. Instead of focusing on your strengths ... try strengthening your weaknesses <br />While you should focus on what things you do well, consider the fact that those aren't the things that need work. After all, it's not like you aren't getting a job because you are so good at something, right? Say, for example, that you know you look good on paper and you get a lot of interviews -- but nothing pans out after that. One might guess that your interview skills aren't up to speed. Instead of trying to "fix" something that works (your résumé and cover letter), try spending more time perfecting your interview skills. Review questions you've been asked in interviews before and had a hard time answering, and work through answers to questions you'll be asked all the time, like "Tell me about yourself," or "Where do you see yourself in five years?"<br /><br />5. Instead of waiting for a full-time job ... try looking for something in the interim<br />While most people might prefer to lock down a full-time job, these types of jobs are not in abundant supply right now. Try expanding your search to something temporary or part time. Any kind of work, no matter how many hours you put in, will help you build up your skill set, which can only benefit you in your search for a full-time job. Not to mention, any new supervisors or co-workers that you meet will likely serve as a reference or at least part of your network in the future. Lastly, if you're able to land a part-time gig in an area that interests you and in which you excel, you never know if it could lead to a full-time job.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

5 Ways to Shake Up Your Job Search

With 2010 in full swing, things are hopefully starting to look up for those who had a tough time in 2009, professionally or otherwise. While...

Read more »

Oops

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aDezHkqtzc33BpRBOYZ8XI4EP3xgvco_JAzUDfTAT3tydF68pw-pxZ5J-ycZtmy276e9vnUaIIIgvKJmpnQLuwYaAVzx6CF_EdXowB2B_aLYXp_vKPMo16J1XUi53qdy7dind0S4fF8-/s1600-h/Dubliner_Irish_Cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pQyOUpwsU7NI2-YtHJnYdHha-HhEHrMIlXtIq8_m2VDXNCxRI5wMURBrkVC17x6QxT9DHxK0Z3gbXZvtOFOHXr9AywYwF-SS648CePCXzJcGtTv1CowUOjr8ETqrCQAZflkun4Uau0fg/s1600-h/cheese-wax-controversy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pQyOUpwsU7NI2-YtHJnYdHha-HhEHrMIlXtIq8_m2VDXNCxRI5wMURBrkVC17x6QxT9DHxK0Z3gbXZvtOFOHXr9AywYwF-SS648CePCXzJcGtTv1CowUOjr8ETqrCQAZflkun4Uau0fg/s320/cheese-wax-controversy.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oops. I'm not talking about an object-oriented programming system. I'm talking about acknowledging a minor mistake.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I had an "oops" last night. It involved cheese. An almond butter and jam sandwich. Cold cereal with milk.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cheese is the same cheese from New Year's Eve that I had requested my husband hide from me. He hid it in the bottom drawer of the fridge in the garage. It was out of sight and out of mind and it didn't haunt me...until yesterday.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday my <s>cruel and evil</s> loving husband had a plate of cheese and crackers for a snack. He even asked me if I'd like some too, and went on to tell me how great the Dubliner Irish cheese from Costco tasted. I know this is unintentional cruelty. He knows I like cheese. What he doesn't know is that I LOVE cheese. That I could eat an entire block of the Dubliner Irish cheese if he wasn't looking.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had been perfect on my eating all day. I had a nice dinner and thought I was fine. We went to bed. I couldn't sleep. At midnight I got up and read for a while. I had a healthy snack of fruit and yogurt. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I started thinking about the cheese. I couldn't seem to use any of my newly learned skills to turn off the thought process. It was like I was possessed.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the cheese I had an almond butter and Huckleberry jam sandwich on two slices of Dave's Killer Bread.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the sandwich I had two large bowls of Kashi Honey Toasted Oat cereal with ice cold milk. <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next was remorse, sadness, sleep.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This morning I'm better. It was merely a blip on my radar, a minor mistake. <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I woke up late and had a healthy breakfast. We're going to the gym in the next hour where I will literally try to work my ass off (lower body workout today).<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Normally I would hate myself right now, feel defeated and hopeless. Although I'm not thrilled with my behavior last night, I'm not surprised by it either. I can't expect to change a lifetime of bad habits in one week. That would be a ridiculous thinking. However, it's one slip in eight days. Not bad. <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There will be more slips in my life. I'm not perfect. I'm human and flawed. Normal people have "oops" moments, but they recover and move on. I'm moving on.</span>

Oops

Oops. I'm not talking about an object-oriented programming system. I'm talking about acknowledging a minor mistake. Yes, I had an &q...

Read more »

Superb Saturday

<p>Happy weekend everyone! I started mine out just right, at the gym! It was a quick one though because my day was FULL! I got in <strong>35 minutes</strong> on the <strong>cross ramp</strong>. My gym doesn’t open till 8am on Saturday & Sunday’s and I <u>SO</u> wish that it opened earlier, like at least 7am! Does your gym open very early on the weekends?<img alt="DSC05728" border="0" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmc469eJjHiAfz6MK2vnj0nonymTvKGSsGGs6LsmR2iw_yCw1OEGOIICMxTJvIuPpySgrmGqkHdzMGYl3jNhnMkFWc4sZRw6ltI0fGvzzjs7m4Nw-weTEWSpPc2YXJ2TTuIS7QK1Zfoxg/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05728" width="404" /></p> <p>It was quite foggy Friday night/early Saturday morning and it froze so it made all the trees look so pretty! Looked like a white winter wonderland!<img alt="DSC05729" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1y25kXJwFD2GylhhMr7__be0HVLqhi9_Tlgry5BPOmYGszrthCVVHyBv_UF3fj0bDqRs5FfDT0eGmuRdEonT2UlofT61A8C31V71g4QgxNIkQQVJs_Nyakyxo4OTLVHfyCZo_kjiIii9/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05729" width="404" /></p> <p>After my workout I stopped at Hy-Vee (our grocery store in this area) to get a few things that were on a SUPER sale this weekend. Check out my loot:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWpdv-G2dnIbY4IWPgHM2fEYcPm-8jBSihS5ZRvf8inTB3jv8tHGNRLiNpSvj4tYi690mbjqdIjB5koeoOFyhkdHqKfBg86PtLOSN1OliCYMfTkVumwxQgQvjbtH3by_TiFX25ZOkFSPb/s1600-h/DSC05751%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05751" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduAnnndUxujpbQkXOV_tFQaRHVLLop2JjKB6jK2lwxGlJ48QBpS46gFPPBEr4b4MjCvI-1NmYpBHv4Q0ShGpyBJIH6ChtggeeF0dBX_MqXVicHDqJzRjZZWz0usDoBpBzrcvqi6vEKC5c/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05751" width="404" /></a></p> <ul> <li>6-Hy-Vee Strawberry yogurt $0.40/each. Reg price $0.62 </li> <li>4-Pepsi 2 liters $0.77/each. Reg price $1.68 </li> <li>Brown Rice $1.88. Reg price $2.19 </li> <li>Flat Out Wraps $2.59. Reg price $3.29 </li> <li>2 - Whole Grain Pasta $0.99/each. Reg price $1.39 </li> <li>Pizza Crust $4.49 (not on sale) </li> <li>Sweet Potatoes $0.99/lb. Reg price $1.18/lb </li> <li>Cucumbers $0.59/each. Reg price $0.99 </li> <li>Bananas $0.28/lb. Reg price $0.59/lb </li> <li>WW String Cheese $2.29. Reg price $4.29 </li> <li>2 - 2% Shredded Cheese $2.39. Reg price $4.49 </li> <li>Shaved Turkey $1.99/lb. Reg price $3.99/lb </li> <li>1% Low Fat Cottage Cheese $1.36. Reg price $3.05 </li> <li>Honeyhut Cheerios $1.50. Reg price $2.50 </li> </ul> <p>Total Bill $35.31 – Total Savings $19.28!! That is a 36% savings, not too bad! </p> <p>After my super savings on groceries I headed home to shower quick and then head to my hometown (about 30 minute south) for a baby shower for my of my high school BFF’s! I grabbed an <strong>apple</strong> to eat on the way there so I didn’t gorge when I got there at 11am from not eating anything yet.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MrOBFlqSouId2A_uZCEKdtxWi312Pyi0_Y0dCNv-J0VLO4jq1Wl51y48ETm9sWfjbcOgK8YocUGSffPdc9sYpe3k8-DDmiHVhkmLOjlJX4URW5NJKsHu8Pi_W1eeYiA9m6Bz_mITm2sF/s1600-h/DSC05731%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05731" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTYcj3HC3n3IebuSfJ4eB7aCXQ3nJkzoz9YXD65RqpRZbWmOrm06Woj3zfLWfUJJhQWCLyFYIlpasYHS5ZPdTAv6tuVlbfx8Trn-WCk4zaffXoUgz0leEgFq-xljvLDDMnaLXJtIuzBrs/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05731" width="404" /></a></p> <p>It was so fun to see her and her tummy!! She is due February 12th and they are having a girl!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFXv-7oUHiUcHDJKMm7h6HLF44HvU0Qcl9jRghd_aFVQjSN3eltJA0X4qMEga-66oG_PW6f6sWI7Nrqdmbe0AvXzNTtuOwbHhE26MCyETNuszJidEGIme6mGriaQCgRt6ztJw7_ouLpYx/s1600-h/DSC05743%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05743" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96nRx3lOFFykHx9uwWs03obTT1mpEzu6Z1N6OVkPsQZIrHAjoD04HovR5D1PwKG-LR8uGcTJTjHsNDQHfPy41sdVjClx7xz8vm9wookGRHPp81Saj_gH4PfaZj6bpyoCnbW3Z530t4ns8/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05743" width="404" /></a></p> <p>I didn’t get a picture of my plate of food from the shower. But I am proud of how I ate. There were 2 options for the plates and I chose to use the smaller one. I had a piece of fruit pizza, 1/3 c chex mix, 2 tortilla roll ups, a mini cheesecake (I don’t even think it was an inch square), and a very, very small amount of punch. I ended up finding the bottled water later and didn’t drink the punch! I have never really liked to drink my calories!</p> <p>Points total = HAVE NO IDEA!! But I am happy with my choices, there were SO many  more things I could have ate (2 other desert options, maidrites, chips & dip, etc) and I could have gone for 2nds and I didn’t, so for that I’m proud!</p> <p>It was a baby filled shower! But the majority of them are still in tummies! Four of my good friends from high school are all expecting and were all there! It was fun to see them and hear about their pregnancies! Kinda of ironic, I got married first and I think I might be the last to have kids! :) Here is a picture of me with 3 of the 4 of my pregnant friends!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKPMteDe1taVeF163bNMQrdDXwJOrpk71W1jfqEhcTqOW8MnnFdCB75XGN6zm9SasjmmAwkD4-z8fLQInYt0r7UGGcSLV6w3hET_WjKav1nfGut5SHQnprg9527E1Mu3Ysbdg0D24jXMI/s1600-h/DSC05739%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05739" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-v_MWbYbidapBp6aUFGv4_Og_A07FtKaSlb5P5R_BXWomMDkvdbQ5c-aPRYMcVfwA875X3yxgQkl_oFWUmneD4oLl9mNr10uYjwgCdgv3kSK-j3oYoDDTJPsxOQ5LgVI4HtTDm7SjesA/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05739" width="404" /></a></p> <p>After I left the shower I headed back home to let my puppy out and grab a few things and then I headed an hour north of my house to a my friend Sara’s house. By this time it was already after 3, so I made a lunch to go of 16 animal crackers & a turkey & cheese wrap. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXK0NENENGQBCslOmuxyfA7cckQZAz9o_vQxfSZEfdTtBZJgMAHS4mdrCIxlpg50H7fjXgCUs5C7E3JORs7mXd9U6e_W3meUthyQnmkj0XfSfD3bL3O3wB53SP_IX4GqRWzfBCDLJgWSy/s1600-h/DSC05745%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05745" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGv0xc9BsBkkF-n5Xn5qDHS6LXoWNQ9xAmTS5S8h7xoT9SlBMjUY2RYIdV8e3yDMyqulG3wMK53FDealIgbci0GxRSLEI5A2y5cSroEalqBIHP9ZguqKINdxNTXYy3Weemn2mke9ljPidF/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05745" width="404" /></a></p> <p>She has a little girl that will be 1 next month and we wanted to get a jump on doing a few things for her party! It was such a fun afternoon/evening together! And we got lots done, invites, a happy birthday banner, and we made a bunch of pom pom’s out of tissue paper. I didn’t take any pictures, but I will get some at the party to show you all! Here is a picture of me and Sara’s little girl from a few weeks ago! I just love her!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBrreUR7kYnNkCLW3LVWou7DsBdlTcj_nLLZ6hLZSRtHql_fs3MGNN7Z-pKzo5dCBWLhDLup8V5Zv4mrGcisEk2UD9yYq_wN69PWCge0Xp0nkrZMjWW2hOhgoR6qY_d3aCZdHKOC_YWRC/s1600-h/DSC055141%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC055141" border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SPtXRbldVYClyn33yxWJVgyhHEtM2TnO3CDdZ4blXPM8SNK_CNb1bwp9SyNu2tvIX6GUTjUaxXYfMIce2x1b0eOm_uKxjS2oxnyJv2_b1b8PSgFq2UTOgFymG8b4Nb-lVKdJQd6sQxT6/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC055141" width="304" /></a></p> <p>Food wise for the evening we pretty much just snacked. I had probably about 1 serving of wheat thins w/spinach dip and then we had some baked tortilla chips w/salsa later on in the night. Not the greatest, but also not horrible either!</p> <p>I didn’t leave her place until after 10:30! It was such a fun time, I only wish we didn’t live an hour apart. Kyle stayed up and waited for me to get home! We ended up watching a movie when I got home and I fell asleep on the couch! Hope everyone else had a great Saturday as well, we’ll see you later today for my Sunday recap!</p> <p>Go Vikings!!!</p>

Superb Saturday

Happy weekend everyone! I started mine out just right, at the gym! It was a quick one though because my day was FULL! I got in 35 minutes o...

Read more »

Planning de la semaine du 18 au 22 janvier 2010

<BR><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Permanences<br /></span></strong></h2><ul><br /><li>Le <strong>Conseil Général du Loiret</strong> sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans<br />- le lundi 18 janvier de 9h à 12h30<br />- le mardi 19 janvier de 9h à 12h30 et de 13h30 à 17h,<br />- le mercredi 20 janvier de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le jeudi 21 janvier de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le vendredi 22 janvier de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/solidarits-nouvelles-face-au-chmage.html">Solidarités Nouvelles face au Chômage</a></strong><br />- mercredi 20 janvier de 10h à 12h30<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/boutique-de-gestion.html">Boutique de gestion</a></strong><br />- vendredi 22 janvier de 09h à 12h30</li></ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Ateliers</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>CV</strong> - mardi 19 janvier de 9h à 12h30 et mercredi 20 janvier de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Lettre de Motivation</strong> - mardi 19 janvier de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Préparation à l'entretien</strong> - jeudi 21 janvier de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Pôle-emploi.fr</strong> - vendredi 22 janvier de 10h à 11h30<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2009/07/atelier-situtilises-tu-trouves.html">Sit'Utilises tu trouves</a></strong> - vendredi 22 janvier de 14h à 16h</ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Information collective</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>Chantier d’insertion « Aménagement d’un square public à Orléans La Source »</strong> - vendredi 22 janvier à 9h</ul>

Planning de la semaine du 18 au 22 janvier 2010

Permanences Le Conseil Général du Loiret sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - le lundi 18 ja...

Read more »

Eat more, move less and lose weight

<div align="center"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong></strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My weighin today:</span><br /></span></strong><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NxenH_QcZ8irOyRmLYUdVBzei45bXsyhJ65GmB6KG3qx_Dc8h3IUPkK27NSulmRM4ymY-laUfs_wkvTfitkOsjb4r0w_u6F4ymX419EWvramYC74sGJeW4cskzK2N-bhPCUOn2lIF7HJ/s1600-h/Jan+16+2010+weighin.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427602203382886546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NxenH_QcZ8irOyRmLYUdVBzei45bXsyhJ65GmB6KG3qx_Dc8h3IUPkK27NSulmRM4ymY-laUfs_wkvTfitkOsjb4r0w_u6F4ymX419EWvramYC74sGJeW4cskzK2N-bhPCUOn2lIF7HJ/s400/Jan+16+2010+weighin.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 195px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong>That was the result of one week of doing the following:</strong></span> <br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">1. I tracked ALL my food.</span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">2. I weighed and measured EVERYTHING I ate and drank.</span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">3. I did my very best to follow the Weight Watcher Good Health Guidelines (including 3 dairy servings, 2 tsp. healthy oil and even my vitamins).</span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong>4. Stayed within my Points limit of 22, plus 5 of my weeklies each day. I ate</strong> <strong>ALL </strong><strong>35 weeklies.</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">5. I earned 35 Activity Points with 6 days of working out, one-hour sessions.</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I didn't eat any of my APs, although if I wanted them, I would have eaten them.</span></strong> <br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">6. I ate a LOT of food, choosing mostly what Weight Watcher refers to as filling foods. There were a lot of the green diamonds in my online tracker.</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This has saved my life. I felt full and satisfied most of the time. This has made a HUGE difference.</span></strong> <br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">7. I cut out the night binging by saying 'no' to myself. I really thought about if I was actually hungry, or if I was lonely, bored, tired, or thirsty. Surprisingly, most of the time I wasn't really hungry.</span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">8. Three nights I was decided I was hungry and had a late night snack. </span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My snack of choice was 1 cup fresh fruit (pineapple, blueberries - my favorites), six ounces non-fat yogurt, and 1/2 cup Fiber One.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> A two point snack versus a 30-Point binge.</span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong>9. I cut out empty calorie foods that contained sugar, such as Weight Watcher ice cream bars, Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, Dreyer's Frozen Fruit bars, and a lot of other processed</strong> <strong>foods.</strong></span><strong> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I also cut out most artificial sweeteners.</span></strong><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">10. I drank at least 64 ounces of water a day.</span></strong><br /></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I don't expect or even want to lose this much weight every week. I know the weight loss will slow down this coming week. My real goal is about about two pounds a week. </span><br /></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The best part is that I can live like this the rest of my life. For the first time since I started Weight Watchers I don't feel hungry all the time. I'm eating a lot of really good food.</span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: 130%;"><strong>I can do this...eat more, move less and lose weight. Who knew?</strong></span><br /></div>

Eat more, move less and lose weight

My weighin today: That was the result of one week of doing the following: 1. I tracked ALL my food. 2. I weighed and measured EVERYTHING I ...

Read more »

Finally Friday!

<p>I started by day out early once again and hit the gym! I got in a <strong>32 minute run/walk</strong>. I walked about 2 minutes for a warm up, 2 minutes in the middle, and then had a 2 minute cool down. I <strong>only</strong> totaled <strong>2.65 miles</strong>, but I have to keep in mind I really haven’t ran consistently <em>since October</em>! Sounds like such a <strong>long</strong> time ago. I know it will take a little while to get my strength & endurance back to what it was when I could run 10+ miles! </p> <p>Headed over to my office and make breakfast…same thing, 3rd day in a row and it still <strong>isn’t old</strong>! I really think this is my favorite way to eat <strong>oatmeal</strong>, with <strong>PB2</strong> and a <strong>small banana</strong> totaling <strong>4 points</strong>.  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdBz63-jJ_qIM1sAOie6CvGGFP_G-ZNJ_te-9qYVvoEAXIZ7fpLs33podwDIa_UrNDxLynblMzvRJwuCU4vDb-TCqKLcwT0CQn5ZWeL9ScSnqeEmuSKuqEUENzBe5R7dhrhPiGZje-orb/s1600-h/DSC05719%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05719" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlnlF0wqlCb-5uom0RSD5rBZEORhwg1oAKVDDfnyp8iguwRzCTWtF0bF9NQM95yjAY_SepvGAQr_5AWX2k1t6VSLqFUQ_54l7TVPNhS4LnFtbQC8AU5FlHfTO96fvvC5eGMuLllDiy2sU/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05719" width="404" /></a></p> <p>Well the busy-ness at work didn’t end today! I was hoping for a nice quiet Friday to get caught up on things, but <strong>didn’t</strong> quite end up that way! I didn’t grab these <strong>crisp little guys</strong> (1 cup=<strong>1 point</strong>) until after 1pm!! So much for a morning snack!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VnwmDdstnJnOddDPwcs122KnoFzijiV0xSKqsjVLudFp6inK2V0vq6DOMgAwpwykktszcwVPEjla4He0VDcz37i-jXRDpqkqJ2wIuV14S_bQ7Ew4y7P3zYVQmQNtuEMLGiwb-3fkxoND/s1600-h/DSC05720%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05720" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsE-JGflF6N3WKdZ4vWT9Kpg1pdzhyphenhyphenw7Oe2I8xn46HVDYDfIa4ixKbSJQNFHIHkMRESegHKaEn5JlMbDfAEzjw7khK5xPKHi3Ea6ndUiRIZg5tczc7Jz2vgYFlBB9CE24D6xxhWHCVZpP/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05720" width="404" /></a></p> <p>That meant I had a late lunch too! Luckily Kyle was out running errands for work and was able to let our poor little pooch out! She was probably crossing her legs like crazy!! Once again for lunch, I heated up a <strong>SmartOnes</strong> (3 cheese ziti marinara) for <strong>6 points.</strong> I am ready to get back into my normal routine where I can go home for lunch and make something!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7rwlCwTm7jbWJBTevHOhlABUChwARpBLjnM_a_zpNoVLrmbPLZ1eCUnTi9etMv9Tq0L4bmI9fBlBqmPhh2o77p57qUxnhZd6iLgeFTmabgQlZinojlF7Y3G_i2OiPor_tZ_C17oUih8j/s1600-h/DSC05721%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05721" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJG0QM3rCAordUAZPvYY02t0DVohRtak6rEYW8Wd0SnLkpKo9He0gMpudrXUjqGl-1oYblFsXqTX97L0UVF9E-iAfsE3k4YTkwNNAufdnJZFvwrXATdncdqFuh-Vm4yfrw3wuqoTvpOEa/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05721" width="404" /></a></p> <p>After all that saltyness I was craving something sweet…that is kinda how my mouth works I think! I like to combine sweet and salty things! Instead of walking 2 offices down and raiding the “<strong>office chocolate stash</strong>” I grabbed this <strong>beauty</strong> from my fridge for <strong>0 points</strong>! It was just what I needed! :) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Lf42_zIe-C36JOgm4QpMDujRMx7dKJafM7Aa0Dn0q62WylBlUkbkeOPbYGe9wNMN47-VXcG5LCrOBALTdDdu6rDL_Z71WSYo7U7waCFpEgvTOnxNDYG3yeH2nXR_Yq9OHhO5-fSdOM6Q/s1600-h/DSC05722%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05722" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAp8hOaoOxmE0pWmuH8Cfjkvd1-cphfveAmdDqBm9HEYrwqB37X4mk8P6xUowWIYFLAw-jMZEtPnb_2NVlSs2TxTT4vm07zsyUFBtmaTevtA-MN6zzn1ZlbD-iOZyEWKOSLxzJpuxTk2I/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05722" width="404" /></a></p> <p>I took off from the office at a good time, only to get home and find out Kyle had to cover someone’s shift that didn’t show up. :( So I caught up on a few blogs and tried to think about what we could have for supper! Scouring through my cupboards & fridge I found these few things and decided to combine them with some baked chicken breasts for Chicken Parmesan!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJF3EfytU03zmCKLmsujuZwO7cavHb9uHCw_DXHowSWWnPN3KDqmSrQQnBkrEiGkPglAYyeFC3wjUaWoypqez46ispLwPoGqDmoe6v4SkbWoI1dOo9Nf2fdWrT3ZIMm6hpgS_HS5uF3UH/s1600-h/DSC05726%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05726" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoaUKjo-YcXUPm2JPMYLt0iQ-G8Qv4aJPydoQejVUPB6XxuhtZnaRB3PbliMJnJT1EyQfAIq6mA0unkFYVq-pAYQoa2gv90U2N69j0xD_w_NPbCwbVgwbzkSTCrsu2h2gth9ct3AF94Qd/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05726" width="404" /></a></p> <p>While everything was cooking, Kyle got home from work! We sipped on some <strong>hot chocolate</strong> (25 cal and <strong>0 points</strong>!) while talking about our days and decided to stay the <strong>night in</strong>!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYKdCJw5iRRPvIMFdinc73Ya38sXQ2lROVbwrjQWTnt5jUlPM_2z2kBKtkdW-im1mkiurM_f3zZF3ALUsSqzSzLA04cW3gwopzEw-jKnuQrJfKi2tOCnOKIYPAeLImLmiPi2Jew7mUcrV/s1600-h/DSC05723%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05723" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe1b6CB6kaGVgUNQdOA3Q9a1KWUA_T7WdLhC7ibF3Xxy-eGw6xkyqFasgisRXfLWtxLeT_sRGS9uqdTxTqpRmsK6lWlC8IeqLUGUpG8DkX9qApSErWICbCfuxKzJ-PT1E97bGnyZ6DlnV/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05723" width="404" /></a></p> <p>My plate included <strong>2 oz whole wheat pasta</strong>,<strong> 1/2 c sauce</strong>, <strong>1/4 c shredded mozzarella</strong>, and <strong>3 oz chicken</strong>, totaling <strong>8 points</strong>. I didn’t end up eating this <strong>enormous</strong> serving so I am counting it for <strong>6 points</strong>. I also had a side of <strong>green beans</strong> for <strong>0 points</strong>. <img alt="DSC05724" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZu26bhNaffxDawRWBunfw9i6b-aFtbzDxHCmLmiKOFihKbImiXw7rGyaw2k1AvEsD7ITjlfX9MisgI7Qp7-Q-kQpIZFS9BF9sSH-b2eUZNm5hNHHWX_bI_o7Wdfk0fQewdLZqAkqbWypt/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05724" width="404" /><img alt="DSC05725" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGz_RfUdTJ2yrms3B6ExFABPW0hPN8Qn0X3kYzGlKQ4aSN6kfT3WVhW7BGffXCmJCO0SfnFb-LdBwtgGbhCdR_jdIlLRyTlPG9cgaJVCcVuONxAmyRr4beaSi-oMayYem-HpSXwXVdQNu/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05725" width="404" /></p> <p>It’s now after 10:30 and I’m exhausted! 6 day/75+ hour work week will do that to you! Just glad that it’s done! :) Hope everyone had a great Friday! </p> <p>Any big plans on the agenda for your weekend? I am get to see 3 different close friends (at 3 different times!) I haven’t seen a while, can’t wait! </p> <p><strong>FRIDAY’S STATS</strong> <br />POINTS = 17/24 <br />WATER = 116 oz <br />EXERCISE = 32 min run/walk</p>

Finally Friday!

I started by day out early once again and hit the gym! I got in a 32 minute run/walk . I walked about 2 minutes for a warm up, 2 minutes in ...

Read more »

HAITIAN RAIN<br /><br />The Haitian rain<br /> falls heavy.<br />Birds sing to it<br /> songs in strange bird tongues.<br />By the merest glint<br /> of light,<br /> the lonely curiosity<br /> of the alien,<br /> understands these birds<br /> better than<br /> the people.<br /><br /><br /> HAITIAN LIGHT<br /><br />Haitian light<br /> so other<br /> than<br />Iona’s, Delphi’s, Nova Scotia’s.<br />Softish here the light<br /> and languid.<br />Light’s difference<br /> does not look<br /> different.<br />It others how<br /> all things appear.<br />I would be changed<br /> by a vision<br /> – not something seen –<br /> but a way of seeing.<br /><br /><br /><br />GENERATIONS<br /><br />Les Beaux remote<br /> mountain village.<br />The church concrete<br /> & cinder block.<br /><br />Guilene, in yellow<br /> skirt and top<br /> neatly pressed<br /> and grey New York baseball cap<br /> over tight black ringlets,<br /> may someday be Haiti’s second<br /> woman priest.<br /><br />But now, bent double,<br /> in her Sunday best,<br /> she mops the church floor<br /> with a towel,<br /> pulling outside<br /> last night’s rain.<br /><br /> And now<br /> she sits<br /> beside her mother<br /> in plaid suit<br /> and scarf<br /> yellow, black, purple,<br /> blue, & orange<br /> knotted at the top.<br /><br />They are waiting<br /> for something<br /> to begin.

HAITIAN RAIN The Haitian rain falls heavy. Birds sing to it songs in strange bird tongues. By the merest glint ...

Read more »

S'informer sur le statut d'auto-entrepreneur

<BR><br />A l'occasion d'une journée "portes ouvertes", la <strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/boutique-de-gestion.html">Boutique de gestion d'Orléans</a></strong> organise deux ateliers sur le statut d'auto-entrepreneur le <strong>mardi 19 janvier 2010</strong> :<ul><br /><li>à 10h30 et 14h30<br /><li>7 rue des Lavandières - Orléans.</ul><br />Parallèlement, une journée complète sera consacrée à ce statut récent lors de l'<strong>université des auto-entrepreneurs</strong> qui se tiendra le <strong>vendredi 22 janvier 2010</strong> à l'Ecole de commerce et de gestion d'Orléans - 17 boulevard de Châteaudun - Orléans.<br /><br />Toutes les places pour l'Université des auto-entrepreneurs ont été réservées, mais il est possible de s'inscrire sur liste d'attente. Renseignements sur le site <a href="http://www.universite-auto-entrepreneurs.com/" TARGET = "_blank">www.universite-auto-entrepreneurs.com/</a>.<br /><BR>

S'informer sur le statut d'auto-entrepreneur

A l'occasion d'une journée "portes ouvertes", la Boutique de gestion d'Orléans organise deux ateliers sur le statut d...

Read more »

On the seventh day...

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r2_Xk4L9_9278Ca0m1RZ5rn1NLisK4JRM51QGMNXQLIP2TYCJzSMWqXuujzx76XrxIurHIRi9f1njvt6UUHMiADNiCSysMZVyuiYwKlKuadZosq7p0yi5YcqDQVekpgQL4S9ciM282ve/s1600-h/Disney-7-dwarfs.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426850098228246210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r2_Xk4L9_9278Ca0m1RZ5rn1NLisK4JRM51QGMNXQLIP2TYCJzSMWqXuujzx76XrxIurHIRi9f1njvt6UUHMiADNiCSysMZVyuiYwKlKuadZosq7p0yi5YcqDQVekpgQL4S9ciM282ve/s400/Disney-7-dwarfs.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />Today is my seventh binge-free day. It's a miracle.<br /><br />I've eaten within my Points limit and tracked every bite.<br /><br />It's been months since I've had a week like this one.<br /><br />It wasn't a white-knuckle week like the weeks I've had in the past several months. I didn't have horrible cravings where I wanted to eat all the time. The cravings are gone. Honestly, it feels like a miracle.<br /><br />These are things I think help make this a good week :<br /><br />1.) I changed what I'm eating. I'm avoiding as many processed foods as possible and eating as many of the "filling" foods as possible. I've broken off my relationship with Weight Watchers ice cream bars, Skinny Cows and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dreyer's</span> fruit bars. They are no longer my friends and are not welcome in my home.<br /><br />2. ) I've tracked all my food in the online Weight Watcher journal. My Weight Watcher leader told us last week that is the number one thing that will make a difference in your weight loss.<br /><br />3.) I've been eating a lot of the what Weight Watcher calls filling foods. The ones that have the little green diamonds next to them in the food tracker. These are whole grains, whole foods, not processed junk. These foods make me feel fuller for a longer period of time. I realize I just said this in #1 but I can't emphasize it enough. This has changed my life.<br /><br />4. ) As much as this gives me a big pain in the butt, I've been following the Healthy Eight Eating Guidelines. I save the healthy oil and at least one dairy to have with my evening meal. This helps satisfy me and keep me full throughout the evening.<br /><br />5. ) The absolutely amazing support of the blogging community. Without you guys, I'm sure I would have totally given up a long time ago. You make a huge difference in my life. I can't even begin to thank you for all your support and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">constantly</span> cheering me on.<br /><br />6. ) You knew this one was coming...."The end of overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite" by David <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kessler</span>, MD. The cognitive behavioral therapy in this book has worked wonders for me. I know it won't work for everyone, but I guess I found my magic bullet. Okay, it's not really magic. I have to do all the work, but it provides me the tools to use to avoid binging and overeating.<br /><br />Learning to say "no" to myself is something I didn't even think was possible.<br /><br />I realize it's only been seven days, but I feel full of hope and excitement for what the future holds. I don't fear it anymore. I will not wind up a contestant on the Biggest Loser.<br /><br />The guidelines (in case you forget them):</p><p>5 servings of fruits & veggies<br />2 servings of milk products - 3 servings if you're over 50<br />6 glasses of "liquids"<br />2 tsp healthy oils<br />1-2 servings of lean protein<br />1 multivitamin a day<br />Choose Whole Grains when possible<br />At least 30 minutes of activity a day most days of the week<br />Limit sugar and alcohol</p>

On the seventh day...

Today is my seventh binge-free day. It's a miracle. I've eaten within my Points limit and tracked every bite. It's been months s...

Read more »

The Challenge is STILL On!

<p>Today I <strong>HAD</strong> to get up to go to the gym. I met a friend at a tire place to drop off her vehicle. Then we were going to workout together, so I had no choice! The alarm went off at 5:20 and <strong>hopped right out of bed</strong> excited to hit the gym. I picked her up and then got in a <strong>45 minute</strong> sweat session on the <strong>cross ramp</strong>! Boy could I tell I hadn’t worked out in a while, my legs were weak! </p> <p>I made breakfast at work. Similar to <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010starting-again.html">yesterday</a>, except today I used regular PB2 and found out I think I like the chocolate PB2 better in my oatmeal! So breakfast was a total of <strong>4 points</strong>, super delish!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6oUol3KBpaq-2MLKb-p5UJFUCKouxqDhCAd3Pt5yiL54Jq1cAFLYUTeyjgVWxOpDEAVHHsVqFBwCibCH9iuPQxPPo__SrklIGPm_mhKx3HGp_7cDmrojvfjG-TN1gduKrvuGCGUZ3Yw4/s1600-h/DSC05705%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05705" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkVi0kxlP_q487Ar8YXfiOZIU7EFCQCYy1WBxRYHncE73MhdIznxQZ2W3Omx_2b9mNbN-s0Njl1KVkmUr_Pb7eydB-tOGRz49Fhyphenhyphen7TdG2M_DQwUtqfehfq2iARTyGUuTy2AxA3vj9rjfA/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05705" width="404" /></a></p> <p>Work is still pretty busy, but definitely getting better! Late morning I had a snack of <strong>1 cup</strong> of <strong>grapes</strong> for <strong>1 point</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLsE9rH4Zizj7sfbgjJ-GcXHokskUv_5llCQwAqkkVSZY5hnwfWzDaIK9BvzaxDKIWcaar-5k_j20FxZ4ghAVNKs5d276QDVHXdkjYzFmk_3_qcXBtyWz8TYHWjd820vrwSrMZtotxtgl/s1600-h/DSC05706%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05706" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3djRKsv2A9vfCv1Kf2yntRAHfRqu6jaENXjWLlgorzUgdhFPIPvXUid9mbc9IHvyhh914Ul0YPLEEGXQbpwYfvywKXwHB6F2vleQLdGYgDeHGHkz3kJDNcJxiTlcWdIhDKFJQ_hoYDOR/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05706" width="404" /></a></p> <p>Lunch was a quick one today. I warmed up a <strong>“Smart One’s”</strong> for an  fast and easy <strong>5 points </strong>meal. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkb0YVQlkggEsaKWgY4yOEVjg_wVL5-r5dxlDjth7xMTxdQf_txD9s0IYjqzYmi1fZGEOqErTNVoCzY8mUCekCfXhp44HGHo_n0_QGMtVwTxEsGsAejQaaHmiJm3-JLOeJbMn57xCGey4h/s1600-h/DSC05707%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05707" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTQxU-GnbhPI0yYLD9HfCjEpKfPagR-mwTH_L4_BYAKwqugqERC5tMshdNLHH1KXQm4Tp4EcTczXGVXmHuKfoL7TR3INpsq9kdRlWLZx5GXB8qNSGFUAjNHYcv5GwHhc4qnYvkPesdJvt/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05707" width="404" /></a></p> <p>While I was eating I checked out a few of my fav blogs! And I also updated my stats on my side bar to the left. Unfortunately I am heavier than when I started the <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2009/12/sister-challenge-is-on.html">“Sister Challenge”</a> back in December. But one good thing for me (not for my sisters tho) is that none of my sisters have met their 8% either…so technically the challenge is still on! I <strong>WANT</strong> to win…and obviously not for the cash, but to feel better! Ultimately though I really would like to be 150….24.5 pounds…I can do this!!!</p> <p>Around 5pm I grabbed this to give me a little extra energy that I needed to finish up my day at work! It was<strong> just ok</strong>. When I stopped at the store this morning I was hoping to find a <strong>Cherry Coke Zero</strong>, but they didn’t have any. :( Then I thought I would get a Diet Cherry Pepsi and they didn’t even carry that, so I had to settle for this! But it was the caffeine/<strong>0 point</strong> snack I needed to get a few extra hours of work in!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L3usbf1EYWKxyTFKfCr7-jkLwnWrmZ4GCD6oBjYUtAN9izeXJ038oFnVL0agDDdb_jKIK69GGbbDn_8Z3Eho3arRpg7_2clvqkVxnDEybhBWNtkSnQWXgUJ_sNpARuC8j31a-AiLqiqu/s1600-h/DSC05708%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05708" border="0" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nop4QriWiAuKeWtWFEvPM8XQSFo9R_XztjQTVgClRGL1a1rtSbrKWRx5wtjfEJVpprZhbwnlsy4x1HN4QfQqM7itvpzA1hEIO6Cq42yFqG_OPB8_B8xp0yBTlEx3PbVccljaChuj2CS1/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05708" width="360" /></a></p> <p>I worked till about 6ish and then decided I needed to call it a day. Kyle was off work today so I figured maybe we could get some cuddle couch time in!! ;) And can I say that I have a <strong>wonderful man</strong>, he had the house spotless when I got home, thanks baby!!</p> <p>I knew I wanted to get some veggies in for supper since the serving amount of broccoli in my lunch was pretty pitiful! So I had a <strong>generous</strong> serving of <strong>steamed cauliflower</strong>, an <strong>orange</strong>, and a <strong>chicken salad sandwich w/cheese</strong> (on a whole wheat sandwich thin) for a total of <strong>5 points</strong>. <img alt="DSC05709" border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTKqB-na41pFz_xRaSaYkcOMVsj4GwEYFs7fBYeoBMP93aDDzBq9mb-BwiYdc1Y3jCDv_AhHzw_2YPt5zH-tACcFJmQbzGrO4Eyu5EkLXkJHPWTG0IHrxvc9yVgYS4G4JoF-V56n0QWkj/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05709" width="265" /><img alt="DSC05710" border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv87vfQTsKy-99dpHG49kMhxupbJhYWiSxRU7Xq-sYz3ywKV6bzF1-D2-PA9pascAD_ZU-qqKaB5Otx60DDTcl08nkjY-91ibZHrF0Ggm-xyOcPqqBuM-fhr_MFOCiHyUcH0wQH_IjSke/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05710" width="265" /><img alt="DSC05711" border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhic6_uOhVHxmFgQWSZukaHy_8nN5YPwVIwNMXds1-4gt4Pn5oavKN4z0g7-SWfHEQjZIoDt1I0hXk4DgGVGEQV_E3T9nvl1U2XVpWxpuAXIf4lAQmvwyqvCe9cg9OINlHLC92VWR78Ow4T/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05711" width="265" /></p> <p>I was adding my daily points and it only came to 15 after my supper tonight so I knew I needed to <strong>get something else in</strong> for the day.  Searching through the fridge and freezer I remembered all the <strong>wonderful smoothies</strong> I had all summer long and decided to make one…even though it isn’t summer! I used <strong>1+ cup of frozen mixed berries</strong>, <strong>strawberry yogurt</strong>, and 1<strong>/2 c skim milk</strong> (not pictured)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FHHsCRvGTR9QtzxhEPsLZBwLFufOxAH9cZFaPDId1UBWSiElpmKGjB861bXcPrLqlruJgfS5MECkSAcmQBT6HVHPyJXOzpwAyOUmywa6i3HSYZDP7KVJI3_KKT1-0gLwuN0rPOParct5/s1600-h/DSC057182.jpg"><strong>. </strong></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuJWj_eOfrz_AghOg6OunfPMexnRq5_ir09TPDoauFwrqQsF2_np6TbVpzI4xiJjDDTwo_nHul61Ch6W0baWDUzF8Qpkjuc0p2s0j2SroHZVNoW1_Wy3wkdWvthWw3Z1L6iuJPt6niKhS/s1600-h/DSC05713%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05713" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Uia4L78s89dMb2dqw8tEid4mUdGZVY9NuID71QJBrYcsYh-IyE3NwmS7fXYDxulO3TYi3RouKnDvtxfma4Ud9AcIiLkVT1ZdDZYJ5CQdvTcUIFaXJUffbd9mcCmi26GBAP0xp9sBWgEI/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05713" width="404" /></a><img alt="DSC05717" border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfVlV-OzIO-3TrxQtxseHOHBuYAnNOxTmEBCiXzBAuMPke_6vwWT65zDgx8q8cQ80sDsJs-LcDD-BJIZxzQG7ta2vkyChPdAdmz6Q0ZNcGjw9wm7rEhFICOcytnWZcX4ObiiNZIIyDFMm/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05717" width="304" /></p> <p align="center">And <strong>voila</strong>, here is my perfectly purple smoothie for<strong> 3 points</strong>!<img alt="DSC05718" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KrCctYva4bxRYpxzUysSjgCupljbeapoAF5hvlIKe0AvZDS-2GjI7km4UuK2ATLP0aCvuf12CoaGu0ywKsaQI21AhN9SNhkDE-EPr81XH5bFUJev_vaSY62ty-KgJYoUKtfdWesl6dvQ/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05718" width="404" /></a></a></p> <p>So now I’m sipping on my smoothie with the hubs watching CSI thinking about hitting the hay fairly soon so I’m ready for another great day!</p> <p>Tomorrow’s TGIF!!!</p> <p>G’nite all!</p> <p><strong>THURSDAY’S STATS</strong> <br />POINTS = 18/24 <br />WATER = 116 oz <br />EXERCISE = 45 minute cross ramp</p>

The Challenge is STILL On!

Today I HAD to get up to go to the gym. I met a friend at a tire place to drop off her vehicle. Then we were going to workout together, so ...

Read more »

Socio-Theological Reflection On Hats

This is probably over due. It is one of the few issues on which people have seemed genuinely interested in my views. I have sidestepped the question until now. However something has happened that makes this issue so central to my episcopacy, if not my life, that I can no longer remain silent.<br /><br />I recently changed my profile pic on FaceBook and the responses have been favorable. Every single person who likes the new pic has said it is because of the hat -- a soft wool Western hat (a Scala classico) which I got in Salt Lake 2 years ago. I gather the pro-pic folks prefer this hat to the church baseball cap which I wore in my old pic (as still seen on this blog).<br /><br />During the bishop election in 07, I inadvertently created a stir in the diocese by wearing a hat in the profile pic for the candidates. My hat was for some a decisive factor in their discernment. Generally, it seems to have played pretty well in the rurals, to have been an acceptable eccentricity in Reno, but to have been controversial if not downright offensive in Las Vegas. One clergy person interrogated me at some length as to what I was trying to say with my hat or if there was a psychopathlogy concealed beneath it.<br /><br />The hat, by the way, was a standard white summer straw hat such as I see in stores all over Las Vegas. Some of the hat's critcs called it a Panama Hat. Not true. The Panama Hat is a perfectly respectable style, but I do not now and have never owned one.<br /><br />So here's the story on that hat. I was told by the search committee to wear "street clericals" for the pic and when I am on the street I wear a hat. The reasons are not subtle or complex. I have been bald for decades and without the hat I would be having cancers dug out of my scalp monthly. The only thought that went through my mind as I decided, in the blink of an eye, about wearing a hat in the picture is that it would cut down on the glare from my head. I was concerned that the glare would suggest a halo and so unfairly disadvantage the other candidates who did not have halos.<br /><br />So I was surprised and remain perplexed by the interest in my hat. My sense of the spiritual incidental-ness of hats goes back to an anti-racsim public service announcement in the 60's. Richard Boone (Paladin from Have Gun Will Tavel) appeared on camera holding two hats, one white and one black. He said television used hat colors in westerns to distinguish good guys from bad guys, but in real life we sould never judge a person by the color of his hat!<br /><br />That is obviously true. Hat color tells us nothing about a person. It is the style of the band, the height of the crown, and the strategic tilt of the brim that are the measure of character.<br /><br />Since my first months in Nevada, like St. Paul I have been learning to be all things to all people in the hope that I may bring a few to the gospel. I have learned to wear a black fedora in Las Vegas, and never a Stetson, except at one congreation where the DOK demands the Stetson. In Elko the Stetson always. In Reno, hats suggestive of down jacketed proximity to California. At House of Bishops, usually the Episcopal Chaplain baseball cap, except sometimes I wear my Pioche Nevada baseball cap because it's fun listening to the other bishops try to pronounce Pioche when they ask me what it is.<br /><br />Oh yes, I was also surprised that anyone would be concerned about a bishop's propensity to wear odd hats, given the eccentricity of the mitre. I started out wearing a plain humble Beckett mitre but that was met by groans of dissatisfaction. So now I usually wear the "higher mitre" of medieval pomposity -- the one worn by the pompous clergyman in Princess Bride. (It makes me want to say "Mawiage. Cwistian mawiage." The bands in the back flop around my face making me feel like Jar Jar Binks in church). That seems to better meet expectations, but I would still like to have a mitre with showgirl feathers (of seasonally appropriate liturgical colors of course) for special occasions -- such as diocesan conventions when we meet in a casino.

Socio-Theological Reflection On Hats

This is probably over due. It is one of the few issues on which people have seemed genuinely interested in my views. I have sidestepped the ...

Read more »

2010…starting again!

<p>How many times can I say this?  Well I did it <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2009/09/long-time-wno-blogging-weight-gain.html">here</a> in September and then again <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2009/12/sister-challenge-is-on.html">here</a> last month. And third times a charm right?!?!</p> <p align="center">Here is what I say:</p> <p align="center"><font size="5"><strong>I will start again as many times as it takes to get to my goal!!</strong></font></p> <p align="left">I’m not sure I can pin point what triggered this start; could be that my size 10 pants are getting <strong>quite snug</strong>, could be that swim suit Victoria’s Secret <strong>catalog</strong> that came in the mail yesterday, could be that I am just not feeling as good about myself physically as I was <strong>last summer</strong>…I think it might be all of the above and probably <strong>more</strong> reasons! Good thing is that <strong><u>I am back</u></strong>! So here is a recap of my day:</p> <p align="left">I started out my morning eating a wonderful breakfast with Kyle before we both went to work. I had <strong>oatmeal w/chocolate PB2</strong>, and a <strong>small banana</strong> for a total of <strong>4 points</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1U-feGydHo02F0ini3yg3tQTsyU2_EMTo-3fLIb530Ff8zDfs41Ls9fLRlZiCulrjYupIzQl6FsjO22XvITrjNbryTVg4e7tEVrJOheGOKjyeIAAa_LAF5-MqlxX_fuDqgPt6sG5SvP1d/s1600-h/DSC05697%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05697" border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31ivX7cTHSvAeiTBkXxkqXcnnNOPgy6GhIC1qy_Pi5VCnBX2q2NQQKgu31rnk7DfMhCPRyEdU1M17LDQtjPf39MMvg6kaJeaizk4d3TUsibSDJ0wLQ7daXuiPsknkrgA5XtN1tC84XQyT/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05697" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="left">Today was the first day of spring classes so my office was flooded with students full of questions for me and my staff! One thing for sure is that it makes my day go VERY fast when I’m busy like that! Around 10am I ate just <strong>6</strong> of these little guys, <strong>peanut butter filled pretzels</strong> for <strong>2 points</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TukZwTXrw65N3WLKLrXfRWapmHjxas-SGHucM_VJGdKzob9XthDcPj-8NcPHf-SjzaxriYNncWp8-VBbEoJleU7aP6xNm-T4chF1Sy5uB0pKWM5Hemn1ImLDlhjaSHoX12bupzeyCr4n/s1600-h/DSC05698%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05698" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmcu1666X6OqlGwF876Uu2YKvZEgWiKOs8PnWtNGsHeYK1xCl01Qz0BVRujt9Q5f9fkjJqVMCpquweWh1I6SVb4ilrvHgulv7_6SGGWfOdFkiD6wWW-ZgblfQZ49TFriK2I2iamFiKoOi/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05698" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="left">And since we were so busy I didn’t get to take lunch at a regular time so I snacked on a serving of <strong>animal crackers</strong> for <strong>3 points</strong> to hold me over until I could get time to eat lunch. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xWfGgsrwW9X-OQcgBxDU0c_tqJBfK4Y20lJp7hl14ugFdGGurbLowS_SQNj2bzI_6qBS-kDA9ZWdJ6kJI8hpRvWUTWr6JpV1-DviGbrpG2PWGdLkQmDK2j1SSB42vmdpA0eM1LipY3JD/s1600-h/DSC05699%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05699" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_DFJBWTGW4wnygLd1Uf5x2c0C1AbVKnn-y2X8PD4W8Zt0KB4dPNtWQKQltAqz4zmygoUxSXwlLz8Z01QYu4c2nHxhQ8CUcUiZkGiZWjANpIXiqBWBzdA9Q3Ah9ghizno66-_mZDP0klN/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05699" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="left">A little after 2 I finally got a chance to shut my door and eat my lunch quick. I had an <strong>apple</strong>, <strong>ham</strong>, <strong>turkey</strong>, & <strong>cheese</strong> <strong>wrap</strong>, and a <strong>dole fruit gel cup</strong> for a total of <strong>5 points</strong>. <img alt="DSC05700" border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvqP4X3GZPp553IU-ZsPCkhpY37nXxXjjwJbyDyEsqZF8HKXylZ3lVhVSEXl7Uu13PdnmmevvDZRsGwEfJQudng3SFtFd3GfC8e0Jje6YcFC6tl2iBGlBbb9cwXIyNUGOQcSDrTAQCrmf/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05700" width="264" /><img alt="DSC05701" border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuTqd1iXSBS_iBJa7lhfaZGAD-A1Kv1f6TP7Yy0GKsuwMXQNU4YUw4O23ygBWJiCPE2rsZz-4OLIqLsiIrN3GiotAhndCZQWsbzwV0A5CHenhCfwpwaTXeGt2Gu7iUIVwKMYCmmaSnuDL/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05701" width="264" /><img alt="DSC05702" border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5H-7TaOptWltYGZZT1M_eu9FPdAeyN_vS6u2muPPnosfBuDs4ZHHNJgaj1EvTsjsYz2cYDXlTMLtjMP7adUqh0zZac5_vxkvnird1kTqRmgWFU8FIpidZMFjxuAi12y4sWc_mbLyeBc-/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC05702" width="264" /></p> <p align="left">I worked till about 7:30 tonight when Kyle called and said he was on his way home too. I ran a few errands came home to find Kyle with supper for me! He wasn’t fully aware that I was <strong>“back” </strong>so he brought me home a 5 pc chicken nugget. I looked up the points and tracked it before I ate it! The <strong>5 chicken nuggets</strong> came to <strong>6 points</strong> and then <strong>1 point</strong> for the <strong>bbq sauce</strong>. Not the supper I had in mind, but I’m giving myself credit for tracking it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_e0t_R-rbZk90GZBf7c1mpnTJmBH0kpN1YDY8dmxmdkWS0I3iKWfgn0tSU1Rp6qtcDj3ImSBygOn84f1uGyCaA5bG-HNDKVwsXwJf4aOA_gR7yeoIcKa3KoAIjLFzd0vWwPiK41saJKIL/s1600-h/DSC05703%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC05703" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WL0xpGT6tu47o0BtRVzc3oOOwFnhZ7cIdp4uH3GgO_ABqJ0uSViWX26aauKo6Po5GLCH6DZTVhoG-8_Jv44_0c8qtiSgn4cGKBg8w8UIQDsQdUKXrT11LqXAWbHJkvvwm5z7JWSEWcap/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC05703" width="404" /></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>So there you have it, my first day back! I’m hoping I have many more OP days to follow! Can’t wait to catch up with everyone!</p> <p><strong>WEDNESDAY’S STATS</strong> <br />POINTS = 21/24 <br />WATER = 120 oz <br />EXERCISE = none today</p>

2010…starting again!

How many times can I say this?  Well I did it here in September and then again here last month. And third times a charm right?!?! Here i...

Read more »

For me, really?!

I love <a href="http://wwbruise.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Amber</a>. She's sweet, kind, supportive and has a really quirky sense of humor that makes me laugh out loud on a daily basis. I consider her one of my best blogger friends.<br /><br />So why did she do this to me? Award me the Beautiful Blogger award. I kind of don't like awards, because they make me feel like a dork. I don't feel good enough or smart enough or interesting enough to get an award. I don't feel worthy.<br /><br />That's why I usually pretend I don't see them when someone gives me one. I know, that's kind of rude of me. I mean, someone thinks they're doing a nice thing, then I ignore it. So in my efforts to be a nicer person this year, I'm accepting this award from Amber. Thank you Amber. I think you're a beautiful blogger too!<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dmqvjAmxuIA9sRgk9RukS1h8gIIQmqKAn6K5adh3XbZYS3BcUnE_Q-mTvD-hJTZvhpOwJLBXWP9KB47F7AXII_aHitigF8spzEZrLsCZ8H-K0rfnhzEycqh5ZXsNGyz7YH-ueGQxfEMO/s1600-h/Beautiful_Blogger_Award.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426090068497613506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dmqvjAmxuIA9sRgk9RukS1h8gIIQmqKAn6K5adh3XbZYS3BcUnE_Q-mTvD-hJTZvhpOwJLBXWP9KB47F7AXII_aHitigF8spzEZrLsCZ8H-K0rfnhzEycqh5ZXsNGyz7YH-ueGQxfEMO/s400/Beautiful_Blogger_Award.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />Of course, there's always a condition with these awards. Something you have to do, in this case, I'm suppose to tell seven things about myself. That right there almost caused me to ignore this award. I read Amber's list and thought Dang! She's so fascinating and interesting. What am I going to say about myself that anyone would ever want to read? I pretty much spill my guts on here on a daily basis. There's really not much you don't already know about me.<br /><br />So I'm doing something different. Instead of seven boring facts about me, how about what I've learned about losing weight (and of lot of it I learned this last week...believe it or not).<br /><br />1. Buying a weight loss self-help book isn't going to help me lose weight. Buying a weight loss self-help book and just reading it isn't going to help me lose weight. Buying a weight loss self-help book, reading it, studying it and actually doing what they suggest will help me lose weight.<br /><br />2. It's not necessary to work out two hours a day, seven days a week. In fact, it's a little insane. I can work out five days a week, one hour a day and still lose weight.<br /><br />3. As a woman, I need to be careful when I lift weights. It really isn't necessary to lift two 25-pound dumbbells over my head 24 times (three sets of eight). I can and have hurt myself. On the other hand, lifting 5-pound dumbbells is a waste of time. Heavier is better, too heavy is bad.<br /><br />4. The Weight Watcher Healthy Eating Guidelines will help me lose weight if I follow them. They won't help me lose weight if I just think about them and are afraid to "waste" Points on things like healthy oil and milk. I need to just "waste" the Points because it will help me lose weight.<br /><br />5. I can say 'no' to myself. I can tell myself to shut up. I can tell myself to not think about certain things and redirect my thoughts. I can listen to myself and follow my own advice. (who knew?!)<br /><br />6. I will not starve to death if I go to bed slightly hungry.<br /><br />7. I will not gain weight if I eat a healthy low-Point snack at 11pm and then go to sleep. In fact, I will avert a binge and actually lose weight.<br /><br />8. Attending Weight Watcher meetings is not optional. Tracking my food is not optional.<br /><br />9. Food will give me only momentary satisfaction. Then I'll want more food and even more. It's just food. It isn't love or comfort or entertainment. It won't make me happy, except maybe for a brief moment...then it will make me sad. It won't solve any of the problems in my life.<br /><br />10. I have to believe in myself, believe that I can lose weight permanently. No one can "fix" me except for me. It's my life, my body, my choice. I can't blame anyone else for the food I eat. No one is holding a gun to my head and making me eat. Ultimately, it really is all up to me.<br /><br />Now for my chosen 7 (I actually could have come up with 70---I read a lot of blogs and love them all!).<br /><br />1. <a href="http://tonysdietlog.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Tony the Pink Panda</a><br />2. <a href="http://bbubblyb.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Dawn</a><br />3. <a href="http://poundsforprom.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Kelly!</a><br />4. <a href="http://mepschronicles.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Mary</a><br />5. <a href="http://gravelandrust.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Roxie</a><br />6. <a href="http://doingaone-eighty.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Helen</a><br />7. <a href="http://losingmyself2.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Ida</a><br />8. <a href="http://thinfor30.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Sarah</a><br />9. <a href="http://ronmichel.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Ron</a><br />10. <a href="http://55aliveandlosingit.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Graciela</a><br /><br />I know, there are more than seven. If I had the time, there would be even more.</p>

For me, really?!

I love Amber . She's sweet, kind, supportive and has a really quirky sense of humor that makes me laugh out loud on a daily basis. I con...

Read more »

Still on fire

It's 10:18pm. I'm just about ready to go to bed and sleep. Tomorrow I have my workout in the morning, work all day, and then <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kundalini</span> yoga at night .<br /><br />I almost hesitate to write about not binging. It's like I'm afraid I'm going to jinx myself and totally screw up. I can't remember the last time I was "clean and sober" for four straight days. Although even if I do mess up, I know it'll be okay.<br /><br />"The end of overeating" Chapter 44, Avoiding Traps: On obsession and Relapse<br />(page 231)<br /><br />"Some people find it especially hard to stay in control when they are the highest end of their weight spectrum--at that point, the goal of a weight loss may just seem too remote to be achieved. For others, the greatest challenge comes after reaching their, when they recognize that their struggle will never be completely over and that the battle with conditioned <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">hypereating</span> is lifelong. Accepting those realities helps to keep you vigilant. Keeping relapse at bay is not about being strong enough to beat the temptation of eating stimulating food, but about being smart enough to deal with it."<br /><br />When I was 240 pounds I just couldn't seem to get my head in the right place to actually try to lose weight. I'd think about it every day, sometimes every waking moment of every day. I remember how difficult it was to even start trying to lose weight.<br /><br />When I finally did get <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">thisclose</span></em> to my goal weight, I wasn't vigilant. I wasn't being smart on how I handled the "cue-urge-reward" habit cycle. I have tools now, I'm ready for it if my brain tries to take me to places I don't want to go.<br /><br />I'm right on with the tracking ALL my food (four days!), trying my best to meet the Good Health Guidelines (Lord help with this one, it's almost impossible!). In other words, I'm on fire!<br /><br /><strong>Food, Inc.</strong><br />We watched Food, Inc. last night. Actually, my husband watched it. I had to go into a different room halfway through the movie. I was so incredibly angry watching it that it made me intensely uncomfortable, mentally and physically.<br /><br />I'm not going to review the Food, Inc. since I'm sure there are hundreds of great reviews out there already. Most people have probably already seen it.<br /><br />If you haven't seen it, I strongly advise you to watch it. There's a lot of very horrifying information about the food industry and our food chain. I had already read a lot about this in Michael <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Pollan's</span> book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma". Seeing the visuals that the book is based upon literally made me <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">nauseous</span>.<br /><br />If you see this movie, you'll never look at your food the same again. Great educational movie but highly disturbing.<br /><br /><em>Update at 5:15am Tuesday, 1/12: I made it through the night without binging. It's 5:15am and just getting ready to head out to the gym. I didn't even have a snack last night and only 21 Points all day. I didn't have to fight myself over wanting to eat. It's such a weird feeling not to have that huge fear of overeating. It's like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Today is day five. :)</em>

Still on fire

It's 10:18pm. I'm just about ready to go to bed and sleep. Tomorrow I have my workout in the morning, work all day, and then Kundali...

Read more »

Just say no!

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY94aTE5Yu3Mw-8WFm3wmuikQtp4O_hzRjjFPaXWUOJETXRBSzuVV346eKiqG_mvSttqOkQ2KD8gKqAbJZApugOR_xDkHNwn0OawX1OwX-7oWwc8Nigu_aCcjOnp6outFwRLM0sMchqV-j/s1600-h/just+say+no.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425346838732911250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY94aTE5Yu3Mw-8WFm3wmuikQtp4O_hzRjjFPaXWUOJETXRBSzuVV346eKiqG_mvSttqOkQ2KD8gKqAbJZApugOR_xDkHNwn0OawX1OwX-7oWwc8Nigu_aCcjOnp6outFwRLM0sMchqV-j/s400/just+say+no.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 220px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 215px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />Tonight I tried some cognitive behavioral therapy on myself. I'm surprised how well it worked.<br /><br />Earlier tonight I had eaten a nice dinner of a chicken breast with spicy barbecue sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts with olive oil and sea salt (my favorite), and a cup of milk (I'm really working on trying to get the Healthy Eight).<br /><br />I have a planned snack for later of fresh pineapple and yogurt. My plan is to eat this snack at 11pm, my normal bewitching hour, but only if I'm hungry. I want to be prepared to stop a binge if all my resolve falls apart. I've had two good nights, I'm going for three.<br /><br />After dinner I was reading some blogs and saw someone had a Kashi granola bar for a snack. It reminded me of the nut & fruit bars we bought a few months ago at Costco. They're mostly nuts and seeds, with a little dried fruit. They're delicious but very high in calories and fat (6 Points each). Earlier today I saw my husband eating one. I remembered how good they tasted. I was leaving for the gym and didn't give it another thought. Until I read about the blogger's Kashi bar.<br /><br />My mind immediately started thinking about the nut & fruit bars, how good they tasted. I thought one would really be good right now. It would kind of be like a dessert since they're a little sweet, and I love nuts. I thought maybe I'll have one. Forget about trying to lose weight, I feel like having one right now.<br /><br />Then I remembered reading this in "The end of overeating" (pg. 182):<br /><br />"Effective intervention draws us away from the conditioning power of a stimulus before it triggers its usual response. It reminds us that it's possible to say no. Intervention begins with knowledge that we have a moment of choice--<em>but only a moment</em>--to recognize what is about to happen and do something else instead.<br /><br />The cornerstone of treatment for conditioned hypereating is developing the capacity to refuse the cue's invitation to the brain in the first place. That refusal must come early, and it must be definitive. It's only at the very beginning, when the invitation arises that you have any control over it. At that point it's still possible to turn away from the stimulus. Once we get started, a cascade of events--stimulation, response, and more stimulation--is likely to drive behavior."<br /><br />I immediately told myself NO! I'm not screwing up my entire day by eating one of those stupid nut & fruit bars. I don't have the available Points, I don't even like them that much anyway, and I'm not even hungry. I just had dinner. I told myself to stop thinking about it because I wasn't going to happen.<br /><br />I refused the cue, the mental stimuli I had in my head. Instead I had a glass of ice water. Easy to do? Not totally. Impossible? Of course not.<br /><br />I really believe we can retrain ourselves to react differently to food stimuli. The trick is that we have to make a conscious effort to do this. We can't waver, keep thinking about the food, should I eat it, should I not? <br /><br />Just like we'd be assertive with someone that wanted to do something harmful to us, to hurt us, we need to be assertive with ourselves.<br /><br />Shut down the thought process immediately. If it's not something you planned on eating and you don't have the Points for it, think about something else. The immediate and temporary gratification isn't worth it. Just say no to yourself.

Just say no!

Tonight I tried some cognitive behavioral therapy on myself. I'm surprised how well it worked. Earlier tonight I had eaten a nice dinner...

Read more »

Why Me Lord?

We had a special service at St. Luke’s today. Instead of the usual Sunday morning liturgy, we used Burial Rite 2 to celebrate the life of Anthony Grino, a leader of Bibak, the Igarot Filipino cultural organization, and the patriarch of that wonderful congregation. The junior warden and members of Anthony’s family gave eulogies. Then Fr. Jeff Adiego (St. Matthew’s) told about his giving last rites to Anthony. Fr. Jeff described how Anthony was completely unresponsive, unable to speak or move. But after the rest of the rite had been performed, Fr. Jeff knelt down to where Anthony could see him without lifting his head, then read the Prologue to John’s Gospel and said, “Anthony do you believe what I just read?” Anthony responded with a strong “I do” – and thereafter did not speak again.<br /><br />After the service we went downstairs for a reception. At my previous visits, we have had drumming and Filipino folk dancing. But this was different. There was a music group of four members of the congregation. The lead singer played guitar with a lot of body movement. He wore a frock length sports coat. Another singer had a Mandalay Bay jacket. The first song was a gospel classic:<br /><br />O Lord you know I have no friend like you.<br />My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.<br />The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door<br />And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.<br /><br />The second song was “Why Me Lord?” Remember Kris Krisofferson.<br /><br />Lord help me Jesus I’ve wasted it<br />So help me Jesus I know what I am<br />Now that I know that I’ve needed you so<br />Help me Jesus my soul’s in your hand.<br /><br />That’s my religion and I am grateful to these good Christians for holding it up for me to see and hear. I feel so blessed by our people.

Why Me Lord?

We had a special service at St. Luke’s today. Instead of the usual Sunday morning liturgy, we used Burial Rite 2 to celebrate the life of An...

Read more »

Another night of freedom

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawiSJMW9ziFcwcKgYghjxdHTOhAfbrgay3TR5tNPfqCHhDgEOxIVEzvTzlZgThU0cVmFshpS5b0t1p6blNxXXCgq2mOwUXg4WS8HiLjDK9VE1GZXkt331oQVpTE15doWC7oTD_zMw8tXy/s1600-h/cookie+monster.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425224923539507490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawiSJMW9ziFcwcKgYghjxdHTOhAfbrgay3TR5tNPfqCHhDgEOxIVEzvTzlZgThU0cVmFshpS5b0t1p6blNxXXCgq2mOwUXg4WS8HiLjDK9VE1GZXkt331oQVpTE15doWC7oTD_zMw8tXy/s400/cookie+monster.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 282px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>I'm talking about freedom from the binge monster. I made it through another night without going crazy on food. Two nights in a row. I feel stronger than I've felt in months.<br /><br />Last night I used the tip to have a preplanned snack. I knew I wasn't going to be tired enough to go to bed early and actually sleep, so I allowed for a three-Point snack at 11pm.<br /><br />It was a really simple snack but very filling. One orange, 1/2 of a small apple, one container of Light Vanilla Activia yogurt and 1/2 cup Fiber One (which I haven't eaten in months).<br /><br />I ate my planned snack at 11pm with a big glass of ice water, while I was reading "The end of overeating." It completely satisfied my urge to eat.<br /><br />My total Points for yesterday was 24.5, and I tracked every bite. I'm allowed 22 a day, plus the 35 weeklies (and activity Points which I try not to use, but will if I feel like I really need them). I also managed to get in most of my Healthy Eight, first time in months that I even tried.<br /><br /><strong>The end of overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite<br />by David A. Kessler, Md</strong><br /><br />I recommend this book. I didn't start with Part One, Sugar, Fat, Salt. I also skipped over Part Two, The Food Industry. I already know that sugar, fat and salt are bad for me, and that the food industry is out to get us. I've read the Omnivore's Dilemma, I know what's going on with the food industry, although I did skim this section and he had some new information that was even more disheartening.<br /><br />The heart of the book for me are the following: Part Three - Conditioned Hypereating Emerges; Part Four - The Theory of Treatment; Part Five - Food Rehab and Part Six - The End of Overeating.<br /><br />A lot of what this book is about is basically a lot of what we're taught in Weight Watchers. Mental rehearsing, food isn't love, cognitive behavioral changes, but Dr. Kessler goes into a lot more depth and research, and offers some new ideas on how to stop hypereating.<br /><br />I was particularly interested in how part of the population has issues with Conditioned Hypereating. When eating actually becomes dangerous to us and the culture of overeating. His theory on "cue - urge - reward -habit cycle" makes sense. I'll expand on both of these in future posts.<br /><br />I'll leave you with my favorite paragraph, Chapter 48: Fighting Back (page 245).<br /><br /><em>"If they could, many food companies would likely be satisfied with making conditioned hypereaters out of all of us so they could sell more product. Yet the power to resist ultimately rests with us. While a combination of human biology, personal experience, and a determined industry may explain why we overeat, we still have the ability to make choices about whether we allow this triumvirate to dominate our behavior. The fact that the industry helps create this problem, and takes advantage of it, doesn't render us helpless."</em><br /><br />Touché. </div>

Another night of freedom

I'm talking about freedom from the binge monster. I made it through another night without going crazy on food. Two nights in a row. I fe...

Read more »