Epic Fail to Major Success

A week ago this past Thursday I met my trainer after work. We had a nutrition session which started with me getting on the scales and having a gain. It was small, but still a gain. She asked me what was going on and I said, "I'm not eating right." Of course she wanted to know what I had been eating and I tried with all my might to dodge the question. Then she made me list what I had eaten that day. I was in the cafeteria all day as we were trying to establish some new procedures. Lunch was a choice of chicken nuggets or chicken fried steak.I had my lunch in the fridge, but opted for the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and a homemade dinner roll. As if this wasn't bad enough someone had left three different cakes in our lounge. In typical Tammy mentality, I went for the cake because I had already blown the day with the lunch right? Not just one kind of cake. I tried two. The look in Kelly's eyes made me wish I had never even thought of eating such poor choices. Then came the lecture. You can workout as much as you want, you can have the best workout plan in the world, you can have professional help, BUT if you don't have the diet...you will NOT be successful. Then came the eight step eating plan.

I started the plan a few days later. I couldn't start immediately because I needed to wrap my head around it and go to the store. I played around with it a bit and officially started it one week ago today. The scales keep going down. I keep getting on thinking I've got to be doing something to make them go back up, but they keep going down. I can't tell you how much yet because I don't want to jinx anything. BUT THE SCALES ARE GOING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY!!!! I announced this news to my sister on Saturday while she had me in the car and we were driving toward Lawrence and then she lectured me. "Sister, you cannot get on the scales every day. I was telling my friend at work about it and she says you need to get rid of the scales. I told her how your other trainer made you throw the scales away." Okay, okay, okay...so I haven't been on the scales since Saturday morning. Until this morning when I had to go to the doctor....AND THE SCALES WENT DOWN AGAIN!!!! It's not all about the number, but I've been stuck. I realize it has been my fault. Having these eight steps that I had to write down and knowing I have to get on the scales the next time I meet with Kelly has totally helped get me jumpstarted. In all honesty, part of today's loss is related to me developing bronchitis and the flu. I've been trying to get everything in that I'm supposed to eat, but when you can't taste anything and your throat hurts and you are coughing so hard you puke...food isn't always the first priority. All of that said, I think the biggest success has been being prepared. I pack the food and don't even think about it throughout the day. I pull it out and eat it on schedule. Simplify. Simplify.

Another success in the eating realm is that I made 6 dozen sugar cookies and 4 dozen brownies frosted with fudge icing. I didn't eat a bite. I had to rely on others to tell me how it tasted. I hope there is not one person out there thinking this is no big deal. When you feel like a sugar granule because you've smelled so much of it and you look like the Pilsbury Dough Boy because you've been so into your cooking and you have the biggest sweet tooth this side of Paula Deen then it's a pretty darn big dang deal that you didn't eat it even though you wanted to take just a little lick of that icing and you thought one cookie couldn't possibly hurt, but you knew if you did it might cause the scale to go in the wrong direction so you just stayed focused on your journey in hopes that one day you might beat the stupid bulge!!!

I'm a little frustrated that I haven't been able to workout since last Thursday. The cough has been too much. Not to mention I have had no energy. Working out takes so much stress away. There's nothing like turning the iPod on with my favorite playlist and hitting it really hard. Hopefully, in a couple of days I'll be back to the gym. UGH!

Many of my loyal followers have asked about job prospects. Here is the update: I have heard back from two districts. One had 37 people apply. 21 of those had previous experience. They interviewed six of those. The other district had 54 people apply. I'm still waiting to hear from others. I am extremely hopeful, but worried too. I appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts.

From Epic Fail (making super bad food choices) to Major Success (putting steps into place and being diligent enough to make the scales go down!)Because there can be no more excuses. I've been making excuses for way too long. I have to make necessary changes. I have to find the thin Tammy because I deserve it!

Until next time...

OOOOWWWWW!!!!

Yesterday afternoon my trainer texted me and told me to meet her at the park. I had no idea what was in store for me. We started off with a brisk walk talking about how nice the weather was. How unbelievable it was that on February 2nd we were doing a workout outside and not uncomfortable with the weather at all. I was thinking...this isn't too bad. I can keep up. I'm going to be out of breath, but this isn't bad. Then we arrived at a park bench which turned out to be my first station. Pushups and squats and then we jogged to the next bench which was across from some bleachers. Stepping up and down off of the bleachers for fifteen times on each leg works leg muscles. We moved to the bench where I did more pushups, crunches, and calf raises. No time for a break we took off jogging to the next bench where I had to step up and down off of it for 15 times on each leg. I finished with more crunches, squats, and calf raises. Then a jog to the gazebo where I held onto a beam and lowered my leg off the back of the gazebo. 15 times each leg followed by running sideways up and down the stairs and then running up and down the stairs like any normal person would do. We took a quick break for some water and I was back lowering myself off the side of the gazebo and running stairs. I should have known I was in trouble when I woke up this morning and my upper leg muscles were talking to me before I ever tried to move them. They screamed when I moved them. The pain became slightly worse as the day wore on.

Being ever so dedicated I went to the gym after work. I hit the Helix for ten minutes. The leg muscles were screaming in a very hostile manner. Yet, having gone farther on the Helix than ever before I hopped off feeling quite successful. I meandered over to the stepper and was only going to go for twenty minutes. I was listening to my ipod, but watching the news. I saw a Deffenbaugh truck and saw a clip. I changed my headphones over quickly. (My dad is a supervisor for Deffenbaugh.) A driver was killed in an accident where his truck backed over him. I unplugged the headphones and called my mom. (Over Christmas I was told by my sister and my aunt who alternated cleaning an office with Mom on Friday nights that if I texted or called Mom on a Friday night I would owe them a cleaning because my calls and texts distract Mom and put them behind. I have adhered to this because I do not like to have to clean the office. However, this involved my dad and I classified it as an emergency.) Dad did in fact know the man who was killed. It's a tragedy that brings back even more emotion than knowing the man who was killed. Almost 16 years ago my dad was crushed by a trash truck. The fact that he didn't die was a miracle according to police officers who worked the scene and doctors who treated my dad at the hospital. Knowing that my dad is dealing with the hurt of losing a co worker and remembering his own accident, combined with me remembering his accident invoked a new strength in me. I went faster on the stepper than I have in a long time. So fast my heart rate was too high. I ended up on the stepper for 30 minutes instead of 20. Now trying to stand up from a sitting position isn't at all graceful. Don't fear Readers, I'm enjoying the burn. Hurts so good.

I haven't cut my hair for a year. There have been two trims and that's all. I was standing in the hall today problem solving a situation with a teacher. As I was playing with my hair I discovered it might be long enough for a pony tail. I made a trip to a friend who lent me a pony tail holder and I swept it up for the first time in 17 years. (I've been more partial to a shorter hair style for a great number of years.) Toward the end of the day some fifth grade girls saw me and said, "Mrs. Bunch you look beautiful with your hair up like that." "Mrs. Bunch you look fine." "Mrs. Bunch if you keep losing weight and growing your hair you aren't going to be a counselor they are going to want you to be a model." Oh one of the benefits of being an elementary educator is when you have students swooning over you. :) I could actually feel my head getting bigger. I see many more pony tails in my future. HA!

A public shout out to my new friend Belinda. I met Belinda as a result of this journey. I am soooo proud of her. She is hitting that gym so hard. She's getting results too. Go Belinda!!!