It has been suggested to me by a few people, including my husband, that giving up Dr. Pepper would make a significant difference in my dieting efforts. For you, I have a little story.
We got Macgregor when I was about 7 years old. He was a West Highland White Terrier. My sister and I loved that dog. He moved with us from town to town, even coming with us when we moved to Germany for a year. He was the sweetest animal, if not the smartest.
One spring day when Mac was about 9, or 65 in dog years, he was sunning himself on our front lawn. I was in my bedroom in the basement when I heard screaming. It took me a minute to realize what I was hearing before I ran upstairs to investigate.
When I got to the front porch, I found my mom on the front lawn screaming while a large Pit Bull pinned our beloved Mac to the ground with his massive jaws around our little dog's neck. The woman who had been walking the Pit Bull stood on the other side of the dogs, yanking on the leash and yelling. To this day, we're not sure what Mac said to bring on the ire of that Pit Bull, but clearly it was something pretty bad.
Anyhoo, we all stood around yelling and waving our arms trying to get the dogs apart. At some point my mom ran into the house. She reappeared a few minutes later with a shotgun in hand. I'm not sure if she planned to shoot the Pit Bull or what, but what she wound up doing was hitting him over the head with it. That Pit Bull didn't even flinch.
About this time, one of my mom's friends, a burly fellow by the name of Red, came walking by. He quickly assessed the situation, picked up what had to be a 50 pound rock from the top of the retaining wall in our yard, walked over and dropped that rock right on the Pit Bull's head. The pit bull released poor little Mac and trotted off like nothing had happened.
Not surprisingly, Mac was in pretty bad shape. He had four nasty puncture wounds in his neck and was just laying on the ground, looking like Doggie Heaven might be calling to him. We rushed him to the vet for emergency care. After several hours of surgery and a gazillion stitches, we brought Mac home. Despite his seemingly life-threatening wounds, Mac made a full recovery and went on to live another 6 years before he left us for the great dog park in the sky. He was a tough little guy and I still miss him.
So, I bet you're thinking that the analogy here is that like Mac, I need to be tough. If that little dog can survive a brutal attack by a trained killer, then I can overcome the hurdle of giving up Dr. Pepper. That's not it, though. The real moral here is that just like that Pit Bull, it would take a big fucking rock to knock the Dr. Pepper out of my steely grasp. I've given up a lot of my favorite addictions in the name of "health," I'm keeping this one.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
I'll Start My Diet Tomorrow
Right about my birthday, six weeks or so ago, I decided that it was time to buckle down and get serious about getting in shape and losing weight. As everyone knows, the key to making this happen is through diet and exercise. Although I wish it could be as easy as just skipping dessert, the fact is that you really do need to tackle both angles.
I know myself, and I know that I am prone to getting whole hog into something and then losing interest after a few weeks or months. I decided that to be successful, I needed to approach this a little differently than I have in the past. My plan was to begin with the exercise. Do it for a couple of months and then once it was an established routine, I could start working on my diet.
After six weeks of working out four times a week for about 1 1/2 hours each time (1 hour of cardio plus 1/2 hour of strength training), I am now able to go longer and harder on the cardio machines, however the weight loss has been SLOW. I am only down about 7 pounds. I need some faster results, so it's time to enact phase two of Operation Smaller Cara.
It's no secret that I love food. I love it a lot. I mean a lot a lot. I love butter and cheese and bread and pasta and Dr. Pepper and so much more. Cutting down/out is tough for me. But that's the only way I'm going to get the kind of results I want. I have said "MY DIET BEGINS TOMORROW!" a thousand times and a thousand times I have not started my diet the next day. This time I mean it. Tomorrow, I am actually starting my diet.
My plan is less about calorie counting than it is about generally eating less and eating more healthily. It has to be a lifestyle change. More fresh vegetables, less processed sugar. We already began this weekend with some interesting new menu items that were good AND good for us. I am excited to get started with this new challenge.
I'm not giving up my Dr. Pepper, though.
I know myself, and I know that I am prone to getting whole hog into something and then losing interest after a few weeks or months. I decided that to be successful, I needed to approach this a little differently than I have in the past. My plan was to begin with the exercise. Do it for a couple of months and then once it was an established routine, I could start working on my diet.
After six weeks of working out four times a week for about 1 1/2 hours each time (1 hour of cardio plus 1/2 hour of strength training), I am now able to go longer and harder on the cardio machines, however the weight loss has been SLOW. I am only down about 7 pounds. I need some faster results, so it's time to enact phase two of Operation Smaller Cara.
It's no secret that I love food. I love it a lot. I mean a lot a lot. I love butter and cheese and bread and pasta and Dr. Pepper and so much more. Cutting down/out is tough for me. But that's the only way I'm going to get the kind of results I want. I have said "MY DIET BEGINS TOMORROW!" a thousand times and a thousand times I have not started my diet the next day. This time I mean it. Tomorrow, I am actually starting my diet.
My plan is less about calorie counting than it is about generally eating less and eating more healthily. It has to be a lifestyle change. More fresh vegetables, less processed sugar. We already began this weekend with some interesting new menu items that were good AND good for us. I am excited to get started with this new challenge.
I'm not giving up my Dr. Pepper, though.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
I look much like this when I am watching my stories. Only, you know, much bigger and more drool.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Ode To The Dollar Store
I have to confess an unhealthy affection for the dollar store. It's not just that everything is so darn cheap, most of it being, you know, $1, but also the sheer variety of goods they offer. I mean where else can you buy a squeaky rubber chicken, dinnerware, gift bags, tampons (en espanol), wicker baskets AND helium balloons? It's like the circus for housewives.
Whenever I am feeling like doing some shopping, but the old checkbook won't tolerate a trip to Target, it's off to Dollar General I go. I can spend an hour in there, meandering my way down the aisles, getting much of the samejunk treasures for about a tenth of the cost.
How do I love thee, Dollar General?
Let me count the ways:
Gallon and quart freezer bags
Kiddie book
Three greeting cards
Coloring book
Two peppermint patties
Apple juice
Two photo frames
Brownie mix*
Total: $10.14
*Despite my love for all things Dollar Store, I am a little weird about buying food there. I made the brownies last night, though, and they were DELICIOUS. Of course, I used a glass dish and it took them an hour to bake, during which time I contemplated eating them with a spoon, but who's counting.
Whenever I am feeling like doing some shopping, but the old checkbook won't tolerate a trip to Target, it's off to Dollar General I go. I can spend an hour in there, meandering my way down the aisles, getting much of the same
How do I love thee, Dollar General?
Let me count the ways:
Gallon and quart freezer bags
Kiddie book
Three greeting cards
Coloring book
Two peppermint patties
Apple juice
Two photo frames
Brownie mix*
Total: $10.14
*Despite my love for all things Dollar Store, I am a little weird about buying food there. I made the brownies last night, though, and they were DELICIOUS. Of course, I used a glass dish and it took them an hour to bake, during which time I contemplated eating them with a spoon, but who's counting.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
I hear the secrets that you keep...Part II
The sleep issues are back. FML. Although she was sleeping through the night like a champ there for a while, since she was sick last month, she has been waking up at least once a night. Not to mention that the doggamned cats wake me up at least once a night as well. It is killing me. I remember now how tired I was for that first year. ALL. THE. TIME.
Last night, she woke up at about 12:30. When I heard her crying, I moaned and sat up in bed. Neil said, "is this the first time?" I said yes. I got up and walked around the bed and looked over as Neil sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
Neil: I'm sorry.
Me: It's not your fault, honey.
Neil: No, it is. I left something running in there.
Me: What?
Neil: I think there is something running in there.
Me: What. Are. You. Talking. About. (Getting scared. Visions of gremlins and ghouls scampering around flit through my overactive imagination.)
Neil: I started a program and I left it running. It probably woke her up.
Me: What? (Still not getting it.)
Neil: I started something on the computer and left it running. I probably woke her up. (Obviously there is no computer in her room, nor one anywhere close to it.)
Me: (Finally realizing that he is talking in his sleep.) ...
Me: You're right, it is your fault.
Last night, she woke up at about 12:30. When I heard her crying, I moaned and sat up in bed. Neil said, "is this the first time?" I said yes. I got up and walked around the bed and looked over as Neil sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
Neil: I'm sorry.
Me: It's not your fault, honey.
Neil: No, it is. I left something running in there.
Me: What?
Neil: I think there is something running in there.
Me: What. Are. You. Talking. About. (Getting scared. Visions of gremlins and ghouls scampering around flit through my overactive imagination.)
Neil: I started a program and I left it running. It probably woke her up.
Me: What? (Still not getting it.)
Neil: I started something on the computer and left it running. I probably woke her up. (Obviously there is no computer in her room, nor one anywhere close to it.)
Me: (Finally realizing that he is talking in his sleep.) ...
Me: You're right, it is your fault.
60 Seconds
I decided some time back that I didn't really want to do reviews on here. I get emails from time to time with people asking me to review this, that or the other and to talk about it on my blog. Usually, it is something that is absolutely, positively not of interest to me or my readers, who I like to think have similar (ahem) sophisticated tastes to my own.
But I've gotten a couple of emails about this site 60 Second Break and I finally broke down and visited it. And you know what, it's actually a site that I would frequent. It is full of entertaining tales from women all over the world.
If you have a minute, or, you know, 60 seconds, give it a look see.
But I've gotten a couple of emails about this site 60 Second Break and I finally broke down and visited it. And you know what, it's actually a site that I would frequent. It is full of entertaining tales from women all over the world.
If you have a minute, or, you know, 60 seconds, give it a look see.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Day 91
I am...
...well rested.
...losing weight like I was on Survivor.
...a compulsive cleaner.
...overjoyed that my daughter keeps doing the same thing over and over and over and over after I have told her NO over and over and over again.
...delighted with the goings-on in Washington.
...loving that the cat once again woke me up in the middle of the night.
...pregnant with octuplets.
...enjoying this separation anxiety phase Sophie is going through.
NOT!
I AM going to go take a nap.
...well rested.
...losing weight like I was on Survivor.
...a compulsive cleaner.
...overjoyed that my daughter keeps doing the same thing over and over and over and over after I have told her NO over and over and over again.
...delighted with the goings-on in Washington.
...loving that the cat once again woke me up in the middle of the night.
...pregnant with octuplets.
...enjoying this separation anxiety phase Sophie is going through.
NOT!
I AM going to go take a nap.
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