The Day Before the Big Boom de Boom Celebration

Wow tomorrow is the big firecracker day. Boom Boom de BOOM! I think I’m actually going to go and watch a display tomorrow night. Not sure where yet. It will be the first time in 5 years that I’ve actually gone to see one.

When we still lived in town I never missed it. All I had to do was walk out the door and I had a pretty good view…lol. I have a view of several towns fireworks from out here but they are all too distant to really enjoy them.

Much better for the dogs though. Tends to scare them sensless when it goes on and on. I used to put everyone inside and turn the radios and tv’s up to help to muffle the sound.

I stepped on the scale again this morning. My weight swung up a pound or pound and a half. At any rate it was at 289 this morning.

It amazes me how much it can swing up and down from day to day. I did not binge or over eat yesterday. Unfortunately my intestines decided to torture me a bit last night. Kept me awake with frequent bathroom trips until 4 o’clock this morning. Something triggered a gastric attack. Made for a very short sleep time. I am a bit wrung out today. Puffy and groggy. Just like a bull froggy…lol…

Worked on web pages for the New Vision Forte Diet yesterday. Managed to get 2 pages put together. I don’t have the links just the way I want them but ran out of time. I should have kept working on them after that gastric attack started. But I didn’t. I was a miserable sort and was doubled over on the love seat.

Gets a bit frustrating at times. Never know what’s going to trigger a gastric attack. Who knows. One thing I do know for sure is that it’s not consistent. Other than consistently miserable and exhausting when it happens. Yes that was a bit of a whine. I am a bit pissy and whiny today. Enough of that.

Gotta do the dogs. Hungry and thirsty hairballs are calling my name. Forget hibernating, they need taken care of. Need to get some photos taken too, as well as grooming and so on and so on. Tit tat and that’s that, later.

Life is a journey…enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins and the Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians.
307.788.0202
Yahoo: robbinsrun
Skype: robbinsrun

The Day After

Good Morning… Had a decent day yesterday. After I attacked everything in sight. Yes I came out of the closet (the scale is sitting in a walk in closet) an evil b*tch from hell. Pissed off to the extreme over the weight bounce. (Yes I know better-I was still pissed)

After I got over my super troll mode the day went pretty well. Met with a friend I hadn’t gotten together with for months. Ran a few errands, took basic care of the dogs (of course) and went over to her place for a visit a few beers and dinner.

Out of curiosity I popped back on the scale this morning. Got off of it and got back on and checked it again. Mind you this is a good quality balance scale so it doesn’t vary like a bathroom scale. It has that little balance bubble on it so you can line it up accurately.

Here is the kicker. From yesterday morning to this morning my weight dropped 4.5 pounds. This morning it was 287.5 pounds. My body’s weight shifts are enough to drive me natters if I let it. Yesterday I let it. I was natters to the extreme.

Natters … Natters… Natters… that was me yesterday. No rather Natters and Pissed.

I’m not natters today. Thankfully. Lol.
My workout for today: feed and water dogs. Groom dogs. Possibly oxycise and go for a bit of a walk.

Life is a journey… enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians
307.788.0202

Boop Boop De Doop!

Wow… I got on the scale this morning. I won’t be winning any New Vision contest this week. Woof, I blew up to 292 lbs.

Gee how did that happen? Actually I know how that happened. I ate too much and didn’t get enough exercise. So what am I going to do about it?

First off I like myself. I am a beautiful woman. My husband Loves me. Tells me everyday how beautiful I am. I don’t need to be skinny to be beautiful. Wow what a brain twister that has been. He thinks my belly is wonderful. Tee Hee.

What a change in perspective, I used to run distance and weigh between 135 and 145 pounds. Here’s the kicker I thought I was both: fat and ugly. When I see pictures of myself at a that stage in my life I see a beautiful young woman now. It’s really sad how much we torture ourselves thinking we are less than others or worthless.

Each of us is a valuable creation. Each of us has our own beauty and worth. Each day is a gift. Enjoy the beauty around you and within you.

In truth, I don’t like carrying around this much weight. I have no desire to be skinny but It would be much easier to get around without carrying the equivalent of three, fifty pound bags of dog food on my body.

Here’s another truth for you. It can be quite painful carrying around that much weight. So what do I do? Some crazy diet is not going to happen. Does not work. So what does? How do I remove excess fat in a healthy manner?

Frankly I think the biggest part of doing anything is mind set. I’m not really sure where my mind is on this. I would like to be able to complete a marathon. Just to be able to physically and mentally do it. That is the whole point for me.

It would be great to be able to walk with a spring in my step rather than it being such a labor to walk. That would be great.

Frankly I look fine just the way I am. And I’ll look fine with 100 pounds less on my body.

I’d really like to do that indoor skydiving thing and I need to be under 200 pounds to do that.

I was thinking lose enough weight so my thighs don’t touch, but frankly the way I’m built I would have to be a stick figure for that to happen. At least that’s the way it seems to me. I remember my thighs rubbing at 135 lbs. Frankly there is no way other than uncontrollable illness that I’m going down under that weight. So forget the thigh thing. Phooey on it.

I would look fine with 150 pounds less on my body. I look fine now. So it’s not about Oh I’ll be beautiful when: I am already beautiful. In all my curvaceous glory.

My abundance of fluff is causing some undue wear and tear on my knees. This is true. Ironically so will training for a marathon. Or walking distance at all. I learned that every pound we carry puts four pounds of pressure on our knees. Wow, we have some phenomenal bone structure to be able to carry that weight. Woof baby.

So for every excess pound of fat I get rid of I will be removing four pounds of weight off my knees and feet. That would be a good thing.

I want to lose fat not muscle mass. So how do I do that? Not by starving myself that’s for sure. That destroys your metabolism and your body feeds more on your active muscle tissue than on fat.

Journal-write down what I eat.
Oxycise would be good. All over toning and help with my breathing as well.
Red Exerciser was whittling off my waist. So that would be good.
Elliptical would be good as well.

This is a gradual healthy change in body composition I’m looking for. I’ve made quite a bit of positive change over the past 2 years as it is. Recovering from west nile virus and a monster surgery.

As I continue to build and tone my muscle mass. I should lose inches. And eventually pounds of fat. I’m going to go more by measurements overall than weight loss for change in body composition.

On the weight loss side of it a half pound to a pound a week will be very good. I’m not looking to yo-yo. I’m looking for a life style change. Not a starve lose bounce cycle. Been there done that over and over. I’m simply not interested any more.

I am a big beautiful woman already. Now I want to physically feel better.

Life is a journey…enjoy the trip…
Mary E. Robbins and the Happy Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream with Our Pomeranians

307.788.0202

Happily on the Body Transformation Challenge.

I have had some positive results. First off I stopped weighing every day. That was driving me a bit batty. (more than usual) Actually I stopped weighing weekly as well. I am weighing and measuring monthly. First day of the month.

I got on the scale and whipped out the tape measure this morning. On the pounds issue: I actually gained a pound. So I am at 287lbs. However; on the inches issue: I actually lost 5.5 inches overall for the month. Whoo Whoo.

The first of April I started a 30 repetition workout chart. 30 times at hip hop abs, 30 oxycise level 1, 30 walks around the loop, 30 times on the elliptical at 5km (with increasing resistance) 30 times on the red exerciser (10 minutes each with increasing resistance).

I am still working on my 30 repetition workout. I tried doing all of it each day to start with and it kicked my behind. It was too much for me along with the yard work and kennels. Here are my repetitions for April. Walk loop: 12 times, Oxycise Level 1: 1 time, Red Exerciser: 18 times, Elliptical: 12 times, Hip Hop abs: 1 time.

I am continuing with my 30 repetition workout. When I finish up with this one I will continue on to the next level. I’ve quit beating myself up for not being superwoman. I think that is a positive thing. Lol. I am not making excuses, simply doing a bit each day. Happily I can see and feel the results. On my body the most noticeable for me is in my face. It doesn’t look like a pissed off puffer fish any more. Yay! Yes there Is still too much fat in it but not bloated with my features disappearing into flesh.

I know why I gained a pound. Frankly I’m glad it was only one pound. My eating was all over the place. Some good days and some BBBBBAAAAADDDDD days. My stress levels were pretty high and I went binge nuts. Snarf Snarf Snarf. I know I did it, the ice cream is gone. Along with quite a bit of other foodstuffs. I can’t say exactly what I did because I didn’t write down what I was eating. I know I was putting away 3 to 5 thousand calories a day several times a week. Frankly I was seriously dreading stepping on the scale. I am pleased that I didn’t gain more than I did.

Now to address the binging issue. Eating like that is not about being hungry. It’s a coping method. A compulsive addictive behavior. Basically hiding from life. I am making some major positive long term changes in my life and I freaked and snarfed. Yes I said positive changes, I still freaked. Change can trigger all sorts of buried, emotional land mines. It seems like every inch or pound that comes off my body uncovers another one. Then Boom- explodes all over the place.

What to do? Deal with each issue as it comes up. Sometimes it’s going to be messy. Sometimes not. But as each issue is dealt with I am getting healthier, stronger, more balanced overall.

First I’m not beating myself up over it. It happened can’t change that. Go on from here. Change the behavior. One step one day at a time. Ok, how do I do that?

Step 1: decide to. Step 2: write down what I eat. Every bloody bite. Step 3: when looking for something to eat ask myself if I’m actually hungry. Step 4: get a drink when grazing impulse comes on-see if I’m thirsty rather than hungry. Step5: use substitutions when urge to snarf is overwhelming-sugar free gum. (yes I know that is a crutch but it’s better than stuffing a half gallon of ice cream down my throat or eating several pounds of potatoes, or whatever I can get into my mouth) Step 6: daily plan- not set in stone but timeframes of when to do what. Things to accomplish for the day. Step 7: keep working on organizing my office (life/house/so on). It’s taking a bit to dig out from under. One day/one moment at a time.

These are some of the daily/weekly things in my life:

Read 10 pages of a good book a day (current reading The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson )
Workout
Office organization
Write in food journal
Write in journal/blogs
Back paperwork: not total just make a difference-a bit each day
Clean house: not total just make a difference-a bit each day
Grooming: initial spring groom-dogs
Yard: garden
Kennel Care
Personal Correspondence
Business Calls
Business Correspondence (paper/email)
Edit webpages
Business Calls
Photo editing
SEO
News letters
Listen to productive CD’s mp3’s (Tracy Biller/Jim Rohn/Al Turnquist) while working out, working in kennels, housework etc.
Meetings
Husband/Family (important)
Relax (relax not collapse-write in some down time so do not collapse)

Now to slide them into time frames. Check off daily so can see progress. I am going to put this list into a table and check things off daily.

I as amazed at how much that helped with the workouts. I can actually see progress on paper.

What does this have to do with fitness? Think about it. Fitness has to do with overall health, mind/body/spirit. The total person. Dealing with stresses in a healthy manner. Accomplishing goals. Being a healthy happy person.

Take care of you!

Life is a journey, enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians

Body Transformation: The Slight Edge

I Feel better this morning. No more nauseous stomach and cramping intestines. I didn’t get on the scale this morning. I’ve decided to not get on it every day. My quest is not only to lose weight. Losing weight is actually a side effect of my quest.

Sounds a bit surprising even to me. I looked at New Vision’s contest banner again. Frankly they have the right idea. It’s a “Body Transformation Contest”. Get it? Body Transformation? In my mind that says overall health. Being physically fit, healthy in mind body and spirit. (Of course their contest guidelines are posted on the New Vision Website)

My aim is to become truly healthy. To become truly healthy is an ongoing process. Losing excess fat is a side effect of becoming healthy. Transforming your body is a side effect of becoming truly healthy. Building a strong flexible body is a side effect of becoming truly healthy.

Transforming your body is not a one time big thing. It is a series of small things daily over time. It is a change in lifestyle.

Transforming your lifestyle is not a one time big thing. It is a series of small things daily over time.

It is truly amazing how things come together.

I was asking what can I do, how do I do this. Not only about losing fat; which I had accumulated way too much of, but about my life, business, relationships, and so on.

My weight was spinning out of control, my business was on total overload and spinning out of control, emotionally and mentally I was in a very dark place. I’d look at everything that needed to be taken care of and just hit total overwhelm. Life seemed impossible. Fighting back from 5 years of illness, and 2 years of recovery. What a bloody mess. Go like crazy and crash from exhaustion, both physical, and mental. Then do it again. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Then my 48th birthday rolled around. February 5th, 2008. I thought to myself “I’ve had enough of this, no more”. I’m not doing this any more. No more rollercoaster in weight, business, emotions, health, life! I want off this horrid ride. What are my options? How do I get off this ride? How do I get rid of this static in my mind? How do I live in peace with myself?

It’s amazing, how when you ask questions answers are provided. It’s truly amazing how quickly answers come up when you ask questions. Take note; be aware of what questions you are asking.

It’s amazing how God leads you to useful tools. Most of which have been there all along. (No I’m not getting preachy. Each person’s relationship with their God is between them and their God-by whatever name they choose to use-each of has free will-choice, and the responsibility that goes along with it)

It amazes me how we can complete huge projects by small actions. Truly amazes me. Happily the static is gone from my mind. I am no longer on overload. I am becoming healthy; I can feel the muscles in my abdominal region strengthening. I can actually see my body composition changing. Good by excess fat, pretty exciting stuff.

A dear friend of mine recommended a book by Byron Katie (which I purchased but haven’t read yet) and a set of CDs by Jim Rohn. Challenge to Succeed is the CD set. Excellent. I bought a package deal with the CD’s in it and this little book with a blue and white cover was in there. For some reason it caught my eye and I picked it up and started to read it. Excellent life transforming resource. The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson.

Buy it from me, or don’t buy it from me, it doesn’t matter. But read the book. You will be glad you did.

Life is a journey, enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With our Pomeranians
307.788.0202 Mountain Time USA