betsysblog

If you’ve never been to this website, you should check it out- really great info and recipes! Here are some good tips for the new year:

Listen up, people. We’re only nine days into the new year, and many of us can already feel those resolutions slipping away. But don’t throw in the towel just yet. HG’s here with the TOP ATE tricks for sticking to your diet and exercise resolutions…

Following healthy eating and exercise plans can be tough to do on your own. GET SOME SUPPORT! Find a buddy to walk with or join you at the gym. Compare grocery lists with a calorie-counting pal. (Check out our AWESOME new printable list for 2009!) And if you’re a little shy about this kind of stuff, a discreet approach can be just as effective. Get your sweat on in your living room with a new workout DVD (consider the video trainers your new BFFs). And hop onto some discussion boards online to swap stories anonymously. 2. Just journal.

Jotting down your daily diet is one of the best ways to stay on track. Even if you’re too crunched for time to record every calorie, fat gram, POINTS® value, etc., just writing a little description of each meal and snack can have a huge impact. You can always review your choices later, and see if you need to make some changes. Ooh, and don’t forget that old WW credo, “Write before you bite!” That one’s a keeper, since you’re way less likely to scarf down 87 jellybeans if you see it in writing first.

Even if you can’t get a full workout in one day, you can always squeeze something in. Go for a few calf raises while waiting in line at the bank — or get a walk in before dinner. Do bicep curls with soup cans while you wait for the oven to preheat. Stretch in the shower (careful — don’t slip!). Commit to doing at least SOME physical activity each day. 4. Be prepared.

Holiday shopping may be over, but you can still have a spree at the supermarket. A stocked kitchen is KEY to success, so print out our latest grocery list and hit the aisles running (okay, walking). Make sure to consider all your snacking and mealtime emergencies. Do you have purse-friendly snacks? How about nukeable dinner choices for when you get stuck at the office? Make a list of all your tough-eating scenarios and plan accordingly.

One of the main reasons resolutions fall short is because they aren’t reasonable. If you’re determined to lose 30 pounds by the end of January, you’re setting yourself up for failure. If you’ve never exercised before noon in your life, yet you’ve made up your mind to hit the 6am cycling class five times a week, you probably won’t do it. Adjust your goals and make them REALISTIC. Who says resolutions need to start on the 1st anyway? 6. Keep it fun.

Face it — if your meal plan is boring and your exercise routine’s lame, you’re never gonna stick it out for the entire year (let alone beyond that). So add some excitement. Find great new recipes to try out — plug the name of your favorite food into the HG search bar (in the upper right corner!) and see what comes up. And seek out exercises that you actually enjoy. If running doesn’t do it for you, try dancing. You can also take power-walks through the mall, try a new sport, hula hoop, take up karate, go swimming… Whatever! You can even work out with your video console (Wii Sports, anyone?). Just do it. (Our secret? Lots of bad reality shows while walking on the treadmill.)

With all that’s going on, you might need some “shoulder taps” to keep you from forgetting your New Year’s wish list of personal goals. So buy yourself a cute calendar and fill it with activities. Schedule workouts. If they’re written in your calendar, you’ll be more likely to do them. 8. Forgive, don’t forget!

If you slip up and miss a day of exercise or accidentally inhale an entire week’s worth of chocolate in one sitting, don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s one thing to acknowledge where you went wrong so you don’t repeat your mistakes, but it’s another thing altogether if you throw yourself a pity party that lasts until Labor Day. Don’t give up, letting one bad day turn into a bad week or month. ACK! Be patient with yourself while you figure out what works. Live and learn!

I post weekly goals on my team forum, but now I’d like to post some additional goals right out here for everybody to see, and help hold me accountable!!!  I don’t like to call them “resolutions” because that just sets me up for failure..if you like that word by all means use it, it just doesn’t work for me!  So here goes:

* I will drink 100oz a water a day, even on my day “off”

* I will exercise a minimum of 4 days per week, even if it’s only for 30 minutes (unless of course I’m injured like right now LOL )

* I will eat healthier and I will help my family eat healthier

* I will find more active things for us to do as a family

* I will not feel sorry for myself

* I will set goal weights in increments of 5 pounds- it is attainable and not scary!

* I will stay positive- I KNOW I can do this!

* I will be more faithful to BS and the forums and my team

* I will help and encourage others

* I will make time to spend alone with God

* I will let go of my stress- it is not healthy

* I will be grateful I have a job

* I will be a better friend, wife, mom, employee, and family member

Our pastor recently said we should want to be different this year than we were last year- you know, growing, a better person, closer to God, etc…and that is my #1 goal for 2009- I want to be different!!  In all the previously mentioned ways, and in my weight loss journey.  I don’t want to start 2010 with any regrets! 

I don’t know how many of you are thinking of trying diet pills, but please read this article!  It’s always better to lose weight the natural way rather than wind up in the hospital!!

WASHINGTON – If you’re looking for a little help shedding extra pounds after the holidays, the government is warning you to stay away from nearly 30 weight-loss products that contain unlisted and possibly dangerous ingredients.

The pills are advertised as “natural” fat busters and have intriguing names like Imelda Perfect Slim and Zhen de Shou. Some are touted as new versions of “ancient remedies” from Asia.

They may promise an easy fix to weight problems, but the Food and Drug Administration on Monday said the concoctions contain unlisted ingredients, including high doses of a powerful anti-obesity drug, as well as a suspected carcinogen.

“When consumers are buying these products online, we’re telling them that if it sounds too good to be true, it is likely to be too good to be true,” said Michael Levy, an FDA lawyer who works on enforcement issues.

FDA lab testing found 28 dietary supplements that could land unsuspecting users in the emergency room. Most of the diet pills appear to be coming from China. They are mainly sold on the Internet.

Nearly all of the pills contain sibutramine, a powerful appetite suppressant that’s a chemical cousin of amphetamines. It can cause heart attacks, strokes and heart palpitations, especially in people with a history of high blood pressure or heart problems.

Sibutramine is also the chemical ingredient in the prescription drug Meridia, which is used to treat obesity. But FDA testing found that some of the diet pills contain nearly three times the recommended daily dose.

Several of the pills contain phenolphthalein, a chemical long used as a laxative, but which is now being withdrawn from the market because of cancer risks.

None of the supplements lists the dangerous ingredients on the label. “Consumers have no way of knowing that these products contain powerful drugs that can cause serious health consequences,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, head of the FDA’s drug evaluation center.

The FDA is considering criminal charges against some of the companies, because they have not responded to requests for recalls.

The products are:

Fatloss Slimming, 2 Day Diet, 3x Slimming Power, 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming, 3 Day Diet Japan Lingzhi, 24 Hours Diet, 7 Diet Day/Night Formula, 7 Day Herbal Slim, 8 Factor Diet, 999 Fitness Essence, Extrim Plus and GMP.

Also:

Imelda Perfect Slim, Lida DaiDaihua, Miaozi Slim Capsules, Perfect Slim, Perfect Slim 5x, Phyto Shape, ProSlim Plus, Royal Slimming Formula, Slim 3 in 1, Slim Express 360, Slimtech, Somotrin, Superslim, TripleSlim, Zhen de Shou, Venom Hyperdrive 3.0

AAAHH!! Can’t believe it’s the 23rd- every year I say I’m going to slow down and really enjoy the season, and while I have enjoyed most of it (I missed some of it by being sick!) it has once again come too quickly! I’m sitting here at work thinking in a few days I won’t be listening to my Christmas music anymore! But I really can’t complain. We went from drowning in our debt and not being able to buy presents to being almost caught up on our bills and able to buy Mikayla 5 presents! We really have been blessed beyond measure…couldn’t ask for more. It has also allowed us to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas this year, and guess what, it’s NOT presents! LOL While I do love giving them (and receiving too!) I have to remember to take time out and think on all I have been blessed with already, and then share that with others who are not as blessed. Lots of love to my buddies and fellow cats…may the joy of the season remain in your hearts all year long!

I know Thanksgiving is over this year, but I think we should be thankful for what we have all year round!  Here are some things I am thankful for today:

* My Savior, Jesus- He is the reason for this season and all others! 

* My family- God has blessed me with a family I don’t deserve!

* My home- despite the outrageous payments I am making on it to keep it from foreclosing!

* My job- it’s stressful at times, boring at others, but the fact is there are a lot of people out there that cannot find work so I am thankful I have a job.

* My friends & “other” family- includes my church friends, small group, and of course my buddies here.  Friends have become a very important part of my life over the last few years and I am so grateful for each one.

* My possessions- no I am not trying to be materialistic, but I am grateful to have a bed to sleep in,  a TV to watch, an oven to cook in, a washer & dryer to clean clothes, etc- you get the picture

* My pets- despite cleaning up after them, buying their expensive food, etc they are a joy and add laughter to my life

How about you?  What are you thankful for today?  It’s amazing how your trouble seem small in comparison to your blessings!

Well, my Wildcat teammates know that one of my goals this week was to increase my workouts to no less than 3 miles a day.  That is not going to happen this week!  I threw my back out, AGAIN, and could not do it this morning…such is my life.  I am able to get in my 10 min walks because they are just straight walking and I don’t have to twist or anything like that, but I am very frustrated!!  Hoping to be better tomorrow, but will have to wait and see.  I hope everyone else’s Tuesday has started out better than mine!! Oh, and a big shout out to all our veterans and active duty military personnel- thank you for preserving our freedom- God bless you!

Ok, now that I have your attention!  My hubby took me to Victoria’s Secret a few months back to get some new bras…I got 2 and I really like them.  They are super comfortable (which is the most important thing for me) and also give me a little push (which of course is what hubby likes).  Well, I was frustrated because I had to get a 38 instead of a 36- meaning I was bigger around than last time I bought new bras.  A couple weeks ago I kept tightening my straps because they kept falling down- hubby said, “you can’t tighten them anymore, I don’t think the straps are the problem” and lo and behold he was right!  Apparently I have lost enough inches there to not have to wear  a 38 anymore!  I don’t have the $ for new ones right now, so I’ve been wearing them w/the hooks on the 2nd and 3rd latches- which I’ve never done w/any other bras before!  So, no I’ve not lost 50 or 60 pounds yet, but knowing something is happening sure is encouraging!  Now, as long as I can keep this cup size, I think we’ll both be happy…..

To be completely honest, I do not want to write this blog, but feel I must in order to get out of this rut.  My teammates have no doubt noticed I have not lost anything the last 2 weeks.  And honestly, I’m not expecting to show a loss this week.  Not because I’m not going to try, but I think when I get off the wagon for a week or two it also takes that long for my body to readjust, so I actually spend about 4 weeks at the same weight.  And what do I have to blame it on?  My friend coming to visit and bringing cookies?  Being too tired to get up and exercise?  Work/money issues making me stressed out?  Nope- it’s just me!  I know the right things to do and sometimes I do them, and sometimes I don’t.  I get stuck in a place where I feel really guilty about what I’m doing wrong, but then it takes me a while to get back to doing things right.  It’s frustrating and I don’t understand why I do it, but I do.  I am happy to say that I feel like today I’m out of that rut and want to do the right things again.  I got up a little late, but I still worked out.  I ate too many points for breakfast, unknowingly, but still, & chose not to have a morning snack to make up for it.  I decided to have a salad for lunch and instead of dreading it I have made myself look foward to it.  I am almost 1/2 way to having all  my water intake for the day, and I keep on sipping!  Whether the scale shows a loss this week or not, I will feel good knowing I am getting back on track.   So to my team and all of my other buddies, I am back with you!  Thanks for your continued support and encouragement; even when it seems like I’m not responding to it, it still means so much for me to get on here and read them!  Love you!

You may know how much I gripe about being so bored at work, and you may not, but let me tell you, I’m sick to death of it!  You know the expression “bored to tears” - that is me at this point!  The worst part about it is I still have to be here at the office all day even though there is nothing to do.  So I don’t get anything else accomplished.  Well, I decided to do something about it.  I was talking to my mother-in-law the other day and she asked me if I  had considered studying to become a medical transcriptionist. I said I had thought about it but didn’t have the $ to pay for the courses.  So, she offered to pay the monthly fees for me!  Well I got all excited and went to a website that a friend referred to me- and all the while not terribly excited about the medical field, but excited that I could do something and possibly end up working from home- when I saw they also offer courses to become a legal transcriptionist- well that’s when I started to get really excited!  That is totally up my alley- so I enrolled and took the first two lessons and quizzes online- and they are sending me the rest of the stuff.  It should take me about 4 months to complete and then they will help me find a job.  I will stay here at my current job for a while until I feel like I’m established enough to work from home.  So I am hoping that within 6-8 months I will officially be done here and actually making  better money!  Plus I won’t have to pay for gas or child care anymore, so that will help tremendously!  And, when I stayed at home before I was so much better at making sure I got workouts in, and was able to get up and move around so much more, etc.  So that is my exciting news!  I am anxiously awaiting my materials to come and then I’m going to get started right away!  I figure I’ll be able to put in at least a good 5 hours a day with it- that’s how slow it is here- probably even more.  Just wanted to share with you and will keep you updated on how it’s going!  Have a great day buddies!

My mom bought me a pair of silk pajamas for Christmas last year- I am a pj girl, just love ‘em.  (Mark- not so much LOL) Anway, they were an XL but when I tried them on I couldn’t get them over my hips. I cried.  Mom said she would exchange them and I said ABSOLUTLEY NOT!!  I refused to get a bigger size; I told her by this Christmas they would fit me.  Well, I got home last night ready to crash and there they were in my drawer, having been neglected since December, and I decided to try them on.  Lo and behold, they fit!  They not only fit, but they were baggy on me!  I was so excited I went around the whole house dancing!  Mark was cracking up at me!  Here I’ve been kinda upset that it’s taken me this long to lose 15 pounds, and then this happens and totally changes my focus!  Woo-hoo!!  And I must say, I looked darn cute in them too!