Maintenance Week 11

Weighed 119.8 at the meeting. I got a bit of a hassle about the weight today. Guess that number in the teens did it!

I was drinking my breakfast protein shake on the way there, expecting the fluid would put me up close to a pound over my weight at home but it didn't. Oh well...

Something from this past week that I wanted to share with ya'll...I had another good reminder that it does not take as much food volume to fill me up as I always think it does!

We had the wonderful opportunity to meet up in Galveston with some AWESOME friends from where we used to live. My eating was all messed up with different meal times and amounts and types of food. I expected to have gained at least a pound or two when I got home but was shocked to see that I tied my lowest weight in over a year!

Anyhow...what really made an impact was this: I'd eaten extra food during the day...lunch at Wendy's, etc. So I just ordered a cup of soup for supper. I was tempted to get the bowl and Petey even asked if the cup would fill me up. I figured it wouldn't but planned on eating a protein bar later when I got hungry.

Imagine my surprise to discover that the cup of soup DID fill me up! I had this thought run through my brain, "always give a smaller portion of food the chance to fill me up". 

Usually I decide on how much food I'm going to eat based on how many points the meal is and how many points I've already eaten that day. I measure the food, get it in the bowl or on the plate and then often think, "that's not enough, it won't fill me up" and then I add more food to the bowl or plate.

But maybe, just MAYBE, the original portion would satisfy me just fine! I should at least give it a chance to do so. Measure, eat, wait 30-60 minutes, then eat more if I'm truly still hungry!

This isn't so important right now while I'm maintaining easily but it just might be something that helps me get through the winter months successfully without gaining weight.

Another thing I've been bouncing around in my head...starting a charm bracelet to "reward" myself for each 3 month period that I maintain. The charms on my neat 10% keychain that I got from Weight Watchers when I hit 10% weight loss have been a great motivator to keep going. And like I told ya'll last week, I'm more than a little bummed that I won't be getting any more charms until I hit 1 year of maintaining.

So a charm bracelet might be alot of fun  = )   I've admired the Pandora charms and beads for quite awhile...it'd be neat to choose a charm or bead that held a special memory to the quarter that just passed. Then work to fill the bracelet up! With only getting one charm or bead 4 times a year, the bracelet would take several years to fill up...

Anyhow, I haven't totally decided on that but I need to decide pretty quick since I've just started on my 12th week of maintaining! I'll let ya know....

Goals, Achievements, Motivation

This is what I've been thinking about all day today...

Completed week #10 of maintenance. Weighed in at 120.6 at the meeting. 

I work best under a system of goals, achievements and what-not. I've already been thinking about some kind of reward that I could get for myself if I am able to maintain December - February. Jewelry? A new purse? Something for the house?

That got me to thinking about how the year is divided into 3 month segments for me... December, January and February being the toughest when it comes to weight-gain. 

March, April, May and September, October, November would be the easiest since they have the best weather for being most active outside.

June, July, and August are only a tad less easy depending on how hot the summer is... really  hot and I might end up spending more time inside. This summer has been great! 

My friend, Jim Rutty, over at Living On the Edge has issued an invitation for anyone wanting accountability, mutual encouragement and support to join him on the weight-loss journey in a Thursday-reporting post. He said I'm welcome to join even though I'm in the weight-maintenance phase rather than the weight-loss phase  = ) 

Maybe some of ya'll might want to join us too???

Also, I'd like to report back on my thoughts from last week's post regarding trying to lose a few more pounds and maintain a lower weight. I'm thinking that might be something that would be better to try AFTER I've made it through this first winter with a successful maintenance of my current weight. 

I had a couple days this past week where I had "treat foods" and my weight went up 1-2 pounds. It was nerve-racking and scary and anxiety producing. Thankfully, my weight came right back down with eating my healthy foods, but it made me think ahead to the holidays... which fall right smack-dab in the middle of months that are already a challenge for me!

So I'm thinking I'll put the "lose a few more pounds" on hold and just hold on tight for what the winter will bring.

In another bit of good news...I've actually tucked my shirt in a couple of times...so that my waistbands wouldn't be quite so loose  = )   I usually think I look FAT with my shirts tucked in so that was pretty amazing to do that and not feel embarrassed to be seen like that!

And even better...I ran an interval workout this morning...5 x 400's (1/4 mile speed intervals) and hit a pace of 7:52 on one of them!!! Low 8's for the others...AWESOME!!! Sure am enjoying my running WAAAAAAY more now that I've dropped the extra weight!

Keep calm and carry on...

Completed week #9 of maintenance - 120.2 for my weigh-in...115.8 before getting dressed, 118.8 after dressing and then the "official" weight at the meeting after eating and drinking on the way  = )

All systems are GO...in a holding pattern...hmmm...any other aviation terms I can think of to say "same old, same old"?

Same is good...same is GREAT! It feels wonderful to be back at a weight and size where I feel fit and healthy. 

Actually, some of my size 6's have gotten a little too loose to be completely comfortable. I hate to wear a belt...I need to get out the safety pins, I think. To take in the side just a wee bit.

Another really neat thing...but first some background: some girlfriends had asked me whether Petey noticed that I'd lost weight. I told them that he hasn't said anything but he knew I was working on it so it's not like he would all of a sudden notice a difference. 

He just got home on Wednesday from his last trip...as we were laying in bed yesterday morning talking while we were waking up, he had his hand on my knee. He said "have you lost more weight since I've been gone?" I said maybe 1/2 to 1 pound. And then he said "cause your leg is alot smaller...it feels like you've lost 5 or 6 more pounds".

WAY COOL BEANS!! That means that reducing my body fat percentage is having a visible effect on my size  = ))  That would also explain why my size 6's are more loose even though my weight has not gone down...my inches have gone down...even better!

So I'll keep doing what I've been doing...carrying on...and trying to keep calm about the approaching winter months.

Lots of nice numbers = )

On the scale this morning...116.6...a year ago today I weighed 116.4...NICE!! My body fat last night was 20.8%...aiming for the upper teens. My scale told me I have the body of a 16 year old...some of the people who know me would say I have the mind of one too! HA!!


Today is my 8 week maintaining milestone. THAT went by fast! 


After getting dressed, eating breakfast and drinking 2 glasses of tea, I weighed in at 120.6 at the meeting. They still didn't say anything even though that is 1.4 pounds below the minimum of my declared goal weight range. 


I'm still tossing around the idea of losing another 2-3 pounds and seeing if I can maintain that...or rather, seeing how much work it is to maintain that. I'm not sure if I would have to formally declare and change my goal weight or if I could just weigh under my current one but not below their stated bare minimum.


Obviously, you all are aware of my concerns about maintaining through the winter since I've shared them on a regular basis  = )  Part of me would like to TRY to maintain that lower weight...the weight where I feel best and where I run well. 


My absolute lowest I could weigh in at the meetings is 115...which would mean a "nekkid" weight of 112...IF I stayed at the same body fat. If I could figure out and/or find a weight workout that I liked and was motivated to do, I could stay at my present weight and just lose fat - gain muscle.


My Weight Watchers leader talked about an app that several of the members use for workout/exercise/activity ideas...Fitness Buddy. I downloaded it (on my new iPhone!!!) and will check it out more seriously when I finish this post.


Anyhoo...more nice numbers coming up...some of my size 6's are loose enough to pull down without unbuttoning and unzipping...the size 4's fit loose around the middle, how I like my waistbands to fit. It's not that I was aiming to be a size 6 or 4, I was just aiming to fit into the clothes I bought last summer (which were all 6's and 4's)...and now I can!


I won't be buying smaller sizes. I've decided on a long-range goal of wearing these shorts for 5 summers...or until they wear out, if sooner. This is my 2nd summer to wear them. If I need to, I'll use my "safety pin on the side" trick if anything gets uncomfortably loose...or I'll go to the thrift store and buy a couple belts.


My running pace continues to improve...looking forward to the hot HOT weather to be over...when it goes back to just hot...to see how my pace improves then. 


Twice this week I had the opportunity to eat "fast food" but chose to take my own food and eat that. I really like that the best...I always feel "off" after I eat out. It might not be realistic for me to do that in every situation for the rest of my life but I do plan on taking my own food with me when I go into eating situations and feel that it's acceptable. 


I KNOW that will help TREMENDOUSLY in my journey to maintain a healthy weight. Not only do I overeat WHILE I'm eating fast food/restaurant food (how do they cram all those calories into what looks like a normal serving size???!) but something about that food makes me want to continue to eat and eat and EAT even after I'm home...more calories that I don't need...which equals weight gain!


Sorry...not very interesting...just sharing what's been going through my head recently...thinking ahead to holiday eating and treats and formulating action plans!    

A Major Weight Watcher Catch-Up

So...I last reported to you on June 28th...wow...a month ago already! Let me catch you all up...


July 5th - I weighed at home before the meeting and was 120.6 so decided to drink as much as I could on the way to the meeting. They hadn't given me any problem about being below 122 lbs (bottom of my goal weight range) last week but I thought they might say something this week. I weighed in at 123.4...that's ALOT of water  = )


July 12th - I had to fast for the oral surgery I was having that afternoon so I weighed 121.2 for the meeting. They didn't say anything so I was happy. 


July 19th - this completes my 6th week of maintaining...weighed 121.4...also filled up my first 16 week weight record. Something interesting to report to you...I had the 2 top back molars pulled/cut out last Thursday. I knew I would be eating soft foods for the next 2-3 days but I was totally caught off guard by how SORE my face was! Not just the holes in my mouth... my cheekbones, my jaw...YIKES!


The roots of one of the teeth went into my sinus so that tooth was cut off at the gumline, then each of the 3 roots were pulled individually. The dentist was concerned about bruising/cracking a bone by pulling the tooth out complete. Then he had to seal up the hole going into my sinus.


I don't know if this made my face more sore than I expected...I'd had all 4 of my wisdom teeth cut out at once and I didn't have nearly as much soreness, discomfort, pain as I did this time. I kept thinking maybe being 23 years older might have had something to do with it  = )


Anyhow, I ended up eating soft foods for a week...and here's the interesting bit...soft foods don't fill me up near as well as hard foods! At the beginning I thought I might lose several pounds but that was not the case. I was more hungry than usual even though I had a much reduced activity level.


In fact, my weight was creeping up a bit and I had to start being more careful about my choices. That totally surprised me and taught me a good lesson!


July 26th - AWARD DAY! I weighed in at 121.4, completing my 7th week of maintenance. I got 2 charms...one for attending 16 meetings and one for reaching Lifetime Membership. The only thing that changes now is that all my meetings and Weight Watchers eTools are FREE = ))


My plan is to continue to attend weekly meetings and also do a weekly weigh-in. I am only required to weigh in monthly but I want and need the accountability that comes with weekly weigh-ins.


I find that I'm not having to change how and what I've been eating during maintenance phase compared to weight-loss phase. I haven't had to employ the "eat nuts if my weight is too low"...it all just evens out somehow.


I'm eating just a few more points each day...not the 6 extra that WW recommends. But it just feels good to be in a "zone"...my weight is stable, my hunger is stable, my energy is stable...not alot of work to keep things on an even level.


I feel fairly confident in maintaining through the rest of the summer and fall. I'm already mentally preparing myself for what I feel will be my biggest challenge, my biggest struggle...the months of December, January and February! But I'm uber-committed... determined...fixing in my mind what is necessary as far as foods and amounts and exercise. 


Another interesting thing I learned in this past week is the difference a little extra meat protein makes in my weight and body fat. While Petey was home we had fish several days in a row. As I looked back over my nightly weight chart, I noticed my lowest weights and lowest body fat percentage numbers on those days. I also remember those days as when I felt most "satisfied"...as in not always thinking when and what I would be eating next.


So now that Petey is gone again, I'm still keeping up the fish-every-other-day thing. I made the happy discovery that this seasoned fish I buy from Costco can be cooked from frozen in the microwave and tastes just as good as if it was baked in the oven! And only 3-4 points per serving...and very satiating! 


Running continues to go well and slowly improve. Just this morning it dawned on me that it's been awhile since I even thought about the "thigh rubbing, shorts creeping up" thing. That was the final short-term goal I had!!


And now on a totally different subject...missing Jake  = (   I'm thankful every day for the 14 years I had with my Jakey and SO thankful that I have Lilli...named after Jake...looks alot like Jake...has a number of the same mannerisms as Jake! 


Even though watching her reminds me of Jake many times a day and that's sad, it's also a happy memory of why I loved him so much and how happy I am to have some of "him" live on in his namesake...Lilli is from Lil Jake...that's what we called her as a kitten...LJ for short... until Petey came up with Lilli and it fit her so well  = )

One Final Act of Love

"To you, he was a pet. To me, he was a person."


I said goodbye to my beloved friend and companion of 14 years today...my sweet Jakey-boy. 


After saying goodbye to my other furry babies, I know that the grieving process will only end with my eventual death. I still ache for Kenai, Aspen, Baby Bear, Bootsie, Skeeter and Anniebelle. The ache has lessened, to be sure...but it is always there, ready to rise to the surface with a flicker of a memory...the pain that often accompanies a happy memory. "They were here, they are now gone, I will never have that special-ness with them on earth again."


I have had a special relationship with each furry person who has shared my home, my life and my heart. It is a unique relationship...it cannot be duplicated or replaced. "Oh, that's too bad about Jake dying. At least you still have 7 other cats to keep you company!"


No, 7 million other cats could never replace Jake...there's only ONE Jake...and now he is gone.


I'm overflowing with gratitude to God for allowing Jake to be born and allowing us to be the ones to welcome him into our family. I'm so thankful for 14 wonderful years! I'm thankful that he was SUCH a wonderful kitty to make me love him so even while knowing that that increases the pain of his passing.


I have spent the last weeks trying to help Jake...trying to figure out what the swelling on his neck was...trying different treatments...watching him go downhill, then rapidly failing over the past several days.


When it became evident that he was not going to survive this problem, that it was definitely leading to the end, I spent hours and hours in prayer, asking God to let him pass here at home. To spare him the stress and trauma of going to the vet but even more, selfishly perhaps, to spare me the trauma of taking him.


In God's perfect loving sovereign will, He chose to answer those prayers with a "no". I'd recently done a Bible study on "be strong and courageous"...the past 72 hours, especially, knowing what was coming and exactly when it was coming, I've had to tell myself that many, many times..."be strong and courageous...a righteous man cares for the needs of his animals...do what is best for Jake even though it's intensely painful for yourself".


One final act of love...one more chance to put Jake's needs before my own, to show him my love to the very end. 

Maintenance Week #3 Completed

I know I just posted on Monday but I got the idea to post at least once a week...on Thursday since that's when I have my official weigh-in at Weight Watchers and these things are fresh on my mind.


So...I was 1.4 pounds under the bottom of my goal weight range after getting dressed this morning. I'd already eaten some and drank A TON (sweating it out almost faster than I can drink it in these days) but ate and drank some more on the way to the meeting.


Turns out I didn't eat and drink as much as I thought I was and ended up being under for my weigh-in but they didn't say a single word! I need to do better about stopping the weight loss though.


As I've said before, it's easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy for me to lose weight in the spring and summer. I could maintain 110-115 with not much effort. But that is NOT true come fall and winter!


The plan has always been to choose a weight that I can maintain all year round and that's why I chose 118-122. Because my ultimate goal is to stop the yo-yo on the scale. I'm not sure how much work and willpower will be needed to maintain that in the winter but I'll be finding out in a few months  = )


The good thing is that I won't be training for a marathon so that won't be messing with my metabolism and hunger levels. My winter running should be much more consistent day to day compared to marathon training.


So my challenge right now is to eat what I'm burning off with crazy busy active high-energy hard working days in the heat heat HEAT of a Texas summer.


And the same for the fall and winter when I'm not nearly so active and not burning even 1/2 the calories of what I am right now. Cold, stuck inside, hungry all the time...gotta get all my preparations firmly cemented in my thoughts and plans right now so that I'm prepared in a few months.


I've been making a mental list of my go-to foods for filling me up the best with the fewest calories and least chance of rebound eating. You know...like when you eat something and that makes you hungry for something else so you eat that and then you're hungry for another something else that's different. I have a lot of trouble with that in the colder months...


And I've already been telling myself that I MUST put strict limits on any holiday treat-eating...no more "I ran 17 miles today so I can keep eating these cookies until I'm full" business!


I'm still very concerned that I will fail again but I'm also strangely looking forward to the test and the challenge to see if I CAN do it. 


And on that note...good night!

Where've I Been???

Whew! It's been a whirlwind life since I last posted. We had two different house guests for 2 weeks...I've been to the vet at least once a week for the last month...finished up Petey's vacation...trying to keep up with the yardwork and veggie garden and flower beds. 


But I haven't slacked off on the healthy eating, if anyone was thinking, "I wonder if she hasn't posted because she's fallen off the wagon?!" So here's a quick rundown of my weekly weigh-ins:


May 24th - lost .6 pound


May 31st - lost 2 pounds, hit 10% weight loss, got a neat "10" keychain, also got a 5lb sticker


June 7th - lost 1.4 pounds, hit my goal weight! actually almost 1 lb under my goal weight, got a charm to put on my "10" keychain


Now the scary part started...maintenance! Then I figured to just keep eating the way I'd been eating because I could still lose another couple of pounds to be at the bottom of my goal weight range.


June 14th - lost .2 pound, got a Bravo sticker for having 60 days in a row of exercise/activity. I told our WW leader, Kim, that I didn't really deserve a sticker for that since that's just every day life for me but she still gave it to me  = )


June 21st - lost .4 pound, actually lost 1.4 pounds but that would've put me under my goal weight range so I drank a protein shake before I weighed in at the meeting


And NOW the official maintenance mode starts! I hit on what I think is going to work out to be a perfect solution for me: don't change the way I ate in weight-loss mode, just eat 2 - 4 points worth of nuts when my nightly weight is on the lower end.


This is always the problem for me with trying to maintain. I can never get it just right where I only vary a couple pounds over the long-term. If I add food back in, I invariably add too much and immediately gain. 


So to keep my eating the same as what I've been doing for the past 3 months and just add in a special, select food when necessary sounds like it just might be my ticket to success this time!


The most thrilling number on the scale has not been my weight, although it's WONDERFUL to be back in the teens again!! No, I'm most thrilled with the 10% drop in my body fat number. And my size 6's are a little loose, just how I like them. 


My running pace continues to improve. The upper-thigh-rubbing is almost to the point where I don't even notice or think about it so I'm close to another goal there. I still look "chubby" around my middle section when I see myself in pictures  = (


So my main goal right now is to make it 3 more weeks maintaining until I hit Lifetime with Weight Watchers. I'll get another charm for my "10" keychain and all my meetings and eTools will be FREE from then on as long as I maintain my goal weight range.


I'm feeling SOOOOO much more confident in being able to maintain now that I have a plan of what to do...one that doesn't involve eating more food...more of the same food I've been eating, I mean. But if my nightly weight is less than 122, I'll have 2 - 4 points of nuts the next day. 


And where I need to be on guard is when my mind says "you've hit your goal weight, now you can have 'this' "...usually meaning treat food. I did very well at potluck yesterday...I need to fight with all my power to think, remember and believe NOTHING CHANGES...eat the same way I've been eating...just because I hit my goal weight, I can't "go back" to anything I was doing before because it wasn't working then and it won't work now!


I like the way I've been eating for the past 3 months and I'm perfectly happy to eat that way the rest of my life. It's not my stomach or body that's wanting me to eat treat foods...it's all in my head! So my head is where the battle is...one part of my brain saying, "it's ok, you can have that now!" and my other part saying "nothing changes...you didn't allow yourself to eat it then because you knew it wasn't good for reaching your goal, so don't allow yourself to eat it now!"


Another goal I'd like to work on now is to lower my body fat percentage while gaining an equal amount of muscle so that my weight stays the same. I've been doing some investigating on tweaking my diet to help with this. Also what kind of weight-lifting or other strength activities are necessary to lower body fat.


Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me and encouraging me! 

A little of this and that...

...to borrow a friend's blog title  = )

Brussels sprouts from the garden, washed and ready to be sliced in the food processor. I'd already done another bowl like this, only more full. Thanks to great friend, ML, for teaching me how to cook brussels sprouts in a way that's healthy AND delicious!!

After slicing they are sauteed in the cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil and curry to taste...I used sweet curry, a touch of hot curry and a dash of cinnamon...and some salt. The first 4 batches were sauteed to the point of still being quite crisp and crunchy since they were going in the freezer for future consumption. I knew I'd be heating them up after defrosting and wanted to leave space to lose some of the crispness and still not be mushy. I'll see if my theory works and let ya know  = ) 

Here is the finished product! These are 4 cup containers...my harvest yielded five containers...four went in the freezer and one in the fridge to be eaten right away. The last batch I cooked longer...still with a crunch but not as much as the first 4 batches. And then I ate a bowl as soon as it cooled down enough!


So...there's that...now this...

I got some new Legos!!! If you click on the pic, you can enlarge it and see the detail  = )  This is just the first two things we built with the set. Yes, Petey helped...and I think he had fun too! Can you see the pony???

I've been wanting some of my own legos that would be fun to play with. For me that means: pretty colors, cute, and with step-by-step instructions! 

I LOVE the new "girl sets"! The brick colors are BEAUTIFUL and the sets are things I'm interested in building and enjoying...animals, flowers, doll houses, kitchens, etc. You know, GIRL stuff! hahaha

Petey found this set on Craigslist and the lady was local to us and did I mention it has a PONY???! It's just perfect...thanks, Babe!!

You might be thinking, "why does she want to play with legos?"  Well, aside from the fact that they're FUN, it's also relaxing and creative. And no, I didn't get these to play with little girls that come over. I got them for 3 people...me, myself, and I! Well, I'll share with Petey too...

Ok, so that's just part of what has brought me joy over the past few days. I also wanted to report to you on my weight journey. I lost another 1.6 pounds last week bringing me to 11.8 pounds total. Sure was nice to see the lower side of the 120's again  = )

Then yesterday I decided to try on a pair of my Eddie Bauer shorts that I got last summer but haven't been able to fit in. THEY FIT!!! Back in a size 6!!! Another goal met!!! I've been trying them on every couple of days since the beginning so I could gauge my progress but yesterday was the first day that I could wear them comfortably. 

Now, they weren't loose like I like but they fit and were comfortable enough for me to wear them all day without ever thinking they were tight. And NO muffin top!!

I think in another 4 pounds when I hit my goal weight, the shorts should fit how I like to wear them. And if they don't, I can concentrate on losing more fat and gaining muscle.

And now...garden work!! There's nothing like dirty, hard, tiring garden work that pays off so nicely in the end. I helped Petey install a drip watering system on the pergola and am looking forward to that helping me out over the next several months. 

He's also been putting screw hooks in to hold the sheets of metal grids that I got to replace the plastic mesh grids for the vertical supports. The plastic was a vast improvement over the strings, which was a vast improvement over the stakes but still had a number of annoying aspects to it.

I think these metal grids will be the ultimate...I love it when I finally reach the pinnacle of happiness with a certain object or idea or design! 

For example: I have had many, many sets of dishes but now that I have my Longaberger pottery, I have no desire for any more dishes! I still enjoy looking at the designs but I don't have a desire to own them. I'm perfectly content with my dream dishes!

That goes for my silverware...which is now Longaberger too! I was able to purchase the set on sale last month and I adore them!

And Merry...my new bike...or trike, I should say  = )  She's perfect! Bike-riding is a pleasure now that I don't have to constantly be worrying about falling over into traffic!

Hmmmm....what else...well, the next thing may turn out to be plastic cross-stitch sheets. Not the plastic mesh stuff...this is plastic Aida-like stuff that replaces fabric Aida. It's 14-count and comes in different colors. You can also cut out bits of it to make designs and cross-stitch around the designs.

You can't do partial stitches...at this point, those are hard for me to see anyhow so I don't really care! And I'm not sure how big of sheets it comes in...you might not be able to use it for a really big project.  

But you don't have to use a hoop with it and you can wipe it clean if your hands happen to be dirty and you didn't realize it. I just got it last night so I haven't tried it out yet so I'll have to let ya know...

Getting back on the garden path...hahaha...all that to say that I think the metal grids will turn out to be perfect and I won't have to look any longer to find something to use for my vertical supports!!

And now I need to go make our smoothies...oh ya...the Bosch mixer thingy is also an ultimate!!! I never want another blender, food processor, mixer again. I'm sure I'll wear the Bosch out someday but my plan is to replace it with another Bosch, end of story!!

A VERY Happy Day!

Why, you ask?


- I have reached a weight and size where I am comfortable enough to run in just my jog bra and running skirt without having to wear a shirt! If I have any northern readers, they're probably scratching their heads and saying, "what's the big deal about that?!"  


It's already hot in Texas for us runners/ and will only get Hotter, before we move on to HOTTEST! When running, the less clothes the better!!


- I was doing a fast mile workout this morning. 1 mile warm-up, 1 fast mile, 1 mile cool-down. I was REALLLLLLY hoping to run at least a 9:08 mile since that's the fastest mile I've run in recent times...since the beginning of the year. 


I was actually hoping for faster...would LOVE to run a sub-9 mile since I haven't run one of those for close to a year or maybe even longer. But I didn't want to expect too much, get my hopes up, then be disappointed for the rest of the day...so I told myself as long as I was sub-9:20, I would be satisfied.


8:45....YAY ME!!!!  Very surprised to have run that...and pleased...until...


I remembered the time when that was an easy-run pace  = (   And when I ran a mile at the same effort I ran this morning, my time was a 7:08 mile. And how horrible that I made the wrong choices that led to gaining back weight I'd worked so hard to lose thinking that I would never be that size again  = (


And then I zoned in on the "positive voice" and listened to all the nice, encouraging things it was saying  = )


- I had pretty much given up on getting to harvest any brussels sprouts that I'd planted last fall. The plants grew big and tall all through the winter. The little buds started forming just as it was warming up. We've been running close to 90* or above for several weeks so I figured I'd just pull the plants up.


So when I was out working in the garden today, starting to pull the plants, I discovered that there were plenty of sprouts that were eating-size! Then I started harvesting them...2 BIG bowl-fulls!!!!


And now I'm going to bed...good-night!