Pow-Wow Time

Wednesday October 15, 2008 Phase Two Day 177:
Great day so far. Met friends for walk then went to Home Depot. I picked up a few gardening things then went home and puttered in the front yard. It was nice to weed and trim. In the back yard, I cleaned up the pond area. I cannot really spruce up the place until I get some money to buy plants and flowers. I love gardening. I came in about 9:15 to have cereal. Now I will get cleaned up and go to the dentist. I am so excited – I am going to have the spot on one of my front teeth removed. I cannot believe I have waited until I am 50 years old to get something done that has bothered me my whole life. Every picture I take I see that darn spot. I think it is because until now I have never felt comfortable enough with a dentist to even think about mentioning it. So, hopefully by noon I shall have a new look.

For lunch I will take some Chinese chicken salad Sonnet made, a granola bar and some yogurt. Don’t know about dinner……Well, I ate just what I planned for lunch and a few little pieces of fruit from the lounge. There were cookies but I told myself I was not supposed to have them. I think I am about to start my period because I have the munchies real bad. I just want to eat, eat, and eat. I just got home and grabbed another granola bar. Good thing those bars are only 100 calories and mostly whole grains.

For dinner I will probably give Stephen the rest of the chicken salad and some of the leftover steamed veggies from last night. I want some cereal! We’ll see….. For dinner, I ended up splitting the chicken salad with Sonnet. I also had a few of the leftover veggies. Of course, I topped it off with a bowl of cereal. Stephen & Sonnet left and I watched the debates. It was the best one. I liked the format and I liked McCain’s aggression. Well done, finally. Sonnet is coming over after Institute class and we will go for a power walk.

Thursday October 16, 2008 Phase Two Day 178:
Today I went to step class and saw for the second time a very nice girl named Molly. She is a labor & delivery nurse at Memorial. Outside in the parking lot we talked about Prop 8. Now I am off to breakfast with the Walkie-Talkies to celebrate Gaye’s B-day. We are way behind on our celebrations but we needed to get hers in because Shannon’s is coming up next week. I think I will have eggs of some sort.

What a delightful breakfast we had together. I was there first and when the waitress asked me if I wanted anything to drink I said hot chocolate. I should have passed but I didn’t. I might interject that it was very good and left me feeling warn and toasty inside. My friends arrived and we all ordered delicious meals. I had a Denver omelets. Leaning upon my friends for strength, I abstained from having the home fried potatoes that came with it and opted for the fruit plate and wheat toast instead of a biscuit. It was a good choice.

I did not bring anything to the office for lunch which proved to be a problem. I got hungry and began to graze from desk to desk. Most always and especially at holiday time, everyone puts out candy treats. Halloween candy in readily available on most every desk. I helped myself to a few pieces. When I got home, I had a bowl of cereal and a yogurt. Stephen, Sonnet & I went to the show and saw a great movie called Fireproof. It is a faith-based movie based on the sanity of marriage. It even takes on the scourge of pornography – excellent! I ran a few errands on the way home and when I arrived Cheyenne was over. Sonnet, Cheyenne & I had a fun time. I had a little leftover chicken soup in the frig that I heated for the girls. I had the last swallow of soup, a granola bar ad some hot chocolate (sugar free).

Friday October 17, 2008 Phase Two Day 179:
This morning I walked with friends then came home to a bowl of cereal. Now I have some church work then off to the office. Today I will plan better for lunch and stay away of the office candy…..OK, temptation must be my middle name. Here I am, minding my own business, when the phone rings. It is Stephen – he asked me if I remember the BBQ lunch he took me to last year out in Shafter. Yes, I say. Well, this years BBQ turns out to be today! He says he is on his way to pick me up if I want to go. Oh, let me think…YES! This BBQ is sponsored by a vendor of some sort and as I remember, is very yummy. They grill one inch thick pork chops and serve them with beans, salad and a roll. We had a wonderful time. On the way back to town, he pulled in to Sonic to get a hot fudge brownie Sunday. I wonder where he got an idea like that?

After work I stopped by Baja’ Fresh. Tomorrow I really must go to the store and restock, but tonight we had a movie all picked out for date night and I wanted to have something good to eat with it. I ate a chicken salsa salad and two taquitos. Should I mention the churro I ate on the way home? I also had a hot chocolate during the movie. Stephen is going to go on a long bike ride tomorrow morning – what shall I do?

Saturday October 18, 2008 Phase Two Day 180:
Well this is what I did. Stephen & I slept in – I have observed that if Stephen does not set and alarm, or if he says, “I’ll go whenever I wake up” he usually does not end up going out on a ride. Such was the case this morning. We got to bed about midnight and at 8:20 I could not stay in bed any longer. I got up, fixed bacon, eggs, toast and cantaloupe for us, and took it up to our room. Stephen sat up and we had breakfast in bed. The phone started ringing. Stephen was tied up off and on with a Bishop issue for a few hours and I busied myself with Prop 8 calling then did some gardening. I had a bowl of cereal about 11:30. When Stephen returned from his issue, he sat at the computer to get Bishop email business ready for tomorrow. Our printer is not working so the last couple of days when I need to print something, I run over to Shannon’s. I went to print out our church stuff and stopped by Pritchett’s on the way home. It seemed we were busy all morning and on into the afternoon.

We both grazed around the kitchen. I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a granola bar. We were headed over to my brothers house for dinner at 4:00. My nephew, Patrick, is in the Air Force and will be shipping out to Italy at the end of the month. We had a nice family dinner. Before dinner I snacked on carrots and wheat thin crackers. For dinner I ate a hamburger, jello salad and beans. It was so good I went back and fixed myself another hamburger and shared it with Stephen. For dessert Jenell offered pumpkin pie and spice cake – I had a small piece of both.

This would not be a tragic meal for a person who is in maintenance mode, but I am still supposed to be loosing weight. Stephen & I went to the grocery store on the way home. He said he wants to cut the fluff so we purchased good food and I have set a menu for the next few days. I find planning ahead helps to make a difference for me. I also need to get back in the pool. Because of Mom’s foot infection I have not taken her for our usual Monday/Wednesday swim. Without her, I have stopped also, which is weird because I was going for about a month before I ever took her with me. Strange – I guess I am just being lazy.

Sunday October 19, 2008 Phase Two Day 181:
I get to substitute in the Sunbeam class today. You have not lived until you have substituted in a sunbeam class. I fortified myself with a granola bar before setting off to church. Well, four and a half hours and eleven very active sunbeams later I am home and hungry. Although, Stephen did give me a miniature Butterfinger candy after church. He said when Shannon Rock was passing them out he took one for me. He knows I love Butterfinger. I hit the door and the wonderful aroma of roast in the oven hits me. Hummmmmm. That dinner will wait for later when Stephen comes home. Right now I want cereal. Straight to the kitchen I go and what do I see out in my garden by the pond - A cat. One fish has already disappeared so I immediately reach for my BB gun. I sure sent that cat scampering out of here. Now for my cereal.

Stephen came home and we shared a delicious dinner. Roast, potatoes, carrots, onion, salad, and mixed berries for dessert. We ate about an hour after I had eaten cereal so I was very full. I will probably have a sugar free chocolate or hot chocolate later but I think I am pretty much done for the evening. Sonnet should come by after the YSA fireside for an evening stroll. I think Sonnet and I need to have a serious meeting and goal review. Things are not progressing as they should.

Monday October 20, 2008 Phase Two Day 182:
Sonnet did not make it over last night until late so we did not walk. We decided to pow-wow tomorrow night. We need to review goals and reread some of the book. This morning I walked with friends then stopped by Mom’s house. Mom gave me some chocolate kisses, I ate a few then tossed the others out. We did talk about her getting back in the pool. She sees the docter on Wednesday and will ask him if she is clear to swim. I hope so – it really helps me when I have to take her. I came home and had cereal. Now I am off for errands and work. I will take tuna & crackers and cantaloupe for lunch today.

So out the door I go and totally forget to bring my lunch. As it happened Wanda was free for lunch so I took advantage of our schedules to take her out to lunch. Something I have been trying to do since last week on Bosses day. We went to Westchester bowling alley for their famous fish. I substituted the fries and coleslaw for a salad. Before you get too excited I also had a chocolate milk shake. I was pretty full from lunch all afternoon. When Stephen came home, we went to Evelene Epps house to visit for a while then on to the post office to mail my stake picnic letters. We came home to eat. I was so glad I had cut up the leftover roast and veggies and put them in a stew pot yesterday. I just added some diced tomatoes, celery, seasonings and turned up the heat. It was delicious stew. We finished the mixed berries as well. Oh, I did eat one granola bar while I was waiting for the stew. Weigh in is tomorrow and so is my meeting with Sonnet.

Tuesday October 21, 2008 Phase Two Day 183
Up and out to step class this morning. Sonnet came by to weigh in but I missed her because I went to Wal-Mart after step. At home, I ate cereal for breakfast. I am about to hop in the shower then get in to work. I think I will take stew today. That sounds good to me….So I ate a granola bar on my way out to run errands before work. I had lunch at work and the stew was even better the second day. I had crackers with it. One bad thing – there was leftover ice cream in the lounge frig and I had some. It is light – low fat, but still. Later I had my afternoon granola bar at my desk. Now I am home and want to snack so I think I’ll fill a bottle of water and sit down to fold laundry. I have weight lift class before too long.

After class Sonnet came over and we measured then had a honest talk. She has been struggling as much as I have. We pointed out our weak points: White flour (bread, pasta, tortilla chips) and sugar (cakes, candy, desserts, ice cream). She also pointed out her weakness of irregular exercise. My exercise is great but I eat sooooo much and soooo many bad foods that I am falling behind in the calories in vs. calories burned battle. We made a commitment to each other that for this coming week we will address our weak points. That means no white flour or sweet sugar. Sweet sugar is defined as things that are a dessert in nature (pie, cookies) not things that have sugar in them like Catsup for example.

Together we looked at the upcoming week of activities. Of course, I have movie day, then we both have two baby showers, one spaghetti dinner and one stake picnic. Those are just the things that are scheduled. That does not even take into account candy around the office or weak moments at home. Well, we decided what we would and would not have at each event. For example at the stake picnic we can have a hotdog but no bun. We can have the beans but no chips. Needless to say, no pie and ice cream. Tragic! But not really – I am so happy to get back into a better mind set. Sonnet expressed that she missed the way she was feeling physically and mentally. I missed it too. I like to feel in control of my appetite. I think it is a dimension of spiritual maturity that demonstrats my spirit is ruling my body and not the other way around. Oh great, I just remembered we have a birthday celebration at work tomorrow – I think it is supposed to be pumpkin something!!! OK, I can do this. I do not have to abandon my resolve. I will pop into the lounge, laugh and smile and have a quick conversation then get the heck out of there!

In addition, this week Sonnet is going to begin packing her lunch for school again and make sure she includes a salad. I told her that not taking a lunch to work is one of my down falls and totally epitomizes the phrase, “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. As for me, this week I am going to write down a menu for dinners. This way I can plan good foods with veggies. Stephen & I love to go out but we cannot afford to keep going out all the time. I hope this menu will help organize and commit me to prepare dinners regularly.

Lastly, I set a new weight goal. I want to be 140 by Thanksgiving. I think that is reasonable and attainable. By the way, evening eating si as follows: after class I had a yogurt then later I had a bowl of Cheerios.