Get a GRIP

So...midway through my first week and have seen a small amount of progress. I am down 2.4 lbs as of this morning...not as much as I would like, but at the same time, at least the numbers on the scale are moving in the right direction. Also, my eating hasn't really been on point lately either...so I can't complain. I need to GET MOVING...but that is a challenge for me right now for some reason.

Well - perhaps I will set a goal to "move" this next week...let me think about this....

love and smooches to ME.

The time has come....

So today is the day...whether I eat healthy or unhealthy, today is the day I start writing and tracking again. And it hasn't come a moment too soon. I stood on the scale today for the first time in a month and I am up 10.4 lbs. Whoa....not a pretty number...but a necessary piece of knowledge none-the-less. I will write more tonight...the day hasn't gotten off to a great start - overslept so my preparation for breakfast and lunch may be nil. If things go bad today though, I will not be discouraged. I will keep on keeping on.

"Advance to Go" - AGAIN

Good Evening - (or morning as it might be depending on your locale) -

I am back and ready to tackle this weight problem again - as well as give updates on my school status. This is like my 3rd or 4th time trying to track my progress....perhaps third time will be the charm.

I am sad (and annoyed) to say that I have gained any and all weight previously lost and am now at perhaps my highest weight ever. Fabulous. I recently even tried a liquid diet...which was pretty cool cuz I lost 8 lbs in the first week...but as everyone knows...that is not the way to do things and it backfired once I started eating food again. Argh!

So..once again - I will try to "eat less and move more" and write about it so that I can have tangible progress.

I am going to post a starting weight on Monday since I will be out of town til Sunday. Then, my first official weighin and progress mark will be the following Monday. Each Monday, I will update with whatever ups or downs I have witnessed on the scale and along the way during the week, I will post my mini successes and challenges as well.

Since this blog has been so inconsistent and I've been back and forth between two countries since I started writing it, I will give a quick update on my career / school status.

I returned to the US in December after deciding that living in Canada would not be a long term option for us. Thankfully, my husband had the foresight to consider this and sent me up for a "test run" for the first semester. I absolutely loved the University up there and if my world consisted only of the University, I would have happily stayed. Unfortunately, other issues arose and we made a joint decision on my return. My son - now 20 - may not want me monitoring his every move...but he still needs mom close by sometimes. He actually got the swine flu while I was in Canada and was deathly ill...he didn't tell me about it until he was almost back to a healthy status because he didn't want to worry me. At the same time, when he did finally tell me about it, it was obvious that he didn't like the distance between us - and quite frankly, neither did I.

So - back to the States and trying to find a job that will allow me to go to school...argh...and that pays enough. So now, I am making a little more than 1/2 of what I was making before I left for Canada - not a great feeling. However, the goal is to have a job that allows the flexibility for me to go to school and this one seems like it is going to work. I haven't missed a single semester since I have been back in the states so that is good. At least my eye is on the prize to some extent. This summer, I have taken it a little easy with only one class for each summer session. I also got a great blessing by receiving a scholarship for $2K from the Executive Women International Dallas branch. This will be a huge blessing since we are paying for the school out of pocket and had the Fall 2009 term assessed at International student rates - (which are very outrageous). Oh well - at least I can't say I didn't go for it. I mean, I tried...and realized that the move just wasn't the best thing for me or my family. And as I said - my eye is still on the goal.

So - I am working now - still going to school - and attempting to eat right and exercise along the way....while dealing with the ever-changing emotions of a 20 year old son and maintaining a happy marital relationship....piece of cake, right??? - ok - bad choice of words....

Well - I think that is most of the big stuff....as I said - I am going to be committed to this effort. I may even post a link on my facebook where I will have real accountability to my FB friends and family if they read my posts....that's a little scary -but maybe that's what I need.

Hugs and Kisses! :-)
R-

Tour Day

Today was the official first day of orientation for International students. It was exhausting...but nice to see the campus. My eating was HORRID today! Breakfast wasn't bad with a 1/2 banana and PB and a small slice of watermelon. However lunch consisted of an order of french fries and a Coke Zero. Dinner wasn't too bad with 1/4 rotissierie chicken and about 1o french fries...ginger ale for the drink so no saving on calories there :-(. Exercise on the other hand was plentiful. I wore my pedometer and had over 14K steps...and it included steps and more steps.

The real problem came after dinner when I got two donuts glazed with chocolate...certainly not the right thing...I think it is due to all that walking on some french fries and a banana half. Argh...I am irritated with myself for falling down on the donut wagon...but tomorrow is a new day...and it is not going to be quite as long so I will be able to eat better....and hopefully take a nap! :-)

Love to all!

First campus visit & a great food day

AGGRAVATION....I had my post all typed out and everything and went to modify the font...somehow when I was highlighting the text I hit enter and lost the entire post...of course, the autosave engaged immediately afterwards and now I have no way to obtain the pre-auto-save version to publish...ARGH! This is what got me off-track last time...but alas...I will not let it derail me yet again.

To give a quick re-cap...toured campus today...and ate healthy....two days of over 9600 steps so all is good on the front of exercise.

I miss my family and friends DREADFULLY..but am growing accustomed to my new home. I just wish I could have stayed in Texas and taken this path.

I love you Cody and miss you more than you KNOW!!

A Girl Without a Country

WOW! A long time since my last update...unexcusable, if I must say so myself!

Alot has changed since then...where to begin? Well...after our very 1st experience with CPS and the foster care system, my DH and I made a decision to totally uproot our otherwise chaotic lives and move...out of the country - nonetheless. What a wild ride it was!

So, I sit here in my new home (actually, my MIL's home and my temporary refuge). I am typing from the basement of DMIL's home with DH next to me.

Questions? I'm sure! After a very emotional experience with our foster daughter, I really felt drawn to working with children of trauma on a more intense level...only I did not possess the credentials to do so. I have relocated to Alberta, Canada in hopes of obtaining those credentials and moving into a more fulfilling career (albeit not financially rewarding). I am very thankful to DH for his support and encouragement...and to his family for their willingness to take on 2 grown adults (not to mention 3 dogs) during this transition.

For now, DH is going to continue to work in Big D at least through the end of the year. We will reexamine our position over the holiday break (see - I am already speaking Canuckie). :-)

What does this do with my weight loss journey? Actually - I believe that this puts me in a much better position to focus on this area of my life and I hope to report winning results each week.

The weather here is (thus-far) certainly more conducive to walking than the scorching summer heat of Tejas just days ago. I have enjoyed walks each day while in this beautiful country...although I am promised such nice weather is short lived and I should not grow accustomed to these outdoor activities.

My school of choice is University of Alberta and classes begin on September 2nd. I now have my official study permit and am looking forward to this trying out this student life again...the second time around. (or third which is actually more accurate).

My baby son I miss dreadfully...and he cried when he said good-bye to me which broke my heart...I love him so much...more than anything in this galaxy. I do truly believe, however, that he is better off being in a position that requires him to fend for himself a little more. I do not want to support him in a way that makes him less productive and promotes laziness...but...I'm mom...and I'm weak...and I do tend to do everything in my power to make things easier for him. It is time to allow him to stand (or fall) on his own and my relocation to Canada should make it more difficult for me to "rescue" him from his own consequences. I do wonder though if he will ever know how much I truly love him....if I could give anything or everything and assure his happiness...I would most certainly do that...however, happiness really comes from within and that is a lesson that I cannot teach him, but that he must learn himself.

As far as eating goes, I am doing reasonably well. My DMIL will oversee my eating I'm quite sure. I actually think it will be quite helpful...if it doesn't drive me insane! :-)

Well...I know it is a big change...however...I wanted to make sure you knew that I hadn't quit. I simply pulled over for a bit, but I am back in the drivers seat again and onto the journey of a lifetime.

Much Love!
Rebekah

Stayin Alive

OMG - What a year this has been. As a quick update, and I promise I will update more later this weekend - I am still here and still fighting this weight battle. Yikes....things got really crazy after my last post. My FIL passed away and required sudden and unscheduled out of country travel...of course - neither DH or I had passports, so we were suddenly thrust into a rush of getting this paperwork processed. I had actually written a long blog explaining all of this while we were traveling and as I went to POST it...the connection dropped and I lost everything I had typed. Talk about annoyed. At any rate - I am back in the game now...and will soon be blogging away.

<3 Me...