Beyond Recovery: Christin's journal of progress (comments welcome)

[Lesli54]

I think you are holding together quite well. At least you are still getting in your exercise. And you haven't gone on any major binges so the post readjustment period should be easier to implement.

At least I am not the only one who thought we studied about too many wars and strategies. I thought we spent too much time on WWII in HS. For some that is great, but for me, I wanted to learn ancient history or some old world history. DH got alot of that (he is quite a bit older) so he doesn't understand that we mainly go a war focus. Oh well. Now I can choose what I want to learn more about.

Hope the writing goes well.

Have a great day!

 

[pearlieq]

Wagons, ho, indeed!!! You can do this!!!

Sounds like you did pretty well for the last couple of days. Major kudos for getting exercise in even with the heat! You do have the dedication you need to do this--you prove it all the time!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. Oh my, the Snickers salad...I think it was made of whipped cream, apples, and chopped Snickers bars. I'm not too sure of the rest--I did hear it also had whipping cream in it, but I'm not sure how/why. It looked so tasty and everyone what oohing and aahing about it. I think it might be similar to that Taffy Apple Salad that makes the rounds at parties. I figured the less I knew about it, the better!

 

[rcyannacci]

P.S. Oh my, the Snickers salad...I think it was made of whipped cream, apples, and chopped Snickers bars. I'm not too sure of the rest--I did hear it also had whipping cream in it, but I'm not sure how/why. It looked so tasty and everyone what oohing and aahing about it. I think it might be similar to that Taffy Apple Salad that makes the rounds at parties. I figured the less I knew about it, the better!

You're right! The less we know the better...and I've never heard of the Taffy Apple Salad either...I'm so behind the times. I love following potluck trends, though...there are always those recipes that everyone just raves over for a few years. I once bought some old '50 cookbooks at a booksale, that I just fell in love with, the kind that companies gave out to housewifes incouraging them to "have fun" with their products...one is how to throw a Hawaiian party from Dole pineapple...it's so '50s!

Well, after both you and Lesli congratulated me for sticking with the exercise, I skipped yesterday. I did try, but they changed schedules at the pool now that school has started, and when I got there they were about to close. It was probably silly to be out in the sun anyway. It's actually looking kind of gray right now, so hopefully it won't be quite so hot and sunny for swimming today.

Focusing on my writing yesterday was difficult...I'm just so ready for this chapter draft to be done, yet I'm 50 pages in and still have one more section to write. That will teach me to do so much research!!! When I was having trouble focusing, I switched over and prepped two of my lesson plans for next week. So, I was still productive, at least.

Food was pretty good...I think I'm getting back in control

Saturday-
B- egg scramble w/ ham, onions, and tomato
L- left-over chicken, rice, and pineapple
S- sugarfree fudgicle w/ PB
S- handful of frito chips
D- blackbean and pork soup w/ 2 corn muffins
No snack after dinner!!!

No exercise

DH is off today, so I'm sure we will be up to something, probably grocery shopping after making a menu for the week. Plus, I want to go to crate and barrel and shop for some acrylic glasses to replace the ones that started cracking this summer.

Finally, sad news. We looked honestly at our finances this year, factoring in the money I lost from having to drop the freshman seminar and the increase in gas prices, and realized that a May Disney trip is too unrealistic. There's just no way to justify the price, when we can spend less than 1/2 as much on a trip to the Gulf. So, once classes end, we are going to make plans to spend 4 nights on the beach, which (assuming I am graduating) make more sense anyway because it will give us a chance to relax before family drive down for graduation. Anyway, we just did Disney this past Dec. so I even though I'm a little disappointed, at least we'll still get a vacation.

 

[pearlieq]

I love old cookbooks too! Have you ever checked out Lileks's Gallery of Regrettable Food? It got started when he found a box of his mom's old 40-50's era cookbooks and it became a website and eventually a book. It's tons of fun!

Bummer about the pool schedule change--hopefully things work out today! Even if yesterday didn't work out I really admire your discipline, both with the exercise and managing your writing and class projects.

I hope you have a great time at the beach next spring. That sounds like a wonderful graduation present! I hear the gulf coast is really beautiful.

Have a great day!

 

[Lesli54]

I am sucker for cookbooks. When we remodel the kitchen, I am planning on having a 4-5' bookshelf with doors along the far wall where the walking path is, something that won't stick out far, offers a little counter space for family gatherings, and houses all my cookbooks and magazines. Of which I had to slow down the collection since I am out of room in the cupboards (2 are filled ).

Productive is good. At least you have your lessons out of the way and it is a great way to regroup when you are stuck on the writing.

Changing your vacation plans makes alot of sense. We are considering staying closer to home next year as well. The cost to drive to New Orleans really scares me. I suppose there are things to see in MN or IN or MO or WI.

You will graduate, I just know it. Keep up the great work.

 

[rcyannacci]

OK- so a little out of it the last few days, but I'll try to remember everything...

Sunday-
B-ww english muffin w/ PB and strawberries
L-went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Split a lunch portion of Hawaiian chicken salad and mozzarella pizza w/ DH. AND...I didn't have any dessert, even though everyone around us were eating cheesecake!
S- Macademia nuts (splurged a bit at the grocery!)
D- 1 leftover piece of the pizza from lunch and a bowl of leftover blackbean soup w/ a corn muffin

Exercise- 30 min walk/run/bike with DH and the dogs

Monday-
B- same
L- open faced turkey sandwich w/ cheddar on a slice of ww bread and some fresh cantalope
S- iced coffee
D- out with friends before departmental party, went to Pei Wei Diner and had 2 veggie spring rolls and an order of the Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls.
Party- snacked a little, probably 4 ww crackers w/ cheese, 1/2 a brownie, and probably 5 potato chips w/ onion dip.

Exercise- 40 min. of Curves plus 5 on abs.

I hope to get an hour of writing in today inbetween my classes...I have my first grad seminar tonight- 3 hours of academic fun! I spent a few hours prepping yesterday, so I'm ready. Hopefully I'll ease into this schedule by the end of the week and get back to writing full force.

 

[pearlieq]

Hi!

I hope the seminar went well and you're getting settled in to your new class schedule.

You did a really well staying OP at Cheesecake Factory and the party. What a great accomplishment!

I hope you have a wonderful day today!!!

 

[rcyannacci]

Thanks, pearlieq, for stopping by...I've been pretty absent for the last few days, so it was nice to see your message.

The seminar went well; it's a diverse group of graduate students, some right out of undergrad and some returning students, with a broad range of knowledge. I think I set the right tone; it should be a challenging class, but an interesting one. Anyway, they seemed excited about the topic and work ahead.

My creative drama class is wonderful; lots of intelligent women (and one man! he lucked out!) who seem really committed to being educators. They are so energetic and ask wonderful questions.

In terms of eating and exercise, I've been taking it easy, but haven't fallen off the wagon . Breakfasts have remained the same; I've been bringing my lunches from dinner leftovers (although, sometimes I don't eat until 2 or 3- this I should get under control), and dinners have been fine. DH has helped a lot, and we spent Sun. am developing a weekly menu. Hopefully, this will become automatic every Sun.

I did splurge last night and had an oreo milkshake from Sonic. Yesterday was exhausting, and I was about to get one on my way home from school, but I passed by and told myself that I would be too late for Curves. So, I went to workout, then had dinner, then decided I still wanted it.

Weighed in at Curves and I'm back to 202, so I took 2 of the 3 pounds I'd put back on with my crazy schedule. Hopefully next week, I can get rid of the next 2.

Today, I'm back at the library, trying to get back to my writing, which has regretably fallen by the way side while I adjust to classes. And, I'm meeting a friend to workout this morning on campus. I've been avoiding the student gym for years!!! because I'm intimidated, so I'm trying to get over that. It would give me another workout option besides Curves, swimming, and walking, and I can start building up for this 5K I told my friend I would run with her in Nov.

HOpe everyone is well....I'll try to check in in journals soon.

 

[daisy_77]

Glad to hear that when to Curves! I know that you will lose those few pounds!!

 

[Lesli54]

Hey, Christin!

I have been trying to keep up with reading journals, but I don't always have time lately to post to them like yours. Sooooooooooo............Never, ever, ever, ever say that you are a bad WISH friend. I know you are very busy right now but, you are a GREAT WISH friend. You always know just what to say and have ways of bringing me back to the basics. I consider you one of my dearest WISH friends. Right now, I would much rather have you concentrating on finishing your schooling. After all, this is your dream and it is just around the corner.

I am so glad that you like your new class. Did I tell you that DD18's roommate doesn't just want to go into Theater, but she wants to teach it? Pretty cool, huh? DD18 says that her roomie always has tons of homework, something that she is glad she doesn't have. At the moment anyway.

Congrats on getting the scale back down. Keep up the exercising and you will find more time for the writing as things fall into place.

Hope you have a great week!

 

[Cruise04]

One good thing is that even through all the busyness that you have been experiencing you are still getting some exercise in - that is a great accomplishment in itself - good job!!!!!!

Keep on
Chris

 

[lillygator]

good job on creating a meal/menu plan...I wish I could get DH to help me with that as well!!

Hope you had a great weekend!

 

[rcyannacci]

Hey all- thanks for stopping by.

So far so good this week. I've been pretty good staying on target with food (a few slips) and with exercise.

I'm trying to concentrate on exercise and schedule it into my day because I know this helps my energy level and concentration. I went to Curves yesterday before my classes, and today I took a break from the library to workout at the campus gym on an elliptical machine. I was so proud of myself for doing 30 straight minutes of cardio! I think the swimming has really paid off (oh, I also went swimming on Sunday).

BTW- does anyone know why my toes start to get tingly and numb when I'm on the elliptical machine? I try to shift my position and pull weight off my toes, but it keeps coming back. Must be a circulation thing, right?

Best news is that I weighed in at Curves yesterday and I'm at 201, right back where I was before I started my new work/class schedule. I'm hoping to see some more progress soon since I've stepped up my exercise a bit.

Dividing my focus between writing and teaching again has been a bit of a struggle. I just need to make sure I make writing a priority on certain designated days. I just naturally gravitate towards my class prep because that's what I enjoy.

My second grad seminar last night was fantastic! It's a 3 hour class, so I was worried about sustaining a discussion, but it went really well. I think I can relax more into it next week.

OK- back to the writing desk....hope everyone is having a good week.

 

[Lesli54]

Congrats on the loss! It must be nice to know that things are settling back now.

I understand focusing all of your attention on the things you really like the most and letting go of some others. But for now, you need to dedicate some time to that writing so that you can always be focused on the teaching.

Have a great day!

 

[pearlieq]

I sometimes get the tingly feeling on the elliptical as well--I always thought I had laced my shoes too tight, but maybe there's something about the motion that causes it to do that.

Glad to hear you're back down to where you started. It's always more fun to be focusing onward!

It's great that you're enjoying your classes/seminars. Hopefully you'll be able to get a good balance between that and writing. You've been so disciplined that I know you can do it!

Have a great day!!!

 

[Cruise04]

That tingly feeling would possibly mean that something is pinching your sciatica in your back. I get that when mine is pinched and I get it when I'm in a strange position or I'm doing more movement in my feet than I usually do. I've also had problems that I do have to watch how tight my laces are tied. If they are loser then I'm better and don't get so much numbness.

You are doing great at your balancing and congrats on getting back down to where you are. Keep up the good work and glad your seminar went well.

Keep on
Chris

 

[Lesli54]

Just checking on you, letting you know that we are thinking about you. I hope that your classes and writing are going well.

Sending some to help get you through all the writing quickly.

 

[septbride2002]

Congratulations on getting to 201!! You'll be in onederland in no time with all the exercise you are doing.

~Amanda

 

[rcyannacci]

Wow! It was so nice to return to my journal and see everyone's messages. Thank you all for checking in!!!

I'm trying to make an end of the week deadline with my chapter. Yesterday, I finished the draft, so now I just have to revisit a few sections and edit. So my goal is in sight!!! I just hope to get good feedback from my advisor. Her comments could determine whether I have time to finish by the May defense date.

Exercise has been great...Food, not so much...but not totally terrible.

I've developed a schedule so I meet two of my friends at the campus gym on MWF for 30 min. of cardio on the machines, and then I hit Curves on Tues. morning before classes, Thurs. afternoon after classes, and then Sat. morning. The pure cardio was challenging at first, but now I'm really enjoying it. And, seeing some results.

Even after some questionable eating, I was at 200.5 the last time I weighed in.

The biggest problem is finding the time to concentrate on food enough to go shopping, make sure the right foods are in the house, and cooking enough for leftovers (when we have time to cook....DH has had a busy schedule too this week.) Plus, I contributed to a bake sale for the Humane Society this week; baking cookies and muffins! I sampled a bit too much, so the sugar cravings are back and I've had way too much chocolate this week. Good news is that we raised about $100 dollars. It's a drop in the bucket of what they need, but it's a start.

I did sign up for a weight-loss class at my Curves that will start meeting next week on Wed. evening. I thought that might help me re-evaluate my eating and come up with some new strategies.

Even though I'm keeping up with the exercise, I know I need to eat well to keep my energy level up.

Anyway, I'm going to try not to stay away so long before my next post. I think if I can get back to journaling, I'll be better about keeping track of eating and not stray too far. I'm holding steady, but I need to get headed downhill again.

Love 'ya! Mean it!

 

[Lesli54]

Congrats on getting the scale down! Next step......ONEDERLAND!

I think you are doing great with all the exercise and what you have to do from day to day.

Keep up the AWESOME work.