Dawn B.
I'm a Home Owner!!
Dec 26, 2007
Oh, the journey I've been on for the last 4 months. Well, it's over as of tonight. My first home officially became mine at 4:45pm and I received my keys at 5:30! Tomorrow brings painting and such and Saturday I move into it. Part of me is so excited about what I get to do to my OWN home, and part of me is scared to death about making the payments. Here's to a new year with a new house, and unknown new experiences!
Life...
Dec 01, 2007
On the health front, doing great. Blood pressure is more often normal than low, liver enzymes are basically back to normal, irregular heart beat went to occasionally instead of consistently, went back on Elavil for sleeping and actually have energy again and have stopped non-stop snacking! (amazing how sleeping helped with that) My lowest weight was 132 with my goal being 135. My body just couldn't regulate itself there so I've upped my goal range to 140-145 (which is why I think a lot of the physical issues have gone away) and am presently at 142.6. Unfortunately, since I exercise very sporadically, my body composition has changed and I've gained enough inches to go from a size 4/6 pants to a size 8/10 (though I have some 6s that I can still get into). Really, really need to exercise more regularly.
2 Year Anny
Sep 26, 2007
I'm in negotiations with the 2nd house - one I really, really want. My realtor thinks the deal with close in my favor, but it sure is nerve racking. I can't wait to post a picture of me in front of my first home! The nicest thing about this house is I'm by the river trail that I LOVE to walk/ride so that will help motivate me.
Mini-Successes
Aug 27, 2007
Exercising
Jun 27, 2007
Quick update... I rode my bike Thursday for over an hour (went to the city Farmer's Market - long story) and I took Friday off. Today I cleaned the garage as I was packing my car to go camping. I expect to be out hiking and such for the next couple of days.
Boston
Jun 23, 2007
If you ever get to Boston you need to go to the Union Oyster House - longest running restaurant in the US - and have their lobster ravioli. YUM! We also went whale watching - saw 3 humpback and 2 or 3 minke whales.
If you ever want an excuse to go visit a city you need to go the eBay Live. For $60 you get a 3 day conference that has an opening and closing party/dinner; continental breakfasts; and collectible give-a-ways every day. It was lots of fun. Next year is in Chicago, but it conflicts with me taking students to the Grand Canyon so I don't think it's an option, but Connie and I had so much fun (we took over 2000 pictures between the two of us) that we've decided to go on a vacation together every year.
I was expecting to come home lighter than I left since I spent so much time walking and ate fairly well. Nope... well, I guess I lost .8 lbs. Kinda disappointing, but I guess better than gaining.
Life in General
Jun 10, 2007
Let's see - what's been happening in my life for the last couple of months. I've gained about 5 lbs - and they're fat lbs as my clothes are much tighter than 5 lbs should account for. I would expect that's because I'm not exercising as I should. My 2 year meeting with my surgeon is the end of Sept. (don't ask me why it's not in Aug. - I didn't ask them) and I want to get back to 135 - buy more by exercise than diet as I want to lose inches more than weight at this point. The extra month is good - but I'd like to start the next school year back at that point.
I'm heading to Boston on the 13th to attend the E-Bay Live conference. The conference is actually an excuse to go on vacation with my best friend. It should be a lot of fun. We got our tickets for a whale watching cruise for Sunday. I can't wait. We're both photographers so we're both quite pysched.
I signed up on eHarmony a week ago and have started communicating with a man here in town. Biggest concern there is his long term plans involve moving to Las Vegas to be closer to his daughter and grandson. Not in my plans, but I'm going to go with the flow and let God handle the outcome.
March 2007
Mar 30, 2007
It's been a pretty hard month. I've been VERY busy with work related stuff/stress, but tonight puts me on Spring Break so hopefully I can get recharged and back on track. I've managed to get up to 145.6 - 10 lbs above goal. NOT GOOD! Got back to 3 meals a day on Monday - heavy on protein and got 2.5 liters of water in and dropped 5 lbs by this morning. Then of course - fell off the wagon today - but back on tomorrow. PMS is hitting big time. I'd like to be back at my goal by the 13th when my best friend comes up for a visit. Still wearing size 6 for the most part with the occasional 4s and 8s. That just amazes me. My goal was a size 10!
February 2007
Feb 04, 2007
I haven't been here since Jan 22nd, so I'm just seeing Tammy's message about setting an 18-month goal - already missed my 18-month anny (isn't that amazing that it's been that long!) so my goal date will be the end of Feb. instead. Exercise for me was an issue before - off/on - little inbetween - and guess what - still the same. 
. Oh well, only have myself to be disappointed in. Vitamins are generally good - I get in at least 3 of 5 in a day, with all of them in at least 4 days a week - so that's an okay area. I really, really fell off the water intake so I started a couple of weeks ago by starting my day with a 24oz bottle of water that I added a heaping spoonful of BeneFiber and a tube of Crystal Light. That got me going on water and in other ways!
Then to continue my water intake I bought a new toy - a $30 water bottle! It tells you how much water you need to drink based on your weight - for me - 68oz - then it tells you how many oz, the date, time, and the percentage to your goal. Fun, but now I'm going to the bathroom every 20 mins. Weight got up 7 lbs above goal last week - purely because of almost non-stop snacking - and not protein - and not exercising - unless you want to call my 1 day - hour long - walk a week exercise. 
I've managed to lose 3 of those so far -I've been watching Ellen and she's using an exercise ball - and I've used one during physical therapy before - so... got a ball last night and a mat - now to set the goal to use it.
So... goals are:
By February 28 I would like to
1. Back at 135
2. Working out a minimum of 3 times a week
3. Get back to basics of 3 meals, one protein snack - 75/25 protein/everything else.
4. Continue 68 oz of liquids a day
5. Continue with vitamins & calcium daily
2/18/07 - Well, exercise hasn't really improved, though I walked yesterday and went to the gym today and have plans on going again tomorrow so maybe I'm starting a roll that I can keep going. I joined my sister at the YMCA for the next 6 months. The problem is it's on the opposite side of town from where I live and work, but they have a pool and that's a need for me as I have already lost bone mass in my spinal column and my doctor said that swimming would be good for helping to rebuild the bone mass. Weight is back down to 136 so I'm please with that. Vitamins and water are okay. If I can just keep the exercise to at least 4 days a week I'll be happy.
January 2007
Jan 02, 2007
1/2/2007 - Here it is, a new year - still at goal, now going on 7 months! I've NEVER maintained a weight loss for that long. My goal was 135 and I sit between 133-137 - flucuating daily and I'm okay with that. My exercise consistancy still sucks and my goal right now is to get my scale BMI (27) to match more closely to the height/weight BMI (21.1). I've joined Discovery Health's National Body Challenge just for the exercise piece. I may also join the "Gym" at my physical therapists office to help me really concentrate on getting my new BMI. I made it through a week down south on holiday without gaining any weight!!! Yeah! All-in-all, life is really good. Oh! my aunt and uncle didn't notice the weightloss last Christmas, but they did this year. They were concerned that I was ill. I didn't tell them I had had surgery - mainly because their oldest daughter had MAJOR weight issues and died while under the care of a doctor trying to help her. The one cousin I did tell I was having the surgery said she had had bypass surgery. I don't know if she died due to that or not, but I didn't think it would be fair to share my success via surgery when she didn't have the success.
1/19/07 - Well, my exercise has been very slow, but I did get out Tuesday & Wednesday this week so that's a start. The weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend so I'm going to go out both days - may even bike up to Coleman's Fish Hatchery again. My weight is still okay, but my eating SUCKS!! I really need to get it back on track, both to make it easier to maintain and my intestines are not happy with me. Last night at Support Group it was "Cooking School" and they showed us some recipes that will be in our cookbook that will be available hopefully by next month. Long story there in how long it has taken. :o) It looks like I'll be joining the YMCA so that will be a good thing to have a gym available - though it's out of my way to go, but it will work, especially since they have a pool and since I've lost bone mass in my spinal cord I've been told I should swim to help recover/maintain that.
About Me
Before & After
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