Friday Confessional: I finally told Eddy

When The Mambo Project began nearly two months ago, I didn’t have the guts to share my weight here on the blog.  The number was way too high.  Way too scary. Only my trusted MD and I knew.  Tonight I finally told Eddy.  It was minutes before we walked into a hilarious comedy show (Derek Edwards).  Perfect timing, right?  I left him no time sit and think about how his wife weighs more than most football players or professional wrestlers.    I shouldn’t have been so ashamed to tell him.  I mean this is my husband.  The man sees me naked.  He knows I’m not Anglena Jolie.  The thing is, even though I’m a big girl, I am still much, much heavier than I look.  I’m not just being a girl about this.  I’m serious.  I do weigh a lot more than you think I do. 

I still don’t quite have the courage to type the number, but I will say this much:  When I began The Mambo Project I weighed more than Eddy...

+ Coby

+ Logan

+ Hermione. 

How’s that for a sobering thought?  However, as of the most recent Wednesday Weigh-In I finally weigh less than the sum of my family. 

Oh, and Eddy?  He was totally fine with the number.  I expected him to be grossed out, but in true spectacular Eddy style, he was not.  Not at all.  This is one amazing man, ladies and gentlemen, and I may seriously be the luckiest girl in the world.

Wednesday Weigh-In: I'm Baaaaaack

Not for much longer!

Today's Wednesday Weigh-In gave me a big, big smile.  I'm down 4 pounds from last week.  Take off the one pound I gained the previous week, add my prior loss-so-far and I'm officially 33 pounds lighter than I was when The Mambo Project began at the start of September.  YaHOOO!

The 4 pound loss happened even though I celebrated my birthday on Sunday!  I'm not a sweets person so in lieu of birthday cake I had a bit of extra lemon chicken at China House.  My parents treated us to dinner.  (Thanks again mom and dad!)

Before dinner we went for a little stroll at one of our favourite strolling places, the boardwalk at Mission Island Marsh, a conservation area.  Graffiti at a place like this usually irks me, but today's silly graffiti made me giggle so we needed to snap a picture for the blog.  Tee hee hee.  Not for much longer!!

Friday Confessional: McDonalds misses me

A few days ago Coby asked for McDonalds.  No problem.  Even though I’m avoiding fast food now, I don’t mind picking something up for my kidlet once in a while.  At the drive thru window the sweet McD lady said, "Hey!  Hi!!  I haven't seen you for a while!  Where have you been?" 

What the?  I was not prepared for that.  I felt a brief moment of panic. They know me that well?  (I shouldn't be surprised.  I used to go there a lot.  A LOT.)   Eek.  How embarrassing.  I didn't know what to say.  I didn't want to diss the food to that nice McD lady and I felt shy about explaining the Mambo Project face to face, so I just told her that I'm not as busy at work so I have more time to go home for lunch. 

It’s true.  It’s not the whole truth, but it is definitely one of the truths.  The main truths are that I feel so much better now that I’m not a McD (or Wendys or A&W or Arbys or Taco Time) regular anymore and, quite frankly, I’m enjoying the extra money in our bank account. 

Wednesday Weigh-In: A fair price to pay

Happy Birthday Eddy!

Yesterday was Eddy’s birthday!  Yay!  Happy Birthday honey!  His pick for dinner was take-out Chinese followed by yummy cupcakes that Coby and I baked together.  I liked the idea of cupcakes.  With birthday cake we tend to cut the pieces far too large (Ok not "we", I cut the pieces far too large.)  Then there is the whole evening out the crooked lines thing.  And let’s not forget licking the icing off the knife.  Cupcakes were safer.  With cupcakes you get what you get.  One little mini cake.  Coby and Eddy enjoyed a few over the past two days but I ate just one following our scrumptious Chinese feast. 

Everything we do has a consequence and my Chinese food/cupcake night lead to my first Mambo Project gain.  Only 1 pound, though.  I won’t call it a failure.  No, it was a fair price to pay for a good celebration.  This is real life. 

Goal for the week of October 18, 2010

First, a review of my prior week’s goal to start walking, instead of driving, to school to pick up Coby. In the words of my cool nearly-nine-year-old kidlet, last week was an "epic fail.”  I didn't walk to school at all.  Not once.  Something always came up.  Because of a few appointments and other commitments I already know I won't be able to do it this week, either.  I'll have to revisit this goal another time.

I'd still like to get my bod moving more this month so I'm sticking with an exercise goal for the current week.  This week's goal is Eddy-inspired.  I'm always impressed by the way he starts each day with a simple routine - push ups, crunches, jumping jacks and a couple other little moves to get his blood pumping.  I looove to watch him, that sexy husband of mine.  When he bends to touch his toes, for example, I'll say, "Honey, I think you should turn around when you do that."  He laughs (and usually obliges!) It's a sexy-sweet little inside joke with us. 

But let's take a closer look at the middle of that paragraph when I say, "I love to watch him..."  Watch him.  Why don't I get up and join him?  So...

Goal for the week of October 18, 2010:  Follow Eddy's lead and start each day with a few simple exercises.

I'm too big for jumping jacks (I haven't jumped since 1997.)  I currently don’t have the upper body strength to lift my mass in push ups.  I can do crunches, though.  So I'll start with those.  Do I remember how?

Rewards

New silver chain holding my special silver cross

I finally picked up little rewards for reaching 20 then 30 pounds lost.  My 20lb reward is something to wear (click here) to the new Harry Potter movie when it opens in 1 month and 2 days (but who's counting?)

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." 

I looove it.

My 30lb reward is a silver chain to replace the one I broke while on vacation in Florida in February.  It holds a pretty silver cross pendant that I bought a couple of years ago.  The cross was made in Mexico and was specially designed for my church.   

How much is 30lbs?




Coby and Eddy in The Amazing Maze

 

Today we visited the pumpkin patch at Belluz Farms, a charming little place owned and operated by the very nice Belluz family.  We got a bit of fun exercise walking through the Amazing Maze, a 3+ acre corn maze.  We also weighed a few pumpkins, trying to find one that was precisely 30lbs so we could know exactly what my weight-loss-so-far feels like. 

Leigh holding a 30lb pumpkin

30lbs is heavier than I expected!  I couldn't hold it for more than a minute or so.  Imagine!  A few weeks ago I was carrying the equivalent of that pumpkin everywhere I went – walking around, getting up from a chair, trudging up and down stairs.  If I had to carry that pumpkin up stairs I don't think I could do it.  

Friday Confessional: Mindless nibbling

After years and years and years of bad habits it is so hard to force myself to adopt new ones.  I want the new habits, but the old ones are so embedded that I slip into them without even realizing. 

This afternoon I was slicing cheese* and suddenly noticed that I’d mindlessly popped two slices in my mouth.  The good news is I’ve mastered a new habit of cutting much smaller, thinner slices so the damage wasn’t too severe.  Funny, though, isn’t it, how one can unintentionally eat extras? 

After today’s cheese incident I wondered how much extra food, over the years, went in my mouth without a thought.  Like when I’d cut a little extra sliver of pie or cheesecake to make the line straight.  Or how about when I would finish my kidlet’s leftover fries or burger?  Back in my pre-Coby days I remember being at a Weight Watchers meeting and some moms were talking about how they finish food from their kids’ plates and I thought...GROSS!!  But there I was, a few years later, doing the same darn thing.  What the heck is up with that?  Moms, do we all do this?  Last month I cut it out.  Now as soon as he is finished I immediately, methodically take his plate and chuck his leftovers the trash.  The sooner they are out of my sight, the better. 

I thought I had done away with mindless nibbling until today’s cheese episode.  I’m not hung up on it, but it did give me reason to think.  I suppose that’s a good thing.

*Note:  Cheese is my biggest RED LIGHT food.  "Red Lights" are what I call the few food items that are really hard for me to resist.  Cheese is #1.  I could easily eat a whole brick of it.  No, I’m not kidding.  Old Cheddar and Gouda are my two favourites.  There is a lovely farm just south of the city, Thunder Oak Cheese Farm, where they make the best Gouda I’ve tasted outside of The Netherlands.  When you visit the farm you can try free samples.  FREE SAMPLES!!!  Soooo hard to resist, yet I’ve tried every type of Gouda they make (many, many times) so I don’t really need to try the free samples anymore.  Right?  I wonder: can I go and not nibble the samples?  Yes, I think I can.  I’ll give it a try soon and let you know. 

What are your Red Light foods?

Wednesday Weigh-In: Glad I ignored her

Last week I felt so discouraged when I held steady with a 0 weight loss after four straight weeks of substantial losses.  You may recall that the fat chick in the photo was ready to pig out on chips and dip in frustration.  I am so glad I ignored her and kept myself on track food-wise because when I stepped on the scale today I was down 5 pounds.  This was a big confidence boost. 

I'm up to a total of 30 pounds lost now!  That means I get to go shopping.  Every 10 pounds I'll be buying something just for me.  After the first 10 pounds I got my hair coloured.  I forgot (can you believe that?) to buy myself a 20-pound gift so now I’m due two me-gifts (one for 20lbs and one for 30lbs.)  I know what I'm going to get and I'll post photos soon.

Adding more steps and getting enough sleep

Last week's goal was to add steps by parking further away from entrances.  I didn't go out much, but when I did, I remembered my goal and it felt good!  I meant to take my camera to snap a picture of Eddy and me at our long distance parking spot when we caught a matinee of The Town (great movie!) this weekend, but I forgot my camera at home.  Next time.

This week's goal will add even more steps to my day.

Goal for the week of October 11, 2010:  Walk to school to pick up Coby.

Coby's school day ends at 3:25.  I figured out that if I leave work at precisely 3:22 I’ll arrive at the school’s Kiss & Ride with perfect timing, missing the initial mad rush of parents retrieving kidlets.  Technically I have to be at work until only 3pm so I could leave work at 3, drive home and have plenty of time to walk to school to pick up Coby.  The school is a measly .5 km from my house.  I should be walking it.  Walking will set a much better example for Coby.  This week I will do it every day.  I will make this a new habit.

I have a bonus goal this week, as well:

Bonus Goal:  Get enough sleep.

Eddy and I caught a story on CTV  News about sleep being directly related to weight loss.  Dieters who got adequate sleep lost more weight than those who were sleep deprived.  Interesting!  Here's a link to the story.

Friday Confessional: The Gardens

Eddy has tickets for a hockey game tomorrow night.  He asked me if I wanted to go, but I told him no because I'd be at a 12 hour scrapbooking event.  (I totally love scrapbooking.)  I was happy that I had a prior commitment.  It's not that I don't want to spend an evening cheering on the Thunderwolves with my husband.  No, the issue is those darn seats again. 

Some seats at The Gardens are ok, but others are really, really narrow.  I know because back in the mid 90s, in my pre-Eddy years, I had a season ticket.  One season, after major renovations, new seats were installed and, let me tell you, mine was a tight squeeze.  When I got home I had bruises on my thighs where the armrests pushed into my legs.  Big, nasty bruises.  There was no way I'd use that excuse to ask for an exchange so I suffered in silence all season. 

At the same arena, a couple of years, ago we saw Pearl Jam.  I know, right?  Pearl Jam in my little, isolated city!  It was so cool.  But, again, my seat was too narrow.  The seat beside me was wider so I, embarrassed as hell, explained my dilemma to the young lady in the roomier seat and asked if Eddy and I could switch seats with her and her boyfriend.  She was so nice about it, God bless her. 

Another seat confession.  I have more of  'em, believe me.

Wednesday Weigh-In, Frustration and Goal for October

Ack.  Here’s the part I hate.  The plateau.  This week my weight loss was zero.  The fat chick in the photo is disappointed and frustrated and feels like chips and dip.  The common-sense-Leigh knows that this is normal, particularly for women during (men, look away, look away!) “that time of the month”.  Back in my Weight Watchers days I learned that when you have a week with zero loss, the loss usually shows up the following week or the week after that.  Often I would get discouraged and not wait to see if this theory was true.  I’d give up.  It’s tough, you know?  But this time I’ll hang in there and see what happens when I step on the scale next week.  I won’t stop by Mac’s for chips and dip.  I promise. 

Now let’s review my goals.  

My September goal was to get my food intake under control using the Canada Food Guide.  I shall declare September a success.  I lost 25 pounds.  I’m eating waaaay less than I used to and my choices are much healthier.  I knew that I would lose weight for a short time by eating less, alone, but now it’s time to add the other part of the equation:  eat less + move more = lose weight.  Given my zero loss this week I’m certain that this is the perfect time for my planned October goal.

Goal for October:  Start exercising.

Goal for the week of October 4^:  Park further away.

I’ll start by adding steps to my day.  No matter where I go, I will not look for the parking spot closest to the entrance.  I will park way on the other side of the parking lot and walk. 

This month will be my biggest challenge.  I haven’t been active in years and I’m pretty scared. 

Hug Check, October 2010

Hug Check, October 2, 2010

Remember how my nearly-nine-year-old son Coby and I decided he will track my weight loss his own way, by doing regular hug checks? 

To see our first hug check click here.  That was about 4 weeks ago.  I've lost 25 pounds since then so we decided it was time for hug check #2.  Here it is > 

Last month his middle fingers were barely touching.  This month he can touch his knuckles.  

WOW!  I wish you could have heard the excitement in his voice.  Nothing motivates me more than this. 

Friday Confessional: Butt

Eddy said he likes my butt.  I said he must prefer quantity, not quality. 

Not my typical Friday confessional, but I’m not in the mood for any tough topics tonight.  I thought I’d give you a wee chuckle instead.  Have a great weekend! xo