A Drawback of Weightloss...

Skinnier fingers. Which in and of itself is a good thing until you add into the equation one wedding ring.

Skinnier fingers + wedding ring = lost.

Yes, I freaking lost my wedding ring. I've been talking for MONTHS about how I need to get it resized because it was getting way to loose on my skinnier fingers. I'd even had it slip off a time or two. Now, did I get it resized? Nope. Did I stop wearing it? Double nope. I could kick myself.

Somewhere after dinner when I massaged olive oil and sage into chicken breasts (oh yeah, *cue porn music* the chicken liked it) but before the husband and I watched Machete (which was an awesome over-the-top action movie, btw) I lost my ring. It slipped off my finger and I didn't feel it this time.

The husband and I rifled through the garbage in the house, dumpster dived to get the garbage we'd thrown away earlier and then rifled through it, checked the car, the mailbox, the sidewalk, all the pockets of every pair of pants I own (not just the ones I was wearing), and I stuck my hand into the black, murky, disgusting depths of the garbage disposal. No ring. We turned our apartment upside down looking for it and can't find it anywhere. I even called Safeway (we'd gone grocery shopping after dinner) and no one turned it in (shock, I know).

The ring is well and truly lost. The first ring a boy ever picked out and bought just for me. The only wedding ring I've ever had. The one I've worn for the last 9 years. Gone. I'm devastated. My husband keeps telling me he'll get me a new and better one, bless his heart, but I just want the one I had back, you know?

I know there are worse things that could happen to a person than losing enough weight to lose a wedding ring but it still sucks the big one, sideways, while choking.

I know I've been awful quiet lately which some people might take as a sign that I haven't been doing my healthy lifestyle or exercising as that's been my MO in the past. And while you're not all together right you aren't all together wrong either. Mostly I haven't been blogging because when I think of it the Grumpybutt won't let me and then I forget about it til I'm in bed. So, I'll do it tomorrow, and then it's the same routine all over again. But some of it is: I haven't been doing as well as I could be.

I'm an emotional stress eater. I know I've mentioned this before. Well my one-year-old has been stressing me the hell out on a daily basis since his birthday. We're trying to wean him off his bottle and trying to get him to eat FOOD at the same time. I swear this child is going to suck on his bottle til he's 18 years old. Perhaps if he can't get a date to prom he'll give up the bottle. He is killing me. I battle with every meal and snack time to get him to eat something. Anything. Let me rephrase. Anything BESIDES Cheetos.

And so he fusses and whines constantly because he's hungry and he wants a bottle. And I battle wills with him that he has to eat SOMETHING before he can have a bottle and I only let him have 3 bottles a day. By the time I get the Grumpybutt down for his naps, I'm frazzled and just shy of an emotional breakdown. So what do I do? I eat.

On the plus side: I'm binging on healthy food.

On the negative side: Calories still add up. It's still a horrible thing to do and I know this while I do it but still can't stop but at least it's not awful for me food, you know?

However, while I've gained a little weight back it's not much -- about 5lbs. I've been walking over 3 miles a day -- at a 12 minute mile pace -- everyday before picking up 3ft from school. So that's at least some balance in the upswing of food inhalation.

I've not completely fallen off the wagon but I'd say it's dragging me behind it. I can't let stress win, so I'm dusting myself off and hopping back on the healthy wagon of life. No more binging, damn it, even if it is on healthy foods!

6 AM -- Day 2

Oy and Vey!!

6am is incredibly early. Incredibly early. And I say this when I haven't been able to sleep in til 7 since I had my first son almost 6 years ago (3ft's birthday is this Thursday). Maybe because I'm rolling out of bed to put on clothes instead of just trudging around the apartment for a couple hours in pj's but 6am sucks. Just saying.

However, what doesn't suck is having my workout done for the day. So, yes, I will drag my tired butt out of bed tomorrow and do it again.

This morning was cool. I made my friend, Riana, go with me. She beat me to the gym, couldn't figure out where the light switch was (insert my snickering here), scared herself silly with her overactive imagination (cue more snicker and even full on chuckling), and so we ended up going for a little over 2 mile power walk around the neighborhood because there could "rapists" lurking in the gym at 6am, don't you know. (more laughter) When I made fun of her (yes I'm that kind of friend) she assured me she was going to tell me, "I told you so," when I'm raped at 6am in the gym.

So that was the excitement that started my morning. We walked in the dark, passed a woman walking by herself, to which we both thought that wasn't the smartest thing ever -- at least get a big dog, and got home before the sun came up (we were both a little disappointed by that). But we got a good walk in, and felt pretty good. Tomorrow it's the gym so we can workout a little harder on the equipment.

So tomorrow, imaginary rapist be damned, we're working out in the gym.

Oh, and yeah, Riana is WAY prettier than me, just saying!!!

(more snickering)

Trying Something New!!

Well...

Between 3ft having pneumonia, the Grumpybutt having double ear infections, and me getting a cold I didn't get a whole lot of working out in last week. Not to mention the time I liked to workout has disappeared. Mr. Grumpybutt doesn't want to take his morning nap anymore and if I can convince him to sleep, he only sleeps for 15 minutes. So not enough time to get a workout in.

I tried working out at night again. But the husband isn't getting home til after 9pm these days and the "gym" is locked up at 10. So by the time I get over there, I'd barely get a half hour in before they kicked me out. And we don't even want to mention how exhausted I am after 9pm when the kids are in bed and all I want to do is veg.

So this morning, I got my lazy butt out of bed at 5:55am, threw on my workout clothes, and zombie walked in a half-dazed-sleep-stupor to the "gym" which they unlock at 6am. I did the elliptical for 35 minutes. Went 2.5 miles and burned over 425 calories (so the machine told me).

The first 10 minutes were killer. I'm not sure I was totally awake and my bed called to me like a siren from across the apartment complex. I wanted to quit. But I figured WTH, I did it for 10 minutes I can do it another 25 -- and so I did. The best part: It's after 8, I'm exhausted, and my workout is ALREADY done for the day. Super awesome.

I've already set my alarm clock for 6am tomorrow. Here's hoping for 2 days in a row!

Is It Normal...

...that my toes go numb when I jog on the treadmill? (Shhh don't tell my husband or my doctor that I jogged for 10 minutes instead of just doing the stationary bike). They don't go numb when I jog on the street (*whistles innocently* Not that I did that on the way to the "gym"), they don't go numb when I jog in place in my apartment, they just go numb on the treadmill. Weird, right? I don't know what's up with that. And it's my left foot, not my right foot where my plantar fascia is all irritated with me.

I'm proud to say I tried something new. In the cookbook my sister-in-law, Leora, got me there was a snack idea of mandarin oranges and cottage cheese. When we saw that, Leora told me how much she liked it. I mentioned how much I hated cottage cheese and she said she did too except for with mandarins. So I figured what the heck and tried some with clementines (I didn't have mandarins) and it was actually pretty good. I don't think I liked it as much as Mr. Grumpybutt did. He inhaled his and then made sure to get some in his hair and ear for a snack for later but I thought it was pretty good and I'd eat it again.

That's about it and now I have to go be a rock god in Rock Band. 'Night.

Still Kicking...

I survived the holidays and my birthday. It was no easy feat. I gained a couple pounds back but I didn't gain all 75 of them back, so that's like a win, right? Right.

I'm feeling good. I'm back on track -- kind of. I have plantar fasciitis. I've somehow managed to tear, inflame, or strain the fascia that connects my heel to my toes in my right foot. So I'm not allowed to do any high-impact exercise (no running for me) I'm allowed to do water aerobics (which would be cool if it wasn't freaking freezing outside or I had access to a gym pool) or stationary bike. So I'm on the stationary bike. I rode for about 45 minutes last night and for 45 minutes tonight.

Today, I made a popcorn trail mix that I got out of a cookbook my sister-in-law, Leora, got me for my birthday. I have to tell you right now -- it's delicious.

7 cups popped popcorn (I used 94% fat free butter microwave popcorn as I don't have an air popper)
1 cup Quaker Oat Squares (the ones with a touch of brown sugar)
1 cup Craisins
1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Throw it all in a bowl, mix it up, and EAT!!! I split it into 3 servings (one for me and one each for the husband and 3ft) and we all devoured it. A perfect snack with just the right amount of sweet and salty and a lot less fat than a trail mix with a lot of nuts.

So, now I'm back from my holiday vacation and raring to go.