Wednesday, November 30, 2011

32 more days til a NEW YEAR!!!!!

Good morning girls!
Before I get into my post, I want you to know that I have attempted to post comments on your blogs for the past few days but when I go to enter the comment, it says I don't have authorization or something like that to comment...WHAT???!! I have no idea what the heck I have done wrong & when I go to log in to my Google acct, it says I'm already logged in. Not sure what is happening, but if you have any insight or can help me figure out how to post comments, that would be greatly appreciated! I want Pattie & Amber to know that  I got the boot when trying to comment on your blogs but I did read every ones posts since yesterday & when I figure this out I will post. I'm sorry, not a techie here.

So can you believe it??!! This year is almost done! I have to say, 2011 hasn't been too bad of a year for me. 2010, that was a different story!( Probably one of the worst years I have ever had) But I am grateful that in Dec 2010 I got the spark to begin my weight loss journey and although my road has had many detours & bumps along the way, I am so thrilled that when I ring in 2012, I will be 40+ # lighter! I am proud of myself for what I have accomplished and although I am not where I had hoped to be at this time, I am not going to beat myself up. I am going to stand tall & proud of myself as I have "hung in there" and not given up as I have done many many other times. I am grateful for my sister, my WW leader Pam & all of you for always offering great support, concern, wisdom and your "online" friendship. I will end this year feeling a sense of accomplishment  with a very thankful heart!

I am excited to think about the fact that in 2012, I will be at my goal weight! It IS going to happen, there is no doubt in my mind!! I have found that it not only takes hard work & will power to lose weight, but it is a true DESIRE within your heart to make it happen. It is a decision that is made "between the ears" (in your brain) & when you make that commitment to yourself, there is no stopping you!

So as we embark on our final month in the year 2011, lets continue to keep our focus on what we "really" want & stay true to ourselves. I had a moderate gain last week so unfortunately, I am going to have to work hard to get that off again. No more slip ups like that again. Big damage can be done in a small amt of time....at least for me it can. Its a slippery slope unless you catch yourself. I am thankful that I got back on track before I REALLY did some damage!

I wish you all a wonderful day! I am off work today & have a few errands to run & I want to go & look for a new pr of black jeans to wear to my Christmas party on Friday night. The ones that I have just aren't ready to be worn yet, they are just a bit too snug for my liking.

Happy Hump day!!!
Love & Hugs!
Sherri

Saturday, November 26, 2011

It was UGLY!!! My weekly weigh in.

Good evening fellow peeps!

Well, today was the day to face the music at the scale and it was ugly to say the least but thank goodness it is over & behind me now. I am up 3.6#, actually wasn't as bad as I had predicted because I was truly expecting about 5# gain. It seems that everyone at my meeting had a gain today so I don't feel so bad. My dad stayed the same & my sister gained 4.8# There was a lady sitting in front of us who gained 12.2# in the last 3 weeks. I think to myself, if I gained back 12+ # I would be so angry at myself but god bless her, she was a trooper & took her lumps too like the rest of us. Its good to know that we are not alone in this journey & having all this support of you all and my WW group I believe has been part of the key to my success. I do think you have to have determination & perseverance too when losing weight because along with the good will come the not so good weeks too & we have to learn to deal with that.

So its a new day, a new week and almost a new month! I love a fresh start & that feeling of wiping the slate clean. So tomorrow, I am going to plan my meals for the week & I bought an awesome new crock pot cookbook that I am going to put to use. I think if I have supper ready when I get home, I wont be so impulsive & start picking. I try to eat a snack on the way home so I'm not ravenous but lately, that hasn't helped much. The recipes in this cookbook look good & its called "Fix it & forget it". My kind of cookin! :)

OK girls, so I want to hear your opinion on this. Today, our regular WW leader Pam was out sick with the flu so we had a different leader, who just so happens to be named Sherry. :) She has lost over 200# with WW & has kept it off for 10 yrs. Pretty impressive & shes a very good WW leader. Today she was asking us what kind of things stress us out over the holidays & asked us to chime in. Well, you all know what I said..."Parties"! So she asked me how I planned to deal with my upcoming holiday parties & I told her that they all fall on Friday nights (day before weigh in) and that I have given up attending many parties in the past because I just want to stay on the straight & narrow but these Christmas parties, I don't want to seem anti social by not attending.To be completely honest. I could care less if I go to any of them or not but as I said, I don't want to be the party pooper so I am going. Anyways, I told her that my plan for this upcoming week is to weigh in on Friday morning & sit in on Saturdays meeting & not weigh in that day. I feel that I can at least go to the party & enjoy myself a bit & not worry what the scale says in the morning. I don't plan to allow myself to throw it all to the wind, but I do want to enjoy a few appetizers & perhaps a libation. She pulled me aside afterward & said that she would suggest NOT weighing in on Friday but to weigh in on Saturday as usual. She said that I will feel better by doing that, but you know what? I really don't think that will make me feel any better! I understand why she said what she did, that I can stay in control at the party, but I feel like I will have less stress on me doing it this way. Do you girls think that I am wrong to do that? Coming off of a week where I gained, I just don't want to chance having another gain. I think it would throw me over the edge. Your feedback girls....what do you think?

Well, that was my day. I did walk with my sister at the track for 3 miles & that felt good. I wish the weather would stay nice so we could continue to walk but I know the inevitable is coming & this week its supposed to get cold again. It was 60 & sunny today. I love a crisp & sunny fall day!

On a fun side note, just have to share this. Its definitely a girl thing. The other day, I was at work and they rolled a pt into the recovery room who had just had general anesthesia. I took him as my pt & as I was starting to hook up all the monitors again, I went to hook up his EKG leads (there are 3 of them, one on the right & left shoulders & the other at the side by the left ribs) and I went to hook up the lead by the ribs & OMG almost fell over because he had the nicest chest & abs I have seen in a long time!!He was  RIPPED!!! He was 46 yrs old but had the body of a 22 yr old! I gotta tell you, I enjoyed every minute taking care of such nice "eye candy"! Nothing dirty or anything like that...just some amazing biceps, abs & chest . I don't get to see that at home & rarely get to see it at work so it was a treat to see. Oh, do I sound bad saying that??? Why, yes, yes I do, don't I?! lol. I do love my job!! :)

Have a great weekend my dear friends!

Hugs to all!
Sherri

Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Friday.....

Good morning girls!

 Black Friday...one word...UGGH!! I am not a Black Friday kind of girl & there really is nothing that would ever drag me out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to deal with crowds of rude people just to get something that they have maybe 6 of in stock. No thank you! I think I did Black Friday shopping once in my life & I vowed never again. To all my Black Friday peeps who did go shopping..Kudos to you! I give you all so much credit for being so patient & tolerant. My husband left at 7am this morning to go & buy my Christmas gift. I want a camera from Sam's club but I don't think that's what he is going to buy today. He said he is going to be gone a while. I said how long?? He said 5-6 hrs. I said "You're going to Pittsburgh, aren't you?" He said no. I said "Buffalo?" He said "no, and you are very nosey" (lol...yes I am!) I said "Cleveland"? He said "yes". So I think he is going there to buy me a "Goldendoodle" dog. Our neighbors have one and I gotta tell you, she is the most adorable dog (outside of my handsome boy of course (my dog Toby)) I have ever seen! I want to put her in my car & take her home!! (lol, I wouldn't do that...just sayin) He knows how crazy I am about this dog & he has been itchin for me to give the OK for him to get another dog. This is my prediction. I know my hubby pretty well & I hope he wouldn't be stupid enough to drive to Cleveland to pick up a camera. It would be cheaper to ship it than drive there to get it.

So on to the weight issue. (HEAVY SIGH) I'm still up, about 5# according to my scale. I'm am sick with disgust! I walked for almost 3 miles yesterday with my sister & was in total control of my eating too. I took my food scale & measuring spoons & weighed & measured everything that I put in my mouth & I took no seconds on anything. The food was absolutely scrumptious too! My mom is a fabulous cook & her turkey & stuffing & homemade gravy was  sooo sooo good! It always is! Didn't get chunky eatin carrot sticks & celery growing up. lol. I haven't weighed in at WW for 2 weeks & it has become a slippery slope that I must get off of! I am back on the straight & narrow but the damage is done so I will weigh in tomorrow morning as usual and take my "lumps" & move forward. No sense in wallowing in a pity party over it. I made some poor choices over the past 2 weeks and unfortunately, it has caught up with me. The part that bums me out is that I worked so hard to get into the 170s & now I am back in the 180s....not the high 180s, the low 180s, but still.....(sigh again) Its such a  battle...and one that I am going to have to deal with my entire life. Oh well, it is what it is....I'm done complaining/venting.....I'm moving on. Today is a brand new day and it is sunny & beautiful here in Pennsylvania so I am gonna get a nice 3 mile walk in and track my food intake closely like I was doing before. Back on the wagon......

I hope you all had a nice thanksgiving with your families! I have a wonderful family & am truly blessed! I count each of you among my blessings too so thank you for your support & friendship. It means the world to me!

Hugs to all~
Sherri

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Good morning! Sunday Nov 20, 2011

Hello friends!

Tell me, where has November gone? I feel like i have lost this month, weight loss wise & it is making me kinda sad. I feel like this past week was so challenging for me to stick to my WW plan & I am up a couple of pounds as a result. (sigh) My sisters and I went to a craft show in Cleveland, OH yesterday so I didn't get a chance to weigh in & go to my WW meeting, which I really missed. I love my friends there & the support I receive from my leader Pam & the receptionist Nancy. They are gems!! I am back on the wagon today after a very long week. I feel unfocused & I'm not sure why. I think its the upcoming  holidays. I am stressed out that just about every Friday in December, I have a Christmas party to go to. The stressful part is, I have my weigh in on Sat. mornings. This week I have to contend with thanksgiving, which because my sister, me & my dad are all following it, we are making it "ww friendly" so I'm not too worried about that. Next Fri (Dec 2nd) I have a Xmas party at our medical directors home which will be a food & drink fest I'm sure. I don't want to be anti social & not go but I don't want to eat all of that fattening food either. I am not working that day so I plan to weigh in at WW Friday am instead of my usual Saturday morning & I will just sit in on the meeting at my usual time. It will make going to the party more enjoyable for me as I know I am going to want to have a drink & perhaps a few appetizers. I think I am going to take a fruit tray as my contribution. Then I have another party on Dec 16th that is our formal work Christmas party. It is at a very nice hotel & is dinner & dancing so I plan to go to that & just not weigh in on Saturday morning, unless I can swing something with my boss where I can weigh in on Friday morning before coming to work. Can you believe that I am stressing so badly over all of this? Oy!! Starting in December, pretty much every day is booked by surgeons that we work with where they have lunch catered in. I have to say, I'm not too worried about that because I did just fine with it last year. I am just stressed about the parties more than anything. I don't want to allow December to go to the wayside with my weight loss efforts so I need to have a plan in place & ready to execute. What do you girls think? Any suggestions on a good way to handle all these festivities?? All feedback is appreciated!

So I had something really nice happen to me this week & I am going to share it with you. On Monday, I had to pick my daughter up from school for an orthodontist appt. When I went in to sign her out, the school secretary said to me that her daughter Elaina saw me at church the day before & said  "Boy Mrs Lojewski has lost a lot of weight!" . Totally made my day! Although I feel like I am at a standstill with my weight loss (my fault as I haven't been as focused) it is so wonderful to have positive feedback from people that they can see a difference. I would like to get into the 160s by the end of the year and although its not looking too promising at the moment, I know that come the new year I will be so much happier ringing in the new year almost 50# lighter. Its a great feeling & I never ever want to weigh over 200# again!!!

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!! Keep on keepin on!

Love & Hugs!
Sherri

Monday, November 14, 2011

Good morning! A quick Monday morning update!

Good morning dear friends!

Well, the open house is over, the house is picked up and clean (yay!) and I am happy to report that my weekend was very successful! I had a great turnout to my open house & I love to see my customers face to face (many times I just drop their orders off at their house as many of them are at work) so its a nice time to catch up with them. I have been so blessed to have such wonderful & loyal customers over the past 11 years & I always do my best to be an informed beauty consultant to provide them with not only the very best products that they can have within 24 hrs but a knowledgeable beauty consultant as well. I know that had I not went with my best friend to that makeover session when I was 21 & learned the basics of good skin care, I would not be aging very well into my 40s. I see alot of women where I work and am astounded sometimes to see many of them my age or younger who are frumpy with gray hair & have not taken care of their skin. Its so important to take good care of your skin, regardless of whether you wear makeup or not. I am all about the "daily maintenance" & am willing to expend the time & effort. Its sad to say but true, people treat you nicer when you are put together. I see it all the time. So OK, didn't mean to get on my "skincare soapbox". Its just something that I am passionate about... helping women to look & feel their very best!

So food wise, well its confession time, not a good weekend with the diet. I don't know what is happening to me lately. I feel like I am just getting lax in my resolve & have been swayed really easily to the dark side of sweets & things I really shouldn't be eating. But today is a new day and I am off to a good start so I am forgiving myself & moving onward. I got on the scale & no damage was done so its all OK.

Well girls, I have lots to do today so I better get off the computer. I have to take my youngest dtr to the orthodontist at 2:30 then off to get pretty at the beauty shop for a cut & color at 6pm. Thank goodness, this hair is getting outta control!!! I love the length now (almost at my shoulders & I can make a small pony tail which I haven't been able to do for over 2 yrs because the back has been shorter than the front for so long) but the hair in the eyes has gotta go!!!! I also need to make an eye appt. I am in extreme denial about my declining eyesight. Its not terrible, just noticeably not as sharp as it used to be. (sigh) Dag nabbit! I'm not a young pup anymore! (heavier sigh!)

Have a wonderful day & week!

Love & Hugs to all
Sherri

Friday, November 11, 2011

I have the "Bestest" Blogging Buds ever!!!

Good morning to all of you, my dear blogging friends!

I went back on my last post & re read all of your comments & I gotta tell you, it made me smile! I know I have said it a million times, but even though we have never met in person, I feel as if I have known you all, each of you, my entire life! I love & appreciate the support you all give, not only to me, but to each other. I feel like I have been on just about every diet known to man and it only took me 45 yrs to figure out that you not only have to have your "head in the game" & really "want" that weight loss more than anything, but you also need encouragement & support and you have all done that & sometimes so much more! So from the bottom of a very grateful heart, I want to thank each of you for your wisdom, encouragement and for being just a fantastic group of people! It takes me usually over an hour to read your posts & comment because of course I have to read everyone else's comments too! :) Sometimes, I don't have that much time to reply so I appreciate that you all don't "shun" me from the group when I am not able to comment. I do try to get to everyone's blogs & comment within 48hrs but sometimes, as you all know, life happens & it doesn't happen. So I just want you to know what a blessing you all are in my life! Thanks for being wonderful you!

I am having my big annual Mary Kay Holiday Open House this weekend so I have been busy cleaning & preparing for it. I have been with Mary Kay Cosmetics for over 11 years now, 8 of them were in a  management position which I retired from the beginning of this year so that I could focus on my weight loss goals. When I joined, I weighed 166 and over the years I became so focused on my business (which wasn't a bad thing because I earned 4 free cars as well as made a substantial amt of money doing it....and it was fun!) that I ballooned to 218.5# in March of 2010, my highest non pregnant weight. I was miserable & got to the point of depression & decided that I had to do something for me. It was a big decision to retire, but I have no regrets because I am about 10# away from being 166 again. Money buys choices, not happiness. I have zero regrets and the best part is, I still maintain my personal business and I have some of the most fabulous & loyal customers ever, so this is my once a year sale to thank them for their business, and believe me, they look forward to it! I usually start getting calls in Oct asking when it will be. So I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies as well as some salted peanut chew bars (taste like a payday bar...they are amazing!) and I just have a few other things to set up and I will be ready to roll. If you don't hear from me over the weekend, you will know why. Its gonna be pretty crazy but I love it!

I hope you all have a wonderful day today & a great weekend! We got snow last night & it is sticking! Uggh! Oh well, it is pretty to look at. Just gets a little old come January.

Love & Hugs to all of you!
Sherri

Monday, November 7, 2011

Good morning!!!

Good morning girls!

I am sure you are all scrathcing your heads saying to yourselves "OMG, Sherri is blogging today!" lol. Today is a day off from work but I have so much to do around the house it isnt funny! My husbands aunt died about 1 week ago (she was 85) and her daughters, Shirley (lives here in Erie), Patty (from Michigan) & Debbie who calls herself Jesse (okie dookie...whatever!) is from Wisconsin called the other night asking if they could stop for a visit. So you know what that means...I gotta scramble to clean the house & make something for dessert to entertain. My tendonitis is really acting up lately so its been hard to be on my feet alot which makes things more difficult. These darned feet of mine!!! I am going to make an apple pie (I make the yummiest apple crumb pie....just sayin! hee hee!) and I will put on a pot of decaf coffee & thats all she wrote. I need to dust & vacuum the downstairs which is a huge chore (why cant I have a cleaning lady again??? I had one for about a year a few years back & can I tell you, it was the best money I ever spent!). I really dont enjoy cleaning (who does, right?) but I do love a nice clean house ! I have a mandatory meeting at work tonight too at 6:30 pm so gotta run & do that too. Oy! No day off for me!!! Ok, do I sound like I am whining???  well yes, yes I am!!! hahaha!  Can you tell I have had my morning coffee? I am full of it today! hee hee!

So I am going to make this short & sweet. I hope you are all doing great & are having a skinny start to your week. I feel great today (outside of the feet) & the scale looked great this morning which started my week off on a good note. I am going to try to eat more whole foods & keep processed foods to a minimum. I really think that eating clean & exercise are the secrets to success for me. I always seem to have a good week when I eat well & move more.

Have a Happy Monday!!
Love & Hugs to you!

Sherri

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Nov 5, 2011~ Weigh in Day!

Hello friends!

Sorry to not have blogged in such a long time again. I tell you, my life feels like its just way too busy & when I get home, I am exhausted! I am an RN in the Recovery Room at an ambulatory surgery center & I LOVE my job but it is very physically demanding & at the end of an 8 hr day, I'm whooped! I worked in the Pre- Op unit yesterday (Fri) & can I just tell you, it was chaos!!! OMG!! No sitting down whatsoever & super busy! I did get to leave at 2:45 instead of 3:30pm which was a bonus but I went home & collapsed & my feet were in misery. (sigh) I'm not a "young pup" anymore .

I don't think that I have posted in over a week (I know, I know, I'm sorry!!!) & last Sat at weigh in I had a small gain of .6. It wasn't justified as I had a great week & I even exercised. The best part was, I didn't get mad or discouraged. I just took the "hit" & moved forward & I am happy to report that this week, I lost 1.4# & am at my lowest weight yet of 176.6!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am 26.4# away from goal!!!! Can you believe it???!! I am so excited to see that there is a pot of gold waiting for me at the end of the rainbow! My size 14 Levis that I bought at a consignment store a couple of weeks ago are getting looser on me and I cant wait to go out & buy a pr of size 12s. Now THAT girls is gonna be a day when I will be doing the "happy dance"! My sister got back from France on Tues of this week & she LOST 3.8#!!!! Isn't that awesome?! She is in a new decade of weight & she is looking so good! I am so proud of her & so excited for her too. I think it really gave her the boost she needed to get started losing again. She said they did very little snacking between meals & did alot of walking. She said the people in France are thin & they don't eat junk food. I think that all the processed food we have access to in the states is one of the biggest problems that America has. All that crap not only makes us feel like crap but it makes us look like crap! Good things in = good things out! I am going to try to eat more whole foods this week & exercise more & see what happens. I have given mys sister almost all of my 1x clothes that don't fit and I just gave her a leather coat that is too big for me to wear now. I had a smaller leather that I bought (on sale)  but was never able to wear because it was too tight but now, it fits like a glove! I feel so wonderful! Anybody who says they are happy being fat is a BIG FAT LIAR because there is NO BETTER FEELING than the feeling of losing weight. We took a 2 1/2 mile walk at the local High school track tonite as it was a sunny beautiful crisp fall day,. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as nice & even warmer so I plan to walk some more. Rose is going to jazzercise at 7:30 am. We have church at 10am & I just wouldn't have the time to shower & be ready in time so I am not going.

I ordered the Natures Hollow preserves in Raspberry & Mountain Berry as well as some of the coconut flour too. I cant wait til they arrive, especially the jam.

Well, that's all that's been happening with me. I am going to try to catch up with the blogs over the weekend to get myself back in the loop.

Miss you all & hope you are having a great skinny day!!!!

Hugs to all~
((Sherri))