The Skinny on Weight

What is in a number?? Well this could be talking about a broad spectrum of things... but in this instance.. number meaning weight. Why do we put so much emphasis on that number? Most of the time the only ones who know it are the people who weigh us at the doctor's office and ourselves.

But for some reason that triple digit (not counting children or seriously malnourished adults) bother us. I can say "us" and speak for a majority of people. I read several people's weight loss blogs (they are very inspiring and are definitely worth a looksey) and numerous weight watcher lifetime members still are concerned with their weight. Whether it is just keeping an eye on it (weight watchers requires lifetime members to weigh once a month to prevent unconscious weight gain), people wanting to lose more to get to their goal, or there are those who are at a healthy weight and wish for the scale to go down just a few pounds more.

After losing 58 pounds, I am at a healthy weight. I have a BMI of 23% (which is good for a woman), which also means that I am within my normal weight range for my height (120-150) and I can wear a size 4. Well I might as well include my weight here also.. since I'm telling everything else. I now weigh 136. YIKES. That is hard to put out there. But its there now... for everyone to see. And why that number bothers me.. I do not know. You would think after all of this time.. I could say (or type) that number with pride. Yes I am proud of my accomplishment, but that number still seems high to me in my head when I say it out loud. My mother asked me two days ago how much I weighed now.. and even though its my mother and I know I am no where near being over weight, I was still hesitant to tell her. 

Now I am not saying that I want to weigh 105. Because that would be ridiculous. Some people can weigh 105 and look fine. But I do believe I would look sick.. or resemeble something of an ethiopian chicken. (ha!) But 128 wouldn't be so bad. And to be quite honest,.. it does sound better. 

I believe a lot of the issue is just a mind game. But for SO many people to also feel the same way makes me believe that it is something more than that. At the end of this blog I am going to attempt to post a link to another weight watcher's blog who is a male and also feels the same way that I do. If you have time.. read it.

I've also often wondered if one reason for me wanting to lose a LITTLE bit more... (8 pounds isn't that much in the grand scheme of things) is because of fear of gaining some back. I believe this does play at least a small role in me being unsatisfied with my current weight.

Another theory of mine.. and this is the one that I put my most faith in.. is that I had a lot of fun on my weight loss journey. Being able to go in there week after week and see the numbers going down.. seeing my hard work pay off, and my body change over time.. I wouldn't use the word addicting... but more like liberating. I showed myself that I COULD change and I was doing just that. Maybe I miss all of those days?

As you get smaller it becomes harder and harder to get the scale to budge,.. and maybe I see these last 8 lbs as a challenge for me to overcome.. just as I did the very first day that I attended weight watchers.

Who knows the real reason I feel this way. But at least I know that I am not alone. 

All that aside. I can only hope that my weight loss journey in turn.. helps someone else. If I can do it.. ANYONE can. You have to have the will and the want to do it for yourself! And you can make it happen!

 Check out David Kirchoff's blog the CEO of Weight Watchers International:

http://manmeetsscale.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-much-i-weigh-and-other-scary.html

triple tangent tuesday

Sooooo. I've seen a few people do this here and there... so I thought that I would give it a try. Triple Tangent Tuesday is where I tell you 3 random things about me... probably as the weeks progress.. I will help you realize just how normal YOU are compared to me! hahahah.

1. I love peanut butter. And by love.. I mean... I probably can't name any other food that I like more. Crunchy, creamy, chunky, honey,... whatever. It's all good. On a sandwich, just a spoon full (or two), or combined with chocolate.. whoever made this wonderful creation -- is the BEST.

2. People who only talk about themselves are the worst. THE WORST. From what they bought, saw, what their going to wear, or did wear, their trips, their kids, their money, jobs, pay, vehicles, their hair, their LIFE,... we get it. Ask about the other person every once in a while. No one likes a bragger.

3. And YES,.. I am going to a Britney Spear's concert in a little over 2 weeks. She's gone a little crazy from time to time,.. but hey haven't we all? :)

back to blogging

Sooooo. It's been a while since my last blog. Hank has been working out of town for the past couple of weeks.. and for the last two weeks he has kidnapped our computer and taken it to Louisiana with him. I could blog on my phone... but wow what a pain that would be. So hopefully I can keep him from snagging our computer at least for this upcoming week and be able to write a few blogs!

The last few weeks have been crazy anyway. My older sister Kandi and her husband Matt have recently purchased a damaged house. And when I say damaged,.. I mean... the only thing that pretty much doesn't have to be replaced is the brick and the sinks. No really. The whole roof was blown off during a tornado that hit it about 3 months ago. There was hardly any of the roof left, so they were unable to even put a tarp on it to keep the rain from damaging the inside. Because of that,... every time it rains the inside of the house gets worse and worse. 

They were able to close on the house 2 weeks ago.. and I have almost spent every day of the last 2 weeks helping to tear out wooden floors, sheetrock, insulation,... you name it! So I guess I didn't really have that much time to blog anyways. 

This past Wednesday the roofers began building the roof back and getting felt and things like that put on so that they will be ready for the shingles to be installed. They have made a lot of progress in the last 3 days but there is still a lot of work to be done! 

I'm sure I will be at their house (only a mile away from my parents house) some this week helping but I promise to try to get a few blogs in. I've actually really missed it. :( 

On a side note... we still haven't had any progress with our easement to our house. We are hoping to have things settled this coming week and maybe "break ground" the following week. Everyone keep your fingers crossed though!

internet shopper

Internet shopping is the best. Hands down. No lines, no buggies, no rude sales associates. It's awesome. Awesome, but addicting. 

In the previous week I have made online purchases from several stores.. and now all I have to do is wait for my items to arrive at my front door. Simple as that. A lot of stores have free shipping (sccooooorreee) which makes internet shopping even better! 

For those of you who have never made any online purchases,.. you don't know what you are missing. And I am being serious. Especially if you haven't bought any items off of ebay. It's sort of a little adrenaline rush to "bid" on an item.. and then keep watch to see if anyone has outbid you.. or how close the auction is to closing. Quite fun. :)

I guess the most appealing thing to me about internet shopping is being able to browse through a "store" without being bothered by anyone... no sales associates,.. no other shoppers. Just me and the computer. 

When the items are delivered in the mail,.. its almost like Christmas. Nothing like coming home to find a box waiting for me. (even though I already know what it is, hahah). Still.. internet shopping is the way to go!!!

 

once bitten

No one wants to be bitten by anything. okay.. maybe some people out there would like to be bitten by a vampire... (kinda weird) but that doesn't count because vampires aren't real. dogs and snakes are real.. and they do bite... and both tried to bite me today. 

When Ginny and I run outside in the mornings we have to pass a house that has a PACK of dogs. Yes, a pack. Five to be exact, and I'd say that is a pack. Four of the five do not bother me. But that still leaves just that one. I'm not even sure what kind of dog it is. It's medium in size... and a chestnut brown color. He is a very pretty dog, but wow is he aggressive. The first few days we passed by his owners house.. of course the dogs barked at us... but didn't "attack" or even get out of their yard. Ohhhh. But yesterday and today were different stories. This hostile dog decided that he would brave up a bit and start coming towards us. He got so close this morning I could have reached down and petted him. He barks and snaps the whole time.. me just waiting for him to take a chunk out of my leg. We both pick up sticks when we are nearing this particular house.. and keep them with us until we pass the house again on our way back. But I am afraid if and when I strike this dog in fear of it making contact with my leg, that it will become more aggressive and attack me even further. :( I'm also afraid that if he does bite.. that the others will join in while he has me at a stand still. I believe I am going to invest in some mace.. so the next time he tries to "scare me off" he will be sent back crying with stinging eyes. I don't want to hurt a dog... (i love animals, and even have the car tag to prove it.. baahhahahha) but I sure will if it's got to be me.. or him.

So. THEN.. this afternoon I went over to our land to water our flowers that are about to kill over. It has been a little while since Hank has cut the grass.. so its starting to become a little "fuzzy" as I like to call it. There are a lot of small bushes everywhere... well more like small oak trees.. I guess that is what they are. Anyways. As I took two steps off of Ginny & Kevin's well groomed land onto our over-grown land.. I happened to look down to see my foot about a foot away from a black snake... with his mouth open. Now he wasn't trying to strike at me... but its still pretty scary. Especially because he could have easily "gotten" me. I hollered for Kevin to come and kill it... but it slithered away and hid before it could meet it's demise. Hopefully it slid on into the woods and didn't bother anyone else today. 

So that's a "near" two bites for me today. I'm hoping for those numbers to decrease for tomorrow. Actually I don't know which would be the worse of the two. I am sure the bite of a dog would be more damaging to me physically... but the snake bite would probably be worse on me mentally. :( Good thing it all worked out! lol!