2 Year Blogiversary!

I almost missed it, but my blogiversary was on Tuesday. Two years ago, I decided to dive into the banded blogosphere and see what there was to see. I never dreamed it would be filled with so many wonderful people and that I would make so many great friends. Let's see what I had to say that very first post:

" When I got my band three years ago, there weren't very many people blogging about it. Now it seems there are tons! That's pretty cool.

I decided to join in because I just don't have a lot of people around me who 'get it,' so this is my place to let it all out.

My band has sort of been a secret, well a half-assed secret. People I work with know, most of my family knows, but only a select few outside that group. So, if you found me here, then I guess the cat's out of the bag. It's a bit of a relief actually. You see, I'm about to really start getting down to business losing the rest of this weight, and it would be nice to not have to make excuses for why I got full after just a few bites (because that's kind of weird for someone my size, isn't it?).

I'm also here for accountability. If it's out there, and someone's reading it, it's going to help me follow through. 

Here's to new adventures in weight loss and exercise!"

It's good to review that post and remind myself why I started this in the first place. I need to keep fighting the good fight! 

Denial. It ain't just a river in Egypt.

I am too tight. There, I said it. I have been fighting heartburn all the time, swigging pepto before I go to bed. I just had a little reflux now and I'm sitting up! It's ridiculous. I'm always the first to say not to f with your band, and here I am doing it. I have barely been able to eat a damn thing the last two weeks, and I know in the back of my head I was secretly trying to starve myself below 200 (cuz I'm so close, dang it!). BUT, It's not worth ruining my esophagus over. It's just not. Yesterday, I tried to eat ham and fruit for dinner and I barely managed two bites of ham and one strawberry. Then, you know what went right down? My sister's peanut butter trifle and fudge. At least the fudge was from a weight watchers recipe. Ha. I need an unfill. Pronto.

Maybe that is why I have been a little quiet here. You know that's how it goes. Things start going poorly, you're not losing, you're not feeling well, and blogging goes out the window. That's why I'm sharing this with you. It's not fun and it's not right to wake up in the middle of the night with your throat burning from acid. And with a band, we need to take extra care of our digestive tracts! You've only got one!

Okay, off my soapbox. Bottom line: Don't f with your band and heartburn!

March Wrap-Up and Happy Easter!

Good Sunday Morning and Happy Easter to everyone! I know posting on the weekend is like posting into the void, but I just need to get this out there!

Health

1. Get to Goal Weight: 170lbs - I saw 201.7 this month! I'm getting there!
2. Give paleo-style eating an honest month (at least) of effort - Done with WW for now. My friend at work has convinced me to do a Whole30 challenge with her, so I figure that will count as my paleo month. More to come on that.
3. Set monthly exercise goals and track consistently (and blog it!). I set a goal for 10 workouts in March. I probably managed 4. Oops.
4. Find fitness events to stay motivated to exercise. - I've narrowed down my next choices. It's looking like a trail run-walk in June.
5. Take supplements daily. - Started drinking Trader Joe's Very Green supp and also their Omega 3 Sea Gummies.

Overall: 3/5. Yay me! 

Home

1. Paint and install old headboard. - Now that it's warm out, I may manage to do this in my own backyard. We shall see...
2. Follow the 2012 Organize in 5 Daily Diary. - OMG. Haven't touched this since January!
3. Find a space in the basement to organize crafty items/tools. - Mom2mom sale done! Two less bins of stuff came home and I made $160!
4. Carve out a little office niche somewhere in the house. - See previous.

Overall: Meh. But getting that mom2mom done was a great start.

Work

1. Finish Service Excellence Certification - I think I'm finally done with my classes. Just need to submit my transcript.
2. Do monthly or semi monthly staff morale projects. - Saved by my boss. We did a department wide recognition thing at our townhall. I guess this counts.

Overall: Good stuff!

Plans for April: 

Workout plans: Yoga on Mondays/Thursday and Pilates on Wednesday. Aim to get at least 3 walks in with the kids each week depending on weather. My sister and I may do another mom2mom or we may have a garage sale at her house. Either way, planning is in order! I also need to blog blog blog. Goal is ten posts for April.

Hope you all are having a wonderful day with family and friends. We're about to head out to the farm for an egg hunt and dinner.  

Bullets: Reflux! And things on my mind.

• Period tightness strikes again! I had my first bout of actual reflux last night. Not just heartburn (which I very rarely get post-banding), but actual woke-up-choking-with-my-throat-on-fire reflux. Yuck. At least I know Aunt Flo is looming, and I'm always tighter right before. I'm sticking to liquids and mushies today just to make sure I don't irritate my stomach. Don't worry, if it keeps happening, I promise to go for an unfill!
  
  
• This morning we had a full staff meeting, and I had to talk in front of everyone (about 60 people) twice. I've never really had a hard time with public speaking, but I kept thinking of how nice it was not to obsess about how fat I might look. In fact, my pants are even a little too big! I guess I should have been worried about them falling off me in front of the crowd instead! JK, they're not that big.
  
  
• Lately I've come across before/after pics (none from the blogs here) of banded people who have lost around 100lbs and the differences between the people who really embrace exercise and those who don't is absolutely incredible. I know I need to start hitting the weights more, because I don't want to end up skinny and flabby! That was certainly not the point of all this! I need a plan and I need to stick to it. 
  
  
• Yesterday I was in class all day, so I had my trusty 32 oz of unsweetened iced tea to get me through it. Bad me, I was sipping through a straw and all that did for me was make me gurgle all day. Damn near constantly. Talk about embarrassing!

Oh my poor neglected blog...

It's horrible isn't it? And with the weather getting nicer, I'm afraid it could get a lot worse. I've noticed a few others out there recommitting to blogging in order to help get back and track. Perhaps that is what I need to? I am happy to say that I am back down to my stickiest low of 203. I was up as high as 210 at one point. Of course, that is when I decided to go shopping, so now the three pairs of pants I bought that day are too big (good problem?).

I've also not been reading much, so I want to send a big heartfelt thanks to anyone still reading and commenting here. You guys are the bestest, and I promise to reciprocate.

The truth is, I am not really committed to anything right now. I'm still doing WW with hubs, but I haven't been very good about logging my food for the past two weeks. I do have a good fill, so there's that. Every time one of my kids get sick, it throws me off my exercise routine, and it is so hard to get back on that horse. I have one more personal training session I need to use before the end of this month. Hopefully that will help me get going again.

I'm taking the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Signature Series class right now, and one of the topics today was a personal mission statement. Our assignment is to draft one, and I'm thinking I need to include something about my health and my weight; something to guide my actions towards that goal. There was a lot to think about, that's for sure.

Anyway, as usual, it's time to pick up the kiddos. Ta for now!