Third Week

Hey! The 2 weeks did go by fast...of course! I have to say - my workout goal has definitely been being meet for the past 2 weeks. I have a giant white board calendar in my closet and I mark down when I work out...gives me a good visual to keep motivated. I've only missed 4 days in the last 2 weeks of working out! Diet, again, hasn't been awesome. I've definitely been more mindful and have tried to eat more salads...I need to buckle down this last week. It is SO hard, though, when I'm trying to catch up on my social life, you know?? Every time you meet up with someone, going out to eat is always involved. Blah! I'm really going to try hard this week though.

I have been feeling better but the weight gain is really frustrating. No more weighing myself. What is your weekend like? Any time to chat?? Maybe tomorrow? Super sorry to bug you about this, but if you do happen to talk with Tony about that weekend he's gone in july next year, could you let me know? We're going to try and book something by Sunday maybe! Well - have a wonderful day tomorrow if I don't talk to you....glad you got your second wind! Have you been feeling better overall? Congrats on the 3 lb weight loss too!!!
Love you and miss you!!!

We have two weeks behind us...one week to go!

I just looked back to check how long we have been at this...we started June 30 so we are two weeks in and starting our third week today!! We got this! Lets push a little harder each day to chose better food choices and make sure we get a good amount of workout in! I would love to talk to you before Thursday if we can, but if we can't get each other I will for sure call next Wednesday so we can look ahead to our next three weeks:) Good Luck!!

Remember, One day at a time!!:)

Sorry to hear about your the one pound that showed up on the scale. How are you feeling? Are you feeling good about yourself? Energetic? I hope you are feeling the effects of working out and eating better. You are right. Maybe you should not weigh yourself. Maybe only once every three weeks or once a month? Are you still feeling motivated? I had a hard time for a few days in a row, but I am feeling like I got a second wind. Maybe because I am turning 30 and I am thinking its a good goal to have to get this weight off. I decided to get really serious about my diet. I am going to cut out all sugar and all bad carbs (only a few (3-4) servings of whole grain carbs per day). I have been doing it for 7 days and I have lost 3 pounds so far. I have 18 pounds to go! I could lose 10-12 more before my birthday. That would be awesome. I just want to fit into the clothes I have in my closet! That is my real goal! I hope you have a great day! Just stick with it! It will be worth it in the end! Lets have a long conversation after our three weeks is up (is that coming up soon?) and we can reevaluate our plans going forward!! You can do it!!!! Love ya!!

Grrrrr

I need to stop weighing myself. According to my scale, I have gained another pound. This is crazy!!! I've been doing great with working out consistently....eating isn't awesome, but I don't think it's any worse than what I've done in the past. And I definitely feel better - I feel like my body is getting more toned from the workouts. How can I have gained like 3 pounds???? Ok - I'm frustrated but not totally unmotivated. I think that I will stop weighing myself and just stick to the workouts. Just so annoying!!

The trouble is not that we are never happy - it is that happiness is so episodal. - Ruth Benedict

Happiness is our birthright. The decision to be happy is ours to make, every day, when confronted with any experience. Too many of us grew up believing that life needed to be a certain way for us to be happy. We looked for the right lover, the right job, the right dress. We looked outside of ourselves for the key to happiness. In time, we even looked to alcohol, drugs, food perhaps - to no avail.

Happiness lies within. We must encourage it to spring forth. But first we need to believe that happiness is fully within our power. We must trust that the most difficult circumstances won't keep it from us when we have learned to tap the source within.

Life is a gift we are granted moment by moment. Let us be in awe of the wonder of it, then revel in it. We can marvel at creation for a moment and realize how special we are to be participants. Happiness will overcome us if we let it. We can best show our gratitude for the wonder of this gift by smiling within and without.

That I am here is a wonderful mystery to which joy is the natural response. It is no accident that I am here.

Ooh! I like this one. I'm going to flag it and read it often :) Have a wonderful day!!!

Welcome Back!

Hey! I got your voicemail last night - excellent job on having such a great day!! My day was great, too. I did a really good workout in the morning and ate well throughout the day. I did have pizza for dinner, but only had a few slices and it was veggie (spinach, onion, olive) so that's better than meat. How have you been feeling emotionally?? Have you been feeling better or not as hard on yourself if you don't have a 'perfect' day?? I'm finding that I am - not totally there yet but am getting there. I weighed myself today and I've gained about a pound and a half. Very frustrating and crazy because I really do feel better and feel that my legs are getting more toned. Just have to remember to stick to it...I'm doing this to be healthier and weight shouldn't matter :) OK - here's the devotional today...have you gotten your book yet, by the way??

"Of course, fortune has its part in human affairs, but conduct is really much more important." - Jeanne Detourbey

It's not infrequent that we are faced with a dilemma; what is the best action to take in a certain situation? We can be guided, rightly, in every situation if we but turn inward and let our conscience direct our behavior. We have often heard it said at meetings that when we long for a message from God we will hear it, either through our conscience or in the words of our friends. Thus we can never really be in doubt; our conduct can always be above reproach if we but listen.

Right behavior leads to fortunate opportunities for those who look for them. Behavior that we're proud of seems to attract blessings in our lives. One's good fortune is really God-given and in proportion to one's willingness to act well toward others in all situations.

Simply, what goes around, comes around. Our behavior comes back to us, manyfold. In our encounters with others today, we'll have numerous occasions to decide about the best behavior for the particular circumstance. We must not forget that our behavior elicits the responses we receive.

I will invite blessings today. I will also shower blessings on my friends.

I'm baaaaack!!

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted!! It has been a crazy week. I too, have not lost any weight, but I am happy to say I haven't gained any either:) I didn't eat great. I have had a great day today so far. Coffee and fruit for breakfast. Fresh bread, almonds, and an apple for lunch. We are going out to eat tonight and I will get a salad:) I hope you are having a great day! Did you work out yet? I will plan on doing that yoga/pilates video tonight! Thanks again for posting the meditation. They are so great and so helpful!!

Lets talk soon! Do you have time tomorrow??

Friday

I LOVE the meditation for today, particularly the last paragraph and daily thought. I don't know when I'm planning to work out today - I will be running around trying to find a wedding venue. I will, however, be much more in control of food choices so that will be good. I'm finding myself a little bit frustrated today. I've been doing great working out consistently, but haven't lost any weight at all. This is what happened last time too. It's only been a week...just frustrating. I need to get over it and keep thinking about how good the exercise is for me. Stupid slow metabolism! Hope you have a great day - here is the meditation:

"Women like to sit down with trouble as if it were knitting." - Ellen Glasgow

How often we turn minor challenges into monumental barriers by giving them undue attention, forgetting that within any problem lies its solution! However, the center of our focus must be off the problem's tangle if we are to find the solution's thread. The best remedy for this dilemma is the Serenity Prayer.

We cannot change our children, our husbands or partners, not even the best friends who we know love us. But with God's help we can change the attitude that has us blocked at this time. A changed attitude, easing up on ourselves, lessening our expectations of others, will open the door to the kind of relationships we seek, the smooth flowing days we long for.

**We need not take life so seriously. If fact, we shouldn't take it so seriously. We can measure our emotional health by how heartily we laugh with others and at ourselves. The 24 hours stretching before us at this time promises many choices in attitude. We can worry, be mad, depressed or frustrated, or we can trust our higher power to see us through whatever the situation. So, we can relax. It is our decision, the one decision over which we are not powerless.

I will be in control of my attitude today. I can have the kind of day I long for.

Thursday

Meditation

...that is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all our life, but in a new way. - Doris Lessing

As we are changed by our experiences, that which we know also changes. Our experiences foster growth and enlightenment, and all awarenesses give way to new understandings. We are forever students of life blessed with particular lessons designed only for us. There is joy in knowing that learning has no end and that each day offers us a chance to move closer to becoming the persons we are meant to be.

To understand something more deeply requires that we be open to the ideas of others, willing to part with our present opinions. The program offers us many opportunities to trade in the understandings we've outgrown. Throughout our recovery we have discovered new interpretations of old ideas. And we will continue to expand our understanding. Every situation, every person, every feeling, every idea has a slightly different hue each time we encounter it. The wonder of this is that life is forever enriched, forever fresh.

Each moment offers me a chance to know better who I am and to understand more fully the real contribution that is mine to make in this life. I will let the anticipation of my changing ideas excite me.

I feel good today! Started off with a good workout (more jillian, of course!). I'm going to Summerfest in Milwaukee today to watch Lying Delilah play so eating may be tough....but I'm going to try to make good choices!

Talk to you soon!! Have a wonderful day!!

Tuesday

Ha!
I almost didn't make it today. Same deal with the food...moderation but not the greatest. So I was sitting on my bum watching a movie at around 8:45 p.m. and decided to turn it off and exercise. I have no idea why I got motivated, but I did! Did that yoga/pilates workout on netflix you told me about. Yea!! Hope that you're doing well and are having a good visit at Tony's parents' house. It's always WAY harder to eat well and exercise when you're away from home and visiting people so don't get frustrated if you've had a few 'off' days!! You can get right back on the horse when you get home! Talk to you soon!

Meditation

July 4th

One doesn't recognize in one's life the really important moments - not until it's too late. - Agatha Christie

Every moment is special and offers us an opportunity - to let an experience change us in an important way, to invite another person into our life, to nurture the growing, changing woman within. Life's events move so rapidly we seldom relish the moments individually, but each day teems with tiny gifts divinely designed for our well-being. The woman smiled at in the grocery store yesterday or the man acknowledged on the bus last week felt special. And we were softened, too, by our expression.

We change, and we change our world when we acknowledge one another's presence in it. The wonderful reality is that we are in another's world because of the special qualities we each have and are able to share with one another.

For many of us, in times past, no moment felt important. The days were simply long and painful. But now, we can relish even the past pain for what it taught us. We know now that we can look to this day before us with expectation. We can be conscious of every moment, thankful for every experience and every person we encounter.

In this inner game of life, I share the court, and I will have my turn to serve. To really live, I must participate fully.

Monday

Hey Ang!
Hope you had a wonderful day. I actually DID sneak in a workout...kind of! Andy and I decided to play 9 holes of golf so we walked the course. Again - definitely not a real workout, but I did get some quality walking in and dragged my bag around. So tomorrow I'm planning to work out first thing in the morning - will likely do Jillian and another 20 minutes of cardio. Today was a pretty decent eating day - same as previously this week - not excellent food, but definitely in moderation. Tomorrow will be tough - my mom always makes really really good food (we are going to a BBQ at the parents' house). I will write again tomorrow morning - keep up the awesome work!!! It's only been about 4 days since we've started this, and I'm feeling better about working out more already!

Sunday

"No one can build (her) security upon the nobleness of another person." - Willa Cather

Where do we look for our security? Do we look to our husbands or our lovers? Do we look to a parent or our children? Perhaps we seek our security in our jobs. But none of these avenues brings lasting contentment, as we've each probably discovered, just as pills, alcohol, or maybe food failed to give us lasting security.

Security of the spirit is with us from our birth. It's just that we haven't tapped into the source. Perhaps we don't even know the source, but it's been with us always, awaiting our realization of it.

No step do we ever take alone. Each breath we take is in partnership with the eternal source of strength and security within us. We have the choice to accept this partnership any time. And this guarantee of security in all things at all times is the gift of freedom.

Our desire for security is God-given. The security we desire is also given by God to us. We are secure today and every day.

"Each step I take is in concert with my higher power. I need experience nothing alone. I can breathe in and tap the plentiful source of strength awaiting me, now."

I LOVE this one!! I'm going to flag it for whenever I'm feeling poopy and unmotivated. Have a great day!!!

Saturday

Well I haven't worked out yet....my morning errands took WAY longer than I thought. I did have a very healthy breakfast, though - an omelet with all fresh vegetables at that organic restaurant down the street. SO good!! I'm letting my food digest and am then planning to do some Jillian - maybe a bike ride but it is very hot. Hope you're having a good day - have fun at the zoo and shopping!!

Here is the meditation for the day:
"Humor is such a strong weapon, such a strong answer. Women have to make jokes about themselves, laugh about themselves, because they have nothing to lose." - Agnes Varda

Laughter can cure a physical condition; it can and will positively affect an emotional illness as well. Laughter ushers in a new perspective which gives vent to a changed attitude. And our attitude toward any situation, any individual, is all-powerful.

A negative, critical attitude toward our financial situation, toward our disease, toward our boss, or spouse, or children (or our own body/health!!!), determines how we feel moment by moment. In like manner, when we raise our sights, look at the world with lightness in our hearts, expecting to enjoy the day, the people, the activity, we'll succeed.

Finding humor in a situation, any situation, prevents us from succumbing to feelings of powerlessness. Feelings powerless, behaving as victims, came easily for many of us before we chose this program. Choosing a humorous response, opting to laugh at our situation, at any point in time, keeps our personal power where it belongs - with ourselves.

"My emotional health depends on my active involvement in deciding who I am, right now. Deciding to chuckle rather than snarl will give me an unexpected emotional boost."

Its gonna be a good day!

Hi there! What a crazy story from last night. That has happened to us before (a guy asking for gas who says his family is stuck in the car) and they only want money. People have done that if they say they are hungry and want food they only want money when we ask if we can take them to a grocery store or a restaurant! Its hard when you want to truly help people, but you don't know who to trust!

Anywho, I think its going to be a good day:) I am up now at 6:50am. Not working out yet because tony is asleep downstairs and I would wake him up. As soon as he and Steve get up I will get my workout it.

I hope you have a great day!!!!

Day 2

What a night I had!! Totally got stuck in a crazy hail storm. I guarantee that there are dents all over my car! So, this older man flagged me down at my exit, asking for money because his car was out of gas, he had his family in there, etc....it was horrible weather. So I gave him the cash I had...it was only $6 and he acted super upset because he needed $12 for a gas can. As I was driving down my street, I thought that I should help out more because the weather was SOOOO bad - the hail had stopped, but it was still lightly raining and there was lightning hitting everywhere. I went to the gas station, bought a gas can, filled in up with 2 gallons of gas, and went back to give it to the guy. So as I'm driving back to him, it starts POURING and hailing horribly again. I get over to him and he's parked in a different area. When I gave him the gas can, he was like, "I still need more money!!!". I told him that I just thought he needed gas, and he mumbled thanks, but said that he lived on the west side and that he needed more! Unbelievable!!!!!! Then he ran off with $30 of gas to another car to try and get more money. Can you believe that??? I try to be helpful in the middle of a horrible storm and he's just looking for money, not actually gas!!!

GRRRRR...that is something that is NOT going to be in my grateful journal tonight :) SO...for tomorrow. My daily plan is to do my more intense workout tomorrow around 9:00. I'm going to do Jillian and then that yoga/pilates video. Thanks for the suggestion - I'm excited to try it!! Have a wonderful day tomorrow and enjoy your morning workout as well. I'll talk to you tomorrow!!

Great Job!

Nice job getting up and getting to it!! I, too, got up early this morning....a little too early. Tony and I couldn't sleep becuase our room was sooo hot (no airconditioning). We woke at 4am...I tried to sleep on the couch a little but just couldn't. I ended up working out at around 7:00 and it felt awesome! I also did my 1 min. run. That was nice because I totally set myself up for sucess on that:) Thanks for sharing the devotional. That was just what we need to hear! I read a devotional that was about, as quoted in the bible, if God takes care of the lily's in the field and the birds in the air, how much more than does he take care of us! It was a pretty good message for the day as well. I hope to have a good eating day. Thats the real challange. For breakfast I had 2 slices of my homemade wheat bread, toasted, with peanut butter. I also had coffee with creamer. Lunch I hope to do a salad with turkey and an apple. Not sure about dinner yet...what are your eating plans?

9:12 a.m.

Just finished my Jillian workout - it was VERY HARD getting out of bed to do it, but I did it! One day at a time :) I'm planning to take a 15-20 minute walk later on today to finish off my cardio. I read my little devotional today, too, and wanted to share it with you!

June 29
I am convinced, the longer I live, that life and its blessings are not so entirely unjustly distributed (as) when we are suffering greatly we are so incline to suppose. - Mary Todd Lincoln

Self-pity is a parasite that feeds on itself. Many of us are inclined toward self-pity, not allowing for the balance of life's natural tragedies. We will face good and bad times - and they will pass.
With certainty they will pass.

The attitude 'why me?' hints at the little compassion we generally feel for others' suffering. Our empathy with others, even our awareness of their suffering, is generally minimal. We are much too involved in our own. Were we less self-centered, we'd see that blessings and tragedies visit us all, in equal amounts. some people respond to their blessings with equanimity, and they quietly remove the sting from their tragedies. We can learn to do both.

Recovery is learning new responses, feeling and behaving in healthier ways. We need not get caught by self-pity. We can always feel it coming on. And we can let it go.

Daily meditation: Self-pity may beckon today. Fortunately, I have learned I have other choices.

Hope you're having a great day so far! I'm going to text you in a minute. Let's re group tonight to come up with our tomorrow plan :)

One Day at a Time!!!

My Plan tomorrow:

• Meditation/Devotional in the morning when I wake up.
• Work out at 6:15am to a cardio video on Netflix
• Eating: Coffee in the morning, 3 (approx. 300 cal) meals, 2 (100) cal. snacks.
• Text Nic. in the evening
• Grateful journal entry

I hope you have a great day!! Looking forward to chatting:)

~Ang

Daily Plan

Nico: 8:30 - 20 minutes Jillian, 20 minutes cardio
Ang: 6:15 - 20 minutes video; 1 minute run on the treadmill

Will start the day off with meditation/daily reflection or prayer

Will end each day, listing 5 things in grateful journal

Good luck!!!! We can do it!!!!