Okay, what a crazy time it's been.  My 102-year-old grandmother died, with ensuing drama.  My husband resigned from his job (to take another job, no move required).  My daughter got a stomach virus and spent last night throwing up.  My son participated in a Science Fair that required my attendance at 8 a.m. on a Saturday, which is wrong on so many levels.

So, I haven't been here to report my food intake.

Here's what I ate today:

Oatmeal, Craisins, Splenda and cinnamon.
Reduced fat Triscuits.
Ak-Mak crackers.
(Hey, look, I'm all about complex carbs today.)
Turkey breast, lettuce on a whole-wheat wrap.

And now it's dinner-time.  I'm going to have salad with tuna, I think.  Tonight I plan on eating more strawberries and maybe popcorn, too. 

The scale today said 175.8, which was glorious, indeed.  And yesterday I managed to get out for a 3.5 mile walk, so my buns of not-steel are feeling twinges of muscle-pain today.

And, I just hired a housekeeper to come in once a week to help me.  I am drowning in my own life.

Comments

[jane]

Oh, I am sorry about your grandmother. Didn't you just go to visit her? Congratulations on the housekeeper. That helps. Your food choice remain great.

Accountability report. Sunday, after a relatively good day, ended up eating a PB sandwich and a bowl of cereal for dinner. Don't ask. It could be worse. Today, a good day -- oatmeal for breakfast, salad with cottage cheese for lunch, snack of a 100-calorie pack of almonds, string cheese when I walked in the door after work, chicken, brocolli and fudgsicle for dinner. I went to the gym this morning and will go again tomorrow. I am finally, finally, getting on a roll again. Thank Mel and everyone else who inspires. I can't tell you how nice it is to think -- this actually can be done.

[mrs darling]

You hired a housekeeper? Good for you. I have had one bi weekly for a year and a half now. I just today hired her on a weekly basis. I cannot tutor 6 kids, tend with Tinks sensory problems, take care of a 4 month old baby, volunteer at Peters school, do my job as nursery director over 80 women, cook dinner every night for my pregnant daughters family and care for my husband, all at the same time without needing relief somewhere!

You are going to love your housekeeper. You'll never want to go back!

[Sandy McCann]

Nice to know that crazy lives rule since my edges in that direction a lot too. With a 94 y/o grandmother and hubby's year of decision coming up for tenure I feel like I am living on the edge a lot. I have a friend who I have 2x a month to help with house cleaning. She is a friend we had been helping with life needs anyway so when she started cleaning it was just a good way to keep helping her without it being a free ride (the way she wants it too.)

I have not got the zig zag dieting as formalized as I would like yet but I am trying to alternate days based on the "simple" version of it. I am also back to exercising (toning) after being away from it due to sickness then being out of town. Each day for the last few days I edge down to a new record low for me. Today 171.2. I am holding my breath about cracking the 170 barrier...it will be SO wierd moving in on a weight I have really not been since my late teens. Shhh, don't want to jinx myself! LOL!

[liz]

So sorry to hear about your grandmother...Prayers for you and your family during this time of loss.

Congrats on the scale victory! Do you weigh yourself every day? Or only once a week?

I know we're only supposed to do it once a week but I find that doing it daily keeps me more on track and focused. And (often, lately) inspired! The further down the numbers go, the easier it is for me to resist temptations.

[Janb]

It's been a little nuts here too. I just finished my newsletter that I publish for our district and sent them the proof and they wanted a complete re-write, so I spent 14 hours writing yesterday and reformatting.

I did pretty good eating, but it's still because of the pain. My walk has been good though, I actually ran four times during my walk. That's a first for me. I didn't bounce or flap nearly as much as I feared I might.

[Michelle]

Mel, so sorry about your grandma & ensuing drama always sucks. : (

I read your journal often, just don't comment much. Want to let you know that you inspire me though. Just had hernia surgery (was a large one) and have been ridded of a bulge that made me look pregnant. Now that it's gone, I'm motivated to lose weight.

Oh, and this week hubby is the housekeeper, lol. Dr. says I can't do any housework at all for 1 week...(no lifting for 4-6 weeks)

[Paige]

Hooray for you! You are still an inspiration to me! And a housekeeper, right on!