Day Zero Project: 100 Things I Like About Myself

Ugh... why did I pick this?    I really have a feeling that this will be the hardest thing on my Day Zero Project list, so I wanted to get started finished as one of my first goals.    Sad to say, listing 100 things I don't like about myself would be super easy, because I always focus on improving myself.    Anyway, I don't want to start negatively - one of the reasons I started this project to begin with was to improve myself, and my own outlook on myself. :)

Here we go.... 100 Things I Like About Myself

1. I am a hard worker.
2. I have an unconditional love for my family.
3. I have an unconditional love for my boyfriend.
4. I have an unconditional love for my friends.
5. I truly believe I am a good person.
6. I am honest.
7. I love animals.
8. I have a good sense of humor.
9. I have strong fingernails. (LOL)
10. I am determined.
11. I am eager to learn new things.
12. I like change.
13. I am naive at times (which I consider a blessing).
14. I would do anything for my family/friends.
15. I am a good driver.
16. I like a wide variety of foods and will try anything (within reason) once.
17. I love to cook.
18. I take good care of my mom.
19. Making someone else smile makes me smile.
20. I am empathetic.
21. I love to travel.
22. I am definitely family oriented.
23. I am good with computers.
24. I can change my own tire if necessary.
25. I know how to jump start a car.
26. I try to learn from every experience.
27. I realize that everything happens for a reason.
28. I love surprising people.
29. Although I get bored easily, I find entertainment easily as well.
30. I am very good at my job.
31. I like culture. 
32. I enjoy music and find it to be an important part of my life.
33. I am good at multi-tasking.
34. I love kids.
35. I can make an awesome salad.
36. I like my smile.
37. I like my eyes.
38. I have a nice neck. (That was weird to write lol)
39. I have good manners.
40. I will not let people walk over me.
41. I am intelligent.
42. I can get lost in a good book.
43. I like a wide variety of movies.
44. I am strong, and getting stronger every day.
45. My glass is usually half full.
46. I appreciate art of most forms (don't get the graffiti thing, lol)
47. I am generous.
48. I trust my gut instinct.
49. I usually FOLLOW my gut instinct (after many years of trial and error).
50. I always search for a good deal.
51. My lightbulb has finally gone off for becoming debt free.
52. I am becoming more disciplined in all aspects of life.
53. I try to live without regrets.
54. I am emotional (which has it's downfalls, but I wouldn't change it!).
55. I am a Christian.
56. I yearn to learn new things constantly.
57. I am experimental with my cooking, and it usually turns out alright!
58. I am finally starting to put myself first. I have periods where I forget to to this, but I think it's finally starting to sink in.
59. I can sleep through almost anything.
60. I am sarcastic at times.
61. I have a strange imagination.
62. I am constantly thinking (which I love, and hate! lol)
63. I am hopeful.
64. I often have more faith in people than they have in themselves.
65. I have a great family.
66. Although I rarely have extra money, all of my needs are taken care of.
67. I have lost 145 pounds! 
68. I like doing laundry.
69. I am goal oriented.
70. My personality is mixed with mature and quite immature moments.  
71. I have great teeth!
72. I like my lips.
73. I have long legs for my height.
74. I like to plan ahead, but can also be very spontaneous.
75. I've tamed my impulsiveness a lot in recent years.
76. When I have focus, there is nothing stopping me.
77. I am healthier than I ever have been.
78. I am still friends with people I have known for over 20 years.
79. I have a lot of common sense.
80. I am open minded.
81. I am becoming less timid with each passing day.
82. I have a love-love relationship with coffee.
83. I love to drive around on a chilly day with the windows down and the heater on.
84. I watch little TV, but what I do watch cracks me up usually.
85. I get along with 99.9% of people.
86. I rarely argue.  It's just not worth it.
87. I don't take myself too seriously.
88. I am very forgiving.
89. I am very random.
90. I will admit when I am wrong.
91. I have a high pain tolerance.
92. I am a great listener.
93. I like that I have friends with very different personalities, and I see the best in all of them.
94. I have not adopted a "transfer addiction" from having my surgery.   I could quit my coffee if I wanted to.  LOL
95. I am not dramatic.
96. If I don't get my way, I get over it.
97. I am happy.
98. I am very reasonable.
99. I like to learn from others, and hope others can learn a thing or two from me.
100. Although there are things I want to change in my life, I know that everything will come in time.  It's all part of a plan.

Whew! I did it!   That was freakin hard!   

Day Zero Project

Happy Monday!   I'm in the process of starting the Day Zero Project and I am having a lot of fun coming up with the goals for it.  If you are not familiar with Day Zero Project, it's where you set 101 goals for yourself to complete in 1,001 days.  I have September 1 as my start date, as I'm still in the process of selecting goals for myself.   It's a lot of fun, and I figured this would be a great "project" for me to learn more about myself and as a chronic list maker, it's great to be able to check things off for the world to see!   If anyone has any ideas for me to add to my list, please feel free to share! :-)

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was pretty good.   Friday evening, I went to the gym. Then, Saturday morning, my friend Michelle picked me up and we went to the gym and then to Weight Watchers.    Afterwards we went to Ruggles Green and I had an awesome dish - it was a quinoa pasta with black beans, plantains, chicken, and all sorts of other delish things... It's something I could totally recreate at home.   Quinoa pasta is gluten free for those of you who are trying to reduce wheat in your diet, and it tasted great.  It didn't taste anything like quinoa.  I love quinoa on it's own, but I know a lot of people don't care for it's texture.. with the pasta, there is none of that texture to worry about.     Afterwards, we went to Whole Foods and bought some of that quinoa pasta! lol    Instant gratification!    Then, we drove by her slab... that sounds funny, but she's building a house, so we went to look at the progress.  The frame is up, and pretty soon it will look like a real house!    After that - it was shaved ice time!!   I LOVE shaved ice, and there is a place by my house that has sugar free flavors... DIVINE!

Sunday - I slept in till about 8:30... then hung out with the puppies while John had to work.   I stayed in my pajamas until about 3:30 then I decided I needed to get off my lazy ass and go to the gym.  Although I called myself a lazy ass, I did get 2 loads of laundry done and the dishes done and kitchen cleaned in my pajamas! LOL

And now here we are at Monday again - It's going to be a suckfest of a week because of month end, but hallelujah for a 3 day weekend coming up!
xoxox!

Saturday!

Source

Good morning all..  I am starting to feel really strong and determined.  While lots of people may have been out drinking or eating out, I spent my Friday evening on my elliptical machine.    This morning, I'm headed to work out again, and then go to another Weight Watchers meeting.  Wahoo!

I am really excited at how I'm feeling so determined lately. I don't know what hit the switch in my head finally, but I'm glad it's there, and I'm glad that I'm not blowing it off to be lazy.  

This weekend I am going to try to plan my meals ahead so I don't have to deal with any frozen meals at lunchtime.   They're almost TOO easy, and when work is busy, that's the best scenario for me.  But, with a little planning, I can fix that! YAY!

With today's workout, I will have 18 activity points for the week. :-)   I took Thursday night off because John and I went to a wake.   But I've worked out on Tuesday/Wednesday and Friday this week so far.  

Anyway, I just wanted to check in!
Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Happy Friday!

Hello, and happy Friday to you all!
So, Wednesday I had my Watchers Meeting, and I was down 1.8 lbs! Wahoo!  So new weight is:
166.8.   
I was thrilled just having a loss at all.  I need to fully accept that I will not drop 5-10 lbs a week as I did when I was over 300 lbs.  It's going to be a long, slow process, as it's a lifestyle.     I just need to focus on doing the right things, and the weight loss will be a secondary (albeit exciting) thing.  
And while I believe the above comment is true - I will have to go back to reading that when I get neurotic! (which is 98.6% of the time!) :-)

This weekend:  I am attending another WW meeting with my friend Michelle.  We are going to work out before hand, and then go to a new-ish restaurant in the area, Ruggles Green.   I have heard great things about this place, so I'm looking forward to trying it! :)

Are any of you on My Fitness Pal?   If so, add me!  My user ID is gastricgirl. :)

Anyway, back to work for me!   I hope you all have a great weekend! :-)

Thursday 13: Goals for 2010

I can't believe that Labor Day is less than 2 weeks away. I don't know about you, but once Labor Day gets here, the rest of the year is a giant landslide and is over in the blink of an eye!  That said, here is a small list of things I want to accomplish before this year is complete!

1. Get to my goal weight (154)!   I'm not too far away, so I need to hunker down and get there!   
2. Participate in my first 5K.   And maybe my 2nd.   (I just registered for my first, so this will happen for certain! Wahoo!)
3. Reduce my debt by $500.  Yeah, it doesn't sound like much, but I want to be realistic.  Christmas is coming.  lol
4. Have a garage sale at my mom's house when the weather cools down a bit.  (this will help with #3!)
5. Work out 3x a week.  I started back at the gym last week and have been 4 times in the last 7 days... so far, so good! I just have to keep it up!
6. Read one book per month.  My reading has been slacking.. I've been reading the same book for the last 4 months... lol
7. Practice doing my own pedicures.  I have the shakiest hands and the last time I did a pedicure, it looked like a 4 year old did it.
8. Paint one room in our house.   I love color, and our walls are a dull off-white.  I'm ready to make it beautiful!  
9. Try to score tickets to see Daniel Tosh when he comes here in October.   I love him!  
10. Reduce my dependence on coffee.  It's like crack, but legal!  Well, I wouldn't know, as I've never done crack... but still! You get the idea.
11. Make time in my schedule to read/comment on blogs from home since I can't do it from work as much! GRR!!
12. Develop a love for water...  I don't drink enough!
13. Get a massage!!!!  Or two...   I need one.. badly!   But I am not allowing myself one until I lose 10 lbs.   Only 7 to go!

There ya have it for this week..... I hope you all have a Happy Thursday.. If you want to participate in Thursday 13, just click the link! :)

5K

I did it!  I registered for my first 5K.   I have a month and a day... It's a walk, but it's a start....  I am going to try to jog as well depending on how my knees hold up (arthritis if you're new to reading my blog!).      I am excited.   If I enjoy it, I will sign up for another one on 10/30.. it'll be one with costumes! FUN!

Sorry for the super short post today - I have to leave work in an hour, and it's been so busy.    I am desperately missing commenting on blogs.. I can read them through reader at work, but clicking through to the sites gives me an error on my browser saying that I'm trying to go to a social networking site.. AHHH!!!  

Perfection is Not Possible!

When it comes to a lot of things I do, I am definitely a perfectionist.   I am either 100% in or I don't want to have anything to do with it.   That statement alone is probably what got me to be super-morbidly obese at 312 lbs...  If I fell off the diet wagon once, I wouldn't pick myself up and dust off and start over.. I would just say "Screw It!" and go out to dinner with friends.   Not Good... Not at all...  
So, with that said, when I weighed in at WW last Wednesday, a gain registered.  A 1.6 lb gain.  Which almost erased any progress that I had made during the previous two weigh ins.  I immediately flipped out (internally) and sat and let it sink in a bit... and then I fought back the tears.   I sent a text to a few of the people that I report to, and confessed my weigh in.   I thought about the past week.   I had my stepdaughter over that weekend, and we had Olive Garden...  my meal was 24 points (which is 2 more than I am allowed in a day).  I didn't eat it all at once, but I ate it over 3 meals.   In each of those 3 meals, I had a breadstick (3 points).  John grilled chicken for us Saturday night, and I had chicken with sweet potato fries and Velveeta Shells and Cheese.  I didn't eat a lot of either, but I'm sure it was more than I should have had.   Friday night, I had Dippin Dots.  Then, Wednesday (my weigh in day), I had a cupcake for my bosses birthday.   So, why was I shocked and hurt that I had a 1.6 lb gain?   I didn't go over my weekly allowance, but what I did consume was highly processed, sodium loaded, and not good for me.   The more I thought about it, I was kind of glad I had a gain. If not, I may have taken that loss as an invitation to eat like that again.   Don't give a former fat girl an invitation to eat whatever she wants.. it's just not a good option!
Fast forward to after my weigh in - I have been to the gym 3 times.  I have earned 18 activity points (and am not using them towards extra food) and I have used some of the points in my weekly allowance, but I still have 21 left, and I weigh in again in 48 hours.   I am not planning to use them!  For my own sanity, I need a loss this week, even if it is minor.     At each meeting, I set a goal in mind for that week. Usually the leader gives us a goal too (this week - having a filling food at each meal... check!), but I like to make my own as well.  This week was to earn 12 activity points.  I did it, wahoo!  I am also trying to not rely on those processed Weight Watchers meals and instead opt for fresh foods that are not loaded with preservatives.
 
I think the hardest part of all of this is learning to forgive myself for mistakes and not dwelling on them.   It's so easy to see the negative in yourself, but the positive is much more rewarding!

Thursday 13:

First - I must share an awesome deal with you - it's valid at ANY Gap, but it's $25 for $50 worth of product at the Gap - Baby Gap, Gap Kids, Etc, just not the outlet stores...check it out!

Anyway - welcome to this week's Thursday 13!   This week, I have to keep it a little bit simple since work is trying to kill me! LOL

13 Songs on my Workout Playlist on my iPhone:

1. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga - Yes, I still love her... and she's great to get your heart pumping!
2. My Humps by Black Eyed Peas - Love them too...  older song (most of mine are b/c I've been too cheap to get music lately! LOL)
3. Heart of Glass - Blondie
4. Stronger - Christina Aguilera
5. Sexyback - Justin Timberlake
6. Good Vibrations - Marky Mark (I will forever love Marky Mark! LOL)
7. Mr. Brightside- the Killers
8. No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age
9. The Way I Are - Timbaland
10. Low - Flo-Rida
11. Cities in Dust - Junkie XL
12. Waiting Room - Fugazi
13. Paralyzer - Finger Eleven

I like a very wide variety of music and need to change up my list a bit, as this has been part of my playlist since I got my iPhone in February! LOL    What are some of your favorite songs to sweat to?

Play along with us!  Just visit Thursday 13!

Toothpicks Needed...

...to hold my eyes open!   I have no idea why, but I have been so freaking exhausted lately!   Well, I know why...  Caffeine detoxing (not to go completely off of it, but to cut back), not getting enough sleep, stress at work, etc..  

Last night, my work had a happy hour to say goodbye to one of our longtime employees who just quit.. she was actually the person that hired me!   I was a good girl and had 1/5 of a Bloody Mary (I would have had more but it was so freakin strong!) and a few quesadilla pieces... I looked it all up on my WW etools and "charged" myself 8 points...  well within my point allowance for the day.    Prior to gastric bypass surgery, I would have had several drinks, but that 1/5 of a drink got me a little loopy.. ha!  I only stayed an hour because I didn't want to overeat or overdrink and I had an hour long drive ahead of me...   I fully intended to go home and take the dogs out and then head to the gym, but instead I just changed and went to bed.  I just didn't feel good, and I couldn't explain what was wrong with me besides having a slightly sore throat and being 100% exhausted.  John was a little worried about me because in the whole time we've lived together, I have NEVER gone straight to bed, even when I'm sick.    Well, I still had trouble waking up this morning.    I did make it to work for 7 am, but it was tough!!

Wow, this post has absolutely no rhyme or reason.. ha!  

Anyway - today is my weigh in day at WW.   I am a little worried, but if you've been reading me long, you would probably use neurotic as one of the words to describe me.   I did go over my points on the weekend, but I did not go over my weekly allotment so I SHOULD be in decent shape.. Hopefully the scale gods will be on my side this evening...  I'll give you an update tomorrow!!

And the winner is.....

Tim!    Tim, I gave your email address to CSN so they will be contacting you shortly to arrange shipping of your prize!   I used a state of the art system to pick a name, and it worked beautifully!   Wahoo!!    It's fun having someone pick a number for you. :-)

Thank you to everyone for participating in my first giveaway.. I already have another one planned, which I will do within the next month or so.   

I hope everyone had a good weekend.  Mine was fun, but way too short.  I had my stepdaughter this weekend for the first time in over a year, and we had a great time.  I can't believe she's 13...  It is just crazy!   We grilled some chicken, went to Dave & Busters, got a little shopping in, and slept late...  the life of a teenager! HA!   I had a lot more planned but she slept until noon one day, and until 1pm yesterday...    So needless to say, me waking up at 7 or 8 am didn't help me get a lot more done! hehe

I got to go to Whole Foods yesterday, and although it was a fun experience, going with my trusty POINTS calculator was a rude awakening for me.  So many of the foods that I thought would be good for me to eat were way too high in points for me to consider worth spending..  SIGH...  I did find a few new things, but a lot of the dishes I wanted to try were 8 points or more per serving.. NO THANKS!

Again, I apologize for the delay in drawing for the contest - I had forgotten about my half day at work when I mentioned Friday as the drawing day, and then the day just got away from me!
Hope you all have a great day and awesome week!!!

Winner Announcement Tomorrow

Hi Everyone!
Sorry, I've had a super busy weekend and I'll update you all on that tomorrow as well... just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten, but I don't have time to do a proper drawing until tomorrow....
So, stay tuned!!

Thursday 13: Alternatives to Snacking (Plus Giveaway)

Happy Thursday everyone!   If you have a moment, please visit my previous post and enter my giveaway! It's for a set of kettlebells (basically handweights with handles!).. They're a great tool to work out with!  I've been doing Weight Watchers for a little over two weeks now (down 2 lbs!) and I'm becoming more conscious of my snacking/eating.   Below is a list of some of the things I do to avoid snacking!  

1. Blog - I read blogs and write blogs as a form of motivation and inspiration.   I read others to get inspiration, and I write my own to motivate myself.  The written word is powerful... it's proof that you actually had those thoughts at one point in time, and it's great to look back and see how you were doing when times were easy, tough, etc.
2. Clean - Since I'm working on "cleansing" my body of these last few pounds, I have been working on clearing my house of some clutter as well.   It's a great feeling.
3. Work on those Pearly Whites - Have you ever snacked while you have bleaching trays on?  If so, you're quite talented... and strange! LOL   I have 2 weeks worth of teeth whitening in the evening..  I just put them on a little earlier than I'm supposed to so I can prevent myself from snacking! 
4. Exercise - If you're not really hungry and are just in the mood to snack, turn that energy into something positive.. Walk around the block, do some sit-ups, get out the kettle bells, etc!  If you're still feeling the need to snack afterwards, treat yourself to a small snack.
5. Give yourself a mani/pedi - The more things you do to beautify yourself, the more you'll think twice about grabbing that cookie!
6. Turn off the TV - do you get the munchies when you're watching the TV? Turn it off!
7. Take a bath - It's another way to relax from a long day, and it doesn't add calories!
8. Do some Laundry! - Yeah, yeah, not fun.. but there is never a lack of it, and you can save yourself some time later on to do something more fun!
9. Create/Change your workout play list - I don't know about you, but my workouts get dull when my music has been the same for too long.  Change it up and get moving!
10. Read a book or magazine - a little distraction can go a long way.  
11. Go to bed!   If you've had a long, stressful day and want to eat everything in your home, why don't you just call it a night early?   You'll feel better and more refreshed in the AM.
12. Write a list - Yes, chronic list writer here...  Make a list of awards you will get for reaching your goal, a To Do List, or any other kind of list you can dream up! 
13. Play a Game - Whether you're into those Facebook games, want to shoot and kill something in a video game, or just like something like Pac-Man or Frogger (yes, I'm a child of the 80s), keeping your hands busy will keep them from transporting food to your mouth!

There you have it... What are some of the things you do to distract yourself from eating?

Join us in the fun!

My First Super Fantastic Giveaway!

CSN Stores graciously contacted me to host a giveaway for my lovely readers, and I hopped at the chance.  They have everything at their sites, from a great coffee maker (you know me, and my love of all things hot and caffeinated!) to treadmills, cookware, home decor, DVDs and more!

Since my website is mostly about health, fitness and weight loss, I picked a kettlebell package for you as my giveaway!   It's something I would love to win for myself, and I figured almost anyone could benefit from it, whether you are 150 pounds from goal, or at goal already!

 There are a few ways to enter (please post a separate comment for each entry so I can keep track easier!):

1. Become a public follower on my blogs via google friend connect (if you already are, just post a comment stating that).
2. Link back to this post on your blog.
3. Follow me on Twitter (@Laurie9797) and post about the giveaway.
4. Add my site to your blogroll.

I will draw a name for this contest on Friday, and CSN will send the kettlebells to you directly!  Offer is limited to readers in the USA and Canada!
Thank you so much for reading my blog, and good luck with the giveaway!

WW Weigh In!

My first meeting was on a Saturday and I decided that I think Wednesday meetings would be better for me.  I was nervous to weigh in, as it had only been 4 days since my first weigh in, and I was going in the evening, instead of before I even have a sip of water.   Well, regardless of all of that, I was down 1.4 lbs!    My new weight is 167.6.  I am officially less than 15 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight of 153.  Why 153? Well, it puts me in my normal range, and that is the lowest weight I've ever seen myself at.  So, I know it can happen.  The cool thing is that my 10% goal is my ultimate goal too... Wahoo! :)

I am so glad I decided to rejoin Weight Watchers.  I need the accountability of going in and facing the music on a weekly basis, and it forces me to track.   If I do it "on my own", it's so easy for me to just skip a day tracking, and if I miss one day, I'm done..  I know how my mind works!

Yesterday's meeting was about secret eating, binging, etc.  It was great for me.   As you all know, I had RNY gastric bypass, so if anything goes in my mouth, people like to critique it.  I eventually started snacking in my car, or stopping on the way home to get a snack, or eating a lot more in the evenings since John isn't like that with me.   It isn't my meals that I've had trouble with, it's all the snacking.  With WW, I'm conscious of my snacking, and plan accordingly.  My job is nice enough (ha!) to provide us with free snacks, free drinks, etc. This week we were even provided with a fajita lunch for our accounting close.   I have been great at avoiding the foods I shouldn't be eating (are the points worth spending? Usually no!).  I haven't even been too tempted, which means I think I'm finally in a good mindset again.  I'm re-teaching myself to differentiate between hunger and cravings.    Having weight loss surgery will NOT fix your head, and I'm starting to wonder if it messes your head up more than you started!  

On another note - I have been reading everyone's blogs, but for some reason I haven't been able to comment on most of them.  We have a massive web page blocker system at work, and I think it's blocked going to the comment link.. It wants me to log in, and then once I do, I go back to the log in screen.  So, I really apologize that I haven't been commenting on blogs very much, but please know I AM reading!!!  I may have to rearrange my schedule at home a bit so I have some reading/writing time at home!

xoxox!!!

Thursday 13: Movies I Haven't Seen!

According to my boyfriend and many of my friends, I should be ashamed that I've never seen some of these movies.   Some, I'd like to see, but I have never gotten around to.  Others, I have no desire!  

1. Titanic - Am I the only American who has never seen Titanic?  Or maybe in the world? I know what happens, and have no desire to see it!   I don't like crying in movies.. ha!
2. Lord of the Rings - This upsets my boyfriend greatly.   I actually have seen the first one, but none of the rest.   I would like to see them one day, but now I'm not allowed to watch them until the extended versions come out on Blu-Ray!
3. The Notebook - Am I the only girl alive who hasn't seen this?  I would like to one day, but who knows when!
4. Annie - Nope, never seen Annie.   I'm sure this is a great one to watch, but again, haven't gotten around to it!
5. Confessions of a Shopaholic - I LOVED these books, but I'm nervous to watch the movie because I'm afraid it will be screwed up. 
6. Breakfast at Tiffany's - Would like to see this one day, but still haven't!
7. Somewhere in Time - Not sure how I feel about seeing this one.... I've heard it's amazing though!
8. Interview with the Vampire - I'm not a Brad Pitt fan, but with loving the Twilight books, I have an interest in vampire flicks now! lol
9. The Dark Knight - I was a big Heath Ledger fan, and I think this may be too eerie for me to watch. I'll get over it one day and watch it!
10. Braveheart - My boyfriend loves this movie and has tried to get me to watch it for some time... still hasn't happened yet! Muahaha!!
11. Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - I really really want to watch this one, as it's probably one of the better ones.. one day!
12. Indiana Jones (any of them) - Nothing against them, just need to have a movie marathon one day!
13. The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Not sure if I want to see this either!

There you have it!  There are many, many more that I haven't seen, but this is a start! :)

I hope you all have a very happy Thursday!!
If you want to participate, just go to Thursday 13!

Dealing With Stress

Wow, it seems I'm definitely not alone in the stress coping department.   My goal is to stop turning to food when I'm stressed or bored.   I found this list online, and it sounds like we could all use it!
Enjoy!
101 WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

Courtesy of the Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier
2. Prepare for the morning the night before
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes
4. Avoid relying on chemical aids
5. Set appointments ahead
   
6. Don't rely on your memory ... write it down
7. Practice preventive maintenance
8. Make duplicate keys
9. Say "no" more often
10. Set priorities in your life
11. Avoid negative people
12. Use time wisely
13. Simplify meal times
14. Always make copies of important papers
15. Anticipate your needs
16. Repair anything that doesn't work properly
17. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
18. Break large tasks into bite size portions
19. Look at problems as challenges
20. Look at challenges differently
21. Unclutter your life
22. Smile
23. Be prepared for rain
24. Tickle a baby
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat
26. Don't know all the answers
27. Look for a silver lining
28. Say something nice to someone
29. Teach a kid to fly a kite
30. Walk in the rain
31. Schedule play time into every day
32. Take a bubble bath
33. Be aware of the decisions you make
34. Believe in yourself
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself
36. Visualize yourself winning
37. Develop your sense of humor
38. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
39. Have goals for yourself
40. Dance a jig
41. Say "hello" to a stranger
42. Ask a friend for a hug
43. Look up at the stars
44. Practice breathing slowly
45. Learn to whistle a tune
46. Read a poem
47. Listen to a symphony
48. Watch a ballet
49. Read a story curled up in bed
50. Do a brand new thing
51. Stop a bad habit
52. Buy yourself a flower
53. Take time to small the flowers
54. Find support from others
55. Ask someone to be your "vent-partner"
56. Do it today
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic
58. Put safety first
59. Do everything in moderation
60. Pay attention to your appearance
61. Strive for Excellence NOT perfection
62. Stretch your limits a little each day
63. Look at a work of art
64. Hum a jingle
65. Maintain your weight
66. Plant a tree
67. Feed the birds
68. Practice grace under pressure
69. Stand up and stretch
70. Always have a plan "B"
71. Learn a new doodle
72. Memorize a joke
73. Be responsible for your feelings
74. Learn to meet your own needs
75. Become a better listener
76. Know your limitations and let others know them, too
77. Tell someone to have a good day in pig Latin
78. Throw a paper airplane
79. Exercise every day
80. Learn the words to a new song
81. Get to work early
82. Clean out one closet
83. Play patty cake with a toddler
84. Go on a picnic
85. Take a different route to work
86. Leave work early (with permission)
87. Put air freshener in your car
88. Watch a movie and eat popcorn
89. Write a note to a far away friend
90. Go to a ball game and scream
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional love
93. Remember that stress is an attitude
94. Keep a journal
95. Practice a monster smile
96. Remember you always have options
97. Have a support network of people, places and things
98. Quit trying to fix other people
99. Get enough sleep
100. Talk less and listen more
101. Freely praise other people BONUS: Relax, take each day at a time...you have the rest of your life to live!

How Do You Deal with Stress?

Old Laurie would scarf down whatever she could get her hands on when stress is present.. or boredom... or happiness... you see the pattern.

My question to you is:  What do you do to handle and deal with stress, boredom, etc.?   

I'll follow this post with a new post that puts everyone's answers for easy access!

Thanks for your help!! :)

Weekend Recap and First WW Meeting

Hello to you all... wow, I think this may be my first time ever blogging on a Sunday! LOL  
I had a nice busy weekend..  Friday, John and I helped some of our friends their move..  then, on Saturday I had my first WW meeting (more on that below), then went with my friend to help her choose stuff on the house she's building.   It was a lot of fun, but it was even stressful to me, and I'm not the one buying the house!  You have to choose everything down to what the faucets look like.. GEEZ!!   Saturday evening, John and I went back to help our friends with their move again..  They ended up moving a week earlier than they had originally planned, so they weren't really too prepared!    John is actually over there now helping with some other things.    Today, I slept till 11 am for the first time in ages, and after that I went grocery shopping for my mom, then took her to pick up John's birthday present.   Then, I did my shopping.  I went to Costco and HEB (LOVE THOSE STORES!).    I was getting some crazy looks because I was writing on all of the packages as I put them into the cart - I figured it'd be easier to write down my points values then and there since I was looking them all up anyways! lol    Now, I'm just working on laundry that has been ignored for 2 weeks... blah!

On to my meeting! I had planned to hit the 7 am meeting, and then my 8:30 am Muscle Blast class, but we didn't get home from helping our friends on Friday night until 1:30 in the morning...  ouch!   Needless to say, that did NOT happen!  Instead, I hit the 8:30 am meeting.  I really enjoyed the leader - she was energetic and funny. I need both, especially early in the morning!  The meeting was about treats vs. snacks.    I am a snacker unfortunately, so this was a good meeting.  Basically, treats have no nutritional value and don't fix your hunger.   Treats = Head Hunger and  Snacks = Real Hunger  So, when I went shopping today, I was mindful of that, and I made some great choices for snacks for the week.  I stayed for the orientation after the meeting and went on my merry way!

I didn't get back home after my meeting to compare scale accuracy (yes, I'm neurotic about that stuff), so I don't know where my scale is in line with that.  When I signed up online, I weighed at 169.8 in the buff that morning.   When I weighed in on Saturday, I was at 169 even (wearing clothes).   So right off the bat, I end up going from 23 points a day to 22..   LOL!    It's a good thing though!


Anyway, I really think that at the very least, this will give me new focus and help me finally get to my ultimate goal weight.   FINALLY!

This week is going to suck at work.  I'm still playing catch up from vacation since no one helped me while I was out (my choice, as I'm anal like that and want to do it myself), and this week is my normal hellacious week at work.   I hope it's not as bad as I expect it to be though..

xoxo
Laurie