Trust me I get it... my title is just that, a rhetorical question. Yes food is always part of your holiday celebration. So is spending time with loved ones, attending your favorite church or religious affiliated service, opening up presents and maybe even singing "Happy Birthday" to a Baby Jesus near you (that one my kids still love doing each year). Food is always part of your holiday celebrations - whether it is breakfast cooked Christmas morning, a brunch with family after opening up your presents, dinner with the extended family (either home cooked or out to eat) and then there are all the holiday treats that are baked for the celebrations we attend. Food is EVERYWHERE! And the food that is available isn't necessarily the most healthy choices, especially when you are counting calories.
As someone who never worried about what I ate, and no that isn't because my body burned off food quickly, but more because I just didn't care about what I ate and what it meant to my body, health and weight, the holidays were always a time for indulgence. I loved everything about the holidays... especially the food! Ham, scalloped or mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey, dips, spreads, cheese, wine, beer, cookies, pies, cheesecake and candies. Nothing on the aforesaid list screams HEALTHY! But this year had to be different... I have been working so hard at counting the calories that I ate and as of 12/18 had lost 14.2 pounds. This is huge for me and definitely is something that I didn't want to reverse.
Unfortunately I will say that I allowed food to take over during the holidays. I did not track anything from December 22 - today (December 28). I ate what I wanted - when I wanted it. I didn't even think about actually attempting to figure out the calories that I was eating. We had family come in from Michigan and we went to Primanti's for dinner and I ate what I always eat when I go there... #2 Best Seller - the Pittsburgher! It tasted fabulous... as did everything else that I put into my mouth (The Texas Pecan dip was AMAZING but totally loaded with calories). No calorie counting... none what so ever. And to be perfectly honest I don't think that I could have calculated all of the calories that I had eaten. There were so many homemade treats that I couldn't find in my tracker and this would have left me guessing for what the amounts would have been. I also want to disclose that this obsessive compulsive person that weighs in every day did not weigh in at all during this time. I felt that I would be entirely too depressed by what the scale was telling me. So I essentially ignored what I was doing that was working in the preceding weeks.
Today was the day that I came to terms with what my holiday over indulgences did. I had to weigh in to see what the damage was to my weight loss journey. I stepped onto the scale... ready to face the truth of my holiday food loves... and when I saw the number in front of me I actually started to dance! I danced because it was only 0.6lbs that I gained. Less than 1 pound over the Christmas holiday period! This was a reason to celebrate and I was ecstatic! So how do I attribute this success when I know that I didn't eat right for 10 days... I believe it is a few things. First, I have an understanding of my body and it's telling me that it is full. I have become more and more aware of when my stomach is starting to feel full and at that point I shut off the food. This gives my mind time to catch up with my stomach and really determine if in fact I am completely full. The second thing that I believe helped with my success is understanding what foods are better to eat and will "fill" me up. Foods with high fiber will help to make you feel full and stay full longer. So while there are foods out there that may taste super good, they may not be higher in fiber and thus won't stay with you long enough to make you satisfied. Looking back at this 10 day period, I chose foods that were higher in fiber and therefore allowed me to stay full longer (and not snack as much). Finally, I attribute this success to a little bit of luck. Yes I said luck! I don't think that I did all that much to keep the weight off. I didn't exercise (that's starting after the new year), I ate things that I wanted but just not as much as I would have loved to have eaten, and I gave into many of the temptations that are all around my house (buckeyes being the worst offender). I think lady luck had been on my side over these last 10 days.
So while the Christmas holiday is behind me, there is definitely a long road ahead of me. Many days of temptations that I will have to either ignore or divulge in. There are many hours of me worrying about what I have eaten and how it will affect the bottom line of my weight loss. Time spent worrying that the scale will tip in the wrong direction and send my mindset into a tailspin. But when those times come up, I have this Christmas holiday period to reflect upon and remember that I can be successful when I least expect it. I thought that I needed to take the food out of the holiday celebrations but I have learned that isn't necessarily needed :)
Be happy, be safe and celebrate the New Year and a new you! I know that I am!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Reason to celebrate...trying to think positively.
Another weigh in and I am happy to report that I am down 10.4 pounds in 4 weeks! Woooo Hoooo... that is something to celebrate. And because I reached this little milestone, I treated myself to a grande skinny vanilla latte at Starbucks yesterday (all for 130 calories).
Even though I am happy that I hit the first 10 pound mark (in just 4 weeks), I am reminded, when I walk by the mirror or put on my pants, that this 10 pounds is really nothing in the big scheme of things. Really... 10 pounds and I have 100 to lose! I know that this is the "negative" or "half glass empty" view, but it is difficult to be so positive about such a little accomplishment. 10 pounds... 10 whole pounds.
I started to have this conversation Saturday night with a friend. I remarked to her that it is hard to stay focused at times when there is no change in my pants size. I realistically know that my pants size will not change for about another 15-20 pounds, but this is one huge marker for me that the weight it coming off. It also is a BIG reason to celebrate in my world. During our conversation she said to me that 10 pounds was significant. She said that to remind myself of what 10 pounds is, go to the store and pick up 10 pounds of meat. This 10 pounds is weight that I won't have to carry with me any longer. So yesterday, while grocery shopping, I did just that. I picked up 10 pounds of ground meat and realized that 10 pounds is a BIG loss. Not having those 10 pounds attached to my body is great in so many ways!
So changing my outlook to one of a positive viewpoint is key to success, or so I believe in my mind it is. I have been working hard at remaining positive in many situations in my life, and weight loss should be no exception. I guess sometimes you need someone to point out the obvious so that you can move past the negative. I have added a picture below... one that was shared with me and I use daily to refocus my negativeness towards a situation. Just remember your attitude (whether negative or positive) will determine 2 things.... your outlook on a situation and your outcome from that situation.
Even though I am happy that I hit the first 10 pound mark (in just 4 weeks), I am reminded, when I walk by the mirror or put on my pants, that this 10 pounds is really nothing in the big scheme of things. Really... 10 pounds and I have 100 to lose! I know that this is the "negative" or "half glass empty" view, but it is difficult to be so positive about such a little accomplishment. 10 pounds... 10 whole pounds.
I started to have this conversation Saturday night with a friend. I remarked to her that it is hard to stay focused at times when there is no change in my pants size. I realistically know that my pants size will not change for about another 15-20 pounds, but this is one huge marker for me that the weight it coming off. It also is a BIG reason to celebrate in my world. During our conversation she said to me that 10 pounds was significant. She said that to remind myself of what 10 pounds is, go to the store and pick up 10 pounds of meat. This 10 pounds is weight that I won't have to carry with me any longer. So yesterday, while grocery shopping, I did just that. I picked up 10 pounds of ground meat and realized that 10 pounds is a BIG loss. Not having those 10 pounds attached to my body is great in so many ways!
So changing my outlook to one of a positive viewpoint is key to success, or so I believe in my mind it is. I have been working hard at remaining positive in many situations in my life, and weight loss should be no exception. I guess sometimes you need someone to point out the obvious so that you can move past the negative. I have added a picture below... one that was shared with me and I use daily to refocus my negativeness towards a situation. Just remember your attitude (whether negative or positive) will determine 2 things.... your outlook on a situation and your outcome from that situation.
Monday, December 5, 2011
No looking back...
I am now 3 weeks into this and I honestly can say that I feel better. I know that I haven't lost mega amounts of weight in the past 3 weeks (8.4lbs to be exact) but because I am feeding my body better, I do truly feel better. Additionally, I am getting more sleep each night and drinking plenty or more water. These are all basic facts that I learned when I was in Weight Watchers, and these basic things make a big difference in your weight loss success.
Much of the success that I have had is based in the fact that I am tracking everything that I eat via the Lose It! app. Weight Watchers worked the same way too - tracking the food that you eat, except with Weight Watchers it is a points based system and for me now it is really all about calories. I ABSOLUTELY HATE that I have to track everything that I eat. I hate needing to enter in information about the food that I am eating. I hate that I have to plan ahead for the day to ensure that I have enough calories for dinner. I hate that I have to count calories at all! But with all of that hate... I realize that it is what I have to do because it is very obvious that without this tool and tracking I cannot do it on my own! Hence why I am in this situation to begin with.
So although I hate the thought of tracking my food, I will continue to do so. Why you ask... because there is no turning back now. I have a "taste" for losing weight and I have a definitely goal in mind. I also have so many smaller goals that are based upon my weight loss (like going to the beach this summer and not covering myself completely up or wearing those smaller sized clothes that I have packed away this spring). I want to be able to feel even better, and I know that will come with each ounce that I lose. I also want to be a great role model to my kids about difficult struggles and managing through them. Finally, I want to love myself on the outside as must as I love myself on the inside.
I guess staying positive is the key to not looking back and continuing on this long journey ahead of me. I know that magically tomorrow, that I will not love tracking my food. I also know that I will not suddenly wake up 40lbs lighter. Instead of hating the idea of tracking, I must find the positive in it. For me... it's the end result that gets me through that dislike.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Holidays and outcomes...
Well I haven't written in a little over a week and it isn't because of failure. It is because the Thanksgiving holiday was upon us and that time is more about family and spending quality time together. For my family, it meant traveling from Pennsylvania to Michigan to spend time with loved ones we don't see often enough. It was great to not be in front of the computer every day... and even better not thinking at all about work, school and the diet!
Yes I said not thinking about the diet. I intended on tracking what I was eating, taking daily walks with my oldest daughter and not giving into the holiday temptations (pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, stuffing and loads of mashed potatoes). What I intended and what actually occurred, well let's just say they didn't necessarily meet in the middle! The first thing that I failed at was tracking the food that I ate. We left Wednesday evening and that was the last time I entered anything into my Lose It! app. Now I don't want you to think that I was shrugging off my responsibility to my diet... it's just that I thought that I could do this eating thing without tracking for a few days. Besides that, I wasn't the one cooking so I didn't know how many calories the food would be! I know mashed potatoes are just mashed potatoes, but I needed to know butter amounts, what type of milk used, etc. in order to correctly calculate out the calories. And trust me, I wasn't asking all those questions while a family member was cooking dinner and playing hostess to close to 30 people. So I winged it... ate what I thought would be smaller portions; ate those things that I thought would be less in calories; and I didn't go back for seconds, instead I was happy with what I ate the first go round.
So my second fail was believing that I would actually exercise while I was in Michigan. I told my oldest daughter that I wanted to walk at least 2 days of the 4 that we were there. Ummmm... yeah that didn't materialize. I did have feelings of guilt because all it would have taken was a 2 mile walk to achieve the feeling that I was going for. But honestly, I kept thinking that the reason why we were in Michigan was for family. I know a 2 mile walk wouldn't have been hours upon hours away from them, but it was still time away from them that I didn't want to give up. We don't see these family members daily or even monthly, so our time with them is precious. Not giving up time with them meant that I had to be OK with not exercising. Definitely something that I could live with!
The third fail for me was the holiday temptations. I LOVE PUMPKIN PIE! I LOVE STUFFING! I LOVE CHOCOLATE PIE! And then to top it off, there was cheesecake! Oh My Goodness... all the temptations and I didn't want to give in to eating them and I didn't want to give in to not eating them. So I compromised. I had a small serving of stuffing and skipped the bigger portion of mashed potatoes that I would have loved to have had. I did eat a dessert, but skipped the pumpkin pie. Instead I opted for a fruit based pie and only ate a small slice. Now we had another family dinner on Saturday and again the temptations of pie were there, and I had a little slice of the chocolate pie and a sliver of cheesecake (trust me before I would have eaten 2 large pieces of each and probably went back for seconds). It felt good to eat those things. I think if I would have skipped them on Thanksgiving, it would have made it worse at the family dinner on Saturday. Yes I ate pie and I am proud of it!
So how did i fail... I gained 1 pound for the week. Yes it is a gain, and yes that is not the objective. But I think of it as a win and not a fail. You see, people gain on average of 5 pounds over the Thanksgiving holiday. Also, I know that in the past that I have stuffed myself to the point of being sick just because things "tasted good". I never felt stuffed and never felt that I deprived myself. I felt satisfies with how things went and what I ate. Yes I gained a pound... but that's a win for me and at this point in the game, I will take it!
Oh by the way... I do feel a little bit more prepared for the Christmas holiday. Hoping for another win for me then :)
Monday, November 21, 2011
And the first week is history...
Well I did it... 1 full week of this "diet" journey is complete. What do I have to show for my hard work and determination this week? Well if you guessed less weight you would be right! I lost 3.8 pounds in my first week. Not a bad showing for my first week. Now I would be lying if I didn't say that I would have liked a bigger number, but then I realize 2 things. One, the weight didn't all appear on my one magical day and therefore it isn't going to leave me overnight. And two, if I do this the right way (slow and steady weight loss) it is more likely that I will learn the correct habits (eating and exercise) that I need to know in order to be able to sustain the weight loss permanently.
So let me review my week... not just for your reading purposes, but also for my ability to remind myself of the important lessons along the way. I learned that I can get my butt out of bed and workout each morning, even if that workout is only 30 minutes of cardio. This 30 (or more) minutes that I give to myself each day is so rewarding to my body and also provides me with a great deal of energy throughout the day (who would have thought that!). Working out isn't something that I have to do, it is really something that I need to do, both for myself and the long term health of my body.
I learned that in the world of dieting, giving something up doesn't mean that you can't have what it is you truly want. You see, when I have dieted in the past, it has been in my mind that I can't have somethings that I love to eat. This week, I was able to still have a burger, even if it was only a Junior Cheeseburger from Wendy's. The point is, I was still able to eat it and be happy about the choice that I made.
I learned that I can in fact eat a banana without peanut butter (thanks Elvis!). I have always loved peanut butter and banana together and was skeptical that I would want to eat one without the other. Peanut butter is something that definitely doesn't currently fit into my nutritional scheme of things, so I know that I needed to give it up completely (or at least for now). But no peanut butter meant no bananas for me (and they are a fantastic source of potassium). I ventured out to see if I could eat one without the other and who knew... I COULD! I am now a one a day banana day and very happy that I took the risk that I did.
I learned that my hubby and I can still have our date night out together and enjoy myself. We went out to dinner and a movie and I at not time thought that I was losing out on something... no wait, I take that back, I would have loved to have had dessert at PF Chang's but I recognize that it wasn't an option this time. It is great that I can still enjoy our date night together and not be self conscious about the food that I am eating.
I learned that children's birthday parties aren't always a bad thing. Yesterday my family enjoyed a birthday party for 2 of our close friends kids. There was lots of food (fried chicken, rigatoni, broccoli salad, cheesy potatoes, macaroni salad and plenty of chips) and many of the options were not healthy choices that I would have picked if given the opportunity. However, I wasn't able to pick and therefore I had to make the best of the situation. Broccoli salad is yummy and broccoli is great for me. That was what I focused my dinner around. I had a small piece of fried chicken and a small scoop of rigatoni. That's it! Also, the birthday cake and ice cream were not an option, but it didn't bother me. I kept drinking my water and having a great time without overeating or gorging on things that I know aren't good for me. It was a great lesson to learn, considering that I started a diet 1 week before a major holiday!
Another lesson for the week was that of encouragement and support. It was great to have so many friends and family continually encourage and support me through this journey. The kinds works, the telling me of a song that was a big up lifter for me, and the many messages that I have received are wonderful. It is great to know that I have surrounded myself with excellent people who understand that I can't do this by myself.
Finally, I have learned this week that this journey is not just about me. This journey, and this blog, are about everyone that understands the pain that I experience daily with being overweight... and it isn't just a physical pain. The emotional toll that this takes on a person is something that I never want to endure again. People have reached out to me to tell me that this blog touched them, that the blog was about their own personal struggles. I guess I never thought that this would reach people that way... just thought that this was something that I understood and felt.
I am grateful for the lessons that I have learned this week. I am grateful for another week of losing those pounds that I keep me from looking in the mirror. I am grateful that I have been able to touch people's lives. I am grateful that I have a loving and supportive family. I am grateful that each day I learn something new about this journey and that I have the opportunity to share.
So let me review my week... not just for your reading purposes, but also for my ability to remind myself of the important lessons along the way. I learned that I can get my butt out of bed and workout each morning, even if that workout is only 30 minutes of cardio. This 30 (or more) minutes that I give to myself each day is so rewarding to my body and also provides me with a great deal of energy throughout the day (who would have thought that!). Working out isn't something that I have to do, it is really something that I need to do, both for myself and the long term health of my body.
I learned that in the world of dieting, giving something up doesn't mean that you can't have what it is you truly want. You see, when I have dieted in the past, it has been in my mind that I can't have somethings that I love to eat. This week, I was able to still have a burger, even if it was only a Junior Cheeseburger from Wendy's. The point is, I was still able to eat it and be happy about the choice that I made.
I learned that I can in fact eat a banana without peanut butter (thanks Elvis!). I have always loved peanut butter and banana together and was skeptical that I would want to eat one without the other. Peanut butter is something that definitely doesn't currently fit into my nutritional scheme of things, so I know that I needed to give it up completely (or at least for now). But no peanut butter meant no bananas for me (and they are a fantastic source of potassium). I ventured out to see if I could eat one without the other and who knew... I COULD! I am now a one a day banana day and very happy that I took the risk that I did.
I learned that my hubby and I can still have our date night out together and enjoy myself. We went out to dinner and a movie and I at not time thought that I was losing out on something... no wait, I take that back, I would have loved to have had dessert at PF Chang's but I recognize that it wasn't an option this time. It is great that I can still enjoy our date night together and not be self conscious about the food that I am eating.
I learned that children's birthday parties aren't always a bad thing. Yesterday my family enjoyed a birthday party for 2 of our close friends kids. There was lots of food (fried chicken, rigatoni, broccoli salad, cheesy potatoes, macaroni salad and plenty of chips) and many of the options were not healthy choices that I would have picked if given the opportunity. However, I wasn't able to pick and therefore I had to make the best of the situation. Broccoli salad is yummy and broccoli is great for me. That was what I focused my dinner around. I had a small piece of fried chicken and a small scoop of rigatoni. That's it! Also, the birthday cake and ice cream were not an option, but it didn't bother me. I kept drinking my water and having a great time without overeating or gorging on things that I know aren't good for me. It was a great lesson to learn, considering that I started a diet 1 week before a major holiday!
Another lesson for the week was that of encouragement and support. It was great to have so many friends and family continually encourage and support me through this journey. The kinds works, the telling me of a song that was a big up lifter for me, and the many messages that I have received are wonderful. It is great to know that I have surrounded myself with excellent people who understand that I can't do this by myself.
Finally, I have learned this week that this journey is not just about me. This journey, and this blog, are about everyone that understands the pain that I experience daily with being overweight... and it isn't just a physical pain. The emotional toll that this takes on a person is something that I never want to endure again. People have reached out to me to tell me that this blog touched them, that the blog was about their own personal struggles. I guess I never thought that this would reach people that way... just thought that this was something that I understood and felt.
I am grateful for the lessons that I have learned this week. I am grateful for another week of losing those pounds that I keep me from looking in the mirror. I am grateful that I have been able to touch people's lives. I am grateful that I have a loving and supportive family. I am grateful that each day I learn something new about this journey and that I have the opportunity to share.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Celebrating the little things
So today I accomplished something little, but huge in my eyes. Today, after completing my 36 minutes on the elliptical, I have successfully worked out on the elliptical 5 days straight for 30+ minutes each time. I know this isn't a marathon or even a half marathon, but it is a little accomplishment that I celebrate. Going from never working out to 5 straight days is definitely something for me to cheer about!
So this brings to mind that I have a VERY BIG GOAL... to lose 100 pounds. To think of 100 pounds is definitely overwhelming and could cause someone to lose hope in achieving that goal (been there, done that). It seems even more overwhelming to me when I think that my weekly goal is losing 2 pounds. Seriously folks that's forever to get to the 100 pound mark. I see why people who are trying to lose weight lose all hope of accomplishing what they set out to achieve. When you look at the big picture, it is discouraging.
So to be successful you have to look at the small accomplishments or as I like to think... Celebrate the little things. Today was a celebration for me. Meeting my initial goal of working out 4-5 days a week was huge in my world. I know it's only week 1, but this sets the stage for future weeks. Had I given into the idea of nestling under the covers instead of getting my butt out of bed, I would have never achieved this little accomplishment. I will celebrate on Sunday when I do the official weigh in - and yes I will celebrate even if I only lose 1 pound... why, because that's a pound that I no longer have to lose!
I guess it is important for me to set bigger smaller goals, such as losing 25 pounds and rewarding myself. This again breaks the big goal into something manageable. And for a reward, it needs to be anything but FOOD!!! I have given thought to a mani and pedi, possibly a pair of earrings or a bracelet, it could even be a new purse (well not new for me because I rarely ever buy a "new" purse). I am taking suggestions for ways to reward myself for the 25 pounds... so share your suggestions. I am open to just about anything and I need several of the 25 pound rewards, so the more suggestions I have the better off I will be.
So to wrap this all up... be loud and proud about the small accomplishments. Be excited when you do something as simple as meeting your workout goal for a week or losing 1 pound. Celebrate the small stuff because in the end, it's the small stuff that adds up to create the big picture (just like a puzzle).
So this brings to mind that I have a VERY BIG GOAL... to lose 100 pounds. To think of 100 pounds is definitely overwhelming and could cause someone to lose hope in achieving that goal (been there, done that). It seems even more overwhelming to me when I think that my weekly goal is losing 2 pounds. Seriously folks that's forever to get to the 100 pound mark. I see why people who are trying to lose weight lose all hope of accomplishing what they set out to achieve. When you look at the big picture, it is discouraging.
So to be successful you have to look at the small accomplishments or as I like to think... Celebrate the little things. Today was a celebration for me. Meeting my initial goal of working out 4-5 days a week was huge in my world. I know it's only week 1, but this sets the stage for future weeks. Had I given into the idea of nestling under the covers instead of getting my butt out of bed, I would have never achieved this little accomplishment. I will celebrate on Sunday when I do the official weigh in - and yes I will celebrate even if I only lose 1 pound... why, because that's a pound that I no longer have to lose!
I guess it is important for me to set bigger smaller goals, such as losing 25 pounds and rewarding myself. This again breaks the big goal into something manageable. And for a reward, it needs to be anything but FOOD!!! I have given thought to a mani and pedi, possibly a pair of earrings or a bracelet, it could even be a new purse (well not new for me because I rarely ever buy a "new" purse). I am taking suggestions for ways to reward myself for the 25 pounds... so share your suggestions. I am open to just about anything and I need several of the 25 pound rewards, so the more suggestions I have the better off I will be.
So to wrap this all up... be loud and proud about the small accomplishments. Be excited when you do something as simple as meeting your workout goal for a week or losing 1 pound. Celebrate the small stuff because in the end, it's the small stuff that adds up to create the big picture (just like a puzzle).
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Eating fast food doesn't have to be bad.
So yesterday I left work and sat in traffic (Thanks Pittsburgh Penguins). I sat, and sat, and sat. I really hate traffic too, so to sit in traffic due to a Penguins game just sets me off even more. As I sat waiting, my thoughts turned to dinner and what we would be eating. I started to stress because I know that this traffic is going to delay me even longer from getting home, and thus delay dinner preparation and eating even more as well. I am trying to complete my daily eating by 6:30 (7:00 at the latest) because I know it is not healthy to go to bed after just eating a big meal (digestion stinks and all that food just laying in your stomach - YUCK). As I sat, I pondered that I could just eat a salad but that wasn't quite feasible because I had over 1400 calories left to eat for the day. There is no amount of cheese or salad dressing that could take care of those calories. I thought about eating veggies and possibly some fruit (quick and easy) but again, there are only so many calories to be had from eating fruits and veggies and not gagging yourself in the meantime. So there I am pondering what in the heck I will do...
In my world, fast food was definitely out. All the grease and unnecessary calories were just a waste. But there wasn't much time for dinner planning and prep so I knew fast food was the only option. The one nice feature of the app that I am using (Lose It - and no I am not making any money off of mentioning them in my blog. I just want people to know what I am using and how it is helping me) is that it has a variety of restaurants listed and the calorie count of the food they serve. So while sitting in traffic I started to flip through the list of available options (I know, I know... I shouldn't have been using my phone while driving). I searched through many options but settled on Wendy's as tonight's choice. Using my app, I found that I could have a Jr. Cheeseburger (290 calories) and an Apple, Pecan Chicken Salad with Pomegranate dressing (full sized - 510 calories in total with dressing). In total, I ate 800 calories and was very satisfied (otherwise known as full). I also was able to enjoy a "greasy" hamburger.
Now I know that people are thinking "is that really what you wanted to eat"? The answer is NO, but there are sacrifices to be made, and the french fries and bigger burger that I would normally eat needed to go... and not into my thighs and butt! Would I rather of had a #1 with everything and a medium fry... Damn straight I would have. But those decisions have lead me to where I am now and it's certainly not where I want to be. Also, eating all of those empty calories would have left me hungry later on in the evening and also without much nutritional value. Difficult choices, but I have to do it.
So I have learned in my short little time on this journey that eating out isn't always bad. Yes I am sure there will be times when I go out to eat and the choices that I make aren't the best (potentially date night with my hubby) but for now I recognize that I can make good (and healthy) choices without sacrificing my entire diet. Just remember that the difficult choices that I make today, lead me in the right direction towards my future.
In my world, fast food was definitely out. All the grease and unnecessary calories were just a waste. But there wasn't much time for dinner planning and prep so I knew fast food was the only option. The one nice feature of the app that I am using (Lose It - and no I am not making any money off of mentioning them in my blog. I just want people to know what I am using and how it is helping me) is that it has a variety of restaurants listed and the calorie count of the food they serve. So while sitting in traffic I started to flip through the list of available options (I know, I know... I shouldn't have been using my phone while driving). I searched through many options but settled on Wendy's as tonight's choice. Using my app, I found that I could have a Jr. Cheeseburger (290 calories) and an Apple, Pecan Chicken Salad with Pomegranate dressing (full sized - 510 calories in total with dressing). In total, I ate 800 calories and was very satisfied (otherwise known as full). I also was able to enjoy a "greasy" hamburger.
Now I know that people are thinking "is that really what you wanted to eat"? The answer is NO, but there are sacrifices to be made, and the french fries and bigger burger that I would normally eat needed to go... and not into my thighs and butt! Would I rather of had a #1 with everything and a medium fry... Damn straight I would have. But those decisions have lead me to where I am now and it's certainly not where I want to be. Also, eating all of those empty calories would have left me hungry later on in the evening and also without much nutritional value. Difficult choices, but I have to do it.
So I have learned in my short little time on this journey that eating out isn't always bad. Yes I am sure there will be times when I go out to eat and the choices that I make aren't the best (potentially date night with my hubby) but for now I recognize that I can make good (and healthy) choices without sacrificing my entire diet. Just remember that the difficult choices that I make today, lead me in the right direction towards my future.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Planning is the key
The one thing that I am learning quickly is that it takes a good amount of planning and preparation to be successful at this dieting gig. Now I am not being crabby about this fact, just more making a statement. I guess I didn't realize that it would take more time for me to pack a lunch or make dinner happen. Take for example my lunch today... A salad, plenty of fruit (banana, apple and grapes), yogurt, sugar free pudding cup, cheese stick, 2oz of chicken for my salad, and a snack for in the afternoon. Now most of that is prepacked and easy to throw together, but the time consuming part came in the preparation of the salad (although not horrible, still time consuming) and the balancing of my daily calorie intake. For me, the calorie intake is the most time consuming and difficult to do.
For the plan that I am on through Lose It, I attempting to lose 2 pounds a week and would need to intake 1822 calories a day. At first I thought that amount of calories wasn't much, but I couldn't be more wrong. With the healthier choices I am making, it is very difficult to reach that amount of calories. I guess with more time and practice that I will get better at it. Oh and I forgot to mention that each day I exercise I have to eat more calories... so for today I burned up 530 calories from my elliptical workout, so tack on another 530 calories that I need to eat. Yesterday I was almost 1200 calories shy for the day and I wasn't hungry at all! I guess I just don't want to make an early bad choice and therefore screw up my whole day. Again, this is the planning and preparation aspect of everything... and it will come with time.
Oh and just so no one thinks that magically less calories equals more weight loss, that couldn't be further from the truth. At some point (and I am not a medical doctor so I don't know exactly when it occurs), your body thinks that it is starving and will do whatever it can to prevent that from occurring. So just because I was 1200 calories short yesterday, I didn't lose an ounce! (and yes, insane me is still weighing myself every day - but that's a whole other blog entry). So I guess my point here is that I need to be a better planner, or maybe not be so strict with my calories. I guess I also have to learn that it is OK to eat the things that I may truly want at that moment and use up those calories. These, my friends, are difficult lessons to learn from someone who is "morbidly obese" and is setting out on this weight loss journey. Lessons that will become part of life as I struggle through this journey.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Setting myself up for failure again?
Being a woman, and this may come as a shock to everyone that truly knows me, I value what my appearance says about me. You see I don't spend hours putting on make up and fixing my hair, nor do I spend larges amount of money on my wardrobe. With that said, I still value the impressions that I make on people based upon my appearance.
Yesterday I woke up and realized that, with my broken self esteem in tow, I am "morbidly obese" (I think that's what the clinical name is for my "condition"). Yes America... I am FAT. I know that in the world of political correctness that calling someone fat isn't right, but my mother told me never to lie... and I can't lie about this one. I am a 5'7" woman who weighs more than I care to type at this point. Let's just say, IT'S A BIG FREAKIN' NUMBER! I looked at a picture just to make sure that I wasn't seeing things and lets just say I wasn't imagining anything. And just so everyone knows; 1. Yes I do have a self esteem issue and 2. Although I have a self esteem issue, you probably would never know because I hid it well. I have a larger than life personality and can crack jokes about myself all day. But the truth is... it hurts. It hurts more than I care to admit and maybe that's why I am always setting myself up for failure. Changing me on the outside... would that change me on the inside as well?
So Sunday, November 13, 2011 is the day that I decided to change it all. I need to get healthy for myself and for my family. I need to lose the weight that I have packed on in the 16 years that I have been married (and 2 kids too!). I need to pick my self esteem off the ground, dust it off, and put it in check because I am me, and I am beautiful (even though I don't feel it yet). I downloaded an app on my iPhone (Lose It!) and it is a calorie counter. It allows me to track absolutely everything I put into my mouth. It even allows you to breakdown your weight loss into a manageable goal. For me, it is 2 pounds a week and to lose the 100 pounds that I want to lose my end date is October 28, 2012 - which happens to be my 17 year wedding anniversary (what a great present to myself and family). Additionally, I started using the elliptical machine in my basement (you know the one that was being used as a coat hanger). My goal for using the elliptical machine is about 30-45 minutes at least 4-5 days a week. My plan is to turn on the tunes and go to it each morning before work.
Now I will admit that I have done this in the past and paid large sums of money to lose the weight that I wanted off. I joined Weight Watchers several times (and had huge success once), joined the local YMCA (and never entered the building after signing up) and also have joined the Biggest Loser competitions at work. Like I said, Weight Watchers was a success for me, but what I learned from them is to track every morsel of food that you put into your mouth and to exercise. It's a basic equation of diet and exercise or you need to burn more than you eat. It's simple to think of... but difficult to follow. I chose not to do the Weight Watchers option this time and instead make me accountable to myself. It's me, myself and I this time and it is up to me to keep me motivated (well the smaller sized pants are a good motivator as well). I just hate seeing myself spend money doing something that I already know. Then it came to me, I read all the time about people blogging their weight loss stories. I already had a blog (not used very often) and the ability to blab about anything.
So yesterday (typing today) is the start of something new. I maybe setting myself up for failure, but we will see. It doesn't hurt to try and in the end I may just lose a few pounds. We will see where this leads, but honestly it has to be bigger and ummmmm... let's try this again, it has to be smaller and better things :)
Yesterday I woke up and realized that, with my broken self esteem in tow, I am "morbidly obese" (I think that's what the clinical name is for my "condition"). Yes America... I am FAT. I know that in the world of political correctness that calling someone fat isn't right, but my mother told me never to lie... and I can't lie about this one. I am a 5'7" woman who weighs more than I care to type at this point. Let's just say, IT'S A BIG FREAKIN' NUMBER! I looked at a picture just to make sure that I wasn't seeing things and lets just say I wasn't imagining anything. And just so everyone knows; 1. Yes I do have a self esteem issue and 2. Although I have a self esteem issue, you probably would never know because I hid it well. I have a larger than life personality and can crack jokes about myself all day. But the truth is... it hurts. It hurts more than I care to admit and maybe that's why I am always setting myself up for failure. Changing me on the outside... would that change me on the inside as well?
So Sunday, November 13, 2011 is the day that I decided to change it all. I need to get healthy for myself and for my family. I need to lose the weight that I have packed on in the 16 years that I have been married (and 2 kids too!). I need to pick my self esteem off the ground, dust it off, and put it in check because I am me, and I am beautiful (even though I don't feel it yet). I downloaded an app on my iPhone (Lose It!) and it is a calorie counter. It allows me to track absolutely everything I put into my mouth. It even allows you to breakdown your weight loss into a manageable goal. For me, it is 2 pounds a week and to lose the 100 pounds that I want to lose my end date is October 28, 2012 - which happens to be my 17 year wedding anniversary (what a great present to myself and family). Additionally, I started using the elliptical machine in my basement (you know the one that was being used as a coat hanger). My goal for using the elliptical machine is about 30-45 minutes at least 4-5 days a week. My plan is to turn on the tunes and go to it each morning before work.
Now I will admit that I have done this in the past and paid large sums of money to lose the weight that I wanted off. I joined Weight Watchers several times (and had huge success once), joined the local YMCA (and never entered the building after signing up) and also have joined the Biggest Loser competitions at work. Like I said, Weight Watchers was a success for me, but what I learned from them is to track every morsel of food that you put into your mouth and to exercise. It's a basic equation of diet and exercise or you need to burn more than you eat. It's simple to think of... but difficult to follow. I chose not to do the Weight Watchers option this time and instead make me accountable to myself. It's me, myself and I this time and it is up to me to keep me motivated (well the smaller sized pants are a good motivator as well). I just hate seeing myself spend money doing something that I already know. Then it came to me, I read all the time about people blogging their weight loss stories. I already had a blog (not used very often) and the ability to blab about anything.
So yesterday (typing today) is the start of something new. I maybe setting myself up for failure, but we will see. It doesn't hurt to try and in the end I may just lose a few pounds. We will see where this leads, but honestly it has to be bigger and ummmmm... let's try this again, it has to be smaller and better things :)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What is wrong with people today?
This morning as I was reading the news online, I came across a story of a father from Texas, who is accused of kidnapping and drowning his 2 sons - ages 5 and 3. Yesterday I read a story of a man, from Louisiana, who is accused of killing his 7 year old disabled son and then dismembering the body. If that wasn't enough, the police report that he left the head of the boy out by the curb so that the mother would see it when she drove by. So reading all this horrible stuff in the news had me thinking... What's wrong with people today?
I guess when I ask that question I must qualify that statement by saying that I am not speaking about EVERYONE! There are many good people in the world, just ask me as I have found so many of them in my own life. Those that are there for you no matter what, help you in your times of need, lend an ear to bend or a shoulder to cry on if you find yourself in that position, or even those who are many miles away and you know that they are still there for you. I am glad that those people are in my life. I am grateful for help I have received, the support that has been given, the talks that they have listened and provided advice, and picking me up when I am at my lowest.
It is just disturbing to me to read of 2 men, in the last week, who have been accused of killing their own children. What is wrong with these men that they could take the lives of the innocent children they had? I know that there are marital issues, domestic issues, health issues and money issues, but being the mother of 2 beautiful girls I cannot understand what drives a person to do this type of heinous crime! Watching my daughters become the women that God created them to be is so rewarding. The highs and lows are all part of being a parent. The 7 year old disabled boy didn't ask to be born with cerebral palsy and a heart condition, but that is what he was given in life. As a parent you have to love that child unconditionally and support his needs. And before anyone asks, I do not have a child with any sort of disability so I do not know what that man was going through with his care. I do know, however, that murdering your child is not the answer!
I just don't understand how anyone can kill a person, let alone take the life of their own child. An innocent, unconditional loving child. I read these 2 particular stories and my stomach turns, my heart breaks and I find myself with tears in my eyes (yes all the cliches are out now). These beautiful children who did not have a chance to live out their lives, fall in love with the person of their dreams and make their parents proud with the decisions that they make in life. Children are our future and it is not the job of a parent to snuff out their life when things are bad for us in our adult lives. Love your children folks, let them live their lives to the fullest and become more than you can imagine.
In both situations the mothers are left behind to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Coming to terms with the fact that their child has been murdered and the accused murderer is someone that the child looked up to. I can't possibly imagine the pain that these women are going through and only hope that they find the comfort that one needs to get through this. I pray that individuals who are in difficult situations will seek the help that they need and work through the problems that they have and turn to your child for laughter and not murder.
I guess when I ask that question I must qualify that statement by saying that I am not speaking about EVERYONE! There are many good people in the world, just ask me as I have found so many of them in my own life. Those that are there for you no matter what, help you in your times of need, lend an ear to bend or a shoulder to cry on if you find yourself in that position, or even those who are many miles away and you know that they are still there for you. I am glad that those people are in my life. I am grateful for help I have received, the support that has been given, the talks that they have listened and provided advice, and picking me up when I am at my lowest.
It is just disturbing to me to read of 2 men, in the last week, who have been accused of killing their own children. What is wrong with these men that they could take the lives of the innocent children they had? I know that there are marital issues, domestic issues, health issues and money issues, but being the mother of 2 beautiful girls I cannot understand what drives a person to do this type of heinous crime! Watching my daughters become the women that God created them to be is so rewarding. The highs and lows are all part of being a parent. The 7 year old disabled boy didn't ask to be born with cerebral palsy and a heart condition, but that is what he was given in life. As a parent you have to love that child unconditionally and support his needs. And before anyone asks, I do not have a child with any sort of disability so I do not know what that man was going through with his care. I do know, however, that murdering your child is not the answer!
I just don't understand how anyone can kill a person, let alone take the life of their own child. An innocent, unconditional loving child. I read these 2 particular stories and my stomach turns, my heart breaks and I find myself with tears in my eyes (yes all the cliches are out now). These beautiful children who did not have a chance to live out their lives, fall in love with the person of their dreams and make their parents proud with the decisions that they make in life. Children are our future and it is not the job of a parent to snuff out their life when things are bad for us in our adult lives. Love your children folks, let them live their lives to the fullest and become more than you can imagine.
In both situations the mothers are left behind to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Coming to terms with the fact that their child has been murdered and the accused murderer is someone that the child looked up to. I can't possibly imagine the pain that these women are going through and only hope that they find the comfort that one needs to get through this. I pray that individuals who are in difficult situations will seek the help that they need and work through the problems that they have and turn to your child for laughter and not murder.
"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see". -John W. Whitehead
Thursday, August 4, 2011
What's wrong with the negative?
As a mom, I really try to promote the positive that my daughters do each day. Whether it is school, their sports, musical talents or attempting something for the first time, I always try to find something that they did right and tell them how proud that makes me of their accomplishments. However, I have to say that there are times when I think it is appropriate to tell them what they have done wrong and how they can do it better.
So this post was sparked from the teacher who was suspended earlier this year because she wrote some comments that she would like to put on her student's report cards. I am not going to write out what those comments were, as I don't necessarily think it is important to this discussion what she wrote. It got me to thinking though... my own daughters' report cards have cookie cutter comments that do not really tell me much about ways for my child to do better. Everything is so "colorful rainbows and fluffy white clouds" when it comes to the comments on the report cards. Thinking back to my own report card, I remember reading comments like "does well in school, but is a bit of a social butterfly" or "quite a jokester in class". Not all that bad, but it pointed out my flaws. The flaws that needed to be pointed out.
How do we expect to be better at something if all we are told is the positive? Part of learning and growing is accepting that we are not perfect and working towards being better at whatever we are doing. If my child keeps reading that she's "a model student" or that she "has a great understanding of the curriculum" what does she have to strive for? As my child's parent, I know my kid isn't perfect and I accept that it is the job of the educators she comes in contact with, the coaches that she plays for, and me as her parent, to teach her how she can be better at whatever it is she is trying. I am not saying that you need to "beat' down" a child and ruin their self esteem, but it is important to present improvements on how they can be better. For me, I think that society has become so washed down with positive parenting that we have lost the ability to truly parent our children and teach them how to be better. A child has nothing to work towards if they are already perfect!
I think we need to go back to a time when children understood that they had things to work on. A time when coaches could coach a kid and not be scared of the parents reaction. A time when a dance teacher could point out a flaw and the child and parent respect that correction. A time when teachers could call your child a "social butterfly" in the comments on their report card and no one was brought up before the school board. A time when our children learned from the mistakes that they made.
"Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can’t accept your imperfections, that’s their fault."
So this post was sparked from the teacher who was suspended earlier this year because she wrote some comments that she would like to put on her student's report cards. I am not going to write out what those comments were, as I don't necessarily think it is important to this discussion what she wrote. It got me to thinking though... my own daughters' report cards have cookie cutter comments that do not really tell me much about ways for my child to do better. Everything is so "colorful rainbows and fluffy white clouds" when it comes to the comments on the report cards. Thinking back to my own report card, I remember reading comments like "does well in school, but is a bit of a social butterfly" or "quite a jokester in class". Not all that bad, but it pointed out my flaws. The flaws that needed to be pointed out.
How do we expect to be better at something if all we are told is the positive? Part of learning and growing is accepting that we are not perfect and working towards being better at whatever we are doing. If my child keeps reading that she's "a model student" or that she "has a great understanding of the curriculum" what does she have to strive for? As my child's parent, I know my kid isn't perfect and I accept that it is the job of the educators she comes in contact with, the coaches that she plays for, and me as her parent, to teach her how she can be better at whatever it is she is trying. I am not saying that you need to "beat' down" a child and ruin their self esteem, but it is important to present improvements on how they can be better. For me, I think that society has become so washed down with positive parenting that we have lost the ability to truly parent our children and teach them how to be better. A child has nothing to work towards if they are already perfect!
I think we need to go back to a time when children understood that they had things to work on. A time when coaches could coach a kid and not be scared of the parents reaction. A time when a dance teacher could point out a flaw and the child and parent respect that correction. A time when teachers could call your child a "social butterfly" in the comments on their report card and no one was brought up before the school board. A time when our children learned from the mistakes that they made.
"Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can’t accept your imperfections, that’s their fault."
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
What has happened to good manners?
Every day I ride on public transportation to work. It is on this bus ride into town that I do many of my life observations. One observation actually happens daily, and it isn't just limited to public transportation. It's manners and what happened to using GOOD MANNERS! I know that what I am about to write about may cause all the Women's Lib people out there into a tizzy, but I don't care at this point. For me, it's a matter of manners and being respected and not a matter of being equal!
Yesterday as I enter the bus, every seat is taken. The people on the bus are of all age ranges, from a newborn to the 80 year old grandmother. While I do not need a seat, my legs are not broken and I can stand, what bothers me is that not a single teenage, 20 something or 30 something move to let the clearly pregnant woman, who also joined at my stop, sit down! This woman was obviously in her 3rd trimester and was very uncomfortable standing. I observed men and women alike, checking this poor pregnant woman out but none of them offered her their seat. I have to disclose that our bus run is one of the shortest in the Port Authority's Repertoire...about 14 minutes from start to end so standing for anyone is not a difficult task, unless of course you are 8 months pregnant, with swollen ankles and a bag the size of Texas on your shoulders. I am in no way implying that a man needed to give up his seat, as a woman who has been pregnant SHOULD understand the way that this woman feels and should also have the manners to offer up her seat. Someone, anyone, offer this woman your seat for Heaven's sake. It's the right thing to do!
I have also notice that there is a lack of appreciation for people who hold doors open for you. When I hold a door open, I am not looking for you to bow at my feet or kiss the ring that I wear. What I am looking for is a simple "Thanks" or "Thank you". Those words go a long way in this word. It shows your appreciation for me, my time, my caring enough not to let the door slam in your face (as you were walking with your head down and talking on the cell phone)! I have taught my daughters, ages 12 and 9, that it is respectful for them to hold a door open for a person... but you still need to respect the kindness that my children have extended and thank them. It is not my, nor my daughters' job to be your door handler. It is a courtesy and should be treated as such. Additionally, if you are holding the door open for your significant other, and you see someone else approaching the door, how difficult is it for you to hold it open... at least until I have a chance to grab it. I am not telling you to hold the door open FOR me, but how about holding the door open a split second longer so that I can grab it FROM you! People, you can clearly see someone else approaching the door... why must you be so darn rude. It doesn't make you appear any better to that person with you. You know, the person to whom you are trying to make a good impression for!
Today in our office, my boss (a female) and I were walking down a hallway (that is built by the forever line of cubicles in our office). This hallway is quite narrow, only allowing for one person to fit through it at a time. As my boss and I are walking down this narrow hallway, 2 males (probably in their mid 20's) are walking in the other direction and heading right toward us. Now there is not a way for 2 people to fit across in this narrow little hallway, so one of the groups must step into a set of cubes and wait for the other to pass. What do you think happens; if you guessed Sam and her boss stepping into another set of cubicle, you are correct. You see, the 2 males never slowed down, didn't give the appearance that they would step into the cubicles, nor did they THANK us for stepping out of the way so that they could pass! Where are the manners? Where is the "I'll be polite and wait for you to pass"? Where is a little bit of common courtesy and decency?
It is really sad that I have to write in my blog about the lack of manners by so many today. An easy "please" and "thank you" go a long way. Offering up your seat to a person who needs it more on the bus shows that you are a thoughtful human being. Taking a second to hold the door open for someone may actually make that person's day. It is all about being kind to others in my world. This is definitely something that I have passed along to my daughters.
Yesterday as I enter the bus, every seat is taken. The people on the bus are of all age ranges, from a newborn to the 80 year old grandmother. While I do not need a seat, my legs are not broken and I can stand, what bothers me is that not a single teenage, 20 something or 30 something move to let the clearly pregnant woman, who also joined at my stop, sit down! This woman was obviously in her 3rd trimester and was very uncomfortable standing. I observed men and women alike, checking this poor pregnant woman out but none of them offered her their seat. I have to disclose that our bus run is one of the shortest in the Port Authority's Repertoire...about 14 minutes from start to end so standing for anyone is not a difficult task, unless of course you are 8 months pregnant, with swollen ankles and a bag the size of Texas on your shoulders. I am in no way implying that a man needed to give up his seat, as a woman who has been pregnant SHOULD understand the way that this woman feels and should also have the manners to offer up her seat. Someone, anyone, offer this woman your seat for Heaven's sake. It's the right thing to do!
I have also notice that there is a lack of appreciation for people who hold doors open for you. When I hold a door open, I am not looking for you to bow at my feet or kiss the ring that I wear. What I am looking for is a simple "Thanks" or "Thank you". Those words go a long way in this word. It shows your appreciation for me, my time, my caring enough not to let the door slam in your face (as you were walking with your head down and talking on the cell phone)! I have taught my daughters, ages 12 and 9, that it is respectful for them to hold a door open for a person... but you still need to respect the kindness that my children have extended and thank them. It is not my, nor my daughters' job to be your door handler. It is a courtesy and should be treated as such. Additionally, if you are holding the door open for your significant other, and you see someone else approaching the door, how difficult is it for you to hold it open... at least until I have a chance to grab it. I am not telling you to hold the door open FOR me, but how about holding the door open a split second longer so that I can grab it FROM you! People, you can clearly see someone else approaching the door... why must you be so darn rude. It doesn't make you appear any better to that person with you. You know, the person to whom you are trying to make a good impression for!
Today in our office, my boss (a female) and I were walking down a hallway (that is built by the forever line of cubicles in our office). This hallway is quite narrow, only allowing for one person to fit through it at a time. As my boss and I are walking down this narrow hallway, 2 males (probably in their mid 20's) are walking in the other direction and heading right toward us. Now there is not a way for 2 people to fit across in this narrow little hallway, so one of the groups must step into a set of cubes and wait for the other to pass. What do you think happens; if you guessed Sam and her boss stepping into another set of cubicle, you are correct. You see, the 2 males never slowed down, didn't give the appearance that they would step into the cubicles, nor did they THANK us for stepping out of the way so that they could pass! Where are the manners? Where is the "I'll be polite and wait for you to pass"? Where is a little bit of common courtesy and decency?
It is really sad that I have to write in my blog about the lack of manners by so many today. An easy "please" and "thank you" go a long way. Offering up your seat to a person who needs it more on the bus shows that you are a thoughtful human being. Taking a second to hold the door open for someone may actually make that person's day. It is all about being kind to others in my world. This is definitely something that I have passed along to my daughters.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Watch your skirt length.
I understand that there are women who enjoy wearing their skirts short. I also understand that not every women in the world can wear a short skirt. In my daily commute to and from work I often see outfits that make me do a double take. Yesterday was no exception and the cause of today's post.
The temperature in Western Pennsylvania has been in the high 90's and with the humidity, the heat index is about 105 degrees. So I understand that wearing clothing is something that not many of us want to do, but we all understand it is something that we need to do. So as I am driving on my way home from work a girl, walking with her boyfriend, caught my eye. You see, her skirt was short. And when I say short, I mean super short. At one point, the girl asked her boyfriend to walk behind her and see if her butt cheeks were showing. Really... that's the question you need to ask before you even leave the house! Each time this girl took a step she would pull at the bottom of the skirt to ensure that it wasn't rising up any more.
So I know that it is all about looking good and feeling good about who you are. Honestly, I get it. What I don't get is how showing your butt cheeks is approriate or "sexy" in any way. How projecting the image that you are is what you truly want for yourself. Do you think that everyone really wants to see your butt cheeks? I don't and I am quite sure that there are other people out there that feel the same way that I do as well.
But the bigger concern for me is that it isn't just this girl dressing this way. There are hundreds, thousands of girls and women that are dressing this way. I am concerned that these girls and women think that this is the only way to attract a male. Attracting a male through those means says nothing about your intelligence, your personality, or even your goals for life. To me, what that short skirt says is "Hey look at me for nothing more than my body!" As women we have so much more to offer people than just our bodies. Start using the brain that God gave you for more than just picking out the shortest skirt!
As the mother of 2 daughters, I can only hope that I have raised them with enough self esteem to not degrade themselves to the level of wearing super shortty skirts in order to attract a male. I hope that my daughters are smart enough to want to be more than a sex object to their partner. I hope that my daughers want to have more in life than just someone looking at their butt cheeks as they drive by.
The temperature in Western Pennsylvania has been in the high 90's and with the humidity, the heat index is about 105 degrees. So I understand that wearing clothing is something that not many of us want to do, but we all understand it is something that we need to do. So as I am driving on my way home from work a girl, walking with her boyfriend, caught my eye. You see, her skirt was short. And when I say short, I mean super short. At one point, the girl asked her boyfriend to walk behind her and see if her butt cheeks were showing. Really... that's the question you need to ask before you even leave the house! Each time this girl took a step she would pull at the bottom of the skirt to ensure that it wasn't rising up any more.
So I know that it is all about looking good and feeling good about who you are. Honestly, I get it. What I don't get is how showing your butt cheeks is approriate or "sexy" in any way. How projecting the image that you are is what you truly want for yourself. Do you think that everyone really wants to see your butt cheeks? I don't and I am quite sure that there are other people out there that feel the same way that I do as well.
But the bigger concern for me is that it isn't just this girl dressing this way. There are hundreds, thousands of girls and women that are dressing this way. I am concerned that these girls and women think that this is the only way to attract a male. Attracting a male through those means says nothing about your intelligence, your personality, or even your goals for life. To me, what that short skirt says is "Hey look at me for nothing more than my body!" As women we have so much more to offer people than just our bodies. Start using the brain that God gave you for more than just picking out the shortest skirt!
As the mother of 2 daughters, I can only hope that I have raised them with enough self esteem to not degrade themselves to the level of wearing super shortty skirts in order to attract a male. I hope that my daughters are smart enough to want to be more than a sex object to their partner. I hope that my daughers want to have more in life than just someone looking at their butt cheeks as they drive by.
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