2011... If I Remember Correctly...

Before you jump to any illusions that I thought of these questions myself... 

No.

I did not.

I got them from An Ordinary Housewife ( .blogspot.com) 

Who got them from The Bargain Babe at ZucchiniSummeretsy.blogspot.com...

I figured I would post them and my answers here on Color Me Thin so anyone who stumbles across this blog would get a better picture of who I am... besides a fluffy Mom in her mid-40's...

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

     Went on a cruise for HeMan Hubby's birthday with his Mom and TeenBoy,   

     Bratchild and SIX

       

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for

    next year?

    I can't recall actually making any resolutions, per se, but there were some things I

    was going to try to work on... and I did... try that is. 

    Actually I am still working on them so I guess that means they are the things I will 

    be working on this year too.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

     As a matter of fact... my oldest daughter, you know, GoodMom? She had a little

     boy the summer of 2011... BabyG is too cute! 

4. Did anyone close to you die?

     Yes...just before Christmas

  

5. What countries did you visit?

     Went to the Bahamas... via the afore mentioned cruise ship!

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

     You mean in addition to Fame and Fortune? The body I had in 1986 would be

     nice... but really, just a happier, more satisfied family... and World Peace

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

     Ummm, the date HeMan Hubby and I had on the cruise ship for his birthday... a

     night club filled with 20-somethings too drunk to walk and a casinio... a winning 

     combination! Oh- and the cruise date is the same date BabyG made his debut

     appearance so... that one is good for 2 reasons! 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

     Can't say that I actually have any achievements, big or small, for 2011... 

     I guess I should work on that for 2012, huh?

9. What was your biggest failure?

    Hmmm, not finishing my novel ... actually not putting my novel or short stories or 

    outlines or any of my writing on thumbdrives or an external hard drive... lost it all 

     when the computer crashed... which, might I add, really sucks.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

      Why yes, yes I did. Thanks for asking....

11. What was the best thing you bought?

      I guess new tires don't count, do they?

12. Where did most of your money go?

      To Wawa... don't ask... oh, and the mortgages... and health insurance

13. What did you get really excited about?

     The cruise... the family reunion trip for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary...

     BratChild playing soccer in highschool

14. What song will always remind you of 2011?

       Rolling in the Deep by Adele

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? yes

– thinner or fatter?  oooo, I know this one.... thinner!!!
– richer or poorer? you could say that... depending on the day of the month 

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

      Seriously? Laughing. And Singing. And hanging out with all my children

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

      Losing my temper... 

18. How did you spend Christmas?

     At home... for once! with HeMan Hubby and the kids.

19. What was your favorite TV program?

      Doctor Who... followed closely by the NCISes (isn't LL Kool J too gorgeous for

       words?)

20. What were your favorite books of the year?

      Read so many I can't remember them all but... The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

      series... started it in 2010 and finished it up in early spring 2011... loved those.

      And the Diane Mott something-or-other... love her murder mysteries revolving

      around a bakery/caterer... oh yeah, Davidson!

      told you I read a lot... well over 100 books in 2011... closer to 200 actually.

 

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

     Transiberian Orchestra... just love their Christmas music

22. What were your favorite films of the year?

      Harry Potter - The Final Edition... and I can't remember any others so... 

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

     2011--- that birthday was way back at the very beginning of 2011 so I can't

     recall much except that I :

    1) turned 45 

    2) it was a Tuesday

    3) I bought the cake instead of making it

    4) yeah, that's all I got

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more 

      satisfying?

     Honestly? 

     reaching my weight loss goal would have made a huge

     difference in my attitude... not just toward myself, but in my relationships

     with my family as well... I am working on that Big Time for 2012

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

     Thrift Store Chic?

     Yoga Studio Savvy?

     Stay at Home Mom meets Diane Keaton?

     Somewhere in that is my fashion style... I know, clear as mud, right?

26. What kept you sane?

      I'm sorry. Did I give you the impression that I am?

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

     Spend less time worrying about Tomorrow and enjoy Today because 

     Today is really all you ever have.  ( yes, I thought that one up on my very own... 

     maybe I have a career writing greeting cards?)

Losing weight is... say what?

Losing weight is...

Easy...
Fun...
Exciting...

Or not.


But it could be, right?

Okay, maybe it's not really easy, but maybe it should be.
Maybe it isn't the losing weight that is hard, but the idea of losing weight that is hard to wrap your head around.
The thought of having to make time to exercise...
to have to cut out all the good foods that you love...
to have to pay attention to not just what you eat but how much and when...
But what if you could just eat what you wanted, when you wanted and not have to worry about it?

Would losing weight be easier?
Probably not.

But not because it wouldn't work...
but because if losing weight was that easy then where would the sense of accomplishment when you reach your goal weight come from?

And what about fun?
Unless you enjoy exercising, getting sweaty, feeling like your arms and legs are made of rubber...
it's probably not exactly going to be fun.
Actually, it's a whole lot like work...
but in a good way, a way that when you get to the end you have something that you can be proud of...

A thinner, healthier, sexier YOU!

And exciting... most dcefinitely not!

But isn't is exciting to see the changes you are making every time you look in the mirror?
Isn't it exciting to see the new you that is slowly emerging, like a butterfly from a cocoon in Spring?
Isn't being able to finally, finally! walk into any store and know that you can try on anything on the rack because... well, they have everything in your size!

And mostly, isn't it exciting to know that you have done something for yourself that you can be proud of, that your family can be proud of and that will

Hello... Is any body out there?

Major Tom to ground control...

Yeah, that's the same silence I have been getting for months now too.

Unfortunately I have been trying to talk to those nagging guys sitting on my shoulders...

Meet Good Idea, sitting on the right and...

you got it, Bad Idea sitting at the left.

Yes, I have been trying to carry on a sane conversation with these 2 parts of my self without any response for months...

should I exercise more Good Idea... <silence>

should I go see that bariatric specialist about that medical diet plan Bad Idea... <crickets chirping>

What the heck have I been waiting for???

That's the question I ask myself today as I review all of the options I have for weight loss and creating a healthy lifestyle that will lead to a healthy ME...

So, now that my horribly yucky gallbladder has been removed...

Oh thank you modern medicine ....

And I am able to start getting active and add a little bit more to my sadly limited diet...

(although Good Idea did speak up to remind that limiting my portion size and saturated fat content can only be a good thing)...

I have decided to chose the path not taken, or not taken in many years that is, and really hold myself accountable...

for the weight that I do or do not lose...

how healthy my attitude toward life and living is, or is not...

the way in which I approach the problems in my life...

And in so doing I hope to find a lighter, happier and more carefree me...

except for the carefree part... 

being the CEO of TheBusyFamily kinda negates that part...

But the rest, that is totally Do-able*....

definition: Do-able -something that can be accomplished that is actually worth the effort it will take

I Am Failing... Miserably!

Yes, that is the truth.
I have fallen off the healthy living band wagon...

I have not been active.
I have not been eating the right foods.
I have not cared enough to care that I don't care.

I have fallen into the trap of the depression that accompanies the change of seasons.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Summer!
I Love, love, love Fall.

I know, I am a season snob.

Summer gets more of my attention.
Summer is the season that I just cannot resist.

And yet, Fall truly is the season that I think of as my favorite.

Weird, huh?

Summer is when I am most active. Spending all of my time out of doors, in the pool, walking and running and swimming and eating farm fresh locally grown produce....
and then...
it just stops.

All of it.

The cold makes me hurt everywhere in a way that I cannot even begin to describe.
My hands become stiff.
My joints ache.
My knees and hips pop with every step.

I feel my age plus 50!

And so my weight has crept up and up and up until...

I am where I was at the start of the summer.
I have to start all over again.
This is a ride that I desperately want to get off of...
that I want to stop altogether...

So today I will go out and run errands.
Have lunch with a friend.
Spend time enjoying the sights and sounds of Fall in all her glory...

And take that first step to getting back on that proverbial wagon...
and try not to fall off again!

Hello... It's Me... Again...

You would think that since I haven't written any posts for this blog in, well, forever... that I have been busy living well and being healthy and losing weight, right?

Well, you would think wrong if you did.

Nope, I have been busy being the BusyMom, CEO and chauffer and cook and housekeeper to TheBusyFamily instead.

I was running for an hour a day in my backyard pool until... the horrible weather started.
It began with a little storm called Hurricane Irene... that led to the 40 days and 40 nights of rain... and I mean rain that fell to the tune of over an inch an hour at times.

Our backyard became a pond from the overflow of the swamp and stream at the edge of our property.
All we needed was to throw in a few fish and we would instantly have been eligible to claim waterfront property status... I swear it really was that bad.

I tried to do some home dvd workouts but... they are lonely and no where near as fun as running in the pool. And much harder for me to do since my joints just hate solid ground... that daggone knee pops out at the darndest times!

So, instead I have been running kids here and there, trying to keep up with the never ending cycle of housework and get some writing done...

Eating right and getting healthy have not been a priority, but then, perhaps that is the underlying problem, no?

I need to put myself first, for a change, and do what I need to do for me to be healthier and feel better in my body... after all, it is the only one I'm gonna get...

Especially since Cher shows no signs of dying and donating hers to me any time soon....

So, I am going to start on the NEW South Beach diet plan.
I read about it in this week's Woman's World magazine.
I'll let you know how it goes in a few days... or once I get to the grocery to stock up on the food required for the beginner's menu.

So.. for now I have to report... no weight loss ... but hopefully that won't be the case for long!

I think the World is Against me... or maybe it's just the scales

Yes, you read me correctly.
I think that the scales of the world are out to get me.
Or rather, out to not let me lose weight.

Semantics.

I walk.
I jog (okay I tried it one day and made it about 1 mile... sort of).
I do water aerobics...

In my backyard pool...

Where no one can see me if  I look like a beached whale...

Or a harbor seal fighting for it's life...

I eat right.
I exercise.
I drink tons of water and then I drink some more!

And yet, and still...

The scale will not move below 209.

It hates me.
And believe me...
The Feeling is quite mutual!

What Price Skinny?

Bulimia.                      (ewwwww)
Anorexia..                   (btdt)
Diet pills.                (too jumpy)
The liquid diet.            (ick)
The fat flushing diet. (too bad it comes right back)
The Cabbage diet.       (skinny but friendless?)
The Fish diet.    (skinny and a brainiac... not likely)
Thermogenics              (getting warmer)
Slim-fast.                     (getting hungrier)
HCG...  Say what?                                                                      

Seriously? 
Human Chorionic Growth Hormone...


HCG is now a weight loss product.




I mean it's a real one
.
Even Dr. Oz talked about it on his show.
He said it worked. 
He had no idea how or why, just that it had.


What is HCG? 
A hormone that is produced by pregnancy so the baby will grow. 


Who knew that un-pregnant people would lose weight if they took it? 
Who thought to try it?
On second thought, how do you get this hormone if you are not pregnant, or like, a boy?


Sometimes the leaps that scientific minds make to come up with solutions to the world's ills baffle and confuse me. 


And sometimes, I think that I'm better off just ignoring the world around me and moving to the beat of my very own drum, by myself, without any pregnant hormones to help me lose the weight...


What price is too much to pay for skinny-ness?


Anything that requires needles or patches or horse-pills, dehydrated foods or all liquid diets, prepackaged food that tastes like cardboard and costs as much as 2 weeks of family groceries...


Running, swimming, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking a gallon of water a day... 


They may not be fancy.
They are not expensive.
They certainly aren't glamorous.
But they sure do work.... 


when I actually get around to doing them that is!