Well, it's been a while hasn't while hasn't it?

Oy!

Talk about it being a while now hasn't it?

Well, if you're still checking in, (I ask you, WHY!?) then I will have to apologize for the long absence.  So very very sorry to have been gone for so long.

Last time I was here, I hadn't as of yet, started back to school.  As you can imagine, I'm something of an emotional/stress eater.  Yep.  All the hard work put in gone.  I've gained back all the weight and then some.  I had gotten up to 293/4 (can't recall off the top of my head which) and I've taken some of it off since getting semi-serious about getting back into the groove of things.

When I was doing this before, I had started as a means to get healthy.  Then it became something that I did for a way to seek out exactly why I was wanting and needing to lose the weight.  Was it purely for intrinsic reasons? Or were there extrinsic factors at play?  For that I can't say.  I don't know.  I'm not that good at self-analysis.  However what I will say is this....

I liked how I felt before when I was losing weight and had things under control.

That being said.  How exactly do I get back to where I was?  The Man and I started out doing this together.  He lost a ton of weight and once he had hit his goal, I guess, I lost interest.  Nobody to compete with.  I guess I have to make it interesting for myself or else my ADHD kicks in and I lose interest.  So I guess, I just figured out why I fell off the WW wagon.  Now I just have to climb back on.

The past little over a year or so in review....

•  I went back to school so that I could no longer be an LPN (low paid nurse) but an RN (real nurse) and be able to have more opportunities open up for me professionally speaking.
• Which got me to thinking about the weight I lost.
• How can I in good conscience be an effective medical professional when I'm obviously unhealthy?
• Get back at it was my answer
• I finally got a "real job" in my field! Woohoo!  However, shifty things are afoot.  So how long it lasts is anyone's guess.
• At school I started working in the lab.  I help underclassmen with their assignments, mentoring, tutoring (to an extent) and in some instances, actually end up teaching.  Because yanno, the damn brats don't pay attention to begin with and listen the first time when they are in class, lol.  
• I was the first responder not once but twice for the barnacle.  Which got me to thinking some more.
• If I don't get this weight off, will I end up like her? Like my father?  He died at 52 from a heart attack.
• Yeah, it could very seriously happen
• I became a vegetarian
• For the exact reasons stated above.
• Yes there are days where I still occasionally eat meat.  However I try to limit how often and it's never red meat, usually only chicken.
• I got a Fitbit to help me in tracking my progress. 
• I use it to track
• Steps walked
• Water drank
• My daily blood sugar
• Oh yeah, and I drink a TON more water!  

So those are the things I've done in the last month to get started.  Now I'm back here doing this.  I always believed in order to be successful at losing weight you HAVE to track everything!  I noticed, when I stopped tracking is when I started eating poorly.  When I stopped blogging/journaling and having "someone" to answer to, the same, I started eating poorly.

So here it all is.  The good, the bad and the fat.  I still am not looking to be thin, just healthy and a good role model for those I plan on taking care of.

Just a heads up...

Just a wee reminder that it's next Tuesday (not THIS Tuesday, but NEXT Tuesday) so that way you have time still to go shoppin'!

The cats are participating in my weight loss efforts...

(A special thank you and shout out to Things that make you go Awww over on FaceBook for the use of their photo, they are wonderful and delightful and I love them to bits!)

Lessons learned this week...

• As a welcomed surprised, one day this week past, I discovered that I had a number of points left at the end of the day (6, when you have 37 for the day and you've 6 left, that's almost enough for a meal and you dole those points about sparingly, that's quite a bit!) I was shocked! As well, I did find that I wasn't hungry neither!  I know I need to be careful of this because it can cause me to not lose weight as well.  Weight Watchers says it can be a failing oddly enough.  When you don't utilize all your points it sets you up to not burn all your fuel so to speak, hence your body wants to hold onto all that you eat.  There for you won't use it for fuel and lose weight.  *sigh*  Figures doesn't it?  I have to eat when I'm not hungry so that I can lose weight? lol woe is me!
• Weight Watchers counts EVERYTHING in the way of activity.  So  if you spent 20 minutes vacuuming the house, count it!  Same goes for any other household cleaning, especially if you're working up a sweat.  I keep forgetting to keep track of my time.  I need to do better about that.  Especially since I'm not as of yet exercising to the level that I want to be.  Don't worry cheerleaders, I'm getting there. 
• I finally got to watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead that my friend (+ Sarah  Hernandez) great documentary.  I know I've mentioned it.  It was so good that it bears mentioning again.  If you have Amazon Prime or Netflix, by all means, watch it.  You'll be glad you did!
• I started a new medication this week.  It's messing with my appetite something terrible.  I'm not feeling the urge to eat.  Which you may find that odd and rather a good thing.  Yeah, I would too under normal circumstances.  Yet, being an insulin dependent diabetic, I HAVE to eat or else it gets ugly...FAST.  So I'm forced to eat a little bit of something.  The rub is what?  So oddly enough THIS week, I'm finding I'm going OVER my points on a daily basis.  Nothing terrible, just a few points here and there.  Nothing more so far than 5 points, but that was in one day and it was due to the fact that we had pizza for dinner.  Yes we had pizza.  You can have pizza.  Ohhhh it was so good!  Another yummy from of all places Aldi's.  I'll do a review sometime (provided I can get a picture of it before it gets eaten first, lol) for you.
• I think that this new medication is going to be a huge help and make a vast improvement over the quality of things in my life.  At least I hope so.  We'll see.  I'll keep you  up to date.

So, so far, into my second week, I'd have to say, it was a raging success and I'm so far thrilled with the result.  I'm still steadfast in my resolve in that in order to see results you need to keep track of what you're doing.  Not just in what you're eating but in everything else.  That way you can track progress in all aspects of your life. 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by Cheerleaders.  It's always much appreciated.  Till next time!

Calling all of my cheerleaders for some help...

Hey cheerleaders, I'm in need of your help.

I'm in need of some new music for working out.  My taste in music spans all genre's so I'm not to particular in what is suggested.  All I ask is that it's upbeat and something I can move to.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

So it's Wednesday...

So today is the OFFICIAL first weigh in being back to the ...*ahem* program.  I was trying not to look at this in a negative light.  It's so easy to do.  Especially when I've so far to go and all you can see is how big the number is at the end.  I always end up thinking of some or another comedian's joke who said:

"Yanno what a diet is? It's die with a *t* at the end of it."

 He/she says it very deadpan and it gets lots of yucks.  But sometimes, it's not easy when you've got what you see to be, as much weight to lose (to be honest, I may not have to lose a whole lot of weight to get healthy, but in my twisted and warped mind, I think I do) as I do.

So here I am, tiptoe-ing up on the scale, as if I could sneak up on it and hop on it to get a better number. lol I ate like I was supposed to all week.  I'm allotted on a daily basis 37 points (remember I'm doing Weight Watchers) and those points depending on what you eat can go by quickly or stretch on for miles. Then on top of those daily points I have 49 weekly *extra* points to do with what I will.  I can break those 49 points down so that I can have them daily or I can save them all up for one special occasion or I can just use them here and there.  As well, not to have this get even more confusing, lol, when you throw exercise into the mix that ADDS points to your 49 weekly points even!  Which is nice so you can have even more weekly points.  So if I went swimming for example and earned 3 points, I'd have a weekly total of 52 points.  Then if on Friday night wanted to go to happy hour with friends and have a beer and potato skins, I could because I have the extra points to do so.  Although, I have to say, I'd love the time with friends...I'd rather have the diet soda and have nachos instead, lol....and that's okay, I'd just need to account for it!

All that's to be said to kind of explain or refresh your memory (for those of you who've been following for a while) how all this works.  So last week, only 2 occasions did I use extra points for a total of 3 extra weekly points being used.  However! Most days, I'd venture a guess as to 5 of the 7, I didn't even hit the 37 points being used.

Hence, why I looked to today with some trepidation. 

And I'm happy to say cheerleaders that I'm a big fat loser!!!

I'm down to 252!!! For a total lost this week of five pounds!  YAY!

Nervous about tomorrow...

I have to admit, I'm nervous for tomorrow morning.

It'll be my first weigh in since being back on plan.  Let's be a bit realistic, last week didn't really count.  I'd only been back on plan for a mere 24 hours.  Can't do much in that amount of time now can I?

I mean besides wrap my head around what it is I need to do and get my mind screwed on right.

So I'm nervous because it'll be my first real weigh in and I'm rather anxious to see what the scale says (or doesn't say...or if it laughs at me)...I know I shouldn't give this piece of equipment the power of me that I do, but I just can't help myself.

So for the past week that's what I've been doing. I think I've been doing it well.  I've had some serious self discovery along the way as well too.

Watched another WONDERFUL documentary called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  At a friend's insistence (thank you Sarah!) and I'm so very glad I did!  It had truly inspired me! I want to give it a go, but when I looked into juicing on the Weight Watchers website, and how I need to work it into the plan, it wasn't very clear and I want to make sure that it comes together.  Some people on the boards also indicated that they'd gained (yeah I couldn't believe it either) so I want to get to the library and really do some more reading up on it so that I'm making sure that it's something that is really good for me and in my best interest.  Especially where my diabetes is concerned.  That is something I do not want to play around with!  How ever I totally agree with the film maker in that if we've made our bodies unwell from unhealthy eating to begin with, it stands to reason that we should be able to make our bodies well and healthy from healthy eating.  Just give it the right foods and time.

Speaking of which, I went to the doctor today to follow up with a previous office visit and talk about my lab draw that I had done last week...

First off, the phlebo was a hot mess.  I told her where to draw and she didn't listen to me.  Secondly, look what she left behind!

I couldn't figure out what the hell it was!  I'd never seen anything like it.  It was on there from the Thursday I had the labs drawn till today.  As the doctor and I poked at it and the nurse and I picked at it, all three of us had a light bulb moment (one giant DUH! lol) and it turned out to be adhesive of all things!!  Anyways, that's taken care of.

Onto test results....

The one that I really wanted to know was my A1c.  It was 7.5, which is up from my previous 6.3 (if memory serves me correct) yet down from my all time high of 13.1 which was where it was when I was when I was in the hospital a few years ago and lost 20 some pounds but didn't keep it off.  This time around, I've been more successful with more weight off for longer.

The doctor was happy with my over all fats panel in that it was 223.  It should be below 206 he says.  However, there's always room for improvement.

My triglycerides were 240, they should be below 150.

My good fats (HDL) is 46, I'd like to get them higher though because they are too close to being on the borderline of bad. Borderline of bad is 40.

My bad fats (LDL) is 129, they should be below 70.  Not screaming scary high, but still...I'd like it to be below 70.

These are numbers I'd like to get sorted along with my weight, but given that if my weight comes in line, I figure that so will these numbers.

So now we know...

One more thing...

I've been diagnosed with ADHD.  I was put on a new medication called Strattera.  Talk about a relief.  I'm not crazy and hopefully I'll be able to deal with my shiny ball syndrome.  I'll be able to do the simplest of things, such as read a book.  Something I've not been able to do for roughly 7 years.  I miss it. 

We'll see what happens and how the medication works for me.