I thought Burpees were for baby puke

Good morning all -

Good news. By incorporating exercise back into my healthy life plan this weekend I lost the pound I had gained, so I am down to 159.4 or .6 I forgot to take a picture. That reminds me, I have to start taking pictures.

In addition to the Wii fit I am going to start a Burpees program with the man. He started on 40 because he's nuts but I am going to start with 5, and increase daily until I'm up to 100 and basically Wonder Woman. If you've never heard of this phenomenon here are a few pages to get you started.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rossboxing2.htm

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/burpeeclip.htm

A few options from another blogger

So for those of you who don't know me it's my birthday. I am the big 2-9 today and I am glad that I have already started working on my body and eating better. I find that each year really does bring weight in new places and makes it a little harder to get rid of. With the correct mindset and endurance I'll be able to chase my future children around the house way better than present Lula Mae could, if they existed already. I don't know if that made sense.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day. If any of you have tried Burpees or any other indoor do it at your own pace in the bedroom type of exercise I would love to hear feedback.

Good luck!

Lula Mae

beep beep beep beep beep this just in

So, week end report: the eating well has been going well. This morning I had a multi grain English muffin with a tiny bit of peanut butter, a cup of vanilla yogurt with a little granola mixed in and some 100% juice. Lunch is free Pizza on Fridays at work and hard to work around but I managed a plate full of salad and two meatballs, not bad considering. For a late afternoon snack I had two pieces of dark chocolate. I am PMSing and do not deny myself chocolate. It's not just for me, it's for humanity. I also drank a lot of water and some coffee. I cut the sugar out of coffee a couple of years ago. I can drink it black but usually put in a little fat free milk because I find it more aesthetically pleasing. I'm weird.

Everyone else is at Beer-30 right now but I'm still trying to show my boss that I'm a shining star just like always. I love to socialize so this is exceptionally hard for me. It's right down the row from me because well, I helped invent it. *sigh*

Sara, when you were talking about putting on sudden weight I didn't think of it right then but remember your cycle. A week before or during your "time" you may add on water weight. I always do. It's different for everyone. Please don't get discouraged. You re-inspired me so if you're not inspired anymore where does that leave us?

Next weeks goal: daily exercise in addition to work, school, and eating well. I can do it. I already have more energy from having better food in my body. We'll start tomorrow shall we?

How are you all doing? Losing weight? Gaining Weight? Starting new projects? Sitting on the couch doing nothing? Running marathons? Anything?

Love you,

Lula Mae

The times they are a changin..

I admit it. I am listening to Britney Spears "Womanizer" right now. I realize that it's a computerized (digitized?) voice and all that and I don't really give a crap about her but the tune is catchy. I feel ashamed. What happened to the indie rock days of college? I am turning 29 next week and listening to.... POP?! And then I find out that the least likely person in the entire world to get married got married to a lawyer and moved to New York. He didn't even shower when I knew him 3 years ago. weird.

I also had a dream last night involving the fat on my thighs turning into terrible shapes so that it was impossible to hide. Talk about traumatic.

I had a bad yesterday and a better today. I don't have a lot to give to you right now but if you would like to share any changes you have noticed in yourself this year you are more than welcome, in fact I would love it.

Jenessa I love all your snack ideas, and and I am so with you on the back fat. I think the shuffle against the wall idea is a good one. What did you call it? Do si do?

Love you,

Lula Mae

Sunny Days

Seriously? No one is willing to share their self image issues. I can post them anonymously. Or you can. Anyway. Maybe we'll start with a lighter topic.

Your Favorite Healthy Recipe or Snack

Mine is a snack because I can't cook, I'm going to learn though. I love laughing cow cheese (just one wedge) spread over a wasa sesame cracker. I know we may have discussed this but that's my favorite so I have no choice but to be redundant.

In other news I miss all of you. It must be a busy time of year for everyone, I know it has been for me. Anytime you feel like dropping a line it's lovely to hear from you.

Much Love,

Lula Mae

You're beautiful

Hello my friends-

After getting over the jetlag, missing vacation, hating being back at work, and the flu, I am done with excuses. I am ready to get back on track. Today has been great so far and I am excited to pick up where I left off. I cannot wait to move down a pants size. I was at a point where I didn't mind looking in the mirror and now I'm kind of like "meh".

So to go over the basics; I will eat healthy as often as possible. I will find ways to fit exercise into my daily life. I will only give in to unhealthy foods if they are a 10 out of 10 on my yummy scale and I feel like I deserve a treat. I will reward myself with something that is not food every 5 pounds. I will cut back on my drinking.

I'm ready.

I can't wait to get back on the Wii fit when I get home even though I'm sure it's going to yell at me. The Jerk.

The new site is up but not quite running yet. I don't want to make it the main site until it's functional at more than a blog level. To help start off my sections I was wondering if the people who are my readers now would like to contribute stories that will be on the website when it launches. You don't have to do this but if you decide to I would very much appreciate it and I think we could inspire a lot of people.

Today's topic: Self Image (I know it's broad, it's so you can take it where you want to. If you're not heavy you can still write about issues you've had with yourself or if you are any weight and have had no issues tell us how and why)

I'll start.

As I've said before my weight has ranged from 159 - 200 over the years after high school. There was a point right after college when I started a medication that had the happy side effect of making me lose weight (for a little while) it just reduced my appetite. I remember feeling full for the first time. This was the first time I went down to 159. I looked pretty good, as a girl of 5'7" who had been considerably heavier before. Unfortunately I didn't notice. My confidence was at such a low level that every time I looked in the mirror I saw the same pudgy girl I had seen all my life and I was disgusted. I had issues letting anyone see me naked, I thought I was ugly and incredibly fat. It was at that time that I gained my first bit of confidence. A person that I was... we'll say dating, could not understand why I hid under the covers all the time. Finally it got to a point where he ripped them off me and left me on the bed in my birthday suit. I curled up in a ball and tried to cover myself. He gave me back the sheet but repeated "You're beautiful" to me about 300 times while I sobbed and finally relinquished the sheet. After that I knew that if a man wanted to be with me he liked seeing me naked and that there were very few people that were completely perfect, and that most people knew that. That's how I became comfortable with my body. (I still don't always love it) but I'm comfortable.

Love you,

Lula Mae

Atlas

The weather is getting warmer around here which is a good motivator for any of those who lost their New Years Resolution Motivation. I remember just last year when the man wanted to play Tennis with me, I was so embarrassed of my thighs that I bought these horrible long shorts, when I looked in the mirror I did not feel feminine or attractive and I just sobbed. By the end of the summer with a little exercise my legs slimmed down a lot. We went to play tennis one day and I looked down at my thighs and was not at all embarrassed. I didn't even try to make it happen, I was just trying to be healthy.

There are a lot of stresses right now that can bring anyone down. The economy, the change in seasons, getting older, etc. I know they're all taking their toll on me. I'm an optimist and I find it hard to get out of bed in the morning so I have no idea what it's like for a pessimist. It's time to get the adrenalin pumping every morning. Not only for our physical health but now for our mental health. My doctor has always told me that exercise can have an amazing effect on the mood. I think that if we all start of the day with a little bit of a boost maybe it will make work a little easier to get through.

I also think it's important that we are here to support each other whether it's through weight loss, illness, relationship issues or anything else that happens.

This is why I am kicking off an official website within the next couple of weeks. I will keep the blog and even have another perspective from my friend Phoebe, but there will also be other areas of the site that I think will be beneficial to help us all support each other. I will keep you posted.

Sorry for being all over the place today, I'm feeling a bit scattered. I am going to chill with the man and the kitties for a little while longer and then get on the Wii fit for a while.

I hope you're all doing well. If you have ideas for the new site please post them. Anything that you would like to see a focus on in any area of women's health. Any tool that might help you in your daily life, etc.

Much love,

Lula Mae

Pew Pew Pew

I think we should all take a moment to congratulate blog follower Sara D on her first 10 (make that 11) pounds lost since she started reading and sharing with all of us. That is awesome and inspirational. You are now going to help me get motivated again, and I think that's important. We all need a support network. Sara I hope you rewarded yourself with a 10 pound indulgence. I have the sexy boots planned for me. What about you? A day at the Spa? A maid to do your spring cleaning? A hot new outfit?

I want all those things...

Thank you all for listening to me whine yesterday. I got back on the scale and through all this I have actually only gained back a pound. I can deal with a pound. Heck, I could get my hair cut and lose a pound (seriously there's a lot of it). I still don't feel great though and that's what I want to get back. I am back on the right track. I had a healthy dinner last night and when I felt like it wasn't enough I cut up celery and a cucumber. This morning I had a cup of good for me cereal with a little no fat milk. I did some leg stretches and lifts with weights last night and a little step this morning. I think I can I think I can..

Ok here's an embarrassing share story. I know there's some comic that has this in common with me so at least I'm not the only one but do legs over your head yoga poses give release gas for anyone else. I'm sitting there feeling all sexy and bendy and I lift my legs straight in the air, fine, and then they say bring them down over your head parallel to the ground. That's when it starts. I can't do those poses when the man's around though I'm pretty sure he would like them other than... that. I'm also petrified to go to a yoga class. I'm sticking to home yoga. I did a few light classes that never asked me to bend like that a few years ago so I have some basics.

I told you I'm honest.

Tell me a story.

Love,

Lula Mae

Kick Me.

Hello again friends,

I have had a really hard time eating healthy since I got back from my trip. I have still not weighed myself because honestly I don't want to know. It's upsetting because I was on a really good track. I want to be on it again, it's just that initial motivation, that kick in the ass that I'm missing. I try thinking about the possibility of a high school reunion and how amazing I would like to look, doesn't work. I try thinking of children I want to have 5-10 years from now and how I want to be able to catch them, nothing. I am in this apathetic stage where I am just watching myself go downhill and hating it. I did manage to get healthy groceries so that when I'm home I have very little choice but to have a healthy dinner. Breakfast and lunch are sometimes questionable. My stomach has been a bit messed up lately so I'm afraid to add in too much fiber and ruffage. I can certainly eat better than I am without it, but what I'm doing isn't horrible. Why does the computer say ruffage isn't a word? Did my mother make it up or something? It has no problem with isn't and technically that's completely incorrect. But where was I before I went off on the English major tangent?

Oh yes. I did start back at school to finish up all my odds and ends, so that's good news. The man and I have started looking for a place together. It wouldn't be until September or August but we want to make sure we get exactly what we want and get our deposits in ahead of the students. I also got a lot of new HD channels for the same price with EXTREME HD (it came with a free helmet I think) there's going to be a pet channel in HD soon and I know the kitties will be excited. They love animal planet as it is so more kitties will be even better.

Ok so here's the deal. I need your help. I need a kick in the ass. I don't know if it's the change of seasons or stress at work or just general laziness but when I get home or when I wake up I cannot convince myself to work out. I know once I start that it will just get better and better.

Is anyone else having these issues right now?

Love,

Lula Mae

Here I am

It's true, I've been back from New Zealand for more than a week but I felt like a fraud writing to you any earlier than this. I haven't weighed in since coming back, I was a bit naughty food wise while on vacation but made up for it with all the activities I participated in, and when I got back I found the work and the jet lag didn't mix well with eating well. This was especially hard since I was poor until we got paid again. I had a really good time spending money in New Zealand though.

I am back now, finally caught up on sleep and have a fridge full of groceries that are at least semi decent for me. I came across an article today that I found very relevant to my blog and wanted to share it with you. Bethany NY Housewife Dieting Tips


I thought her general rules were very similar to things we have been discussing and definitely plan on purchasing the book. Ok so I'm giving in to buying another diet guide but this one at least admits that you just have to change your idea of eating and offers recipes and tips. I need that.

I hope you are all doing well. Did I miss anything urgent while I was gone?

ANTM starts tomorrow, you know you're as excited as I am.

Love you,

Lula Mae