Joy’s Weight Loss Journey

After a talk with hubby, I’ve pretty much decided I’m switching my major.  I’ve to talk to some administrative personnel about what all it will entail but…. it’s pretty definite.  I don’t think I should have any problems getting into the program I want.

I talked with him about it and told him a lot of what I’m going to do depends on what he’s going to do.  He was originally going to go back to school but has been working hard to progress in his job now (retail management).  As I said to him, architecture would be a high priority job, his is high priority.  IT’s hard to have a healthy family life in those kinds of conditions.

Likewise, with architecture I don’t think I’ll ever get my health in proper order since it is such an intense career, since I can’t even seem to balance it with school.  Health is big concern for me.  I don’t do well with a lot of stress and it will never really end with a career like that.

Basically, to me, architecture sounds great as a career– but in the grander view of life, not so much.

Tobey asked which do I Want more– a baby or to be an architect? Well my first thought “if we’ve the money, a baby”.   I’ve always been around babies and wanted one; some people just want to or are meant to be mothers, it happens, and I’m that type of person.  I want to be like everyone else in college but the facts are I’m my own person and I want different things than the “average” college student.

I always wanted to be a teacher until I got to high school and saw my peers, I thought “how could I ever put up with this as a teacher?” so I ran away from it.  Now, I think that was a bad idea.  I’m going to go back to this idea; I’m going to try to meet with someone by Friday about changing my major to Secondary Education with a concentration in English.

I think this is most conducive to what I want out of life.  I’ve been thinking solely about my career, but that’s not all there is– that’s one fraction of your total living, and in all honesty, it’s getting too much concentration.  To be happy with my family; hubby, future kids, parents, is my main goal– and I think this is best achieved with my intentions than my current situation.

Hi all,
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I’d like to say that I’m an exception but I’m not. Read more »

What exactly is going on here?? Seems our home is falling apart.  Low activity.  WHY? We keep saying theres a lack of members participating. WHY???

Where did Sabrina go, Nicole, others???? We need to work to keep our groups close knit and supportive! I know I haven’t been here much but still– this is the worst I’ve seen it in the year and a half I’ve been on BS, and I’m worried!

Work to keep your buddies motivated– work to get new buddies interested!  Don’t know how to find new members? Go to Dr Marc’s page and click on one of his buddes– the newest are always at the top of his buddy list!   We need to make sure they connect and get active.  It’s intimidating especially with how well connected most of the groups are.  Welcome them, invite them into the community.

Send boosters to your buddies who are slipping, losing motivation. Talk and support them! If a friend is feeling down you don’t just hope they’ll work it out themselves or someone else will come along and cheer them up, do you??

This is a family, lets help keep it together!

I’m having a hard time right now trying to focus. There’s so much I need to be doing and it is a bit overwhelming. Basically, I’m needing to take a step back and re-focus in all aspects of my life.

I want to focus on school, I want to focus on me.  In that, of course, I need to focus on my home life, my husband.  Really, I don’t think it will be hard seeing as he is part of me, and I genuinely feel that.   Our biggest problem is communication (as it usually is with any couple).  Last night I had a dream my hubby left me because he didn’t like that I’d “changed”  What, I mean, really? He got to know me for who I am internally and not externally so there are some issues with how I act.  I’m very much an introvert and I want to be an extrovert, how strange is that? Anyways.. We get irritated with each other quickly, since we both have little patience.  I’m going to work on this, as well as trying to develop more of a written budget, and trying to convince him that we need to write it down and watch what’s being spent where (any tips on how to get him to agree on this, anyone? J).  Money is definitely getting tight with school, and I’m having to cut down on work.  Food is another big issue, since I’m away from home so much and our schedules don’t coincide well at all.  This means I’m probably going to have to take one day where I cook a lot of food for the whole week, not a big deal, just need to develop a routine.   Advice on cheap meals, diverse for a picky eater?

However, we then get into taking lunches, etc.  I’ve an issue with food during the day: I’ve no fridge, so I’ve to carry it with me from about 8 AM until when I eat around 12 or so.  I do have access to a microwave.  I’m thinking, canned soups? Not sure.  I hate having a lukewarm salad or sandwich.  Any advice here would be great as well.   

This unfortunately means focusing less on other areas of my life, like BS and work.  You all know I love and admire all of my buddies here, and I’m always going to be a member here, but my role is going to have to subside.  I’ve always been a heartbreaker and I hate to back away from it, but I’m really not contributing now and I feel it isn’t as beneficial as it could be for me, and something somewhere else could take more from the time I give to the team.  So, I’m going to back away for a while.  I wish you all the best but I don’t think the team is where I need to be right now.  If I’m going to be focusing more on me as an individual, that definitely isn’t a good team attitude.  Maybe once I’ve worked on other areas I’ll be able to come back, but right now I’m just trying to do too much at once.

I will remain in The Quest for Onederland and the Christmas Challenge… but I believe that’s all.  Those are fairly “low maintenance” If you will.  I hate to be doing this but, I do have to keep myself in the spotlight for a while if I wish to have any kind of success in the near future, school and otherwise. 

I’ll still be here on a regular basis, I’ll still be reading the forums, just not 5-6 x a day like before.. about half as much.  I know I probably need a lot of you now more than ever before, aswell, so again I’ll try to actually focus my buddyslim visits on strengthening my buddyslim ties.

I hope you all understand and I thank you for being there for me. 

Hi all!!!

I’m doing pretty well. Slowly getting back on the wagon. Woohoo! I’ve been positive for a while now so I think it might finally stick again.. we’ll see.

So, I wanted to ask you all a question. Our one year anniversary is coming up next weekend (wow already!) and I’m racking my brain to try to think of what to give Joshua. I don’t want to spend much money. I had offered to buy tickets to a concert he was interested in but he ho-hummed that. He keeps telling me not to spend any money, but of course I want to give him something. The question is really, what. A poem, letter, etc etc I will try… but it’ll be hard LOL especially with Mr English buff over here!!!

Basically I was looking for input and ideas.. maybe things you all did on a limited budget, etc etc. Any input is appreciated!!

Thanks all!!

Well, I was trying to look up whether frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are better for you.  I always assumed frozen, since there is no salt.  In the process, however, I discovered something I wasn’t expecting.  Frozen fruits and vegetables are usually better than fresh.  Frozen vegetables are packed with the most nutrients, because they are picked when ripe.  Fresh vegetables at the grocery stores have less nutrients, because they are picked before they are ripe so that they can ripen during transit.  Who knew? Of course, if you’ve your own garden or a local farmers market, these vegetables are nutrient packed as well– but for most of us, I’d say we get ours at the grocery store. Also, apparently,  canned are just as good as long as you get it without salt or sugars.  Still– most have these, and frozen vegetables usually still have a crunch

Jamie, one of our HBRs came up with the wonderful idea of putting workotus onto notecards.  That way, when you find one you like in a magazine or such, you can just write it down on the card and have them all in one place.  I’m planning on doing this, and then picking them at random to determine my workouts.  I think it will be fun.  Here’s my list so far for my cards:

Cardio:

Workout DVD

Walking

Biking

Jump Rope

DDR

Wii Fit

Swimming

(when school starts back)

Treadmill

Elliptical

Stair Climber

Rowing Machine

Classes (depending on what’s available)

Strength:

Push ups

Crunches

Lunges

Squats

Leg lifts

Weights

Exercise ball workouts

Any other ideas?

Okay, so a lot of us REALLY hate exercising…

…and a lot of us have always been over weight.  I was reading somewhere (a blog? Not sure) about gym classes… and running a mile (yeah I think someone’s blog)

It just got me thinking… do we really hate exercise, or is it a learned emotion?  What I’m saying here is, I know al ot of us faced the dreaded gym class as a chubby child.  We got mocked, made fun of, saw the teacher’s disappointment when we couldn’t do things.  So, I’m proposing that we really don’t hate it.  We all love it after we’ve done it… we’ve just learned to associate the thoughts of exercise and working out with negativity.   All our early experiences with it were negative– therefore, we now associate all experiences with it as negative. At least, I’m pretty sure that explains it for me.

There was one form of exercise I always loved –colorguard/winterguard. And you know what? My first instructor was the most encouraging, understanding woman I’d ever met.  I think she’s the reason I learned to love it so much–and not see it as exercise.

I think if we adjust our thinking about exercise (much like with everything else) it will come more easily, more naturally, and we’ll stop seeing it as a daunting task but rather something we can enjoy.

So all of you exercise haters, I challenge you to evaluate what it is you exactly hate about exercise, and learn to associate exercise with more positive thinking ..  and hopefully get the ball rolling like I hope to for me. :)e

yikes. things are getting rough around here.  I made comments about the last issue that seemed to erupt but wow.

personal attacks seem unwarranted and silly.  I’m not attacking anyone here although I’m afraid I might seem to be … I just think we should all consider what’s being said before posting.  we get upset, yes.  but, remember we all fall… we all make stupid decisions and most of all.. in these times we need support.

The talk of “blog drama” and “cliques” makes me sad… it hurts to the core.  It makes me wonder… am I in a clique? No, I don’t think so… but.. why are there cliques at all??

this place is about support, and support alone.. so work on providing support.  we’re all at different stages.  some of us are strong, some of us are weak, and try to recognize where you are and where this person is, and what kind of support they need.

each journey is different but at the same time, the same.

Idea taken from Vilate

So, here it is.

May 26, 2009

I, Joy Newberry, hereby commit the next thirty days to self improvement both mentally and physically, in order to become a healthier individual.   With this, I promise to:

©      Drink enough water daily in order to remain hydrated

©      Take my daily vitamins and medication.

©      Make healthy food choices, with more fruits and vegetables and less processed carbohydrates and sugars.

©      Work towards a short, daily walk.

©      Motivate myself to go to the gym, if only once a week.

©      Start research and to transition into local, organic foods.

©      Read a book daily, if only for 20 minutes.

©      Work on positive, rather than negative, thinking.

I recognize that this contract is solely with my own individual and that, it will do nothing but help me.  The things which I have committed to are not to be treated like a punishment or to be avoided; rather, they are to help me make my body healthy and strong.  No one else can do it for me, only me, for me.

Signed: Joy Newberry