Tomorrow is Another Day, and Year

I always assess my year on New Year's Eve. Highlight the good stuff; analyze the bad stuff, plan for new stuff.

While I'm not thrilled with how this year went, fitness-wise, I do subscribe to the Scarlett O'Hara Philosophy of Life which is "Tomorrow is another day".

And in this case, another year.

Each day that we get up is another day to make positive changes. Or a chance to at least stop doing something negative. A new day, a fresh beginning.

I let a lot of things slip these last six months. A lot of things. Things that I need to re-implement.

And there's no time like today - unless you want to wait until tomorrow.

Yesterday I rode my bike to work and walked Riley. The first real, organized and planned exercise I had in weeks. The holidays are crazy! You get lots of walking when you're shopping, but you're also eating things you might not otherwise eat; at times you don't normally eat, and (possibly) have one more glass of the good stuff than you normally do.

Which is all fine. Life is to be enjoyed. But to be around to enjoy it even longer, those lapses in routine and good judgment need to monitored and tempered a little.

So, I will get up tomorrow with a new plan and new direction. I got a new Wii fitness game to try and some other modifications to my daily routine to implement. Maybe it's all psychological, but I like starting new things or changing my routines on the first of something - first day of the week, month, and, in this case, the year.

So, here's to 2011! A fresh start and a new chance to do all the things I didn't get done last year.

May you all have a blessed and safe new year and may 2011 be all that you want it to be!

Eat Right! Get Your Superfoods!

I know I've run this before, but it bears repeating. The following is from Denise Austin. She runs it pretty regularly herself so it must really be worth reading again.

And trying.

On Sunday morning this past weekend I made my own fruit smoothies. I purchased a bag of frozen mixed mixed berries - red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries - and dumped them in a blender with a large container of plain yogurt (next time I'm going to try vanilla for just a little different flavor combination). Then I added just a little Splenda, which you could do to taste. Hit the button and Viola! smoothies for about 4 days. I divided the pitcher into 4 smaller containers and froze three and ate one. Very good! And simple. I thawed a second one out and ate it yesterday morning before work. So, minimal chemicals or preservatives. Just good, honest, wholesome foods. The same thing would cost about twice as much if you buy the Yoplait brand - and it's the same thing. I know, because I have them in the freezer as well. You can't tell the difference. Save money, eat well, and KNOW what you're putting in your body. Sounds like a winner to me. But here, let Denise tell you.

Looking for a way to get even more bang for your nutritional buck? Try these "superfoods"! They're loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help you feel great, and they even help fight disease! Incorporate them into your diet today!

Almonds: A source of "good" fat, almonds can help your heart by lowering bad cholesterol!

Berries: They're jammed with vitamins - particularly vitamin C - but new research has found these sweet little sensations to be ace disease fighters too, helping to prevent bladder infections and even cancers, among other illnesses.

Broccoli: Folate, vitamin C, calcium - broccoli is packed with all these awesome nutrients. Now researchers think it might also fight cancer!

Avocado: The large number of calories in a serving of avocado is totally worth it! This source of healthy fat contains a ton of vitamin K and potassium and is also associated with lower cholesterol and even the prevention of breast cancer!

Salmon: Low in calories, easy to prepare, and amazingly good for you - what's not to love about salmon? And the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are great for your heart!
Olive oil: Another good fat! Besides making your food incredibly tasty, olive oil can also protect you from heart disease.

Green tea: So much research has touted the benefits of green tea, it's hard to know where to begin! But here's a sample: A Japanese study in 2006 showed that green tea lowered the risk of death from all causes. How's that for a superfood?

Eat well, live long, and have a wonderful day my friends!

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

How does your garden grow?






Might be a little tough to see, but there's a ton of greens in there! I told you all we were trying our first cold crops and here some of them are! We did the rest from seed in our flower beds (hoping to keep the animals at bay) and the little seedlings are sprouting up all over! Expect more pictures as they get bigger and become more recognizable.

I'll let you know when it's time to harvest!

The Stark Reality

Before I start, let me start by apologizing for any visuals this blog creates.

I stayed in a hotel four days this week. You all know what hotel bathrooms are like. You throw back the shower curtain and there you are, in all your "glory", in the mirror opposite the tub. One day, instead of hurriedly wrapping the towel around me, I stopped and looked.

I took inventory.

I decided that I wasn't all that bad for a 44 year old. ( and no, I don't enjoy looking at myself "that way").

Let's face it, I'm not rocking any washboard, six-pack abs and the back of my thighs look like a cottage cheese dieters' paradise, but there are some good things.

My legs may never run a marathon. But they're going to walk a 5K in two weeks for charity and they can run as far as friend in need when necessary. My arms still have a little flab between the shoulders and elbows but they are strong enough to give good hugs and hold on to those I love. My shoulders slope some but they have borne the weight of the world on more than one occasion and held the tears of friends' eyes. My back is a little crooked but it is strong and straight enough to stand up for what I believe is right.

So, I may never weigh 120 pounds again but that's OK. I'm at a healthy weight and a lot closer to 120 than I used to be. I've dropped a lot of weight and given my heart a chance. I'm making healthier choices more often than not and giving my body a chance to be it's best.

I'm taking care of me. So what if I'm a little soft around the middle? I am loved. Just the way I am

And that's alright with me.

That's not to say I'm giving up on trying to be even better, but that's all gravy at this point.

No, I'm not perfect. But I'm not bad either.

And neither are you. Wherever you are in your journey.

Pilates

Trying something new!

I attended my first Pilates class last night. A friend gave me 10 sessions as a "thank you" for a favor I did for her. She needn't have done anything, but was it was a very nice gesture and I was glad for the new exercise.

New exercises are always good things.

Now, I've done Pilates DVDs in the past. I like Denise Austin's standing Pilates in particular. But that is nothing when compared to using all the machines! The instructor had most everything on the lowest setting for me and they were still very challenging.

They say you should change your routine up every 6 weeks or so. So, here I go. I'll keep you posted!

We Are What We Eat

I remember this as being sort of a "catch phrase" in the 70s. I also think a lot of folks pooh poohed it as a bunch of hippie nonsense.

I beg to differ.

Earlier this year I started doing some research on breast cancer. Not because I have it, but because I am a woman and the possibility always exists in the back of my mind. I do have some of the risk factors so I am ever vigilant.

One thing I did was to follow a blog. Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin was diagnosed in the fall of 2009 with Triple Negative breast cancer. She chronicled her journey. Some posts were tearful, some joyous.

Her treatments completed, and successfully, she changed some of her focus to prevention. Many of these posts relate to the foods we eat.

So it got me to thinking - always a dangerous thing! - about what all we ingest around here. Because I believe there is a lot of truth to the research.

I don't think our bodies were ever intended to process all the chemicals and preservatives and other ingredients with names that read like alphabet soup. They were meant to use as fuel those things that we can grow.

Of course, the new buzzword for all this is "organic". We have a new little store in town and his specialty is organic spices.

Spices, you say.

Aren't those already natural?

One would think, but go read a label. There's tons of stuff in there that you can't pronounce. Most of it says "added to keep it free flowing." Slick Rick's says "shake it to wake it." Free flowing once again.

So, at our last "family meeting" - which is really any time the two of us are in the same room - we decided to start working our way towards organic. I'm going to try to grow my first "cold crop" - lettuces and such. Peppers and tomatoes I've got down pretty well. And we're starting to read labels more. We'll get back to cooking more foods from fresher ingredients and doing things from scratch.

Because let's face it. All those ingredients are added to foods to give them longer shelf lives and add to our convenience. We can grab out of the pantry or freezer something that is meant to sit for a year and cook it in a matter of minutes. Fits our busy lives and schedules, right?

So what are you going to do with all that "extra" time you are creating? Cram more meetings or activities in? Or will you be spending it in a doctor's office. Attached to tubes and wires and receiving treatments? Or could you be enjoying some quality, healthy family time?

Now, I know there are plenty of people that smoke and eat junk and never get a cancer cell. Alternately, there are those who have lived a clean life and still get sick. I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone. But if there is solid research that indicates that something as simple changing our eating habits can really help prevent even the possibility, why wouldn't you think about it?

I hope to borrow from her blog over the next few weeks and start sharing that research.

I'll start with her last one: Watercress. Eat it.

http://jengriffinblog.blogspot.com/

Another New Thing!

What a week!

Yoplait has done it again - Splitz. Three new dessert flavors masking all the goodness of yogurt.

I had the Rainbow Sherbet yesterday at lunch and will have the Strawberry Sundae this morning. I'm probably going to skip the banana split. Not a fan in real life and so many yogurts have Strawberry Banana flavors and I just don't care for those. Banana yogurt just seems wrong somehow.

It took a long time for me to like yogurt. Matter of fact, it took being desperately hungry on a long flight one time for me to even try it. I was looking at a "snack box" for breakfast and there was very little in there I was interested in. But the yogurt was Yoplait Custard Style. No fruit on the bottom that had to be chewed. No runny melted ice cream looking yogurt. Good solid yogurt that I thought I could at least tolerate if it just slid down my throat and didn't require any actual eating.

Turns out it was good. Very good, in fact.

Which goes to show you that sometimes you just gotta step out of that comfort zone and give something new a whirl.

So, now I eat a lot of yogurt. Mostly Yoplait. I still don't really care for the ones that have real fruit that you stir up. I like the thick kinds that are more dessert-like than yogurt-like.

So, a growing girl can never get enough calcium. I take the supplements but it's always always always better if you can get your nutrition from foods.

So, add it to you grocery list this week and see what you think.

And have a great weekend. Should be a good one so get outside and get moving - and easy on those football snacks. :)

A New Thing

Always on the lookout for new, healthy things to share with you all.

I think I hit the jackpot on this one.

I've talked in the past about my limited likes of fruits and vegetables. I've talked about how much I like V8 Fusion - a full serving of fruits and vegetables in one glass. We've also discussed the benefits of green tea. Which I like, but hot, not cold.

V8 has put it all together. They've mixed the V8 Fusion, which tastes like fruit juice, with green tea. Awesome! (Cold even!)

There were 3 flavors at the store the other day and we bought a couple of each. I've had the Pomegranate Blueberry and the Pineapple Mango. Both are excellent. Small, portable bottles so there's no excuse not to grab one on the go.

Give your body something new to love.

No Harm, No Foul

I spent a week in New York and came back less than a pound heavier than when I left.

Folks, I consider that a moral victory. Rarely can you say that a vacation did not significantly add to your waistline.

Here's the problem. I should have lost weight given all the walking we did.

Miles and miles of walking. One day I managed to take an hour to get to a pizza place that ended up being only about 4 blocks from where we started. Lesson learned on at adventure - don't trust a subway map if you're above ground. It doesn't show all the streets - only the ones it needs to.

So, why, you ask, did I not drop all the unwanted pounds at which I've been chipping away?

Simple.

There was gelato at the wax museum. An Italian ice from a street vendor in Little Italy. An ice cream cone at Coney Island. A small, vanilla milkshake from McDonald's one night after sitting in record heat all day. Our post-theatre dinners at 11 and 10 PM were McDonald's chicken nuggets or fillet of fish sandwiches and fries.

Just about every rule I could break, I did. Every good habit I have, ignored. If not for all the walking who knows what would have happened!

I guess that one of the good things about vacations - you do things you wouldn't normally do, and that can be OK. I have returned to breakfasts of mini-wheats, whole grain breads at lunch and sugar free mousse for desserts.

In other words, I'm back on the wagon.

I'm still facing down about 6 pounds, but that's better than it was a few weeks ago.

I can do it. Being healthy doesn't mean not having fun. I'm not going to have any regrets. It's not the way I roll.

That also doesn't mean that I don't care. I know I have to be healthy in order to be able to take the next trip or do the things I want to do. There's give and take.

So, enjoy your life, but find some balance. If you want to eat something just remember the laws of physics: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Eating a cupcake may mean walking a little further or giving up something else later in the day (which is why planning is so important!) or passing up a second helping for a chance at a dessert later. Or just learning to love the taste of sugar free ice cream!

I also think this is a good time of year for fresh starts. The fall is always the start of a new school year and I think I look at it as a time for "newness" also. The summer was fun. We indulged. Life was disorderly. Whatever. Fall = structure. So, if you, like me, have slid a little lately then make that resolution early. Get back on track with a new month, a new season, a new goal.

Let's go for it!

Checking In

Well, it's been a couple of weeks. I have really struggled. I've only managed to lose about 3 of the 8 eight pounds I needed to - just to get back to where I'd left off before. No vanity pounds, there.

I never underestimate the effects of stress on your body. Sometimes it can assist you making bad decisions, but it also does produce actual biological changes - including weight gain.

I've really been under the gun since my last trip to get one job out the door and another one started before my next trip. I worked the last 3 weekends and late every night this week but I will be delivering a draft audit report tomorrow on my big job and the other big one started on Tuesday. I have a really good staff person who can work fairly independently in certain areas and she's been clicking right along while I worked on the other audit. That really has helped a lot.

I had wanted to be back down at my "fighting weight" before we left on vacation Saturday but it hasn't worked. Vacations are opportunities for bad habits to rear their ugly heads so I wanted to at least have a running start! I will say, though, most years we get a lot of exercise on this trip. One year we walked 10 miles just in one day! So, that helps offset some of the late night eating of fried foods.

Like everything else in life, this is journey. Even if you reach the end of one road you have to make a decision - turn left, turn right, or turn around. So it never really ends.

And that's good. That means there is always something else I can be doing to make myself a better me. A healthier me.

Which I hope, and HOPE!, starts with a little less work, a lot less stress, and a little more opportunity to focus on what all is important in my world.

Blamin' It On the Gummy Bears

They say the first step to solving a problem is to first admit you have one.

I love Gummy Bears.

There. I've said it.

I know there are no nutritional, redeeming values to Gummy Bears but they taste good, are fun to eat and make my mouth happy.

I'm also sentimental towards them. On our very first date Billy picked me up at my dorm at Hendrix with a teddy bear and a bag of Gummy Bears. And not just a convenience store bag either. This was one of those little white deli bags that he got from the candy counter on the third floor of Dillard's in North Little Rock.

In other words, he made an effort to get them for me.

I successfully, or so I thought, swore them off when I decided to take my insulin problem seriously. After all, if you're going to cut out sugar, Gummy Bears would seem to be an obvious choice.

I've done well for the last several years, even when Billy would bring them home and snack on them. And then it started.

And you know, once you start, it's hard to stop.

A couple of Bears turned into a few at a time. Which became a palmful. Which grew to a handful. Which morphed into "I can't get this fistful out of the bag without spilling a few!"

In other words, it got out of hand. Literally.

When Billy left last Sunday morning he left me with a full, unopened, bag. And not the little small bag either. The economy size.

So I ate them. A few when I'm come home to let the pack out. Few more at lunch. Again at dinner.

You get the picture.

Bag is empty now. Has been for several days. I won't be replacing it. And if Billy buys some I'll just have to say no. I did it for a long time. I can do it again.

No. Such a small word. Yet so powerful.

No, I will not sabotage myself and my successes.

No, I will not beat myself up for a bad choice.

No, I will not stop in the ongoing battle for a better me.

No, I will not love myself any less.

No, I will not let a setback have control of my progress.

Yes, I will go have a better day today.

And yes, I hope you do as well.

I Need You!

Apparently part of my continued success depends on me talking to you.

All of you who are still out there.

I guess I need to think someone is watching and caring in order to stay on top of the weight loss. Whether anyone really is or not, I need to at least believe it.

I've used every excuse in the book the last couple of months - weddings, stress, vacations - and it shows.

Boy is it starting to show.

The Wii is most displeased with me and my handheld daily calorie tracker is now showing an upward trend and reporting how much I've gained (in RED!) instead of the daily (GREEN) number of pounds I've lost since I started using it.

I'm not happy people!

But, I lost this 7 pounds once and I'll lose it again. Hopefully for good this time.

So, stay with me!

Let's see if we can keep Losing It!

Denise Austin's Thought for Today

Don't be your own worst critic. Wipe away those negative thoughts, and be kind to yourself!
- Denise

You CAN Do It!

One of the comments on my Day 730 post was from my cousin. She said she knew losing was hard but I was making it look easy.

I was never trying for easy (but feel kinda good if I did) but I was trying for attainable.

I've always wanted everyone to see that I'm no different from anyone else with weight issues. I just made up my mind to do something about it and did.

Anyone can do it that wants to.

No tricks, no gimmicks, no pills, no shortcuts, no surgeries.

No nothing other than making new decisions, forming new habits and sticking with it.

Ain't easy.

Some days are a struggle. I've tried to chronicle those here as well. Some days I want to just give in and have another slice of pizza or one more scoop of (sugar free, low fat) ice cream. Some days I do give in but I work really hard the next day.

I don't give in permanently.

That was how I got into that shape in the first place.

Day 730

Yep, today was day 730 with me and my Wii.

2 years.

Thought I do a little status check.

Two years ago today I was 21.5 pounds heavier than I was this morning. On that day I was exactly 30 lighter than when I had first started the journey.

One year ago today I was about 1.5 to 2 pounds heavier than today.

Basically the same.

Which is telling me that I am officially in the "maintenance" phase.

And that is fine.

It is also telling me that I'm doing a pretty darn good job with it.

I've been watching and monitoring long enough to know. I have about a 5 pound range that my body likes to be in. That's why I tell people that I've lost about 50 pounds. On any given day it could be 48 or 53 or anywhere in between.

I'm also getting the hint that it is time for a wardrobe overhaul. I've been pinning things and putting off making purchases until I knew for sure I was finished losing weight.

I'd have to say, that time has come. I've done a pretty good job, actually of cleaning out, just not replacing or altering. I have a lot of really good clothes that just need a little altering and I would prefer that to starting over. Took me 20 years to amass that work wardrobe and I REALLY don't want to spend that long in do-overs.

So.

Next steps.

I will keep you all updated. I still have some good ideas that I want to share, and talking to you all helps keeps me on the straight and narrow. So have no fear, the journey isn't over. We've just all turned a corner.

Can't wait to see what lies down this road!

My Horoscope for Today

Taurus
April 20 - May 20
Be disciplined about all areas of your body, Taurus. Take extra care to eat healthful, balanced meals. Make sure you get enough sleep. And even though you gripe about having no time, get out there and exercise. Don't wait for an emergency before you take action. You and you alone control how you feel. Your health is essential to your well-being, not to mention your life!

Pretty good reminders for the rest of you all, too! Have a wonderful weekend!

What A Week!

Talk about a fitness buster!

Thank goodness I have a good, realistic attitude about all of this.

I made two trips to Houston this week. Each was a day trip. Each leg is 6 hours.

24 hours in the car.

4 meals eaten by drive-thru.

No exercise.

One of those days I got home at 4 in the morning. Just in time to get ready for work.

Breakfast that morning was Pop Tarts and coffee.

By lunch, I was starving and almost manic from the sugar and what caffeine I do get from drinking half-caff. Yes, I know - I'm supposed to have virtually eliminated caffeine from my world right now but believe me, desperate times called for desperate measures.

The last day, more Pop Tarts for breakfast as I was pretty much exhausted by then and didn't get up in time to really even fix a bowl of cereal. It was a grab-n-go kind of morning.

So, yesterday, I tried to make up for it. Now, I know that you can't undo several days of bad decisions in one day. But I walked two dogs, rode my bike, made homemade frozen yogurt and stir-fry for dinner.

It was a start, right?

Yes, I am also aware that there good choices now at the fast food places. Well, maybe "good" is not the right term but "less damaging". But I rarely pick those. I don't like vegetables so ordering a salad is out, most sandwiches come with lettuce and tomatoes and to order without those always seems to involve a wait, or pulling up past the second window so they can bring it to us. I tend to pick the chicken nuggets since they need no "adjustment". And I will confess here and now that I had one of the best chocolate shakes EVER at a Jack-in-the-Box.

Yep, you read that correctly.

It may have tasted so good because it has been so long since I had one, but ice cream is a comfort food (at least for me) and by this point in my week, I needed it and I didn't really care.

Yes, the Wii let me know this morning that I had my work cut out for me this week. But that's OK, too. Taking care of yourself means the mental as well as the physical and sometimes you have to let one take a backseat and focus on the other.

For me, the stresses of the week - work and family - had led me to a place where I just had to take care of Deanne, if only for the few minutes it took to enjoy the shake.

Guilty, not one bit. I took two years to lose the weight and have successfully maintained that loss for over a year now and I know I can't undo all of that in one week.

Vigilant, yes. I do know that I could very easily undo all of that if I were to continue that behavior. But I won't.

I'm proud of myself. Of my accomplishments. And the fact that I do have control over this aspect of my life. While my food choices were not the best, they were conscious decisions. I knew what I was ordering and why I was ordering it. I wasn't fooling myself.

So, my lessons for you are these: We're not all perfect. Even those who have reached their goals or seem to be so in control all have bad days. Days where other things are more important than worrying about what you eat or if you got in 30 minutes on the treadmill. Prioritize. Do what you need to do.

Then get right back in the saddle and continue to ride the straight and narrow path.

Right past the drive-thrus....

I Feel Good!

Can you hear James Brown in the background?

I knew that I would now!

An unusual thing, at least I think it is, keeps happening to me. I had thought about blogging about it but hadn't, and then my friend Lou, one of the blog readers and a friend since elementary school possibly even kindergarten, told me it was happening to her.

People seem to wonder if we're sick.

Seriously.

I get asked all the time - how much weight have you lost? Did you mean to? Are you OK? Are you sure?

Her conclusion is that it is an age thing. If we were younger, folks would probably just congratulate us and move on, but since we're over 40 ....

It is just funny, though, because we're healthier than we've been in years. (She recently tried gluten-free living and dropped about 12 pounds I think she said, in a fairly short amount of time.) We both feel better than we have in a long time. And things are good. I recently wore a dress to work that was my traveling dress when I got married.

For those going to check the calendar, that dress is over 20 years old. But it fit like a dream and because I tend to spend my money on classic pieces over trendy stuff, it didn't look like it was 20 years old.

So, I'm in better shape than I've been in for years. Healthier. Able to do more. All that stuff.

And still you get asked the same question - Are you OK? You aren't sick are you?

All I can do is smile and say No.

The Good Stuff

Typically, I am not a fan of Daylight Savings Time. Especially since we stay on it so long that I think it should be Standard Time - but that's another post. (Literally another post - it was a Random Thought). But here is the upside.

Even after working 12 hours a day there is still enough light left that I can walk Riley after supper. Which is good because I really hate eating at 7 at night.

I read an article not too long ago that said the premise of eating late would make you gain weight was a myth. I'm not sure I believe that. I am, of course, no expert but it seems to me that eating and then going to bed can't be a good thing. Now, if you are a night person and eat at 7 and stay up until midnight doing stuff that's a different story. But I like as much time as possible to burn up my calories before I lay down for 7 hours. So the walk is good.

Some experts also say you shouldn't exercise before you go to bed since that can get you all reved up and make it hard to sleep. But I've rather enjoyed the fresh night air and find that I'm sleeping better - as long as the Elite Eight sleep also.

So, with more sunshine and longer days there are less excuses available for not getting out there and getting some good, old-fashioned exercise. Do it with your kids or spouse - make it a family affair!

The benefits of exercise are way beyond just weight management. Exercise relieves, or at least reduces, stress (VERY important for me this time of year) and releases all those feel-good endorphins to make a little pleasanter to be around.

So, quit burning daylight and get out there!

Conquering Your Cravings

OK, this post was supposed to be really cool. I had read the best article about the different personality types when it comes to cravings and it even had a little quiz to help you figure out what type you are. There were also some really good tips.

Here is the bad news. I was sitting in a doctor's office when I read it (see - you guys are ALWAYS on my mind!) which means I have no idea what magazine it was or even how old the issue was.

Truly a Deanne if I ever pulled one. So I've been looking and can't find it and I'm going to wing it.

First of all, personality types. Apparently there are people that can satisfy a craving with one little bite of something and be fine and others that having that one bite unleashes a torrent of more cravings. Those are the ones that just have to say no. They need to go get a glass of water or follow one of the other tips listed below. Chemically, their brains can't get that one little taste of what they need and be satisfied. They just keep wanting more and more and that leads to any manner of problems for them.

I fall into the middle (and yes, there was a category for that. I didn't just make it up). I find that I control my cravings by controlling my environment. If I want a bite of chocolate I can be satisfied with just one bite, as long as there aren't any more than that lying around. If I have 3 pieces in my desk drawer, I'll eat all three. If I have to walk to the front counter for a piece, that is the only one I'll have and I won't go back. I'm good.

Some of the tips they mentioned - chew gum or at least sniff some mint. OK, one of my weaknesses is mint chocolate chip ice cream so I don't think sniffing mint is going to help, but I do chew a lot of gum.

A LOT of gum. I'm a chain chewer. All sugar free.

It is supposed to make your brain think you are eating and make some of the cravings so away.

The reason I chew it is because it helps you think. I read about a study that was done with kindergartners that showed that chewing gum improved their brain function. (Problem is, you can't give kindergartens gum on a regular basis since it is subject to get swallowed or stuck some place it shouldn't be!). So I chew and hope that it helps me work.

This time of year I'll take anything I can get to help me work.

So, think about your personality and watch how you handle your cravings. Like anything else on this journey, a little knowledge goes a long way.

Knowing yourself will help you help yourself.

Now, go have a wonderful day!

Peaches and Pop Tarts

I am ashamed to admit that this was my lunch one day last week.

I figure I gotta be honest, here, right?

Last week was rough.

For those that don't know me personally, Billy works out of town part of each month. We also have 8 dogs, but he takes one with him, so that leaves me with 7 to feed, water, exercise, etc, etc. And one of those dogs, our sweet Riley, is epileptic and has a very regimented routine and medicine schedule.

So, my day gets worked around Riley's needs when Billy's gone.

One of the important parts of his day is his walk - for two reasons. One, routine is important and keeps his anxiety in check which usually helps with everything else. Second, the sunshine is very beneficial (he has a holistic vet on his team and she agrees with me on that). I also happen to think that all the good endorphins and other things that get released when you exercise are good for him.

So, when you have to work 10 hours a day (or more if you can take it),trying to find time for a 30 minute walk can be a challenge.

Trust me on this.

Two days last week it was raining so I had to find a break in the drizzle - which occurred about 6:30 at night. I don't much care for walking after dark when I'm alone, but you do what you have to do.

Imagine my delight when Wednesday dawned a glorious day. That day's walk would be in daylight and dry!

Normally, this time of year my lunch is only 30 minutes, but I figured I could always work later so walking at lunch seemed like a good idea. After I let everyone out, I just grabbed a half can of peaches (in Splenda). Now I grabbed something because Riley gets medicine at 1:30 so instead of going to lunch at noon as usual I was going about an hour later. I was starving and I grabbed something handy.

So far, so good. Canned peaches, with some exercise looming.

Ok, for some reason, Riley walked just about as slow as he could without completely stopping and all I could do was keep staring at my watch. (I know a lot of people wouldn't do this for a dog but we believe that caring for these guys is part of our purpose for being here so we'll do whatever is needed.) By the time we completed our route my time for lunch was more than up so I reached in the cabinet and grabbed the first thing I could that I could eat without cooking.

Yes, I eat my Pop Tarts cold.

Horrible choice! Yes, Pop Tarts can be a nice occasional treat. They are not a good meal. There is very little of any nutritional value in them, lots of sugar, and nothing to fill you up. So I was hungry again not very long after.

A bad choice.

A bad choice made worse by the fact that I had a house full of things I could have microwaved in two minutes or less. Good choices. (If you haven't checked out Lean Pockets lately, you should. These are not your kids Hot Pockets! I tried a Lean Pocket with grilled chicken in a whole wheat crust with cheese and a garlic white sauce - very grown up! and very good! only 260 calories,)

So, even though I know all the right things to do and try really hard, I slip up. It happens.

But it was one slip. Didn't derail the train. I made good choices for dinner and the next day.

Matter of fact, with everything going on last week, I actually lost 2 pounds. But most importantly, I didn't beat myself up, didn't give up on myself. I recognized the situation for what it was - an inappropriate response to a stressful situation and a bad choice.

But it was only one choice. Not a life-altering event.

Your bad choices aren't either. Make them, but let them go.

A Potpourri

So much to share, so little time.

I find that while I think about things to add to blog all the time after spending 12 hours at the office I rarely want to sit in front of the computer once I get home and write.

Even though I love to write.

If this whole blog thing ever gets voice activated then look out!

Anyway.

First, my plan seems to be working. By moving daily exercise on to the "must" do list instead of the "I will if I feel like it" list I have seen some good results in the last week. Way back down under my ceiling weight. I also know that adding back some variety in my workouts is a good thing. I pulled out the EA Sports Active Wii game from last summer (that I did for about a month or so) and my legs were sore for three days from all the lunges and calf work I did - in just one night!

So, keep your body guessing! If it doesn't know what you're going to next, it can't outsmart you.

I did have to vary my initial plan a little last week due to weather conditions and other events, but I made it a priority to do something physical every day except Friday. That was pizza and movie and Olympics night. And this week's plan just says "Walk Riley" every day. It's my week and that will probably be the only physical activity I get until Billy gets back home.

Second item. For reasons that I don't really want to get into here, I have been asked by one of my doctors to cut back on the caffeine.

Truly not words that I wanted to hear.

In reality, I don't drink all that much, and not near as much as I used to or as much as a lot of people I know. But still.

So I started yesterday. Only one cup of coffee in the morning instead of two and a 7Up for lunch instead of a Diet Dr. Pepper or Coke Zero. I made sure the herbal tea in the afternoon was decaffeinated.

Woke up with a headache this morning.

Still nursing my one cup. But there is more in the pot and I might have to ease into this whole thing. After all, he said cut back, not cut out. We are also going to try and make the coffee 50/50 after Billy gets home. He said he was up for it. He does try to support me in every way possible.

I'll be interested to see if less caffeine has any other effects with the healthy lifestyle.

Here's the other really cool thing. This doctor is brand new in town. I'd never seen him before. I only went this time to get a second opinion - and from someone who was not tied to Natchez. So he's going through my history and all. In discussing my habits and lifestyle I mentioned the fact that I had lost around 50 pounds over the last couple of years.

50? he said.

Yes.

Asked me what I weighed now.

Told him without hesitation.

Raise your right hand, he says. Swear to me you won't get any skinnier.

Y'all that hit me like nothing else.

I had one doctor here in town that would almost berate me about my weight every time he saw me. Even if the ailment I was there for was in no way, shape or form effected by my weight he would bring the conversation around to it. I didn't stay with him long. Not because he was wrong, but his manner was. He wasn't helping me by trying to make me feel bad about myself. He did nothing, actually, to even try to help or offer solutions.

So, my next two doctors never said a word, even when I was at my heaviest, unless I brought it up first. I liked that better. I knew what I needed to do but just had to get right in my head and make up my mind to do it. (For the record they were both wonderful doctors but one died unexpectedly and the other moved out of Natchez).

But enough about that. It just felt good to think "I've arrived" as far as the medical community is concerned.

So, there are more good things to come. But I've been up since 4:15 this morning and it is time to get ready for work.

The Reasons Why

I have been deeply effected by the recent death of a childhood friend and classmate. In trying to lighten my mood yesterday after I learned of my friend's passing, Billy tried to joke that we were "getting into that age group." I told him I didn't know how old he thought I was, but 43 is NOT "that age group."

But he meant well and said it out of love so I let it go.

My friend died of heart complications arising from weight gain. He died at 375 pounds. At age 43 or 44.

It has really hit me, for a lot of reasons, but mostly because THAT is the whole reason I started this journey I'm on.

I did not want to be that person. Worried about my heart. Wondering what damage I was doing to my body.

Cutting my life short.

I will probably never share the number on the scale that was staring back at me that first day. The one that scared me so badly. No one knows it except the lady at HealthQuest and she won't tell.

But it was so much higher than I ever thought I could weigh. My 6 foot 4 inch husband no longer outweighed me by much.

It terrified me and shook me to my core.

That was the point that I realized I had to do something.

Apparently my friend had encountered some of Life's difficulties and handled them the way we all do sometimes - turning to food for comfort, withdrawing from our friends and coworkers, convincing ourselves that we're handling it when we're really handling nothing.

I have been saddened by his passing - the wondering what ifs and so on, but I'm also resolved to keep going with what I started. Keep pushing myself to make the healthy choices - even when I don't want do or they aren't as much fun. I did indulge myself a little last night, bit of a pity party after a rough day, but today the day dawned brighter and I remembered that I don't have to end up like that. I have the power to control my choices and my responses to what Life hands me.

I may end up making a lot of lemonade with the lemons I get handed, but I don't have to drink it.

It's all up to me.

Having a Plan

I've been a little disappointed in myself lately.

Not necessarily because of what the scales do or don't say. But in my approach to things.

See, when I set out to lose the weight I did so like I do everything else in my world - organized, planned, thought out.

I set alarms so I would get up and go walk at the local mall in the morning. I did research on how much I should eat at a meal and devised methods of tracking it. I attacked the "problem" like I do anything. I developed a plan and I executed it.

Well, I might add.

Then came maintenance, though. I got pretty haphazard. And, let's face it, maintenance is really the biggest part of the whole overall plan. I mean, really, what is the point of losing the weight if you aren't going to work to keep it off.

So, after a year of just "doing" I have started back on developing a plan. I am an extremely organized person but I don't want to take this to the extreme. It is still my life and still supposed to be fun. I'm not looking to obsess about anything, either. (Very often, though, I envy Martha Stewart and her need of only 4 hours of sleep. I could get so much more done with just a few more hours in my day!) I have worked out a fitness calendar for the next few months to follow. It doesn't leave the day's workout to my whims and how I feel. It is on the To Do List and should be checked off accordingly.

It will mix the different tools I have on different days - some days cardio or strength or yoga or a mix, with 3 Friday nights a month off for a break. Hopefully, that will shake my body up a little.

Get it back jump started.

Because as much as I love my games, and I do LOVE my games, it is easy to get complacent or de-prioritize the fitness piece of the puzzle or just do the really fun ones and skip the ones that may actually be doing the most good.

And I know that for me, exercise is really the key to keeping the weight off. Not so that I can eat more but so that my body will always be surprised and keep using the fuel I give it efficiently. So that really is the area that I have to focus on the most.

I know that every body has its "happy place" that it settles into. I'm fine with that. But I know that it settles there when I'm doing all I can to be healthy. So if I'm not doing my part I can't reasonably expect my body to hold up its end of the deal, now can I?

So, I'm on Day 3 of my plan. Today will be a bit of challenge to get in since it is bunco night, but I'll figure it out. Somehow.

Because I love checking things off the list!

The BLTS

Wish I could take credit for thinking of this one, but I am not quite this creative.

I have written a few times about one the tools that has really helped was to write everything down that I ate.

If you bite it, write it.

On more than one occasion that process has stopped me from eating something. I simply didn't want to have to write it down and see it staring back at me.

I am no good at inserting links into these things but I'll try, separately, to see if I can link up to a blog that my aunt passed along to me. On this particular day, the author was talking about all the decisions we have to make all day, especially when it came to weight control.

She said it wasn't the things she was actually eating that were causing her problems, it was the BLTS.

Bites

Licks

Tastes

Sips

The little things that we do, sometimes out of habit, that can add up when you aren't looking. I mean, really, who doesn't want to lick the beaters if you've made a cake? Any good cook will tell you that you need to taste the food as you're cooking, to adjust the seasonings and all.

But it is that unconscious behavior that can be the most damaging.

Every bite counts. Every bite of everything, pretty much, has calories so if you're watching and keeping track of what you're eating, you've got to include those as well.

Notice, I didn't tell you not to do it. Would not dream of that. Life is to be lived and cooking and eating is fun. No doubt about it. People love to eat and it is very much a social activity.

But I am reminding you to be aware. Trying to keep your calories under a target goal is a tough challenge in and of itself. Trying to convince yourself you've stayed under that target when maybe you're being less than honest with yourself about what you have truly eaten that day is an even tougher challenge. We can sometimes easily look for excuses for failure, reasons to give up trying, without really looking honestly at the situation.

So, go have a wonderful day, and try to save those BLTs for the summer. When the tomatoes are homegrown and the bacon is turkey.

Too Good to Be Real

This is kind of a crazy society we're living in. I've been thinking about how to best approach this subject.

You see, I'm a little mixed on some of it.

A recent cover of People Magazine showed a young (23) television personality who underwent 10, yes 10, plastic surgeries at one time.

And this was not her first time under the knife.

Nor will it be her last. She still wants bigger breasts.

Ten surgeries.

This, to me, is 1) having more money than sense, and 2) such a sad commentary on how people (male and female) can view themselves.

Who, at 23, truly and honestly needs 10 plastic surgeries? She had her ears pinned back, chin reduction, liposuction, nose job, breast enhancement, you name it. And y'all, she looked wonderful to start with.

She was already a television celebrity.

I don't get it. But she said she wanted to feel "perfect".

I say perfection starts on the inside.

And there are no surgeries for that.

But it shows you some of the issues that we all face. She has a career that many people dream of, she is newly married (for the record, her husband was very much against the surgeries but supported her right to do it), and is living a life that many would envy.

Yet she wasn't happy.

Now, what part of this am I mixed about?

I don't agree with what she did, but I respect her right to do it.

I understand what it's like to want to look different. I wish I were taller, but there is no surgery for that. High heels are the best I can do on that front.

I do color my hair when I get dissatisfied with it.

I'll try every product that Oil of Olay can make to try and get rid of bags under my eyes or wrinkles.

And while the impetus for me to work on losing the 50 pounds I've dropped (so far anyway) was for health reasons I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the way I looked.

But I have never suffered from the confidence problems that this young woman obviously does. I never really associate what I look like with who I am.

I am me. Wife, daughter, sister, friend, "mother" to the puppies, CPA, partner. Doesn't matter if I'm blond, brunette, short, tall, whatever. All of these I accomplished because of who I am on the inside, who and what I was raised to be (thanks Mom and Dad!), how I view myself.

Unfortunately, though, that kind of self-awareness doesn't always translate. So, I actually feel sorry for this young lady.

Sorry that she can't see how beautiful she was before. Not that she isn't beautiful now, but it just isn't the same.

Sorry that she didn't opt to work on the inside first, before spending all that time on the shell.

Because, in reality, our bodies are simply that - shells. Delicate, fragile shells that hold an even more fragile and delicate soul on the inside.

And, like so many other things in this world, it is only the inside that counts.

Motivational Monday Get an Appetite for Life!

This post is from Denise Austin's newsletter this morning. Thought it was worth sharing.

When you take the focus of your life off food, it sometimes leaves behind a big (doughnut-shaped!) hole. So much of life revolves around meals and eating - shopping, cooking, entertaining. In a given day, you might go to a restaurant for lunch, meet your sister for coffee (and cake), then plan a special dinner for your kids.
Suddenly, when you can't eat all the goodies you'd normally buy or make, it's hard to know what to do with yourself. It's difficult to make fried chicken for everyone but not have a piece yourself. When the aroma of your cobbler or cookies fills the house, how can you not break down and take a taste?

Challenge yourself to get out of the way of temptation! You need to decide that until you meet your fitness and weight-loss goals, you'll let someone else whip up the goodies (even if they won't be as great as yours!). Furthermore, it's all right if you bring fruit salad instead of layer cake to a family cookout, or a plate of cut-up veggies and some light dressing instead of a baked macaroni and cheese to a party. You have the power to take charge of every situation, so use it! Don't be afraid to suggest buying coffee to go instead of sitting near all those muffins and scones at the coffee shop. Your sister or friend will understand and support you - she might even thank you!



There's no time like the present! What healthy choices will you make today?
- Denise



My favorite line: You have the power to take charge of every situation, so use it!

I have a hard time getting others to understand that and it wears me down sometimes. I control my insulin problem through both diet and medication. I don't know how many times I've declined birthday cake at work or a dessert at a family function only to be told "one little piece won't hurt you". You know what, its my call not theirs. I try to be polite. I never want to offend my host. But it is my health and my body and no one else can take care of it like I can. So I have to stand firm.

You can also. Don't let anyone bully you into making a less than perfect decision for you. Take charge!

Easy Come, Easy Go....

NOT!

Still struggling to get back down to my "fighting weight", as my daddy would say. It is just amazing to me that letting loose for only a couple of days - and that is all it was - has taken me almost a month to get over. I exercised over the holidays. I didn't seriously overeat.

Couple of extra little pies here and there that my body wasn't used to, but not like a whole pie anything like that!

And this is my toughest time. With busy season it is so hard to get up early and really exercise and I'm often too tired when I finally get home at night. And it is a constant battle not to snack.

But I know I really have to try and stay on top of my healthy habits. I will ultimately feel better and get more done if I'm staying on track.

I did walk home for lunch today and back so that helps a little. Breaks the day up, gets the mind working for the afternoon and all of that. Billy isn't crazy about me walking to and from work when its dark so I may have to just reserve that for lunchtime.

So I am trying, and I am chipping away at it. I can see the arrow going down a little bit every day but I really thought it would go much faster than this!

Billy picked up the new Jenny McCarthy's Your Shape disc for the Wii and I've been trying it for the last couple of weeks.

It is a very good workout and somewhat customizable. I'll report back after I've done it a little longer and give a review.

Have a great week everyone!

A Shout Out!

OK everyone, click on over to Darla's blog here and check her out!

I am SO PROUD of her!

Way To Go Darla!

Is This Too Big?

Billy had to smile this morning, which, in turn, made me smile.

I broke down the other day and bought two new suits and a sweater dress. Belk was having a really good sale. They are also remodeling the store so they've cleaned out a lot of the areas and I could actually see the clothes for a change and it was not an overall unpleasant experience.

Some of you will remember that I have said on more than one occasion that I hate to shop. Always have. It just isn't fun for me.

Anyway, I went in looking for the sweater dress. I wanted just a plain black dress, preferably turtleneck, to go with several new scarves I got over Christmas. Sounds simple enough but that has been the task for the ages.

Spotted one, not a turtleneck but it would do.

As I was headed to the register I saw all these two-piece pantsuits.

My standard work attire.

And they were on sale.

I bought two.

I am very short so I almost always head for petites.

One of the suits didn't come in a petite so I got the regular. The jacket was just too gorgeous to pass up at least trying it.

Needless to say, there was more than enough extra material in the pants. I had them all scrunched up and they still fell below the bottoms of my high-heeled boots. But, as Billy pointed out, the pants were black and there is no shortage in my house of black pants so I just swapped them out and wore the jacket.

Which I thought also looked a little big.

Today, I have on the sweater dress. I bought a large because I don't want it to be all tight and clingy. I just wanted to hang nicely.

For the second morning in a row I walked into the kitchen and asked "Is this too big?"

After assuring me that it wasn't Billy just looked at me and said "You always used to ask if something was too tight. Now you're worried about too big."

I realized that I have come a long way in the last 3 years (January 2007 was my start month for this quest for fitness). I saw some of my charts earlier in the week and I could see the progress that I'd made.

And it makes me smile.

Am I where I want to be? No. I'm still not back under my ceiling weight that I thought I could reach so easily. I'm closer - more in the attic than on the roof, but one day this week I was on the top of the chimney so it has been a struggle but I am headed in the right direction.

But sometimes you just have to step back for a second and appreciate what you have accomplished to date. Doesn't mean you give up on your ultimate goal or get complacent with where you are - you just take a minute, or more, and recognize those accomplishments and milestones you have already made and then go from there.

Maybe you do it in a new black sweater dress.....

Simple Substitutions

This process doesn't have to be an all or nothing. With a little effort you can actually find foods that can stand in for some of your favorites but save you some serious calories, fats, or carbs.

For instance, did you know that substituting ground turkey for ground beef can save you almost 40 calories a serving (and the turkey serving is one gram larger) and 4 grams of fat? Now, if you eat ground sirloin the difference is less significant, but no everyone grabs the ground sirloin.

Whole grain pasta instead of regular enriched pasta saves another 50 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and adds 3 more grams of fiber. (Having the protein-enriched pasta doesn't really change things too much from the regular spaghetti but makes a good choice if you don't have a meat sauce.)

Now, I wouldn't share that if I didn't eat it. Although my family tree doesn't show it, there HAS to be some Italian in there somewhere! I love a good bowl of pasta (had one tonight as a matter of fact) and I wouldn't eat it with whole wheat pasta and turkey if it wasn't good.

And I almost didn't. The very first time I was served whole wheat pasta it was disgusting. It was cooked to absolute and complete mush! But it made an overall negative impression so it was a long time before I tried it again. Yes, it does taste a little different. But it isn't intolerable and with a really good sauce you don't even know the difference!

Now, Billy and I have not (knowingly) eaten red meat since the mid-90s. We gave it up for humanitarian reasons and didn't look back.

At all.

With ground turkey you may need to season it a little more during the browning process, but you're really adding another layer of flavor. And that is a very good thing.

If you're not into meat at all or want to cut down on it, there are veggie alternatives out there. Morningstar Farms makes meal started crumbles - regular and sausage style that stands in for ground beef or Italian sausage. Only 90 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates, no fat and tons of protein! (I will say that we found them to be a little bit on the salty side so we had to make some adjustments when making tacos or chili or other dishes where we needed a seasoning packet of some sort.)

Like I said, I'm trying to toss out ideas that I've actually tried and like. I'd be more than happy to get your suggestions for simple substitutes that don't make us feel like we're giving anything up.

Getting, and staying, healthy doesn't have to be a chore or a pain or an unpleasant process. We've just to look around, do a little research, make some better choices.

And be willing to push our envelopes and get outside our comfort zones and try new things.

So, add your thoughts and help me branch out! I'm ready!

Meltdown

OK, I had a bit of meltdown yesterday. Not proud of it, but facts are facts.

I was pleased as punch yesterday morning that 2 of my unwanted pounds had dropped off. Moving me from the roof to the attic, so to speak. One step closer to my ceiling.

Back in December I bought several bags of candy for the office. We keep a candy dish on the front counter for our clients and we all will occassionally take one from the dish. I liked having to walk all the way to the front of the office, in full view of everyone, to get one small piece of candy. Felt like it was keeping me honest.

For reasons that I have yet to understand I decided to keep one bag in my desk drawer. It was the bag with all my favorites in mini size. You know the size - less than 1 inch square.

Should have moved it after my post about the 3 Ds, but I didn't.

Anyway, we had a bit of a rough weekend with Seizure Dog and Billy told me that he would not go to Arkansas as scheduled yesterday if Riley wasn't doing better. I would have thought that having a completely unexpected seizure on Sunday afternoon and the period of blindness and pacing 6 hours later to qualify as "not doing better".

Side note - the blindness and pacing are considered part of the post-ictal phase and do typically signal the end of the whole seizure episode, which in this case had been since Wednesday last week. But we'd had a much smaller similar episode on Saturday morning which is why the Sunday afternoon seizure was such a surprise to us. So, in Billy's defense all indications were that there would be no more seizures, which would qualify as "doing better".

So when I called home to check on everything mid-morning yesterday and found out he was planning on leaving, I turned to the chocolate. This got progressively worse as the financial statement I was working on yesterday just refused to work.

I was really not doing well.

A serving size of these mini candy bars is 5. 5 pieces, 210 calories.

I counted 17 wrappers in my trash can last night.

17.

Half my daily calories yesterday came from candy bars.

I tried to salvage the day by eating soup for supper but I was still over on the day by 300 calories.

And it showed on the scale this morning. Back up 4/10th of a pound.

On the bright side - and there is always a bright side, you just sometimes have to really search for it - I am still down a net 1.6 pounds from Sunday morning; today dawned much brighter after a good night; and I actually have gotten things accomplished and off my desk so far this morning.

There. We all have set backs. No I haven't moved the candy, yet, but I think I need to leave it there as a lesson. A reminder that the answer is not wrapped up in that little square of chocolate. Might make me feel better temporarily, but won't actually solve anything.

Only I can solve my problems.

Now, go have a wonderful day!

Turn Out The Lights

This party is over!

I have SERIOUSLY overindulged this holiday season and it must stop. Simply because bad habits are soooo much easier to establish than good ones.

I have in my mind a "ceiling" weight that I try to stay under. It is pretty much just below the borderline of "normal" and "overweight" on the BMI chart. So it really isn't unreasonable. It is just a mark that I keep in mind so that I stay aware of where I am and what I'm doing.

I'm now on the roof (meaning I'm over the ceiling).

Not by much, but still. I have totally enjoyed myself, and I wouldn't change that part of it, but it is time to get back on the wagon and engage in some "clean living". I honestly think that is all it will take to get at least back to the ceiling mark. Not to get back to where I was - that will actually take work. But it can be done.

Time to bust out the 3 Ds again - Dedication, Diligence and Discipline.

Dedicate yourself to your goals, no matter what they are. To exercise every day, to lose 10 pounds, to run a marathon, whatever.

Be diligent about your environment and how you are working towards your goals. I probably don't need to bake any more cakes and pies to have sitting around if I know I need to cut back on extras.

Use your discipline, especially if your find yourself in tempting situations. Tell yourself your goals are important and you need to work hard to stay on track. Remind yourself of how good you feel after a run to help you get motivated to get out of bed. Hang that dress in plain sight that you want to get back into.

We can do this! We can help each other make 2010 the year we hit the goals we set. We can make it our finest hour!

So, I'll keep you posted on my progress and I'd love to hear from you with yours. We're all in this together!

Let's go get 'em!