Project Flabilicious.....my check-in & yours

Friday's Thursday Check-In

It makes sense that a week with a procrastination challenge would have a few mishaps right? I'm a day late checking in on my Flab to Fab, but my other project I mentioned is finished! Yipee! After 3 days of being glued to the computer at all possible moments, the biggest procrastinated project of my grown-up life is done. Bed time for me this week has been at 4:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m., and 3:00 a.m. This morning my kids enjoyed Sesame Street and dry cereal and I enjoyed sleeping in.

Mom's are busy in general....but this was unbelievable. To top it off, we had company come to town last night and I had 2 meetings for other unrelated procrastinated projects.

I was taken back to my crazy-busy college days working in newspaper. Late nights, deadlines, and some stress. Too bad this time it also included a crying baby and two children begging for something other than cold cereal. I gave in and of course spent the time to also include Ramen Noodles in to their diet for the past few days.

This deja-vu of college life had me thinking and analyzing my Flabiliciousness. Maybe my metabolism really hasn't changed so much....maybe I just eat a lot more because now-a-days I have time to eat. It seems like I am feeding my "starving" children constantly- and of course, I feed myself along with them constantly.

Being so busy, I didn't have time to eat. I know this isn't necessarily a solution, but.... if I kept myself busier, and didn't snack at the rate of a growing 4-year-old, I might see results a little sooner.

So, my goal for the upcoming week is to keep myself busier- not a crazy stressful busy- but, not a "I'm busy because I am holding a baby, but still have 1 free hand to stuff my face with untold amounts of Ritz crackers."

Staying on task should also help me finish up the procrastination challenge for the week too.
A few of you agreed you were "officially" in this project with me and wanted to be held accountable. Here is your call out to check in with your results: Katie, Chambrae, Megan, Kristen, Sheri, Kirsten, Stephanie, Jennifer, and LeAnn: HOW IS IT GOING????
All of the rest of you are welcome to "hop on the bus" too......misery loves company. And, after a little candy/chip/cracker/bread withdrawals, the misery should fade away just like all of our inches...right?

Also, I am a huge believer in the concept of "free day." I have adapted it for myself to be "free moment of the day." For me, it is much easier to constantly be trying to eat a little healthier, but allow myself some small little joyous sugary moment here and there. If I allow myself a full official day off, then it is all over!

Project Flabilicious.....Thursday Check-In

Flab to Fab....a realistic view

I don't really look like this when I exercise:




However, I am seemingly a perm away from turning my physique back into this look from my past:



So, I am continuing to exercise like this:



You do what you can!
40 lb. boy in the front + 10 lb baby in the back + 30 lb. toddler on my back = good workout with no membership fee.

My vacation was fabulous, but it is time for me to hop back on the flabilicious bus.
After last weeks' lament of my weigh-in woes, the scale is going to the trash. I am sending it with my husband to work to throw away so that I don't rescue it from the dumpster in a moment of weakness. I have lots of moments of weakness.....maybe they should be called weeks of weakness.

The plan?

An official 35 day goal. I have just over a month until I can check my results. I am not looking for a perfect number, just a noticeable change in the right direction. Something.
Thanks to the advice of many of you & your comments, this is going to be my new enemy.....I mean, best friend.....I mean, way to monitor things:

I am sure you wouldn't mind me sparing the details, but as I have mentioned before, I am using you all to stay obligated....I mean motivated.
I have 35 days to lose 2" from my natural waist, along with 2" from the area that is neither the waist nor the hips; my spare tire region....

You see, I seem to have recently confused the original plan. I have been eating many many many pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, (pure heaven I might add). I have mastered savoring every last bite of those babies.....but it is time to go pack to the original plan to master the muffin top- not eat all muffins in sight.

Some of you might think this is unrealistic, some of you might think this will be an easy goal, but that is the great thing- we are all so different. Make sure your goal is for you...not what some of the rest of us might think.

So, a little reminder for myself, and some of you who said you were also working on a little body shaping.....
Here is to hoping that this:

turns in to this:


July of 2008 is the greatest month ever for new habits to begin!

It is so dadgummed hot that you sweat without even trying- 105 degrees here today.

It is too hot to bake cookies, (or muffins- for that matter).

Gas is too expensive to drive to the store just for the cookies or muffins.

Fruits and veggies are everywhere and taste so much better this time of year. Vegetables? Really? Do I have to? Low fat ranch dressings have come a long ways my friends!

My idea for today is to brush your teeth with the freshest mintiest paste you have any time you feel the need to munch. It really does take away cravings. Your waist line (or lack thereof), and dentist will thank you.

What simple tips do you have?

Also, if any of you really are wanting to join this Project Flabilicious, let me know, and I will be happy to "check in" on you as well. Accountability isn't just for the kids anymore.

Thankful Monday & a Cheesecake

I forgot my girdle when I packed for my class reunion. It was supposed to be the first thing I packed. I was also supposed to leave 4 hours earlier than I did, my house was supposed to be clean, and my kids were not supposed to drink any liquids before the traveling began. Traveling does not always go the way it is supposed to.
After a bit of a rough start, many extra potty breaks and lots of "I Spy with My Little Eye," we made it.
There was of course, the aforementioned scale crisis, but other than that, all things reunion went well. I found not one, but two new shirts to wear- not at the same time- in case anyone was confused about that.
Anyhow, on to the thankful part of this post....reminder that Monday's are now "Thankful Days" at the Ponytail Challenge.

I am so thankful that my reunion is over. Don't get me wrong- I LOVED seeing old friends, old acquaintances- but I LOVED eating my cheesecake last night with absolutely no feeling of "I shouldn't eat this- I need to look thin, blah, blah, blah!"
I LOVED eating all day today- pulled pork sandwiches, pasta salad, cookies, cookies and more cookies, all without the thoughts of needing to look good for some upcoming event. Yippee!
Unfortunately, that green shirt & skinny jeans are still hanging in my closet at home, awaiting my return, to stare me down each and every day. For the last 3 days of my little "mini vacation" at Grandma's house though, I am going to enjoy every morsel, crumb and baked good in sight. And this, I am thankful for!

What are you thankful for today?

Flab to Fab.....let the Flabilicious Project begin

It is just plain fun to find yourself some cute clothes.

The Pants



The Shirt



The Problem



I chickened out of sharing my fatness in all of it's bare skinned glory, (at least for today).
Really though, you should probably thank me for that.
My brother hinted he couldn't look at this blog anymore if I did that. For some reason, I think he thinks that seeing his sister's pasty, squishy belly could haunt him. I am totally ok with that. I don't really want him to see my pasty, squishy belly and we can't have the male readership on this blog be cut in half, so it is shirt on. (I am quite willing to bet that my brother and husband are the only males that read this....I am ok with that too.)

Deep breath Camille, deep breath.
I am not exaggerating. This post really has been hard for me. For the beginning of this project, and probably just the beginning, I feel the need to be a little serious.

We see it everywhere- the pressure to fit the mold of the stereotypical "babe." The modern definition of beauty often seems so manufactured and unnatural. Women spend thousands to remake themselves into something that the culture of our society seems to require us to be..... or what we think "they" think we should be.....whoever "they" are.

There comes a point in many of our lives where we finally realize, that this whole idea of manufactured beauty is ridiculous. I really, truly think that I have reached that point- or at least I am getting close. Now, don't get me wrong- next week when I go to my high school reunion, I am sure that I will spend plenty of "prep" time in front of the mirror. When I visit my husband at work, I attempt to ditch that ponytail & even put on a little lip gloss. Even my kids get prepped with a "spit shine." Why?
Is it all to impress others? Would an analyst decide that I have a need to impress? I don't think so. I think that I, and everyone else out there, have a need to feel good about myself, and sometimes just for myself. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look good. You just have to at least try to do it for the right reasons.

I am not a big person. My genetics were kind enough to give me a petite build. I have never had major weight issues. I know that I am lucky in that regard. I have never really, really had to try to lose weight. After I was married for about a year, I gained some weight- not a huge number to some, but for a girl that is 5'2", a substantial amount. I hit the gym for the first time ever,(and still the only time), of my life. I got the weight off, but I didn't do it for me. I did it because at that point, I still cared what other people thought of me- A LOT.

This time around it is different. My husband accepts me either way. My friends accept me either way, but I want to know what it is like to be in shape, to actually have a fit healthy body. I want to know how it feels.

I don't think it is a matter of the number on the scale. Some women are satisfied and happy with their weight- no matter how high.
I took my kids to the YMCA pool today. I was introduced to a woman who is a very, very large woman. She looked good in her leopard print swimsuit that showed every roll and hundreds of pounds. How could she look good like that you might ask? Because you could tell that she felt good- she felt good because no matter her size, she was doing something to better herself. She was being active and trying. She was happy.
I want to feel that- feel good that I am making an effort to take care of the body that I have been given and to feel good that I am doing the best with what I have. Right now, I don't try- I eat wayyyyy too much candy. I sit on the couch and blog for wayyyyy too long and I don't eat wayyyy too many vegetables! What would it be like if I took care of not just my family, but myself too?
I know that I am not huge. I know that I don't have a lot to complain about. I know that if I buy the right shirts, no one would have a clue of the squishiness that lies beneath. Most of all, I know that I would like to feel good about myself- FOR ME. I want to sit down and not feel the leftover baby flubber roll over the top of my pants. I am pretty sure nobody else sees it, but I feel it. I want to look into my closet and be able to wear the clothes that are hanging there and feel good in them- not just wear them because they are what I have and I can't afford/am too cheap to get anything else. Are you following me hear? I want to make it clear that I am doing this to feel good- not to get whistled at- I can't lie though- that would be nice too! But, that isn't why I am doing it. I have never, in my entire life been in really good shape. I have never had a six pack. I have never tried. Can I master the muffin top?

If I actually try, can I do it? Will I be able to look in the mirror and have the satisfaction of seeing my effort pay off? I have a long ways to go and it is officially time to begin.

Feel free to leave your advice, your tips and your own stories.

Ready. Set. Go.