Blogger friend giveaway

My lovely co-worker, Planning Sarah Elizabeth, has a fabulous giveaway going on over at her blog today. She is just 46 days from her wedding day and she still has time to blog great giveaways - how organized is she!?!

Head over to her blog and see what you can win. Don't forget to add her to your Google Reader, she is a great blogging inspiration (not to mention she keeps my eating habits honest while I'm at work).

By the way, I feel almost normal and right now I am actually feeling hungry. That hasn't happened in 48 hours. It's noodles and chicken broth for lunch today. Maybe tonight I'll make something substantial for dinner.

Night from hell

My lovely Sunday took a turn for the worse yesterday. Several hours after a lunch of Salmon, baked potato and broccoli, I was praying to the porcelain Gods for the rest of the night. My only assumption is food poisoning as I was not running a fever. I also have to assume it was from the Salmon as I had not eaten anything else yesterday and my sushi dinner from the night before was shared by a friend and he didn't get sick.

After 2 Tylenol PMs I was out until 7am this morning and woke up dehydrated and weak and have spent the morning nursing myself back to health so I can get into work this afternoon as I have a lot of lingering things to be completed before my vacation and I'm already losing a day to the staff retreat.

There must have been a stomach ailment outbreak in Hermitage because Walgreens was out of Ginger Ale 2-liters today.

For shits and giggles I weighed myself this morning and I was 13 pounds lighter - 310. WHOA! Obviously, I know that number won't stay as I was/am majorly dehydrated, but that was crazy to see.

So far, I've only tried some toast. It was met with mixed results, but now armed with OTC meds and applesauce I am trying again before heading into work.

I hope everyone's week got off to a better start than mine!

Weigh in #3

Going into the weekend I knew I was up for approximately a 3lb loss this week. So, I had to be on my best behavior as I knew I would be eating out a lot because my friend, Stephen, was coming to visit Nashville.

I am proud to say that I made the right choices and stuck (halfway) to my guns regarding alcohol. I refused to have more than a couple beers each day as I knew the caloric intake just wasn't worth it. Of course this made me a party pooper (sorry Stephen), but it also was worth it in the end - so I don't regret my choice.

If you remember my June Challenge, I did break it (I actually had a diet coke last Saturday too). Although I know I gave in, maybe I don't regret breaking the challenge as much as I should because I feel like I sustained the challenge for long enough (approx 3 weeks) to realize I can go without drinking a diet coke every day. And I can easily not feel like I have to drink 12 beers when I go out. This journey is about figuring out what works for me and learning to enjoy things in moderation. It all goes back to the motto, "anything in moderation."

All that being said, here are the weigh in stats:

Previous weight 326.2
Today's weight 323.4

Total lost this week 2.8
Total lost so far 6.0

I'd like to point out that this puts me about 1/5 of the way to my 30 pound goal for the year. Who thinks I can do this way before my end of year deadline? I do!

This is my last week of work before vacation. Let's hope I can stay on track during vaycay!

Inspiring the inspiration

I ate a dinner of salsa, chips and corn on the cob tonight. The corn was organic though, so it's healthy, right?

After watching too many episodes of Friends and flipping between an Intervention episode on bulima and a CNBC special on being overweight in America (typing that out just made me realize how weird that combo was), I wasn't feeling exercise. Afterall, it was over 90 degrees and it was already nearing the 8 o'clock hour. Then the "1 new notification" flashed on my obsessively refreshed Facebook page. The wall post read:

"Hey, Emily, I just wanted to let you know that I started reading your blog at X's recommendation, and I have to say, it's wonderful. You, my dear, are inspiring. :-)"

Then I immediately felt guilty. I don't FEEL inspiring. I actually feel a bit like a slacker because I know I am not as strict on eating and exercise as I could be. But you know what? That one comment inspired ME. I immediately got off my ass, put my $150 pair of fancy running shoes on and went on a walking mission. I wasn't just going to walk for 30 minutes like I have been the last few weeks. No, I was going to take this JOKE mother nature calls June (read: abnormally hot and humid) and stuff it up her ass. I WAS GOING TO WALK 3 MILES.

Now before you go and get all proud of me, I must confess, 3 miles used to be my normal 3-4 time a week workout before I got all unmotivated and stuff. But I did it and now this means I can go back to doing it 3-4 times a week. No turning back.

Thanks for inspiring me y'all. What did you do on the longest day of the year (i.e. first day of summer)? I kicked mother nature's ass :)

Post script: I realize I used the word "ass" 3 times just in this one post (4 now). Sorry, I have the mouth of a sailor, deal with it.

Weigh in #2

Turns out my weekend changed a bit and I actually was back home this morning to weigh in on my own scale. So here we go!

Last week: 327.6
This week: 326.2
Total lost this week: 1.4

Total lost overall: 3.2

So, although I did not eat well this weekend and I did gain 1.2 pounds from Friday morning until Sunday morning, I must have sweated and burned enough calories walking around yesterday at the concert to make up for it. Hurray! Kristin and I always joke that concert going is always the best diet for us because you naturally are active for 5-6 hours and you don't (normally) eat very often!

Ankle Update

The ankle is slowly getting stronger, it's actually felt pretty good up until today. I started PT last week and have been wearing the brace on and off. I didn't wear it while driving last night or at all today while I washed my car and mowed the grass and I can really feel the soreness.
Also, the swelling is also not going down, which is concerning. But I'm going to attribute it to the hot and humid weather we are experiencing in Tennesse.

Oh by the way, WELCOME all the new readers and followers that found me through Stephen's blog over the weekend! Thanks for reading :)

I hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Not an official weigh in...

But the scale was down another 2.6 lbs this morning for a nice, round 325.0! I just wanted to note this before I head off this weekend where I'll probably eat less than perfect and won't get my exercise in. I am pushing my official weigh in to Monday, since I won't have access to a scale on Sunday morning.

So see you in 3 days!

Party like it's 2003...

Yesterday wasn't a very good day. I don't know why, but I binged last night. I ate 3 ice cream sandwiches for no. reason. at. all. They weren't even that good, but I just kept going back for another and then another.

I don't really think anyone understands how binging can over come you unless you suffer from it. It's like something in your head just clicks off and all you can think about is food, food, food. I don't think people consider it as seriously as other eating disorders, like anorexia.

On to happier happenings....this weekend I am going to Indiana to see this girl:


Me and Kristin

And Saturday, we are heading to Cincinnati to see these boys:


Simple Plan

And...

Them:


Good Charlotte

I guess it's time to tell my little known secret...back in my later high school and through out college I use to follow bands. (I've seen my favorite band well near 100 times) Think groupie without drugs and sex. My friends and I would drive all over the country to see our favorite bands. I've driven out to the west coast and back several times. I've made the split decision to get in the car and just go to a show 4 states away. This travelling to see bands is how I met Kristin actually. One night after a show we had about 12 people piled into a Motel 6 where she declared to me she didn't like my favorite band, New Found Glory. Needless to say, we didn't become fast friends, but eventually we were in the car together driving up and down Florida.

So back to Saturday, I haven't seen these bands in years. 6 to be exact. So I'm excited to live life like its 2003 again. Will I be the oldest one there? Probably. Will it be hotter than hell out? Yes. But we will have a blast and get to pretend, if just for 1 day, as if we are 19 again.

And THAT is what has kept me going this week.

The Ankle Report

Take a look at that beauty, my new ankle companion for the next 4 weeks.

I saw a general orthopaedic doctor on Monday, the x-rays came back clear of any fractures, but he was concerned about some signs of degeneration and saw a couple bone spurs. He knew before he even talked to me that I've had ankle injuries before (anyone remember high school graduation night, when I fell off that obstacle course?) I will do physical therapy for 4 weeks. He wants me to work on my balance, so in not so many words he's calling me a klutz. I can't really argue with his assessment. I mean I have a fear of falling down (no, really).

Considering I leave for vacation in 2.5 weeks and I was having nightmares of having a cast on my leg, 4 weeks of wearing a removable brace and doing PT twice a week is easy breezy.

Really, it's not even a setback. He said I could continue to exercise normally as it won't compound the problem any further (it might just be a bit painful). So I went for a 30 minute walk tonight and it didn't feel too bad.

The week is going well, keeping an eye on my calories and I am doing alright, though thanks to my roommate's family we have a freezer full of ice cream sandwiches. Good thing I'm going out of town this weekend - I'll tell you where I'm going tomorrow!

Trouble in Big Life

So do you want the good or bad news first?

Yeah, I always like the good news too, so let's go to the weigh-in!

Last week - 329.4
This week - 327.6
Weight loss this week - 1.8 pounds

Not exactly a huge number, but it's going in the right direction and I'll take it considering I ate out 6 times in the last week. So, there is definitely room for improvement.

Now for the bad news...

Last night I tripped over my own two feet and severley twisted my ankle. I thought I could just walk it off, but unfortunately it's still hard to walk on it. I'm sure it's just sprained and the swelling has gone down considerably, but I fear what this will do for my workout this week since I mainly use walking as my primary workout and I even think water exercise would bother it.

So this means I really need to focus on my eating this week.

A filling lunch

I think this is a new personal record for me, I had a FEAST at lunch and it was only 433 cals. Basically I ate everything in the fridge at work that I had been stockpiling all week. It included:

- A salad with (CSA) romaine, (CSA) cucumber, tomato and light Sicilian Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinegarette
- A turkey sandwich with sprouts and spicy brown mustard
- 1 peach
- 1 banana
- Reduced-fat string cheese

I am SO full.

CMT Awards and Community Supported Agriculture

Sorry for the radio silence the last two days. Busy week here in Big Life. Last night I attended the CMT Awards, which was fabulous. Can I cross 'attending an awards show' off my 101 in 1001 list that I haven't created yet? It was really cool to see what goes on behind the scenes production wise, I get a kick out of seeing the stage guys prepping the celebrities for their intros.

Tonight, KG took me to her gym to see if I would like their water aerobics class. Being the stubborn girl I am, I chose the "heavy weights" and I can already tell I'll be sore tomorrow! It's a great feeling. I plan to try out the Y Saturday and make a decision where to join.

Wednesdays are CSA (community supported agriculture) day in the Big Life household. I joined a CSA from a local, organic farm with 3 friends. When you join a CSA you pay a fee for the 'season' (ours is May - Oct) and then each week we get a 'share' of what is produced on the farm. For the last 4 weeks, we've brought home a 1/2 bushel of fresh produce to enjoy. So far, we've received kale (lots), broccoli, swish chard, lettuces, zucchini, yellow squash, strawberries, green onions, arugula, basil and so much more!


Our CSA box from the second week


The first CSA meal - Kale omelets and hashbrown potatoes


Another CSA meal - bok choy stirfry


The lettuce plants at Delvin Farms, when we attended the member picnic.

Joining the CSA has been great for trying new produce I haven't had before (Kale, Swiss chard). And it's forcing KG and I to eat more veggies. Tonight, our dear house guest, Sarah, made us cabbage stirfry and sauteed zucchini and squash. It was DELICIOUS!

If you are at all interested in the CSA concept, I completely encourage you to research joining one in your community. They are more affordable than you think (my part of the share comes out to approx. $8 per week), most farms have full and half shares for singles and families alike, and some even with barter services with you. It makes me happy each week as we discover what goodies have been packed in our box and then make a mad dash to consume all of it in 7 days.

It's a pretty packed weekend in Big Life. Sex in the City 2, pool time, CMA festival and a Whole Foods/Trader Joe's trip is in store. And in all of that I need one more work out for my week to make my goal. What are you doing this weekend?

Forgive me readers, I have sinned

Wow, how moving, inspiring and just plain awesome it has been the last 24 hours seeing the response to my first blog post! I am feeling truly amazed. BUT fearless readers I am afraid I have already sinned - I had Wendy's for dinner.

And I didn't make "good" choices either. I had a full spread of spicy chicken sandwich, medium fries, and medium frosty for a total of 1,200 calories and 44 grams of fat.

You say, "Emily, it is only day 2 of your blogland journey." Trust me, I know. I have realized the err of my ways and will have to work tomorrow to make it up.

No alcohol + no soda = no fun
I gave up the two aformentioned items for the month of June. That's right, no alcohol or soda for 30 days and 30 nights. It is part of my Fighting Fat challenge. Alcohol is relatively easy for me as if I just stay away from bars, I can avoid it pretty easily. Soda has always been something I've consumed on a daily basis. Sometimes more than one (or two or three). I grew up drinking regular soda and switched to diet in college. My reasoning behind giving it up is the artificial sweetner diet soda contains. I have recently really tried to cut back on eating things with aspertame. I still use Splenda in my coffee, but I stopped buying Yoplait Lite yogurt, which contains aspertame. To me, aspertame makes me hungrier and crave sugary foods.

Me in February enjoying a lovely Mardi Gras hurricane.


So, tomorrow is another day. I have spring rolls to make and a work out planned.

I like to eat food

I'm not sure just how to start my first post here in blogland, but here goes nothing...

So what do you do when you don't get something that you've wanted more than you've ever wanted anything else in life? Start a blog, of course!

I went through the Biggest Loser season 10 casting process with my head held high and my hopes held higher. Needless to say, that didn't work out so well...so here I am determined to get healthy and lose a few lbs.

I start with a new scale set up in my bathroom and Biggest Loser's 6 Weeks to a Healthier You sitting beside me. I checked the book out from the library out of curiosity, I'm not using it as my bible or anything, but I can tell you what I am going to do:

- Commit to exercising 3-4 times a week for 30-45 minutes

- Tone down my binge eating fits and learn a new way to interact with food, it's just not right to eat a whole loaf of banana bread in a day

- Start with a calorie intake of about 1900. This is just to START. I will decrease my calorie intake with every weight loss milestone I come to.

How did I get this number? Well, I didn't pull it out of thin air. I took a weight management class a few years back and found I was eating on average about 2400 calories/day. Beginning by cutting 250-500 calories from my daily intake allowed me to lose 40 lbs (I've gained about 15 back).

So here's where I start. Now, where do I want to go?

First, I don't have an overall weight loss number I am holding myself to. My main goal is to get to a healthy and active lifestyle where I feel comfortable in my own body. I will set small weight loss goals for me to work towards, but whether wrong or right, I won't set an overall one and let myself feel like I haven't made a difference in my life if I don't get to it. But here are two goals I'm starting with:

- Lose 30 pounds by the end of 2010

- Run my first 5K by the end of 2010

We can't start without a weigh in, right?

Shopping for scales. Can you believe this one (not the one I'm holding) only weighs to 300lbs?
That's ridiculous for a BL branded product.

I had to go out and buy a scale (I've never owned one) because my roommate's didn't have the capacity to weigh me. Talk about frustrating/embarrassing! I settled for this Taylor Memory Scale, which reads to 400lbs.

So without further ado, my starting weight is: 329.4 lbs!
(it just seems better with an exclamation point)

If you haven't been keeping track, this means with my 30 pound goal, I will be under 300! Something that hasn't happened since I was around 15!

101 in 1001 List

If you aren't familiar with the 101 in 1001 concept, basically the short answer is that you choose 101 things to complete in 1001 days (2.75 years). I tried to make my items completely quantifiable by putting quantities or time lines on them. I also stuck with only things *I* can control. You can read more about the concept at dayzeroproject.com.

Start Date: Jul 25, 2010 - Finish Date: Apr 22, 2013

1. Complete a baby quilt and give it to a friend Completed July 2010
2. Fly on an airplane without feeling like my butt fat is filling the seat of the person next to me Completed August 2012 
3. Go on a cruise
4. Ride a bike Completed June 2011
5. Go roller blading
6. Rent a boat and spend the day on a local recreational lake with friends
7. Have a cupcake cake for my birthday
8. Water ski again
9. Get a massage Completed 2/4/12
10. Go to NYC and spend every night seeing Broadway shows
11. Organize my room to be in a working order
12. Attend BlogHer
13. Complete a tshirt quilt
14. Sew an article of clothing and wear it in public
15. Paint a picture
17. Eat at home (take lunch to work) for 30 days
18. Apply for a master's program
19. Take a cake decorating class
20. Take a sewing or quilting class
21. Hit golf balls at the driving range
22. Run a 5K Completed 8/2011
23. Complete another half marathon Completed Feb. 13, 2011
24. Go to an amusement park without fearing I won't fit in all the ride Completed Jan 2012 - Disney World!
25. Go ice skating
26. Go horseback riding
27. Go snow skiing
28. Hike Virgin Falls Completed Oct. 2012
29. Go white water rafting
30. Go kayaking Completed summer 2012
31. Build my personal savings account to $1500 In progress Jan 2013
32. Volunteer for a cause once a month for a year
33. Visit the Amish farmers in Ethridge, TN
34. Plan a trip to Europe for my 30th birthday (Dec. 2013)
35. Watch 50 movies from AFI's list of 100 best movies
36. Read one book a month for a year
37. Take a spin class Completed January 2011
38. Get a passport
39. Coordinate a day at the spa for me, my mom and my sister
40. Plant tomatoes
41. Donate blood 3 times 2 times completed 11/2011; 11/2012; next appointment 1/2013
42. Don't eat fast food for 3 months Completed March 28, 2011
43. Go to a drive in movie Completed October 2010
44. Take a photography class
45. See the glow worms at Pickett State Park
46. Visit 10 Tennessee State Parks
47. Visit one National Park outside of Tennessee
48. Get my car detailed
49. Make my Halloween costume Completed October 2011 (I was a cupcake!)
50. Drink 64 oz of water every day for a month
51. Start taking a multivitamin Started January 2011, discontinued by April. Will try again. Started again Feb. 2012, discontinued...try, try again.
52. Make homemade jam Made pepper jelly 9/2011
53. Make 20 recipes from 'Now Eat This'
54. Eat something I grew myself
55. Organize the songs on my ipod
56. Complete a photo project
57. Pay for someone's order behind me in a drive-thru
58. Send in a PostSecret
59. Blog about every item completed on my list
60. Purchase a month long series of Hot Yoga and use it
61. Exercise 3 times a week for 6 months Counting as completed in 2012
62. Go see live music once a month for 6 months
63. Visit Savannah, GA
64. Have a BMI that does not indicate morbid obesity (40 or less) Completed. Current BMI: 36.6 (5/4/11)
65. Grill something on my own
66. Drive the Natchez Trace for a scenic road trip and stop along the way to take photos
67. Make a rain barrel
68. Go tubing down a river
69. Update my wardrobe with 5 new outfits
70. Visit friends in San Francisco
71. Make sushi at home
72. Visit Graceland Too
73. Enroll in a bootcamp for at least a month Completed July/Aug 2011
74. Bake a loaf of bread from scratch
75. Try dim sum
76. Take a graphic design related class
77. Glue a puzzle
78. Create a realistic budget and follow it for 3 months Budget set up Jan. 2013, well be complete April 2013
79. Organize a memorial event in my brother's name
80. Spend a roll of quarters at a batting cage
81. Eat vegan for 2 weeks
82. Send a postcard to my niece once a month for a year for my sister to save for her when she's older
83. Attend an Overeaters Anonymous meeting
84. Cancel all of my catalog subscriptions
85. Attend Fitbloggin Planning to attend in 2013
86. Get a promotion Offered new position April 2011