The LBDDiaries.com Blog

I don’t know how to tell you this. It’s very hard for me. Being this transparent on the internet means that it is all out there for everyone to know about, forever. No matter what it is, for-ev-er! I am constantly amazed what people say on the internet without thinking it might come back someday and bite them in the… employment market.

Anyway, I met up with an old friend today. I was supposed to be there yesterday but I used the snow as an excuse not to meet. It was a very clandestine meeting – one Alpha Hubby wasn’t supposed to find out about. I didn’t want him to know about meeting this old friend. He’d been upset with a simple “how-de-do” I’d given to one a few years back.*

But I couldn’t stay away. It’s bad enough when you crave chocolate, but when you begin to craving the thrill of meeting up with old friends, I have to tell you – it’s hard to ignore. Old friends are sometimes very, very good for you. They build you up. They remind you of old times – especially when you were on the very best of terms and met every day – sometimes skipping lunch to meet. They remind you of your youth and better days gone by. They remind you of when you looked and felt your best. They help you in ways other people and things have hindered you.

After meeting with my old friend, I was so *HOT* that it actually felt good to be out in the snow. Alpha Hubby stuffed a snowball down my top – and it felt sooo good against my heated body. Mmmmm. I didn’t even feel guilty twinges going from my old friend to Alpha Hubby. As long as he didn’t know, I could keep it up.**

But… he found out.  To say he wasn’t happy is an understatement.  He stared at me in shock.  He couldn’t believe I’d met up with my old friend.  He was absolutely gob smacked – you know, utterly astounded – that I’d gotten away with it and he didn’t find out until afterward.

I mean it. He wasn’t happy – he was totally … ECSTATIC.

Yep. I was glad to meet up with my old friend that I hadn’t seen much of since last year. Early last year.

    

This meeting prompted me look fondly on another newer-old friend I’ll be looking up and using – in about a month.  Remember, I’m doing that “make a new habit” thing – doing something for 30 days, establishing it as a habit before moving on to the next thing I need to change in my life.

I was so excited to meet up with my old friend that I might even dig up the information I need to meet up with this old friend – one I met at Christmas… TWO years ago.  Isn’t that pathetic?  But someday I will go the step further and strip off… the outer package!!

*How-de-do as in looking at the treadmill, talking to the treadmill, but never getting ON the treadmill.
**Truth is, I’ve started and quit so many programs, I really wanted to start the treadmill and just DO it before telling him about it first – to surprise him with an established fact. It really didn’t work out that way since he was in and out of the sunroom and knew I was on it. Took a little poetic license here. I do know he’s hoping it will “stick” this time!

Love soft as an easy chair
Love fresh as the morning air
One love that is shared by two – (me, me, me – ME because if you think I’m sharing you are out of your mind, la la la la la)
I have found with you…*

IN HONOR OF VALENTINES DAY, THIS IS AS CLOSE AS I AM GOING TO GET TO CHOCOLATE – TOUCHING THIS PIC:

Chocolate.  My former nemesis.  I used to crave chocolate all the time – almost couldn’t survive without it. 

I am proud to say, the love affair is OVER.  I have broken up with chocolate… for the time being.   Oh, I still crave, desire, hunger for, can’t live without it, am willing to kill for want it once in awhile.  So I have a small piece and then get over it.  Well, I have a small piece.  I don’t get over it.  I always want to kill for more but I no longer crave it.  AND I don’t keep it in the house anymore.  I don’t hide it on the shelves anymore.  I don’t stick some in the freezer anymore.  I don’t stick it in drawers, under cabinets – where ever I could stick it so that no one would know I had it I wouldn’t see it. 

I am trying to think of it this way: 

But it doesn’t always work.  I’d probably catch a mouse trying to get to it before me and have to kill the mouse for it.  (Oh NO, not me. I wouldn’t do that. Nope, unh huh.)

OK.  So my point today is that, due to the constraints I’ve put on myself with this LBD Journey, Alpha Hubby can’t make me his usual fudge for Valentines Day.  I don’t need anymore flowers – got plenty for my birthday.  I need to think of something really GREAT for him to get me.  Oh, well, no.  If he does that, then I have to reciprocate by cooking a romantic dinner (ooh, and gain weight, too).  Hmmm – I think I’ll stick with a nice healthy…

RENDEZVOUS.

Stick to your goals, ladies!  You’ll be glad you did.  Remember that old saying?  A moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips.  Yeah, I hated it, too. 

*Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)” is the well known theme song from the 1976 film A Star Is Born.  It was composed and performed by Barbra Streisand with lyrics by Paul Williams  (with additional lyrics by LBDDiaries)

You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between


You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium’s
Liable to walk upon the scene**


It seems to me people are complaining more and more.  I know for some it is tough out there but some people always manage to look at the good side while others… not so much.  They feel sorry for themselves in greater numbers.  They moan, groan, grumble, sigh and cry, and sling snot.  It is a po’  pitiful why me, all about me, not think of others and it’s not my fault whiny world we live in.


I decided that once a week I am going to do a blog post about things I’m grateful for.  I am working on developing an Attitude of Gratitude and making sure my focus will…  Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive!


So today I will start with the fact that after 67 degree weather, we are back to our cold snap and high winds.  I am so grateful I not only have a great heat pump but the funds to pay any electric bill it pumps out.


Alpha Hubby – oh, I could go on all day about Alpha Hubby.  I have never been loved as unconditionally (outside of God) as this man loves me.  After 16 years marriage (March 4), he is even more romantic than ever and quite an amazing man.  The more I know him, the more I not only love him, but LIKE him.  He truly is my best friend. He gets better like a fine wine.


Alpha Son – what a great guy.  He has a great finacee’ and hysterically funny dog.  He has an amazing sense of humor and I am so proud of him.  He’s a hard worker, can cook, do his own laundry and dishes (wow, how cool is that?) and ain’t too shabby to look at, either!


I am grateful for all the assets I have to help me on my journey back into my Little Black Dress – not only the two Alphas but the equipment, knowledge and means.  I have everything I need and no excuses.  So I’m also grateful that I can STOP making excuses and just DO what I need to do, every morning, every day, every moment, every hour, every choice I make.


LIFE IS GOOD.  It is BETTER when you focus on the good and not the bad.  What you focus on changes the outcome.

                       




“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” (Words and Music by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, 1945)

Indeed, I truly am milking this birthday for all its worth! I think I told you my brother sent me a present. We don’t exchange gifts so I was VERY curious what struck his fancy last year, enough so that he thought of me. BOY! Was I ever surprised.

UPS delivered me this very heavy package – and here is what he sent. Aren’t they awesome!?

Look – it has a little coat hanger hanging on the letter:

Even cuter, it has my logo RED HEELS:

I fully understood why he thought of me when he saw these bottles of Little Black Dress wine.  He knows I am a huge lush that I like anything depicting Little Black Dress.  And while I can’t drink these (calories!), they are a great addition to my collection of Little Black Dress objet d’art!

I am faithfully, religiously, working hard at drinking my 80 fl oz of water daily.  It has helped curb my appetite and lose pounds, but boy if you get your timing off and drink too late in the evening, you’re up all night.  Don’t ask why.  If you don’t know, I am not going to be the one to explain it to you. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME – let the good times roll, indeed!

Oh, and hon? That means YOU. ME. THERE, TONIGHT!?!

There’s a party goin’ on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you**


Yep. I’m STILL celebrating my birthday – how cool is that?   Alpha Hubby says I have a knack for milking my birthday!  These came on my birthday from Alpha Hubby.  He opted not to buy any from Wal-Mart after the debacle the other night (www.joy-cafe.com/blog). 

Then we celebrated my birthday on Saturday since it was the first time he had free.  He deep fried a turkey using our Christmas present to ourselves, a Char-Broil oil-less turkey fryer.  OH major YUM without all the grease.  We had broccoli and sweet potatos – healthy meal.  No chocolate cake, tho.  I can’t just yet!


I received birthday emails and birthday cards, a surprise gift in the mail and let me tell you what, I feel loved!  It was my first birthday without my mom (the celebration queen), so how wonderful of my precious friends to share with me. 


Then today, these showed up from a friend in Louisiana:

I told the delivery lady I was dragging my birthday out as long as possible!  Then my brother informed me he’d sent me a gift – a first in …  well, a first, ever.   How cool is this?  It’s been fun.


And as a gift to myself this morning, I forced myself to get on the scale.  Boy, was I ever surprised.  I’d lost 5 pounds since last week.  Happy Birthday to me!  Makes all that water drinking well worth it.


Today I only have 12 more days on my “creating a habit” plan.  It’s getting easier and easier to drink plenty water and take my supplements.  I still have days where I wander off in the morning before I do it  but I do them as soon as I remember.   It has changed my attitude and outlook.  Just realizing I CAN DO THIS is a wonderful feeling.


Celebrate good times, come on!!  And honey?  We’re gonna have a good time tonight – let’s celebrate, it’s all right.  Heh heh heh.


**Celebrate, Kool & the Gang 1980

That title seems to be a universal saying for people who either don’t need to lose weight or don’t want you to lose weight – “Ah come on – one taste, one bite, just one won’t kill ya.”

YES! YES, IT WILL. When people are working to get back into their Little Black Dresses, one bite will kill. It might kill motivation if you end up eating all of something you shouldn’t and gain 5 pounds. It might kill discipline if eating it (like sugar) starts you on an eating binge that doesn’t stop for a couple of months.

When a person working on a goal says, “I don’t want to eat that right now” only someone who is not on their side would say, “Ah come on, it won’t hurt to eat it this one time.” That is not being a friend or helper; it means “enabler” – enabling me to stay overweight.

Or how about, “Come eat out with me. You can have a salad!” Yeah sure, everyone around me is eating drool worthy pasta, warm hot rolls, thick fattening chocolate desert – and I have to sit there with my dry salad and watch? NO THANKS. Are you being deliberately cruel? If I tell you that I am not disciplined enough to eat out in a restuarant yet, please just take me at my word! One sniff of warm yeast rolls and I roll over like a dog and say, “Here is my exposed stomach. Own me. Beat me. Kill me now.”**

Or how about, “I know it’s your birthday so I brought you this tiny little calorie laden cake. It’s small so it won’t hurt. It’s your birthday after all!” WHAT PART OF “I’M WORKING TO GET OFF 90 POUNDS” DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

So on top of having to watch what I put in my mouth, I also have to watch what I put in my ears. Sometimes I am just not ready to be held accountable for temptations. When someone says, “One won’t hurt” I WANT to believe that. How do you think I gained all this weight in the past 10 years?

When January 1st rolled around, I was already back on track. The day after Christmas, I began watching my caloric intake again and adding more water into my daily routine. I was determined NOT to put it off and lose any ground I’d gained since I started this journey. Oftentimes before, I used the time between Christmas and January 1st to go hog wild because, after all, “I was going to start my resolution in January.”

I think that is another lie we tell ourselves. Why? Because as long as we put it off, we don’t really have to start. We can savor one more donut, one more yeast roll, one more taco, one more chocolate cake… anything to keep from disciplining our flesh.

The only thing I started January 1st was habit-breaking and reforming. Since it takes at least 28 days to create a new habit, and I undermine myself a lot by trying to do TOO MUCH, so I’m set up to fail – I took one thing – one set of instructions. I am doing them faithfully for 28 days. At the end of 28 days, if I have done a good job creating a healthy habit and I’m doing it without hassle, then I will add in something else.

Right now, every morning, krill oil capsules and Bragg’s apple cider vinegar (for minerals), and drinking 100 ounces of water before 3 pm. At the end of the month, if I feel confident that I have this habit down pat, then I will add in weight training. For the next 28 days of February, I will work my resistance routine every morning after my oil & vinegar. March 1st, I will add in something else. I will not add in anything until I have created my healthy habit that I’m working on.

Ain’t no stanking warm yeasty hot roll gonna take me down!!

**When an animal exposes its stomach, it is showing weakness and submission to a greater force be it a bigger animal or warm yeasty hot rolls

I didn’t realize how long it had been since I posted! Selling mom’s house (yay) took up some time but now I’m left to deal with all the stuff we had to rush out of the storage shed and put in my sunroom! And semi-unpacking without unpacking my kitchen supplies has been fun. We know we’re going to move; we just don’t know when!

So cooking Christmas dinner was quite the challenge.  I heard a lot of things like, “Where is the whisk?” or “Crud, do you know where the vanilla is?” Alpha Hubby and I put on an amazing dinner but it sure took some doing!

So here I am, six days into the New Year. I didn’t make resolutions because when you resolve to do something, you can fail. Resolve means to “make up your mind, decide, determine.” I’ve made up my mind a million times to get back into my Little Black Dresses. I’ve also wandered away from that decision and wandered back a million times!

I never quit but I haven’t been as focused as I should have been. I am healthier than I was 6 months ago but I haven’t lost any more weight (and yes, nosy, I KNOW why).

So right after Christmas dinner, I got rid of everything that had snuck into the house that I didn’t want to be tempted by. NO, I do NOT know HOW it got into the house!! Really! Anyway, if Alpha Son didn’t take it home, I threw it away. Who knew a jar of Welch’s grape jelly could lead to sin?

I also began DOING the things I knew to do – got back to taking my krill oil and organic Bragg’s apple cider vinegar faithfully. along with drinking more water. Water wise, I didn’t jump into it, I just added a little more every day. My body is so happy. My skin had gotten unbelievably DRY to the point it hurt. While we have been running the heater more since the weather has gone north (gone north, get it? not hotter but colder? guess you had to be there).

Okay where was I? Oh yeah, dry skin – you know it is dry from the inside out when you put body lotion on, it soaks in and you still feel dry. So I knew I wasn’t drinking enough water.

This year I am going to DO. I will do what I know to do to continue getting healthier and in the best shape of my life. I have enough programs, plans, exercise equipment, and support to be successful in my DOING. I have gotten rid of all excuses. I have figured out my triggers and gotten rid of them. I have seen what comes along and takes me out like a wrestler pinning his opponent to the mat – and I know how to deal with that enemy now. I KNOW WHAT TO DO.

So all that is left is the doing of it.  I will have a great year – the BEST ever – accomplishing everything I set my hand to do!

   I will do what is necessary to recreate this picture only using Alpha Hubby and myself.