I was home alone with the kiddos- Jeff was on a bike Run with the local HOGS group to raise funds for the local children’s cancer center when my chest really started hurting. I checked my pulse for about 30 minutes…and my heart was still beating!

You know…it is a BITCH when even though you pay over $100 a week for health insurance, but your deductable is so big that you cannot afford to get the tests done that you need to live! But, I am OK— other than I am so swollen with water weight that I cannot bend me knees to walk! Damn this insurance! I have 4 children to live for… today was the first time that I thought of what would happen if I wasn’t around!

So.. this week I put on so much water weight that I look like I am 10 months preggos! I got on the scale today and it went up 6 lbs!  Jeff noticed me limping around tonight as I was cooking dinner  and asked me what was wrong… I told him that my legs were swollen again.  Of course he asked me why I wasn’t taking my meds. Well, I have to choose between my depression meds & my hearts meds & groceries… which one would anyone choose?

   He told me “we will work it out”, which again, makes me feel guilty! Why should we sufer finacially because I have a bad heart- WHEN we are supoose to have coverage? Our co-pay is $5,000.000 before our insurance with pay a dime! Who can afford that out of pocket???

     IDK— I am just ranting, I know this has no relation to weight loss but……it is what I have been going through lately. Hell, even one of my best girl-friends who is on Buddy Slim hasn’t seen me lately because of the water weight! (Sorry April… that is why we didn’t get together this week). IDK- Jeff said that we will find a way to get my heart meds… I am just mad because if we pay $400 a month for insurance- why should we have to come up with another $200 for meds?????

Something I am thinking about!

How is everyone else doing this past week?

I did change it up a little this week and started using slim-fast for 2 meals. I think I will stick to it for another week or two.

Remember we can do this together!

This week I will be switching things up a bit. I will be using slim-fast shakes to substitute 2 meals daily along with snacks and a good dinner. I had previously lost 70 lbs in a year by swtiching things up this way- and kept it off for 4-5 years. (Of course I quit exercising & it all came back on again). I’ll switch back to low-carb in a few weeks to shock my body again. This method seems to work for me very well.

I am up-ing my elliptical to 30 minutes at day this week. Plus I will be doing a lot of yard-work! I have 9 flower beds that have to be cleaned & re-mulched. One of which I will be digging up completely (of course it HAS to be the biggest bed- my rose bed). I am sure that I will be a little sore this week! LMAO

     I want to thank everyone for keeping me motivated! And, if I can do it, ANYONE can (yes, that means you too)!

Plus, I woke up Saturday at 5 am sick as a dog! or making items for my etsy shop (it helps keep Another stomach virus! I spent 20 out of 24 hours on Saturday sleeping!

   Today i was feel 100% back to my old-self so I got back on the elliptical machine for 25 minutes this morning! While I was sick & stressed the F**K out I spent most of my time either sleeping me sane). Neither to say it was either sitting or laying 100% of the weekend! I felt so BAD! Today’s workout helped me feel better!

Just an update- I hope everyone is doing well! It HAD to be better than my weekend! LMAO

       I’ll admit that I haven’t been perfect lately. I have only gotten 3 days out of 7 in for my aerobics. I have also given in to a few cravings this week (pizza last night & sweet tea this week). So, I was craving sweet (the tea) & salty (the pizza)-tell me who doesn’t when you are having the “visitor” from hell!

      Sunday I’ll start taking my water/ heart pills ( prescribed by my doctor) and I’ll probably drop another 5 to 8 lbs next week. I know that it is just water weight though.

   Also, I am going to try to shock my system by switching-up my diet plan a little! Going from low-carb to low cal/ low-fat for a couple of weeks, then I will switch back to low-carb. I haven’t tried this yet so we will see how it goes. Just trying to trick my body a little! Hope everyone else is doing good!

     Yes, I HAVE been sticking to my diet & getting in 25 minutes a day on my elliptical machine 5 days a week. But I feel like I should have MORE to post in order to have a blog entry.

     Then April pointed out that just the fact that I AM sticking to it may inpire someone else to do so. I never thought of it that way! I thought I should have EXCITING news to post, not just that I am following the diet and fitness program.  So, I am vowing to post at least 3 days a week- no matter if it is boring or not!

     So, be prepared to read a lot of BORING entries from me-LOL- my life just isn’t that exciting! But, If I can inspire someone to better themselves by writing about my days- I will be gald to do so!

     Now, I do not expect to lose that much all the time, I am realistic. I am aiming for 8 lbs a month but I’ll take more if I can get it!

     This week I am adding another 5 minutes to my morning elliptical sessions so now I am up to 25 minutes - 5 days a week. I am going to stay at 20 grams of carbs a day or less for now since it is working so well. Later on, I will add a few grams back as I get closer to my mid-way goal to see what happens!

     My ULTIMATE goal is to be between 135 and 145 lbs by the end of the year. Being 5′3″ that will be a good, healthy weight for me I think.

       So, I am definately on my way there! Remember everyone, if I can do it, anyone can- believe me! LOL Everyone keep up the good work & remember that you ARE worth making yourself happy!

     I did really good with my diet & exercise plan this week despite being upset most of the week! I got on the elliptical machine every day Mon-Friday! I am up to 20 to 30 minutes a session now. I am still drinking the nasty water (I hate water) and doing pretty well on my diet! I bought myself some sugar-free pudding for the sweet fix! Now, I won’t eat these everyday but they are here incase I HAVE to have something sweet!

      I will weigh in next week. I want to wait for two full weeks - through my whole induction phase of the low-carb diet. Hopefully the number will be lower. With having PCOS, I problably won’t loose weight at a big rate- but any amount is an accomplishment!

    Remember, we are all in this together! We all have to same goals- to lose weight & get healthier! And If I can do it, ANYONE can! Good Luck this week everyone!

For Dinner tonight I had a treat- cube steak fried without breading and collard greens. I made a kick-azz sauce for the cube steak using the drippings from frying the steak, portabella mushroom slices, sauteed onions, worchestershire sauce, heavy cream & butter. It was yummy over the cube-steak & low-carb to boot! To spice up the collards (I am a Southern girl after all) I added some hot sauce & olive oil and sauteed them til tender. Summer ate half of them so they must’ve been good!

One lesson I learned tonight, do  NOT get on the elliptical machine within an hour after eating! It made me so nauseous!

Tommorrow I will just get the second session in BEFORE dinner! LOL

 I hope everyone else had a good day! And remember, you have to take care of yourself first- then you have more energy to give to others! You can Do it!