Day 2 of our Fabulous Fat Losers Challenge

I came down with a stomach virus yesterday, and woke up today feeling better, but I'm still pretty weak.  I am proud that I've managed to stay on my plan.  I've been having a lot of caffeine-withdrawal headaches, but hopefully they will go away soon.  I do really miss Diet Coke.

I'm trying to "bank" extra calories for my birthday on Wednesday.  I can't believe that I'm going to be 36-years old.  It is one year closer to 40!  I don't like the idea that I'm past my prime without ever knowing what my "prime" could have been.  But, that is just one more motivation for losing this weight.

This week I have really been making my own health and well-being a priority, and that feels good.  And, I don't think that it deprived my children or family in any way.  Though, being calorie deprived does make me a bit more "snappy".

Making the Change

Today is the third day of fully tracking all of my calories.  Other than the occasional headache (which could possibly be due to caffeine withdrawals) I am doing well.  It feels good to have a measure of control over my body.  I've also been working on breaking in my new athletic shoes.

It's been a real challenge the last couple of days to stay on the plan since I've been taking care of Ashley.  She's been sick with 24-hours of vomiting and diarrhea, and now she just has fever.  Hopefully, she can keep her food down/in today.

Tomorrow, March 31st, will be the first day of a 4-week challenge to stay on consistent calorie-counting program.  I'm excited.  I think that it will help that I've already been ramping up for the last 3 days.  We shall see!  I also think that I need to create my own motivational mantra.

Nothing like a good scare!

I spent the first 8 hours of my day yesterday wondering if I might have a brain aneurysm.  The morning was a rush of house cleaning and laundry, trying to prepare the home for my husband and children in case of the worst possibility--ending up in the hospital (though, I suppose death is actually worse than that).  At 2:15pm I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and migraines, though I need to watch for any neurological symptoms that might come up--which will send me in for an immediate MRI.

I am only 35 years old, almost 36, so this feels pretty ridiculous.  This last year I have felt that my body is falling apart.  Right after I turned 35 I developed a sharp stabbing pain in my left foot, like I was stepping on a sharp rock.  Turns out that this is a Morton's neuroma in a rare spot.  I spent a few months in a walking cast, and tried cortisone shots, but basically I'm left with needing surgery--which I've been putting off.

Last fall, I passed another kidney stone, and have had a series of urinary tract infections since.

Two weeks ago I developed sharp "lightening" headaches that come on super-fast from back of my head and throb with my pulse like lightening arcing through the underside of my skull.  (This is why I thought I might have a brain aneurysm.)  Obviously, I'M A PHYSICAL MESS!

What to do about all of this...  well, I feel that the Lord is definitely trying to get me to value and take care of my body more, so I'm going to do just that!

My personal daily/weekly goals are:

• Drink at least 64 ounces of water/fluid a day (no carbonated soda)
• Stay at/below 1500 calories per day (using the LoseIt app to track)
• Exercise 2.5 hours a week (walking--b/c of the foot!)

Unofficial goals are:

• Personal prayer at least 2 x daily
• Blog about this journey regularly

Playroom vs Bedroom

If at all possible, I believe in having a playroom rather than kids playing primarily in their bedrooms. It keeps their bedrooms cleaner and keeps distractions down when children need to go to sleep. We don't have any rules against our boys playing in their bedroom, and occasionally they will go play with toys in their room in the middle of the day, but they tend to gravitate toward the playroom and we have never had any real sleep problems with any of them.

The Beginning

I am often mulling over advice I would give to others as I go through my daily life. Am I an egomaniac? It's possible. Anyhow, here it is. Unsolicited advice galore!