"Is that you? Yeah...that me."

Real quick, tell me what movie my post title hails from. Okay, first let me provide a hint:

[Doorbell Rings]

[Rings]

Okay. I'm comin'.
Hello?
Geez, this place is so confusing.
Okay.

[Screaming]

Go away!
I call F.I.B.!
I call police!
Go away.!

Open the door.
No way, Jose!

Open the door.
You beat up my face!
You grabbed my nuts.

[Gong clangs]

Is that you? Yeah.
That me.

SIXTEEN CANDLES!!!!!!

Sixteen Candles is my most favoritest (not a real word) movie in the whole wide world. Along with Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, Valley Girl, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Some Kind of Wonderful and Weird Science. Sixteen Candles brings back so MANY wonderfully angst filled memories. RIP John Hughes.

Anyway, to the real point of my post and the reason why I started the post with a quote from Sixteen Candles...
As I sat and still sit here stewing in my own swirling pool of negativity, procrastination, defeat, yadda yadda, I failed to mention a major back to work NSV.

So last week while at work one day, I started walking down the hallway to my room and I heard a familiar voice call me name, "Trina?" The voice sounded unsure and then I heard my name again, "Trina???? Is that you?" I thought about answering, "Yeah, that me." Hence the Sixteen Candles quote.

As I turned around to answer the question I recognized a familiar co-worker who shares my obsessive passion for the Twilight series (84 days, 4 hours, 46 minutes, and 28, 27, 26, no 25 seconds until New Moon!). Okay, so I greeted my co-worker and the following exchange occurred:

Twilight Lovin' Co-worker: "OMG girl look at you! Did you lose weight?"

Me: * Twirl* " Lil bit!"

Twilight Lovin' Co-worker: You looking good girl!

Me: Thanks. *Threw in an extra twirl*

You know what? After writing about my NSV, I resign to stop the stewing and start doing (I just decided that at this very moment...right now)! Like I tell my kids suck it up! Man up! And to quote my self in my post Special Ops Mission #1: What's Standing in My Way?

1. I can sit here and whine like a little biyotch about being fat and do nothing (I know that sounds harsh)!
2. OR I can CHANGE and do something about it.

Once again, I choose #2. I don't want to be "THAT BLOGGER." You know, the blogger that cries EVERYDAY like a lil girl about being fat, and then you have to bust out your tiny violin so you can play as you read their "woe is me pity party posts."

Don't get me wrong, stewing and venting is okay from time to time.
But everyday...Ay dios mio!!??

Ay dios mio: Oh my god (in Spanish) mostly said when someone is getting on your nerves or when something bad just happened.

Tomorrow...do over, clean slate, back to square one, new beginning...or as Hollie put it, "Day 1, Again!"

How bought some back to school highlights?

My bulletin board used to display my student's work:




I just love the newness of school supplies!!







Well that concludes the back-to-school highlights, just one of the many events keeping me busy. I hope things fall into place soon, so that I begin posting consistently... at least 3 or 4 times weekly. Also keeping me busy, my Mom's gardening blog Bountiful Harvest. I encouraged my Mom to start a blog about her fabulous gardening adventures, and yours truly provided blogging tutorials to get Bountiful Harvest off the ground. Check it out (shameless plug).

Rocky Road...And I Ain't Talking Bout the Ice Cream

Wheeeeeeew sums up last week and my return back to work. Last week started out rooooooooooocky

Monday:

6:15 AM - Cell phone alarm sounded

6:15 AM - Picked up cell and pushed snooze

6:25 AM - Alarm sounded

6:25 AM - Hit snooze

6:35 AM - Alarm sounded

6:35 AM - Hit snooze

6:45 AM - Alarm sounded, wiped sleep out of eyes, looked at time, rub eyes again, and yelled "CRAP!" after I realized the time.

Tuesday & Wednesday:

My schedule pretty much mirrored Monday's. A rumor started floating around about signing in via computer vs. last years pen and paper method. Wednesday during a staff development meeting, the management team confirmed the rumor. Uh oh...accountability time. So, for me, a sufferer of CLS (Chronically Late Syndrome), this signing in crap greatly impacts my morning and nighttime routine. Now, it is of the utmost importance that I PLAN, PLAN. PLAN! So far, NOT so good.

My rockiness flowed into my weekend as I received my WI results, +.6. I take full responsibility for my results and I rejoiced that I only gained .6. The funny thing, after the receptionist handed me back my WI booklet I continuously stared at my results as though the numbers would magically transform into a loss. C'est la vie.

So last Saturday's meeting How to Get Back on Track, served as the perfect ending to a rocky week. The leader started the meeting with the following questions:

1. "What causes us to get off track?"

For me, my off trackness (not a real word) resulted from a combination of summer vacation ending and work beginning. I struggled to find balance. Balance still eludes me, but I refuse to throw in the towel.

2. "Why do we quit when we don't get the results we want?"

For me. I quit WW a million times before (hence my blog name, repeat offender) due to slow weight loss. A million times before, I weighed in week after week only to watch others drop more weight than me. At that time, I failed to realize that weight loss differs for each and everyone of us!

Now, a million times later, I STILL feel a little frustrated when I fail to obtain the numbers I want, but now I plan to keep the following guidelines in mind:

POSSIBLE PLATEAU CAUSES FOR SLOW WEIGHT LOSS

RELAXED EFFORTS (GUILTY!) -This includes but is not limited to:

• Not tracking points
• Eating more crap (a.k.a. 100 calorie packs) rather than more filling foods (e.g. fruits and veggies).
• Inconsistently exercising.
• Not measuring foods or watching portion sizes
• Missing meetings and weigh-in

TOO MUCH WEIGHT LOSS TO FAST

• If you lose too much too quickly, you start losing muscle. AND muscle is needed to burn fat.

THE BODY'S CHANGING NEEDS

• The less you weigh, the fewer calories and/or points you need.
• WW members must remember to take the points allowance quiz after a birthday, whenever level of activity changes, after certain increments of weight loss, and/or gender change.

NEW MEDICATION

• Various medications can cause weight loss to stall.
• Example of meds causing plateaus: beta blockers, steroids, arthritis, etc.

YOUR BODY ADAPTS TO YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE

• Switch it up!
• Introduce muscle confusion into your work out plan. In other words work out various body parts on different days.

So, the leader provided some great tips to help me, as well as the other members get back on track.

1. BOOST THE AMOUNTS OF FILLING FOODS in order to fell satisfied and full.
2. RECOMMIT TO TRACKING
3. DOUBLE CHECK PORTION SIZES
4. GET BACK INTO YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE. Instead of rewarding weight loss, I plan to reward my self for exercising at least 5 times a week,
5. MIX UP YOUR ACTIVITY AND FOODS . Your body gets boards when you eat the same foods and complete the same exercises.

So for ME, I need to do the following:

• GO TO MEETINGS AND WI WEEKLY for accountability!
• DO NOT JUDGE MY WEIGHT LOSS PROGRESS ON ONE WEIGH-IN!
• GET IN THOSE FILLING FOODS
• JUST MOVE!!!
• DON'T GIVE UP!!

In the immortal word of Dory (Finding Nemo) , "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming (even though I'm drowning.).

These Boots Are Made For...

THESE boots are made for gardening. Check out my Mom's new boots a.k.a. Predator Protectors. These boots result from a snake sighting that took place a week ago.

According to my Mom, my son spotted a snake in the backyard. Now the specifics of the size of the snake remain a little sketchy. The boys state they saw a small snake:

My mom however claims she spotted a HUGE snake:

Until this day, both parties maintain their story in regards to the size of the snake.

So I hung out with mi madre last Saturday. She made wonderful sandwiches w/homemade pickles on the side.




I even left room for a little dessert...chocolate covered strawberries.




The strawberries were leftover from the cake that my mom made.


After lunch we convened in the garden for the ceremonial cantaloupe picking . The cantaloupe as well as other goodies grew from the compost. Check out the boots.







I also checked on my herb garden during my visit. The cost of herbs at the grocery store inspired this herb garden.


So far one lemon on the lemon tree. Last year the tree was brimming with lemons ripe for the picking.

Alas the time has come...

Well folks, as of 12:00 AM my Summer officially ends :-( Tomorrow, the teaching staff must report back to work(Actually, I went to work last Friday to jump start my room preparations.).

This past week I walked around in a funk in anticipation of my return back to work. Don't get me wrong, I am more than grateful to be gainfully employed, but I can't help but feel a tinge of remorse as I enjoy my last few hours of Summer. My back-to-work funk interfered with my weight loss endeavor, and knocked me off the wagon. I only worked out once last week, but i managed to make somewhat sensible food choices. Even though I worked out once, my week kept me super busy and active.

Despite residing in Funkytown last week, I managed to drop 2.4 pounds bringing me to a total of 32.6 (something like that) pounds removed! This week I plan to get back on the wagon and ride it till the wheels fall off. GAME ON!

So tonight, I contemplated writing a post about my weekend OR last weekend's end of STATS class celebration OR my mom's red boots, BUT instead I decided to create a photo montage celebrating my first summer off. I hope you enjoy my montage SUMMA-TIME 2009:

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

There's a Fungus Amungus (Among Us)!

Please enjoy the photo journal of my exotic trip to Hong Kong Food Market:


Black Fungus anyone?


Back in the day I ventured to Honk Kong Food Mart (HKFM) a couple times just for these babies right here: Japanese Gummy Candy...Jummy!!





I purchased a bag of these. I like to throw these little crunchy thingys on my salad for texture.


The reason why I went to HKFM in the first place: rice paper wrappers. I plan to make spring rolls from the Cook Yourself Thin Cookbook.


HKFM even sold the cute little dishes like in the Chinese and Japanese take-out restaurants.

I started to buy these cute bowls, in order to create an authentic Chinese take-out experience at home.


?????


Have you ever heard of jackfruit or seen one?


Jars of stuff...


Sad...sad crabs... sad.

Bags of anchovies...


I had a r-EEL good time. Yes you guessed it, frozen eel.


Mmmmmm...my favorite, seaweed chips. Yummm...not really.


I foresee some future trips to Hong Kong Food Market. I saw LOTS of exotic treats I want to experience... LOTS! The LOTS does not include the seaweed chips or the eel!

All Up in My Bidness: Special Ops Mission 3

Yes, three. You're probably wondering what happened to Special Ops Mission 2...still working on it. In the mean time I completed Mission 3.

Here's the mission:

"Experts say nutrition plays 80 - 90% of your weight loss (and maintenance) success. A sound nutrition program begins at home - after all, what's more important than what you're doing when no one's looking (or reading your blog?)

This week, your Special Ops Mission is to post photos on your blog of your kitchen - show us your refrigerator, your freezer, and/or your cupboards/pantry ... resist temptation to tidy things up or get rid of the "evidence" before you post your photos.

My goal for this week's mission is to have you look at your environment with a new perspective. Showing us these photos may open your eyes a little to see all the "hidden saboteurs" in your home! Don't stress out about this week's mission - we need to see where we've been to know where we're going, right?"

Ahhh...my friend the Hungry Monster. He resides on the fridge and his big brother lives across the street in the pantry. We often engage in conversations that go a little something like this:

Me: What are you looking at?

Hungry Monster: *Blank Stare*

Me: WHAT???!!!

Hungry Monster: *Blank Stare*

Me: WHAT!!?? I'm eating the chips. Try and stop me!

Hungry Monster: *Blank Stare*

Me: Crunch, crunch, gobble, gobble, munch, munch....mmmmmm... Yeah, that's what I thought. You just keep your mouth shut and chillax on the fridge.

So now without further adieu, I'm letting y'all all up in my bidness: Behold the content of my fridge...

Yes, I know I am contributing to killing the Earth with the plastic bottles and bags. I plan to purchase more plastic bowls...I keep melting the lids in the dishwasher. In addition, I will be purchasing one those water purifier pitchers.

Yes...three gallons of milk. My kids drink about 3 sometimes four gallons a week. When I buy my house I plan to purchase my own cow.


Presenting my junky pantry:

Say hello to Hungry's brother Hongry.

The F-F-F-F-Freezer...