Misery Loves Company, otherwise known as, It's Nice to Work out with a Partner

Image by Anne Taintor

Yesterday my husband joined me at the gym. There's something comforting about having someone join you in your suffering. I don't know what it is but it presses me on.  Of course he was working at around level 10 and I was at level 4 or something (maybe not even that high) and I was on there for 35 minutes and he was on for a whole hour. He glanced over at me at some point, around halfway there, and I was huffing and puffing away like I was the one working out on level 10. He smiled in amusement.

Today my arms were sore and I told him, "Hey, if I'm sore I got a work out."

Misery loves company, or so the saying goes. Usually my husband works out at another gym across town but yesterday he had his workout clothes with him at work so he decided to go to my gym. It was a nice treat to have him there working out next to me, even though we were both lost in our own music.

I also made an interesting observation about myself. I set my iPod to play on "shuffle" and I was not as motivated to pick up the pace as I was when I set it on my "Workout" play list. Around halfway through my work out I set it to that play list and it made a huge difference. The music made me want to move faster and it put a pep in my step. (OK, I know that sounds goofy)

So dear friends, I bid you adieu for the night. It's late and I worked out Tuesday and Wednesday, twice in a row, and my body is feeling it today. I need to get some rest so that I can get up tomorrow and hopefully work out again tomorrow night.

My New Torture Device

Precor elliptical machine similar or just like the one used at 24 Hr Fitness gyms.

I've decided to bite the bullet and start using the elliptical machine. I've been avoiding it all along and I've been trying to run. I even called it the torture device. I've actually made a lot of progress on the running but the reality is, I’m still very over weight and the running is putting a lot of strain on my joints. Someone advised me about this and I know he's right. :)

I think the reason I was so afraid of the elliptical was because I felt that it was harder. I know that it was, because it gives you more of a total body work-out and that was harder before I started running. Now that I've been running for a while and that I went back to try the elliptical it didn't feel as "hard" as before. However, I totally feel like I worked out more! I used it this week and I can feel it in my arms and where my back fat lies.

I took my husband's advice and I'm going to incorporate the elliptical into my work-out. I think the point that convinced me was when he pointed out how well I would work out my arms. After seeing those pictures of my fat arms a couple of weeks ago that was an easy sell.

Once I lose more weight and lose some of this all-over body fat then I will start running again. My husband believes that I will lose more in less time on the elliptical. I hope so!

Back to High Heels

It's 11:41 Central time and I already have my gym bag packed and ready to go for tomorrow. A must do, despite the nagging pain on the back of my neck, ear and into my shoulder. Something is not right. I've been in pain since last Sunday when I felt something pull out of whack when I was putting my hair back into a pony tail before washing my face. Yeah, today makes a whole week since I've been in pain. It especially hurts when I wake up in the morning.

This weekend was really good. Yesterday I took the kids to Build a Bear as a reward for good report cards. And since we were at the Galleria Mama had to shop for some shoes. I was shocked when I couldn't find anything at Nordstrom. What?! That's unheard of. I always find beautiful shoes there and there were some beautiful shoes, but just not anything that was right for me. I ended up with a cute conservative pair at 9 West, but they are open toe. I was hoping to find a nice black closed toe wedge for work. Or not so high of a heel, if not a wedge. I didn't find that. I stopped in at Torrid and tried on a black skirt and I found these awesome faux snakeskin shoes. I loved them, but then I brought them home and they feel a tad too high.

There's a story behind these shoes. A few years ago I had some beautiful wedge open toed sandals with this same exact pattern. In fact, that purse matched my shoes. I went on a business trip to San Diego and spent the night with my sister. The next day when I left I forgot the shoes. Shortly thereafter my sister packed up and moved and my shoes were never to be seen again. I was so sad... So when I found these shoes yesterday I felt like I found a lost treasure.

The bad thing is that I stopped wearing such high heels a while back. It was a combination of gaining too much weight, being pregnant, and carrying kids. Now that the kids are past carrying age and I've lost weight I need to get back to wearing high heels again. I'm sure that as I lose more weight it will get easier. I've already started moving back up to higher heels, but these heels here are a little taller than my tallest pair. Will I be able to step up to the challenge?

I Found the Ten Pounds I've Gained

Today I was motivated to work out extra hard despite the crick in my neck. I had plenty of motivation in the form of pictures! Pictures do not lie and no, I am not posting the picture here.

I met my husband for lunch and I was looking at pictures he took of me last night after our Memorial meeting. (the Memorial of Jesus' death) I found the 10 pounds I've gained! They were all in my face and in my arms. It's amazing what a difference 10 pounds can make.

So today when I went to th gym I stayed on the treadmill an extra 15 minutes to work off this fat. I needed it and I need to do it again on Friday.

So that's that.

My Quest for Attractive Plus Sized Clothing

I am the first to admit that I am no fashion plate. I dress for comfort and I dress in what makes me feel good about myself. One rule I have always followed even before I lost weight was this: It doesn't matter how big I am I will always make sure I look nice. That includes make-up, hair and accessories. Accessories, especially shoes and purses, being the most important.

When I was larger and even now, because I'm still on the larger size of things, I have always noticed how plus size clothes isn't the best looking in the store. Most plus sized clothing looks like it was designed for older women. This was especially a problem when I was in my twenties and I wanted to dress younger and cuter. It's been a challenge to find cute clothes.

Somewhere along the way I discovered Avenue. It was either new in my market or I just noticed it. I found that Avenue had a great selection of cute casual and dressy clothes that didn't look old. Sure, I had to pay a little more for it, but let's face it, you always have to pay more for better quality. Avenue is more expensive than Lane Bryant, but I found clothes that really suited me. The only complaint is regarding the way their slacks are cut. I am a top heavy plus size, not a bottom heavy. So the pants are usually big on the butt.

A few years ago I discovered Torrid. I loved a lot of their cute funky outfits but Torrid is sometimes too Goth and young for my taste. And what is this insistence on making the dresses and blouses sleeveless? Don't the designers understand that plus sized clothing requires sleeves to cover my big arms? Either that or I'm going to have to buy the sweater or jacket to match so I can cover up.  I bought around two dresses from them before and some really cute shoes. You can also order online.

My next choice for nice plus sized clothing is Target, but even they disappoint me sometimes. I've shopped there and found the cutest things and then I've gone there and everything looks dowdy, like something my grandma would wear.

My best wake-up call that an outfit belonged on a grandma was the time I went to a conference and a really elderly lady walked by in a much smaller version of an outfit I owned, but thankfully was not wearing at that very moment. I thought the outfit was nice and even now when I think of it I really liked the skirt. In fact, after that incident I put the jacket away and only wore the skirt with different blouses. But I wouldn’t wear the whole outfit together because I knew that an old lady had worn one just like it. It was eventually too big on me and I gave it away.

Now if I Google plus sized clothing I find several places that sell some really nice outfits. Some are expensive and some are reasonable. It all depends on your budget. Other than Avenue, Torrid, Target (sometimes) and some of these places online it's pretty slim pickings! I think there is a great market for really cute, attractive, young looking, affordable, plus sized clothing.

Right now I am still in the middle of plus sizes and regular sizes. Depending on how something is cut, and how small the top is, I may wear a plus size. If the designer was more generous on the top, or if I can wear a tank top underneath and keep the top open, then I can wear the larger size of the regular non-plus sizes. Although someone wrote online that anything in the double digits, like size 10 is already considered a plus size! Unbelievable but true! And forget about plus sized couture. It doesn't even exist. Not really.

I’m not going to lie! I can wait to wear a size 9 again one day and be done with this search for cute plus sized clothing. Because I know it will happen eventually! I have faith that I'll finally kick this food addiction and that I'll become a running fool. When that happens I can shop wherever the heck I want and when that day arrives it will be a very good day.

My Mommy Badge for the Week I've Had

This is a Mommy Badge my daughter gave me a couple of years ago.

This week will go down in history as one of those times that one of us (or all of us in this case) got really really sick. You know, you always remember those times that were really bad. My husband and I always remember our honeymoon to Italy. I was deathly sick when we arrived in Milan and I spent the first 24 hours asleep. My poor husband had to go in search of medication and tried to communicate with the pharmacist. He also had to venture out alone looking for breakfast and coffee. Unfortunately I'm the one who speaks Italian and he's the one who doesn't. My husband never forgets that.

Then there was our first year anniversary. My husband was very sick and ran fever all night. I kept putting a cold washcloth on his head and on his body to bring down the heat. I never forget that.

Well this week will be one of those we never forget. It was a week when every single one of us has been sick. I have been sick since Tuesday and I still haven't been able to shake it. Part of the reason I haven't gotten better is because I had to fly to Albuquerque overnight for sales calls on Friday. I was miserable on the way there, through a three hour delayed flight, and the next day back. I can't shake all this phlegm in my chest!

It started with my son Monday and Tuesday, followed by me, and now my daughter is fighting a fever and the cough. My husband is also a little sick but it hit him more like it hit my son, touch and go. Whatever it is decided to camp out on me and now on my daughter.

I was joking with a colleague from Dallas that I haven't worked out this week but I probably lost weight from not eating. I hardly ate a thing Tuesday through Friday. My appetite just started to return yesterday.

Plus, one of the nasty side effects of the lap band is that I can hardly eat when I'm congested because of the mucous. I get extra tight and I can only get warm soup down. A good trick when you're congested is to drink hot tea before attempting to eat anything.

I am hoping and praying that my daughter is better by tonight and tomorrow morning. The kids are on Spring Break but unfortunately because of the week I had last week I can't take any vacation time. I had originally planned on taking two days. They will visit their old baby sitter one day (she took care of them when they were babies so they love going there) and I still need to figure out other plans for the rest of the week. I'm hoping work goes well enough so that I can at least take Friday off.

I also want to be better by tomorrow evening because my daughter has cheerleading and I'd like to go to the gym for a little while. Even if it's just to walk. I just need to run and move!

Life's Many Obstacles and Adventures but I Have a Mommy Award

My Best Mommy Award by my daughter

Today I think I deserve this award. Notice she's inside a margarita glass. How appropriate!

6:30 a.m. Started waking up. Felt son's body and he was really warm, too warm.

6:45 a.m. Woke up my husband and told him to check my son too. He agreed. We decided he would take our daughter to school.

6:50 a.m. Woke up my daughter to get dressed for school.

6:55 a.m. Son woke up having a coughing fit and said he had to throw up. He pushed my daughter out of the restroom and he threw up phlegm. Nice.

7:00 a.m. Encouraged daughter to get dressed for school.

7:35 a.m. Husband took daughter to school, Son was watching cartoons.

I was up and checked work e-mail, etc..

8:30 a.m. Convinced son to lie down for a little while so he could get some rest. He slept for one hour.

9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Washed clothes and did some work. Sister called to remind me my father had his pacemaker check-up this evening and I volunteered to go next.

Husband called and said he was bringing lunch.

Husband called back. Truck was broken down.

Drove to pick up husband and to bring him back home. We all ate lunch and then he went back to work in my SUV.

I continued to wash clothes. In the end I washed every single piece of dirty clothing in this house. A major accomplishment.

4:00 p.m. Started making dinner.

5:50p.m. Husband drove up just in time so I could go help my father with his pacemaker check-up.

6:01 p.m. Walked into my father's house. He had just hung up the phone with the pacemaker lady. I had to wait for her to call back. She never did so I called her and I was put on hold.

6:25 p.m. Left my father's house

6:35 p.m. Made it to my house and tried to eat some catfish, asparagus, and Portobello mushrooms. Just a few small bites of each. Big mistake. Why haven't I learned that I can't eat in a hurry. I'm especially tight, no matter how small the bite. I didn't even get to enjoy what I cooked!

6:45 p.m. Husband asked me if I was taking my son. He had to go check on his truck to see if he could get it running. (my nephew was taking him) I realized then that I was not going to run at the gym as planned.

6:50 p.m. On the road to take my daughter to her first cheerleading class.

7:00 p.m. Husband calls. He forgot jumper cables in car. I say I'll meet him back at his truck after I drop off my daughter. I do and then drive back to pick up daughter. I stop at TMobile on the way because I need a new car charger for my new phone. The old one doesn't fit.

8:15 p.m. Daughter gets out of cheerleading. She's ecstatic and loved her class. I'm so happy! She's obviously worked out and sweated. I'm so glad I found an activity that she'll enjoy!

On the way back home we stop to assist my husband. He couldn't get the truck started with the other person's battery. We try mine. Doesn't work either.

9:00 p.m. Finally get home. Son is still too warm. I'm out of Tylenol and only have Motrin. After eating a little bit more I head out to Walgreen's.

9:45 p.m. Walk into Walgreen's. Buy the Tylenol and a few other things we need for the house.

10:15 p.m. Get home. Daughter is still awake. I wake up son to give him Tylenol. He asks me to read To Kill a Mockingbird. I read a couple of pages and son falls asleep again.

11:30 p.m. I still need a shower and to make lunch. I also need to figure out what I'm going to do with the my son if he's still sick tomorrow.

No, I never worked out, but I sure feel like I did.