90% of the Time Your Mother is Right

I've noted the sentiment in the title of this post on FB and to several people, but I wanted to introduce this missive with it as well.  For over a year my mother has been mentioning a No Flour No Sugar (NFNS)diet that Dr. Gott (a syndicated columnist in her local paper) has written about.  My response had been "I don't need another fad diet."  Finally in November I told her I would talk it over with my doctor and if she was on board I would try it.  Doc looked it over and felt it was a pretty good plan: No flour, no added sugar.  And looking over the recipes, they actually sounded pretty good.  So the journey began.

I lost 4 pounds the first week.  If I'd listened to my mother sooner I'd possibly be celebrating making my weight goal this month.  I try not to dwell on that one.  She's right.  She's usually right.  I get it.

So since the end of November I've lost over 20 lbs.  I'm pretty happy, but there's a long way to go.  I'm exercising 5 times a week (combination mile walks with Widget if the day is too nice to be in the gym, elliptical, and weight training) and trying to stay faithful to NFNS, but I when we go out to eat there is usually something bread-like that finds it's way to me. Yes, it isn't chocolate I miss, it's bread.

I've been losing about a pound a week, which again, I'm happy with, but they are getting harder.  It's like trying to kick an adult child out of the house!  I want my fat to go out into the world and have a life of it's own, maybe on a nice super model.  Just not on my thighs!  So with cursing and exercise I am slowly evicting the fat.  It knows it isn't welcome back, there won't be room.

But for the first time in I can't tell you when, I am having a good body day.  I got up this morning and just put on a shirt and khakis.  No vest, no sweater.  Didn't feel the need to cover up or hide.  Pretty cool. 

Went to the gym after work and reminded myself how little upper body strength I have.  On the way to the locker room I braved the scale.  It's one of the slider scales.  The one I use is at work, but I was curious.  So I set it for what I expected and stepped up.  Kathunk! I needed to take weight off to balance it!  Whoot!

After I got the puppy settled at home I tried out a few costume ideas for the Steampunk Worlds Fair.  Some of the tighter items are fitting better!  Feeling brave I took a run at the island of too small jeans and actually reclaimed 3 pairs!  Of course I decided I no longer liked 2 of them, but that isn't the point!  I'm making progress!

And just to prove to Fat that it isn't welcome back, as I reclaim the smaller size jeans I'm getting rid of the ones that are too big.  Get out means get out and stay out!

30 Minutes People, is it too much to ask?

I am entitled to an hour for lunch.  I take 30 minutes because I like to leave at 5.  I don't generally go out for lunch because it feels a little stressful.  I have to rush to where I'm going, eat then rush back to the office where I know I'll have at least one message, something will have broken and 10 people will be looking for me because they can't:
1) Find post it notes
2) Use the copier or fax machine
3) Find someone else
4) Tie there shoes (it could happen, don't think it won't!)

So I eat at my desk.  I usually read a book.  All in all, I feel I look very much like I'm at lunch.  This doesn't stop people from asking questions.  Usually prefaced with "Oh, you're having lunch..."  And as I am nice I will swallow, close my book and try to help.  Questions aren't a big deal.  But there are a few folks who have no problem walking up to me and asking me to DO things.  Things that will take me away from my desk, my lunch and eat away the rest of my lunch time.  Unlike them, I punch a time clock.  It looks weird if my lunch is taken in 5 minute increments over the course of 3 hours (not that I have time to clock out, so then I'd be over time for a lunch that never got eaten anyway).  Sigh.  But this is my job and it was my choice not to flee the building, so while annoying it isn't the end of the world.

What is starting to really bother me is one guy who every damn day practically comes up while I am happily trying to eat and read and insists on telling me stories.  Today it was about his experiences with jury duty the past few years.  Really?  I don't care.  I want to read my book.  You are on MY time.  And YOU are supposed to be at your desk working, not talking to me!  So where I would have actually gotten my whole 30 minutes today to read and eat, 20 minutes was swallowed up by this guy's yaking and then a VP needed help because the copier wouldn't work for him.  I almost made it...almost...

Tomorrow Julie is rescuing me and we are going to lunch.  For an hour.  Out of the building.  I can't wait.

And if you think I'm whining wait until I tell you about people asking me questions while I'm talking on the phone!