Sunday, August 1, 2010

Go ahead...make my day

The title is me paying homage to Clint Eastwood in whatever movie he said that line that later became a challenge phrase in a battery commercial.  Anyone else remember this?  If not, than my creative recall at least gave me an as-yet-unused-by-me post title.  Mainly I want to note that I'm doing Tammy's new challenge that you can read about here.  It starts today - a new month.  Each day a new beginning.

I'm excited and psyched.  Please refrain from saying "again Leslie?  We've heard it before".  I know it's probably only me saying that, which illustrates my embarrassment and shame for having gotten so off track in the last 6 months.  Yet, besides embarrassed I'm grateful that my floundering hasn't resulted in a larger weight gain than the scale shows.  But I feel the difference of the 15+ pounds in much of my day to day activity, my clothes and my general softness.  And softness NOT IN A GOOD WAY.  Literally - mushy.  If possible mushier than before.  At age 57, mushy ain't going to tighten up all that much, so damage control is indeed called for.  Please God, Universe, universe, and Leslie - let this be the time to truly regroup and step back up to the plate...er, away from the plate.  (unintentional but quite rich little pun, yes?)

Tammy's challenge is to just lose as much weight as possible in August, report once a week, photograph the first and last scale proclamations (8/1 and 8/31) and reap the rewards.  Now Tammy's official challenge reward is a very generous one (see for yourself at the above link), but the rewards in which I'm most interested are 2-fold (less "folds" than my stomach currently sports):  1) Spiritual, including letting go of the aforementioned shame, embarrassment and palpable poor self esteem about this weight/food thing; and 2) Physical, including the reversal of the aforementioned pounds, folds and body mush.  It is all possible.  It is entirely up to me.  See last petition sentence of above paragraph.  I need all those petition-ees and you wonderful blog friends to help me.  But all the help in the world can't help me if I don't let it.  Therein lies the conundrum.  I've learned to receive (and give) help in AA to give up King Alcohol.  It is all possible.

For my August 1 commencement of Tammy's challenge, I took the picture of my first weight this morning only to discover I left my cable attached to my work hard drive, so I will have to add the picture in tomorrow morning (or later today if I can get in to my building since there is construction ongoing and maybe I can bribe a worker or something).  My starting weight was a nice ROUND 209.  Yuck.  Better than 210 Friday.  Worse than 192 last December.  The past is done. Today is where I live and the only place in which I can take positive (or negative, for that matter) action.


*Added pic at 10:30 ...love how the metal of the scale reflects up my dress (or lack thereof)!  But I'm so committed to this I don't care.  And the next pic will NOT take you on the pictorial journey into my nether parts!  I must wear glasses next time so I can see whaddup!*

Because our internet service at home is messed up AGAIN (for the 5th time), I had to bring my laptop to SBux in order to do this first Challenge post.  I've had coffee but no breakfast, so I'm going back home to whip up a little something healthy and sane.  Enjoy the remainder of the weekend.

15 comments:

  1. Thank you for your comments and your support. Just got to take this one day at a time!

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  2. I love the humor in this post, because it reminds me that while we sometimes struggle with this stuff and get frustrated or down about it all, we can still smile along the way:) Thanks for that. I am eager to be home tomorrow, done with travel for a while, ready to get very serious myself. Let's kick some August butt!!!

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  3. You are funny! You know, humor can take you a long way in a hard journey :) You're going to make it Leslie-you know what to do and how to do it...and if you're unsure, read & educate.

    Know that somewhere in Chicago, IL you have a friend rootin' for ya!!!!

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  4. SO where is the link to Tammy's challenge? I think I saw it in your last post, I must check this out! Keep truckin'!

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  5. Thank you for your comment on my blog recently. I was braced for negative feedback about being so judgmental about her appearance. I might get it yet.

    I really like the photograph the scale idea of the first and last day. August is a long month and I'm determined to do better in August than I did in July. A small gain is still a gain. You know, the whole slippery slope idea.

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  6. I love when I take that scale picture and I get the tops of my thighs in it. Lovely!

    You can do this. You've beat alcohol Leslie. Only super duper strong people do that!!!

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  7. Great picture - made me laugh!!! You are going to do great with this challenge. Keep focused! Hugs!

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  8. I'm sitting here cheering you on. Actually, I''m sitting right now, but I'm going to make myself get up and go to the gym for a good workout tonight. Go for it. I'm in the midst of the Summer Diet Buddies challenge that lasts into the first week of Sept, so I'm looking for an awesome, losesome, August too.

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  9. Ugh, don't remind me of my mushiness. Let's do an August attack. C'mon, we can do it. Go ahead, make my month.

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  10. I'm cracking up over the scale photo that reveals your starting weight... and more! Too funny! Now THAT'S dedication for ya.

    Loretta
    =^..^=

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  11. lol Leslie, that is more than I see of most people. Very brave.
    Never allow anything to get in the way of enthusiasm. It's necessary. say it as many times as you need to. We are all here rooting you on.

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  12. Great post, Leslie. Your wit, humor and commitment come shining through. You know that we love you and our feelings having nothing to do with weight or "success" or anything other than you being you.

    Have an awesome August! We are cheering you and each other on.

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  13. I can't help myself. I'm laughing my butt off at your photo. Maybe put a little piece of paper over that metal next time... aren't you glad you at least had SOMETHING on?!

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  14. I just found your blog today through reading some posts about the challenge. I started today too! Looking forward to seeing how it goes. Good luck! :)

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  15. Wow. I'm chuckling to myself just like the rest. YOu are amazing. So enthusiastic. I hope the challenge does what you need it to. We all love you!

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