This is going to speak to a bit of a peeve of mine with reality tv shows and their “contestants” or participants or whatever they call themselves.

Tonight, it was on the Biggest Loser.

I am telling you right now, if you haven’t seen it yet.
Your TiVo is still recording or you pick up on Hulu later this week…come back after you have seen it.

I might spoil something and we can’t have that, because, that too is a peeve of mine.

But, back to the FIRST peeve.

People, or their family members,  or parties to represent people on reality tv wearing their Jesus Fish or having a T-shirt with Phillipians 4:13 on the back….or beating the fire out of someone and sayin’ “Oh thank you Jesus”.

You know, those people.
It is a peeve.

But the bigger peeve is when a person does that after they have, lied, cheated, manipulated and other wise made themselves look like a crazy fool.

I know we all fall short, but if we are gonna be on TV in front of the entire nation (as we are reminded every week) can we please try to do a little better?

Because, yes, people are watching.
Unless of course you were planning on donating all of that $250,000 to starving children, then, I guess it is ok.*

Oh and while we are on the topic of Biggest Loser, the spouse and I have come up with a great drinking game, to bad we don’t drink anymore.

The rules are easy, every time Amanda says “America chose me” drink.
Every time Tracy either showed her “crazy eyes” or ran her tongue over her teeth, drink.
Every time every other player gave Tracy the “hairy eyeball”, drink.

I figure you would need about a case of beer per episode.

(*not really, but sarcastic me, the girl on the right, is out in full force this evening)

(alternative title:  I may be fat, but I have rockin’ nails-sometimes I have a really OFF sense of humor)

Those are my hands, with my own REAL all the same length, still haven’t broken a one (and this picture was taken LAST Sunday) nails.  Did I say natural, none of that fake acrylic or gel stuff?

REAL Baby, REAL!

This is the first time in my life I have ever had more than a sliver of a finger nail that I didn’t pay someone for.  As a child I chewed my nails down to the quick.  To prevent that I started applying Lee nails on my own and then once I had a steady income, every two weeks I would pay a someone to do them.

I have been taking Hair and Nail vitamins for another issue for over a year and WOW it is really paying off in this area.  I don’t even have to coat them with polish!

I meant to do this post 2 weeks ago and soccer practice got in the way.

I have mentioned before that we are members of a local SCA and every Thursday we get to pick up som really good organic home grown food.  Then I get to come home and figure out what the heck to do with it.

A few weeks back yard beans were in our basket (such a pretty yellow).  I am not a huge fan of green beans so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about these either.  I did have some success roasting various things and actually being able to eat veggies that otherwise would have ended up in the compost bin.

I washed all the beans and broke off the ends and tossed them in olive oil.  Then I spread them all out on a pan and sprinkled kosher salt and pepper on them (Miss’ Dash works well too).

Then I tossed them in the oven for about 35 minutes (@ 350) until they were kinda shriveled up.
I had some cucumbers from another soccer parent (Thanks Sherry) and put those in some vinegar water with onion.
I also made Salmon from Costco.

Oh it was GOOD!

I used the daily plate back in January to log all of my food and exercise and it was so very successful. Since then I have fallen way off the weight loss wagon and need serious intervention.

Luckily for me, Livestrong (Yo’ Lance, you rock) now has a blackberry app. I can log all my food and exercise on the go, which has been my biggest issue since soccer started this spring.

Well Kids, this is the last one of these posts on a regular basis.  It is the end of the month and the end of the bet with myself.

Good news and Bad news.

Good new is that I am officially on a regular basis under a number that I could NOT get past for 2 years.  Spouselet thought I should have made THAT my bet with myself.  Man, I wish he had said something before I put it on the interwebs for all to see!

But, he didn’t and I didn’t make my original goal of losing 10 lbs by March 1.  I did however lose 5.6 pounds.  And I know that in the next week the other 3.4 isn’t going to melt right off.  So, soon, very soon my friends, there will be pictures.

I have also decided to post one from my wedding, where I was my heaviest so you can see how far I have come.

I am a work in progress baby!

Yesterday in the midst of hanging with the 14 yr old for all of his sickness and Doctor apptointment, I got a call about my own test results.  

I only felt sorry for the 14 yr old for about 10 mintues (he may have mono) when I got the call that ALL MY NUMBERS are good.

Kidney function-Normal.
Sugar-Normal.
Liver-Much better.
Bad Cholesterol-WAAAAY down (still high but almost HALF of what it was)-this is great!
Good Cholesterol-can come up a bit, but better.
Vitamin D-way up from where it was, but not high enough.

So, he wants me to take more and continue the diet and exercise.

I am thrilled.

Finally after about 3 years of garbage and uncaring medical professionals (ok, only 1.5 years of that) I have a doctor that is helping me see results.  I also really appreciate him saying “You look good.”  and I will probably mention that at least 3 more times on my blog before it is retired!

So, even though the kid is sick and about to drive me up the wall, it is so very sun-shiney here in Kentucky.

And now I must run because I hear a very sick 14 yr old playing basketball outside.  Holy Mother Moly…that child better NOT have mono, neither of us will survive.

Who is watching the biggest loser?
Are you lovin’ it? Is there anyone that you just want to beat with a short stick?
Did you cry at how these people treat each other?

So far, I think this is my favorite season.

There is only one person I am not a fan of and if she keeps being the way she is being, she will be gone soon. And then her friend will take care of her.  I told the spouselet, I think they will be finding parts of that woman all over the west coast if she doesn’t make the 30 days.  I mean even her teammates are talkin’ about voting her off.  That never happens.

Last night when the two girls went down to help Dan walk the rest of the way up the mountain. I cried.
When Dan and Jerry got the lowest number. I cried.
When they were talking about who to keep and who to send home.  I cried.

They might be talkin’ about how to win the game and those parts are on the cutting room floor.  They all(except for one) seem to know they  need help and that they will do whatever it takes to get there.

I was just thinking…if I were on biggest loser, which person would I be most like?

I know I wouldn’t have the “give me more” attitude of Dan (God, I love that kid)- I would pray that I would be that way, but I don’t think that I am.
I am almost as equally sure that I would not be the slacker like Joella, but maybe that is why I don’t like her, I AM like that.

Tara is honestly the closest to my personality, that woman is competitive with a heart.  I am competitive, and sometimes for get my heart.

Who do you identify with the most this season?

Who are you wanting to head home like yesterday?
Don’t miss a thing! Subscribe in a reader.

much needed sunshine

I am starting to understand why older people flock to Florida and Arizona as soon as they retire.  I am seriously considering joining them!  When I was younger, fall and winter were my favorite seasons.  I loved being warm and snuggly in a big ole sweater or under 30 blankets.

I used to say, “When it is cold outside you can pile on more clothes, but when it is hot, you can’t take off your skin!”  And, I do still believe that.  I am very thankful for the awesome invention we all air conditioning.

However.

I have started noticing that I am not a very nice person with out sunshine.  I have never bathed in it like others in my family, but I haven’t hidden away in dark corners either.  A few years ago someone suggested that I may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and I was shocked. At the time, I was so unaware of myself and my needs, I had NO IDEA that I got depressed and grouchy with out the sun.  I think most days, I got just enough through the windows in my old house (they were everywhere) that I could manage it.

Then I moved. To a house that was perfect for my family (at the time) in every way except for sun exposure.  On the one hand it is awesome because you don’t get blinding light in the morning.  My house has 5 cedar trees (in a straight line) and 3 pines running across the front yard.  You can not even see my house if you are over 4 feet tall because of all the branches.

I am now well aware of the effects of NOT getting enough sunshine, however, if the sun isn’t even OUT (like now, in the winter) it wouldn’t matter where I lived, I would still be blue.  I am generally a happy, joy-joy kind of person so when my husband get happy because I SMILED “for the first time today” and it is almost 3pm-there is an issue.

Do you or anyone you know get the winter time blues?
How do you cope?

Part 1 “In the beginning”

I went to my Ob/Gyn and he ran the tests. He listened to my symptoms and agreed that it did sound like a thyroid problem, but he also said it could be a few other things. He wanted to run some tests to be sure. He didn’t think that I was old and in the first stages of Menopause.

He never once said I was fat.
(I love that man!)

I took a few days for the tests to come back so we made an appointment to go over them.

Good news. Bad news.
Not so great news.

Good news-you don’t have a thyroid problem. You have PCOS and Insulin Resistance. They usually go hand in hand. More good news, PCOS makes you infertile (YAY).

Bad news (really) PCOS also causes cancer. Insulin Resistance if left un treated can become Type 2 Diabetes.

Oh and this happened-probably because you quit smoking and that pushed you over your “magic” weight. Everyone has that number, no one knows where it is. People can develop this by being 5 lbs over weight and other women are 100 lbs to heavy and never get it.

Losing weight will help.
Losing weight will NOT be easy.
Your body doesn’t function like it should-

He gave me a prescription for Oral Contraceptives and suggested a new GP to help with the diet, exercise and medication options for the non-reproductive parts of this diagnosis.

I was not happy about taking the Oral Contraceptives because they make me nuts and I am not a huge fan of what they do to a woman’s body (which is kind of ironic, considering all I have done to my OWN body-like smoking).

After almost 2 years, I was FINALLY getting some answers.
I called the new guy and he got me in right away!

Part 1 “In the beginning”
Part 3 What a long strange trip it’s been.

Don’t miss any of this continuing story-subscribe in a reader.

way after God created the heavens and the earth, I quit smoking.

FYI. Talking about this makes me a little angry, so you might want to keep that in mind when you read the following. I am getting better-but it still leaks out occasionally. You have been warned.

Then I gained weight.
No big deal, everyone says you gain a bit-so I didn’t worry. 10 became 20 and before I knew it, I had gained 40 lbs.

FYI-Forty pounds in 2 years is a sign that something is not right with your body-especially if you weren’t eating 2 cheesecakes a day!

At the 20lb mark, I went to my GP and said, I think there is a problem.
He said “You are fat.”
Yeah, I know but I don’t feel right.
“You don’t when you are fat. Exercise.”

So I did-and it did nothing, some weeks I even gained more.
And exercising is supposed to give you more energy right?
Then why am I so darned tired all the time?

Back to the doctor.
“Being fat makes you tired.”
“I think I have a thyroid problem. My mom and sister have a thyroid problem-so did my grand mother. Can you test me for it?”
“No need. We did that 3 years ago, you were fine then. You are fat, you need to exercise.”
“But, I am…nothing is changing.”
“do it more.”

So, I joined Weight Watchers again.
4 months I lost 15 lbs.
I went out of town to plan my wedding.
Gained 7 of it back.
ONE WEEK.

HELLO-that is a problem and it isn’t called being “Just Fat”

I decided to forget about losing weight for my wedding and concentrate on being happy and NOT starving. By the time I got married I weighed over 200lbs (more than I have ever weighed in my life and I can not believe I just typed that on my blog!)

I went to my GP one more time, because now my hair was falling out. And when I say my hair was falling out…it was, you could see my scalp. my pony tail was about the size of my pinky finger.

Hair falling out, dry sking, fat around the middle, tired (all the time), irregular menstrual cycle (between 40 and 50 days)-exercise isn’t helping, watching what I eat, isn’t helping. Girls, I was messed up!

So, back to the doctor. I go through my list.
Now i am FAT AND OLD.
Excuse me, but screw this.
At this point I had been trying to figure this stuff out for over a year.

I knew something wasn’t right.
WebMD said it could be several things anywhere from a brain tumor to cancer to thyroid.
I didn’t feel cancerous or brain tumor like…my money was still on thyroid.

I called my Ob/Gyn and asked if at my yearly they could run some tests.
I explained that my GP wouldn’t help and I was getting worried.
They agreed to run the tests.

Who said I don’t have patience? (part 2)
what a long strange trip it’s been (part 3)

Don’t miss any of this continuing story-subscribe in a reader.