My 9 Day Food Test

       I have had enough ! This didn't start out as a test, but looking at the past nine days, it seems to be that anyway. Stress, food, exercise, happiness, weight control, time management, all in one. But again, that didn't start that way.
     I take care of a child who has been in and out of schools, emotional problems and again waiting  for another school to be found. So he was away and it was time for him to come home again. This time going to get him, I wasn't s upbeat and hopeful as I usually was on other trips. My think was, here we go again and why am I still doing this?
    Anyway we arrived home and just managed the way to a few days before New Years Eve when I decided to grocery shop, like I haven't done in a few years. I also put my firm foot down, more than before. He would no longer spend my time because he put himself in this situation. He is a cute and lovable little guy, yet after two years, something or someone has to give and it felt like me.  Two day before getting him, I woke with a painful and stiff neck adding to my, well to my feelings about it all.
      Well I and he as well went on a plant based way of eating. This I tried three years ago and felt great, no kids in the house. In a month I lost25 lbs without feeling like I was trying. So here I went again and this time, was not buying different foods for this guy. He gained a lot of weight when he was away and he's short. So seven days pass, I lost seven pounds and then thinking I may be depriving him, buy some ice cream and pizza and a donut each. Horrible, just horrible ! Before I indulged I started to sleep better, keep better hours, was popping up off my chair, moving around like crazy.
    Then I indulged and God help me, I just wanted to sleep most of the day and my energy was zapped. I'm not joking. I felt like crap. Well this happened between yesterday and today. I don't want to move. I only want to sit and watch TV. I'm now finished with bring crap into the house for good.
  Tomorrow I wake up and eggs, sweet potatoes wait for me and I them. I made beef broth from a shin bone, have fresh vegetables. Imagine. I just can't wait. Roasted cauliflower ? Never thought I would love that before ice cream. I do.

Makes sense to Start School MId-Summer

     No people, I'm not saying year long school. What I am saying is the summer months are too long for many kids to be away from school. Not all as many kids can do just fine with all summer off.
     But doesn't it make sense to give kids more time off in winter around the holidays? Instead of ten to twelve days away, let it go from December twentieth to the end of February. Then if you are a person who is lucky enough to be a stay at home parent and if you traditionally celebrate Christmas with younger kids, look how much time they have to play, spend more winter time, outdoors riding a new bike too.
    Since we have less daylight hours in winter and kids are brought in earlier because of the dark, which means less outdoor time, less outdoor exercise. Kids need that outdoor time. Also in summer with school, they have a/c for half  a day, and half of that day is used up in school with plenty of daylight left to play outdoors. Come on parents, let's start something here. :) Hey one more thing, you know how too many people are picking up on SAD, Seasonal affective disorder?  Yeah, I watched Northern Exposure too.
Well more home time, less winter school time would take care of that!

Yes, I am going PInk! The Method

       I know, if you know me you know I am not a pink person, and I'm not doing this because the Pink Method was on Dr. Phil today, but because I saw this woman, part of the Pink team about three weeks ago doing the exercises. I didn't know or even think about joining anything. She was at that time part of a gym, owned by a man, doing some Pink stuff, and I couldn't find much information at that time except going Pink. Nothing was available about buying a CD, but I still knew I could do those exercises.
        In the following weeks I saw this same woman, a small(of course) lady with long dark hair. She does part three of the exercise team. She was the one, not the leader who somehow made me want to know more. I saw the leader today and why I don't know, but if it was just her, I wouldn't have bought what I did. However the whole team was on Dr. Phil and in the middle of the show I signed up and on.
        During my grocery trip today I must have known I was making a change. I found myself buying sugar free jelly and seasalt. Over the past year I have been making slow changes, but ice cream always gets in my way. Butter Pecan is about my favorite. But I'll eat just about any flavor, after I am a Viking, Now I have to try harder. When I get my CD's and whatever else comes along, oh yeah a diet plan. Well we all know about diets and I do shop and eat well. I actually love all of the "good foods" but the ice cream...oh the ice cream.
     I'm not counting on the diet, but the exercise videos as they come in three phases. I'm anxious. I'm ready. I'm fat:) I know what not to eat, but I need to move more and do it in a way as to not injure any Viking parts.
     When the package arrives I will keep you posted and I'll be honest-however if you see me grocery shopping and notice I might have a half gallon, or three of Breyers ice cream-do not touch it. It may be hazardous to your health.