our cat needs a lifestyle change...

Um, yeah. So our cat needs a lifestyle change {I despise the word diet}.

Loki is 17.5 pounds of CAT {that looks like a cow and acts like a dog}.

He's gained a few pounds in the almost 4 years we've lived in our house. Part of the culprit is we live in a ranch style house so there are no stairs for him to climb. For the first 3 years of his live we lived in townhouses that had many stairs he could run up and down all day long, and he did just that. Now...he doesn't do that! Though we did get him a cat tree a few months ago and he loves it! Another part is he's been on a higher-fat food for his bladder issues but that can't be happening anymore.

He sleeps in it all day, he sheds all over it, and he is VERY possessive of it!

Too bad he doesn't like to wear his harness...otherwise he'd be better of because we'd take him for walks! But, thankfully he acts like a dog, so we'll just try to play fetch with him more. And chase him around.

Fingers crossed {that he doesn't gain anymore and this new food helps}!!!

there's always time for a little celebration!!

Last night my hubby and I dressed up, went down into Portland, and had a nice & fancy dinner at McCormick & Schmick's Harborside at the Marina! We had some celebrating to do {and some gift certificates to use}!

Jason & I :) Love him!!!

 



At first I went into this dinner and I was in a "I'll have whatever I want (likely something I shouldn't have) mood" but then once I sat down my conscious really got the better of me. Maybe conscious isn't the right word. My thought pattern went like this...

- I want the blackened chicken pasta with alfredo linguine.
- But, I had cheese a few days ago so I don't know if I need that much dairy today.
- Plus, I might have dessert which might have dairy in it.
- I still want chicken though. What about the Parmesan chicken? It's still dairy but not as much as the alfredo sauce.
- Order glass of Riesling.
- Talk to waiter. Tell him I do want the chicken pasta but I don't want the alfredo. Waiter suggests that we do a veggie medley on top of noodles that have olive oil instead.
- BINGO!

I forgot to take a picture of my dinner but it was delicious. It was the Parmesan crusted chicken breasts with linguine and tomatoes & fresh basil. It was fresh, it was light, and it was perfect & just for me.

I've said it many times on here and many, many more times in my life - YOU have to be an advocate for yourself. Whether it is going to the doctors or eating as best you can at a restaurant you are the only one who is truly looking out for you!!

it wouldn't be an Annie post if there wasn't a comparison picture!

left ~ April 2012

right ~ May 2013

Because I made the decision to change my meal I felt better about myself, I am proud of myself, and I ordered {almost} exactly what I wanted for dessert. If I had had my choice {and I did, I just chose something else} I would have loved to have had the cheesecake with berries and next time that is available I just might. This time, though, I decided to share the MOST delicious apple pie upside down pie with vanilla ice cream with my husband. There's something fun and intimate about sharing a dessert...and my husband always lets me have the last bite! He's sweet like that.

Have any of you made any good choices recently at a restaurant? Salad instead of fries? Sharing dessert? I'd love to hear how everyone out there handles eating out!!

Fingers crossed {that next time I go out I can make good choices}...

minus 70 (yes, seventy) pounds!!!

That's still shocking to see, write, hear, and say!!!

70 pounds is two cat litter tubs from Costco

After kind of just easily losing the range from 60-65 pounds...I had to work at getting to that -70 pounds! While I didn't change anything about my diet I did amp up my workout routine as my shoulder surgery draws nearer...and I think I kept adding muscle (which weights more). At least, that is what I am believing.

I feel very lucky that I have PCOS and I have been able to lose 70 pounds. I know many of my cysters aren't as lucky!

-70 pounds in 80 weeks!!!

left: September 2011

right: May 2013

I don't quite know what my trick's have been. I've cut back on carbs, portions, and sitting on the couch. I've increased exercise, greens/fruits/veggies, and my knowledge.

I have really learned how to set myself up for success in many areas of my life...

working out...finding what you love.
I found my one true exercise love - barre3. There is almost nothing I love more than barre3. It calms me and my ADHD brain down, it tones & shapes my PCOS body, and it lengthens and strengthens my osteoarthritis back & toes. Even with all my idiosyncrasies it is the perfect fit and that, is what I love most. Anyone can do this. I did this when I weighed 220 pounds! My father in law has done barre3! Anyone with anything is welcome and fitted at barre3. I also walk...a LOT! Just at work I walk about 3 or 4 miles a day and I know that thanks to my FitBit and I try to walk 2 - 4 times a week but sometimes this dreary PNW weather gets the best of me.

eating better...knowing how & what to eat.
This has been the other major change I have made. Before being diagnosed with PCOS I was so unaware of the food I was eating. I was treating myself badly by eating way too much of everything I ate. I considered a can of green beans enough veggies. I have learned a lot about what portions truly are and how much of each type of food is recommended. A lot of what I have learned I got from participating in the barre3 28 to Great Challenge. It's core values are that of any nutritionist, portions!! Check in out and give it a whirl. I have that chart from the link taped to my fridge as a daily reminder.

believing in myself...I am beautiful like me.
This was a harder one to come by and something I will be working on for the rest of my life. Being over weight isn't an easy thing to be and I truly didn't love myself in so many ways. I still struggle with ideas/ideals about how my body looks but it's slowly getting easier. Now...my brain wants to go to the "well, you can't gain it all back because you'll be a failure" model and I honestly don't think I'll ever go back to where I was.

setting myself up for success...an organizing life is an easier life.
The night before the next day is a pretty busy time around here. We are usually setting out our workout clothes for the next day, making a plan while grocery shopping, or making lunches. You can follow my lunches feed on Instagram {username anniebelle316}. I like to plan when my "treats" will be and focus on them instead of thinking I need a treat every day. I also don't always save treats for just special occasions. Sometimes getting through the workday, the workout, the craziness of life - that's enough.

18 months later...

 

Fingers crossed {that this isn't the end but yet the continuation}...

shoulder surgery...

The title says it all.

I have to have shoulder surgery.

I tried to avoid it. I tried to ignore it. It didn't work. I had an MRI in March and heard the day before we headed out to AZ that I would need surgery. Turns out, somewhere along the line, I tore my labrum which caused a little, tiny cyst to form. The tear must be tiny because they couldn't see that on the MRI but there was definitely a cyst. They say that size, placement, and color of cyst normally only occurs when there is a labrum tear. So we will consider this "exploratory" at the beginning to see where the tear is, but regardless he'll have to take out the cyst.

On June 5th I'll go in for surgery. It's an out patient procedure so I'll go home that night...which I am kind of nervous about. I haven't ever had a major surgery and I'm certainly not looking forward to it!

I'll be in a sling for 6 (LONG) weeks...

practicing wearing the sling...

practicing having my hubby do my hair...

 

After the sling comes off I'll have weeks of physical therapy hopefully followed by some barre3 with modifications.

 

It's funny. I'm not that scared of how my shoulder is going to do. I am afraid of how my mind is going to do without barre3 and how my back is going to do with lack of movement. I know my shoulder will be better after all of this and that's what's getting be through. After 4 or 5 months I should be back to regularly scheduled workouts like I was doing before the injury!!

 

Since I am the queen of planning I've had my sling for a few weeks and have been practicing with it. Though really, my left arm is the best appendage to have surgery on. It isn't on either leg or my dominant hand. It really could be a lot worse...but it's still going to be a struggle for me!! I've also been saving a plethora of movie on Amazon Prime and have been practicing things like putting in contacts one handed, driving one handed, and dressing one handed.

 

Trying to figure out how to maintain some level of movement and strength is going to be tough. I think I'll be doing a LOT of standing barre3 and squats. I also should be able to do a fair amount of upright seated core work. I'm thankful that barre3 has an online component. I also was joking that I was going to just go sit in the back of the studio and soak up the energy. It might not be a joke after a while! Since my physical therapist also goes to barre3 I am hoping she'll be able to teach me some modification's so I can go back sooner than later. I don't want to hurt it but I just love barre3 SO much (incase you couldn't tell)!!!

 

Fingers crossed {to a swift recovery}...