I met with the trainer at Planet Fitness today.  I worked out for about 25 minutes.  That's not very much time, but it was enough to make me ache everywhere.  Yes, I am that out of shape.  One nice thing about Planet Fitness is that they have massage chairs you can use.  I sat in one for 15 minutes.  Those chairs don't go easy on you.  If you have a knot in your back the chair will get it out. 

I bit the bullet and I went to Planet Fitness today, and I signed up for a membership.  I will meet with one of their trainers this week to design an exercise plan that is individualized for me.  I'm a little afraid.  For one, I'm afraid of causing myself more pain.  My back and knees are so bad already, I hope I don't make them worst.  Wish me luck or pray for me, whatever you believe in doing. 

Weight update: I've now lost 23 lbs.  126 lbs to go!  Yay!!! Thanks to everyone who

So I've been trying to take baby steps in my weight loss journey.  I started with my diet, and mild stretching exercises.  I'm thinking that it might be time to add more exercise to my journey.  I'm just trying to decide how much and what kind.  I'm not big on exercise videos.  I'm thinking of joining Planet Fitness.  I really want to use their recumbent bikes, and some machine for my arms and waist.  I doubt I'll be able to do more than 15 minutes of exercise a day for a while.  Planet fitness also has massage chairs.  I could exercise and then get a massage.  My sister Jenni swears the chairs are awesome.

Progress report:  I've lost 18 lbs.

This is so hard.  Everywhere I go, I see yummy cookies, cakes, candy, etc.  Sometimes I feel like I am going to crawl out of my skin.  The only thing that keeps me going is knowing how many people I told about me going on this diet, and how many people I showed this site to.  I need some low carb dessert ideas.  I bought a low carb dessert cookbook, but most of the foods in it are only low carb if you eat one small serving.  That is like a tease.  I'm having such a hard time right now. 

I would probably lose more weight if I were to stop eating my cucumbers and carrots with so much ranch, but a girl can only take so much.  Please.  Somebody tell me I can do this.  Tell me it will get easier.

So, my favorite Superbowl Sunday snacks are cheese, salami and crackers, chips and dip. Sticking with the low carb diet, I had lunch meats, swiss and cheddar cheese, and chicken wings.  The kids had sub sandwiches.  I was eyeing that bread like it was ambrosia.  I almost justified going off my diet...saying, "It's Superbowl Sunday.  No one diets on Supperbowl Sunday." I'm glad I stuck to my guns. I've lost 15 lbs. and I want to keep losing.  I have 132 lbs. to go. 

My lunch today was really good.  Rick made cheeseburgers.  I put a tomatos and onions on mine.  Then I wrapped it in lettuce with mayo and ketchup spread on it.  I didn't miss the bun at all.

Staying away from sweets is so hard.  Everytime I see someone else eating dessert, either in person or on tv, I start craving dessert.  I WANT CHOCOLATE!!!

I recently read an article that said that eating healthy is no more expensive than eating junk food. Wrong!  I'm spending way more money on food now.  What really sucks is that I had almost 3 weeks off of work in December, because I work for a college.  I get paid once a month.  Which means my paycheck at the end of this month will be over 2/3 less than usual.  I have no idea how I am going to stay on this diet this month when I can't do what I usually do when I'm broke...I eat lots of rice and bread.  It's cheap and filling. So the question is, "Do I eat healthy and risk not being able to pay this month's bills, or do I eat foods that will make me gain weight, and pay one or two more bills?

Hey, guess what! I've been married for 21 years today.  We couldn't really celebrate it, due to a lack of money, but we did eat at Carl's Jr. because we had a buy one combo, get one free card.  It only cost us about $8.  I got the chicken club wrapped in lettuce, without the bun.  Rick had a burger wrapped in lettuce, without the bun.  We had side salads instead of fries, and small diet sodas.  I know, diet sodas aren't good for you, but I don't drink them very much at all.  I drink mostly water.  Rick has a gift card to a movie theatre, that he got for Christmas.  If we see the matinee, it will cover 2 tickets.  We're going to go see that Hansel and Gretel, Witch Hunters movie. 

I feel like I have something in my eye.  It has felt that way for the last 10+ hours.  It hurts, and it's driving me crazy.  I tried flushing my eye with an eye wash.  It didn't help.  Maybe it will feel better in the morning.  I

I know better than to eat nuts when I have diverticulitis, but I did it anyway.  I was visiting a friend Thursday and she had almonds I was snacking on.  Eating nuts when you have diverticulitis can cause a flare up.  And I've definitely been suffering from a flare up since yesterday.  What made it worse was that I kept forgetting to take my fiber this week. 

These flare ups are horrible.  I feel feverish, I shake, and I'm so constipated that I feel like I have rocks in my gut.  I've been this way since yesterday, but I'm starting to feel better.  I've taken the maximum dose of fiber capsules today.  I didn't exactly eat good this afternoon, though.  I didn't wake up until almost noon and I ate a meatball sandwich from Subway for my breakfast/lunch.  I had a salad and some marinated flat steak for dinner. 

I've got the munchies right now, but I'm feeling too lazy to look for something to snack on.  That's probably a good thing.  I need to go to the store tomorrow and buy some low carb snacks.  I just created a page with a list of low carb snacks.  I'm going to have to print that list and take it with me to the store.  Dieting really is hard, but I can do this.

I've been suffering from a lot of knee pain.  My weight has really done a number on my knees.  I know that the will never be completely better.  The damage is already done.  All I can hope for is that not having all this extra weight on them will reduce the pain. 

I'm not really sure how I got to this point.  At some point junk food became the most exciting thing in my life.  It gave me the rush I was looking for.  It was also easy.  Hungry? No problem, go thru a drive thru.  Depressed? I think I just saw a bag of chips in the cabinet.  Sometimes eating is just the only thing to do.  When family visits what do we do?  We go out to eat.  Well that's stopping now.  Of course, this means I need to find something else to do when I'm bored, depressed, or family is visiting. I'll think of something.