Exercise and Losing Weight

Still working on getting in shape, and I'm happy to say that I'm making progress! I'm down about half a jean size. This puts me about half way between one jean size and the other so all my pants are either to tight with a muffin top or to loose and make me look bigger than I am. What a nice problem to have! If I keep going then the tight ones will start to fit great! 

I'm exercising more often, the last few weeks I've been focusing on things like crunches to build up my muscles, and today I added in one of my favorite cardio videos. My back is killing me, but what the hell! If I get in better shape then it'll be worth it.

Potty Training

Jaydra's almost three, and she's finally starting to get the hang of using the potty. She was initially reluctant to try it, and she still needs a lot of encouragement to stop what she's doing and use it. I've started using a few different rewards because when I was using just one she'd get bored with it and start resisting again. I got her a book that came with a princess crown and stickers. We let her wear her princess potty crown when she's sitting on the potty and when she goes in the potty she gets another jewel sticker to stick on her crown. Also I got her some kandoo flushable wipes and she likes to open it herself and wipe, then throw it in the potty. This is a BIG DEAL because she loves to do things for herself.

I have to keep saying and doing things to motivate her because she says she wants to be a baby and wear a diaper. I've tried pointing out that if she uses the potty she's DOING IT HERSELF, but apparently I just don't get it. I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with a kid that struggles with this, so I thought I'd share some other things that have worked for her:

-Telling her that it makes her potty happy when she pees or poops in it. Also that it makes Mommy and Daddy happy. When she succeeds, I make a big deal about it and how happy and proud I am. Do I feel ridiculous? Yes. Is it worth it. Oh hell yes!

-Letting her play the zoodles app on my phone while she's trying to use the potty. It keeps the kids locked in the app so they can't make calls or anything, and it has a variety of age appropriate videos and games in it for free. You can also add any apps or games you want onto the menu. *note- I have her sitting on a little potty on the floor when she plays with my phone, so don't worry my phone won't be taking a toilet bath any time soon.*

-Stickers and tattoos when she uses the potty. She likes the crown, but switching it up with a temporary tattoo now and then helps to keep things interesting for her.

-www.pull-ups.com has info and helpful tips, apps, coloring sheets and all sorts of great stuff. You can even set up a phone call for them from Cinderella or Mater to remind them to use the potty.

-I got some reusable pullups that have plastic on the outside that help to contain some of the mess, but don't absorb everything away so she can be more aware of when she's peeing. Plus they are much cheaper than buying packages of disposable pullups.  

She's just about gotten the hang of it now, and only has accidents when she's sleeping. If she's doing something extra fun like playing outside or watercolors I still have to remind her to take potty breaks, but at least we're making progress.

**My younger daughter Alicia used the potty twice today and she's not even two yet. Woo hoo!** 

A new BB cream I like

I was interested in all the new BB creams I kept hearing about, so I went out and bought one. Big mistake. I have oily skin that break outs if you even look at it funny, and that BB cream did just that. 

Luckily, I got a free sample of Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free B.B. Cream. I like it because it helps cut down on the oil on my skin, and doesn't come off when my skin gets oily like so many other things do. It has a nice level of coverage, letting the skin show through while helping to hide my numerous acne scars. It cuts down on shine, but doesn't make me completely matte. I have some spots that are super oily so that's not to surprising. It also has a thin drippy texture that can be messy to apply but is easy to blend.

After using this for a while, my skin looks healthier. I don't think it faded my dark spots, but the moisturizers in it make my skin look healthier even when I'm not wearing it.

Bottom line, I would recommend this to anyone that has oily skin.

#gotitfree# #buzzagent#

 

Next steps for getting healthy

Last time I wrote about this, I was feeling really frustrated and had some setbacks. I haven't exactly made any progress.. yet. I've been thinking about some solutions and found some things I'm going to try.

I found this slideshow on WebMD that has exercises that help strengthen the abs and lower back.
lower back pain WebMD slideshow-exercises I was suprised and dismayed to realize how many exercises I'd been doing that were actually irritating my back pain. I've started to incorporate these into my workouts. Speaking of workouts, I plan on doing more of them, but not as intense. I tend to overdo it when I exercise, then the next day my back and muscles are screaming in pain. Sometimes even the day after that. The next time I'm supposed to exercise, I don't want to. After skipping one, it's easier for me to skip the next and the next thing I know I'm not working out at all.

So I'm going to do a little every day, then a little more, until I'm actually less of a lazy blob oozing reluctantly out of my recliner and more of an energetic athlete with energy and strength. I used to run track and cross country so I know I've got it in me, damn it!

I've also read that if your heart rate goes to high for to long it can actually cause lactic acid to build up in your muscles, making you sore later. So I downloaded an app to monitor my heart rate so I can make sure it's high enough to be worth it but not so high that I regret it afterwards. This is going to be an adjustment, but if it works then it'll be worth it.

Also I ordered four It Works body wraps today. I guess they also come with defining cream. I'm going to try them on my stretched out jiggly stomach, and hope for the best. They are expensive, but if they help at all then it'll be worth the price. Once I get them I plan on telling you how they work. If I have the guts I might even do before and after pics of my tummy.

Judging People's Parenting Skills

As a long time fan of Alphamom's advice column I read it all the time. This one is especially great. If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, here's a link alphamom-on other peoples parenting.
The lady writing in for advice doesn't actually have any kids yet, but as someone that's read about it, she has some definite opinions about how her partner's niece should be disciplined. I've got to pause for a moment of nostalgia for that feeling of certainty on the rules of parenting that I once had before I'd actually had any kids. I saw your kid misbehaving? Well not only did I know how you should fix them, I also was certain that whatever you did was wrong. What a self righteous jerk I was! Call it irony or call it karma, but I constantly run into people that have this same judgey attitude. Some of them are family, some fellow parents, some are total strangers giving us the stink eye as we shop at the grocery store. I'm not saying that I'm a perfect parent, in fact I've made more mistakes than I can count, but the important thing is that I've learned from them. As a parent, I've felt more judged by others than at any other time in my life.

Everyone has their own parenting style and it's very easy to stand on the outside looking in and say that they're doing it wrong. In Alphamom's column, it sounds to me like the 4 year old's parents need to teach her some limits, but who knows? Maybe they think that she's only doing it for attention and that ignoring it will make her stop. Maybe the only time she acts like that is during these family gatherings and they're even more frustrated about it than the letter writer. Is that what I would do if it was my kid? No way. I can also understand why she's concerned that they opt to feed her sweets instead of dinner, but if the parents aren't actually mistreating their child, then keep the judgement to yourself. If they ask your opinion, feel free to share it with them. I love love love Alphamom's suggestion that they offer to babysit for a few hours, because it might help them to open up a dialogue with the parents about her misbehavior, and also "You’ll also get to see firsthand that the road to parenting hell is paid with know-it-all-y good intentions, yes. Three hours alone with this child could completely shatter every illusion you had about knowing anything about child-raising, sure." Her advice to praise the little girl when she's doing something right is also great. I suspect I like it so much because that's what works for me.

I think parenting is such an emotional topic that criticizing someone's parenting style is probably a terrible idea. Unless you want them to really dislike you, then tread very lightly when you're talking about it, or just keep your opinions to yourself. 

Weight Loss Woes

Whether in a picture or on person, anyone that looks at me can see that I'm overweight. What isn't visibly obvious is that I have problems with my back. While not directly related, I haven't been able to find an exercise plan that doesn't cause a ton of pain, which is definitely a problem. I've asked numerous doctors- my general practitioner sent me to see a specialist, the specialist said that I needed to talk to a physical therapist. I can't go see a physical therapist until I start getting spinal injections, which I'm waiting to have approved by my insurance company. This can take up to two weeks, and I have a lot of mixed feelings because I don't want to be in pain all the time, but spinal injections!? Those two words don't belong together, and I'm worried they'll really hurt. Actually I'm certain they'll really hurt.

Currently my exercise options are so limited that I mainly have to concentrate on dieting, which isn't something that I find easy. My doctor recommended some prescription diet pills, which helped but the side effects became ridiculous! Despite the fact that I took them in the morning I would lay awake until 5:00 or 6:00 am. After a night when I literally didn't sleep a wink I talked to my doctor, who said I didn't need sleeping pills and prescribed something new. This new prescription had two different meds, one was the same thing as what I was taking before, plus another to make it last longer. The insurance company said it would cost over a hundred dollars a month! I can't afford that, and the last thing I need is something that is even stronger and longer lasting. I've decided that I'm done with diet pills, at least for now.

I've lost 14 pounds over the last few months, going from 231 to 217. I've got a long way to go, and I'm currently sooo incredibly frustrated! Just when I make it down to 215, I bounce back to 217. I don't know if I can make any meaningful progress without adding exercise. I hope these spinal injections are approved and really help me. Also I'm glad it's getting warmer, so I can load the girls up in the stroller and go for more walks. I've been thinking about joining the YMCA, and maybe it's time to do that as well. I'm really tempted to give up, but screw that! I can do this, even if I'm miserable about it right now. Who needs pills anyway?

Do it Yourself Play Dough

Today we got out the play dough and some plastic cookie cutters and had a ton of fun. It kept both girls busy for over an hour! To keep the mess to a minimum I put an old shower curtain on the coffee table. The dough we used was over a month old and was still soft and pliable when I pulled it out of the fridge. The recipe I used is:
No Cook Play Dough
1/2 cup salt
2 cups flour
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 to 2 cups boiling water
Food coloring
All you have to do is mix everything but the food coloring together, then knead until smooth. Add food coloring and knead until thoroughly mixed in.
If you're making more than one color, try to make sure the colors will mix well, or you might wind up with a shade like what you see in the picture. This was originally neon pink, neon green and blue when I first made it.