My wild and Crazy Vacation that I a set a new goal for!!!

I have a wonderful friend that lives in Washington DC.  My friend from high school and I are going to Washington DC to visit the 2nd weekend in June.  The gay pride festival is going on.  We have been told that we will be on a float in the parade and at several parties over the weekend.  Wouldn't know that the float has a beach theme.  Swimsuits!!  First off, I will not wear the current suit that I have now, I call it my moomoo skirt suit!  Second off, I am not wearing a swimsuit in front of that many people!  My luck I will end up on the news on in the newspaper.  So, I set a new goal: 50lbs in 3 1/2 months.  I don't want to set an unrealistic goal, so I talked to one of the personal trainers today.  She said that I can do it but it wont be done the healthy way, and I will be miserable.  I was also told that realistically I should loose 2 lbs a week.  She suggested  a goal of 25lbs.  I will need to spend at least an hour in the gym every day.   That is not a big deal, I am usually there for two hours.  Today I bumped it up to three hours.  Two in the pool, finning, running, and working my upper and lower body.  I then did an hour of Zumba.  It's time to step my work outs up a notch!!!
Third round of injection was on Tuesday.  My right knee aches a little bit from my Monday's work out but other than that: I am doing fabulous!!!!!  I am doing so good that they start the injections on my left knee March 1st.
Over all I feel fantastic!  With a new goal in place I really have something to work forward to.
111 days until vacation!!!

Round 2

I had my second injection this week. I have very little pain in my right knee. I have some aching but nothing intolerable.  It could also be that I was able to do Zumba twice this week.  My left knee now hurts more than my right.  Yay!  I did get my hopes crushed a little!  I was hoping the stiffness that effects some of my mobility would go away with these injections but the Dr. said that it wouldn't.  I am hoping with working out and losing weight will help with that.  I am also thinking about trying yoga and stretching it out.
I have been doing awesome at the gym.  I am almost up to working out every day.  Monday I did an hour of Zumba and an hour of finning.  Tuesday I did an hour of Zumba.  Thursday an hour of finning and an hour of aqua power. 
I have been feeling great, I have had more energy, not sleeping as much.  I even put on a pair of jeans that were tight and they ended up being enough that I needed a belt to hold them up.  What a wonderful feeling!!!!!
Total -10lbs

Round 1

Tuesday was my first injection!  I was soo nervous, I had talked to someone at aqua power that said that it would hurt for the first couple of minuets and then I would be fine.  I did hurt for a minuet, it was a burning pain.  I was able to walk out with no problem.  My knee felt weird for the next couple of hours.  It was squishy.  I was really bummed when they told me that I would feel the full effect of the injections until I have received all 3.  I was hoping for instant relief.
I made it to finning on Monday and Tuesday night.  I stayed and did aqua power on Thursday.  I am back out to the gym on Monday night again for Finning.
I have a made a promise to myself.  When these injections take away my pain, I WILL BE AT THE GYM EVERY DAY!

Good Bye Pepsi!

This week I said good-bye to my Pepsi! 
I can't believe how easy it was, no headaches.  I am now a water drinker.  I have never been a water drinker but it is really starting to grow on me.
Also this week I have been working on my diet.  I never eat breakfast or lunch, I wait until dinner and then over eat.  I have been forcing myself to eat breakfast and lunch.  I have switch from white bread to wheat and white rice to whole grain.
I have really been proud of myself, changing your eating habits is not an easy thing to do.  I am not being perfect but I am making changes in the correct direction.
I haven't been working out this week like I should be.  My knees have been feeling pretty good up until this past Sunday.  I was walking around in WalMart and my right knee popped!  OMG!!!!  A whole new experience of pain.  My knee has been hurting every since but it is a different type of pain.  Today the pain feels under control and I am meeting one of The Motivated Mommas for finning and aqua power. 
Tuesday starts my knee injections.  I am starting to get nervous about the injections but I am also very hopeful.

Watch Out Here Come The Motivated Momma's

I have been feel absolutely wonderful!!! 
I went for my second opinion on my knees on Tuesday, I was given a different kind of medicine to try until my injections on Feb. 1st.  This medicine has been awesome!  I still have some pain walking down the stairs and the range of movement is limited.
The Motivated Momma's are weighed and ready to win the Biggest Winner Contest.  After weigh in, 3 of the 4 team members hit the pool for some water aerobics.  It felt great!!!  I was a little sore this morning but this evening I took my daughter and we went swimming.
Since Tuesday, I went from being depressed and since the decrease in pain my mood has done a 180 degree turn.  My outlook on things is now positive!!
I feel like I am truly blessed!

Good News Knees!

After my horrible experience with the knee specialist a couple weeks ago I went into a horrible depression.  Sleeping and sitting on the couch the majority of time and not getting anything done!  The house became a mess!  Dishes were not getting done and laundry well is several weeks behind.  To walk down the stairs was a whole new meaning of pain.
Bright and early this morning I had my second opinion!  We started off with a whole new set of X-rays! (that wasn't even considered at the last dr.)  I received good and bad news today.  My knees have deteriorating cartilage.  My right knee is at 2 and my left knee is at 4.  (I don't know what kind of measurement this is) but this is how close my knee is to being bone on bone.  My right knee is also sitting at an angle due to the deterioration.  I know this all sounds like bad news.  The bad news is down the line I am going to need knee replacement surgery.  Short term there are injections of a gel that will be injected into my knees once a week for three weeks.  The gel replaces the cartilage temporally. This method can last up to a year!  I can't believe that I will be without knee pain.
The doctor was very much for me working out.  He told me that loosing 10lbs is like loosing 30lbs to your knees.  I can't wait!
I AM BACK!!!  WATCH OUT BECAUSE HERE I COME!!

Wildflower Words

While reading Life Is Short-Wear Your Party Pants, I came across what the author called Wildflower Words.  They are the following: joyful, delightful, encouraging, challenging, hopeful, creative, insightful, playful, whimsical, relaxing, amazing, brilliant, caring, thoughtful, amusing, courageous, brave, bold, and respectful.
Words can boost your mood!  When asked how you are feeling today?  How do you answer?   I usually answer with: "I'm fine", "So-So", and "Good".  How do you feel after you answer the question with a dull, boring, and lame response?    I don't know about you but after I answer with a boring response I end up feeling only "Fine"! 
I have been trying to answer "The Question" with more energy and enthusiasm.  This is where the Wildflower words come into play.  "How are you today?" "I am in joyful mood today:"  I don't think anyone has ever answered me with anything but the dull, boring response.  These wildflower words can cheer both people involved in the conversation.  I also discovered that when you use the "fine" response the conversation drops dead right there.  Use a wildflower word the conversation continues in a positive direction.
The author asks "Think about the words you use.  Do you act like you're in a vast field of wildflowers, or are you stuck in a ditch?
Here are some ditch words: awful, terrible, horrible, always, never, hopeless, impossible.
Out of curiosity I would like to ask you to try using Wildflower Words and comment on this post with the response you receive and how you feel after using these wonderful words.


I do have to retract the comment only being answered with dull and boring responses.  I have a wonderful friend named Kyle that always uses Wildflower Words.