DAY 413 My First Hottie Update!

Hi there Journal & Friends!

Time once again for my Hot 100 Update!

Steve's Hot 100 Challenge started on Thursday, September 23rd. So, Thursday is the day of the week I picked for my Hot 100 updates.

(It's not too late to join, go HERE)

I am excited and all charged up about this Challenge!

My goals for the Hot 100 are:

1.  Stay within my Calorie Budget (1600/day for 6 days/wk & 1800/day 1day/wk). 

YES, did very well. Went over a few on one day, but on the whole, I did good!

2.  Exercise 6 days/week. 

Eek...must 'fess up that I fell prey to excuses on this one. I didn't make it all 6 days. But as of this instant, I am determined to do better! 

3.  Take my Vitamins EVERY day.

Well, I DID do this one terrific!

And I am UNofficially shooting to be out of the 300's and into the Two-sies by the end of the year... a place I have not been in 27 years!!! I am going to be sooo excited when that happens!

Tomorrow is October 1st, so I'll have the results of my Monthly Weigh Day. We will see how close I am to that year-end Two-sies goal.

There you have it. So... why do another Challenge??

Well... sometimes you feel like you have the weight of the world on top of you, and need something fun to help keep you focused on dreams and goals.

I joined reluctantly at first, then as I worked on envisioning my goals, the fire lit under me and I got excited! And the enthusiasm of the other Hotties WAS contagious, it really was!

It's not too late to join, you still have until Friday, October 1st. Go visit The Head Hottie, South Beach Steve HERE,   and sign your little self UP!!  

Come on... you know you want to. And you don't need to have a blog, either.

Be brave, be bold, and DO it!

Today's Peek at the Past (Cool! I was thinking about this very kind of thing, in connection with this Challenge... that we need to clean up our thinking and be around POSITIVE input in order to get charged up again, to make our goals by the end of the year. Yay!)

From Day 52, September 30, 2009:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

What we read, what we hear, music, tv, the people we allow to influence our thinking...this really is a big deal!

So I want to be selective in choosing which people I allow to influence my heart, my "wellspring of life."

This idea of guarding our hearts even extends to the blogosphere-interwebs. I have had to make choices as to which people I will allow to influence me on a regular basis. There is only so much time, and I want to spend it wisely. I don't make that choice based on the blog's popularity, but rather on a few simple questions: 

Is absorbing what this person is putting out going to make me a healthier, better, more loving and whole person??

How do I feel after leaving the this persons blog...uplifted, encouraged, inspired; or even if I don't totally agree, did it help me think, grow and learn?? 

Do I feel a kinship with them...a connectedness because we are on the same journey to wellness??

Are their values and philosophies of life compatible enough with mine...do they add to me or detract from me??

Do they, ultimately, CONTRIBUTE to or CONTAMINATE my journey to becoming a healthier person??

If all this sounds self-centered...maybe it is. But I, and I alone am responsible for what I allow into my life. I am not a victim...I have choices.

(For complete post "Guard Your Heart & Distilled Wisdom " click HERE) 

From Dr Phil's book: "Never tell yourself beforehand that something is impossible, nor set limits on your efforts."

My verse for today: "Therefore I have set my face like flint..."

My quote for today: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." --Winston Churchill

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

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Sneaking in Extra for Toon Tuesday

Ha ha ha! I just KNEW I had taken more photos of this silly bird! 


I finally found them, so will just post it all here in one place, so it makes sense. If you missed the original post with explanations, just go back one. :-)

Hey, did you like my fancy pencil holder...

my Spam can? Nuthin pretentious at MY house, LOL!

Enjoy the journey every day,

Loretta

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DAY 411 Time for Toon Tuesday

Hi Journal & Friends!

It's baaaack!

I had more fun dinking around with my new Caran D'Ache Neocolor II's. They are watersoluble crayons, sometimes called watersoluble oil pastels. I love 'em!

This was a fun casual experiment, which almost ended up in the trash when I put on a coat of varnish and it started to smear... eek!

Here is the finished piece (click to enlarge, and then again if you want details):

For those who enjoy the process, this is for you:

This was done on  8" x 10" black Canson drawing board, with layers of Neocolor II and gloss varnish. Note: it was hard to get it bright enough on the black... will have to re-think that. Ever notice how our weight loss journey is like that? We have to try stuff... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

A neat trick to check your design is to turn it into Grayscale. That will reveal any weaknesses in your composition and/or color scheme... where you need to correct the placement of your light and dark colors.

Hint: if a design can stand the grayscale test, it will "usually" look good in color.

This next is the first phase. It is just the dry Neocolor II's, before adding any gloss varnish. Notice how dull it is? 

Sometimes we have to go by faith, by what we "see" inside, believing for a good outcome later.

I used practically no water this time, as an experiment. I wanted to see how the varnish would interact with the Neocolor II's.

Next, a first careful coat of gloss varnish. I need to get the knack of this... I smeared parts of it slightly. I won't use spray varnish... it's deadly to breathe.

Now I added more color, highlights and lowlights... kind of like doing haircolor, huh Anne?? LOL!

And finally, after another coat of gloss varnish, the finished pic:

I had a name for this pic... but didn't like it. Any suggestions?!

Today's Peek at the Past (Time... the precious coin of our life. This look back dovetailed perfectly with today's Toon about Time. I shared about what had to be my most devastating experience having to do with yet another weight loss attempt, and how Time is the great equalizer.)

From Day 50, September 28, 2009:

Then I remembered my own words, that the only difference between the "smaller" ones and me is time, unless they change. No one plans to become "one of them"...and even when you become "one of them", on the inside you are screaming "I am not a freak!" 

NONE of us are "one of them"... we are real people, with hopes and dreams, with a desire to love and be loved...to have a life we feel good about.

 

There is no such thing as a "perfect" journey...but there is progress. Now, I remind myself: PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION

(For complete post "Time & Progress " click HERE) 

From Dr Phil's book: "Be willing to get out of your comfort zone and require more of yourself."

My verse for today: "...you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."

My quote for today: "Know the true value of time; snatch, seize and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness... never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." --Lord Chesterfield

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

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DAY 410 Visualizing a Milestone

Hi there Journal & Friends,

I rarely choose a goal with a number attached to it. In the past, that has usually been a sure-fire way to set myself up for disappointment. 

But sometimes you need a fresh vision, a boost to get you going. And since I started Steve's Hot 100 challenge (it's still not too late to join! Go HERE for details) I've been thinking about my goals.

And I played with the 100 days... and wondered how much I might weigh at the end of the Challenge. I was surprised at first, then excited to realize that I might... maybe... probably could... finally get OUT of the 300's and burst right into the twosies!! The TWO hundreds! 

For some of you that would NOT be so exciting. But I haven't been in the 2's in about 27 years!!! This was an exciting thought for me, a great mini-goal along the way to my final goal of 199.

Then... I realized that I was not seeing ME... it was like making plans for someone else... talking about another person. I was excited about the possibility, but it was not ME. It's been so long... it just didn't seem REAL. It was weird!

I was put on my first diet at age 10... and it's been a roller coaster ever since. 

Being able to SEE yourself successful at a thing is powerful and important. I tried and tried...it just wasn't coming. 

So I set out to find a photo of me at around 299. That goal is perfectly doable for me between now and 1/1/11. I wanted some visual help.

I found one! I am younger, but at least it's the right size. :-)

(Me and Jim... wasn't he scruffy-cute in his beard?)

I have been thinking of it all day... trying to "see" it. And it's beginning to feel real, and personal... a reality for ME. 

It will be the action, the DOING of my daily goals for the Hot 100 Challenge that will carry me to this milestone. The numbers will take care of themselves, an after effect of the consistent actions.  

Twosies, here I come!

Today's Peek at the Past (Oh, I LOVED re-reading this one! It was not my "brilliant" writing that got me excited... it was because I had included all my old favorite quotes from my walls here at home. It was like talking with old friends... and they were cheering me on and filling my heart with renewed enthusiasm! I need that for this push into new territory.)

From Day 48 , September 26, 2009:

• Passion bridges the chasm between the dreamer and the doer.--Lew Lehrman
• Our most precious achievements are those purchased with our greatest efforts.
• Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, either way you're right.--Henry Ford
• Dreams are where you want to go; hard work is how you get there.
• Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you CAN do!
• One can never consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar.--Helen Keller

(For complete post "Feeling It...or Not" click HERE) 

From Dr Phil's book: "Have a plan, and the courage, commitment and energy to execute it... you will overcome the tough stuff."

My verse for today: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him..."

My quote for today: "Have a dream. Once you have a dream, make a plan. Once you have a plan, go for it with determination. With a dream, a plan, and determination, you can accomplish anything. Even the impossible." --Kyra

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

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