Summer Challenge 2010

Kandice at "No More Chunky Dunking, Time To Skinny Dip" (listed on my blogroll) is hosting a 3 month-long summer challenge!!  Kandice is my friend Billie's daughter (Billie is also my roommate Shane's fiancee)...she's a sweet girl with a fantastic personality.  I don't get to see her very often, but when I do, she always has me laughing.  She's quite witty and has a great sense of humor.  She's caused me to spit out my dinner in a restaurant more than once...she has the uncanny ability of making funny remarks just as I'm stuffing food in my face, lol.  I'm happy to do this challenge with her!  :)

The challenge runs for 3 months...ending on Aug. 23rd.  The rules are to post the badge at the start of the challenge, which is today, and to post it each Friday for our official weekly weigh-in.  I was so glad her weigh-in day was the same as mine...that's been my problem with trying to do challenges in the past.  I just can't remember to weigh on the correct day when it differs from mine!  Another little twist to her challenge is we have to post a pic of our scale reading on Fridays.  I joked with her that she's going to cost me a lot of money in pedicures!  lol  The person who loses the most weight in 3 months wins the challenge....and you are also to announce your own personal goals...if you reach those, you get another prize!

I've been thinking about this.  I have really been floundering since I got back from the beach.  The truth is, I'm more wrapped up in worrying about finding a job asap than I am with losing weight.  In fact, I went to the unemployment ofc today to see how much time is left on my current extension.  Two weeks.  I get 2 more paychecks.  As of right now, the extensions are ending on May 29th.  Whatever you're currently scheduled for is what you get...for me, it's 2 more paychecks.  There hasn't been any word yet on whether or not Congress is going to grant another extension, so things are up in the air...AGAIN.  I just cannot express to you how sick I am of being "in the system", and CANNOT WAIT to return to the private sector where work is concerned.  I started working when I was 16 years old, and this is the first time I've ever drawn unemployment.  Let me tell ya'....it ain't my cup of tea. 

I want a permanent job...that's where all of my focus is and I'm steeped in worry over it.  I'm going to try to sign up at a temp agency this Thursday...I've got to call and set up an appt.  I have to babysit tomorrow while my sister goes in the hospital to have her 3rd child, and I've got a lot of errands to run on Wednesday, so hopefully Thursday I can get signed up at my first temp agency.  I've been dreading this.  I've done temp work before....I was laid off several years ago, and instead of going the unemployment route, I worked through temp agencies....for TWO AND A HALF YEARS.  It took that long for one of those temp jobs to go permanent.  I am absolutely terrified that I'm going to go through that again...not have the security of a permanent job.  Well....there's really no such thing as job security these days...but it feels better to know you're in a permanent position than in a temporary one...know what I mean?

So...I'm really struggling with getting back on track with the health stuff.  I haven't exercised one single day since I've been back from the beach.  The desire is just not there.  My get-up-and-go has definitely got-up-and-went.  I've spent several days in the last couple of weeks TRYING to talk myself into driving over to the park and walking....even 2 miles to start with.  Hasn't happened yet.

So for the challenge, my first goal is to commit to walking, whether at the gym or at the park, at least 3 days a week.  This sounds really easy...but for me right now, it feels monumental.  Absentee desire sucks...it's a real struggle.  Now for my weight loss goals.  I think expecting to lose 15 lbs a month like I did before I went to the beach is unrealistic to carry on from month to month.  The truth is, not every month is going to be that perfect...and I don't have the same drive that I did when knowing my reward was spending 9 days in an oceanfront condo, lol.  So I'm shooting for 10 lbs/month, or 30 lbs. total for her challenge.

I weighed in at 241.2 last Friday....then had WAY too much sodium over the wknd.  Here's my official starting weigh-in this morning for Kandice's challenge:

 

And no, I didn't bother to clean up my closet floor before I weighed...I've got shoes everywhere, lol.

I forgot that I took pics of the food mom and I took to the family dinner yesterday.  I made my famous baked mac 'n' chz (my Grandma's recipe)...and mom gave me all the ingredients to make her squash casserole, and I made that while she was at church.

Here's my food for today...

Breakfast was an egg white scramble:

Calories:  228

I stopped by Larry's Subs after the unemployment office for an 8" on wheat, ham and turkey, w/ lettuce, tomato, onion, lite mayo, spicy mustard and mushrooms.

Calories:  589

I picked up something else while at Larry's...an evil chocolate chip cookie:

Calories:  100

Later I had a lemon torte parfait.

Calories:  100

Then I had (2) cups of 10 calorie sugar-free Jell-O.

Calories:  20

Dinner was 2 Italian chicken sausages on whole wheat buns w/ sauteed peppers, onions & mushrooms with some Dijon mustard.

Calories:  510

I'll have my 2 c. of decaf w/ sugar-free creamer later for my last 30 cals.

Total Calories:  1577

I have managed to get my water in the last 2 days...I've been drinking my normal (4) 32 oz. glasses.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, I'll be babysitting for a few hours tomorrow.  I'm going to try to take the kids to the lake if it doesn't rain....not sure what lunch will be, but it will probably be out somewhere.  I'll try to remember to take my camera with me.  'Nite friends.  :)