Squigzella.com

It’s been a few days and I haven’t really had the time to sit down and update at all.

CAINE 2011 in Montreal was a good time. It was more like a vacation for me, since I only played one venue. The wonderful, dramatic Vampire the Masquerade! My costume was awesome, yet not a single decent picture of it. Still hoping the one Tara took turned out.

The highlight of the weekend truly was reconnecting with friends. It was wonderful to see many of our “from away” friends, and we made some new ones.

The hardest part was saying goodbye. A few of us promised to stay in touch better over the next year, and plan to stand by it. Life is too short to miss out on these extraordinary relationships.

In short, once a year is often not enough, but we will make due.

Less than two weeks until I am on vacation! I can’t wait.

Weigh in tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted. Had a great food week and got a fair bit of exercise. We’ll see how it turns out for me.

Work has been very stressful, and honestly it is only going to get worse. I hope that by vacation I have everything in order for those that are covering for me, and that while I’m gone everything runs smoothly.

About vacation… I’m really looking forward to seeing some friends I haven’t seen in a few years. Indi and Phil are at the top of my must see lists, but there are many others as well. I’m glad we are getting in on Wednesday and leaving on Monday. Gives us a nice chunk of time to enjoy ourselves.

Originally I was supposed to fly, but due to my travel companions budgets and my reluctance to leave Jared without a second driver, I’m driving. It is cheaper, but gosh flying takes so much less time. For certain, where ever 2013 is, I’ll be flying. Period.

I’m in money saving mode after Montreal. I am travelling to the US in the summer for a very special event. I’m very excited, as it’s somewhere I haven’t been before. I think it will be a wonderful adventure. I truly can’t wait.

With that, it’s Friday… I get my final fitting for my rocking new costume pieces, and spend some time wax sealing 160 invites to CAINE 2012! Wheee.

~Squig

I know it’s been a few weeks since I have updated.

I’m still losing weight, I’m at 213 square. I weigh in tomorrow again if the weather isn’t suck. I’ll try to post more on that then.

I’ve been struggling a bit on some big decisions. Been losing alot of sleep over it. I dislike that greatly. Thanks to a friend and their inspiring words I’ve been given some deeper/bigger things to think about and it just might get me through these growing pains.

I went to a Business Partners Open House last night. I didn’t want to stay too long, I was alone. No co-workers to go with me. When I go to those things I always have that feeling in the pit of my stomach that I have when I’d go for a job interview. Odd though, because after I left I thought to myself “I should have stopped and talked to so and so more.” Or “I should have just introduced myself to the people I didn’t know.” But I didn’t. There were a few funny moments… I enjoy my competition making an ass of himself in front of our Company’s owners cousin. That’s a story for another day. But I can tell you, it made me smile the whole way home!

This weekend I plan on doing some organizing of my room. It’s grown cluttered over the winter, I’m feeling the need to purge. Also going to make homemade French Onion soup, again! It was so good the last time, also debating trying Michael Smith’s Cinnamon Rolls. I’ve been eyeing the recipe for a few weeks, but it’s very time consuming. We’ll see the mood I’m in tomorrow. I want to enjoy a quiet weekend as the weekends following will be busy wax sealing envelopes, and ironing T-shirts.

It’s that time of day where I have to head out the door to work. Wishing you all a lovely day and weekend!

~Squigzella

Weigh in: 213.4

Ok so maybe I didn’t lose, BUT my birthday celebrations didn’t kill me! YAY!

I woke up with the sniffles today, and a cough. I hope they are just from sleeping in a warm and toasty room. We’ll see.

My birthday was nice. We had party last weekend, much conversation and dancing was had. Overall a nice way to ring in another year on this earth. For some reason this past week was just all messed up for time, between snow storms and physio by Thursday I thought it was Friday. Just a strange week all around.

Just over five weeks until my vacation to Montreal. Very excited for that. Hoping old man winter lets up before we have to drive the 9 hours.

Can’t wait to see some friends I haven’t seen in a long while. Hope they are as excited to see me.

This is going to sound silly.
So as stated over the past few weeks, I have hit my stride at WW, and my head is in the game. But…
I have this outlandish fear that somehow my Birthday Party on Saturday night will hamper my efforts. I’ve never been one to put on 3 pounds in a week. This stress is unfounded. Perhaps it’s because I have a goal, and I’m pretty close.

So this is my plan!
Weigh in Saturday morning.
Going for breakfast as usual. Today it will be a bigger breakfast and eaten closer to lunch.
I will go get items to make for the party, which most are harmless point wise.
I will pick up Diet Coke en masse so I don’t have to switch to regular if I opt to keep drinking and run out.
Sunday, which is the allstar game – I am going to buy myself a veggie tray on Saturday to take with me! But I will allow myself a bowl of my friends homemade chili he is making for the event.

Wow, just typing out a plan makes me feel better.
Let’s see how the plan is executed.

Weigh in: 213.4lbs

huzzah!

Ok, so I’m a bit pleased with my progress on the new Points Plus program! I’ve followed it, I’ve indulged with my flex points, it’s been good. I’m enjoying fresh foods, and the only pre packaged things I’m eating is soup! Ok so enough about that, but only 13.4 more pounds until my first big goal. To reach my lowest adult weight, I need to reach 206…. so close!

Since New Years I feel like the weeks are flying by. Last Saturday night our friend Bill got in, on Sunday we went Snow Shoeing as previously mentioned, Tuesday night I enjoyed a lovely meal at Billy’s Seafood Company with Mr. Sherman. I highly recommend Billy’s for the seafood lover, lots of yummy options.

Work was good. Some big things happening I’m excited about. Nice to see some hard work paying off. I’m pleased.

Had a really good conversation with M. Sherman on Tuesday night about a great lot of things. Talked about knowing when you’ve met the right person and how to seek and pursue the career you want. I left the conversation with some new things to think about. I love when a good conversation can open your eyes a little wider to see the deep corners of the picture you are currently looking at, so Thank you to one of my most cherished friends.

According to my counter there are 53 sleeps until we leave for Montreal. I can’t wait. I believe we are taking Jared’s car instead of mine (more room for Hilary’s closet tee hee). Be nice for a change.

With that, I’m off to enjoy an evening with friends. Though it is so cold, staying home curled in my Bruins Couch Cozy is sooo tempting!

First off:

Weigh in: 214.8

I have a friend visiting here in SJ for work for a few days. Today he wanted to do something in the great Canadian outdoors. So…. we went Snow Shoeing! I haven’t been on them in years, but I tell you it was a great deal of fun. So much so I think I want my own pair.

The weekend flew by in a blink. I’m beat. Haven’t stopped. But I wanted to share my weigh in and the pic of my feet, taken with my new iPod Touch.

Enjoy the week. I’ll be back with more soon.

Over the past week or so I’ve been doing a bit of research into ways to tone stomach muscles and prepare for excess skin. Sorry if this topic is awkward or gross to you. But truth be told, I’m scared of working hard to get smaller and having alot of excess skin. So I decided to research.

Anyhow, I found some abdomen and lower stomach exercises, some of which will also come in handy for other purposes… but I digress. These little exercises are fun, and make you think about your posture and weight distribution.

Tonight I decided to do these little exercises in the mirror. I watched my posture and how I held it, noticing how much I don’t hold my posture most of the time. This is in part to my large chest, but mostly in part that I don’t want my abdomen to appear as though it is out further than my chest!

What I did notice tonight, braless, is that my tummy doesn’t stick out further than my chest anymore, but it did. So now I have to proactively change my posture, because my shoulders and neck reflect their slimness when I stand and sit properly. This is going to take a conscious effort.

While standing in the mirror I looked at my body, all it’s curves and dimples and I got to thinking. Yes, I do want to continue eating properly, yes I want to attain and maintain a healthy body weight. Do I want to change who I am on the inside, No. Do I want to change the outgoing confident person I am, No. Because I am and have always been comfortable in my body, isn’t a reason to neglect it. A slimmer me means less chance of Diabetes that runs in my family, it also means longevity to enjoy the life I want to live. My head is in the game, it has been for awhile. But this is all for me. This isn’t for a man, this isn’t for a Dr, this isn’t for the kids that called me fat when I was a teen. This is so I will be healthy and I will have accomplished something, I set my mind to. At the end of the day, if we aren’t taking care of ourselves, how can we take care of anyone else?

Last year I blogged a year in review. I won’t lie 2010 went by so darn fast I can’t remember it all. Perhaps I’ll recap Highlights.

I celebrated my birthday in February – begrudgingly. I am not liking my 30’s yet, even though people keep telling me they are the best. Perhaps 2011 will reveal that.

In March we ventured off to CAINE in Trois Rivieres. During this time the best kept secret was revealed. For months Bill and I worked on a Trustee packet for Chris D and it all came to fruition. That definitely made it worth the wait. He was totally shocked.

Spring turned to summer and the time just flew by. We visited Jared and Vicki in Halifax and planned to go down to help them move back.

Before we knew it summer was over and it was time to help move them back to NB. After 4 long years away, it was wonderful to help move them home.

Towards the end of summer I also decided I would go back to Weight Watchers. I believe I started back August 24th. I’m still going strong. I have a goal for Caine 2011. I’m not far off. (wish me luck and self discipline)

The fall was relatively quiet until Sean and Kaylee made their appearances into the world. In the fall we also got news that we officially got CAINE 2012. This means the next year and a half is going to go by in a blink!

So wrap up the year… November Bill made his way back to NB for work and spent a few days with us. Rumour has it he will be back again in January. December I did way too much Christmas shopping and had my share of ups and down with my work environment. Having two weeks off for the Holiday Season has been just what I needed.

Now for 2011 -

-Continue on with Weight Watchers and hit my first big goal by March 17th, 2011

-Find an apartment with my dream kitchen.

-Buy a new sofa set for said apartment.

-Make the journey to a friends Wedding in a far away land.

-Travel a bit more, and plan to travel more after CAINE 2012

-Stay motivated and keep the team focused on fundraising for CAINE 2012

-Take up a new hobby

- Open up a savings account for Travel.

-Purge all my old clothes I have been hanging on to.

-Remind the people in my life how important they are to me, more often.

Well I think that’s all for now. Let’s look back on this in a few months and see where I am at.

Happiness and Health in 2011.

So the holidays have been here and are almost gone.

Let’s start with the WW update:

Weigh in: 216.2 lbs

Chest: 42.5 inches

Waist: 40  inches

Hips: 46.5  inches

So even though I have been a totally piggy with shortbread cookies and lindor chocolates, the damage is totally reversible. Odd part is, because of the Holiday schedule I will not weigh in until January 8th. So I do have a bit of time to work at it. The new Points Plus plan is awesome. Love the free veggies and fruit!

Now, the Holidays were pretty good. I got to spend some time with those close to me, enjoy their company and share in the spirit of the season. I got some nice gifts and overall it was a nice Christmas.

I’d like to thank Phil and Jess for renewing my hosting for this blog. I will try to put it to good use in 2011 through 2012, chronicling CAINE 2012 planning.

Happy New Year Everyone!