Melting Away my Chubby Butt

My weight has always been a battle, constantly yoyoing up and down. I spent my teen years counting calories, concocting ways of making it appear like I was eating just like everyone else so I wasn't questioned and finding ways to burn off what little food I did consume. There were plenty of days during middle school where I subsisted off half a bagel; sometimes I'd even indulge and spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on top!

My battle with my weight wasn't helped by the people I surrounded myself with. A boyfriend from high school used to pinch the skin around my abdomen and cluck that he could "pinch an inch" because it meant I was chubby and he wasn't any "chubby chaser." In addition, no matter what size or shape I was, I always saw, and still do see, a fat slob when I looked in the mirror.

I managed to stay the same size throughout all of college and even through my wild-child days of partying.

However, once I started working full time as a teacher, my energy level drained, my stress level increased exponentially and my level of activity fell to near-zilch. As a result, I packed on the pounds. I jumped from 110 to nearly 140 in a matter of a few months. And at 4'11, it was clearly evident.

In 2011, 8 months before my wedding, I took part in a Biggest Loser competition at my workplace. I partnered with my friend, Jessica, on a team called FUPA Fighters and I lost 11 lbs in 6 weeks through dieting and Zumba'ing 6 days a week. After my years of anorexia and yoyo dieting, I no longer had the will power to deprive myself of foods that I really wanted, so I found ways of making low calorie versions of my favorite foods. SparkPeople was a great resource.

But after my wedding, wedded bliss (and laziness) took over. And I'm once again back to the near-140 lbs I was several years ago.

And to make matters worse, I was diagnosed with arthritis in my hips/lower back, making it very painful to run or even walk sometimes.

In January my husband and I bought memberships to a local gym, taking advantage of the New Years promotions. However, a 20 minute drive each way has deterred us from going as often as we'd like. And, as it typically happens, life gets in the way.

But nevertheless, I've set a goal. And I'd like to see how many weeks in a row I can achieve or surpass my goal.

10 miles of cardio per week

My "weeks" start on Saturdays since I often take Fridays off from exercising. This week, I far surpassed my goal already, but will continue to do cardio. After I surpass this goal for an extended time, I'll reassess my goal and increase it.

Saturday - biked 18 miles on East Bay Bike Path (in approx. 2 hours)

Tuesday - ran 3 miles on the elliptical (in 28.5 minutes) walked .5 mile on the treadmill

Wednesday - biked 7.5 miles on local streets (in 45 minutes, including 2 walks up HUGE hills)

Total for week so far: 29 miles of cardio

So wish me luck on continuing to achieve/surpass these goals!


Do you have health or wellness goals?

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Weekly Goals: Total Slacker

So I was a total slacker and didn't even update my goals last week. I guess it's not that I'm a slacker, I've just been so busy, I haven't really had time to sit and create goals - or even think about goals, actually.
So here's a look at how I fared over the last 2 weeks at achieving the goals I had previously strived towards reaching.

Family Goals
1. Write a handwritten love note to Jon. I suck. End of story.
2. Get addresses/phone numbers of all guests on guest list for dad's party. My uncle dropped these off at my mom's house earlier in the week; I'm waiting for the photo invitations I ordered (I got 30 for only $3.99 shipped!) to arrive so I can mail them out to our guests.
3. Collaborate with husband and brother in law on Auntie Elaine's 60th birthday gift. Thank gosh for my good friend Jess who works at Coach! She has the scoop on all the great discontinued items, and there was a bunch of stuff on "delete" which means a whopping 65% off the retail price! Jon and I picked out a BEAUTIFUL bag and got a great deal! Auntie Elaine is a true fashionista, so I know she'll love it!

Personal Goals
4. Read James Patterson's 9th Judgment. I read this, and I read the first book in The Hunger Games trilogy. AWESOME book!
5. Exercise (go for a walk, make it to the gym, go to Zumba) at least 5 times. Ha. Ha. Ha.
6. Find a great deal on the kindle version of the Hunger Games. I actually didn't need to get this for the kindle. A student let me borrow their paperback copy and my husband actually started reading it all on his own when I was sleeping in last weekend! That's a huge accomplishment for him; he doesn't read ANYTHING for leisure because he spends all day reading amazing interesting, riveting tax law for work.
Home Management
7. Order, pay for and have delivered 9 bajillion yards of loam to level off backyard where we cleared last weekend. We did this and in record time. Not only did we order, pay for and wheelbarrow 8 yards of loam, we also then ordered 4 yards of mulch and wheelbarrowed that too! Our yard is looking fantastic!
8. Hang picture of my siblings from my wedding. We're a pretty sexy family, eh? Despite my siblings' sexiness, I haven't done this yet - I'm waiting for my husband to haul down a huge tote on the top shelf in the basement that is holding the picture frame I want to use to hang the photo. Blah, I hate being short and weak and having to rely on others to do things for me!

9. Till my garden, flipping the manure I bought last week into the dirt.



And sadly, I simply don't have the energy tonight to create a list of next week's goals. I'll have to attack that tomorrow.


Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Weekly Goals Update

So I feel like this week was a tad more productive than last week, but let's see..
Family Goals
1. Write a handwritten love note to Jon. So I suck as a wife... one of the few things I didn't do :-(  
2. Send my sister a handwritten letter at school. So this is written, but not mailed out yet. I consider this done nonetheless. The little girl I babysit for helped me design some paper to write the letter on; it's full of multi-colored hearts. I had great news to congratulate her on - she won a scholarship for college next year.. Yay!! Isn't she just the prettiest in the whole wide world? (On the left at my wedding last August).

3. Solidify guest list for dad's 70th birthday party. My uncle has taken the lead and has jumped on board to help me (THANK GOD). He's got a list prepared so I can start ordering invitations!

Personal Goals
4. Finish reading James Patterson's 7th Heaven. And would you believe I also finished reading the next in the series 8th Confession?
5. Exercise (go for a walk, make it to the gym, go to Zumba) at least 5 times. Ha. Ha. I can't even say A for effort... exercising has been on the backburner because other priorities have taken over.
6. Figure out how to use the Kindle I won back in December. This is all charged and registered with Amazon. I've got to look for some great reads to download on it, though. I think I've convinced my husband to actually read. He said he was toying with the notion of reading the Hunger Games since he saw the movie last week and loved it... I've gotta find a great deal on it first though!

Home Management
7. Get all the snarls out of my kitty, Zoe's fur... whether this means excessive combing/brushing or a nifty impromptu hair cut. Man you should have seen the fur fly!!! It was EVERYWHERE! It took an hour of brushing, fighting and cutting to get all the snarls out and to get her to stop exploding fur everywhere any time she jumped from one spot to another. Then I vacuumed the entire house, including all the upholstery... it was soo beautiful in my house... for about 5 minutes 'til she decided to roll across the dining room carpet, leaving a trail of Zoe fur behind her.

8. Finish painting the trim in the hallway. Start on the trim in the living room.
9. Plant the purple chrysanthemum my mom gave me last week. This is planted, but then I think it died; not enough water and I forgot to water it manually. Oops.


So here are my new goals for the week:

Family Goals
1. Write a handwritten love note to Jon.
2. Get addresses/phone numbers of all guests on guest list for dad's party.
3. Collaborate with husband and brother in law on Auntie Elaine's 60th birthday gift.
Personal Goals
4. Read James Patterson's 9th Judgment.
5. Exercise (go for a walk, make it to the gym, go to Zumba) at least 5 times.
6. Find a great deal on the kindle version of the Hunger Games.
Home Management
7. Order, pay for and have delivered 9 bajillion yards of loam to level off backyard where we cleared last weekend.
8. Hang picture of my siblings from my wedding. We're a pretty sexy family, eh?

9. Till my garden, flipping the manure I bought last week into the dirt.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

My Weekly Goals: In Review

So let's see where I stand with this past week's goals

Family Goals
1. Write a handwritten love note to Jon. Do steamy texts count? Just kidding... this didn't happen, but I'm hoping to have one waiting for him for when he gets home on Thursday.
2. Send my sister a handwritten letter at school. Again didn't happen.
3. Solidify guest list for dad's 70th birthday party. My uncle's not around to help put together the list, so instead I bought some decorations.
Personal Goals
4. Finish reading 5th Horseman by James Patterson. Not only did I finish 5th Horseman, I also read 6th Target and am halfway through 7th Heaven... I'll be sad when I finish up this series by James Patterson; they keep me on the edge of my seat!
5. Exercise (go for a walk, make it to the gym, go to Zumba) at least 4 times. I was close, but no cigar -- I did 2 Pilates videos, went to the gym and ran on the eliptical machine thingy and went for a walk through Colt State Park with my mom... Unless you count schlepping wheelbarrows full of stump back and forth as exercise, I didn't meet this goal.
6. Iron laminant onto shelves in basement.
Home Management
7. Clean both litter boxes.
8. Sweep and mop entire house.
9. Go through two boxes of holiday decorations; get rid of what we don't need. Not only did I do this, but I also Freecycled my old desk and a woman and her daughter came and picked it up today so that's outta my hair too!


So here are my updated goals for this upcoming week:

Family Goals
1. Write a handwritten love note to Jon.
2. Send my sister a handwritten letter at school.
3. Solidify guest list for dad's 70th birthday party.

Personal Goals
4. Finish reading James Patterson's 7th Heaven.
5. Exercise (go for a walk, make it to the gym, go to Zumba) at least 5 times.
6. Figure out how to use the Kindle I won back in December.

Home Management
7. Get all the snarls out of my kitty, Zoe's fur... whether this means excessive combing/brushing or a nifty impromptu hair cut.

8. Finish painting the trim in the hallway. Start on the trim in the living room.
9. Plant the purple chrysanthemum my mom gave me last week.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

My Weekly Goals

Fellow frugal living blogger, Crystal at MoneySavingMom is truly an inspiration when it comes to getting organized (mentally and physically) allthewhile living frugally. She is a minimalist who enjoys the simple things in life. She started posting her weekly goals and then later posting her progress towards them.

Since my husband is away on business this week, I have some extra time to sit down and put together on paper some goals for myself. When the cat's away this mouse will play!

Family Goals
1. Write a handwritten love note to Jon.
2. Send my sister a handwritten letter at school.
3. Solidify guest list for dad's 70th birthday party.

Personal Goals
4. Finish reading 5th Horseman by James Patterson.
5. Exercise (go for a walk, make it to the gym, go to Zumba) at least 4 times.
6. Iron laminant onto shelves in basement.

Home Management
6. Clean both litter boxes.
7. Sweep and mop entire house.
8. Go through two boxes of holiday decorations; get rid of what we don't need.


Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts