It was the best of gifts...It was the worst of gifts

Christmas brought with it the obligatory gifts of socks and underwear, but it also brought three unexpected gifts. First, an awesome alarm clock that makes it fun to wake up in the morning. I see the numbers on the ceiling and have two different alarms that can wake me up daily, only during the week, only on the weekends, or not at all. This week, the "not at all" one has been working overtime. It is just too cozy to lay in bed with no worries. My wife decided that she was sick of hearing me whine about how cold I am every night as I hop into bed. She definitely took it upon herself to solve my whining. I got a down comforter and a set of flannel sheets that make me want to go to bed before 10:00 when our heat automatically turns down to 58 chilly degrees (don't worry, we wrap the baby up in about 5 blankets and he is the warmest out of all of us). Well, going to bed early and waking up late is probably not the best possible way to live a healthy lifestyle, but for this week it will work nicely as our four kids are still suffering from a "Christmas Hangover."

I'm thinking of sleeping the rest of the week as it is truly the only time I'm hearing peace and quiet. Unfortunately, I've been drinking lots of water and can't sleep through the night either.

What's Your Motivation?

Guess it's time to come out of hiding!!! It's been a hectic few weeks and this week will be just as busy with the kids and Mommy being home. Today, they're at Grandma's so I have a minute to breath. Christmas was a blast!! That's all I have to say ;)

I was watching the news this afternoon and noticed a story about this. Seems that if people are enticed by money, they lose more weight. I can speak first hand that it does help. I've blogged about being in a weight loss challenge at work before. Twice I have won over $50 for losing weight. It just happened to occur while I was losing weight at WW, so it worked hand and hand. My place of employment didn't lose money on the deal as all contestants put $5.00 in and if you lost over 6 pounds you got you're money back. If you didn't lose the 6 pounds, you lost your money to those who did.

What does it take to motivate you to lose weight? Would money motivate you. I know $50 isn't a lot, but it's a start. Is just the feeling of being lighter and feeling better enough? Is it that you're trying to look better in your clothes? My motivation was probably a little of all the above. I was just thinking yesterday while riding my elliptical that I have definitely gotten my money's worth out of it. When I bought it about over 2 years ago, I paid a huge amount, can't remember exactly as I tried to block it out of my head, but I know it was over $2,000! Now, two years later, I have averaged at least 4 times weekly. That means about $5.00 per elliptical session. I'm all for that versus paying a gym.

Christmas Meme

Saw this Meme a while ago and thought it was time to try.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here’s what you’re supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire message and paste into a new entry on your blog. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Be sure to leave a comment on the person’s blog where you found it to let them know you’re participating, too.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gotta wrap for Christmas. Birthdays: always bags!!
2. Real tree or Artificial? TB~Artificial...made a deal with the wife that we'd do a real tree every other year, but it's been 3 straight years for me. Don't let her know though ;)
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend in December, this year it was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, one day early.
4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day.

5. Do you like eggnog? Love it, but I also avoid it after looking at the nutrutional facts. I do drink eggnog ice cream and drink eggnog tea.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember a cool racetrack that I got when I was probably about 7 or 8. I loved it, had a track for two cars and made awesome reving noises.
7. Hardest person to buy for? My parents...they never seem to need anything.
8. Easiest person to buy for? My wife. Oh, the hints she drops throughout the year!!!
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but baby Jesus does not appear till Christmas.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail and if it were up to my wife to mail them, they would never be sent. I do it and love getting them in return.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Really don't remember any horrible ones.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love Christmas movies! My favorite is probably "A Christmas Story" followed closely by the Grinch.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Right after Thanksgiving. I am really done, it's the wrapping I don't do till Christmas Eve.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but not to or from family.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? COOKIES!!!!
16. Lights on the tree? White non-blinking mini lights, it's the first time, we usually do colored.
17. Favorite Christmas song? This year, Martina McBride singing with Bing Crosby "Baby, It's Cold Outside" I like the Nutcracker Suite by Trans-Serbian Orchestra too.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Both, Christmas Eve with wife's fam, Christmas morning with the kids, Christmas Day with TB's family. Not traveling more than about 45 minutes away.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel holding a star ;)
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both, but Santa waits till Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? So much food and not many good choices.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Wife favors the snowmen and family ornaments yearly, TB likes the musically ones.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Polish sausage
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? My list is TOO LONG to pick just one ;)

The Biggest Loser

I'm sad to see the end of another BL season. It has helped motivate me to exercise at least an hour every Tuesday. I enjoy watching the challenges and the weigh-ins and usually fast forward through the workout stuff. I know how to sweat, why do I need to watch a bunch of people struggle that way? I am glad that the new season starts right after the new year as it will continue to help me stay motivated to ride the elliptical.

Thoughts about the season: I amazed at how many people lost more than 100 pounds! I amazed at how skinny Amy P looks, almost too skinny! I can't believe America voted Ed to be in the final and it's a good thing too, cause I don't think Heba would have won the money otherwise. Even though I couldn't stand the drama that Vicky created, I am truly amazed by her success. Jerry looks great!

I love watching the transformations and often wonder how many of them keep all the weight off. As a regular guy, I know how difficult it is on a day-to-day basis.

Off to watch the girls in the Christmas Concert...hoping the boys will be amused enough by the music to behave.

It's the Holiday Season

...and I'm not planning on gaining weight. Is it alright to plan on gaining weight though? I heard on the radio several times lately that the average American gains 5-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's. That seems like a lot, but I'm sure adding a few cookies here and there, some fruitcake, eggnog, etc., the calories add up much more than you can exercise them off. My plan is to track diligently while I'm at home, but for the Christmas Eve/Christmas Day feasting, I will try to make the "better" choices, but no worry about tracking points. I want to enjoy without overindulging.

But is it OK to plan for a gain? I believe it is. If I want to enjoy the holidays without worrying about everything that goes in my piehole, then I probably already am planning for a gain. I know what to do to combat a gain and I just don't want to have to worry about one more thing this holiday season. Happy Holidays and may your weight gain be planned!!

Ten Days Till Christmas

Yesterday, we celebrated my little guy's 3rd Birthday. His birthday is this Friday, but we wanted to have a party a little bit before Christmas. My wife always makes a fancy cake and this year was no exception as she decorated a Lightning McQueen cake. He's a character from "Cars." The cake looked wonderful, but I passed on it. Seems to be the only thing I passed on yesterday. Cookies are a much bigger temptation for me than cake.

This week presents little in the way of food challenges, but we are busy. That usually means rushing around and eating more just because. My concerts, kids concerts, wife's school concert, and I'm fitting in a blood donation too since I canceled a few weeks ago because of being ill.

I suppose I should start my Christmas shopping soon ;)

What's On Your Christmas List?

This weekend I was introduced to Yaktrax. They don't look like much of anything, but if you've ever tried to go for a walk or a run on the snowy, icy sidewalks of Wisconsin, you'd know that regular shoes or boots for that matter, just don't cut it.

The person that told me about these, swears by them. She wears them running and said that she has never had a problem with gripping or slipping on the ice/snow anymore with these. I have pretty much stopped walking since Thanksgiving thanks to the foot of snow we have around. If these little rubber wonders work the way they are advertised, I may actually have a way to walk without worrying about falling on my keaster.

She did mention however, that they are only good if you are on snow or ice and you need to take them off before entering a house, store, dry surface, etc.

I'm looking forward to more snow here in Milwaukee. 3-6 inches in my neck of the woods for tonight and tomorrow.

A Very Unexpected NSV

It is extremely cold today!!

For the last two weeks I've noticed that my "Brake" light has been going on almost every time that I stop at an intersection. Today, I finally broke down and called the "car fixing place" as my kids like to call it. We haven't gone to Expert Automotive probably since the beginning of the year. We always had gotten our oil changed there along with all other maintenance. Lately, I've been lazy and deciding that the quick 10-minute places were more convenient with 2 kids in the car and me waiting while they do the work.

I called Ben at Expert today and he said drop on by the earlier the better. I bundled the two boys as best as I could and hauled the double stroller in the van off to expect. Surprisingly, Ben remembered exactly who I was and commented that he hadn't seen me in a while. I signed the papers and told him that I started a new job and things had been going fine, but kind of busy to get to the shop. On my way out the door, he commented on how it looked like I had lost some weight and that I looked good. Coming from someone who didn't see me often and doesn't know me any better than any other customer, that really made my day. I will be thinking twice now about going to the chain oil change rather than my local "Ma-Pa" Expert.

Snacking to Snack

I made it through Thanksgiving and stayed close to my plan. I had one plate full for dinner, but the 6 desserts were calling my name. I always forget what mince-meat pie tastes like, so I tried a few bites, had some grasshopper pie and a few ;) scopes of apple crisp. Thanksgiving is not what has tripped me up this week. I have subbed for 6 meetings since last Monday, a receptionist that I work with was going on a cruise and she is always so nice about filling in for others even though she and her husband already work over 20 meetings a week. After the two evening meetings, I was starving. I am used to eating dinner at around 4:45-5:15 and with these meetings, I couldn't eat till after 7:00! Made for a lot of evening snacking!!

I have tracked diligently since WW innovations on Nov. 9 and have found that I do great until after supper. Last night, my 7 yr. old asked me way I snack after supper. I grabbed a hand full of chips. She said she would like some and then caught herself by saying that she had already brushed her teeth. This week, I will brush my teeth with the kids in the evening and call that the end of my eating day. I will not snack just for the sake of snacking!!

This morning we were awoken with a good 4 inches of wet, heavy snow!! A December 1 tradition in Milwaukee. 3 straight years. This year was the least amount, but it's still the first good snowfall that I got to use my new shovel on. Hoping for a few more good snowfalls so I can change up my exercise routine.