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Adventure…

Written on February 2, 2009

Do you ever feel trapped? Like there is something that you are missing?

For years, I felt trapped in my own body, knowing who I was… what I wanted to be… but couldn’t – or at least felt that I couldn’t until I lost the weight. I realize now that I shouldn’t have hid myself so much. But I did. And still to this day, even though I have an adventurous side to myself… I am not sure sometimes how to go about doing what I want to do.

Ever since losing the weight, I know that there is a greater purpose in my life… something bigger than I can imagine, I just don’t know what that is.

I feel like lately there is an adventure to be had… like there is something that I have to do, but I don’t know quite yet what it is… but an adventure of some sort. I feel like I’ve been stuck inside for a while now (figuratively in my head & literally this winter) and just don’t know how to get out. Inside my head, my thoughts keep going back to possibilities of where I could be travelling or even possibly living. As far as being outside, I’ve been dying to go for a good long walk lately.

Would it even be possible for me to drop everything in my life and say move to Europe? Especially without knowing anyone there and, outside England of course, not know the languages. Or could I just pick up my life and move to a random place in the south… Florida and Texas both sound great right now… and “start over”.

Sometimes I wonder if I really just want to escape the “who she was” that I see in myself yet while I live here in the small-ish town of Holland. I know so many people that didn’t know me “back then”, but I still carry around the feelings that everyone does remember the “old” me and that’s how they still see me. Timid, shy, and not outgoing. But part of me wonders if I have really changed.

Yes, parts of my life have changed, and I am somewhat more outgoing. But will you see me out at the bars by myself trying to pick up a guy… probably not. But then again… do I really want to be that girl?

Anyway… my life needs an adventure. Maybe it’ll be a road trip… maybe me moving to the warm climate I’ve been dreaming of for months now (ever since the first snow started to fly)… and maybe it’ll be something that will come up unexpectedly right here in my own front yard.

Off to find the adventure…

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life, travel, weight loss

Maintaining, travelling and snow…

Written on November 19, 2008

So the past couple of weeks have flown by like crazy. There’s been so much happening, but I just haven’t had time to write about it. Let me try now… I am hoping that this will be coherent enough to understand.

As you have read, I reached my goal about 3 weeks ago and have been working to maintain in the weight watchers program. For some reason I thought that this would just come naturally for me after losing the 150 in the past 3 years. Apparently not so much. The first week I did GREAT!!! I even maintained exactly to the tenth of a pound. So it was at that point that I decided (and don’t ask me why) to increase my points. Ok… now the reality of the world is that if you increase the amount that you eat – you will GAIN weight… and yes, that in fact IS what happened. 2 weeks in a row.

I finally caught on to this whole detrimental affair with the numbers and stuck with my “old” Weight Watchers points value for the week. Thank goodness, because I lost this week what I had gained over the past 2 weeks. I am so happy about this. So that means I am back to my “goal” weight (or actually slightly below) and can work towards my Christmas goals of losing about another 5 pounds or so. If I can reach that… I would be stoked!!!

Another noteworthy item in my life happened last weekend. I met a couple of my Weight Watchers friends in Wisconsin. I am so thankful to both of them for their friendships and just have to say that they mean a lot to me… especially with the support they have given to me over the past year. That’s how long I have known both of them. At the time, I had no idea that I would be so close to people that live “far” away from me… now I can’t imagine them not being a part of my life.

One remarkable thing that came from this past weekend was that the 3 of us were able to make good choices for food all weekend. All of us followed our plans and stuck to them. I think overall it will help all of us in the long run knowing that we did that. Mind you… we ate out at the favorite fast food joints like Wendy’s, Culver’s and Subway to make it work (as well as enjoyed the breakfasts of the Holiday Inn Express). It can be done!

Lastly… and somewhat leastly… this past Monday we got our first dose of reality with about 6” of lake effect snowfall. I was not prepared and wore some really nice shoes to work that morning. Yup… after a full workday in my nice heels that I enjoy wearing – I had to walk out to my car and brush off this “beautiful” white stuff. Didn’t fall… so I think I deserve an award for the hard work and effort that it took not to fall and break a valuable bone in my body (because I consider all of them valuable… any bone that would be broken may devastate me!)

Final thought… I must pay better attention to the weather forecasters. They might just be right.

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life, travel, weight loss

Thirty-one & looking back…

Written on October 1, 2008

Yes, I turned another year older today, and well… to be perfectly honest it has already hitting me hard – for a week now. There are a few reasons for this, but I don’t really understand them all. Why now? Why this birthday? You might think that turning 30 was difficult for me, nope… but 31, for some reason it hit me hard. Yes, I will be thirty-one. THIRTY-ONE!! How can this be? I just don’t know if I can handle having the extra “one” on my cake (not that I have eaten cake lately).

Really I shouldn’t have a problem with this. Over the past year, I have accomplished and did so many amazing things… I traveled to Las Vegas, South Florida, Houston, Chicago, Toledo (with a side trip to Monroe) & Mackinac Island. I reached and surpassed 100 pounds off (and am actually over 140 off now!), I walked 60 miles in 3-days (not to mention the almost 300 miles walked in training), and have made some of the best friends of my life – most of whom I expect will be there for me for many years to come. But there are little things that I wish were in my life… possibly a long term relationship or living in a different place. There are so many “what if’s” that go through my head that I really haven’t been able to keep up with them this week.

But starting now… well, probably more likely tomorrow morning (day 2 of my 31^st year)… I will look forward to what will happen over the next year for me. I know my travels will bring me to Houston/Austin at least once in the next 12 months, to New York City, and there are so many more possibilities of other places I can’t begin to write about. Other things that will be accomplished will be reaching my goal for weight watchers… and becoming a lifetime member. Come hell or high water, I will get there in 2008! I plan to do the Breast Cancer 3-day once again in Chicago – and am hoping to recruit more to join me!

I am sure that in this thirty-first year, I will do and accomplish so much – and that it will be as rewarding as ever… imagine the possibilities!

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life, lifelist, travel, weight loss

Highlights of Mackinac Island…

Written on September 16, 2008

This past weekend I went on a little trip with my cousin Lisa. We left on Friday as it was just beginning to rain in Holland… glad we got away! Heard it rained all weekend. Glad it didn’t rain on us much.

This is Lisa & I as we are driving to Mackinac City… I’m thinking we take a really good picture while going between 55-60 mph!

As we took the boat over to Mackinac Island Friday night, I was able to get some great shots of the bridge… we wanted to drive over the bridge and back, but were unable to due to time concerns.

Lisa & I did a lot on the Island on Saturday… a carriage ride tour of part of the island, biking around the island, lunch with my friend Sara (who worked there this summer) and of course, some great shopping. I can’t wait to wear my new sweatshirt!

As you can see… here is me biking – I think for the first time in about 15 years… or more. Next time I do ANY biking, it will be on something better than a single speed bike. I hear Cran-Hill Ranch has some good ones for sale… might have to look into that pretty soon!

As we were shopping, I picked up some goodies for friends and family… and even a little for myself (all in moderation of course!)

It did rain a bit (ok, maybe more than a bit) on Saturday afternoon & evening… and our drive home on Sunday was a bit water-logged as well, but all in all, it was a great trip!!

me.

ps… if you ever stay in a 4th floor room at the Island House hotel – you may want to ask what size their beds are… I am 5’7″ and did not “fit” head to toe on this bed – diagonal sleeping it was!

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life, travel