Biggest Loser at Work!

I decided to start a "Biggest Loser" competition at work. Several people are trying/wanting to lose weight, so I thought this would be the perfect way to encourage each other and help each other out. I've enlisted the help of a couple of people, but I've basically been given free reign--I'm a little nervous, but I'm confident that it will be AWESOME!

Now, I would LOVE to get some help from you guys as well. I want to give little kickoff packages to everyone who participates. I was thinking about a (nice) water bottle, a pedometer, and.... something else. However, I can't think of anything to be that "something else". Oh, and I also picked up a bunch of guest passes from my gym (there's a location like 3 minutes from the office) to give out. Do you have any other ideas? Also, what a good water bottle that I could include?

We are also going to give out weekly prizes to the team that loses the most that week (the competition will be 8 weeks long); I have some casual day and 30-minute break cards, but what are some other smaller prizes that we could give?

We are also going to give out individual prizes at the very end, to the person who loses the most weight and the person who loses the most inches. Any ideas for those prizes?

Everyone who participates will pay $20, and this will be the prize pot. The winning team at the end will get all the cash.

I really am super excited about this. I wanted something to look forward to after my weight loss challenge at the gym is over! I would love to hear any and all ideas you have to help make this competition a success---you guys are awesome!

It's Friday - BYOC!

1.  How do you feel about college?  If you have kids or siblings - will you encourage or require them to go?  How long did you go and what for?  
I love college. I think everyone should go. However, I do understand that it's not for everyone; I will most definitely encourage my children to go, but I won't make it a requirement. 


2.  Pink or purple?  Coke or Pepsi?  Pen or pencil?  Cursive or printing?  Ketchup or mustard?
Purple. Coke (diet). Pen. Cursive AND print (I use a mix). Ketchup (though I do love mixing the two). 


3.  If you could live in any generation - which one would it be?
The 50's/60's. I imagine that people had more class then. I also love the clothes and the hair. And it would be awesome to have stories to tell of those drastically changing times.


4.  What do you sleep in?
A tank top and pj pants/capris


5.  Repeat question - summarize your week!
Let's see... came back from Texas, worked 3 days, worked on starting up a biggest loser competition at work. All in all, it was a pretty good week!

Happy Tuesday!

So last Thursday, my little family drove out to Tyler, Texas, to visit with my husband's family. It ended up being a 10-hour trip (instead of 8) with the baby in tow. It wasn't bad! I continued tracking my food, and it definitely paid off. This morning when I got on the scale, I was down 4 pounds! Wahoooo!

That's the first "significant" loss I've had in a while; it definitely perked me up! I have lots of blogs to catch up on but I just wanted to check in. I hope everyone had a good weekend!

EMERGENCY! (Update)

I'm at work and they just announced there are doughnuts in the kitchen. I don't want any, but I feel the tug to go get a doughnut (or two). So, I'm blogging instead. I can practically see a little doughnut-shaped devil dancing on my shoulder, taunting me to go get one! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHlksdhag;lskgh. I'm so not giving in.

UPDATE: I made it! I didn't give in! I feel so elated with myself right now--a much better feeling than the guilt I would be feeling if I'd given in!

And so it begins!

First, let me say that I really appreciate your comments. I've been wondering though, what is proper blog etiquette when responding to comments? Do I leave another comment on my blog, should I comment on the commenter's blog, or just send an email?

I got my first fill today, after 14 months. So far, so good. I really feel like I'm brand-new at this again, especially since the guidelines here are so different than in Korea. For example, according to my new doctor, I'm supposed to eat liquids/soft foods for 2 after my fill; yeah, that didn't happen. I just ate very carefully and very slowly, and everything was fine. I guess if I knew WHY I'm supposed to do all that I would be more inclined to, but until then, I'll do what works for me.

I just wanted to write a quick update about that. I'm exhausted. Good night!

7seven7seven7seven7seven!

I can't believe that Karinne is already 7 months old--people aren't kidding when they talk about how quickly kids grow up. It seems like every day she's doing something new! Here are some pictures from her 6-month photo shoot:

I'm still breastfeeding, and we'll keep going as long as she wants. Pumping 2-3x at work every day is a drag, and for the last month I haven't been pumping as much as I used to; if only I were able to stay home with her for the first year (like in Canada!) then I wouldn't have this added stress. It'll be all right though; if push comes to shove, we'll have to start giving her maybe a bottle of formula per day to make up for what I can't pump. It's not the end of the world :)

I went to the gym tonight and walked a little bit longer on the treadmill than I have been; it felt good, like I'm actually making some progress. When I started walking again, I could barely make 20 minutes, and I had to use my inhaler; now I'm up to 27 minutes, walking faster (3.2mph), and I haven't used my inhaler the last 3 times I went. Woohoo! Of course, it's been freaking SUMMER (80 degrees today!) here, so that helps with the asthma.

Now, for the honesty--I came home from the gym to freshly baked chocolate chip cookies :-( I'm sure I don't have to tell you how that went down. I wanted to say no and really just dump them in the trash, but I felt bad because Marc NEVER bakes. So I ate them. Note the word "them"; of course I didn't have just one! Argh. Tomorrow is a new day, right?

BYOC!

It's BYOC (Bring Your Own Crazy) time, thanks to Drazil! Five little questions to help us get to know each other better:

1.  Since I talked about psychics this week - I'm curious....if you could see one for free and you could only ask one question - what would it be?

How many children will I have? (Babies on the brain ALL the time!)

2.  What's your favorite ice cream flavor and topping?

Oh man. My all time favorite is Ben and Jerry's Phish Food. If I'm putting toppings on it, vanilla bean is good, with hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, cookie dough, broken reese's cups, etc... mmmmm.

3.  What's your preferred method of working out?  DVDs, an external gym, gym inside your home, classes?

These days I go to a gym outside of my house and walk on a treadmill. I really love walking outside, but the area where I live isn't really conducive to that. I also like to work out with the free weights (just 3 pound weights) but I'm super self-conscious and if more than like 1 man is working out by the free weights, I won't do it.

4.  If you work outside the home or if you ever did or will in the future - do you think it's better/easier to work with men or woman?  Who do you work mostly with now?

I work with mostly women now. I don't mind it usually, but sometimes things get pretty catty around here; on those days, I feel sorry for the 4 men who have to work with 13 women.

5.  Repeat question.  Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.

It's been a good week. The baby's good, the husband's good, work's good. I've gone to the gym 3 times this week, which is awesome (for me). That is all. 

Happy Friday!

On a roll...

Exercising it going well. I've managed to make it to the gym 3 days this week (Wednesdays are pretty much a no-go because that's Marc's night to hang out with his friends). I even *gasp* joined a weight-loss challenge at my gym! Wish me luck--I'm actually kind of excited about it.

I'm still working on getting my eating under control. I'm not quite where I should be in terms of types of food, portions, etc, but I'm getting there. I go for my first fill in 14 months on Monday--for real! Two things about that sentence really make my head spin: first, that it's been 14 months since I had anything in my band, and second, that I STILL haven't managed to get that stinking fill I've been trying to get since January. I finally got fed up with that doctor and found another one--I feel much better about this guy. I guess another thing that makes my head spin a little is that with it being so long since my unfill, I'm actually only up about 5 pounds *pats self on back*. I figure that in the grand scheme of things, being right at my pre-pregnancy weight is something to be happy about.

It feels good to be getting back into blogging. The support system is incredible, and I hope to be part of it again :)