Excited Again

Hi folks!!

First, I want to say thank you for your sweet comments on my last few posts. You’ve helped remind me that we’re all in this together! Second, I want to say that I know my past few posts have been on the rather depressing side. Let me assure you that I don’t sit around feeling sorry for myself. Seriously, I don’t. Most of the time I don’t even think about the things I posted about – but they’re there, hovering in the background, so I thought I would come out and acknowledge them.

Now, on to much more fun things.  You. Are. Never. Going. To. Believe. It.  I stayed on plan ALL WEEKEND!!!!!  ME!  WHOOHOO!  And after peeking at the scale earlier (I know, I know), I’m really optimistic about my weigh-in tomorrow.  I’m also kind of excited.  Now, hopefully I don’t end up retaining a ton of water or something, ’cause I might cry.  But I haven’t felt like this in a loooooooooong time, you guys.  It’s a good feeling.  I used to look forward to Tuesdays, because it meant that I got to weigh in.  Would love to be in that spot again.

A couple of things I’m doing to help bring back the excitement and commitment:

• While I’m keeping some old favorites and staples around, I’m adding in some new things to try and relieve the boredom.  I even made a grilled chicken stir fry last night – my first time trying to make one and it was actually good!
• While I was grocery shopping, I made a decision that I am not going to buy and/or eat things that I don’t like anymore just because it might be better for me (i.e., yogurt – UGH).  The last time around, I was eating things like yogurt, fat free cheese (can we say DOUBLE UGH), among others.  I’m just going to take the hit on the points with things like the cheese, and try and buy lower fat (like 2%) where and when I can.  I do recommend Cabot’s 75% reduced fat Sharp Cheddar cheese.  OMG delicious!

On Saturday, I went to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.  It is one of my favorite places here in Kansas City, but I don’t get out there very often.   This time, my trip was spurred by the fact that there was an exhibit of 19th century photographs of Egypt that ended on Sunday.  Since I’ve always been fascinated with ancient Egypt (used to check out stacks of books on the pyramids and archaeology when I was a kid), I didn’t want to miss it.

If you click here you can see some pictures I took on a previous trip to the museum in June of 2008.  In looking at them, it’s funny to see that the same paintings draw my eye every time.  Some of my favorites are Persephone by Thomas Hart Benton (warning nude woman alert) (I also love his work – the colors are so bright and vivid), January Full Moon by George Ault, and John the Baptist by Michelangelo.  But I think my favorite of the paintings has to be Mill at Limetz by Monet (photo doesn’t do the colors justice):

I do think my favorite galleries are the galleries that contain the ancient artifacts (we’re talking hundreds to thousands of centuries BC).  If you remember my freak out over the excitement of seeing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution on my trip to DC in May, then multiply that excitement by 300 (at least) to imagine what it’s like for me to be standing next to artifacts that old.  It makes me all tingly.    Yes, I am a freak.

But they had a new (to me anyway) exhibit that contained a REAL mummy!! In thinking about it now, I’m not sure I’ve ever actually seen one in person.

I’m sure he never imagined that this is where his pic would show up (um, especially since they didn’t have photographs back then….)

But the best part of the excursion was that it brought me a bit of peace and thinking time.  Plus a little exercise!  I think I walked around for at least three hours.  And to top it off, it was surprisingly hot in there (nothing like it has been outside, though), so I was sweating up a storm by the time I left (attractive, I know).

Anyway, so how was your weekend?  What have you been up to?

If you’re trying to lose weight, are you feeling excited or ho-hum about it all?  If you’re feeling ho-hum, what do you think it would take to get that excitement back?

PS – I have become a complete Twitter addict. Are you on there? Am I following you?  If not, let me know your username!