Survey Says....

I went down to Procter & Gamble this afternoon to participate in the body wash survey. It was kinda fun, not to mention super easy. And the best part... I didn't meet any crazy people like the lady I met last week at the Reed Hartman Research Center. LOL!

I got down there at 2:30 (my appointment was at 3:00). We were finished by 3:35. I was the only one there for about 10 minutes when I first got there, then another woman came and we got into a discussion about playing golf (no idea how that one started). LOL! At 3:00 they led all of us (about 10-12) back to this room with a long table with chairs around it (kinda like a board meeting room). We read a short paragraph stating what we were going to be testing and then we signed it and got our panel number. It was nothing like the consent form I had to read and sign last week. No mention of rash, bleeding or perhaps needing medical attention. After everyone had read and signed on the dotted line, a woman explained that we were actually participating in 2 studies today. First we went into room #1 and sat in front of a small computer. We were shown deodorant containers in different colors with 3-4 different scents. All we had to do was answer the questions (basically which we'd be more apt to buy). Next we were taken into room #2 where we washed each arm with a different body wash. I can't remember exactly what they both were, but I'm pretty sure the one I tested on my right arm said it was Olay Creme Ribbons or something like that. The other one was some kind of Dove product. We had to answer about 60 questions on the computer next to us after each of the two products were tested. Basically the questions wanted to know if the body wash made us feel sexy, outgoing, if we felt like the body wash made other women jealous of us, and other ridiculous questions. LOL! Let me just say, if I tested a body wash that made me feel sexy, I'd be smuggling it out of the place. :) And if I met a woman who was jealous of me because of my body wash, I'd have to tell her to get a life. LOL! I do have to admit though, the Olay body wash did make me feel a little sexier than the Dove body wash.

I did like the smell of it. In fact, I can still smell it. It's very nice. :) I can't really smell the Dove anymore. I stopped off at Super Walmart on my way home to get a few things and thought I'd check to see if they carry the Olay Ribbons body wash. They do. I almost bought some, but I decided not to. I don't want to spend $6 on body wash just yet. I still have some Suave body wash to use up first that I only paid $1 for when it was on sale. When I'm out of the Suave, I might buy some though. It's cheaper than Bath and Body Works and I think the smell lasts a lot longer.

Tomorrow I go back down to Procter & Gamble to test 2 more body washes and then I'll be done. This ought to be fun. I wonder if they'll ask the same questions tomorrow (probably. Well, maybe I'll feel more sexy tomorrow). I have to say, this is the first time I've ever participated in anything like this, but I might see what other studies they have to participate in. I know they have them all of the time. Procter & Gamble does limit you to only participating in a study every 45 days, so that's good. That keeps all of the study junkies under control a little bit. LOL! I can't complain, they're paying me $40 to wash my arms in shower gel (something I do everyday in the shower anyway). And even though I had to drive 30 minutes each way in some really heavy traffic, it was worth it.

I've done well on my points today. I had a sandwich before I left because I wasn't sure how long I'd be gone and I didn't want to get hungry enough where'd I'd pull through a fast food place while I was out. I picked up some frozen chicken patties at Walmart that were 4 points each, then I picked up a package of those square whole wheat bagels made by Thomas that are 2 points each. So, we had a 6 point chicken sandwich and some fat free Pringles for dinner. They finally got the Weight Watchers ice cream cups at my Walmart, so I picked up the mint chocolate chip, turtle, and the chocolate one (can't remember the name). I've tried the mint one so far and thought it was really good. I don't like the price, but I like the fact that they're portioned out for me, so I don't have to worry about if I'm packing the measuring cup too tight or if I'm eating more than I should be. I also noticed that my Walmart finally got in more of the Smart Ones desserts. I picked up a box of the key lime cheesecake. I haven't tired it yet, but I have enough points left to try one later tonight. :) TTYL!

Late addition to today's blog:
Adventures in Babywearing is holding a contest to get bloggers to show a picture of themselves without any makeup on (and without photoshopping themselves). Not that I usually wear a lot of makeup (I do always put some on if I know I'm going to be taking a picture), but even then I always cover up any blemishes on the computer before I release it to the world. You didn't know you were going to get an extra treat did you? LOL! I originally took a picture of myself when I got out of the shower earlier today, but dingbat me erased them off of the camera. So here I am now at the end of the day bearing it all before I head for bed. Look, I didn't even try to hide my multiple chins like I normally do. Man, what was I thinking? I must be tired. LOL! Anyway, this is the real me. Feel free to print it out and use it as a way to scare yourself away from the refrigerator. LOL! Just kidding!

A Much Needed Cleaning Day

I've been getting a lot of stuff done today. Stuff that I would normally get done throughout the week, but didn't get to this week. I've put things away, gotten all of the laundry finished, dusted, ran the vacuum, cleaned both bathrooms, cleaned out a few drawers that I've been wanting to clean, gone through some papers I've been putting off, etc. The only think I have left to do is finish up the kitchen and then go through a stack of papers I have sitting here at my desk. I love when everything is put away and the place feels clean. :) If I get time next weekend, I'd like to clean out the closet here in my office and my bedroom closet. I just cleaned both of them out a few months ago, but now everything is out of whack again. I prefer to be able to just open the door, go in, get what I need and come back out. Not go in, stand there for 5 minutes looking around and moving things because I can't find what I need, and then come out mad. LOL! I've done pretty good on points today. I haven't really had much time to think about food (don't worry, I did eat).

Tomorrow I drive back down to Cincinnati to be a guinea pig for Procter & Gamble. They're going to test shower gel on my forearms and then I go back down on Tuesday for them to look at it and make sure I still have skin left. LOL! I'll let you know how that goes. :) Well, I'd better go finish up the kitchen before I don't feel like doing it. TTYL!

Let's Chat

Well I didn't get much done today. I was supposed to finish up the t-shirts for my website, but I ended up looking around for a chat room for my message board instead. LOL! I finally found one and figured out how to get it posted so that everyone could see it. Around 5 of us ended up chatting for about an hour. It was fun. I'd like to schedule a chat once a week for everyone on my message board to get together. I'm also hoping people will go there everyday and just chat with each other. I'd like to see people become friends and even talk to each other when they aren't at my board. Maybe even meet up with each other if they live close to each other. That would be so cool! It's too bad we all don't live near each other. We could get together once a month and have lunch and just chat about stuff. :) Ah well. Maybe one day we could all have a get together.

OK, I'm off to bed. I probably won't be online much tomorrow until the evening. I want to finish the laundry and get some cleaning done around here. I think I'm going to have to have a serious talk with the maid. She isn't doing a very good job lately (I'm the maid). LOL!!!! TTYL!

The Interview

Krissie sent me some interview questions. Some of these are going to be a little rough for me to answer, but I asked for it. :) Thanks Krissie for taking the time out of your busy schedule to ask me these. :)

1. Of all the many eating lifestyles out there, why have you chosen Weight Watchers?
Well, honestly, because it seems like the most sensible plan and I know it works. I spent a lot of time researching diets online and also trying many diets before I found Weight Watchers. I've been to Diet Workshop, I've done the low carb thing, Slimfast, Optifast, and probably something else with the word "fast" in it. LOL! We're all looking for a fast way to lose the weight, so of course anything with the word "fast" in it is going to appeal to us. :) So many programs out there have you doing crazy things like drinking shakes, not eating carbs, eating prepackaged meals, etc. That might be fine and dandy for getting the weight off, but once the weight is off, then what? You can't do that for the rest of your life. I feel like Weight Watchers offers a safe, balanced way of losing weight, and it's something I feel like I could follow for the rest of my life.

2. At one point in your life, you had lost an astounding amount of weight. How do you keep from being discouraged that you had to start over? (This is a selfish question. I had to start over, and really struggle with not beating myself up about it.)
Ah, this is definitely one of the harder questions. Honestly, I still beat myself up for gaining all of my weight back. I'm not sure there is a day that goes by that I don't at least think about it. I wallowed in self pity and disgust for 2 years. I tried to move on many times, I failed, I picked myself up and tried again. All we can do is really try. I've told myself to stop thinking about what was, and think more about what is and what can be. Telling myself this doesn't mean I don't still think about the past, but it does help me to bring focus into "today". It reminds me that I can't change the past, but I can work on today and change my future. I'm sure we all have regrets that we'd like to go back and change, but until we discover some kind of time machine, we're just going to have to learn from the past and grow from it. I think once I stopped wallowing in the self pity so much, I just decided it was time to move on. Even though I really wanted to lose weight over the past 2 years, I just think I wasn't really ready to do it. My mind and heart just weren't in the game. I still struggle almost everyday, but I think I'm more into it now. I've found a lot of great supportive people to talk to at my message board, I've got my friend Ben to talk to, and I've got this blog where I've met people like you. Keeping this daily blog is kind of like therapy for me. It helps me get some stuff out of my head. :) I also meet a lot of nice people through my website. Helping others has helped me as well. I just think surrounding myself with like minded people has really helped me to stay focused. I also enjoy cooking again and now that I've been able to stick to it for over a month (I use to quit within a couple of weeks) and I've started seeing the results, I'm more motivated. I know I can do this, I've done it before and I know I can do it again. I have to forgive myself for gaining the weight back and move on. I have a couple of quotes that I keep taped here by my computer (since it's where I spend most of my day). They are:

"Remember... it's not what you are giving up, it's what you are gaining"

"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got and you'll always be what you've always been"

3.You mentioned in one blog that you brushed your teeth to keep from eating. What other top secret tactics do you have up your sleeve for dealing with cravings or munchies?
Hmmm, well, I chew gum sometimes when I want something sweet, and the chewing motion helps (I'm not a real big gum chewer though). I don't eat hard candy very often (I choked on a piece when I was 11, so I have some mental problems in that area. LOL), but I'm sure if others feel safe eating hard candy, it could help get rid of a few cravings. :) I've found having a cup of low calorie hot chocolate or some chicken broth really helps. The warmth from it makes you sip so it lasts longer and I just think it helps keep a person satisfied. Sometimes if I think I need something sweet, I'll have some crystal light. It's sweet and helps get some more water in. If I'm having a craving for something sweet and I know I'm hungry, I'll have a 1 point pudding or if I need something salty, I'll have some popcorn. I don't crave salty too much, my craving is usually for sweets. :) I really do find brushing my teeth a lot of times is the best way to go. How many of us are willing to eat when we've just brushed our teeth? The minty toothpaste sometimes gets rid of a craving too. LOL!

4. You posted once about emtotional eating. I read somewhere else that we fill our appetites with food and we fill our cravings with self-love. How do you reward yourself? Do you have any pampering habits?
Honestly, I've never really been one for pampering myself. I'm probably too hard on myself and I should reward myself more often, but I just don't. I'm very happy when I do well and the feeling I get from that accomplishment is usually enough of a reward for me. :) I am saving $5 for every pound I lose this time around. I suppose in a way, that's kind of like a reward that is being built up for the ultimate prize for when I hit my goal. :) When I hit my goal, I've figured up that I'll have saved around $712. It's not a million dollars or anything, but that's a pretty good prize if you ask me. :) I'll be able to buy new clothes or go get a make over, whatever I want.

5. I am so impressed that you work from home and make your living inspiring others. How did you take that leap?
Honestly, it all started out with me building my website as a way to help myself stay accountable, and I thought maybe I could share my adventures (that's why I called it Aimee's Adventures) with others to help them with their adventures. I just started posting any recipes I tried and taking pictures of the recipe when I made it (at the time, I was the only person with a personal site for Weight Watchers doing this, so it was pretty unique). I also posted anything else that I came across that I thought would help others, like tips, articles, other websites, etc. About a year and a half into it, someone at my Weight Watchers meeting told me that I should put a cookbook together because I was always sharing my recipes with them. I really didn't want to do it because it seemed like a lot of work (which is it) but my husband (ex now) was disabled and not working (he had dilated cardiomyopathy), so I decided to do it. At first it was more like a hobby, but then it picked up and I was making enough to pay the bills, so I figured I'd better make it an official business (I didn't want to go to jail for not paying taxes). LOL! I'm not rich from it, but I make enough to pay my bills each month (though there are some months where I'm afraid I won't make enough and think about finding a part time job to go with it). Some people have told me I shouldn't put the recipes up for free on my website, but I know I like free stuff, and I figure if people like the recipes enough, they'll purchase the cookbooks. :) Right now I'm working on the 3rd cookbook (making new recipes) and I'm putting together another cookbook of "Community Favorites". Even though I put a lot of work into maintaining the site and working on recipes, I enjoy doing it. And when I get an email from someone who tells me how much I've helped them, then that makes it all worth it.

6. Sometimes I am guilty of focusing too much on the scale and not enough on how my life and my abilities are changing. Other than the number on the scale, what are the benefits of weight loss that you look most forward to?
I mosty look forward to being able to do physical activities like I use to. When I lost weight the first time, I remember having so much energy. I loved hiking, I participated in 10k's almost every weekend, I would ride my Trikke for miles, and much more. I can't do any of that now. Where I use to be able to walk 6 miles, I can barely walk 1 mile now. I get out of breath from simple things like tying my shoes to simply walking across the room. I can't wait to not be like that anymore. I look forward to my knees, ankles and back not hurting anymore from all of the extra weight baring down on them. I also look forward to being able to see my feet without bending way over. :) I have quite a few clothes that are smaller in size that are put away. I'm looking forward to getting back into those and then having them be too big for me too. :) Another thing I'm looking forward to is being able to go somewhere and not having to wonder if I'll fit through something or if I'll get stuck in the seat when I sit down. I guess just over all "fitting in" in all aspects of the word and feeling healthier are what I look forward to the most.

Skipping Out Again

Sorry guys, I have to skip the blog again tonight. I just have too much to do yet before I go to bed and I'm already really tired. I'll post something tomorrow for sure.

Got My 10 Pound Ribbon

Well, the first 10 pounds are off (10.4 to be exact). I'm on my way. Now I just need to do this like 14 more times. No big deal. LOL! I can't say I did anything real exciting today. I went to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning (lost 2.8), came home, got some work done, took a nap because I only had 2 hours of sleep last night (I did go to bed early, just couldn't sleep) so my brain was mush and I couldn't function. I was much better after the nap. I ate lunch, worked some more, ate dinner, worked some more. I'm seeing a pattern here. LOL! I went to McDonald's for dinner. I'd been hearing a lot of good things about their new Southwest salad with grilled chicken, so I decided to check it out. Man, that is a good salad! Much better than the salad I was getting at Burger King. I skipped the salad dressing and brought it home to put my own light ranch dressing on it. I also got one of the fruit and walnut salads that come with apple slices, grapes, vanilla yogurt and candied walnuts. That was really good too! Between the 2 things and the ranch dressing, I spent 11 points on dinner, but it was filling. Well, back to work. :) TTYL!

Goodnight, Sleep Tight :)

Sorry guys, I'm skipping the blog tonight. Every night I say I'm going to bed early, and tonight I really am. I have weigh in tomorrow morning and I really want to get my 10 pound ribbon. According to my scale this morning, it said I was down 4.5 pounds for the week, but I don't expect the scale tomorrow to say that. I'm ok with it. I just need to lose 2.4 pounds to get my ribbon tomorrow, so anything past that is just icing on the cake. :) Goodnight! TTYL!