My life is to make everything around me beautiful.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

A Confession

 Just to remind you again of all the images I've put on my Pinterest. I now have over 11,200 of them, with over 8,000 followers. So you know the images are gorgeous. I can add them faster to Pinterest than show you here. So go there and view them. I know you won't be disappointed. Can you just trust me on this?!
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Okay, confession time and this is very difficult for me to admit.

I've put on more weight than I need over the past 3 years. I've tried to get it off but my heart was not in it. After the fall in the park four years ago with all the physical therapy that entailed and then foot surgery 2 years ago and then some "female" surgery last year, I sank to an all-time low for me. I'd take off a few pounds and put it back on. I won't admit to what the weight was now, but when it's all off I'll divulge it—and maybe some photos if I'm brave enough.

So June 29th I saw my doctor and asked how she had taken off 25 pounds recently. I had seen a sign about a medically-supervised diet in her office. She told me to come in for an introduction to this weight-loss program in a few days after the visit and I did. Hubby and a friend went along.

It is medically-supervised and it's a challenge. It's a high protein diet with drinking/eating their foods three times a day and eating dinner on my own. It's very restrictive and more meat per day than I've ever eaten in my life. Eight ounces is required at dinner. I lost 8.9 pounds the first week, but let me tell you that it wasn't a joy being around me. They told me the first week would be bad. Now, I can't say I was hungry; in fact, I told them there was no way I could eat 8 ounces of meat in one meal and really had a hard time consuming it all in one day. They said to keep it at least 6 ounces and I'm trying, but I have to spread it out over the entire day. So as of 8/16 I've lost 16.5 pounds in those three weeks. The second week wasn't as bad and the third week has been easy. I expect it to be easier as the weight drops off. But it is not cheap, trust me. But my loving hubby of 52 years said it was just fine with him. He is absolutely 100% on my side with whatever I need to do to get healthy. Ooooh, and we are not allowed to exercise as that affects muscle and they don't want the dieters to build up or lose muscle but fat.(Medical study statistics are provided in videos sent to me each day.) I pretty much sit and read, go to lunch with friends every couple of weeks and grocery shopping. That's my life right now. (Oh, I did go to Macy's and treat myself to some fabulous Lancome Absolute makeup and it's incredible. That was my treat for being so diligent.)

The makeup artist said I had beautiful skin. I said, "No, I don't." She argued with me and said we are our own worst critic and I agree with that, but trust me, someone in their seventies doesn't have gorgeous skin. Nice skin, perhaps, but not gorgeous. But that challenged me to appraise my face. It's pretty wrinkle free as you can see from my photo on my sidebar taken in 2009, but there are concerns. So, I'm now doing facial yoga exercises twice a day. I need to tighten up my neck, jawline, a few smile lines and puffy eye bags. Before the diet began I had blue under my eyes the past few years and couldn't figure out what was going on there and no amount of concealer or makeup would correct it. I thought I was doomed! Well, with the vitamin regimen I take every day that blueness has gone away. People tell me my eyes are now different, but the exercises are taking away the puffiness also, and the puffiness wasn't bad really, just a concern for me. This is the large picture from which I took the small sidebar picture and under my eyes there isn't the blue color at that point, plus my eyes are really more an emerald-green color than in this photo (And it's taken me every single year of these 70 years to like the color of my eyes.) :


But that's the long and short of it. I'll be on a diet for awhile and don't even ask how much I have to lose. It will all be revealed in a post in the months to come. And I pray each morning to get through just that day, so prayers are always welcome if you pray. ;-)
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What an adorable tiny office carved out of a corner in a room. I think it's ingenious what the homeowner did here.


A sweet cottage with a curved brick walkway.


A simply gorgeous hydrangea. I'd love for mine to color like this but mine are lavender and blue.


Sitting her now I'm so hungry for a cake I could scream!


This is the most gorgeous wreath I've ever seen.


A to-die-for kitchen. Love the off-white cabinets but I'd paint the walls pink.


I've seen this patio set at K-Mart and would like it but not sure we'd use it much in this desert.


I've always liked banquettes like this. It reminds me of some restaurants we've visited in San Francisco. I think it's very sensuous to eat in one of these. Reminds me of the old 40s nightclubs.


To me, this is the most gorgeous photo every produced for a perfume! Simply magnificent.


Lovin' th' red chair!


Imagine having this nursery for your baby. Just beautiful.


One way to cover your jams for gift giving.


I'm very partial to old tablecloths and I can see a lot of Wilendur cloths in there.


Such a cute way to decorate wall sconces or even chandeliers.


Lovely farmhouse dining room.
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Tidbit:

Some lions mate more than 50 times a day.

Spotted skunks do handstands before they spray.
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12 comments:

  1. Well..first, I am so glad to be here. I really got lost in reading about what is going on in your life. I also need to lose weight and am jut not applying myself. It sickens me to see how much weight I have gained. I weight 20 pounds than when I was 9 months pregnant with each of my children. It's terrible and enough to keep me home. No interest in wearing anything but jeans. I haven't worn a skirt in...probably ten years now.
    I wish you God's speed on your journey to a new you!! You WILL do it. Look at how far you have already come.
    I loved all of your little added pictures. MY style, all of them!
    Cozy is what it's all about.
    Have a wonderful Friday and weekend! :)
    Hugs,
    Mona

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  2. 70???????? I don`t believe it. How is that possible. I can`t see a wrinkle in your face. Please give me the reciepe.(smile)

    Have a great day
    Hugs from here

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  3. I think I am following you on Pinterest. I go there often. I will have look at your pictures there again and see what you have been up to. Good luck with your diet. I hope it goes well for you and from the sound of it you are off to a good start already. I need to lose weight also, but I am choosing to exercise. I have been swimming laps and soon I will be doing a 1/2 mile. Takes me about a 1/2 hour. I can tell now that I am starting to firm up a little. And the place I really notice it....my calves. All that kicking I guess.

    Linnea

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  4. Connie, that is a diet that needs dedication. And prayer support also. You are doing so well.

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  5. You are a very strong willed person, in my opinion, so you will do just fine. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to do what you are doing. When it is all said and done, you will say it was worth it. Hang it and never give up. Weight has never been my problem. In fact, I basically weigh now what I did when I was in high school. Never have I dieted.

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  6. Beautiful photos! Good luck with your weight loss program.

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  7. Look at what you have accomplished and say "Thank you, Lord for putting me on the right track" and keep on doing the same thing. My daughters and I have the emerald eyes and we've always enjoyed them because you don't see too many people with them. It makes us unique. I am finding it very hard to believe you are 70. You look lovely. Be happy with who you are. You are an inspiration to me.

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  8. Congratulations on your recent weight loss!! Keep up the dedication, and thanks for sharing.

    XOXO,
    Meredith

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  9. Beautiful pics. I really need to pink to your Pinterest. Congrats on the weight loss. I'll be taking off a few also.

    Ahrisha

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  10. Beautiful post Connie and it's great that you are losing, and wanting to lose the weight. I have always tried to live a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes those chocolate bars just call my name! Not so much these days though...ha. Besides eating properly, each night I do approx 3000 "steps" (marching on the spot) as I watch TV. Congrats on your new success my friend! Hugs, Diane

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  11. Hi Connie, I didn't get here on Thursday as we visited our son about 2 1/2 hours away. He visited us on Monday and forgot his computer so we took it to him and spent the night.

    Weight is always an issue for me but I try to stay within 10 lbs. I know you have had some setbacks the past 4 years and no wonder weight is an issue. I am very active and if I had to slow down like you I hate to think about the weight issues I would have. I am so happy you have found a solution and you are on the way to better health. I am almost the same age as you if I remember right and I can tell you I have wrinkles. You DO have beautiful skin. I have used expensive products for my skin to avoid wrinkles most of my life and I still have the hated wrinkles. Sigh. Really Connie, you look awesome. Your eyes are lovely as well. Mine are blue/green depending on what I wear.

    Your are definitely in my prayers for your continued goal towards weight loss and better health. You can do this, I have faith in you.

    xo, Jeanne

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  12. Droga Connie
    Jesteś piękną kobietą,masz cudowną skórę i wyglądasz na 55lat:)Życzę Ci powodzenia w diecie,moja córka schudła około 100f(46kg) w rok,ale to była ciężka praca.Ja nie mogę 3kg-około 7f,ale cóż lubię słodycze.Niestety muszę pisać po polsku,jestem dyslektykiem i pisanie po angielsku to dla mnie koszmar chociaż mówię dobrze.Uwielbiam zaglądać do Ciebie,pokazujesz piękny świat i jesteś niesamowita ze swoją otwartością do świata i techniki:)pozdrawiam gorąco piękna kobieto!całuję Renata

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Comments are so nice and I thank all of you that leave one for me.