Shopping still sucks

My body shape is a block. Do clothing designers really think that all women have that oh-so-desired hourglass shape? Well, I don't. I have no waist. I have no hips. I'm just straight from the bust down. This makes finding pants that don't bag out in my hips really tough. Jeans either fit me in the waist but look all baggy around my thighs/hips or fit in the thighs and are tight on the waist. I know, I know, every woman has a complaint about how their body fits into clothing but I went shopping this afternoon to try and find some pants to wear to work that I wouldn't have to worry about falling off of me and couldn't find anything. I did end up buying a pair of jeans (which I can't wear to work) but I'm still not completely thrilled with them. The good news is however that they are size 18, not 20!! (Non Scale victory, right???) And honestly, they are a touch big but I couldn't do up the 16s. So, I guess I should just focus on that instead of my shopping frustrations. Maybe once I get skinny I'll be confident enough to wear dresses all the time and won't need to worry about stupid pants.

I did some unofficial measurements today as well... I've been tracking them in sparkpeople because I can't find a spot on WW online to do it. Is there one there? Anyways, I'm down 0.5" around my neck (never would have thought of measuring my neck but what the hey..), 1" around my bust, 1" at my waist and 0.5" at my hips for a total of -3" since 4 weeks ago. I'm only down 8lbs since then but hey, it's progress. I don't have my official starting measurements (didn't take any) but back in October, I weighed 262 (I was 263.6 when I started Jan. 7) and I am down 4" on my waist, 2" on my hips, 1.5" on my neck and 1.5" on my bust for a total of 9" since then. Ok, now I feel better.
I also just did volume one from the new pilates dvd box set that I bought the other day. It started off with a 20 min walking pilates session and then 20 minutes of pilates exercises on the floor. Since it was my first time doing pilates, I really didn't know what to expect. I will say that I much preferred the walking pilates to the Walk Away the Pounds dvds that I have. I definetly felt the burn in my thighs and I think it's because she instructs you to keep your knees bent a little in certain movements to simulate walking uphill. The pilates part of the dvd was good too. They move quite quickly so I think it will take a few more times of doing the exercises for me to totally keep up. Lots of good ab stuff and I have a feeling I'll be sore tomorrow.

On the food front this weekend, I think I've done OK. I haven't tracked because quite honestly, I haven't had the chance. I worked a really long day yesterday, at the office until 7:30 pm and then at home getting some church stuff ready. Today, I've been trying to catch up on some errands but we did take the kids out for a walk this afternoon. It was so fun to be able to run and chase T and then run ahead and have her chase me. I felt so light and free and just wanted to run more! If it weren't for my too-big jeans that kept practically falling off, I would have. It got me thinking that once work slows down in the next week or so, I'll throw K in the jogging stroller and after we drop off T at preschool, I'll re-start me Couch to 5k sessions outside. Our neighbourhood is very hilly so that should add some extra challenge. I can't wait to get working out again... plus that should jump up my weight loss again. Not that 8lbs in a month is all that bad. I just really want to get out of the 240s and reach my 10%. Speaking of that, weigh in is tomorrow. My main goal is to hit the 20 lbs loss mark. I'm pretty sure I have (I cheated and weighed myself Friday and I was there) but one never knows for sure.

Anyhow, tomorrow will be a super long day for me seeing it is election day! If you are in Alberta, make sure you get out and vote!!! I have to be in the office all day and then pick up the kids from the babysitters, feed them, put K to bed and then head back to work so I can be there to enter in the results when the counts from the polls start coming in. We'll have media representation in our office and everything so it should really be quite exciting.

Man I've babbled alot tonight! Take care everyone!

*sigh* Kids...

So, I bundled up the kids and made the trek out in the snow this morning to the Y. T (almost 4) is super excited because she hasn't gone to babysitting at the Y in a long time and she loves the ladies that work there. I drop her off and then go to drop K (15.5 months) off in the baby room. She starts clinging to me as soon as I open the door. Then it's more like a death grip onto my neck. I try to pry her little fingers off me and the screaming starts. Greaaaaat. So I take her over to the toys and sit down with her and try and engage her with the other kids. She wouldn't have any of it. It was like she needed her entire body surface to be touching mine and the minute I tried to sit her bum on the floor, she'd start grasping at me and the crying would start. After trying to leave her for half an hour, I gave in and knew today was not the day for me to work out at the Y.

I couldn't help but be disapointed and maybe even a little frustrated. I really wanted to work out. She was FINE there last Saturday. But then again, on Saturdays they have the big kids and little ones in the same room so she was with sister.

So, we bundled up again. Now T was kicking and screaming because she didn't get to stay in babysitting for "long enough". Fun times! LOL

Once I got clingy K down for a nap, I decided this would be the day that I unwrap my 5 mile Advanced Walk DVD by Leslie Sansone. And it was great! The box set I got included 2lb hand weights, a walk belt and a toning band. This is the first time I've ever done one of her workouts, and by no means do I consider myself advanced but you can totally customize how you want your workout by selecting the each mile individually, two, three, four or all five miles. Two of the miles are more fast paced to get the cardio level up really high and three of the miles are more moderate and use the accessories. It's perfect for people like me who are really uncoordinated and don't have previous aerobics experience because all of the moves are really basic, yet really effective. I only got through 3 miles today before K woke up but I still got in a good 40 minute workout.

I'm making my grocery list tonight and trying to plan some suppers... I've searched through recipes at the WW site and a few other sites as well. What are your faves? I always need meal ideas!

I did pretty well eating today:
Breakfast: Yogurt with 1tsp wheat germ, one mandarin orange
Lunch: 1 cup Healthy Request Herbed Chicken Noodle Soup, 1 whole wheat english muffin with melted 2% cheese, apple
Dinner: Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice and Beans (yum yum), 1 serving chicken breast, all on top of a plate of greens

I'm sipping a mug of International French Vanilla Cappucino right now. It only has 1 point per serving so you can't really go wrong with that. It's totally like dessert to me. Anyways, enough rambling for today :)