I was a little freaked out for my weigh in today. I had three birthdays to celebrate this week (mine, my dad's, and my daughter's), plus my anniversary. I had tons and tons of cake, homemade ice cream, alot of wine, steak and snacks. I was over my points for the week by at least 50...BUT I was down 3.6 lbs :O)

PHEW! Close one ;o)

I made the cake in this first picture for my Dad's birthday. He really liked it. Then there's a few pics from throughout the week. I'll post more later.

ANDDDD here's a pic of the cake that I made for my son's 4th birthday today. The basketball is a chocolate chip white cake (as per his request), with a Vanilla Butter Cream Icing. The cupcakes are chocolate with peanut butter filling, and a Butter-Butter Cream icing. This is my first "decorated" cake and I'm very pleased with the results. I've signed up for the Wilton Cake Decorating class in June, so that should be fun :O)

Here's some pics of my new haircut. I always get it cut in time for my birthday. It's the big 31 on Tuesday :O)

WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO! Today I celebrate ONE whole year on maintenance! I weighed myself this morning, even though it's not my official weigh in, and I am 146 lbs. Which is almost 4 lbs LESS than I was when I started maintenance exactly one year ago. I know you all think I make it look easy, but it truly is something that I struggle with daily. I'm DARN PROUD of myself :O)

This is what I do in my spare time ;o)

A field trip to the Beaver Dam with my son's Kindergarten class. And yes, Jade's wearing a boys jacket...can't argue with a 3 yr old :O)

Pics from the last VPC get together.

These are preview photos from the Sun Run that I can purchase online if I chose to. Some were bought for me last year as a gift, but I don't know if I will bother getting any this time around. I think that I will start to run more races this year, and the pictures really won't be a big deal since it's not my "first race" anymore. Anyways, here's a peek. They aren't that good of quality, but it's proof that I did cross the finish line ;o)

I am dressed in all black, with the yellow bib.







And to celebrate, I bought myself a new pair of ass kickin' Asic Nimbus 9's (magenta and silver coloured, offered only at the Running Room). I'm going to take them for their first spin tomorrow :O)

My official time for the race was 58:45 :O)

Hey Guys! I just got home from the 10k Sun Run. I was able to run the whole thing, and my shins are fine! YAY!!! I stretched really well before and after. I also took some Ibuprofen when I got home, and did some icing on my shins. Despite having only 5 hrs sleep and a major tummyache for the last 3 days, I made my goal of doing the race in 50-some mins. My Nike+ clocked me at about 57-58 mins, so we'll see when the official times are printed in the Vancouver Sun tomorrow. At about the 8k mark I felt like walking. I was really getting tired, but I checked my time and it was 47 mins. So, I KNEW that I had to really motor in order to reach my goal. I had to push myself near the end, but I did it! I'm so happy!!! This year I used a different strategy. I started right at the front of the pack of people. So I crossed the start line 30 seconds after the horn was blown (rather than 20 mins later like last year), and I didn't have to deek and dodge passing people the whole way. It was wayyyyy better. So I knocked about 9 mins off my time from last year, maybe I can take another 9 off next year too :O)

Showin' off the new little top that I got at the Lulu outlet last weekend. Brodiegirl, MsBlingBling and I went out shopping and we had a BLAST! I got this cute, little, green and black top for TWENTY BUCKS! It was regular $30 (outlet prices), but I made them discount it even more. It is a "SAMPLE" top, which means it was created by Lulu, but then never put into production. So this is the only one in existance! Anyways, I like it. It's great for layering. I'm wearing it over a t-shirt in this pic, but the black sections on the shirt are kinda meshy and see thru, so it looks nice with a tank top underneath too. We hit up the Mac makeup store as well. I spent a load of money, but got alot of nice new eyeshadows and "lipglass". I made one other teensy purchase the following day. I bought a black bathing suit that is cut like a dress, you wear your bikini underneath it. The best thing about it (besides the awesome deal I got) is the size! An XSML! :O)

Anyways, enough braggin' from me. It's my blog, so I can brag if I want to...right? :OP

So, I emailed the guy who wrote that article and MAN...am I ever shocked at his response! Here it is...

"Ordinarily I'd tell you to bugger off, but that's a reasonable request. The article has been removed from my website anyway; the only way you could have found it is by following a link I forgot about".

He also said, "Oh by the way, obviously you don't look anorexic. Hyperbole makes for good writing, and I was on a roll".

He seems like a nice guy actually! I do understand the need to be controversial to attract readers. I mean look at some of my fav music artists etc. I think what bothered me was the use of my REAL name linking to a group with my photos. Then again, maybe that information shouldn't have been open for the public to see in the first place. Anyways, lesson learned...keep my personal information PRIVATE!

You're criticized when you're fat, and you're criticized when you're thin.

I did a Google Search on my name last night. I found my name on a site where some guy lists Facebook groups that he thinks are unnecessary, and why he finds them annoying. I don't know this person, but this is what he had to say about the group that was created as a petition when I was denied as a Success Story. "HOLY FUCK, IT'S TWIGGY, BACK FROM THE DEAD! Seriously, from obesity to anorexia is not much of an improvement. Damn bitch, eat a sandwich or something".

Down 0.8 lbs for WI today. That puts me at 145.2 lbs. I earned 24 AP's this week. I'm pretty proud of that considering I'm unable to run right now. Shins are still sore. I'm just going to do the same this week as last week. Ride the bike, a bit of elliptical, and lots of walking. Oh, and weights!

WAHHHHHHHHH, I dunno if I'm going to make this race! I managed to do 30 mins of cardio yesterday. I started on the stairclimber but after 15 mins I could feel it in my shin, so I switched to the bike and that was OK. For the most part my shins feel OK, except for 1 certain spot right on the bone in my left leg. This tells me that I *may* have a stress fracture. I hope not, but I think I might go to the docs if it's not feeling better by the end of the week. If it is a stress fracture the Sun Run is definitely out because they take quite awhile to heal. I'm just going to keep up with my walking (been doing that daily), strength training, and a half hour on the bike every couple of days. Not much else that I can do :OS

For those who have been offering suggestions, I appreciate it. This injury was totally due to overuse though, and I know that. It's not that I need new shoes, I have new Asics with custom made Orthotics. I was just pushing it too hard, and did too many runs on concrete. It's my own fault. I should know better :OP

Well, I tried running tonight (on grass), just to see how my legs would feel. At first it was ok, but after 5 mins I had to switch to a brisk walk. I dunno what I'm going to do if I can't run the race. This sucks!

Weigh In today was exactly the same as last week. No change in body fat% or weight. I'm finding it hard to rest and heal these shinsplints. I may swing by the gym tonight and see if I can handle the elliptical or recumbant bike for a little workout. Pool running sounds like a great idea, except that the pool is a long drive for me AND I just dyed my hair :OP I'm also going to look into possibly getting a sport massage. I've heard it may help speed up my healing. I'll post again soon :O)

Oh MANNNNN, I'm totally screwed. I overtrained with my running and now I've given myself shinsplints. The last time I got them, it took 1.5 months of rest to heal. My 10K race is in exactly 19 days. I am STRESSING OUT! I was really getting to a happy place with my running. I was going further and faster than ever before, and now this? What a setback for me! Will I even be able to run the race? I don't know :O( I tried the Elliptical, the Stairclimber, and the Bike the last couple of days at the gym. I've just been trying to find something that I can do to keep my cardio level up. None of these worked for me. I am in pain even when I'm just sitting here. WHY ME?!? I'll tell you why, because I didn't listen to my body. My legs started to hurt during a run, and what did I do? Kept running! And then what did I do after that? Ran again the following the day! What a stupid thing to do. Now I pay the price.

Up 3 lbs for WI today. I'm not worried about it, I know that it's directly related to my hardcore workouts this week. I'm noticing that the weeks I do alot of running and strength training, I weigh a couple of lbs more. I'm pretty sure it's just my muscles retaining water to repair themselves. I feel great, and that's what counts. I ran 6K 4 times this week, and did 1 half hour run on the treadmill at a speed of 5.5. I also did 3 X 30 min Strength Training Sessions. All for a measly total of 28 AP's earned, it seems like it should be worth way more ;o)

Now I'm going to take 2 days off and let my muscles repair. I'm a little bit sore, but not too bad :O)

A pic of my kiddies and I that was taken at the Wildlife Park on Easter Weekend :O)

Weigh in today = 143 lbs even! Woot Woot! Back to maintenance I go!

I just peeked at the scale even though WI was 2 days ago, I'm already down another 2.6 lbs (making me 143.6). I'm retaining water too, my rings are tight. I wonder if this will stick...

FANTASTIC Weigh In today! WOOT WOOT! I don't even know how I pulled this one off, but I'm down 7.4 lbs! YAY! The scale showed me 146 even this morning :O)

Well, I've earned my 28 AP's in for the week, and I stayed on plan eating 23 pts per day (my target for losing), plus my flex and ap's. I hope that my efforts pay off and I have a good WI on Friday! I will update then. Thanks for all the support this last week :O)

Weigh in today was a big OUCH! I'm up 3.4 lbs putting me at 153.4 lbs, and I totally deserve it! Shall I say Oreo Cakesters, Lasagna, Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream, Chips and Dip, and Smarties...oh and I had Cupcakes too. Yep, believe it! I was 100 pts over my flex this week. That is technically enough to gain 1.5 lbs of fat. I am one of those people who lose and gain weight quickly, so I was dinged with a 3.4 lb gain. That is double what I should have gained. You can say it's water retention all you want, but my rings are loose as can be, so it's not. This is my first time falling off the wagon in 2 yrs. I don't know what happened to me. The whole birth control pill thing (for acne) screwed me right up. I've quit taking them now. It effected my mood making me depressed and anxious. It made me hungry as all hell. I just caved and snacked right out not caring at all. I tried on my black capri's last night, the ones in the pictures to the right....yeah, I can't even pull them all the way up, let alone do them up. So it's back on the losing train I go! I need to lose 10 lbs :O(

UP 3.6 lbs. I think it's because I started the birth control pill. NOT COOL :O|

Eeek, WI's tomorrow. I slowed it down a bit with the exercise this last 2 weeks, earning only 17 ap's each week. We'll see if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I really felt like I needed the rest to get rid of that cold that I'd had for 3 weeks, and to heal my muscles. I'm a firm believer in listening to your body, and my body was telling me to chillax. I'll crank up the activity again this week to come. I'd like to keep my fitness level high for the race mid-April. I'm hoping to get somewhere in the 50-58 min range for the 10K. That may be pushing it, but we'll see!!!

Brodiegirl had a party last night to celebrate hers and MsBlingBling's Birthdays. Blingy made the yummiest point friendly cake ever, I had 2.5 pieces and weighed myself today...I'm down a lb because of it. That happens everytime I have cake! There were jello shooters galore, and I drank wayyyy too many. I just can't drink like I use to. It was nice to have a night out to myself with no kids, and to see these ladies because they are SO MUCH FUN! Here are pics that were taken of me throughout the night.














This is what happens when you have too many jello shooters LOL!

WI Today.....*drum roll please*.....down another 1.4 lbs putting me at 146.4 lbs. More food IS better for me. I'm eating maintenace points (30 plus flex/ap's) and losing, go figure :O)

Brodiegirl, her Dh, and I took the kiddies to McDonald's today to celebrate their daughter's Birthday. Here are a few pics of us with our cute girls. The kids had a blast! It's always so much fun when we get our crew together :O)