A New Blog Venture

Last week, I was talking to a few people that I work with, who are trying to loose weight. They mentioned that it would be nice if a bunch of us could all do it together.

So we started a support group for the library employees. The JDL Fat Dumping Club.
There are 18 people signed up, about 15 % of the employees.

We each put in 5 dollars, the person who looses the highest percentage of weight in 6 months wins the pot.

Each person selects their own diet program, and reports their weight each week.

Since we are in 14 different locations and spread all over Jackson County (700+ square miles), we are communicating and supporting each other through e-mais and a blog I created. Each member of the Club can write in the blog, or send e-mails, to give or receive support.

Today is the first day and we have people who want to loose 18 pounds to some who need to loose over 100. I personally have lost a total of 44 pounds (17.74 percent since December 2007) and 24 (10.53%) in 7 weeks. My goal is to lose 69 more pounds.

Check out the Fat dumping blog for updates

Buds and blossoms

It was a beautiful day. Temperatures in the 70's, I think, and sunshine.
I went out this evening and took some more pictures.
This is of some of the apple trees in back of the shed.
the center one is full of blossoms, the others are just starting to bloom.







This is one of the lilac bushes They should be blooming in a couple more weeks.












And these are the violets in the front yard

These phlox are in the north side of the house next to the well.












I spent most of the week a t Grand Traverse Resort for the Rural Library conference. The conference was good, as it usually is, I brought back lots of ideas for future programs and such.
Usually they have really good food, rich but very good. Not so much this week. The same salad, 3 meals in a row. the same vegatable for 5 meals. Breakfast one morning fruit and sweet rolls.
the next morning french toast and backed apple with granola topping. The meat was varied, but I found it a little dry. Maybe it is just because I am trying to stick to a diet, but it seems like there was more variety and better preparation at past conferences.

According to my scales I have lost another 2 or 3 pounds.

Before pictures

I had a Dr. appointment today. There was good news and not so good news. My glucose level was down to 134 this morning. I have lost 3 pounds, Lynn says if I loose 15 more, I can go off all medication,

When I asked him if that meant blood pressure too he said "No, well maybe."

On the South Beach diet they say you should loose 8-12 pounds in the first 2 weeks. I only lost 3 in 10 days. Let me see if I can explain this- I had lost 10 pounds, when my sugar levels were high because I was urinating a lot, and that was urinating out calories.
On the medication I am not loosing as much water or claories

Since December of 2007 when I got the CPAP machine, and thyroid medication I also lost about 10.

Here are a couple of pictures.

December 2007 April 2009












This is my before picture taken today. I am determined to get down to a size.......