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Entry 3 – Chris Grzech
I write now from Salvador, Bahia. I came here to visit a friend who completed his masters degree at UofL. I've been staying at the apartment of his girlfriend's sons. We went to the historic district today, Pelourinho. I think this is the most beautiful city I've ever visited in my life. The architecture is astounding, from the modern buildings to the ones which date to the beginnings of Portuguese conquest of Brasil. The Baianos (people from the state of Bahia) that I'm staying with have been the best of hosts. We have eaten the famed Acarajé, as well as Moqueca, and fresh crab. All delicious. One of my hosts is an architecture student at the Universidade Federal de Salvador and is an excellent and knowledgeable guide. We've been to the beach as well and seen the first lighthouse built in the Americas, which is situated at the southernmost point of the city, in between the ocean and the bay on the other side. I received a "Bonfim" bracelet today. One makes three wishes for each knot that ties the ribbon around the wrist. When the ribbon falls naturally, the wishes supposedly have been realized. My friend had tied one around my wrist before he left Louisville, and it remained there for a year and a half, finally falling shortly after I arrived in Campinas. As for the wishes, well…it's nobody else's business! Haha. Saw some Capoeira as well in passing, accompanied by music on drums and Berimbau. Pretty cool. The traditional dress of the Baianas (traditional dress of afro-brazilian women in the northeast) has been interesting to see as well.
Giving English classes has been going well in Campinas. I have a new student who's from Angola. His accent in portuguese is very close to the portuguese accent of Europe, also the manner of speaking and expressions he uses. I'm teaching with a Cambridge book on grammar. I've been giving lists of cognates to the students, as realizing cognitive patterns is something which helped my portuguese immensely from when I began learning until now. For example:
The ending -ção in portuguese almost always translates to "-tion" in english. Examples:
celebração = celebration inflação = inflation
observação = observation nação = nation
recuperação = recuperation disposição = disposition
intenção = intention reencarnação = reincarnation
inspiração = inspiration
This is the tip of the iceberg. There are only two words which are exceptions to this rule that I can think of off the top of my head as well as some cases in which the root of the word is entirely different, but 98.9% of the time this rule is functional.
There are many other such endings which have almost-always-consistent equivalent endings. I think teaching these things along with the normal beginning level lessons helps a lot because students gain confidence in how many complicated words they already know how to form in english. In class we go over differences in pronunciation. I'm really enjoying teaching.
Até a próxima!


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tt_news_news - SINGLE
In a rather unstable economic context, that of 2014, the results of the Marchesini Group went totally against the flow and especially against the trends of the manufacturing market. The consolidated turnover of the Group (including its foreign branches), which manufactures packaging plants for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, rose from 222 million in 2013 to 247 million, hence an 11% increase.
The growth in turnover recorded during a year that was not exactly a flourishing one for the Italian economy (whose GDP was still showing a negative figure of -0,4%), is also due to the trend of the Italian pharmaceutical market: still awaiting the official figures of 2014, those published by Italy's Office for National Statistics and the Bank of Italy have highlighted that pharmaceutical enterprises are in the top position of Italian manufacturing in terms of competitiveness, productivity, R&S intensity and exports. In 2013, Italian exports grew by 14% and by 64% over the last five years as opposed to the +7% of the manufacturing average and the +29% of the pharmaceutical average within the European Union.
The Group's growth in turnover matches its excellent performance in gathering orders, with a rise to 217 million compared with the 189 million of two years ago (+15%). The rise in the number of customer orders is thanks above all to the increased demand for aseptic packaging machinery for anti-cancer drugs, which is one of the fastest growing sectors of recent years (900 million was the turnover of 2011, 1.5 billion is that expected for 2018 according to survey carried out by MarketsandMarkets), thanks to contracts received especially from Russia, Eastern countries and China.
In this specific sector requiring ongoing investments in R&S, the Marchesini Group boasts its partner Corima, the branch in Tuscany specialising in the design and construction of automatic packaging machines for aseptic pharmaceuticals used especially to treat cancer. Last October, the Aseptic Live Show held in Monteriggioni (Siena) offered an opportunity to show experts how Corima actually works and it was announced that the factory is about to be extended even further: the present 6 thousand square meters will be extended to 10 thousand following an investment of 3.5 million Euro and this will provide workplaces for another 50 employees in addition to the 100 people presently working there.
2014 was a fruitful year also for Neri, the branch in Barberino del Mugello (Florence) specialising in the production of machinery that applies self-adhesive labels and of pharmaceutical traceability systems. The performance of Neri was confirmed to be very satisfactory and will lead to an increase in employment opportunities.
In the meantime, building work continues in Carpi where the Group's production division of machines for blister packaging and deep-draw thermoforming is located. This project will create the biggest thermoforming centre in Italy, covering 12 thousand square meters thanks to an investment worth 15 million Euro.
The CEO of the Marchesini Group and Chairman of the Italian Industrial Federation of Emilia-Romagna, Maurizio Marchesini commented: «We are delighted with these results because our expectations of growth for 2014 were exact and also because the future looks thriving. A business leader could be halted by fear in a critical historical time, as is the present one, but the best way out is to explore new markets and to invest in people, in their personal and professional growth. These are the challenges we want to be ready for».

subset: commoncrawl


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An index to the China series appears at the first post.
September 28, 2016
I was glad for a relatively slow start this morning. I went for breakfast at the hotel, and the lady cooking eggs produced some lovely scrambled eggs for me. While I had been frustrated that I could not plug my laptop into the outlets at this hotel (unlike at WuKe) because the ground pin on my U.S. plug did not have a corresponding hole, I awoke with the realization that I could use my three-pin US to two-pin European converter to let me charge my laptop. Today was looking up!
Jing Li, my host at SJTU, arrived to pick me up at 9:15 AM, and she drove me around the campus. We stopped at a coffee shop that could have been anywhere in the world. I happily sipped my hot chocolate while she updated me on her progress in academia. I think she has found a great academic home. From there, we drove to her office. I like that many of the graduate students for the department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics are seated right outside the offices of the junior faculty. I suspect that Jing Li will soon take her place upstairs with other senior faculty, though!
Minjia Tan, a rising star in proteomics, soon arrived at campus from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (Chinese Academy of Sciences). He and Jing have formed a very effective partnership. He had many interesting questions on the relative merits of spectral count and peak areas for quantification of proteomic differences. We talked about some of the interesting challenges that have arisen in his research. Soon, he, Jing Li, and I headed over to the faculty club to have some lunch. I had a yummy combination of needle mushrooms and portobello mushrooms in brown sauce. Our conversation was a really interesting one. I learned of a multi-site investigation into proteomic reproducibility here in China, but the work has yet to be published. I hope I can help accelerate the process of its publication, since I have taken part in several such studies before. People need to know that proteomics in the developing world is viable and reliable.
Before we knew it, the time had arrived for my talk! We drove back over to the Life Sciences building for my talk. Again I told the story of the CPTAC collaboration's drive toward publications in three projects I helped to lead. This time, however, many graduate students were in the audience. I enjoyed talking to them directly about the challenges of reaching the first publication. Many students seem to feel alone in how difficult it can be to get a first manuscript accepted by a journal, so I really wanted to let them know that the process is challenging for everyone!
Soon afterwards, three of the graduate students squired me over to the Qibao old town (the name means "seven pieces of treasure"). We wandered through the village, taking in the sights. I saw a smaller road leading away from the heavily touristed area, and we followed it to some more specialized shops. The first was a gemstone store. It featured some very pretty almost feathery shapes in a distinctive green color. The Chinese name translated to "peacock mineral," which we later discovered is called "malachite." A second shop included jewelry of various sorts. I used the opportunity to ask a question that had been bothering me. Why walnuts? The owner explained that walnuts absorb lipids from our skin, making our skin appear healthier. As we began returning to the tourist area, we heard a strange scraping noise coming from one of the shops. It was a carpenter, applying a plane to some bound wood. He was creating a smooth planter for sale. Seeing the curls of wood come away from his planing was very therapeutic.
We continued deeper into the Qibao, across the River Puhui. We came to Fuqiang Street. Cricket House stands in memory of this quarter's history in cricket fighting. We continued over to Yutang Street, where we took pictures at the massive three-story pawn shop.
When we turned back toward the river past Beigu Lane, we encountered a fascinating little second-hand store. I was excited, because I had been looking for just such a place since arriving in China. We looked through the books and found more copies of the Selected Works of Mao Zedong, but no 1960s copies of the little red book. As we worked our way around the shop, we suddenly found some very tiny red books. One of them was an ID for a plastics factory from 1980, apparently for the woman who ran the shop. The other was a small manual on the responsibilities of people who join the Communist Party. I was elated to discover it dated from 1969, the same year as my copy of the Selected Works of Mao Zedong!
With our spirits running high, we walked in the direction of the Qibao Temple. The sun was westering, and the skies began dripping a bit. When we arrived at the ticket office for the temple, the attendant announced that ticket sales had come to an end and commented that it was a temple, not a tourist site. I tried to keep a respectful mien; I have no desire to be "that American." We returned to the tourist area.
We paused by a restaurant where the chef was rolling noodles out by hand in the front window. The nameplate for the business read "Da Da Handmade Noodles." This staple is a specialty of the Sichuan area, and the whole group wanted to taste them, so we ordered bowls for each of us. I must say that my chopstick skills are fairly rudimentary, and the weight of the noodles was a significant challenge for me. The grad students gave me some pointers on the placement of my fingers, but I mostly made my way by levering the end of a noddle out of the broth and sucking it the rest of the way into my mouth. Happily, making a slurping sound over your soup is expected.
I was not anxious to leave my last night of tourism behind. The graduate students and I walked down the street. Jinqiu Xiao spotted a cart full of bootleg DVDs and asked if I were interested. I looked through the titles and found a likely set:
- X-Men Apocalypse
- Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
- Captain America: Civil War
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
We asked the price, and the dealer replied 40 Yuan (divide by six for dollars). I pushed for the best price, and she said I could add a movie at that price. I added "Cobain: Montage of Heck." Sold! (Remember, though, that giving money to bootleg DVD manufacturers supports the violation of U.S. law.) With my last memento purchased, we hailed a taxi and returned to campus and then the hotel. My time in Shanghai was at an end.


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Tag: Fiesta Gardens
An Interview with Rich Garza, founder of Pachanga Fest
Who's ready to eat the most delicious tacos in Austin and dance to some of the best Latino music around? You'll have your chance at the Pachanga Festival, happening at Fiesta Gardens Saturday, May 10 from noon - 11 pm. We had a chance to discuss Pachanga Fest with its founder, Rich Garza. Here is what he had to say...
Pachanga Fest – May 10 at Fiesta Gardens
Oh, mamas, it's time to get your dance on! Saturday, May 10, Pachanga Fest comes to Fiesta Gardens with a line-up that will have your whole family moving and grooving. From noon - 11 pm, the whole family can enjoy an immersive experience into Latino culture through arts, crafts, music, food, workshops and more.
Colorado River Ramble and Family Water Festival
Water is one of the central components of life on earth. It also happens to be really fun to play around in. Thus, the 5th Annual Colorado River Ramble & Family Water Festival makes perfect sense. To put it plainly, it's just a good idea. Seriously, who doesn't like to frolic around in a nice body of water? Weirdos, that's who.
Texas VegFest at Fiesta Gardens, April 5
It's time to celebrate all things vegetable on Saturday, Apr. 5, at the Texas VegFest at Fiesta Gardens. Now in it's third year, VegFest celebrates the health, environmental, and animal welfare benefits of plant-based lifestyles. For a suggested donation of $5, festival-goers can enjoy activities include cooking demonstrations, lectures, youth activities, community outreach activities, and live music!


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A diverse and inclusive workplace expands possibilities for everyone. Innovation happens when people with varied experiences and backgrounds feel empowered to work to their full potential. Different perspectives and fresh viewpoints drive creative solutions—and give companies a competitive edge. Silicon Valley Bank is working to increase diversity internally and throughout the innovation ecosystem.
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Silicon Valley Bank sponsored the 2017 Watermark Conference for Women in Silicon Valley in early February and the Massachusetts Conference for Women in Boston in December 2016. Several SVB executives led discussions on topics including the growing role of women in innovation, how to lead change and gender pay equity.
In 2014, SVB launched a firm-wide inclusion and diversity survey to understand our employees' experiences, interests and priorities; the results identified areas of opportunity to raise awareness and understanding, and informed our inclusion and diversity strategy moving forward.
We launched Unconscious Bias workshops in 2015, to understand how we can interrupt biases in our decision-making.
Building upon that foundational program, we began rolling out additional workshops with SVB's leaders across our global offices in 2016. The goal for these ongoing workshops is to provide managers with practical and actionable tips to mitigate unintentional bias through the language we use to talk about talent and leadership at SVB. We also provide training and resources to enable our employees to be inclusive leaders and active advocates for leveraging our teams' diverse experiences to help our clients make an impact on the world.
Silicon Valley Bank is a founding partner of theBoardlist, a national curated talent marketplace to help business leaders identify and recommend highly qualified women to join boards of innovation companies. SVB executives are working with theBoardlist on its plans to expand in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Listen to John China, SVB's Head of Technology Banking, and theBoardlist Founder Sukhinder Singh Cassidy discuss women on boards.
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Check out this super cute hound dog lampwork glass bead by Lauren of MayBeads. She makes all sorts of cute animal beads. Check them out on her ArtFire and Etsy stores.
I just couldn't help posted this cute kitty stocking bead from her Etsy store. Click HERE to see this listing.
Many of the Fire Divas are having a black Friday/cyber Monday sale this weekend. Check on this thred for more information.


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One size doesn't fit all: Social priorities and technical conflicts for small modular reactors Science Direct, M.V. Ramana, Zia Mian 2014.04.15 .
"…………..Waste reduction and proliferation risk
One way that designers have tried to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated has been to move to reactors that use fast neutrons.23 Because a significant fraction of their energy is released through the in situ breeding of fuel, fast reactors do require far less uranium to be loaded and produce less nuclear waste. Even in those cases where the spent fuel unloaded from such an SMR is not reprocessed and ultimately prepared for final disposal, the quantity of waste generated would be significant reduced [107].
The total amount of plutonium generated with these designs, however, is much larger than for light water reactors. More importantly, the concentration of plutonium in the spent fuel is about 6–7 times higher than in LWR fuel. This characteristic translates directly into a higher risk of proliferation because would-be proliferators have to divert only a much smaller quantity of spent fuel to a clandestine reprocessing plant to produce adequate material to make one or more nuclear weapons.
Proponents of such SMRs usually claim that their designs are proliferation resistant because the plutonium in the spent fuel is not separated out routinely. However, this assertion assumes that the reactor and spent fuel are used as intended, and does not account for misuse or diversion. Indeed, the very definition of proliferation resistance from the IAEA—characteristics of a nuclear energy system that impede the diversion of undeclared production of nuclear material or misuse of technology by states in order to acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices [114]—involves the possibilities of misuse and diversion.
Further, despite the higher costs associated with reprocessing, there are many countries that persist with reprocessing spent fuel, including Russia and India. Many other countries have ambitious plans to embark on reprocessing. Further, outside of the United States, most fast spectrum SMRs are being designed to operate in a closed fuel cycle [43]. The high concentration of plutonium will make the reprocessing of spent fuel from SMRs that much more economically attractive. Reprocessing has traditionally been associated with greater proliferation risks and thus the widespread of adoption of the technology would enhance the risk of nuclear weapon proliferation
Waste reduction and safety
The use of fast neutron reactors to reduce the amount of waste generated also has implications for safety. In thermal reactors, the core is typically in its most reactive configuration when it is operating normally at full power. Any change to this configuration in an accident would therefore decrease the power being produced. In fast reactors by contrast, collapsing the fuel into a reduced volume increases the rate at which the chain reaction occurs. If this were to happen quickly enough, the pressure in the fuel would rise fast enough to lead to an explosion. This could fracture the protective barriers around the core, including the containment building, and release large fractions of the radioactive material in the reactor into the surroundings. Such a "core disassembly accident" (CDA) has therefore been an important concern among the fast reactor design community ever since the first fast neutron reactors were constructed [115]. CDA studies have been conducted for nearly all of the fast reactors constructed or proposed in the United States and Western Europe [116]. Core meltdown accidents can also occur without disassembly: two U.S. fast reactors have had partial core meltdowns.
Another safety problem that affects some fast reactors, including SMRs, is due to the use of molten sodium as coolant. Though sodium has some safety advantages, it reacts violently with water and burns if exposed to air.24 Further, when sodium absorbs a neutron, it is converted to an intensely radioactive isotope called sodium-24, a major problem when any component in the reactor has to be repaired. One of the persistent problems in sodium cooled fast reactors built so far has been the propensity for leaks to develop, especially in the steam generators. These have occurred in almost all countries and at various stages of the operational life, suggesting that there are fundamental reasons for such leaks [117]. These safety problems are likely to afflict SMRs that are based on the same principles as well.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629614000486
4.4. Proliferation resistance and economics
As discussed earlier, one avenue that has been pursued by SMR designers to improve proliferation resistance is through increasing the period between refueling. A good example of a reactor design that seeks to achieve greater proliferation resistance is the Atoms for Peace Reactor (AFPR-100). AFPR-100 is a 100 MW(e) reactor that was originally designed to have no need of on-site refueling [87]. Over the years, however, its design has been evolving (in part because of problems with the fuel that had not been envisaged) and therefore cannot be treated as finalized.25
The longer lifetime of the fuel—in this case, designed to be the lifetime of the reactor itself—comes at a price: increased fueling cost. The problem is that the operator of the reactor would have to pay upfront for two or three decades' worth of fuel rather than being able to pay for annual or biennial loading of fuel at a time. A second factor driving up the cost is the higher uranium enrichment level needed to keep the reactor working through its lifetime. Together, these render the cost of fueling the reactor much more expensive. For example, the average enrichment level of fuel for the AFPR was about 11.3 percent [118]. This could result in a cost for uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication to be about $8000/kg as opposed to about $2500/kg for 4% enriched uranium. The total premium for the use of a larger upfront loading of uranium with higher enrichment depends on the details of the design, but we estimate that it could be of the order of $30/MWh more than a conventional LWR. This is a substantial economic disincentive.26 The case of "nuclear battery" type SMRs is likely to be similar………..
Table 1.
Generic SMR designs and the relationship of technical characteristics to various desirable goals; the implicit comparison is with standard-sized light water reactors.
|SMR family
|Technical characteristic
|Desirable criteria
|Volume of waste
|Proliferation risk
|Smaller size, lower fuel burnup
|Lower power density and higher enrichment level
|Mixed impact
|Mixed impact
|Fast Reactors
|Higher power density and higher fissile content, molten metal coolants


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Imperial Beach – City of San Diego border on Palm Avenue
Pond 20, originally one of the salt ponds of the Western Salt Company, is a 95.13-acre parcel of land, with develop-able acreage of 53 acres, located between Palm Avenue and the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge in south San Diego Bay. It is has been owned by the San Diego Unified Port District (Port) since 1998, and lies within the city limits of San Diego and the redevelopment area of Imperial Beach. It is an area that many consider to be the gateway to South County's beaches. Pond 20 currently is undeveloped, and the Port is working with the cities of San Diego and Imperial Beach to explore opportunities for future uses. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), has been developed between the Port of San Diego and the cities of San Diego and Imperial Beach, which outlines a process to solicit input and develop project proposals to determine the highest and best use for Pond 20.


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Fort Mose's accessible museum features interactive audio, video and tactile stations as well as paintings, historic maps, archaeological artifacts and hands-on learning. Audio tours are available with assisted listening devices, several exhibits feature Braille font and a large print museum guide is available. The park has one manual wheelchair available during the visitor center operating hours on a first come first served basis.
Activity Type:
Park or Trail:
Fort Mose Historic State Park


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OK, I don't know why this is cool, it just is.
It is a living database showing how well professional teams and leagues are doing with social media. It obviously shows Twitter, Facebook and total fan/followers.
Go ahead and click on one of the teams (not on my snapshot but go to the link.) You'll see the trend lines. I have to think this is of interest to the teams. Why, for example, is the NBA so much more successful? Perhaps it has to do with the excitement created by the just-ended playoffs. It may be as simple as that, I don't know.
Think that's cool? Check this out. No reason to hunt around for your favorite athlete on Twitter. Brendan Wilhide did the legwork for you.
I found those fun things here, on the journalist's toolbox. I know I've mentioned the tool box before. If you want to use Twitter, this is a great place to start.
— Clay


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Broadway & Walker Streets 950 Sf Showroom Style Office Loft
Price: $1
Move in condition corner office suite on the 10th floor of a building on 31st St between 6th Ave and 7th Ave. Located in the Garment/Fashion District, close to Herald Square. Space features carpeted floors, exposed ceilings, great light from windows on 2 sides of the space, and is configured with 2 windowed offices. Space measures 1,223 SF, asking price is $35.00/SF, $3,567.08/month.


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Strength for Senior's classes are aimed for the over 60's in which gentle strength, mobility and balance exercises are encouraged.
The classes are run by our highly qualified physiotherapist to ensure that all exercises are tailored for the person's needs regardless of current conditions/injuries. Classes are casual drop in classes and are run in small groups and held every Tuesday at 12pm.
Classes are $20 for 45mins and are claimable via health funds T560 (group physiotherapy consultation)
Please free free to enquire or book in for a class 8344 8484.


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Members and friends of the EuBC were once again cordially invited to join us at this prominent and only high-goal winter polo tournament succeeded by our new year's reception at the Badrutt's Palace Hotel on 28 January. Further information on the polo tournament could be obtained from the website http://www.snowpolo-stmoritz.com and for registration, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Time:
- Saturday, 28.01.2017, 10:00 am
- Location:
- Badrutts Palace Hotel
- Where:
- Via Serlas 27, 7500 St. Moritz/CH, 7500 St. Moritz/CH
MapView with Google Maps
Badrutts Palace Hotel, Via Serlas 27, 7500 St. Moritz/CH, 7500 St. Moritz/CH, Germany


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Our weather is still warm for this time of year. It doesn't chill you to the bone to go outside. And the wind that usually cuts you in half has not been present. I like it!
In the morning we plugged along at our school work. I worked at some house work that I had been putting off.
Before lunch we finished spelling and grammar.
I made these refried beans for lunch, and they were so good. We will make them again for bean burritos. I put on a deer roast to make BBQ for supper.
After lunch we worked on math & science. While my kids worked on math, I made a snickerdoodle coffee cake for something sweet to eat.
Quentin got home from work around 4 and started working on our water line again. He had bought the wrong size pipe last night. We now have running water!!!!
When I took Poky out for the last time tonight there was about an inch of snow on the ground. He thought it tasted quite yummy. 🙂


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In a new American Management Association podcast, leaders of the Hay Group's employee research division and authors of The Enemy Engagement: Put an End to Workplace Frustration–and Get the Most from Your Employees, talk about employee engagement.
Organizations are always looking to get the best out of employees but the traditional means of doing so may be all wrong. Mark Royal and Tom Agnew, authors of the book, Enemy of Engagement, think that strong and forward-looking managers enable their employees to channel their extra or discretionary efforts productively. They talk about how to feed your team's desire to feel accomplished, create better support levels, and combat the common causes that lead to lack of employee engagement.
Listen to the AMA Edgewise podcast here.
Mark Royal and Tom Agnew are leaders in the employee research division of the Hay Group, a global management consulting firm. With 85 offices in 49 countries, Hay Group works with clients across every major industry and sector to transform research insights into actionable business strategies. Mark Royal holds a Ph.D. and MA degrees in sociology from Stanford University. Tom Agnew received his Ph.D. in management from Vanderbilt University and MBA from the University of Saskatchewan.
Related Posts:
Podcast: Emily King on Recruiting and Keeping Veterans
Podcast: Susan Reed on the Power of Corporate DiversityPodcast: Susan Shearouse on The Upside of Conflict
Podcast: John Baldoni on How to Lead Through the Tough Times


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Accountability To Women Could Upset Business As Usual
Many more women than men are in vulnerable employment, working without pay for a member of their household or self-employed.
A public presentation of the "Progress of the World's Women" report by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Pretoria, South Africa this week suggests that one of the most powerful constraints on realising women's rights and achieving the Millennium Development Goals is a lack of accountability to women's needs.
The report sets out a gender-responsive definition for accountability: the capacity of women to get information and explanations of government actions, initiate investigations or be compensated where necessary, and to see officials sanctioned where women's needs are ignored or women's rights not protected.
Poor women in particular are affected by weak accountability, and if they are to gain a voice in corporate and civic governance in spite of unequal gender relations, the report recommends that the number of women in decision-making posts be increased and, equally importantly, institutions be transformed to be more responsive to women's needs.
The Pretoria presentation focused on women's rights in the context of powerful global market forces.
"We see the economic and financial crisis as an opportunity to reconsider our economic models in terms of gender equality and achieving the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals)," said UNIFEM's deputy executive director, Joanne Sandler, at the launch Monday.
Drawing on figures produced by the International Labour Organisation, UNIFEM's Progress report shows how more women than men are in vulnerable employment, working without pay for a member of their household or self-employed. Over 60 percent of unpaid family workers are women.
In formal employment, hundreds of thousands of the jobs created in Africa during the economic growth period following the turn of the millennium – many of which were filled by women – are proving to be extremely vulnerable in the downturn.
UNIFEM Executive Director Ines Alberdi, who was addressing the Fifth Annual Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament in Vienna on Monday, said that in Africa, where a booming export apparel industry has provided thousands of new jobs for poor women since 2002, including over 100,000 in Kenya, Lesotho and Swaziland, falling holiday sales are destroying the industry's viability.
Morocco's textile industry, including carpets, knitwear and garment manufacturing, where women constitute up to 79 percent of workers, has already lost 10,000 jobs due to the crisis.
According to Alberdi, statistics from the 1997 Asian financial crisis show that increased violence and abuse against women and a rise in infant and child deaths are some of the possible detrimental effects of the present crisis.
She added that girls in poor countries with low education attainment rates are more likely to be pulled out of school as households cope with declining resources; by 2007, girls already accounted for 54 percent of the world's out-of-school population, a percentage likely to rise higher.
"…it is now a truism that in every crisis there is an opportunity. Global crises such as this one, which can define a generation, can upset the business-as-usual way the world operates, which makes it so hard to bring about change," said Alberdi.
Business-as-usual, according to the report, has seen governments try to attract investment by, for example, weakening labour and environmental standards in special Export Processing Zones (EPZs).
UNIFEM is sharply critical of this approach in terms of accountability, pointing out that what attracts investment to these zones is the low cost of labour – mostly female. The often-secret deals reached between governments and companies in these zones place huge obstacles in the way of millions of women demanding fair wages and working conditions.
The report evaluates several voluntary or consumer-driven corporate social responsibility initiatives, before making recommendations which may not be welcome reading for transnational business owners: gender equality must become an explicit part of national legislation and international trade policy (and gender disaggregated data will be needed to guide this); women should be involved in national economic planning and the negotiation of trade agreements; and special – though temporary – measures to increase the number of women in decision-making are needed, including quotas for women on the boards of publicly-listed companies.
In a nutshell, governments must hold market institutions accountable.
This will require powerful mobilisation of women. Pointing to the role played by women's movements around the world in challenging authoritarian governments, pressing for peace, and promoting legislative changes to laws governing marriage, inheritance and harmful traditional customs, the UNIFEM report's authors are optimistic that governments can be made to answer to women.
World Bank: plus ça change
Contrast UNIFEM's recommendations with those found in a recent policy document written by the World Bank's senior spokesperson on gender and development issues, Mayra Buvinic.
Buvinic believes that women and girls in the developing world will be disproportionally affected by the global economic crisis. She suggests that responses that build on women's roles as economic agents can go a long way towards mitigating negative effects.
"In Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya and South Africa, among other countries, rigorous studies unequivocally show that children's welfare (nutritional status, schooling attendance) in poor households improves more when income is in women's hands rather than in men's," she writes.
So economic opportunities for poor women should be at the heart of designing safety nets, employment creation projects and financial sector operations.
"In particular, micro-finance institutions should be capitalised so that they continue to offer credit and other financial services to poor borrowers, the majority of whom are women. The development payoffs of these investments should be large – both in terms of mitigating current hardships and preventing future ones, and are a smart use of development assistance."
Public works programmes targeting women are praised; limited fiscal ability to provide social safety nets by governments deplored.
But no mention of a role for improved regulation of the market forces which have delivered food and financial crises or the vulnerable employment that is evaporating so rapidly.
(Reminder: We now have the rss feed from Genderwire – IPS News – displayed in the column to the right.)


text: The referee blows the full-time whistle and it ends James Milner's penalty after Lamela's clip on Roberto Firmino gave Liverpool the lead. Tottenham Hotspur Liverpool, Premier League REPORT: James Milner's .. Tottenham vs Liverpool: Team news, kick-off time, probable. Read about Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool in the /17 season, including # TOTLIV. FT. Tottenham Hotspur TOT. Liverpool LIV. HT: Half Time.


text:
Lake Oswego City Council reviews draft of Climate Action Plan
Lake Oswego's Climate Action Plan is nearing the finish line following a public Open House and a City Council study session held last week to discuss strategies for officially adopting and implementing the proposal.
City Councilors made development of a plan one of their goals for 2017, and the current draft is the result — the product of a yearlong collaboration between City staff, the Sustainability Advisory Board and volunteers from the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network.
Jenny Slepian, the City's sustainability and management analyst, presented the final draft to the council on Feb. 27, emphasizing that the authors had sought to keep a narrow focus on specific "action items" that the City could actually take.
"A lot of cities have this wonderful plan that they can't implement," she said, "and we didn't want to end up with that."
The plan suggests a combination of City and community actions. The community actions can be undertaken at any time, and several volunteers have already begun working on some of the suggestions.
But the City actions will require more of an official framework to be carried out, which is why Slepian said she and others involved in drafting the plan recommended that the council incorporate the plan into Lake Oswego's existing Sustainability Action Plan for City Operations.
The sustainability plan is due for an update anyway, she said, and while climate action and sustainability aren't precisely the same topics, there's considerable overlap between the two.
"This isn't a comprehensive plan, and I wouldn't treat it that way," said SAB co-chair Eliot Metzger, who joined Slepian at the study session. "I think this can live inside other plans that the City has on the books."
Metzger recapped the plan's development process and thanked several of the community leaders who helped draft the document, including Stephanie Glazer, Duke Castle, Lisa Adatto and Bob Sack.
Mayor Kent Studebaker asked about the plan's transportation goals, and Metzger outlined the document's support for electric vehicle adoption and charging stations, as well as further transit development. But he added that the issue might not be entirely in Lake Oswego's hands.
"We've heard in the past that TriMet has had plans but not money," he said.
A significant portion of the study session focused on goals relating to waste, consumption and recycling, which have beeen in the news lately because of changes in the global recycling market that have forced local companies to begin accepting fewer plastics.
"Waste is a hot topic," Slepian said. "It's probably 90 percent of the calls I get from the public."
Metzger said that some of the plan's actions can already start being implemented even before the final draft comes back, but Councilor John LaMotte said it would be important for the plan to receive official approval and for the City to provide leadership. He asked Slepian if the City would be able to fulfill that role.
"We now have somebody from every department who is aware we're working on this process," she replied. "And we need that staff buy-in."
Councilors Jeff Gudman, Jackie Manz, Theresa Kohlhoff, Joe Buck and LaMotte all expressed support for the plan, although an official adoption vote was delayed until after the community Open House. With both of the two final reviews now finished, the next step will be for the council to officially adopt the plan, which is currently scheduled to take place at its April 3 meeting.
The council will likely vote on a pair of resolutions: one to adopt the Climate Action Plan itself, and another to adopt a revised Sustainability Action Plan for City Operations that incorporates the City's action areas.


text:
To his credit, however, [Christopher] Hitchens does not usually resort to violence. Not so the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. This Beirut trip was nastily marked by a run-in with that party's heavies on Hamra Street, which left Hitchens limping and even more viscerally opposed to the Syrian regime and pro-Syrian Lebanese parties. Over roasted songbirds and 1985 Chateau St-Emilion, he related to NOW Lebanon his experience, which began last Saturday afternoon when he sighted the SSNP's swastika-like symbol on a poster in Hamra. "My attitude to posters with swastikas on them," he said, "has always been the same. They should be ripped down." Upon realizing that this one was too, "enshrined, plasticated," for tearing down, he wrote on it some, "essentially negative words about National Socialism," widely reported to be "F*** the SSNP."That sounds about right. The article goes on to detail the content of Hitchens' lecture at the AUB. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of his, but you have to appreciate the presence of dissenting voices in society ... unless you belong to the SSNP that is.
And no sooner had he pocketed the pen, one of the party's supporters "appeared as if he'd jumped out of the nearest drain, which perhaps he had," and assaulted Hitchens, "pulling my shirt, smacking me about." The assailant called for support, which arrived in the form of several more men who flung him to the floor and stamped on him, before Hitchens and his two colleagues managed to get away. The shocking thing, he said, was "the absolutely supine conduct of this cop who was standing not far away…what is a cop for? To patrol and reinforce swastika artists hurting people on Hamra Street?"
For more classic displays of SSNP behaviour, check out: Beating up the Free Media; Burning down the Free Media; Terror in Beirut; Terror Training; Rally Detonations; and, my personal favorite, Car Bomb Ingredients (with pictures).


text:
FREE Biergarten this weekend featuring The Rheingold Band!
Come and join in the fun. Biergarten is wunderbar!
The German American Club of Louisville welcomes you to biergarten! This is an outdoor event. Foreign and domestic beer available, authentic German cuisine, dancing, and live music featuring The Rheingold Band. Plan an evening of fun! Gemütlichkeit!
Date: Saturday, June 18th
Time: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
FREE Admission! Open to public and family friendly.
Location: German-American Club.
1840 Lincoln Avenue Louisville, Ky
For more info: http://www.german-americanclub.com/


text:
I've enjoyed going to Mick's for a long time. How long, I couldn't tell you. It doesn't matter, you see.
I thought it did. I thought it made a difference too.
I- damn it, this isn't getting any easier. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
I thought I was real too.
You think it hurts to find out at my base, my core, I have nothing? I lived here in this city for over fifteen years before we ran into each other!
Gods it hurts inside. Is this emotion or am I-
I- don't know if- if I died in the waking world, or if-
I don't think I ever existed outside the Draylands, and I don't know what when I started- oh ow.
Ow. Oh no.
I think this is- Ow, oh god, ow, Ow, OW


text:
Monday, December 31, 2012
I want to lose at least 50lbs before June. I want to be 100lbs lighter for the summer. It would be pretty amazing.. I'd only be 50lbs from my goal then. Such a silly thing to be excited for, only being 50lbs overweight!
I just can't imagine ever being less than 200lbs. I hope I can actually get there. I have to stay motivates! I have started a daily exercise regime- it's nothing that strenuous right now, but it does give me a work out and it's something to help keep me motivated again.
Anyways, my next weigh in isn't until January 8th (I think) wish me luck, hope I didn't gain..
Friday, December 21, 2012
I am always trying to be nice to people, it really shocks me how rude people really are.. Especially around this time of year.. I don't get it.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
I am losing some motivation for my serious black and white view of this diet. I have messed up a lot the last week. I don't see my doctor again until the 8th. I am in a frame of mind right now where my only goal for the rest of this month is to not gain. I could care less about losing.. I just feel so blah! Christmas is about food and family. I just put so much damn emotion into my cooking to be able to just ... Not do it anymore. I am baking and cooking just the same as I always have. A lot of people would say it's bad, or that I don't understand the diet. I sure do, I sure understand it. But life is short, and I want to be happy. I find happiness in cooking for my family and friends.. Healthy food, or not. I could do a healthy Christmas meal, but, would anyone really want it? Would my family want to drive two hours to have rabbit food? I wouldn't.
I have a hard time with the idea of being low carb for the rest of my life. In my head I will be low carb until I reach my goal. Then I will test to find a life style that suits me better. Maybe I will do weight watchers, or count calories for maintenance. I just ... Don't know. I can tell you I won't eat carbs the way I did. Though.
I am feeling sad. I hope I can figure this out. I hope I am not setting my kids up to face such horrible weight problems. I am sitting with my daughter, as she's eating a peanut butter sandwich (that she asked for) and I feel guilty for it. I feel like I shouldn't give it to her, like by feeding her carbs I am messing her up for life. Uhhghg! Such a horrible frame of mind. I dislike this.
Anyways, I am going to celebrate the way I want, I am going to be happy, and have the food that makes me feel happy and loved. Not everyday, just one one special day. If I misstep, it happens. I have my tools, as soon as these holidays pass, the temptation will be gone. It will be back to normal, be back to not being strapped for cash, and just trying to get by without buying extra.
Lately I have found that I would rather not eat, then eat something healthy. Does that even make sense? I am not hungry. I had an egg and spinach for breakfast, and a coffee. I should be hungry. I'm not. Ugh!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Day after weigh in!
I am very happy, but can't figure out what my overall goal weight should be. All the paperwork says 160lbs or so for my height. I don't think that's really feasible with how much skin I will have left.. I am already looking pretty droopy. I am really hoping that in the next four months I can lose 35-40lbs.. I don't know if that's a realistic goal, or not! I really really hope so.. That will put me around 235 (depending on what I actually lose) and I want to start running hopefully at 230lbs!! I have a slightly bad knee, and with the winter deep freeze setting in, it's just not something I can do at this weight and in the winter. I would love to get a treadmill, just so I can get some walking in until then.. Maybe I will be able to pull some funds together to get one for myself.. :s
Anyways, I am still chipping away at this weight! Hopefully doing some good. :)
Monday, November 26, 2012
Lazy Parmesan chicken breast
Two to Three chicken breasts
1 tbsp of olive oil low fat mayonnaise
2tbsp of Parmesan cheese
1tsp of olive oil
pepper to taste
Optional - garlic, chili flakes, or lemon
Mix mayo with Parmesan, and oil.. Season chicken breasts, place them onto a greased pan, spread the paste of cheese on top, then bake at 400 until the top is crispy and golden brown (about 30 minutes, but it really depends on the thickness of your chicken). You could sub the mayo for Caesar dressing, sour cream, cream cheese, or even Greek yoghurt!
Happy eating :)
Btw, the picture has roasted carrots, and roasted potatoes; this was a photo of my kids' dinner.. I don't eat root vegetables :) but roasted carrots are amazing 400 for 40 minutes (or until they are brown around the edges) just toss em in olive oil, salt and pepper. Potatoes were prepared the same way, with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese instead of salt.
Sweet chipotle beef recipe
Sweet Chipotle Beef
(Seared beef, on top of spinach, and green onion in a sweet chipotle sauce)
Serves 1
6 pieces of stewing beef (I believe it was from a eye of the round roast- since I eat my beef rare, it did not get tough, if you like it well done, use a more tender cut of beef, or actually stew the beef.. I'd recommend in beef broth with a chipotle pepper)
3 cups of spinach
1 green onion
1/2 of a chipotle pepper (in adobo)
1 tsp of olive oil
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1 packet of Splenda (or whatever sweetner you choose)
And a splash of water (beef broth would be better; I just had none!)
Half salt and pepper to taste
(For rare/med rare beef) heat oil in pan on high, brown beef on all sides, remove from pan, lower heat, put spinach chipotle, splenda and spices into pan, add a splash of water.. Cook until spinach is tender, put meat back into the pan and toss.
If you are going to stew it for well done beef, just cover the beef in low sodium broth, maybe toss in half a chipotle if you want some extra spicy, bring to a boil, then drop to low heat and simmer for an hour or maybe longer depending on the cut of beef.. Then do the same thing with the already stewed beef!
Would be great served on cauliflower rice (blitzed cauliflower, then steamed) or regular rice if you're not low carb!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Weigh in day is nigh!!
I am coming to terms with the holiday season. It is going to be hard not to enjoy the chocolates, the cheese and the root veggies. I know I will have screw ups, but I am not going to give up, I owe this to myself and my kids. The baking will be the hardest, since I usually bake for my friends an family.. I want Christmas to be special for my kids, I am not going to change the tradition of baking together, I just won't. It's something I find important, instead I will just make smaller batches and give most away!
I want to be able to start running in the spring, so I have to keep on it, my legs would probably explode if I started running now at 279lbs. We will see :)
I am never getting fat again.
Recipe for "Egg bites"
4 whole eggs, plus two whites
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 a green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp cream (or milk)
3 slices of cheddar cut in half (or crumbled, like I did)
Half salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit, oil muffin pan with olive oil, or spray. Chop veggies and sautee them in a pan (this cuts down on sogginess in the finished product), crack eggs and egg whites into a bowl, add vegetable mixture (add seasoning here), mix well then ladle into greased muffin tin. Place one half of each slice of cheese onto the top of each egg cupcake, bake for about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
This recipe made 6 egg bites.
You can add anything to this recipe (meat or veggie wise) and it would be amazing if you mixed in a cup of bisquick or carbquik.
I did this nutrition fact with my fitness pal, so I can't guarantee it's accuracy, but it looks close enough for my happiness, obviously serving size is one egg bite.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Weigh in..
Anyways, I have been down in the dumps, and very weak. I have been keeping a food journal, and I swear it's just making me worse. I don't know. I hope my next weigh in is better! I will enjoy my hard candies though, I don't want to binge on those, and they satisfy my sweet tooth. It's all about finding balance, I suppose. I am trying to figure this out, but I know this will always be a life long struggle. I am glad I haven't felt like I can't do this, times get tough, and everyone messes up. Get back up, and keep going at it.
Cheating implies that you get away with it. I don't get away when I eat bad food, I just cheat myself out of success! I can do this.. I will. I will be happy, and I will be healthy... For my kids, and for myself.
Friday, November 9, 2012
But when? When so I have time for me? Let alone for a massive undergoing such as a giant purge. I need to set a date, give the kids to MIL and just do it. Sigh, I don't know!
I wish I had someone to help me! I am not organized but I want to remove as much as I can so I don't need that much organization skill haha!
The 6th was my birthday, it was a bit of a bad day, My sister came up from Brampton to spend some time with me.. She bought me lunch.. So I had a bad day. I'm hoping I am back in ketosis now, though, I have been super strict, and will be until my weigh in. I hope the few bad days I had didn't ruin these two weeks. But, as I've said before my "bad days" now are way better than the "good days" I had before!!
Right now I am snuggled up on the couch with my two year old.. We are sharing three blankets, as she watches her favourite show. I am so happy right now.
Now, should I get up from this lovely warm spot with her, and clean? I should, but spending time with her one on one seems more important. Ahh.. Maybe when they go to bed tonight!!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Ahh Halloween.
This year I was able to live it through my children, which was fabulous. My 2 year old didn't care about the rain, and wind.. So in turn, neither did I. We started at 6:30, and didn't get in till 9:30 .. Both my kids were happy as clams. We sorted candy, and I was not tempted. After the whole shebang, we still had to go grocery shopping.. I stuffed some candies in my pockets for the girls 'cause they hadn't had dinner yet, we were Going to take them to McDonald's in the Walmart. Well, they were closed.. We got our shopping done, and hit McDonald's on the way home. I had a left over salad, and half a steak in the fridge, so I had that.
Yesterday, the chocolate in the cupboard got to me.. DP bought a bunch on sale for himself. Knowing it wasn't the girls candy made it ... Accessible to me. I never am tempted by their treats, cause they are for the kids. Ugh. So I for sure knocked myself out of ketosis.. I am not proud, in fact am ashamed. It is I hard to just say no. It's ridiculous how weak it makes me feel to think I can't even ignore a damn mini chocolate bar. My willpower is strong, but .. The kids screaming, and not listening stresses me out.. I never learned how to cope with stressful situations. My way of coping was to eat, or do something horrible to myself. Both very unhealthy, yet both still ingrained into my being
This diet is not only about food, it is about coming face to face with the reasons behind why I eat. Did my parents teach me this? Did they not hug me enough, is it just my nature? Am I doomed to be unhealthy my entire life? And will I ever be able to over come this. I want to replace my stress eating with stress exercising. I think that is at least productive. I think I need to seek some guidance, I need to learn some we coping skills.
Ugh I don't know!
I have started using my fitness pal, and now that I am tracking my calories, ontop of carbs.. I never hit my daily recommended intake. Is this a bad thing? Even the day where I ate the chocolate, I was still 500 calories under the recommended minimum for my body.. Just something interesting to think about.
I will be asking my doctor when I see her next about all of this. And the dizziness has returned.
Alright, good luck!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Yesterday's adventure
I am proud of myself, especially because I didn't have a perfect time.. But that's still awesome! I am going to look into the raspberry ketone supplement you can get (and yes, I will make sure I am happy with the ingredients.
I have stopped relying on the protein powder for breakfast, doesn't seem to work for me! Now I know :)
Anyways, that puts my total loss up to 41lbs!!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Weigh in day!
I am a little upset but happy that it was a loss, and not a gain! The next two weeks I really need to shape up! I don't need bad habits! I had a salad at McDonald's today.. It was that, or don't eat.
My mommy is down visiting from Quebec for the week, which will be nice for the times when I would be alone and dying for a treat! She will be there to be extra accountable to. I had a bad week. I need to be extra strict!! I can continue, and I will lose more! I still haven't gotten my hair cut, but when I hit 50lbs down, I am getting a new purse!! Haha!
Friday, October 12, 2012
I have been really busy, my kids have both decided to become little bundles of complete terror!!! Last night I almost gave in to a glass of wine due to them making me cry a few times throughout the day..
I made a bunch of breakfasts up for the week(think crustless quiche) I have been anti mornings my whole life, so having babies and having to make two different breakfasts in the am is not something I enjoy doing.
The wonderful thing about this diet is you can eat! You'd be surprised though at how little I snack now that it has to be a healthy snack! Though... I'd eat a piece of that apple crisp for a snack right now LOL.
I am going to a baby shower on Sunday.. Going to try very hard to stay on plan.. At worst maybe a little phase two.. My doctor said I'm almost there, which is alright! I don't think I'll fully switch to phase 2 though, maybe every few days!
I am a bit afraid of my weigh in next though.. Ahh weigh ins are always scary!
Friday, October 5, 2012
It wasn't a great day for me.. I lost 5lbs fat, but gained 2lbs water.. So the scale only moved 3lbs. I was told not to worry so much as losing weight is not the important part; it's losing fat! Well, that's 5lbs that will never come back!!
I had a bad day after that weigh in.. The phone I wanted was no longer a promotional 0 dollars with a contract.. So I got an iPhone 4s instead! I'm. Or an apple fan.. But here I am! I was feeling sorry for myself and DP took me out for chicken wings... I didn't eat like 10lbs or anything. But had like.. A pound. Ugh! And a little cheesecake at some function we went to at the car dealership.
I went back to strict phase 1 again! :) I hope I can pass the 30lbs lost mark next weigh in.
Weight loss so far 27lbs!
I still need to get my hair cut for passing 25lbs!!
Friday, September 28, 2012
I survived.
I keep forgetting/skipping meals, it's really not on purpose.. It's just been hectic! The kitchen is almost put back together, with the exception of my table/chairs.. Which I can't wait for, 'cause sitting on the floor/standing at the counter to eat really isn't nice. There's still trimming, and other finishing work that needs done. I need to rig up a cupboard door, and invent three more.. In time, right? :)
My next weigh in is on Tuesday, October the second... Ahh. That's only a few days, I hate the few days before the weigh ins, they are always so stressful for me. I know I have been good, since being home though! I did have a few drinks the other night (vodka, and lemon lime mix sweetened with splenda).. I know you're not supposed to drink on this diet, but I kept it as Poon friendly as I could.. I've had a rough month, I needed an unwind. I had a great time, and helped DP shampoo our "new" used couches.. I also cut a rug and danced like a mad woman. I love dancing.. I may or may not have done the "gangnam style" dance.. LOL. I'm just worried that I sabotaged myself by skipping dinner and breakfast (replacing them with protein shakes, at least), I hope that doesn't affect my weight loss. If I lose less than 6lbs I will be sad!!
My starting weight was 321.5lbs, I was 24.5lbs lighter at my last weigh in. I miscalculated before!!! I'm an idiot, haha!
I'm enjoying a coffee while my children pull out all my pots and pans and make a mess, and you know what? It's amazing.
Positive thoughts are key, wish me weight loss luck for Tuesday!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
little victories
I have lost another 6lbs, -19lbs in total so far.
I am still at my mother in law's house, it is so hard to be here! I am a total crab!! My children have become complete monsters.. Like I just got kicked and slapped (and am now telling my 2 year old to get off the table for the 20th time in the last hour) ...So, now she's in time-out. Personally, I don't care if she is on the table. This is not my house, these are not my rules. Everyone here seems to forget that my children are very young. Yesterday Ivy got into some eggs that were left on the edge of the counter. She is always getting yelled at by her grandparents because they leave things out. Ivy has destroyed so many nasty cigarettes while here, maybe if people would put them UP that wouldn't happen. Then grandma has to drop a "if you do it again, I'm going to make you eat them" now Ivy thinks they are to eat. Seriously.
Anyways, negativity sucks. I am trying to be more positive in everything. Very trying when you are not in your comfort zone. Oh, and are told you are an inadequate parent almost everyday.. BUT really.. What can I do? I get to go home tomorrow. Do you know how EXCITED I AM?! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed, and have my own things, and my own couch, and my own MESS. Since I've been here, I'm the only one who changes the toilet paper roll! I'm the only one whose swept the floor, or cleaned anything.. LOL.. I've been here a month! But my cleaning at my house has been scrutinized.. I'm the one with the two small children here!!
Now, all that crap aside.. I am happy. My kids are screaming, and I've had a headache for a month (not even being dramatic here.. I have sleep apnea, and I think when it acts up my head hurts) I am not currently using a CPAP.. with my weight loss, my doctor seems to think it will go away! :)
Everyday is built up on small victories. Every time I decide NOT to eat a bite of the bread I'm cutting for my kids, is a victory. Every piece of pie, and every spoonful of sugar I don't put in my coffee is a victory. Everyday that I eat well makes it easier to keep eating well. It's not worth it to break my 'chain' of good eating, and good choices. In the beginning it is hell, "Oh who cares, it's only been two days" That's how I was thinking in the beginning of this adventure.. I don't think like that anymore. Last night I was "bad" I had a little tiny spoon of gravy, and fully intended on eating a slice of pie with everyone else. It s my absolute favourite... Strawberry Rhubarb.. When it came time, and I cut a piece for my kids... I had none. I sat and watched my inlaws, kids, and Jay eat pie.. I drank water, and proclaimed my want for pie. I also said "But it's not worth cheating for." I am only cheating myself, and when I cheat myself, I cheat my babies. It's a pretty good motivator.
Alright, so I've lost almost 20lbs, I still have at least 100lbs to go. It will be a long journey, and there will be times where I just want to give up. I have to stay positive. Attitude is everything! Right?
Good luck.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Been MIA lately..
Had some more issues up at my house, someone tossed brand new roofing nails all over my driveway.. MIL filed a police report (this is not the first time nails have been tossed in my driveway) and I think I am not getting my mail now.. Seems like someone is TAKING IT. UGH. I hope not.
I can't wait to get home, and start putting my life back together, 'cause I'm seriously living second to second and just.. am EXISTING instead of living, I hate it. I wake up every day counting down the minutes until bed time, then I go lay in MIL's bed room until 2-3am, DP comes home at 4am, and wakes me up to talk to me.. Then I have to get back up at 8-9 am. The days are long, the nights are long, and I am sinking into depression. My FIL is a dumbass, he is just.. UGH! I don't like him. I get along with MIL pretty well, but I don't think she really likes my parenting style, but that's fine by me. Both her kids didn't turn out great, so LOL at least I'm doing something different! HAHA..
Now for a giant "I LOVE CARBQUIK" advert, with crappy cellphone photos!
My first carbquik pancake, (1/3 cup carbquik, one egg white, splash of cream, and water) it was the best pancake I've ever had! I picked up some Waldenfarms pancake syrup-- it's terrible!! Tastes like chemical crap.. I won't buy it again.
I am tired of rubbery egg whites. I just... would be happy if I never had to eat one plain again.. I found a solution. I'm going to call these "fluffy eggs"... Because the carbquik has leavening in it, I put a tbsp in my regular egg white omelette, BAM! Puffed up into this lovely fluffy thing. I filled it with a pan full of spinach, green onion, green pepper and some UNALLOWED red pepper. MIL picked up red peppers for me not knowing I couldn't have them, so I am eating them because I hate wasting food, and because I don't want her to feel bad!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Weigh in day!
Total loss to date: 13lbs!
Not bad for having a bad week! I'm still at MIL's.. Which has been so hard! I am trying so so hard to stay on track. I have messed up a little almost everyday in the past week. :(
Today I picked up some carbquik, sugar free pancake syrup, pork rinds, and some carbrite(? I think) bars! I only got 3 bars, I got them for those horrible temptation moments, like when I'm giving my kids a slice of cake!! I made some biscuits with the carbquik, I made a batch of 12! That's enough for the week. They are really delicious! I need to pick up some protein powder.. But I'm going to get that at costco later on this week!
I need to exercise more, I think my results would be even better! I have blisters on my blisters from walking.. I need to do more resistance training. Anyways, I must go! I'm alone with two babies at MIL's! They are trying to destroyyyy! Haha :)
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Friday, August 31, 2012
Cheating implies I am getting away with it, I am most certainly not! Even if no one else knows, it's only hurting me!!!
Staying here is soo stressful. I must keep busy and stop eating badly.
Today's breakfast was an egg and spinach with hotsauce. Lunch was three lettuce wraps with mustard, hotsauce, left over roast beef, green onion, green pepper, and radish. Dinner is steak and salad.
I'm currently being cried at by a 13 month old.. Save me..
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Monday, August 27, 2012
My first real "bad" day.
I stayed on plan all day yesterday, too.
After my whopping 4 hours of sleep, I got up to the contractor knocking at my door. My kids weren't even up yet!! So, we had to get up, booooo!! Jay (my DP) went and bought some coffees for us, and muffins for everyone (except me, obviously).
I packed up my things from the kitchen the night before, so it's not like I could make anything for myself for breakfast. I wasn't too upset, truthfully. The plan was for me to Jay's mom's house while they finish the work there, so I packed up a weeks worth of clothes, diapers, and what I had left of meat and veggies.. Anyways, I got out the door FINALLY by 12:30pm or so. As I got on to the highway my lips started tingling and began to go numb. I also started feeling panicky (I suffer anxiety attacks), I figure my blood sugar was low.. I had nothing I could eat except some muffins! So I had some muffin, and ate a granola bar when I got to MIL's house.
Then I cooked a proper lunch (egg white, pork loin, green onion, and spinach with a tiny shake of parmesean, and some hot sauce)..
So I am feeling super guilty, and am mad at myself.. Which is making me want to eat more crappy food! Ugh!! I've drank a litre of water since then.. Going to start on another 500mls soon.
I've also had a headache since before I started eating Dr. Poon's way..
I'm laying on MIL's couch watching The Wiggles with my girls, and listening to the rain.
Gotta stop feeling sorry for myself. Just a bump in the road, I will keep going!!
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Saturday, August 25, 2012
My daughter Ivy
Love my girls, they really make every day so much better. As frustrating as it is with communication, they are just so amazing.
But now I must shut up, Ivy is asking for more salad!
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low budget go to meals
This isn't a real blog until there are PICTURES! Ha!
Here we have open face cucumber "sandwiches", topped with extra light cream cheese, garlic, and chicken. Salad is baby spinach, homemade caesar dressing, and the extra chicken that didn't fit on my "sandwiches".
This was the first time I made this; WAY too large of a serving. Didn't finish the cucumbers, saved one for later! Very tasty.
Another great goto, chicken, cauliflower, and broccoli on salad! I don't remember what I used as a dressing here, I think a touch of light caesar, with oil and vinegar.. Romaine lettuce, and lots of chili flakes! Yummy! The chicken, and veggies were cooked in the same pan, with a bit of no salt chicken broth, and some various spices!
All in all, I eat a lot of chicken, spinach, and broccoli!
Next month will be different, 'cause I'm more aware of how this works, and what I like/don't... I'm excited for some new ingredients, so I can have some darn variety! :)
Friday, August 24, 2012
I don't know if we're staying in this house while it gets reno'd but.. I have to say, having to pee with no door when your MIL is here is.. Mighty strange! LOL!
Today's breakfast was a poached egg with steamed spinach, lunch was three pieces of stewing beef, and 1/4 of a green pepper. I will probably have stewing beef and salad for dinner, since it's already cooked!
I am currently being pelted by a stuffed animal, so we'll end this for now!
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Thursday, August 23, 2012
Save your energy, your journey is far from over
Blah. Tonight was really hard, I almost gave in and had a slice of cheese. I cut a bunch up, put it on Jay's garlic bread, and gave him the rest to snack while dinner cooked. I am cooking him things I am craving. Tonight I cooked chicken schnitzel, and garlic bread. Our common denominator was the cauliflower/broccoli.. I put chili oil on it, chicken broth, a south of garlic, and some soy. It was so spicy!! I had plain chicken with some cajun spice, and spinach cooked in the same pan. Nothing to write home about, but it was food.
One lb at a time. One meal at a time. Everyday I don't give in, I can wake up happier the next morning knowing I am not cheating myself, or cheating my children. My girls deserve to have me in their life. Every time I want to have something I can't, I think of them, I think of them living without me.. and the pain they would feel. I don't want them to know that pain.
I have to do this. I have to take control of my life, I have to become responsible, I am not just answering to myself anymore.
This depression is crushing, and I feel like I'm losing my grip at time. Today I got upset at my baby for crying, I had to calm down, and walk away. Then I gave them cake because I felt bad for being upset with them. My eldest hit me really hard, and it hurt my feelings :(
I don't know if the mood swings are normal for this diet, but it's really strange.
I've also been suffering SERIOUS dizzy spells, every time I stand up.. I hold on to something, and my eyesight fades out, then I stabilise and am okay? It's bizarre, and I don't like it very much. I'm concerned that I am just going to pass out one of these days. I hope not.
Okay, I need to go have a shower.. take the dog out, and go to bed. Our house is undergoing some renovation... Pain in the ass!!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Egg and Spinach
It's a bit of a big thing for me to swallow that I will have to eat like this for the rest of my life. I can't never sit down and eat a bag of chips without feeling guilty, and disgusting. I am working so hard. I couldn't throw away my hard work on chips, or candy, or a beloved toasted peanut butter sandwich.
It's kind of weird, it's like a death of the part of me that loves snacks. Jeez, I even have an email that says I like snacks. I used food to define me, to define my good memories. Every Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner I've hosted; would it have been as pleasant without the sweet potatoes, and fresh bread? Without the pumpkin pie, and cheesecake? Would my christmas cookie plates mean less if they were replaced with sugar free, flourless cakes?
It's a hard thing for me.. I have a gift when it comes to baking or cooking, and I feel like I can't use it. I feel like I've had a piece of my body removed, and I'm still in the denial stage, lol.
Like some ridiculous Kübler-Ross model, I haven't reached anger yet. Maybe I have.. I am angry. I am angry I let this happen, I am angry that to be healthy, to make healthy choices it costs DOUBLE what it does to make bad ones. I hate that I can't go out to dinner with my fiancée because every restaurant puts vast amounts of salt, and who knows what else in their food! But I could get a salad, and eat it with no dressing! AND PAY DOUBLE WHAT THE COST OF A DAMN HAMBURGER COSTS!
It's frustrating, to say the least. I am not rich by any means, which unfortunately limits my choice when it comes to food. Every morning I have spinach and eggs. I've gotten to the point where I don't even put pepper on it 'cause I don't care. It's just fuel. I am just eating it because I have to. I crack an egg into a measuring cup, mix it up, put spinach on top, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave it for a minute. Fast flavourless breakfast. But, I wouldn't trade my flavourless breakfast for my beloved toast.
There are low carb toast options, a flax bread the ontario nutrition company carries.. It's 6 dollars (I think) for a loaf. Yeah. I have a hard time paying 3 dollars for the regular bread! Why isn't it 99 cents anymore?!
The cost of living is skyrocketing, and the pay is not changing. It's upsetting.
Also, I appear to get massive headaches from artificial sweetners. I need to pick up some stevia, and see if that helps. Pfft with all my money, right?
Oh; I should also mention, today is my wonderful daughter's birthday! She is 2 years old :) it's crazy how fast they grow. Her and her sister are the main reason I am doing this. I want them to learn to make proper choices when it comes to eating. My parents never gave me those tools, I am still learning..
And, on that bombshell... I must end this post!
Good luck, and lots of love!
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Saturday, August 18, 2012
I want to just give in and eat some licorise. I won't!!
I have noo energy whatsoever, I am just laying here on the couch doing my best corpse imitation. I am craving something sweet, but don't even have the energy to get up, goto the kitchen, and get a mint.
I hope this issue passes soon. I am making a pork roast for dinner! I hope it's good :)
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Thursday, August 16, 2012
Weigh in!
Gonna keep at it, 'cause that's fantastic! I'm proud of myself right now.
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EDIT: I looked at my papers. This was wrong, the doctor told me the number 7, turns out it was actually 12.5lbs!! Silly me ;) So my first two weeks, was actually 12lbs lost. Awesome.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Kind of strange, I hope it passes. I'm digging deep just to stay awake right now. I didn't even go to any hassle to make delicious food, lol. I had an egg on top of spinach (I didn't even put pepper on it lol) and I had tuna, spinach, cucumber and a little mayo mixed together for lunch.
Last night sucked!! My fiancée makes this fabulously delicious pasta sauce.. Like, it blows my mind how good it is. I didn't get to have anyyyy omg. I didn't even TASTE it! So sad.
My girls went nuts eating it! They love it, too. My eldest had two bowls, and my youngest had three!!
I had planned on doing some resistance training while my youngest has a nap today, but my energy is so low, I am postponing until after they go to bed for the night :) maybe I should have a little nap.. I might feel better (or worse!)
I wonder if I am getting sick, or something! We'll see.. First weigh in coming up.. I really hope to see some improvement 'cause I have NOT cheated!
*crosses fingers*
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Monday, August 13, 2012
Step one.
Felt a bit sick, and I'm wondering if it's the lack of salt in my diet. I honestly felt as if I was getting really tall, and the ground was further and further away from my feet. Yeah. Kind of odd!
I made it home, I thought I was blister free.. But I found one on my little toe. Damn.
I'm going to do this 3-4 times a week, and the days I don't walk/run/walk, I will be doing something else.. Most likely resistance. Wish me luck.
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Sunday, August 12, 2012
I've had an interesting life, to put it lightly, my parents were heroin addicts throughout my childhood.. I started gaining weight at the ripe ol' age of 3. I have been overweight for 22 years, now that's a crazy thought.
I remember the day before my first day of school, I was four; I asked my brother "What should if people notice I'm fat?" He told me "Wear a lot of big sweaters, maybe no one will notice!" My brother was 8. If only it was that simple? Right? Heh. I went to that school until I started grade 2, when Children's Aid stepped in, and decided they will take my brother, sister and I from our parents.. Thankfully, my father's parents said they would take us so we wouldn't end up in foster care. I lived with my grandparents, while they were not bad people.. they didn't know how to deal with a fat 7 year old. It's wonderful when your own cousins, aunts, and other extended family call you names, and belittle you. On top of all that, I'm now in a new city, a new school.. with new bullies. Great. My grandma thought she should single me out, and feed me diet food.. I was just a normal kid, I walked to school, and didn't even come into the house afterwards! I just ran around my street with the neighbourhood kids. I was, and still am not lazy.
A year passed, I started wanting to call my nana "mom".
My parents went bankrupt, and lost our house.. I only seen them a few times.. They eventually got "clean" (onto the methodone program), and came to move in with us. There was an apartment in the lower half of our house, so my grandparents lived down there, while we stayed upstairs with our parents.
By now I'm in grade 4, and dealing with so many bullies at school, that I no longer want to learn, or be there. Being singled out by gym teachers, and kids was so hard. I didn't say anything, I just pretended like it didn't bother me. I got made fun of if I ate peanut butter, I got made fun of if I ate tuna.. I got made fun of for eating my lunch! Soon, I just stopped eating lunch at school.. My mom, now battling her weight due to the methodone's side effects put me on a diet with her.. I stuck to it. I didn't lose weight, I got depressed and quit.
My mom did jenny craig, but they wouldn't let me try. They took me to a nutritionist, who didn't help.. they got me into a gym! By the time I was in grade 6, I just couldn't handle it anymore. I just laid in bed all day and cried, I didn't go to school, I just cried. They brought in a social worker, and a truancy officer.. They MADE me go to school. Do you know what I got to do? Sit in a room in the office all day.. With nothing, no teacher, no work sheets... just a box of lego. Guess who still passed grade 6? Ridiculous. And of course, I still got tormented. I missed a day of school, and someone went into that room, took my stuff, and drew lewd things in my binder... then strung it apart all over the field. How nice.
They ended up sending me to a last chance program, in a school across town. It was full of children with mental issues, criminal records, and drug problems. I fit in for the first time of my life, but still battled this horrible crushing depression. I took to cutting myself, and injuring myself as a way to deal with it. Why bother, everyone hates me anyways, right? I started bullying some kids, because I couldn't deal with myself. I treated almost everyone like crap, and barely went to school. My house got raided by the S.W.A.T. team, which was a great experience. My brother was arrested, and charged. We made the front page of the paper. My best friend was not really allowed to come over anymore, which made me even MORE depressed.. When I finished grade 9, they kicked me out. I was now 15, not legally able to be out of school. My mom said she'd homeschool me.. but that never happened. It was just a legality thing. I sank even deeper into depression.
I tried to go back to regular public school, and the first day I was there, I saw my childhood bully in the hallway. I never went back.
Things got rocky right after this.. My dad and mom split, and he kicked us out. I bummed around at friends' houses, and lived in a room with my mom and sister. Eventually we found a basement apartment, my sister and I were total shut ins, and couldn't deal with all this emotional pain.. We moved again, this time farther away.. My mom just bought take out all the time because my sister was such a picky eater. My sister moved back with my dad.. and my mom and I'd relationship deteriorated. She went on a crazy trip, and slept with one of my friends.. and I stopped talking to her.. But I still lived with her. Things were rough, and I ended up leaving, too. Back to my dad's house. My dad never did "clean up" he was always high and stumbling around. I fought with him daily, there was never food, or toilet paper.. I used to steal napkins, or toiletpaper from the library. A man named Wayne lived with us, Wayne was a body builder. He used to go to the gym all the time, and one night invited me. I became his gym partner. We went four to five nights a week for almost a year. I could run for an hour straight, full throttle the whole time. I could keep up with him in the weights. I had fun. I didn't lose a single lb. I stopped being able to go, and my weight loss desires grew. I met a guy. He abused me, emotionally, and other wise, then he cheated on me, and left. That was the final blow I needed to motivate me. I stopped eating. I ate once a week, and would ride my bike until I threw up daily, and swim. I didn't lose weight. I started eating again, and started binging and purging. I was on a multitude of antidepressants, and antipsychotics. I started meeting random men, men who liked to beat me.. It was a bad addiction, on top of self mutilation, and throwing up all the time. I finally shook myself of the bulimia, and started eating healthy. I counted everything. I exercised, and logged everything. On paper I should've been losing weight.. I lost nothing.
My grandfather died, and I left to go take care of my grandmother, and help her pack up her house, and all of his things. It was another rough time.. I did so much, I walked so much, up and down this giant hill carrying boxes. Never lost weight. My relationship with my father worsened, he was so high most of the time..
I met my fiancée on a website where I men.. He came to stay with me in my dad's house. My grandmother now decides to sell our house, so I moved up to where I live now to be with him in his house.
We now have two beautiful children, and I have a barrage of health issues. Sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.. and who knows what else!
I am not medicated anymore for my depression. I haven't cut myself in three years, and I haven't purged in about 4. It is time for me to change, it is time to be healthy.
Sorry for the novel, just thought this was a necessary part of my story. Obviously, just a very abridged version of it, but it works for now :)
Haven't cheated, my next weigh in is on the 16th of August. Wish me luck! I'm going to ask if it's okay if I start C25K while I'm eating like this!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Yesterday was hard.
He ordered a combo from a local chinese place, and shared it with the girls. It was nice not to have to cook, except that I had a complete breakdown and ended up crying in the bathroom. I don't even know why I was crying.
I battle depression, and it's been really crappy this past week.. Usually if I eat something I like, it makes me happy enough I can continue on. I'm growing supremely bored with bland food. It's like I don't want to eat at all, and I end up staring at my plate for at least 15 minutes before I eat it. I am too used to good cooking, I think if you cut out salt you're not cooking properly.. It's against my nature!!
So I'm about to heat up leftover chinese food for my girls. This is going to be torture. I've yet to meet an asian food I don't like. I'd kill for some dim sum, sushi, and canadian chinese food!!
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Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tomorrow marks 7 days!
This is going to be tough. Really tough.
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012
This too shall pass, right?
Maybe the headache I've had for almost 3 weeks is the cause of that.
I have not cheated! I made homemade caesar dressing today (egg yolk, vinegar, lime juice cause I didn't have lemon, dijon, pepper, and canola oil!) Of course I didn't put salt, or anchovies.. Or cheese, but it's pretty good! I have some fake bacon bits (they're soy) and they are low in sodium/carbs/fat/sugar so I put some of those in there. I don't know if that was okay, but to my understanding of the diet they are...
Dinner was a pork loin chop, some cabbage, and some broccoli and cauliflower. I am still craving chips, but am not hungry.
I'm having a hard time dealing with the idea that I have to eat like this for the rest of my life, but I know I won't be on phase 1 forever. I can't wait to get on with it.. I am impatiently waiting for the 16th!! I want to know if this is doing anything for me!
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Monday, August 6, 2012
I don't know why it's been so bad! Plus this damn headache!
I'd love a piece of toast. I had egg whites, broccoli and spinach for breakfast instead... It was pretty good! Haha :)
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I feel like I'm not doing this diet right, and I'm just wasting my time.
Wow, I can't believe I already feel like this! I need to sleep ugh. Sorry.
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Sunday, August 5, 2012
Day three!
I had picked up a "mango flavoured" salad dressing which fit the guidelines of Dr. Poon's diet.. Well, it tastes like complete butts. I have solved this problem, and have figured out my own recipe. Oil, vinegar, lime juice/zest, and a sprinkle of splenda.. Pepper, too if you're in the mood. It's like.. limey and great. I love lime! I would be extra fabulous with some grated ginger (but I don't have any!)..
I am not hungry on this diet, though. So, that's a good thing. I am able to have my coffee with cream (which is how I drank it prior to dieting) so that's amazing! I love coffee. Whenever I am having a sugar craving, I just have a packet of splenda in my coffee instead... :)
I can't wait 'til the 16th of August! That is my next appointment.. I hope I am showing some kind of results!!
I am still positive. The support I am getting from friends is wonderful, too.
<3 Much love..
Friday, August 3, 2012
Day one..
My first weigh in was most horrible. They have a scale that tells you how much you weigh, how much is fat weight, and how much is water. They're also courteous enough to give you a print out of this info, hah. I also had to do a test to see how my metabolism is.. Apparently it's high. I'm not sure how I have a high metabolism.. But, that was my result.
They also have a store, which is full of snacks and things that comply with this diet. Phase 1 pretty much is no carbs, no sugar, no (bad) fats and NO SALT. I am so missing salt already!! I have my next appointment in two weeks, I am going to pick up some things at their shop, just to make this a bit easier.
My first real "goal" is to lose ANYTHING. My predicted weight loss is around 90lbs.. I can only hope that it works for me.
Today, I had to pick up a bunch of things. My fiancée was surprisingly supportive, and was patient as I read 600 labels.. Lots of spinach, lettuce, and (non root) vegetables..
I can do this!
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
New Blog; A weight loss journey
Why? To document my journey.
I have my first appointment at one of Dr. Poon's clinics on Thursday, August 2nd 2012. I am apprehensive about the whole situation, to be honest. Kind of terrified, as well.
What if I can't do it?
My head is full of doubt. I will die if I don't change, so I must keep reminding myself of this. I do have the strength to do this, I can do it, I deserve better than this! For every positive thought, I've ten negative ones swirling around in my brain.
June was a tough month for me. I did South Beach, and gained FIVE lbs in the first two weeks. It was horrible, I don't think I can sink any lower, to be honest. It's difficult, I am suffering a myriad of health problems due to my weight. Random spiking blood pressure, headaches that last weeks, sleep apnea, depression.. I'm also showing a marker in my blood for an autoimmune disease, and have just done a hormone test.
To top it all off, my doctor suspects that I am bipolar.
So on that bombshell, I'm going to ask for luck, and positive thoughts.


text:
Ots May 5th, or Cinco De Mayo, or a reason to drink tequila and Corona. Whichever you prefer it's today.
I had some amazing Mexican food for dinner tonight at a little place called Jessy's Taqueria. It was delicious I have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
The place was slammed. Apparently, everyone felt the need to go out and enjoy some tasty Mexican food. I mean it is Cinco de Mayo and Taco Tuesday.


text:
10 Reasons for a Cultural Boycott of Israel wants to
Tell musicians: Don't entertain apartheid Israel!
We have 10 Reasons to Boycott Israel, read more
We have 10 Reasons to Boycott Israel, read more
Native Women have lived under the longest and most violent Act of Cultural Genocide in the History of the World. Native
Healthy bee populations are essential to the production of food. Floral nectars and aromas attract bees and thus ensure


text:
I will admit, this weekend I did something totally for myself. It was fun. It was...nothing! That is right ladies and gentlemen. For about half of the day, I did nothing. It was glorious because I wasn't sick, I wasn't hurt, I was able to enjoy the nothing.
My husband took our three year old out to give me some quiet time, and I just relaxed. I did watch a couple of shows on the DVR, but I gave myself permission to not do the dishes, not vacuum the main level, not mop the floor, not clean the bathroom, not...well, you get the picture. It was spectacular. And it was amazingly appreciated.
As I reflect on this time of fun for me, I wonder...is all fun a little selfish? We do, in fact, have fun simply because we like it - right? Is it accurate to admit that fun is something we do simply because we want to do it? I think it is selfish, but also necessary. Your thoughts?


text:
Paris, France
Thank you for being on my page where you will find various mixes covering a wide musical spectrum, from Deep to Tech House.
All these mixes share with you reflect my own taste in electronic music.I'll try to download at least a new mix every week.
I really hope you enjoy the trip.Feel free to let me know what you think.
Many thanks.


text:
If you would like to pay your child's dues, help fund a scholarship, or make any fundraiser contribution, you may do so safely and securely using the link below.
DUES: The fee to participate in the AWANA program for the entire season (Fall 2016 through Spring 2017), is just $27.00!
> EXTRAS < Participants can purchase these extra items as needed:
__ Book Bag $ 5.00
__ T-Shirt $ 13.00 OR Vest $ 10.00
> Additionally, a number of scholarships will be made available to assist on a financial needs basis.
DONATIONS: If you'd like to make a donation to AWANAs to help us cover costs of program materials and Store Night inventory, you are able to do that here as well.
If you have any questions about this transaction or process, feel free to email us.


text:
You might be a person that shops when the clock strikes midnight on Black Friday. You might prefer online shopping. You might hate shopping and absolutely REFUSE to do it on Black Friday. One things we all have in common though, is a deep rooted love for the Backstreet Boys and their merch. Whether you're buying for yourself, hinting to your loved ones for gift ideas or buying for a fan friend, you'll kick yourself if you don't check out these deals!
Who doesn't love a good Backstreet Boys poster?! Whether you like a straight forward movie poster to relive the magic that is the BSB documentary (plus who doesn't love 5 smiling Boys and an indian-style-sitting Kevin) or you're a wild one who likes mystery, there is something for you! Know what you can wear while hanging up your new posters? Those badass Backstreet Boys leggings that you've been drooling over! All 50%! Get 'em before they're gone (or before the sale is over on Monday).
Speaking of the Backstreet Boys movie, Amazon has the DVD on sale for $17.99!
Remember the time Nick's scary movie was called Evil Blessings? You can own a piece of the history by purchasing the shirt! Also available is a DVD of The Pendant, the short film in which Nick Carter starred in and made his directorial debut. There's also a few other goodies in there – and everything* is 50% off! The prices aren't marked down until you go to "Review Your Order" in the check out process.
*Nick's new All American album is NOT included in the sale, but you could make a few people happy by purchasing it for the holidays. Stuff some stockings with jolly ol'
St. Nick.
Whaatttt?! AJ designed things and has them in a store? Oh yeah he did and the things can be yours for 75% off! There's three different shirt designs and honestly, you probably need them all. Or know someone that does. Plus yourself.
4. Wylee
If you've ever wanted to try a piece of Wylee merchandise or you're already a fan, the company run by Brian's wife is having a sale this weekend and it'll blow your mind! Tops, dresses, handbags, oh my! Plus, there are even a few Brian tour shirts left if you hurry.
I mean, doesn't he make you want to buy all the things? You can find this model on the site!
Happy Shopping!