I’ve been visiting family since right before Christmas. The kids and I are staying with my Uncle and Aunt before moving on to my Dad’s house in a couple more weeks. My Uncle and Aunt who go out to eat at least three to four times a week. That’s not a big deal - I did some grocery shopping and they still have food at the house. But eating as healthy as I’d like just hasn’t been happening.

Groceries are much more expensive here. And we are in a very rural place which means you are stuck shopping at the places around - meaning two grocery stores in a town 11 miles away. There is a small store here, but not a place you would want to do regular shopping at.

So we have been eating way too much food you make from a box or a can. Sure we have homemade bread once in a while - better then store bought? that’s what I tell myself! - and have managed a salad or two. But fresh fruits and veggies are far between.

And exercise - nonexistant! Sure we have to walk to and from the car but everything is spread out and you can’t walk to the store or to visit a friend or family member. Well I suppose we could but it’s also the wintertime. We had negative fourteen degree weather a few days ago and today are in the midst of an arctic blast of wind so it feels about negative forty.

On the plus side we are leaving in a couple of weeks to go to my Dad’s - where we can once again shop at Costco and join the Y. And I’ll be around more kids which I’m sure will mean more running around then we have here.

I’m not even going to talk about losing five pounds when I was sick for three days - mostly because it’s back now.

I have plans to join the Y - again. But this time I’m going to join when we are staying with my Dad, so not for another month or so and obviously in another state. I’m excited! I really want to lose weight and get in better shape. I think they have a daycare for the kids but if not I figure I’ll ask my sister in law to watch them while I work out.

I’ll have a sister in law to ask.

That is just amazing to me. I am so happy to be able to spend a lot of time with my family before we move on! I can’t wait to see my nephews, it’s been two years since I’ve seen any of them and in that time two more have been born!

After four phone calls this morning I am now waiting for a call back. It seems that LA Weight Loss corporate has changed to Pure Weight Loss - but the franchises were given the option to stay with the LA name or to change. I didn’t do much searching on that though.

So I call the number on the LA website which somehow gets me a corporate center in Virginia. Okay then. She tells me to call the franchise customer service number - which I did and had to leave a message. I found another number on the LA site and called them - after talking to that person she says she can email the customer service rep for the franchises and that person will get back to me.

If I don’t hear back from someone by Wednesday, I’m calling again. I know there is controversy surrounding the company but I didn’t have any. I paid for the services and expect to be either reimbursed or given the product in whole.

I think it is odd that there is NO more centers in my area. Did none of them want to carry on with corporate changing the name? Has the website just not been updated in ages?

I rarely go into the area of town where the LA Weight Loss Center I visit is located. It isn’t a bad area, I just don’t go. So imagine my complete surprise when we went last week and the center’s window had a large sign advertising business space.

That’s right - my LA Center is gone!

I am going to look on the website tomorrow and call around to see what the heck happened. They did have a very high turnover rate during the couple of months I was there, but geez, to close?

I wasn’t planning on calling until I knew where we were moving - okay I just realize what a dumb statement that is, I’ve known for a week! I guess I have a lot going on. Anyway, I bought the supplements and have at least half left. I’m hoping for either all the supplements at once (they like to give a weeks worth at a time) or half of my money back. I’ll keep you updated.

I’ve strayed from my LA food plan - BUT I’ve still lost another two pounds. I admit I weigh  myself every other day or so but I don’t compare weights until they are a week apart. What I’ve been doing lately is eating breakfast and then not eating again until I am actually hungry. Not just to snack or because I’m bored, I’ve just really paid attention to how I feel and following that.

But tomorrow we are going out of town so cross your fingers I don’t overdo it. It is easy to overeat when you travel, I think anyway. We are only gone for the day but we are going to be gone all day so that is three meals - plus snacks - on the road. We haven’t eaten out …. for a while actually so this is going to be a change for us - we all know restaurant food isn’t typically prepared in the most healthy manner! My thing while traveling is snacking in the car - I even bought chex mix just today knowing we would want something!

I’m glad I lost the two pounds though, that makes me feel good because even though I’m not strictly eating only certain foods I can eat what I want (which is still healthy) and lose.

I have seriously been amazed that I’ve kept the five pounds off - considering I have been eating horrible since Friday. We’ve had lasagna (multiple times because I made too much and didn’t freeze it like I should have!), sandwiches made up of deli meat and not the ‘good’ deli meat (ie low fat or however they come) either and doritos. Doritos are my downfall! So good!

Tomorrow I’m going to a workshop so I’ll eat before and bring a granola bar or two in case I get hungry. I am determined to lose weight but I’ve been so busy it is just easier to eat whatever then to pay attention to proteins, starches and the like. Worst excuse ever, I know. I just need to get back on track and the weight will come off. I need to find a picture of myself from this spring, I wonder if I even have any?

According to the scale this morning, I’ve lost five pounds. Yay!

Okay I’m not jumping up and down for joy, though I am happy. I don’t usually go by number of pounds lost but how my clothes feel. And my favorite jeans are still tight. Not fun. I’m hoping that by Thanksgiving they will feel better and I know I’ll have lost more weight by then.

Yesterday I got a passport form from the post office because I figure why not get one because Chris’ needs to be renewed. I breathed a sigh of relief when I noticed there is no weight question on the form! We all lie on our drivers license (c’mon, admit it!) and I always dread having to give my weight out, the few times it is needed. I do like that the scale at my house and the one at the drs office is not off but by one or two pounds, I would hate to go there and have it be much higher, yuck!

Have I mentioned that my jeans don’t fit? I’m walking around wearing either elastic shorts (it is SO hot here, shorts are all I want to wear!) or my jeans/capris with a rubber band holding them shut. I’m so glad I have long enough shirts! I think I’m going to buy more shorts as it is the summer time and I can buy maternity clothes later down the road.

I was just reading over at Blogging Away Fat about saving smaller sized clothes - huge eye opener for me! I still have clothes (mostly jeans or jean shorts) that I wore years ago. Years as in probably 7-8 years. Of course this was my in between college and getting married phase and I haven’t worn them since. Having a baby does that to you. I went from maternity clothes to a size bigger then I was in college. I’ve stayed that size - but kept the clothes.

I’ve long talked about going through my closet and getting rid of all of those clothes. When I joined LA at the beginning of the year I went through them again, separating them into the two sizes I have. Of course now it will be a little while before I can wear them so maybe it is the time to just get rid of them. I enjoy shopping, finding good deals, and though jean shorts won’t really be out of style, seeing the room in my closet would be more encouraging for my weight loss once I have the baby.

I haven’t had to take my vitamin B for morning sickness for just about a week! You have no idea how happy I am that the phase passed by. And I’m glad it wasn’t that bad, I’ve heard stories about being sick all day long, not being able to eat at all, etc. Mine was just when I woke up and since it was the first time I’ve experienced this, I’m just happy to be done.

I’m feeling great all around. I have energy again and have only been sleeping at night. I have been going to bed later then usual, but I chalk that up to Chris’ horrible work schedule. He is on leave for a few days so hopefully I can get back to normal again. I really enjoy having a couple of hours to myself in the morning, I’ve never claimed to be a morning person so the quiet helps me wake up and also clean a few things before the kids wake up.

We haven’t been to the Y in over a week and are actually debating quitting our membership. I’m not sure what is stopping us from going, but we seem to have lost our excitement over the place. I hope this is a short phase, one that ends once we just go already, as gymnastics through the Y is much cheaper then through the private gym they were attending. Today Alice said she missed gymnastics, but I’m not sure if she just said that because I asked as she never mentions the classes.

I’m glad to be feeling like my old self again - albeit an old self that can’t button her jeans anymore.

I weighed in today for a 4.2 pound loss over the past couple of weeks. I didn’t weigh in last week because my Mom and Step Dad were here visiting! We had a great time while they were here - I snacked a little more then usual, but on a good note I didn’t overeat which of course means I snacked instead of having a meal. But we also had a few days of hard exercise in the form of gardening.

We have a lot of clay and slate in our soil here and digging holes for the bushes and plans, plus cleaning up, raking, weeding, laying bark and whew you have a group of tired people! It was a lot of fun though. And the yard looks SO much better all the way around. We do need to mow and water but that will happen tomorrow or Thursday.