Weight Loss | BulgingButtons

December 19, 2015
by BulgingButtons Leave a comment

How I’ve Missed You

My poor dear little blog, you’ve been so neglected.

I could tell you that it’s because it’s holiday time, and there are so many other things I feel I have to do, but I don’t think that watching holiday movies is a good excuse.

I could tell you that it’s because it’s the end of the semester at school and I have to wrap up the grading and projects and all the other things that go along with this time of year, but really that’s kind of an excuse too.

I think I may be neglecting you because I’m just tired.

I’m tired from work.

I’m tired from the stress of my kid applying to colleges (but hey, he’s been accepted to TWO universities, so it’s not bad news).

I’m tired from preparing for a trip. Ok, not really. I tend to be a last minute kind of a gal, in case you hadn’t noticed.

I think what I’m really tired from is the diminished level of care I’ve been giving myself. I’ve allowed my old habits to start creeping back in, a bit at a time. Some Christmas cookies here, a glass of spiked eggnog there, a bit of fudge, a glass of wine… it all adds up, and it’s added up. Not to worry, though, because I had an appointment with my nutritionist on the calendar. I knew she would help me get back on track. Except that it didn’t quite work out that way.

You see, this lovely woman who has been so instrumental in helping me lose weight and become healthier has had a surprise thrown her way. She will be leaving the medical group where she’s been working, and she’s not sure of her next move.

I’m sad for her, but she has a wonderful attitude. She’s framing it as an opportunity for growth. I admire that. But it still sucks. It sucks for her to have to look for work, especially at this time of year, and it sucks for me, because frankly I really like working with her. She comes from a place of wisdom and no judgment, and I find that so helpful.

Our paths may cross again. I hope so. In the meantime I wish her well. Now to get off my tush and start taking care of business once again, with or without her help.

November 24, 2015
by BulgingButtons 7 Comments

Five Things I’ve Learned This Week

This week I’ve learned a few things. I like that. Learning is great. I want to do more of it!

Something like this seems sweet and reasonable, but I don’t think this is what some of those new moms have in mind.

Push Present – A gift that a woman receives after giving birth, presumably as a reward for doing a good job carrying and delivering a baby. Sounds a little peculiar to me, but maybe this tradition isn’t as weird as it sounds at first. I think I’d like it to be a token of love to commemorate the milestone of adding a child to the family rather than a reward, but then again, I’m not in charge.

Cherry Eye – A red angry-looking growth that dogs can get near the eye. Apparently it can be surgically removed if the dog is otherwise healthy. Unfortunately it can prevent an otherwise perfect animal from finding a new home.

In work news – The end of this school year will mark twenty years of employment with the state for me. In preparation for filling out financial aid forms for my son, I looked up my retirement information, and was surprised that it had been this long. I was also pleased to learn that I had a little more in my retirement fund than I expected. Not a lot, mind you, but more than I thought.

On the culinary front – My son likes traditional green bean casserole. We haven’t had it the past few Thanksgivings, and I didn’t think anyone missed it, but the other morning he asked if we could have it. I think it’s time to teach him how to make it.

Speaking of Food – All protein bars are not created equal. I was at a different store and they didn’t have the brand I like, so I tried something else. Yuck. Protein bars are pricey, and I was disappointed. I’ll eat them (did I mention that they’re pricey?) but yuck. Clif Builder Bars all the way, baby (chocolate mint is my favorite).

What have you learned lately?

November 18, 2015
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

Loving Leggings Part Two

One of the most read BulgingButtons posts of all time is the one entitled “Loving Leggings,” and why not? Lots of women love them, and guess what? A bunch of us are fat! So yes, I love leggings, and I know that a lot of you do too, or at least you want to. I give you permission to go for it!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, though, I offer these tips:

1. Make sure your leggings fit properly. Too tight and they may try to roll down, too loose and you’ll look wrinkly and weird. Either way you won’t look right and you’ll be uncomfortable.

2. Don’t wear leggings if you have giant legs. I’m fat, but I carry the majority of my weight around my belly. My legs, while not tiny, are shapely and not particularly jiggly.

3. Wear a long top. Yes, cover your entire butt. Even if you have a cute butt. Leave it to your jeans to show it off, not your leggings. They are meant to let your legs pop out from under your top, not expose every curve you have. Girly bits are not meant to be paraded around in public. If your top isn’t up to the challenge, go put on some real pants. Nobody wants to see that much of you, even if you aren’t fat.

4. As an alternative to wearing a long top, wear a short skirt. This will still cover up the butt and girly bits, and make the leggings look cute.

This chilly weather is for the birds, but at least we can look cute and stay comfortable in our leggings.

P.S. And on the topic of printed leggings? YES! But I would probably stay away from the shiny ones. Just saying.