You Got to Move It, Move It

OMG... hubby and I watched "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" the other night... and it turned out to be one of the cutest, funniest movies I've seen in a long time! We were both laughing our butts off... and here's one of the main reasons why: The hippo songs were HILARIOUS! And along with the "I Like to Move It" song, I just felt like dancing all night long! lol

Moto Moto is a huge, studly male hippo... and his "big and chunky" object of affection is the lovely female hippo, Gloria. Here are the lyrics to the "Big and Chunky" song that Moto Moto sings:

"Chunky, chunky,
I like 'em big
I like 'em chunky
I like 'em big
I like 'em plumpy
I like 'em round
With somethin', somethin'
They Like my sound
They think I'm funky

My name is Moto Moto
You say it double
Say my name
Moto Moto
Say it again
Moto Moto
I am nice and smooth
So nice and sassy

No other Hippos
Don't wanna get next to me
I like em chunky, chunky, chunky
Plumpy, plumpy, plumpy
Chunky, chunky, chunky
Plumpy, plumpy, plumpy
I like em hippos
That's in the wild
I like they attitude
I like they style
The way they walk, walk
The way they talk, talk
I like 'em witta appetite
To eat a shark, shark
And when a dog barks, she'll eat em too

I love every inch,
Oh yes I do
I like em chunky, chunky, chunky
Plumpy, plumpy, plumpy
Chunky, chunky, chunky
Plumpy, plumpy, plumpy

Ain't nottin' wrong
With lovin' chunky
I like 'em funny
I like 'em spunky
I like 'em witty
I like 'em smart... with brains
Girl I Like your big...
What you say
Your big ol' heart
What
Girl you crazy
She drive me crazy
I love my lady
She nice and shapely
She nice and spacey
Take so much space up
Like a big ol' spaceship
Movin' so gracious
Yes
It's all in the way she moves
It's all in the way she moves
It's all in the way
It's all in the way she moves
When she do, what she do
What she do, what she do, what she do, what she do
Get it girl
Chunky
Plumpy
Chunky
Plumpy
Ain't nottin' wrong
Ain't nottin' wrong
Chunky
Plumpy"

(Almost makes me wish I was a hippo! lol)

Anyway... I could not get the songs out of my head after watching the movie, so I checked out Youtube to see if I could find any clips there. I was in luck! And I even made a playlist so I could play these songs while working out to my Leslie Sansone Walk-Away-the-Pounds DVDs. I just put the TV on mute, and then I listen to the funny songs instead. It really makes the workout a lot more fun... and the time even seems to go by more quickly. Sounds like a win/win to me!

If you want a good laugh... you have GOT to check out these video links! I guarantee they will put a smile on your face... and you just might feel like you want to "move it, move it," too! hehe

"Big and Chunky" - short, animated version

"Big and Chunky" - whole song, no animation

"She Loves Me" - animated

"I Like to Move It, Move It" - animated

A Voracious Appetite

I've had a voracious appetite lately... but not for what you think. I've had a voracious appetite for books!

After a much-too-long hiatus from reading fictional books, I've recently re-discovered this simple pleasure. And I honestly have to give this "new" old hobby of mine major credit for helping me to stay on-plan the past two and a half weeks!

Instead of seeing how fast my spoon can get to the bottom of a pint of Ben 'n Jerry's, I've been heartily devouring the written word. Instead of mindlessly and habitually snacking and binging on calorie-laden foods after supper... I've been thoughtfully reading and pondering the newest, twisted plot in the latest mystery thriller. Instead of browsing through the fridge... I've been browsing through my books. And not only am I enjoying the relaxation that comes from reading... I'm enjoying my loosening waistband and the feeling of control that I've been experiencing!

The key for me is this: I enjoy reading just as much as I enjoy eating.

It's hard to admit that I enjoy eating... but I do. You can't weigh as much as I do and NOT enjoy eating. And over the years... eating has become a leisure activity for me. I eat when I'm bored. I eat when I'm lonely. I eat out of habit when hubby and I are at the movies or watching TV. I eat to unwind and relax. I eat, I eat, I eat... sometimes just to feel good or have something to do... or sometimes for no reason at all.

But I'm changing. Ever so slowly... I am changing my eating habits. And I am learning to eat to live... not live to eat. And I am striving to find other activities that appeal to me as much as eating does. And thank God... I've gotten back in the habit of reading!

If you're like me and you like to read... you might want to check out these links where you can read books online for free:

Bartleby.com

Project Gutenberg

Page by Page Books

I think we would all benefit from investing more time in pleasurable activities that will help to keep our focus off of food. What is it that YOU enjoy doing that you haven't done in awhile? Answer that question... and then start to do it! I think your shrinking waistline... and your overall state of mind... will thank you for it!

(PS: What have YOU been reading lately? Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated!)

A Tale from My Scale

Good morning, everyone! I hope your Monday is off to a good start! My morning is off to a confusing start. lol

Monday is my official weigh-in day, and this morning when I hopped on the scale, it read 384 lbs... which is fan-freakin-tastic... because for the past 2 weeks the scale read "ERR," which meant I weighed over 400 lbs. Not good... not good at all! So this morning when the scale read 384... I was thrilled beyond words.

But then I stepped on the scale again and weighed myself a second time... and the scale read "ERR." Hmmm... what the heck? I stepped on the scale a third time... and again... it read "ERR." So... right now... I have absolutely no idea which reading was correct... and I have no idea what I weigh or how much weight I've lost in the past 2 weeks.

I've come to the conclusion that I need a new battery for my scale, and getting one is at the top of my priority list this week. Hopefully I'll be able to find one right away so I can get an accurate reading next Monday.



And now... I'm off to check out the Fourth of July Challenge Blog. If you haven't stopped by yet, come on over! We'd love to have you join! :)


Update: Jim left me the nicest poem/comment today... and I just want to share it here so all of you get a chance to read it. It's so cute! hehe

"Listen one and all, for this is a super-hero's tale,
About her problem with a fickle friend, the scale.

The scale is acting up and giving her a bad reading,
But for this brave lady, there'll be no retreating.

No indeed, she'll be losing lots of weight quick,
Because she's that super-hero, Chubby Chick!"

Thanks, Jim! :)

Fourth of July Challenge

Hi, everyone! I just wanted to let you know that the Week 2 Check-In post has been posted over at the Fourth of July Challenge Blog. If you're a member, be sure to comment with an update on how you are doing. You may check in any day this week that suits you. I'll be checking in on Mondays from now on because that is going to be my official weigh-in day.

Also, member buttons and weight loss buttons are now available! Yay! I'm hoping to earn a weight loss button tomorrow when I weigh-in. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

If you're not a member, but you would like to join the Challenge... please feel free to sign-up. There is no cut-off date, and you don't even have to have a blog to join!

For more information, check out THIS POST.

I hope you all had a great week... and I'm looking forward to reading everybody's updates! :)

Too Fat for Fashion

You know what really sucks when you're a roley-poley, pear-shaped gal who weighs around 400 pounds and barely fits into a size 32? Yeah... pretty much everything. hehe But specifically... you know what I am really getting sick of lately? I am getting sick of my wardrobe.

Currently, and for most of the past 2 years, my everyday apparel has consisted mostly of black or navy blue sweats and men's size 4x t-shirts. Blah. Yuck. Spew. Hurl. Gag!

Something's gotta give... because I just cannot stand to dress like this much longer! Spring will soon be here... and I've been daydreaming about what it would be like to buy pretty, feminine, springy, colorful clothes off the rack. And that's just not going to happen this year.

Sometimes I wonder if my hubby gets sick of my wardrobe. I mean... every day when he gets home from work... does he really want to see me dressed like I am going to the gym? (Actually... the clothes I've been wearing lately look too awful to wear to the gym. They're more suitable for going dumpster-diving. Poor hubby. lol)

Don't get me wrong. It's not like I don't HAVE some really pretty, stylish clothes. It's just that they don't FIT. They're way too small... and they're packed away in boxes, or carefully folded and placed in the bottom drawers of my dresser... just waiting for the day when I can actually wear them. I am SO looking forward to that day!

(And I bet my poor hubby is, too. hehe)

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I mentioned awhile back that my hubby bought me an elliptical. But I've been afraid to use it because part of me thought I would break it the first time I stepped on it. Well, I bit the bullet today and hopped on. Small miracle... it didn't break!

I wanted to do at least 20 minutes, but after a few minutes I was wiped out. My calves were burning... and I felt like I couldn't do one more minute. So I hopped off... feeling kind of discouraged.

But that didn't last long. I made up my mind right then and there that I would simply do what I could each day. I'm not going to strive to do 20 minutes at a clip right now. I'm just going to hop on the elliptical a couple times a day and do what I can each time. I'll slowly build up my endurance... and my sessions will increase over time.

As Hanlie wrote... perfection really is overrated. I'm not perfect... I never will be. But as I've said so many times before... I'm just going to take it one day at a time and do the best that I can each day. As long as I continue to move forward... I'll eventually win this race and reach my goal. So will you! :)

The Unknown... and Beyond

I weighed myself this morning... for the first time in a week. And... much to my dismay... the scale still showed "ERR." My heart sank. I was really hoping for 390-something. But I'm still hovering somewhere in the vicinity of 400 lbs.

Not knowing the exact number that I weigh is slightly disheartening, to put it mildly. In all actuality... it's driving me crazy! I'm beginning to wonder how many more weeks I'm going to weigh myself and see "ERR" pop up on the scale.

But it doesn't matter, really. No matter how you look at it... I still need to lose at least 200 pounds. And it's not going to happen overnight... or in a week... or in a month... or even in a year.

No matter what... I'm in this for the long haul. And I'm going to continue to do the best that I can each day and not look back. I'm moving forward... and even if the progress seems slow to me... I'm still moving forward. Each day I continue will get me closer to my goal... and that is what I need to focus on.

One day the "ERR" will be a distant, yet painful, memory. But I know that the reality of living life at a normal, healthy weight will be so worth every effort and shed tear that it takes to get there.

It seems that after 1 1/2 years of blogging... the "journey to lose 200 pounds" has finally begun.

The Most Wonderful Man in the World

I don't often write a lot of personal things about my hubby on this blog. But when he walked through the door tonight with the most beautiful bouquet of roses I'd ever seen... I couldn't contain myself. He totally surprised me, because I wasn't expecting anything for Valentine's Day this year. He has been sick the entire week, and I really didn't think he had the energy to even THINK about Valentine's Day. So when he came home with the roses... and the sweetest card with the most loving hand-written note inside... I could not believe my eyes.

When hubby does something... he does it right. It reminds me of the first Valentine's Day we spent together. We were still dating, and only one short month into our budding relationship... though we already felt like we had known one another our entire lives.

I lived in a second floor apartment at the time, and I was anxiously awaiting his arrival for our date. I was cooking, and as I prepared the food, I was anxiously wondering if he had gotten me anything or if he was going to play it cool and not even mention the holiday. I had gotten him a nice mug and filled it with Hershey's Kisses, put it in a gift bag, and hid it in the closet... just in case he didn't get me anything. I didn't want any awkward moments... and I didn't want to appear easy. lol

When he knocked at the door, I took a deep breath and hesitantly opened the door. I could not believe my eyes! To this day I do not know how he carried everything up the steps. lol

He walked into my apartment and I couldn't take my eyes off him... or the bounty he presented to me. He looked tall, dark, and handsome... as usual... and I admired how sexy and strong he looked in his black leather jacket. The scent of his delicious-smelling cologne intoxicated me in the most pleasant way imaginable. And I couldn't believe my eyes when I finally took in everything he had brought me. Suddenly the mug and Hershey's Kisses seemed extremely inadequate. lol

I was overwhelmed by his generosity... and the sheer romance of it all. He had brought me a dozen yellow roses (my favorite!), a box of my favorite peanut butter/chocolate candy, a box of rose-scented tea lights, the movie "Sweet Home Alabama," and a beautiful and delicate glass figurine in the shape of a flower and hummingbird... the kind they sell at Hallmark. I could not believe my eyes. I felt special... for the first time in my life.

I married this man four months later... and I love him more every day of my life. And today when we celebrated yet another Valentine's Day together... it made me more determined than ever to shed this excess weight. He deserves better. I deserve better. We deserve to enjoy the rest of our lives together. And I do not want my weight to hinder us any more than it already has.

I want to say "yes" when he asks me to go out to dinner. He asked me to go out tonight... but I said "no" because of the not-fitting-in-chairs-and-booths-issue... and because I simply didn't want to be seen in public.

I want to say "yes" when he wants to go to an amusement park... or go swimming... or go to a movie... or go ANYWHERE! I want to spend the rest of my life saying "yes, yes, yes" to him instead of saying "no, no, no!" I want to LIVE the rest of my life... enjoying my husband and our marriage to the fullest... instead of just existing as the fat wife who's too embarrassed to leave the house.

My husband has never known me at any weight under 300 lbs. I was around 320 when we met... and now I'm hovering slightly above 400. I guess you could say he's loved me through thick and thicker. lol And he's never once complained about my weight... or made me feel fat... or ugly... or unloved. He's never once acted ashamed or embarrassed of me when we were in public. To the contrary... he always holds my hand when we're walking anywhere in public.

Before we got married I told him, "I'll be skinny some day." His heartwarming reply was simply this... "It doesn't matter. I love you just the way you are."

This man is a saint. He's my husband... the love of my life. And one day he's going to have a lifelong affair with another woman... the fit and trim ME. He deserves it. I deserve it. Our marriage deserves it.

I wonder what surprises await us next Valentine's Day. One thing for sure... I am determined that I am going to be a much slimmer and trimmer wife!

XOXOXO

I hope you all have a great day! I love you all!

xo,
C.C.

TGIF

I hope you all had a good week. I'm still feeling kind of shell-shocked from my weigh-in this past Monday. The worst part is not knowing how much I actually DO weigh right now... not knowing how long it will take me to get out of the 400's. (Good Lord... that number is scary!) Mondays will be my official weigh-in day from now on, and I am SO hoping that I will see 390-something!

It's also scary to realize that I've gained 100 lbs. in the past 2 years. Why did it happen? Why did I ALLOW it to happen??? There are many reasons. But the bottom line is... I've got to get a grip on my eating. I can't eat like "normal" people eat. I cannot let my guard down for even one moment. If I do... I'll just continue gaining and will never lose this weight.

I'm going to be honest here... because that's all I've ever been when writing this blog:

It makes me angry that I can't eat like a "normal" person.

It makes me angry that I have to watch every bite that goes into my mouth. That's the first time I've ever admitted that... even to myself.

From this day forward... I'm letting go of the anger and I'm simply accepting it as my reality. I know what I have to do to lose weight... and I'm going to do it.

Thank You !

I just want to thank all of you who have already commented on yesterday's post. It was a difficult day full of despair, but all of your support and encouragement made me realize that this is not the end of the world. The "ERR" I saw on the scale was not the end of my journey... it's just the beginning. And I am so thankful that all of you are here to share the journey with me and help me along the way. Thank you SO much!!!

I'm taking baby steps, as so many of you suggested. I have one good day of eating under my belt, and I'm working on another. I realize that I have to take this one day at a time and just do the best that I can every day. I'm fighting for my life... and I will not quit.

All of you are literally lifesavers. You helped me to not give up yesterday... and for that I am sincerely grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Love,
C.C.

Unbelievable

I am sitting here shocked, appalled, embarrassed, nervous, scared, and my stomach is in knots. I weighed myself this morning for the first time since last November. I didn't expect to see a pleasing number, but I was in no way prepared for what showed up on my scale. It was an all-time high, and right now I am feeling at an all-time low.

I have a Weight Watchers scale that weighs up to 400 lbs. When I got on the scale this morning, the letters "ERR" showed up. I thought it was a mistake, so I got off and tried again. It was no mistake. The letters "ERR" showed up again. And for the first time in my life... I weigh over 400 lbs.

I cannot even begin to describe how horrible I feel right now. I never thought it would come to this. I never thought I would weigh over 400 lbs. I can't even believe I just wrote "I weigh over 400 lbs."

I knew I had gained weight since Thanksgiving. I expected the scale to say 390-something. Hitting the 400 lb. mark was just not fathomable to me. I was never going to weigh that much. Ever. I might hit 399... but 400 was out of the question. Boy was I wrong.

It's bad enough knowing that I hit the 400 lb. mark. But it's even worse not knowing the exact number. Am I 401? Am I 405? Am I 410? 415??? What the heck do I weigh???

Weighing this much is just not acceptable. I've never really been scared about my weight before... but today I am scared. Today I am in shock. Today feels like my worst nightmare has come true.

Today has GOT to be the first day of the rest of my life. From this day forward, I must do everything in my power to lose weight and keep it off. I can't play games anymore. I can't move forward with anything less than 100% commitment and determination. I must make the correct choices every day of the rest of my life... or I'm not going to HAVE a life.

Anyone Up For A Good Challenge?

You know what I was thinking last night while I was lying in bed at 2:00 in the morning unable to sleep because I was pondering my weight loss struggles? I was thinking that I need a good Challenge! Anyone with me???

The Christmas Challenge seemed to go well, and a lot of you were quite successful at losing weight and getting healthier. I, however, did not fare as well as most of you. I lost a few pounds, but then I gained it all back. I was TRYING to lose weight and not DOING it. I'm ready to DO it now. I'm totally ready.

So I decided to do another Challenge! And since the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday, it's going to be a Fourth of July Challenge. It will be run pretty much the same as the Christmas Challenge was run. And I hope it will serve as motivation for all of us to remain committed to our weight loss efforts through the rest of winter, spring, and into the summer. (Or whatever seasons you're currently in or are approaching in your particular hemisphere. hehe)

The theme for the Fourth of July Challenge is... "Declaring Our Independence from Fat, Fatigue, and Failure!"

Are you ready??? Are you willing??? Are you able??? If you've answered "yes" to any of those questions... march on over to the Fourth of July Challenge Blog and sign up today!

Trying Vs. Doing

Do you realize that I have been blogging and TRYING to lose weight for about a year and a half now? And I have lost a few pounds here and there. I even got down to 340 lbs. at one point in November 2007. But all my losses and victories were short-lived... and I eventually gained back every pound I lost in that year and a half.

The truth is... I recently realized that I have been doing a heck of a lot of TRYING and not much DOING. And it's not working.

If you watch "The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" at all, or if you watched "Biggest Loser" Tuesday night and heard Carla, you know what I'm talking about. I need to change my thought processes and actions which currently involve TRYING to lose weight. TRYING is not good enough. I need to move forward with the attitude that I am going to DO it... and then I need to just DO it!

I hope this makes sense. It's kind of a light bulb moment for me... and maybe it will be for some of you, too. I hope so. :)

Rootin' for the "Home Team"

It's Super Bowl Sunday! And I was born and raised in "Steeler Country," so I just gotta say...