Not A Weight Post

 Sorry that my posts have been few.  Kickstart kind of has gone to the side as I'm dealing with a dog with a neck injury and it's just been way too stressful.

But with this post, I want to discuss the Bay City Rollers.  Yeah, you heard that correctly, the band from the 1970's famous for the song Saturday Night and causing young girls to run around in plaid and scream their heads off.

I was one of those girls:

Yep, that's me in my Roller Gear too many years ago! 😁 Eric was my favorite.

When I first got the internet, the Rollers were something I looked up.  There were many fan sites and I was able to reconnect with a few penpals.  When FB rolled around, I found some more, connected with new ones and rehashed my Roller days.

I became a fan during what is known as the "classic" line-up:  Eric, Les, Woody, Alan & Derek.  I am very much aware that Les replaced the original lead singer Nobby Clark and that fans in the U.K. are very familiar with him.  Though Nobby was with the band since the start and recorded songs with them, he left before the really big break and the worldwide Rollermania (I'm not saying there wasn't any when he was in the band, but the classic line-up is what most remember).  Nobby sometimes comes to fan fests held throughout the world and it is my understanding that some of the early recordings are actually his voice and not Les' as there wasn't time to dub them over.  I don't know if that's true or not.  What I do know is that Nobby wrote a book, Nobby comes to fanfests and Nobby, in my opinion, has never gotten over not being part of the big break.  He's a little quieter these days but it was there for a long time.

The fan pages these days, for some reason, are in competition with each other.  Keep in mind this is a band from the 70's that hasn't been together in quite a long time.  Of the classic line-up only Eric, Woody and Derek are still alive.  Both Alan & Les passed a few years back as well as Ian (who replaced Alan for a short period).  I must mention Ian as he and his wife Wendy were always very nice to fans on FB.  Wendy still shares pictures (and stories) from her private collection.

Anyhow, there's bullying, there's threats, there's accusations......and I can't help but wonder; why?  Why is it so important for one group of people to try to be named "The Only True Bay City Roller Fans"?  And these groups join with the band member's wives/significant others/children, who apparently don't really get along that well with each other.  So it's a divided group.  There doesn't seem to be any middle ground and for some reason I can't enjoy my band from my childhood because of it.  I can't understand why grown women behave like that!!  I can't really understand why anyone would behave like that over anything.

Grow Up People!

Kickstart, Walking & Exercise

The only exercise I enjoy is walking.  I'm not a speed walker; just a casual walk.

The first time I did Kickstart, one of my commitments was to walk one mile each day.  I can do that; I've done it....but sometime during that period, I missed some and gave up.

This time around my commitment is to walk each day.  I didn't set a walk length; I just put to take a walk.  This is much more doable.   If it gets too late...a simple walk down the block and back will do.

On the norm, I do walk a mile; but this way...I don't have to if I can't.

Another commitment is to do an exercise besides walking.  I often do wall arm push-ups, increasing as the days go by.  I aim for leg exercises as well.

Jean-Luc and Nick offer step classes (I did that years ago at the YMCA) but haven't tried that.  They also have daily exercises for you to try with instructions.  YouTube is another place to look for different exercises.

Kickstart & Breakfast

 Another one of my commitments is to eat breakfast everyday.  That may seem like a no brainer, but I often skip breakfast!

One of the things I know is that it is very rare I can eat breakfast close to when I get out of bed.  I need a grab and carry to take to work with me.

I can make single servings of baked oatmeal and heat up at work.  If I'm not too lazy to make it.  Monday I had baked oatmeal; but Tuesday I just didn't want to make it in the morning and on day 2 of Kickstart, I certainly didn't want to screw up 😂!  So I improvised; I toasted 2 slices of 647 bread and sprayed them with spray butter, topped a Dannon Light & Fit yogurt with 1 tbsp of granola and added a banana.  That was actually a very filling breakfast!  So far this morning, I've had toast.

Breakfast doesn't have to be a huge meal.  You don't want to force yourself to eat.  I try to keep it simple.

Kickstart & Water

I'm sitting here waiting for Glo-fiber, so I thought I'd at least start a post 😊.

Starting out pretty easily - already have half my water complete!  My water goal is six 8 ounce servings a day.  Why 6?  When I started WW back in 2010 one of the healthy guidelines was to have 6 servings of a liquid a day.  "Six" servings of a "liquid".  I don't know why "six" was the chosen number but back then, WW allowed you to count any liquid towards that goal.  Liquid?  It could be water, soup broth, milk, coffee, tea, soda...etc...  The only catch was some of those liquids may come with a point value, so you would have to count that!  Anyway, I've stuck with the six servings but all mine are plain old water - I've never had an issue drinking water, though I know a lot do.  So I've been up 2 hours and already have 3 servings in, how?

Well.... a serving is 8 ounces (1 cup).  I have an old tupperware cup that I've measured 8 ounces to.  I fill to that line and drink it.  Once you see what 8 ounces looks like.....you'll realize it isn't that much. 

That ridge on the cup is the 8 oz. line.

I know that many fill those HUGE cups with the whole days water in it - if that works for you, go for it.  For me though, those huge cups are way too overwhelming, I'll stick to the little servings sizes.  Once I have my six servings in, I drink whatever I want!   And that's something to work towards.....drink water, then whatever you want!  It's like a little prize at the end.  In case you're wondering; yes, I do have coffee in the morning, I drink that along with my water.

And in case you are wondering.....the fiber internet is worth it and much cheaper than cable.

And We're Off.....

In no way was I happy with my start weight yesterday.......no, no, no!!!

This morning was a little better 😁.  Shapa still has me in the green zone.  I really shouldn't be weighing myself daily...I mean, the purpose of Shapa is to prevent that.

As far as food wise, I tracked everything, made some better choices, read a chapter of a book (Atomic Habits), got a walk in, water and another exercise.  All my commitments were complete!  Aiming for the same today and so far, I have my water in, my walk complete and my meals prepped - off to a good start!

Yesterday I found out that The Living Dead Weekend will be showing the original black & white version of Night of the Living Dead at the mall theater.  I'm so excited as I've always wanted to see it on the big screen!  So I quickly bought a ticket for that!  I feel a little bad that CC can't attend with me this year (we did it last year together) as seeing this movie on the big screen is on her bucket list as well; but she has another obligation and with the huge amount of actors from these movies being there - I just couldn't pass it up!

Tomorrow I have Glo-Fiber coming to hook up new internet.  I've had all I can take of Comcast/Xfinity's increasing prices and not willing to offer a good deal to long standing customers.  Glo-Fiber is offering the first month free to test it and I can cancel anytime - no contracts!  And it's half the price of Comcast with no price increases.

And today is ending with all my commitments complete!

The Start of a New Start (again)

Kickstart starts tomorrow, so I am off to a new start.

My main goal right now is to be down at least 10 lbs by June 6th.  That's when I leave to go to Monroeville for the The Living Dead Weekend.  It's honoring 40 years since Day of the Dead came out and a lot of the actors from that movie as well as Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead are being there.  The mall (where Dawn was filmed) was recently sold to Wal-mart, so it may be the last time the festival will be there.  I'm very excited to meet Judith O'Dea who played Barbara in Night of the Living Dead (I met Russ Steiner (aka: Johnny) last year, but look forward to seeing him again) and Sherman Howard who played Zombie Bub in Day of the Dead!

But honestly, I have a big fan girl crush on Greg Nicotero since meeting him last year!  And he'll be there again this year!  I was just too fat in the photo with him last year....so the 10 lbs is the goal - oh, I'd prefer it to be more...but I'll settle for 10! And though you may know Greg as the special effects expert on The Walking Dead, he was an actor in the movie Day of the Dead.  Anyway looking for a photo, autograph and whatever else he has at his booth!

BUT, enough about that festival after it actually happens!  I've got my Kickstart Commitments set and they are pretty much the same as last time:

I have been doing #5 Shapa since the last time and want to continue on with that.  I know #2 says WW Tracking - I will be doing a Weight Watchers program, it's irrelevent which app I'm using.  

So that's where I am right now and hopefully, I'll be doing daily or semi-daily updates.  Hmmmm.... maybe next time that can be a commitment 😊.

Kickstart Is Starting Soon!

Loving the new stove!!  Still learning the ends and outs but everything has been great so far!

KICKSTART starts on Monday, April 28th!  It's FREE, so come join us!  If you want to purchase the Kickstart journal it is available in book form or PDF; however, it is not necessary to have the journal to follow along - a regular old notebook will work!  I've purchased the journal in the past and it does have a lot of useful and helpful information in it AND they keep improving on it; but I found I kind of stopped using it less than halfway through.  Why? I have an app to track my food, I have a picture of my 10 Commitments on my phone and I can add notes and such on the Healthi app but I do find journals useful so I'm going to use this journal this time around.  By all means though - YOU DO YOU!  Find your nitch and go with it!

I am going to do the current Weight Watcher program on the Healthi app though.  I started that way last time and it went well; then I went back to the WW app and it threw me all off course.  Check my post HERE on how I do the current program on Healthi.  It won't be exact; but it will be close.

I am trying to come up with some easy meals to get me through at least the first week.  For breakfast I'm thinking Baked Oatmeal and a Protein Shake.

My stand by recipe for baked oatmeal is: 

1/3 cup uncooked oatmeal  (regular or instant works; but not steel cut)

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice, count points if necessary)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Sweetener of choice to taste

Then any fruit you happen to have on hand (frozen or fresh)

For lunch I'm thinking of doing a turkey, ham, provolone, bacon sandwich with mayo, lettuce and tomato.  I'll toast the bread and use light bread, thin sliced provolone cheese (or reduced fat), the Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon and light mayo.  I'll have a pickle and  fruit on the side.

Just trying to think ahead!

A Quick Update

Today I got a new stove!

That may seem like such a small thing to most; but it's a big deal to me.

Many years ago, when the 2 oven stove came out, I purchased a Maytag Gemini. I LOVED that stove and had it for many many years.  When we did a cheap upgrade in the kitchen, I wanted stainless steel appliances.  We got a refrigerator and dishwasher and I held out on the stove, because I loved mine so much. Eventually though, I broke down and got a stainless steel one - just one oven - in a price range I could afford.  It worked, but it just wasn't what I wanted.

***I was unaware that there a people that can wrap appliances to the color you want. Had I known that, that's what I would have done with my Gemini."

Anyway....I finally bought a new two oven (they no longer make the Gemini).  It's a Samsung this time.  It has an air fryer mode and actually connects to wifi and my phone.

Rather than pay Lowe's to take away the old one, we sold it on FB.  I kid you not - the person that bought it was pulling away as Lowe's delivery was pulling in!!  Perfect timing!

I haven't used it yet, but obviously I will.

My Shapa has had me in the light gray for a while and now has me in green, which is good. I did get a walk in today, the weather was so beautiful!

Some Weight Watchers Drama

By now I'm sure you've heard that Weight Watchers is filing bankruptcy.  I wouldn't panic just yet; bankruptcy doesn't always mean the business is closing down; it sometimes is a tool used to start reconstructing the business.  Depending, of course, what the creditors want.

There have been several businesses that have filed for bankruptcy protection lately; Joanne's Fabric being the most recent.  They've liquidated and closed their doors.  Big Lots was another that liquidated and closed their doors, HOWEVER, I've read recently that they plan on opening back up some stores.  Any of this could happen to Weight Watchers; but it will take time before any of this occurs.  So no need to panic yet.  

And remember, the Healthi app is still out there!

MOVIE REVIEW "A WORKING MAN" ***SPOILERS***

 I go to the movies at least once a week...sometimes more than once!

CC and I went to see A Working Man.  We love Jason Statham and go to all his movies.

This was a typical Jason Statham movie - ACTION!

The storyline involves a kidnapped girl and Jason goes and saves the day! Somehow it all involves a Russian mob and naturally Jason takes them out, lol!

3 out of 5 stars!

MOVIE REVIEW "HELL OF A SUMMER" - **SPOILERS**

 Last night, CC and I went to see Hell of a Summer.

It's your typical young adults who are camp counselors arriving before the campers and there is a killer loose.

Slasher? Yes.  Gory? No.  Campy? Yes.  Funny? Yes.  It's a Slasher Comedy!

I really enjoyed it!

No oscars are going to be won here, but if you just want some fun - this is the movie for you!

I give it a 3 out of 5 stars!

MOVIE REVIEW - "SNOW WHITE" - **SPOILERS**

 **Movie Reviews are my own opinion and may be different from yours.  All reviews contain spoilers, so read at your own risk**

Where to begin with this one?  I'm all about taking the old Disney cartoon movies and making them live action; but can we just do that????

Snow White is the classic tale of a young princess, hated by an evil step mother, who finds her prince.  Pretty simple, huh? Not in this day and age.

Snow White isn't a damsel in distress here - she doesn't even find a real prince (oh she finds true love, just with a commoner) - after all this Snow White is a "I am woman, hear me roar".

Oh it has all the characters the original does, but it almost seems like they thought they had to have them.  The seven dwarfs were left out of the movie title because that would be offensive and at first, Disney thought it may be time to change the dwarves to something else or leave them out all together.  Good thing Disney realized they were a big part of the story! They CGI'd them....it was hard to tell them apart.  Dopey looked like Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman - and once you see that, you can't get passed it.

Disney seems to think that making Snow White not a damsel in distress; that she'll empower young female children.  You know what those young female children want? They want the fairy tale.  Stop spoon feeding them reality and let them be kids!

This movie just didn't flow as well as some of the others; it just didn't.

2 out of 5 stars.

On The Right Track

 So Shapa today has me in the Teal - which is great!

Still not feeling the greatest, I get tired quickly without really doing anything active.  Just sitting at my desk at work exhausts me.

I'm looking forward to Kickstart starting again, but there's a few weeks for that yet. If you're interested you can sign-up or get more information here:  KICKSTART, it's FREE to join.  If you want, you may purchase their journal for it: Kickstart Journal, but you do not need to...any journal or a plain notebook will do; you may find that you do not need any type of journal or notebook.

I hate to keep talking about Kickstart; but I do find it to be a useful tool.  It gives me some structure; which I'm missing from no longer having any meetings; it just keeps me on track.

I think I'm going to start to do some movie reviews on the blog.  I see a lot of movies, at least one a week, so I have lots of opinions!!