Soooo...summer is approaching, and although cold weather is still lingering in the North, the sun shines regularly and its beginning to look like spring. I LOVE IT! I am such a fan of warm weather and beautiful sunlight (w/healthy doses of sunscreen, of course). This comes as no big surprise as sun has already been proven to improve one's mood. However, I think that I am even more of a sun child than the average person. Even when I'm sitting in over an hour of traffic at 7 pm, I just want to roll the window down, crank the music up, and rock out in the vehicle.

This year, I think that I am going to do more to get out and enjoy the weather. Throughout the winter I have been increasingly more of a homebody. An ideal weekend has consisted of running errands in the morning...home and on the couch by noon (sometimes 10 am, if I want to catch the FoodNetwork morning line up)...snoozing and watching tv for the remainder of the day. Its sad, but true (and honestly not that uncommon for many folks during the long winter months). However, this summer I think that I'm going to make a point to enjoy the beautiful weather...bike riding (yikes...if I can re-learn how), walking or just reading/relaxing along the lake, heading downtown for lunch or a movie. Of course, we don't want all of this to get too expensive. However I want to soak up the beautiful days ahead and really appreciate this beautiful city for what may be my last summer here.

Do you have any plans to enjoy the great weather ahead?

So I have been thinking lately (rare, I know)...Am I the best 'me' that I can be? Am I even the 'me' that I want to be? I don't know about you, but I have a pretty clear image of who I imagine myself to be in 5 - 10 yrs. However, that person just seems so different from the me of today. Not completely different, but different non-the-less.

I don't know if I am just emotional today or what, but as I headed off to work the following mantra was playing in my mind "You're a mess...an absolute disaster." Now this is definitely not the type of positive thinking that I encourage, and I had to pause, count my blessing, and pray that I keep those things at the forefront of my mind. However, I do still believe in honest reflection and self-improvement. Here are the things that had me down:

- My skin just WON'T stop breaking out no matter what I do.
- Sometimes I dress super fly and look great, but other times I feel as though I just look frumpy and far from high end.
- I am easily annoyed and often moody (though I'm getting better).
- My relationship w/family is not what I want it to be (partially due to their actions, but also partially due to the above bullet).
- I'm a huge procrastinator (w/things that are required like paying bills or tasks at work).
- My cat won't use the litter box.
- I'm not the house keeper nor the cook that I'd like to be.
- I know how to eat right, but I'm still compelled to pig out on non-sense if the right excuse presents itself.
- And others that I just don't feel inclined to put out on the net.


Overall, I see things that I can improve upon and others that are just normal human flaws. Sometimes I get depressed b/c I think on the things that I have been trying to change for years, but haven't been successful. I don't know if I'm just not trying hard enough, not trying the right things, or if they are just a part of my personality that I need to learn to accept.

Meh, I don't want to bring everyone down, but I just wanted to express that things aren't all sunshine and roses. Even on the heels of great success I still have doubts and worries. I am trying my best to focus on the here and now...being thankful for who and what I am today. However, a little part of me feels pulled to work towards being a better me tomorrow.

My name is ThummyB, and I'm a food addict.

No seriously...I am. If it's in the house then I MUST eat it. I cannot express how much food I have eaten over the last 2 weeks. It is really scary. Basically, I cannot have crap in the house, and if I'm going to be around crap, then I need back-up healthy food to eat instead. I snack ALL THE TIME, even when I'm not hungry.

I'll be on vacation next week, so that's pretty much a wrap. My plan is pretty much to clear out my kitchen and re-stock w/good stuff. I need good stuff to snack on at home as well as at work. I may not be able to stop the snacking, but I can at least make sure that it's the right stuff.

So...now that I'm done with all of this diet/weight loss stuff, I want to focus on living well. Certainly I want to be around and thriving for as long as possible, and I want the same for my friends and family. This is part of the reason why I have cut back on meat, dairy, pop, sugar substitutes, etc. I also try to make sure that I'm hitting up the doc regularly and doing the necessary maintenance in between visits. Here are some decent tips from Shape.com to consider for long term health. I can even take some of this advice for myself.

4 Health Decisions That Really Matter

By Rachel Grumman

You've probably already memorized the mantra for maintaining a fit and healthy body: Eat well-balanced meals and stick with a regular exercise regimen. But those aren't the only smart moves you can make to ensure a long, enjoyable life. To help guide you, we've focused on the four most important choices every woman needs to make wisely, plus four smaller decisions that also can have a big effect on your health.

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