Hello everyone, 

Sorry for the long absense. I have been so busy that I have lacked time to write my blog. I am still fighting the battle to loose the weight.  I have begun going to the Farmer's Market once a week with two co-workers for lunch. It gives us something healthy to eat. 

I also have cut back on the amount of soda I drink and have bene trying to cut back on the sweets and other junk food I get. I have been buying healthier snacks. I am sure these two chances will begin to show results soon.

Asides from that, I am just trying to keep up with life. I hope my words although few are helpful to any readers out there. 

I look forward to reading your comments below. 

Ashley Suarez-Ortiz, News Clerk, writes: First I wanted to take the chance to apologize for my lack of posting recently. Things have been quite hectic lately. I am going to try to do better. That being said, I have realized my problem when it comes to losing the baby weight, I so desperately want to lose.

Sharon Denise Powell, news assistant, Eastern Wake News and Clayton News-Star, writes: My quest to reach a healthy weight, strengthen my muscles, control my blood pressure, fit into my jeans, walk in the MS Walk-a-thon next March and live to be 100 continues.

I heard CNN anchor Dr. Sanjay Gupta talking about the new research that suggests dark chocolate helps people lose weight. My first thought was, ‘Oh my goodness is this why I’m so skinny?’

My colleague, Carole Tanzer Miller doesn’t have a thing on me. I am a chocoholic. I can’t possibly give up chocolate. I keep Lindor Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles and unsalted peanuts (gotta watch my blood pressure) on the nightstand beside my bed. I may miss a meal, but I’ll have some chocolate along with a handful of peanuts before I go to sleep. And I’ll have a little more again in the morning when I wake up, too.

I eat the chocolate for its antioxidants and for no other reason. It never occurred to me that this is why I’m so scrawny. What am I to do? I can’t give up chocolate. Medical scientists have to conduct more research; maybe I should volunteer for a research study on underweight grandmothers who are a few, few years over 40. I’m sure the result will help in the research on malnutrition.

On the lighter side, my wonderful significant other, my ‘Beloved’ offered to make my lunch the other day. I was eager, but he looked at me over the top of his glasses and then said, “On second thought no, because you won’t eat what I make.”
‘Yes, I will, I will,’ I pleaded in desperation.

“No, he said,” as he shook his head. “I will give you two dollars so that you can buy a dollar burger and some fries from McDonalds,” Then he walked away as he mumbled, “ I live to eat and she eats to live.”  

I stood there fighting back the urge to beg for his mercy, but I didn’t. After all, I’m a woman sailor – he’s a Marine, not that that matters. I know what he was doing, he was trying to get me to eat more, but he like so many well meaning people doesn't understand that it is not always about not wanting to eat. I don’t always have the energy or I don’t have an appetite. Still, he had a point. It would be better to make my lunch at night, just as it would be better if I made extra food during the week when my energy is up.

The next morning it was business as usual. I rushed downstairs, walked the dog and hurriedly slapped a slice of turkey between two slices of bread, grabbed a small bottle of grape juice and rushed out the door. As I drove to work I imagined the lunch he would have meticulously packed for me.

What did I learn? He is trying to prompt me to put more thought into meal planning. I will. On a good note, this morning I did 25 pushups – MS Walk here I come.
 

Ashley Suarez-Ortiz, News Clerk writes: Well, I have been away for a few weeks so now its time to update you with my life. 

After my unexpected trip to Maryland, I returned home to just to have my husband go out of town for a week for work, leaving me to care for our boys and home alone - it is not easy doing everything all alone. But I managed to survive. 

My birthday was last Wednesday, on the 28th, and so I celebrated happily with my children  and have yet to feel the effects of adding another year. (laughs)

So things are starting to get back to normal as we enter April and I am glad that things are slowing down. I have been trying to read a few books... joining in on The Hunger Games fad. 

I haven't weighed myself since I was sick, so I am sure I most likely have gained weight instead of lost... but that is life. I will just keep working and hoping that eventually my hard work pays off. 

I hope all is well and I hope to hear from you all soon. Please leave comments below and you may also tweet me at @_itsAshleyS. Thanks for reading!

Sharon Denise Powell, news assistant, Eastern Wake News and Clayton News-Star, writes: My quest to reach a healthy weight, strengthen my muscles, control my blood pressure, fit into my jeans, walk in the MS Walk-a-thon next March and live to be 100 continues. Wow!

One of the many lessons I’ve had to learn in my life is that nothing happens overnight – not even lean muscles.  I know this lesson well, still I am human and like so many others my human frailties dictate that even I will look for a quick fix every now and then.

For months I watched a commercial about a beverage that was supposed to help rebuild muscles. It targeted those of us over 40 who, according to the advertisement, tend to lose muscles simply because we are over 40. I went out and got the drink and brought a bottle with me to work. This is a fortified chocolate milk shake – did I mention I am lactose intolerant? Needles to say, it was a very uncomfortable afternoon. I work in a small newsroom with three GUYS – if I could have crawled under a rock and hid I would have. This beverage may be the perfect solution, just not for me. Oh well, back to the drawing board or more precisely back to sticking to a workout regime.

What did I learn from this? It’s not going to happen overnight. I’m not going to drink chocolate milk and wake up the next morning and suddenly be svelte and well built.

I have to be patient and diligent. I have to focus on consistently doing the things I need to do to be healthy. This includes paying attention to what I eat and drink. When I was in the Navy I forced myself out of bed early in the morning at least three days or more a week for mandatory PT (physically training to you civilians). I am going back to my roots. Morning PT was a part of life. Now I just have to push myself to make the right choices, eat the right foods and get up and move when I’d rather sleep. I’m going to make that walk next year.

Why is the MS Walk so important to me? I am one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans dealing with that disease. It is a daily challenge to find the energy to make a meal and that is probably the main reason I am underweight. Exercise does help those of us who deal with MS. Still, I’m one of the lucky ones in that I can still drag myself out of bed and function. Thus, I focus on what is most important for me – doing what I need to do to stay healthy for as long I can.

Yes, there are no easy or quick fixes. I can’t simply pop a pill or drink a shake and wake up in the morning with a muscular body. I have to be patient. I am taking the “Healthy Lunch bag challenge." I know this is a good motivator for me. I hope others will do the same.

In the meantime, my faithful exercise partner awaits his evening walk.

Sharon Denise Powell, of Eastern Wake News and Clayton News-Star writes: I continue my effort to reach a healthy weight, strengthen my muscles, eat healthy and control my blood pressure. I spent a week in Kentucky with my son and his three kids and now I remember why I had my children young – women my age don’t have the energy to keep up with three and four year-old kids, enough said.

I found a stand in for Sammy: Chopper my son’s 60-pound Bulldog. Chopper was eager to take a walk with the strange new human in the house. And, when Chopper and I left the house he led me on a very brisk walk around the neighborhood. Thus getting my heart rate up for about 20 minutes.

How am I doing? Some of my jeans fit better but most are still much too big. And, when I look at myself in the mirror, I still don’t like what I see. Like many women and little girls (including my 10-year-old step grand daughter Katie) I struggle with my body image. I have been called scrawny yet when I see myself in the mirror I see a big belly and the rolls of fat around my waist. It seems silly to worry about my waistline, but I do. I used to be disciplined about doing crunches (I know you can’t target just one area) but lately I find it easier to flop down in a chair in front of my television set rather than hit the floor for pushups and crunches. Meanwhile, Katie, my wonderfully little step grand daughter insists that she’s fat – she wears size 11 jeans and she is very tall -- she's not fat. I understand that I have to set the right example for Katie and her little sister, three-year-old Jayden.  They need to see me doing healthy things like eating healthy and exercising. I’ve added crunches and pushups, which are great exercises to build muscle, to my regiment.

I now have another incentive to work out, build muscle and get fit and live to be 100 – Katie and Jayden. I want to make sure they develop healthy body images and to do that I have to work on me. I do need to strengthen the muscles around my middle because this suggests potential heart problems. That is my priority. In the end it is not about how I look or whether I can fit into my jeans, but whether I am healthy enough to wear those jeans. In the end for Katie and Jayden it is not about how they look but how they perceive themselves and what they are doing to stay fit and healthy.

I’m not guaranteed a long life. And, no matter how hard I try I am not going to stay here forever. Nonetheless, my lifestyle choices make a difference in the quality of my life and my grandchildren's lives. This is the message I want to pass on to those two wonderful little girls.

I admit that when I began sharing on this blog, I wanted to do this simply because I love to write, but through this process I've developed a better understanding of what is important to me. I already knew that I needed to exercise more, and I knew that my poor diet could be fatal. My week with Katie and Jayden reinforced that. Hopefully, next nest March they can come to North Carolina and cheer on their grandma when she walks in the MS Walk-a-thon.

Ashley Suarez-Ortiz, News Clerk writes: So the last week and so I have been on a whirlwind... or so it seems. My son has a sinus infection and I have been dealing with that and then I had to take a unexpected trip to Maryland. 

Luckily, things are calming down with the family and so I will be returning to North Carolina soon. I have been trying to watch what I eat and when I last checked, I had still lost some weight which is a continued step in the right direction. 

I already cooked most nights but I am going to really make it a point to pack my lunches when I go to work and another thing I am horrible at lately... eatuing breakfast. When I was younger, I never missed breakfast but now as an adult, I find I forget to eat in the morning all the time. So, going to work on that as well. 

I hope things are going well for all my readers. I would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave me your comments below and for anyone that uses twitter, feel free to follow me at @AshleyNSuarez and leave me a tweet!

Sharon Denise Powell, of Eastern Wake News and Clayton News-Star writes: I continue my effort to reach a healthy weight, strengthen my muscles and eat more regularly. I have a faithful friend who makes my challenge so much easier.

This has not been good week for me. I didn’t shop over the weekend and when I finally found time to run to the grocery store I forgot to buy my favorite fruit, apples.

Yesterday, I brought one sandwich to work for lunch. After I finished my sandwich and a banana I still felt hungry. So today I brought two sandwiches, a banana and some oatmeal cookies, but lost my appetite and could not finish anything.

I’ve averaged only one meal a day for most of the week. This is my dilemma. Some days I follow a healthy regime and other days I slip back into unhealthy habits. I believe this is true of all of us whether we’re trying to put on or take off pounds, eat healthy, exercise more, whatever it is we are trying to achieve.

I refuse to beat up on myself because I struggled this week – there’s always tomorrow.

In the morning I’ll take my faithful exercise partner on a long walk, come home and drive to Goldsboro for a family potluck to celebrate my much older half-brother’s 96^th birthday. I planned the menu so it will be healthy, even down to the gluten-free birthday cake (my sister has celiac disease).

Next week I’m off to Kentucky for a week to help my son take care of three kids, three dogs, and two cats. I will find a way to eat healthy. I’ve never walked three dogs before.

Ashley Suarez-Ortiz, News Clerk, writes: To all my readers, I am sorry for the delay in my posts. I am still fighting off this virus and to top it off my iron level is low and I have  an infection. The good news however is that the numbers on the scale are getting smaller.  Which is the goal, although, I would rather be able to feel well and exercise, Its just not in the cards right now. 

I am beginning to get some relief however, I don't feel as groggy, tired and the lack of energy I had before is gone, which is good. The iron pills I am taking are working. And I am able to talk and have almost completely gotten my voice back. 

In my last post, I talked about how easy it is to get discouraged and quit especially when so much is getting you down, but I promise I am going to stick to it and continue on. 

2012 is the year for me to get myself in better health and a better mind. Best of luck to all of you that are also on this journey or who are just following me and supporting me while I am on mine. I appreciate it more than you know. 

Please feel free to leave me your comments below. I will be sure to reply back when I can. 

Sharon Powell, of Eastern Wake News and Clayton News-Star writes: I continue my effort to reach a healthy weight, strengthen my muscles and eat more regularly. I have a faithful friend who makes my challenge so much easier.

Three years ago I fell in love with an adorable little mutt I met at the county shelter. Our eyes first locked through the glass enclosure where my new love had taken up temporary lodging. I wasn't there looking for a puppy. I was just tagging along with David, my partner. I hadn't cared for a dog since my youngest child was a toddler and she'll be 28 next week. But there I was staring at this adorable pistol that was probably days away from death. When I brought Sammy home I knew I had saved his life but I didn't realize that though it might be a stretch to say this, he has saved my life. I get out of the house every day and every time we go on our walk/runs/marches I come home with more vim and vigor.

He needs to run and play and I have to exercise too. He forces me out of bed in the morning. The results: I can feel more definition in my thighs and legs. More importantly, I know I have gained at least two pounds in the last month.

My coworker June Sanders agrees that a dog is a good exercise partner. She says her doctor advised her to get a dog for that very reason. My doctor never mentioned a dog, and adopting Sammy had nothing to do with my health but this is the collateral result of having to care for my best friend. I recommend a dog to anyone who is "turning the scales," or anyone who needs to get moving. Not only will a dog help that human parent but anyone who adopts a dog from the numerous shelters around the state saves the life of the dog they take home and the next dog that takes it's place in that shelter. Our best friends can do a lot for us and we need to return the favor. Which leads me to the reason I've focused on Sammy in this post rather than my weight gain and muscle-strengthening goal.

The Wake County Shelter houses so many of Sammy's com-padres and I'm sure that if Sammy could speak for them he would. Sammy and I are good examples of how much a dog can improve a human's life. My doctor prescribed pills for my hypertension, but she never offered any tips on how I could bring my blood pressure down. When I was malnourished she referred me to a nutritionist, but I'm ashamed to admit I didn't keep the appointment. Sammy didn't care about my dilemma, he just needed to get outside and I couldn't send him outside alone. Once I was outside with Sammy I had to move. I owe Sammy a lot. And thus I implore anyone who loves dogs and needs to manage his or her weight to consider adopting one of the many faithful and loyal exercise partner taking up temporary lodging at a shelter.

On to a lighter note. My editor, Johnny Whitfield, who has had a cold for weeks, admits he needs more vitamin C in his diet. He's agreed to drink at least one glass of orange juice a day. And, Aaron Moody, a staff reporter here admits he needs more calcium in his diet. He has promised to drink at least three glasses of milk a day. I don't think I've convinced June to adopt a dog yet, but she is taking yoga classes and has a cardio workout plan.

I had planned to join the MS Walk next month but I don't have enough time to get sponsors. I believe it's okay to rethink or modify a goal. Thus, my new goal is to join that walk next year. In the meantime, I continue to work on my poor eating habits and walk, march and run with my faithful friend.< Read more here: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/turningthescales/home#storylink=cpy