Three is still company

Week three!! Well some things that I have figured out.. first, exercise needs to become a part of what I do everyday. I discovered that missing two night exercises made it more difficult to continue to get up in the morning, and I began to feel the affects. Taking a nightly walk or going to my daughters ball game 30 minutes early to take a brisk walk around town makes exercise seem more natural. Nan and I even rode our bikes to town on Saturday. The 14 + mile trip wasn't too bad and sure felt good to know that I could actually do it. Nan has been a great help to me. She schedules time for our exercise. I am tracking my blood pressure multiple times per day and I am seeing a strong decrease when I make time to exercise twice a day.
Food.. I am starting to understand that I have been using food as a relief for boredom.. Now I ask myself "Do you really want to eat this, or is there something better that you could do or eat?" I am finding that I enjoy oatmeal even for dinner. If you don't like oatmeal try it the way I make it.

1/2 cup + 2 tbls water
1/2 cup old fashion oats (quick oats are mushy... yuck)
1/2 Tblsp cracked wheat (Give it a try)
pinch of salt
Bring water and salt to a boil.. stir in cracked wheat... let boil for 1 min.
sprinkle oats in water and give one stir to make sure they are wet. Boil uncovered for 1 min. Turn off heat and place lid on pot. Let stand for 7 minutes.. No peeking.. serve with fresh fruit or just good old sugar.
I am warning you that you will never think about oatmeal the same again.

We are eating a lot more fish (tilapia), chicken and even have made some meals without meat.. I didn't think I would like it either, but I have been surprised. Beans (Black, kidney and chickpea) and more vegetables have filled the plate. We have started using a food scale to help us gain some realistic portion control. I didn't even know what a serving of chicken looked like, and I can tell you that even too much of a good thing is too much.
Fitness: Well I am surprised at how easily my body has adjusted to some exercising. I ran three times this week on the treadmill at 4.5 mph for 25 + minutes. I am finding that I can breathe more easily while jogging than I have ever been able to do before. I really appreciate the support that I am getting from my family and friends. I have noticed a great improvement in my sleeping patterns. I am not waking up during the night like I had been. I have been using my heart rate monitor to keep my heart rate between 128 and 142. The heart rate monitor gives me good feedback to push myself. The downside is that I am definitely having to work harder to get my heart rate up to where it needs to be. I used to only have to make sure my feet kept moving to keep my heart rate in the targeted range. Now I have to walk/jog... I guess this is progress.
I am finding it a lot easier to pass on the sweets. I am now looking for an apple or banana to snack on instead of the cookie or toast. Milk is another thing that we have noticed that lasts a lot longer now. I usually try to put in my food into my ipod before I eat it and this helps me decide what I want to eat based on the calories. I have lost over two pounds this week and weigh in just over 252 pounds. I am able to wear shirts/pants that had previously shrunk.. I know this is early on in this battle, but I feel like I am finally starting to see that I do have control over my health/life.